Community News
Laser Therapy for Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is generally caused by progressive wear and tear on our joints that results in the breakdown of our joint cartilage. When cartilage breaks down, the bones start to grind against each other, creating inflammation in the joint. These changes are what cause you to experience painful symptoms. The degenerative process itself may not be painful, however the resulting inflammation and irritation to surrounding muscles, ligaments, and tendons usually cause you to experience uncomfortable and sometimes debilitating symptoms. Cold laser therapy offers an innovative treatment for a variety of acute and chronic, often painful, conditions like osteoarthritis.

Ready for Back to School?

Getting kids ready to go back to school can be challenging after a carefree summer. Starting to re-establish a schedule before school starts again is a great way to help kids ease into the new school year. Another way to prepare your kids for future success in school is to start a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP). It’s a tax-free investment account that is used for your child’s post-secondary education, and the government contributes an additional 20% to the plan each year. A trusted investment advisor can help you start saving for your child’s future.

Has A Car Crash Wrecked YOU?

Being in a car accident (MVA) can be a severe and life-altering event. Although many people do make a full recovery shortly after their accident, others experience pain and psychological difficulties that endure longer. This may include: experiencing feelings of anxiety; feeling “on-edge” when driving; flashbacks and nightmares of the accident; or even an overall feeling of helplessness of ever feeling “normal” again. Counselling, specifically Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), has shown to be effective to help individuals overcome the trauma of an MVA.

Are IV Vitamins Right for You?

Q: What is IV Nutrient Therapy? A: Vitamins, minerals, and amino acids are directly infused into the bloodstream, bypassing the digestive system and allowing for maximum absorption. Q: Who can benefit from IV Nutrient Therapy? A: Almost everyone can benefit from faster, more effective nutrient absorption into the body with minimal, if any, gastrointestinal side effects. Intravenous therapies have been known to be beneficial for, but not limited to, chronic fatigue, anxiety, low immune system, infections, hormonal irregularities, pain management, inflammatory conditions, weight loss, pregnancy, autoimmune conditions, neurological conditions, migraines, detoxification, heavy metal toxicity, and athletic performance.

Choosing the Right Sunscreen

Sunscreen is one of the most important daily steps you can take to protect the health and beauty of your skin, and there are two main types. Physical sunscreens contain the natural minerals zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to create a barrier between your skin and the sun. These products don’t absorb into the skin and are ideal for children and those with sensitive skin. Chemical sunscreens contain ingredients such as Avobenzone and Octinoxate that are absorbed by the skin and create a chemical reaction to change UV rays into heat that is then released from the skin. Chemical sunscreens are safe for most people who don’t have sensitivities. Choose a high-quality product with an SPF of at least 30 and use it daily, including on cloudy days, to lower your risk of skin cancer and help prevent wrinkles. Great skin at any age – Let us show you how!

Chiropractic Care is Simple

Modern life is filled with opportunities that cause misalignment in the joints of the spine. Sitting, bending, lifting, trauma, and poor posture while using computers and mobile phones can all cause strain on the neck and back. This strain can damage the soft tissues of the spine, including the delicate nervous system that is housed within. So, what happens when your spine becomes misaligned? Neck pain, back pain, headaches, sciatica, and more. But sometimes pain doesn’t occur until the damage accumulates. Chiropractic can help to gently re-align, reduce strain, and restore function to this delicate spinal system. When was the last time you had your spine examined by a doctor of chiropractic?

What is Lifestyle Medicine?

Processed food, sedentary lives, lack of sleep, unceasing stress, dissolving relationships, and collapse of purpose take a massive toll on our health and enjoyment from life. Most healthcare costs are linked to lifestyle-related diseases and nearly all top causes of death are due to chronic conditions. Lifestyle medicine combines an acknowledgment of these facts with evidence that lifestyle interventions such as nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress reduction, and smoking cessation can prevent, manage, and reverse disease. Using evidence-based medical assessments and leveraging personal health coaching, lifestyle medicine can help people take control of their health and optimize long-term vitality.

Surgery for ACL Injuries

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is commonly seen in sports such as soccer, rugby, and skiing. Although many individuals initially recover well, the ongoing instability often prevents return to sports and leads to further knee injury, and the risk of developing future osteoarthritis becomes increased. Bracing is rarely sufficient. Surgical reconstruction performed early, within 3-6 weeks, helps to minimize the risk of further injury. ACL surgery should be treated as an urgent matter: assessment, diagnosis, and surgery can usually be completed within a few weeks. The athlete, elite, or weekend-warrior can then start early rehabilitation to maximize the benefits of the knee reconstruction.

Back and Pelvic Girdle Pain

When determining how to treat back and pelvic pain, many health professions focus on what hurts, rather than on why it hurts. Physiotherapists often look at back and pelvic pain in terms of how those regions function to gain a better understanding of the causes behind pain in those areas. The team at Diane Lee & Associates uses a novel approach that combines manual therapy and dry needling to release tight muscles and stiff joints followed by motor learning, using real-time ultrasound for biofeedback, and movement training. This combined whole body approach teaches the patient how to use their body in a more efficient way to avoid problematic habits in the future.

Sitting is the new smoking!

Statistically, 70 percent of jobs are sitting based today. We sit when we work, when we eat, when driving, when we’re on our devices and when we watch TV. Unfortunately, it’s everywhere and we can’t really avoid it. Chiropractors have a specific interest in sitting because it can slowly damage the spine and surrounding soft tissues, eventually leading to neck and back pain. The posture of sitting changes the normal curvature of the spine so that our head is pushed forward and our low back curve flattens out. The lack of movement and change of posture strains and eventually damages soft tissues. Ask your Chiropractor how you can address pain and prevent possible damage to your spine!

Knee Replacements Outside of Hospitals

Total knee replacement is the most definitive treatment for advanced osteoarthritis. This procedure is typically done in a hospital setting, with 3-5 days of hospital stay. In recent years, it has become clear that healthy individuals can be discharged from the hospital on the day of their surgery, to safely and conveniently recover at home. Having surgery done at a medical centre provides a welcome alternative to hospitals. This can help reduce complications associated with hospitalization, and for many patients, the convenience and comfort of being at home with family is much preferred over the rustle and bustle of a busy surgical ward.