Understanding Sciatica and Chiropractic Care

 

Sciatica is a common condition that causes pain, numbness, or weakness in the buttocks and legs. The condition affects millions of people worldwide, and many find relief through chiropractic care.

What Is It?

Sciatica is caused by a pinched or irritated sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back through the hips, buttocks, and down each leg. The nerve can become compressed for a variety of reasons, including herniated discs, spinal stenosis, or degenerative disc disease.

Symptoms of sciatica include pain that radiates from the lower back down the leg, tingling or numbness in the leg or foot, and muscle weakness in the affected leg.

In our practice, we help sciatica patients through non-invasive and drug-free methods. Chiropractic care for sciatica typically involves adjustments, which may help to relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve and reduce inflammation in the affected area.

In addition to adjustments, we may also recommend other complementary therapies to help alleviate symptoms and prevent future flare-ups. These may include exercises to improve flexibility and strengthen the muscles that support the lower back, as well as lifestyle modifications like weight loss, improved posture, and stress reduction techniques.

Ready to Learn More?

If you are experiencing sciatica symptoms like lower back pain, leg pain, or numbness, chiropractic care may be the solution you’ve been searching for. Contact our practice to schedule an appointment and learn more about how care can help you find relief from sciatica symptoms.

Remember, early intervention is key when it comes to sciatica, so don’t delay in seeking care if you suspect you may be suffering from this condition.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

             Four Low Impact Exercises You Can Do Every Day

Some people love intense, high energy workouts with heavy weights and lots of sweat. But that is not the only way to get a “good workout.”
 
Low impact cardio also has numerous health benefits—and the best part? It is ideal for any age and stage of life.
 
Getting active for 30 minutes each day with some cardio can have a positive impact on your mood as well as release endorphins (natural chemicals in the body that make you feel good).  Invigorating exercise can also help improve your heart health which can aid in the fight against Type II Diabetes and high blood pressure.
 
Interested?  Why not give it a shot? Here are a few different low impact exercises almost anyone can work into their day.
 
1. Walking. A brisk 20-minute walk can get your heart pumping, muscles activated and calories burning. The best part? You can set the pace. Add more walking into your day by making it a habit to go for a walk after each meal.
 
2. Biking. Have a bicycle collecting dust in your garage? Now is the perfect time to dust it off. Start by setting a weekly mileage goal for yourself—it takes about four minutes (on average) to bike one mile.
 
3. Swimming. If you have access to a pool, swimming is an excellent way to sneak cardio into your day. If you have injuries, it is also ideal for rehab exercises.
 
4. Stretching. Yes, stretching is exercise! Better yet, it can help you wake up in the morning or relax after a long day.
 
If you are finding even light exercise painful or hard to do.  That is where we can usually help. Give us a call to book an adjustment—we will do our best to balance your spine and nervous system so that you can get back to living the life you love.

       Is Working From Home Wrecking Your Back?

As COVID-19 vaccines are rolling out and the risk decreases, many workers will return to their normal workplaces. But some workers will continue to work from home long term and are finding it difficult – especially those without a dedicated, stable ergonomic office space from which to carry out their day.

While this in and of itself can be a pain, it’s also likely causing real pains in your back, neck and eyes.

As your partner in health, we’d like to provide a few work-from-home tips to help you thrive in your makeshift office space.

 1. Do you have to read documents for your job? Make sure you don’t read them from a flat surface—because that means your neck is hanging down. If you deal with paper documents or use an iPad for viewing, invest in a vertical document holder. Have an old music stand? That will also do the trick.

 2. Posture is important - sit back in your chair with your feet flat on the ground in front of you. We know, it’s tempting to work from your comfortable couch or recliner — but your back won’t like that after a while. If your feet don’t reach the floor when you’re sitting back in your chair, grab a few books and place them under your feet as support.  A physioball makes a great seat causing you to sit upright and engage your core muscles.
 
3. Standing desks may be all the rage but use them in moderation. Why? Standing puts more stress and strain on our circulatory system (as well as the feet and legs) than sitting does. The best option is to alternate between your chair and standing desk hourly.

4. Ditch the mouse pad with the squishy wrist rest. Having anything under your wrist can actually add compression on the carpal tunnel median nerve, leading to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
 
5. Make sure your screen or monitor is set up perpendicular to a window. This will help reduce glare from the light and minimize visual eye strain.
 
Do you experience episodes of back pain, neck tension or headaches that you just can’t seem to kick to the curb? We’re here to help. Contact us to book an appointment for an adjustment.

Would you like to find out if chiropractic might help with your condition? Call Dr. McKamey's office to schedule a consultation. 

Dr. Kevin L. McKamey of East Park Integrative Chiropractic

1340 Belmont Ave, Suite 504

Salisbury, Md.; 443-880-3830 

See original blog post here:  

https://www.shoplocaldelmarva.com/is-working-from-home-wrecking-your-back

East Park Integrative Chiropractic Logo Questions Answered.....

From Doctor McKamey...

About the CAIRN in our logo:

A cairn is a man-made pile (or stack) of stones. The word cairn comes from the Scottish Gaelic: càrn [ˈkʰaːrˠn̪ˠ] (plural càirn [ˈkʰaːrˠɲ]). 

From prehistoric times to the present, Cairns are and have been used for a broad variety of purposes including markers or monuments to guide travelers, indicate safe harbors or navigational channels.

They vary in size from small stone markers to entire artificial hills, and in complexity from loose conical rock piles to delicately balanced sculptures and elaborate feats of megalithic engineering.

Cairns are simple rock formations, used as landmarks to guide travelers along a path or to mark a sacred place.  From the Arctic territories of the Inuit to temples in Korea, cairns can be found all over the world.

In modern times, cairns are often erected as landmarks, a use they have had since ancient times.

Hope For The Journey Ahead……..A Pinterest article from July.  The original author is Geologist David B. Williams.  The excerpt is from his book Cairns: Messengers in Stone.

 “Cairns have evolved as symbols of friendship, safety, and direction.  They offer guidance for those wandering life’s path.  To stumble upon a cairn is to know that you aren’t alone, that someone has traversed the same terrain you now find yourself on.  In this way, cairns remind us to never give up, that the journey is yours to make as long as you keep traveling.

It’s about those little piles of rocks best known as trail markers around the world.  In addition to weaving together the natural history of cairns, including geology, ecology, and how to figure out how old they are, I focus on three themes.  The first is communication, for cairns are arguably one of humanity’s earliest ways of sharing information.  The second is connection, in that people often build a cairn or add a stone to one as a means of connecting to place, history, and/or family.  And, finally, I write about cairns as a sign of community, of travelers, of hikers, of explorers; each time we build one or rely on one we are bonding with those who came before and will come later.”

During our travels as a family, we used to stack 7 stones in small towers wherever we went.  There was no real reason for the practice; it was a novelty.  Spiritually, seven is the number of completion or perfection.  Our small monuments were a sign we had been there, left for others to know someone had passed through before them. 

When Julie and I were considering logo’s for EPIC we wanted something very special to convey a uniqueness and establish a sense of community.  Stacked stones and balanced sea glass images began to jump into sight everywhere.  It was in perfect synchronicity with everything else that was happening.  The cairn in the image with this post, popped up on Pinterest during one of our searches for ideas.  Initially, we thought the cairn might serve as the I in EPIC.

My light side needed something more whimsical, with the same message but not as rigid.  Our immediate family rendered guidance.  A friend, Jen Moore, came up with the final whimsical cairn.   Many will not know its significance.  To paraphrase David B Williams:  It’s all about Communication, Connection and Community. 

Product, Product and More Product

EAST PARK INTEGRATIVE CHIROPRACTIC HAS PRODUCT FOR SALE!

We are carrying the following lines of product:

Now Foods.... www.nowfoods.com

Golden Tiger...  www.goldentigerusa.com

CV Sciences CBD Oil... www.cvsciences.com

Apex Energetics...  www.apexenergetics.com

NOW Foods

Golden Tiger

CV Sciences

Apex Energetics

Same Great Chiropractic Care, Just a New Office!

A little about Dr. Kevin L. McKamey:

Kevin L. McKamey MS, DC, is a 2009 graduate of Logan College of Chiropractic/Logan University where he earned his Bachelors of Science in Human Biology, Masters of Science in Sports Rehabilitation and Doctorate in Chiropractic Studies. The Doctor of Chiropractic curriculum at Logan includes a balance of basic, chiropractic and clinical sciences as well as extensive business training. Graduates of Logan College are exposed to one of the most comprehensive chiropractic programs in the nation with nearly 5,000 classroom and clinical contact hours. His education was highlighted by over 800 outpatient clinical hours serving as a Senior Chiropractic Intern at the Montgomery Health Center, Bio-Freeze Sports Rehabilitation Center, Bogey Hills Health Clinic and Veterans Administration Hospital Spine Care Unit. He also completed a 300 hours internship in clinical medical orthopedics as a Master’s resident at Parkcrest Orthopedics in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. McKamey has obtained training in and utilizes a number of chiropractic techniques including: Cox Flexion/Distraction for the cervical and lumbar regions, Diversified, Gonstead, Logan Basic, Sacro Occipital (SORCI) and Pro Adjuster techniques.

Dr. McKamey has been licensed by the state of Maryland since 2011 to practice chiropractic with physical therapy privileges and supervise the training and administration of Chiropractic Assistant’s (CA’s) under Maryland license number S03664. He is registered with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) under NPI 1134356181. He is also inactively licensed by the Delaware Division of Professional Regulation F1-0000813 and the Virginia Board of Medicine VA 0104556971. Originally practicing in the St. Louis, Missouri area as a locum tenens doctor and subsequently in Western North Carolina as sole proprietor of Synergy Wellness of Highlands, Dr. McKamey relocated to Salisbury in March 2011 and has been serving the Salisbury and greater Delmarva area for nearly 10 years, eight of those as an Associate at Delmarva Chiropractic P.C. He is trained in a number of chiropractic manipulative techniques and maintains bi-annual certification as a Cox Flexion Distraction Practitioner specializing in the management and treatment of a number of acute and chronic spine and joint ailments including but not limited to low back sprains and strains, degenerative joint and disc disease, spinal stenosis, disc herniation, spondylolisthesis, scoliosis as well as neck and shoulder pain. He is certified by the American Chiropractic Association as Chiropractic Wellness Specialist and Post-Surgical Spine Rehabilitation Specialist. He is also certified American Medical Institute of LASER Applications in the use of advanced LASER therapeutics (Low Level Light Therapy) and by several entities in a number of soft tissue techniques. Additionally, he is board eligible as a Diplomate of the American Board of Chiropractic Internists, a division of the American Chiropractic Association and maintains association with a number of professional and civic organizations including the American Chiropractic Association and the Maryland Chiropractic Association, Council on Diagnosis and Internal Disorders, Clear Spine Institute as well as the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce and is a Life Member of the Disabled American Veterans.

East Park Integrative Chiropractic opened July 7, 2020 with a stated goal to provide safe, holistic chiropractic care for patients of all ages. This clinic will serve all sectors of the community and will specialize in modern, evidence-based practices providing evaluation, examination, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic conditions of the spine and other joints of the human frame as well as recreational sports and athletic injuries. We will proactively focus on the patient’s satisfaction with their general overall health and their ability to enjoy life and engage in common activities of daily living. We will provide postural and functional analysis, ergonomic studies, structural and biomechanical evaluation and training along with rehabilitative home exercise programs. It is our vision to provide our partners/patients with dynamic and integrative care, highlighting natural, non-invasive options to many common and debilitating complaints. We will also provide a number of other services including but not limited to: physical therapy, lifestyle, nutrition and weight loss counseling. It is our goal to integrate our business with that of other businesses creating a vector for services while providing a valuable and necessary service to the community creating a common location for functional medicine, naturopathy, massage therapy and acupuncture.

Launching 07/07/2020

Dr. Kevin L. McKamey MS, DC

1340 Belmont Avenue

Suite 504

Salisbury, MD 21804

443-880-3830

A Word from Dr. Kevin L. McKamey.....

6/30//20 From Dr. Kevin L. McKamey:

As of today, I have ended my 8 year association with Delmarva Chiropractic to enter a new and exciting phase of my life. I am moving my practice to 1340 Belmont Avenue, Suite 504, Salisbury, Maryland under the name East Park Integrative Chiropractic. We are quickly bringing things online with regards to I/T and scheduling. We should have a schedule built in the software by tomorrow and will be able to provide appointments for next week. If Comcast is successful, the telephone system should be active tomorrow. I am so encouraged by the messages and telephone calls I have received already. Keep the excitement level up and be patient. Thank you all for your continued support. 🥰 Stay tuned here for further developments.


Office Information:

East Park Integrative Chiropractic
1340 Belmont Avenue, Suite 504
Salisbury, MD 21804

443-880-3830

Cheese Anyone?!

I just finished reading a book called Who Moved My Cheese?  It took me a few weeks to get through it because I had some things that needed my attention in my "spare time" so it wasn't a slow moving book or a bad read, just took me some time to get to it.

It was a little eye opener, kind of put things into black and white, by that I mean, basically change happens and you can either be looking for it or hiding from it.  I prefer to look for it, flow with it, keep up with it.  I haven't always had that mind set.  I can get in a rut so to speak sometimes and just not put effort into change.  Guess it's the comfy place you don't want to move out of.

As a military wife I embraced change every few years with a new city to live in and a new job to start and more friends to make.  Then came kids and we didn't move, nor did I change jobs for those 14 years.  In 2004 we took the plunge ~ moved, changed jobs, did the full time college thing, turned our lives upside down....only to do the same thing in 2010.

Here I am in 2018 looking for change because like I said it's going to happen and I can look for it or hide from it.

I say buy the book and read it along with one called Fish. 

P.S.  Cheese isn't just for Friday night wine, cheese and crackers.  ;-P

Cha Cha Changes in Life...

Change is an undeniable force that impacts everything.

Changes through life are sometimes dramatic, sometimes not so much.  Sometimes change is small, not too significant but still a change.  Sometimes change is HUGE and sends us for a loop!

Some change is good...a new job, a new home, a new diet, a new exercise routine, a new attitude!  Some change isn't so good...a divorce, a death, an illness, living in the same old rut.  All depends on how you look at it.

If you're struggling with changes in your life, good or bad, sit back, reflect on where you've been, look ahead to where you're going and live in the now ~ I'm sure you'll see some happy moments in all 3 places if you think about it hard enough.  ;-)

Localvore Much?!

Localvore Much?!

A localvore is a person dedicated to eating food grown and produced locally.  Here on the eastern shore we have a lot of local farms so why not eat locally?  It supports the local economy (more money for us), it is healthier (no shipping time), it is safer (less susceptible to food borne illnesses) and it tastes better!  A home cooked meal tastes better and so does neighborly fruits and vegetables!

So where to buy?  We can first start with the local farmers markets, road side stands and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA).  CSAs are becoming more and more popular.  It is a great way for a group of people to collectively purchase products from a local farm.  Shares can be paid for in cash or labor, but they generally rely on a combination of both.  For example you pay a flat fee to the local farmer and you help on the farm or by helping pass out shares to others.

If you decide to join a CSA, at first you may wonder what you got yourself into because frankly you may need Vegetable Recognition 101 classes!  But look on the bright side it may inspire you to try something new and learn a way to cook the vegetable to perfection!

Some CSAs may also offer eggs, cheese and milk from other local producers.  There are several CSAs in our area and a couple of websites, like localharvest.org, that you can reference to locate one near you.  For example:

Calliope Farm is a small scale CSA and is located at 5000 Stock Creek Lane, Salisbury.  Call 202-716-0217 or visit their website calliopefarmandgarden.com for more information.  They also can be found at the Camden Avenue Farmers Market most Tuesdays.

The Good Farm is located at 11483 Sinepuxent Road in Berlin.  They accept visitors and volunteers, call 410-713-8803 or visit wegrowgoodfood.com for more information.  They also can be found at the Ocean Pines and Fenwick Island Farmers Markets.

Remember if you don’t want to join a CSA there are always the Farmers Markets!  Eat local, shop local, be a local!

A Little Fermentation, A Lot of Good Bacteria…

Once upon a time (2006ish) in a land far far away (Missouri) my family went to an ice cream social on a farm where we bought raw cow’s milk through a co-op.  Before you get all up in arms about raw milk it was legal in Missouri and we had the right to choose to put it in our bodies.  Anyways, at the social we met a woman involved in the co-op  and got into a discussion with her about gut issues.  She told us all about fermentation and how she made homemade sauerkraut, milk kefir and yogurt.  At the time my husband had Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms pretty bad and he was willing to try anything.  A wonderful friendship was birthed that day and so was homemade sauerkraut in our home!  The husband swears a couple of tablespoons a day keeps the symptoms at bay ~ kinda like an apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Fermented foods have a long history in many cultures.  Before there was frozen foods and refrigeration there were fermented foods!  It is said that Captain James Cook always took a store of sauerkraut on his sea voyages, since experience had taught him it prevented scurvy.   Besides being a good source of Vitamin C, sauerkraut is brimming with healthy probiotics that will help ensure good gut health.   Finnish researchers reported that in laboratory studies, a substance produced by fermented cabbage, isothiocyanates, helped prevent the growth of cancer.

Today, two of the most well-known instances of traditional fermented cabbage side dishes are sauerkraut and Korean kimchi.  In our home we use a very basic recipe from Nourishing Traditions and make it in small batches in mason jars.