Diamond Chiropractic

Someone you know may have complained about a condition known as sciatica, but what is it? To understand the condition, it’s helpful to know a bit about the anatomy of the sciatic nerve . The sciatic nerve is the largest and longest nerve in the body. It begins at the base of the spinal cord and extends down the length of each leg to the toes on each foot. The sciatic nerve is really made up of five separate nerves that come together to form one large nerve that is as big around at one point as your thumb! The sciatic nerves provide sensation and strength to the leg and connect the spinal cord with muscles in the thigh, lower leg, and feet. Muscle weakness or a tingling sensation in the legs can result when the sciatic nerve is compromised or compressed in some way. An inflammation of the sciatic nerve or compression on the nerve can cause profound pain. This is the condition known as sciatica; symptoms of sciatica include a dull ache to moderate or even severe p...

You may have seen commercials that advertise enzymes in laundry detergent , but enzymes are at work in every living thing, including humans. In the simplest of terms, enzymes break things down. So let’s talk human beings… The human body engages in an infinite number of chemical reactions that are essential for survival. None of these reactions could take place without enzymes; in fact, there are more than 75,000 different types of enzymes at work in your body. As catalysts, enzymes either initiate some type of reaction in the body or they work to make it faster. As proteins, enzymes convert the foods we eat into simpler compounds that your body can use for energy and to generate new cells. Most enzymes can be found in the digestive track – enzymes such as amylases that break down starches into simple sugars. The lack of certain enzymes is responsible for a number of diseases; phenylketonuria or PKU can cause severe mental retardat...

Just a quick update on the exciting new changes happening in the Diamond Chiropractic office. The showroom is now up and running, featuring the latest in height adjustable furniture. We also have a full line of ergonomic products to help support a healthy work environment. Dr. Diamond performs workstation assessments and provides custom-tailored recommendations for improved ergonomic design in the workplace and home environments. As a patient of Dr. Diamond, you are entitled to a complimentary consultation with Dr. Diamond to discuss the many benefits of using height adjustable furniture. There’s been a strong demand so far so be sure to call or e-mail to set up your appointment asap! Also, check out our website for more info: http://www.diamondchiropractic.com/doctor/chiropractor/72L/boston-chiropractor/ergonomics.htm

Advances in technology have been hugely beneficial to our society. But some of them have come at a very physical cost. For example, often when I walk into my consultation room to meet new patients, I see them sitting twisted in their chair, legs crossed, hunched forward, chin to chest, heads protruding forward as they look at their smart phones . Our whole bodies are involved with the use of any form of technology, and we pay the price in aches, pains, and worse. Here are some easy tips for improving our health throughout the work day. 1. Most important is the 30-30 or 1-2 rule. Sit 30 minutes, up 30 seconds; sit for an hour, up for two minutes. 2. Instead of sitting down for a meeting, take a little stroll around the office and have a walking meeting. When you walk and move, you bring 5-15 percent more oxygen to your brain, so your meetings are more clear and productive. Meetings also tend to be shorter when you’re walking around. And of course, you’re going to bur...

By now, you’ve probably heard of presenteeism: the practice of workers reporting to work when ill. It’s a trend that’s been increasing in recent years, and it’s having very real impacts on employee productivity. In fact, some data puts on-the-job productivity losses as high as 60 percent of the total cost of workers’ illness- actually exceeding the cost of absenteeism and medical disability . But employees don’t just show up to work with coughs and fevers. As a chiropractor, I see a different form of presenteeism: people working through pain caused by bad ergonomics. You’re probably guilty of it yourself. You sit too long at your desk and your back starts hurting, which forces you to shift more, draws tension to the affected area, and ultimately distracts you from your work, or causes you to work more slowly than you would otherwise. And yet you still show up at the office, day after day. In today’s economic environment, people are scared not to. And with companies c...

We’ll often ask our newest practice members, “What if the sensation of pain didn’t exist?” If you have back pain or headaches or know someone who does, making the pain go away is a major goal. But what is the purpose of pain? It turns out there are some very important reasons why we’re equipped to sense pain. Dorland’s Medical Dictionary used by health professionals around the world list over 34 different types! Pain causes you to pay attention to something that’s not working right. It’s a warning that a limit of some type has been reached that the body is not equipped to handle or cannot adapt further. In many ways, pain is a good thing. It’s only when we misinterpret the pain or think that by making it go away without tending to its underlying cause that we get into trouble. Many Boston-area folks begin care in our office because of a painful symptom or obvious health problem. And while we always show our compassion, our primary interest is in the under...

How to Take Care of You! There you go again, always taking care of someone else – your children, your aging parents, a sick relative or friend, an out-of-work sibling. But, what have you done for you lately? While it’s commendable to want to help others, charity begins at home they say. “At home” here means taking care of you, because if you don’t do that, you certainly can’t help any one else. A holistic approach to taking care of yourself incorporates caring for your body, mind and spirit. Here are some suggestions for taking care of all three to help you be the best you can be! • Taking care of yourself physically means getting enough rest, eating well balanced and nutritious meals three times a day, exercising on a regular basis, drinking plenty of water, giving up bad habits such as smoking or drinking too much alcohol or caffeine-laden drinks and avoiding all recreational drugs. • Taking care of yourself mentally means engaging in activities th...