Listen to this great sound bite explaining it from All Things Considered on NPR.

We’ve all had mornings where we wake up, and we’re just plain uncomfortable. If you’ve slept funny for one night, you might wake up with a crick in your neck, or an aching lower back. Being uncomfortable when you are trying to rest can cause sleep deprivation, which is very bad for your overall health. If you find yourself waking up in pain consistently, you may need to change something about the way you’re sleeping. There are options for you, like updating the kind of mattress you sleep on, your pillows, or finding a chiropractor. But it is incredibly important to avoid losing sleep on a regular basis because chronic sleep deprivation will cause problems in your daily life.
We knew that losing sleep can make you more irritable. What scientists are still learning about is this: Losing sleep reduces your pain tolerance, according to the New York Times, as well as your response to pain medications, according to a study by the National Institute of Health. These studies suggest that sleep-deprived people may have more pain for longer, and not be able to do as much about it with medication.
Scientists theorize that loss of sleep affects the body by increasing inflammation throughout the body, which could have an impact on the treatment of patients with chronic pain.
“These two vital functions, sleep, and pain, interact in complex ways that ultimately impact the biological and behavioral capacity of the individual,” the abstract of a 2005 study states. "Polysomnographic studies of patients experiencing acute pain during postoperative recovery show shortened and fragmented sleep with reduced amounts of slow wave and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and the recovery is accompanied by normalization of sleep.”
One way to deal with chronic back pain from your sleep environment is to improve it by buying a mattress with the right amount of support, firmness, and durability. Experts generally recommend a medium-firm mattress for back pain. Sleeping on a bed that is too soft, or has lost its support from use, will increase your chances of being too uncomfortable to sleep well. Slipping a disk in your back or having your spine become misaligned is not comfortable in the least, and you should avoid it at all costs.
You should also make sure you’re using the right kind of pillow for the way you sleep, and see if adding additional pillows for body support will help with the aches and pains.
Another way to deal with the problems is to work with a chiropractor to figure out a better way to sleep and get the kinks worked out in your body when the pain meds just aren’t cutting it. A chiropractor can help you find the perfect solution for your body’s specific needs. They can teach you exercises to reduce pain in a certain area, or stretches to avoid having that pain in the first place. ​

If you've looked outside, it seems Old Man Winter refuses to let go. The first Hillcrest Run Club run of the season was planned for April 18 and that date doesn't look promising. So, due to the large amounts of snow we have outside, we'll be canceling the Wed evening club until the ground is ready for it. In the meantime we do a dog walk every Tuesday and Thursday morning at 10:45AM. The route is the same as the run and we'll be going rain, snow or shine. Look for updates on our facebook page as to when the Wednesday @ 615PM runs will start. Have a great day!

They say health is wealth so why not take care of the one body you have all your life? Chiropractic adds life to your years and years to your life.

I love everything about chiropractic. Its not only a form of natural health care, its an art. It takes dedication, skill, practice, passion, physical ability, personality, compassion and so much more. There are about 65 chiropractors in the Eau Claire WI area. Each one is different in most if not all the aspects I laid out above and very few have those characteristics mastered. For me, knowing that my profession requires a dedication to always improving, keeps me yearning for more.
Every patient's body is different. With practice, acquired skill and some natural physical talent, a chiropractor should continue to refine their art of the chiropractic adjustment each day. I'm very blessed and thankful to have practiced in a variety of chiropractic clinics around the country. These experiences have refined and shaped the skills I possess today. This not only includes the chiropractic treatment process, but also the bedside manner, passion and commitment to be the best with each patient that comes into my office. This is my office and I stand behind the care I give to every person I see.

Chiropractic patients normally come to my office for a select few reasons. Its normally neck pain, low back pain, sciatica or a nasty muscle spasm that just refuses to go away. Yes, chiropractic adjustments are great for these ailments. However, potential patients usually don't realize all the other wonderful improvements they'll make along the way. 
Its incredible how many people suffer from headaches on a regular basis. Its also surprising that most people don't consider chiropractic as a potential treatment for their chronic headaches and migraines. Just a few weeks ago I was in a consultation with a new patient. She had come in due to low back pain and sciatica. She never wrote down or mentioned headaches mostly because she was in so much low back pain she had forgotten, but also because she didn't think it pertained to chiropractic. Boy was she wrong! She had been experiencing headaches every day for years. Four days after her first adjustment I asked how everything was going. She said the low back pain was beginning to subside and more notably, she hadn't had a headache since the first time she saw me. It was surprising to her and to me it was another inspiring reason to come to work each day. Its now been 3 weeks of regular chiropractic care without a headache and her low back pain/sciatica is down to 2 out of 10 on the pain scale.
​There are many other great benefits of chiropractic care that I see first hand each day. Torticollis, latching, digestive problems and bed wetting in infants and children. Range of motion, fatigue, sleep, joint pain, athletic performance and many other improvements are made consistently with patients of every age. Not only do patients get out of pain and dysfunction, but they get their lives back so they can live at their best without physical limitations they had before.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but chiropractic can't fix you in one treatment. Pain is usually one of the last symptoms to show with disease and disfunction. Its also one of the first things to resolve. One treatment might get you out of pain momentarily, however, look deeper at why you were in pain in the first place. It could be due to a multitude of reasons. Many people sit at a desk or in a vehicle for long hours at work. Many people have had some sort of trauma whether a car accident, fight, slip on the ice or otherwise. Many people have imbalances in their musculature leading to poorer and poorer posture and spinal support. Whatever the reason, its likely been festering for some time and it'll take some time to treat and obtain lasting healing results. 
Don't stop there! Once you're feeling better and quality of life has been improved, don't quit. You're ready to graduate to the next level of care. Just like a retainer after braces, chiropractic maintenance care keeps you living at that high level. If you're still working at a desk or in a car, you're continually doing the things that put you in a poor state of health in the first place. Not everyone can quit their desk job or suddenly take all the stress out of their lives. Thats where periodic chiropractic adjustments come in. They work to combat the negative effects of all those things every person does to their bodies each and every day.

These are some simple ways to enrich your life and make each day more meaningful. Chiropractic care should also be on here but we ran out of room ;)

Benefits of routine chiropractic care may include any of the following:

• Improved Nerve Communication in the Body
• Improved Joint Motion and Coordination
• Improved Physical Function and Performance
• Improved Posture

• Relief from Back and Neck Pain
• Relief from Leg, Knee, Foot and Ankle Pain
• Relief from Arm, Wrist, Shoulders or Elbow Pain
• Relief from Stress and Tension Disorders

• Relief from Joint Discomfort
• Relief from Bursitis
• Relief from Arthritis
• Relief from Chronic Injuries

Last week I was at a concert by The Killers in St. Paul. The lead singer, Brandon Flowers, opened with this quote by Ernest Hemmingway that set the tone for a great show. I thought I would share it.

Lie on your back with arms outstretched. Bring the left knee to your chest and pull it from left to right using your right arm. Hold for 2 minutes and switch to the right knee. Stretch both sides 2x.

The last exercise strengthens a muscle which is usually very weak on most people. Lying on your side, keep a slight bend in your knees. Open the knees up while keeping the feet together. Do this exercise 20 times and switch to the other side.

These exercises work great to stretch and strengthen muscles in the core and pelvis which can wreak havoc on many people. Jobs which require long hours of sitting or standing can cause muscles to tighten over time. Imbalances between muscle groups slowly cause more and more issues where tight muscles become tighter and weak muscles continue to weaken even more. Getting after these imbalances as quickly as possible can make a huge difference in reducing symptoms and greatly improving life and sleep quality. Remember to stay consistent with these exercises and know that its a marathon, not a race with any workout routine.

After 6 months in Colorado Springs, Dr. Tom and ChiroElite Chiropractic are back in the Chippewa Valley. Dr Tom stayed busy spending each weekend climbing mountains, driving on 4x4 trails and camping in the backcountry of Colorful Colorado. He has hundreds of pictures and stories to share of all the adventures he went on while out West. It was a great experience and chapter for ChiroElite and now we're moving on to the next one. We've purchased 1219 10th St W in Altoona which contains a lovely living space upstairs and a large chiropractic clinic space on the lower level. This provides much more space for seeing patients and will also allow us to start taking X-rays to view patients spines from the inside. Call today to schedule your new patient consultation at 715.832.9725!