Ear Infections | How Can Chiropractic Help???

Have you ever considered why your kids' ears get infected? Have you ever wondered why we hear all the time our kids shouldn't be taking so many antibiotics, BUT that's all our pediatricians seem to prescribe? Watch this short video explaining ear infections and how Chiropractic can possibly help. Schedule a consultation at WaltonClinic.com. #WaltonClinicCanHelp#YourFamilyChiro #SpringfieldIL

WaltonClinic.com

NEWS STORY - Ear Infections & Chiropractic

Healthy Kids = Happier Moms!!!  We've seen families come in in a state of despair b/c their child is in pain & doesn't sleep.  It's frustrating b/c as a parent, you don't know what to do.  You know that antibiotics shouldn't be the answer b/c you've read that too much can harm your child....but your pediatrician doesn't have anything else to offer.  #WaltonClinicCanHelp #YourFamilyChiro #Springfield waltonclinic.com  *P.S. insurance typically does help kids in need of Chiropractic care!  Just ask the team at Walton Clinic of Chiropractic, Springfield, IL.

Can You Believe This?

Last week the American Medical Association came out supporting a ban on pharmaceutical advertising (full article in the Washington Post).  This was a major step for the medical community.  There's no way to sugar coat the reality that the pharmaceutical companies are in business to make money.  As they say, "the proof is in the numbers."  From 1997 to 2007, direct to consumer advertising went from $300 million to $3 BILLION.  This has led to many problems, one being driving up the cost of healthcare.  Another problem is that the doctors aren't allowed to be doctors, meaning patients come in with a certain complaint and demanding a medication they saw on tv.  Unfortunately, this form of healthcare is just chasing symptoms.  Which is why you hear of people who get on one medication and eventually end up on multiple meds.  One med to counteract the adverse symptoms of the previous med.  

Fortunately, everyone already has access to a form of healthcare that doesn't chase symptoms and gets to the CAUSE of the problem.  That healthcare is Chiropractic.  Surprised?  You see, Chiropractic works to detect problems in the function of the nervous system.  And, the nervous system controls how the entire body functions.  The spine has a direct impact on how the brain and spinal cord function which is why Chiropractic works so well!  With a carefully and specific adjustment, Chiropractors work better motion and position of the spine improving the communication from the brain to the body and the body to the brain.  Many people enjoy improved energy, better sleep, better digestion, better immune function, and much, much more.  People who typically have headaches or migraines have a remarked decrease.  All because the nervous system is functioning better!

If you've ever wondered if Chiropractic can help you, or maybe you're unsure about Chiropractic but would like to learn more, schedule a time at Walton Clinic to sit down with the doctors to discuss your concerns.  Or, call our office at (217) 544-4000.

Finally, now's a great time to get checked!  Find out how you can save money on your initial visit by helping our Toys For Tots campaign.  

Awaken Your Inner Force

*(Make sure you read entirely to see our special offer.)

Unless you've been living under a rock lately, you've probably heard of this little movie by the name Star Wars: The Force Awakens coming out on December 18th.  And you probably know these movies tell of an ongoing battle between the Jedi (the good guys) and the Dark Side.  Both utilize 'the force,' which is first described by Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi as "an energy field created by all living things, that surrounds and penetrates living beings and binds the galaxy together."  Basically, this 'force' allows the characters to be more "in-tune" with other people and their environment allowing them to move quicker and concentrate deeper.

As crazy and sci-fi as it may sound, we all really do have an Inner Force that controls our body and allows us to be "in-tune" with our environment.  What is this 'force?'  You know it as your nervous system.  The central nervous system is the Master Controller of your body.  It controls and coordinates every cell, tissue and organ and organ system, i.e. heart, lungs, digestion, immune system, reproductive system, etc.

The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord.  The brain is protected by the skull and the spinal cord is protected by the vertebral column.  Unfortunately, due to certain stresses (whether physical, chemical, or emotional) the bones of the vertebral column can become misaligned.  This misalignment disrupts the signal (the FORCE) from your brain to your body and body back to the brain.  This disruption leads to what we call "dis-ease."  Most people recognize dis-ease as fatigue, lack of concentration, indigestion, headaches, difficulties breathing (asthma), constipation, joint pain, etc.  Their Inner Force becomes disrupted and this dis-ease can lead to disease.

Because the alignment and function of your spine is so detrimental to the function of your nervous system, we strongly encourage everyone to get their spine checked by a Chiropractor on a regular basis.  Put aside whatever misconceptions you may have or have heard of Chiropractic and "Awaken Your Inner Force!"

Need some encouragement to get checked?  
Check out our Toys for Tots campaign this month.

Or....

Check our website at Walton Clinic or call us at (217) 544-4000.

May the FORCE be with YOU!

- Dr. Matt Link, DC

Does My Insurance Pay For That?

"Does my insurance pay for that?"  This is a question we often get asked at the Walton Clinic.  It's a valid question...we understand that.  The answer....it depends.  Most of the time...yes, your insurance will HELP with the cost of treatment.  Some factors that alter what is covered could be your particular policy, your deductible, your co-pay, etc.  I will say, our staff does an awesome job at calling on the behalf of each of our patients and getting the best estimate as to what services are covered.

THE BIG QUESTION that should be asked though is 'who is really in charge of your health?'  Should your insurance company really be in charge of your health, or determine how much care you need?  It seems many times we see people not start care or not follow through with care because their insurance doesn't pay for all or a good portion of their care.  Some other questions to consider...does your insurance company pay for your GYM MEMBERSHIP (if you have one)?  When you go to the GROCERY store, does your insurance company pay for your FRUIT, VEGGIES, or other HEALTH food?  

We're guessing not.

One of the beefs we often hear people have with Chiropractic is that it costs too much.  Have you ever heard a rumor and then gone back to the source of that rumor and found it was totally incorrect?  Would you be surprised to know that Chiropractic is actually one of the least costly forms of healthcare?  It is!  People who use Chiropractic care actually spend less money over the course of their life on other forms of care including prescriptions, surgeries and therapies.  So, if you're going to spend money, which would you rather spend it on....staying healthy and living a fuller life, or surgery, recovery and potentially further complications?

We'll leave you with this...

"Spend your time and money for health now, 
or spend your time and money for illness later.  

The CHOICE is YOURS!" -Dr. Matt Link, DC

If you have any question of whether Chiropractic may benefit you, 

contact us at the Walton Clinic or call (217) 544-4000.

Conversation with a New Mom

Dr. Matt had a great conversation with a new mom this morning at the Walton Clinic!  Her son started life with colic...making life miserable for him, but also for mom & dad.  Their pediatrician basically told them he'd grow out of it.  Mom is concerned (as she should be) that his colic could be a sign of something else going on....and she's RIGHT.  

You see, just because something like colic is common with infants and they'll 'grow out of it,' doesn't make it NORMAL or right.  More and more research is showing that 80-90% of all newborns have suffered from SPINAL STRAIN during the birth process.  

As our conversation continued, mom relayed that her son may indeed be 'growing out' of the colic, but is now very congested and showing signs of a possible ear infection and having problems with constipation.  I explained to her this is a very common path we see in kids as they come into our office and are all subtle signs of SPINAL MISALIGNMENT that is causing stress to her son's nervous system.  Babies don't come to us because they're in pain or having a headache, etc.  They come to us because they're not able to live their life to their fullest potential because their nervous system is under constant stress.  And, going a step further, had mom come to us while she was pregnant or even before that, we could have helped make pregnancy and delivery easier for both her and baby...putting less strain on her newborn's spine from the get-go.

Mom went on to say how NERVOUS she was to bring her infant child to a Chiropractor.  That's understandable was my initial response.  I followed that up with the fact that Chiropractic is actually one of the safest forms of healthcare.  Don't take my word for it!  If you look at malpractice insurance for healthcare providers, Chiropractors actually pay a fraction of what the typical Medical Doctor pays.  Which quite plainly means, if we were hurting people we would be either out of business or our insurance rates would be through the roof.  The great thing about what we as Chiropractors do, is we can modify our techniques for our pediatric patients to provide a safe, gentle and effective adjustment.

That being said, if you owned a Ferrari, you wouldn't want to take it to just any mechanic down the
street because he was close or didn't charge much.  You'd want to take it to someone with training and experience.  Same goes true for your body and especially that of a child/infant.  Both Drs. Adrian Walton and Matt Link have the training and experience with working with infants.

As mom and I finished our conversation, she asked "why don't more people know about this."  I wish I had a good answer for that.  I think mainly it's fear of the unknown.  BUT, that is our goal....to make it KNOWN what we can do for you and your family.

If you are unsure if Chiropractic would be beneficial for you or your child, give Walton Clinic a call:  (217) 544-4000.  The docs would be happy to schedule a consultation (at NO CHARGE) to discuss your problems, explain more about what we do, and see if we may be able to help.  

How Did That Happen?

It seems like many times a week at the Walton Clinic of Chiropractic, when the doctors are going over x-rays with patients, we get asked the question "how did that happen?"  They usually ask that when their x-rays look horrible.  Now, the first assumption most people have is "shouldn't that patient know what happened to them?"  More often than not, patients tell us something like, "well, the pain just came on a few years ago and has been gradually more frequent/intense."  The answer to the "how did that happen" question is both easy and complex.

You see, degeneration on x-rays can occur usually one of two ways.  One, the person is in a traumatic accident.  We all know the story of Christopher Reeve who was famous for playing 'Superman' in the movies.  Several years ago he suffered an upper neck injury when he fell off a horse.   That trauma severely and quickly altered the function of his entire nervous system not allowing his muscles and organs to function properly from his neck down.  The other way most people's spines degenerate are from what we see most often in our office. We are seeing more and more patients who under go multiple 'minor' traumas over a period of years.  And, most people don't even know they are undergoing these traumas.  Poor posture, working at a computer for long hours, repeated smart phone use, talking on the phone, reading a book, poor sleeping positions, repetitive use activities, etc.  These are just a few examples.

Case in point, here's is a neck x-ray of a 15 year old in our office.  At 15 years old, he is already showing signs of degeneration by how straight his spine is from this view...with NO TRAUMA, and no pain in his neck for that matter.  Research shows that an x-ray like this will lead to issues like headaches, eye problems fatigue/thyroid problems, concentration difficulties, and asthma.

This is why we highly encourage everyone to take care of their posture, and get their spine checked regularly, even from a young age.  Think it's not happening to you?  How do you know?  It's time to put aside the belief that 'Chiropractic doesn't work,' or 'kids shouldn't get checked.'  Chiropractic itself has been around for over 100 years, and treatment of the spine through adjustments have been around for thousands of years.

For more information on Chiropractic, or to set up an appointment, give our office a call at (217) 544-4000 or go to www.WaltonClinic.com.

Pregnancy, Children, and Chiropractic

In the video below, Drs. Adrian Walton and Matt Link of Walton Clinic discuss a couple things regarding pregnancy and pediatric chiropractic that Dr. Matt learned at a recent seminar.  This is just the tip of the iceburg.  Soon, Dr. Matt will discuss Chiropractic Webster Technique that is used to allow breech babies to turn naturally and for allowing the birth process to be easier for both mother and baby.

For more information, contact our office at (217) 544-4000 or go to www.WaltonClinic.com