Your brain, spinal cord and all your nerves control how your body works.

Aches and pains are signs that your body isn’t working right.

Physical, chemical or emotional stresses produce a defensive posture.

Muscles contract, locking spinal joints that pinch or irritate nearby nerves.

Lack of nervous system integrity sets the stage for disease and ill health.

A thorough examination helps chiropractors find these vertebral subluxations.

Applying a precise force to stuck spinal joints helps the body right itself.

Health usually returns as repeated visits restore nervous system integrity.

That’s why chiropractic care has helped millions get well and stay well.

Thanks Dr. David Otto!

Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net

Dr. Maj adjusting little Morgan!

I have just become aware that David Eisenberg, MD is conducting research into the role of Chiropractic in the help of chronic ear infections. This work is in progress under a grant from the Consortial Center for Chiropractic Research and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).

To me this is very exciting and much over-do. I have seen children with ear infections for years in my office and have had wonderful results. It’s a slam dunk! Antibiotics are the chosen treatment and they are doing grave harm to these children. Otitis media is the #1 prescribed diagnosis for antibiotics and ear tube surgery is the #2 surgery in this country. BEFORE things get to far out of hand, see a chiropractor.

This study is looking into: The innervation of the tensor veli palatini (tvp) muscle is through the motor fibers of the mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve. These fibers unite to form portions of the superior cervical ganglion located between the C-1 and C-4 nerve roots. Neurological compromise of this muscle by osseous or soft tissue structures may contribute to the malfunction of the tvp muscle causing inadequate patency of the tube resulting in the pathological response of otitis media.

Chiropractic therapy may improve the function of the TVP. Check out an article I wrote on the subject below!

The Ear Infections Epidemic – The Truth Every Parent Needs to Know!

Dr. Stephanie Maj answers the most pressing question in her pediatric practice: What is the cause of ear infections and what can we do to heal them without drugs or surgery?

PRLog (Press Release) – Dec 21, 2009

Chicago-Ask any parent about ear infections, and you will likely hear one horror story after another. Ear infection or Otitis Media, is the most common reason for visits to the pediatrician’s office. In fact, visits to the pediatrician’s office for ear infections have increased over 150% from 1975 to 1990. It is estimated that over 30 million visits are made every year in an attempt to deal with this problem.

In my practice, we have an effective, safe solution to the problems plaguing parents. What we find is most parents fail to understand what is happening with these infections.

Otitis Media is the general name for several conditions affecting the middle ear. The most common symptoms are earache, a feeling of pressure, and perhaps difficulty hearing due to increased amounts of fluid. Teething often produces similar symptoms, therefore, the child should be carefully observed before jumping to any conclusions.

Historically, the treatment for ear infections has been antibiotics. This method of treatment has come under severe attack over the past several years for many reasons. One of the reasons, the overuse and over prescription of these antibiotics, has led to what is termed “antibiotic resistant bacteria”. These bacteria have “evolved” and changed so that the antibiotics no longer affect them. Because of this phenomenon, stronger and stronger antibiotics are being used, which is leading to more and more resistance. (http://tinyurl.com/yep3y33).

Another reason use of antibiotics has come under fire is because study after study has demonstrated that they are not effective. In other words, they do not work! This is why so many children are on one antibiotic after another, stronger and stronger each time. Sure, many times the infection will go away, but it quickly returns with a vengeance, and so begins the antibiotic roller coaster.

The reasons they continually reoccur is two-fold: First, antibiotics kill off most bacteria in the body including the helpful “good” bacteria our bodies need. This depletes our children’s natural immune system, making them vulnerable to many more infections of varying types.

Secondly, antibiotics merely attempt to treat the symptoms of ear infections, they do not address the actual cause and therefore the infections return.

The real question then is what is the cause of ear infections? The reality is that ear infections themselves are merely a symptom of a greater problem. The vast majority of them are secondary to a cold or another infection, which may be due to a depressed immune system.

The other more physical reason children suffer from ear infections is because of the actual anatomy of the young ear.

In children, the Eustachian tube is nearly horizontal, gradually acquiring a near 45-degree angle. This often slows draining of these tubes and with stagnant fluid, infection may appear.

The obvious question from most parents now is: what can we do? The answer lies in a new level of thinking.

As a chiropractor, my primary objective is to address the root cause of health problems. Treating symptoms, as mentioned earlier, has been proven unsuccessful at best. When dealing with your children and ear infections, my goal is to correct the actual cause, and to allow the body to function at its optimal potential. (http://tinyurl.com/ybqlymw)

There is a direct link between the nerves in the neck (the superior cervical ganglion), the muscles of the Eustachian tubes (tensor veli palatini) and the middle ear.

Let me explain: The middle ear drains any fluid through the Eustachian tubes. These tubes open and close through the action of a muscle and that muscle is controlled by a nerve. This nerve originates in the neck. When this nerve is not functioning normally, the tensor veli palatini muscle may go into spasm, which constricts the Eustachian tube, restricting drainage and causing fluid buildup in the middle ear. This fluid, combined with a stressed immune system, may result in an ear infection.

Ultimately then, this “nerve interference” can cause your children to suffer as they do. My job as a chiropractor is to detect this nerve interference called subluxation, and correct it. A subluxation is a misalignment of a bone in the spine that pinches, stretches or twists a nerve resulting in interference.

By correcting this interference, the child’s body is given the potential to heal and be well. With proper chiropractic care, your child will be able to live a life free from nerve interference, and free from unnecessary medications and antibiotics.

Chiropractic adjustments for children are very gentle and differ tremendously from the adult version. Imagine you are putting a contact in your eye or testing a tomato to see if it is ripe, that is the extent of the pressure used in these treatments. There is no twisting, popping or pulling involved.

Through advances in technology such as Surface EMG and Thermal Scans, a chiropractor can easily detect these subluxations and monitor their correction as well. This enables chiropractors to be accurate and objective, allowing you the best care possible.

A promising study published in the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics now indicates that there is a strong correlation between chiropractic adjustments and the resolution of ear infections. 332 children with chronic ear infections participated in the study. Each child, ranging in age from 27 days to 5 years, was given a series of chiropractic adjustments. The results show that close to 80% of the children in this study experienced NO ear infections within the six-month period following their initial visits. The six-month period included maintenance treatments every four to six weeks.

Correcting the cause through chiropractic has been shown to help over 80% of all children with ear infections.

Treating the symptoms of ear infections with antibiotics has proven to be ineffective. Give your children a fighting chance with chiropractic; it could change your lives!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Stephanie A. Maj has been helping children and adults experience life at their maximum potential through Chiropractic since 1994. She is the author of the book, “You Can Be Well” and lectures throughout Chicago on a variety of health issues, and may be contacted at 773.528.8485.

Community Chiropractic is located at 1442 W. Belmont, 1E Chicago, IL 60657. Her website is www.communitychiropractic.net.

The Bulls won yesterday due to the energetic return of Derrick Rose. He has returned 100% due to in his words ”The whole week I was seeing a great chiropractor,” Rose told ESPN.”  Check out the Chicago Tribune article below! Dr. Steph

 Derrick Rose had never before sat for five straight games in his NBA career, so the deafening roar that drowned out his name after public-address announcer Tommy Edwards began “From Chicago …” didn’t surprise.

But when close to the same roar accompanied Rose merely dribbling on the Bulls’ first possession Monday, the impact of his absence became more fully felt.

His teammates didn’t cheer, at least publicly. They merely benefited from Rose’s aggressive presence that featured 23 points, six assists, five rebounds and four turnovers in the Bulls’ 90-79 matinee victory over Atlanta.

“It was awesome to watch,” Carlos Boozer said.

Rose, who had been sidelined by back spasms, logged close to 35 minutes and, in an atypical move, didn’t appear in the postgame locker room to address reporters. He spoke to ESPN’s Doris Burke on the court afterward.

“The whole week I was seeing a great chiropractor,” Rose told Burke. “Teammates and fans were waiting for me to come back. I was feeling good and just trying to play the way I normally play — aggressive.

“My teammates followed me. Coach did a great job with the game plan. (My back) feels good. I have to put a little ice on there. I should be all right.”

Boozer added 16 points for the Bulls, who have won 13 straight regular-season games following a loss. Joakim Noah rebounded from his rough outing on Saturday to grab 16 rebounds, helping the Bulls to a 51-41 advantage on the boards and 18-4 edge in second-chance points.

But Rose dominated attention. He survived a hard tumble after drawing a foul on Josh Smith for a three-point play midway through the third quarter.

“You don’t want him to change who he is,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “You’re always concerned about health. But a guy could get hurt in practice or shootaround. That’s part of the game.

“He’s done a good job with his rehab. Our trainers have done a great job with him. As long as he’s pain-free and feels 100 percent, we felt comfortable. He met all the criteria that we were looking for him to meet before he played again. So we’re good.”

Actually, not everything was. For the second straight game, the Bulls started slow, forcing Thibodeau to burn a 20-second timeout early in which he blistered the starters. They responded with an 11-0 run as Rose scored nine first-quarter points.

But an eventual 21-point lead with just over 4 minutes to play in the third quarter got quickly whittled to nine by that quarter’s close. Former Bull Jannero Pargo heated up with three 3-pointers.

Then the Hawks, who played without Marvin Williams and with an ineffective Joe Johnson trying to battle through knee soreness, pulled within five in the fourth. Rose almost lost the ball before shoveling it to Luol Deng, whose 3-pointer with 2:59 left marked his first points since the first quarter and provided breathing room.

“Derrick’s explosion was there,” Thibodeau said. “His drives were there. Conditioning-wise, he’s not where he normally is. But that’s to be expected. Overall, I’m very pleased. He said he felt real good out there.”

—

Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net

When it comes to neck pain the best medicine is no medicine at all according to a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, tracked 272 patients with recent-onset neck pain who were treated using three different methods:

• Medication
• Exercise
• A Chiropractor

After 12 weeks the patients who used a chiropractor or exercised were more than twice as likely to be pain free compared to those who relied on medicine.

The patients treated by a chiropractor experienced the highest rate of success with 32 percent saying they were pain free, compared to 30 percent of those who exercised. Only 13 percent of patients treated with medication said they no longer experienced pain.

“Doesn’t surprise me a bit,” Dr. Lee Green, professor of family medicine at the University of Michigan told ABC News. “Neck pain is a mechanical problem, and it makes sense that mechanical treatment works better than a chemical one.”

Dr. John Messmer who specializes in family medicine at Penn State College of Medicine agrees.

“I always prescribe exercises and/or physical therapy for neck pain,” he wrote. “I also tell patients that the exercises are the treatment and the drugs are for the symptoms.”

Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net

Enjoy an article about me written in 2010 that is equally as relevant today!

PRLog (Press Release) – Jan 12, 2010 -

Chicago – New Year’s resolutions, love them or hate them, bring new energy to people’s yearning to improve their health. In her book, You Can Be Well, Dr. Stephanie Maj focuses on helping people with these changes to aid them in recapturing the health and vitality that has slowly been eroding away people’s lives.

“I have always used New Years to help my patients set health goals.” Dr. Maj said. “It amazes me that people are so unhealthy that on all the Top 10 Resolution lists, health related items account for over half the resolutions.”

This general lack of health in our society is one of the reasons she wrote the book; to help people find the critical steps necessary for success. There are thousands of books on wellness yet Dr. Maj has found all these books are missing the most vital step of all.

“It is the elimination of nerve interference that NO ONE is talking about and I feel can no longer be ignored. As a chiropractor, I focus on removing the interference in the nervous system, the master controller of all the organ systems of body. Without removing this nerve interference, no other steps will get the patient to their desired health goal.”

“I find that people misunderstand what health and wellness really are to them. Most people want to be healthier yet have no idea what health really is and exactly how to go about achieving it.” In her book, Dr. Maj talks about the 5 critical steps to wellness, four of which are action steps that every self-help health book talks about: Eating right, stress relief, exercise and eliminating toxins.

Dr. Maj has noticed that others are out there speaking and writing about wellness and what it means and yet fail to address the interference in the nerve system that Chiropractic corrects. The reason this is so important is that the body is a self-healing organism and the nerve system is what controls that healing. When there is interference in the nerves, there is interference in the body’s ability to heal properly or fight disease (like cancers and viruses). Chiropractic removes interference in the nerves so the body’s own natural defense systems can be restored.

Research shows that when you have interference in the nerve’s function at the spinal level, this leads to a cascade of harmful results. Some of those results include: Increased blood pressure, increased cholesterol, increased triglycerides, insulin resistance (pre-diabetes), increased stress hormones, decreased immunity (cancer & infections), decreased sense of well being and a decrease in complex learning abilities.

“I understand that achieving health and wellness is not as simple as only getting a Chiropractic adjustment. I address other steps in my book, “You Can Be Well.” Eating right, exercising, combating stress and eliminating toxins are needed as well.”

Dr. Maj states, “The mission at Community Chiropractic is to check as many people as possible for hidden health problems and to save them from a life of drugs and surgery. We do this in Chicago everyday yet if you aren’t in my practice; there is no way of knowing these vital steps.”

The biggest promise I have for people is that You Can Be Well, too!

Dr. Stephanie Maj is the clinic director for Community Chiropractic, a full service wellness center offering family health care, acupuncture, massage, orthotics and nutritional counseling. Dr. Maj has been practicing in the Lakeview area for 14 years. Her book You Can Be Well, can be purchased on Amazon.com or on her website, youcanbewell.net.

The Chiro.Org Blog has just posted an amazing article about the safety of pediatric chiropractic.

SOURCE: Clinical Chiropractic 2011 (Sep); 14 (3): 97–105

This new “best evidence” literature review explored reported adverse events and the overall safety of chiropractic pediatric care, as well as other forms of care for the same complaints routinely treated in a chiropractic office.

The results were quite interesting:

The chiropractic literature reports incidence between 0.53% and 1% for mild adverse events (AE) associated with chiropractic pediatric manipulative therapy (PMT). Put in terms of individual patients, this means that somewhere between one in 100-200 patients presenting for chiropractic care may experience a mild adverse event; in terms of total patient visits, this means that one mild AE may occur every 1310 to 1812 visits.

This incidence rate compares favorably with:  The 9% reported incidence rate with Osteopathic pediatric manipulative therapy (PMY), and the 6% reported incidence rate when PMT was provided by a medical practitioner.

The authors concluded that: The application of modern chiropractic pediatric care within the outlined framework is safe. A reasonable caution to the parent/guardian is that one child per 100 to 200 attending may have a mild adverse events, with irritability or soreness lasting less than 24 hours, resolving without the need for additional care beyond initial chiropractic recommendations.

Dr. Stephanie Maj has a thriving family practice in the heart of Chicago. Her clinic is located at 1442 W. Belmont Ave., 1E, Chicago, IL 60657. 773.528.8485. www.communitychiropractic.net.

Two case studies reported in the September 2011 issue of the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine find chiropractic care to be effective in both alleviating migraine headaches and cervicogenic dizziness – dizziness originating from a mechanical disturbance of the neck.

Since these are individual case studies, they each deal with just one individual’s results with chiropractic care. However, the successful management of migraine headaches and dizziness in certain individuals has been known and reported within the chiropractic profession for more than 100 years.

According to these specific case studies, a 52 year old female with a 40 year history of migraine headaches occurring approximately once a month was migraine-free at her 6 month follow up evaluation after receiving chiropractic care. Additionally, a 29 year old man with a 10 year history of progressive dizziness with symptoms including a sensation of excessive motion, imbalance, and spinning associated with neck pain and stiffness reported a reduction of pain and dizziness and an improved quality of life after chiropractic treatment.

While not every migraine sufferer or individual with dizziness obtains these results, there are a great deal of those who do obtain full or partial relief. If you are suffering, don’t continue to wait. Call your local chiropractor today for a professional no obligation consultation!