When injured, your body begins the healing process naturally through inflammation however imbalances in your immune system may cause your improperly stay ‘on’, continually creating more inflammation in response to the existing inflammation.
 
Most patients are surprised to learn that left unchecked, chronic inflammation can lead to a host of issues exhibited through symptoms such as: joint pain, weight gain/inability to lose weight, complexion/skin problems, high blood pressure,
respiratory conditions (asthma, allergies, congestion) or digestive issues (irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion).
 
The good news is that you can reboot your immune system and find relief through non-drug / non-invasive treatment options. Many of my patients have found success by following a 3-step course of care:
 
1.Regular chiropractic adjustments are key to reducing cytokines that, left unchecked, cause inflammation to run rampant.

2.Pulse Electromagnetic Field Technology is cutting-edge technology that we use to help suppress inflammatory responses at the cell membrane level typically resulting in reduced pain symptoms and increased range of motion.

3.Lifestyle changes are the final step to preventing chronic inflammation from recurring. Regular exercise, proper sleep, good nutrition, hydration and smoking cessation
​
Following this powerful course of care allows most patients to attain levels of wellness they never thought possible. If you feel that you may be suffering from chronic inflammation, make health your top priority and call Dr. Dukes at (813) 752-2524 to schedule your wellness consultation today.

Many of us have experienced shooting pains that extend through the legs and even into the feet. The pain passes, to return. Often, worse than before. It’s easy to self-diagnose incorrectly and assume that you have Sciatica. Often misdiagnosed, Sciatica is unique requiring specific treatment protocols to mitigate the debilitating effects. The good news is that Dr. Dukes can help you find relief.

WHAT IS SCIATICA?
Any situation in which the sciatic nerve is compromised by undue pressure can lead to Sciatica. Your sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body running from your lower back, downward through your buttocks, and deep into the back of each leg. Besides controlling your lower leg muscles it also provides sensation to your legs and soles of your feet. Those suffering from Sciatica feel persistent pain along their sciatic nerve.

Symptoms may range from tingling, dull aches, numbness, burning sensations and sharp pain. Symptoms usually affect one side of the body and are typically not attributed to a specific injury. Prolonged sitting, sneezing, coughing, or other sudden movements may cause intense symptom flare-ups.


TREATING THE CAUSE
Dr. Dukes works to find and treat the cause of your pain naturally by relieving pressure on the nerve. Patients often report that conventional treatments prolonged the problem by simply masking the symptoms with pain medication or muscle relaxants. While they found some pain relief, they struggled to get back to normal activities. Remember, taking pain medications only covers up a symptom, rather than treating the cause so that you can get back to living life on your terms.

PREVENTATION
Not all of us will be able to prevent Sciatica, but following a few healthy habits can increase your chances: 

Keep moving, avoid sedentary lifestyles
work to maintain a healthy weight
use proper lifting technique
work on proper posture
avoid prolonged periods of sitting
exercise regularly

WHAT TO DO NEXT
Any pain in the lower back that limits your movement or stops you from enjoying life requires attention. Your first step is to schedule a consultation and wellness exam with Dr. Dukes. She'll help you learn the cause and then you'll work together to learn your treatment options to get you back living life on your terms. 

Make health your top priority, call Dr. Dukes at (813) 752-2524 and schedule your wellness consultation today.

Keeping your spine in line is more important than most of my patients realize. Just as a healthy spine can help you live your best life, an unhealthy or weak spine may lead to a host of painful issues.

Good Spine Health Benefits

• Increased energy levels
• Less tension in your shoulders and neck
• Reduce lower back pain
• More fit and confident physical appearance
• Increased self-confidence
• Fewer Headaches
• Increased lung capacity
• Improved circulation and digestion
• Reduced TMJ pain
• Better form during workouts

Spine Health is Essential
The bottom line is that your spine health affects your whole body. This is why it’s essential to have good spine health. Dr. Dukes can help you reap these benefits.

Some of the best ways to acquire a healthy spine are: 

• Sleep on your side for optimal posture.
• Exercise your core to strengthen abs and back muscles.
• Wear shoes that support your spine.
• Get massages.
• Practice good ergonomics while sitting, however, limit total sitting time.

Risks of Poor Spine Health
Back and neck pain are obvious symptoms but did you know that an unhealthy spine can lead to poor digestion, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, increased risks of falls and accidents, migraines and headaches as well as reduced immune system function. 

Next Steps
If you want to live life on your terms, call Dr. Dukes. Schedule a consultation. She will help you acquire and maintain good spine health so that you can do just that today and all your tomorrows.

​Despite medical advancements an emphasis on health and wellness, Americans have a shorter average life expectancy than almost all other high-income countries. In fact, the U.S. ranked 31st in the world for life expectancy beginning in 2015.

Thankfully for us, this has more to do with poor habits than it does with environmental factors or medical advancements—adhering to healthy lifestyle can boost the quality and length of your life by a decade or more.

A study from Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, which was over 30 years in the making, has managed to narrow down the top five habits and priorities you should work into your everyday life. And, they mirror this guidance Chiropractors have been providing for more than 125 years.

I encourage you to ‘dare to be different’ and adopt these 5 common sense habits that will keep you living life on your terms longer:

•Focus on eating whole foods like fresh fruits and veggies; avoid processed foods.
•Move your body everyday; no time for a full workout today? Evening walks can be just as effective.
•Strive to maintain a comfortable, healthy body weight.
•Drink in moderation (if you drink); no more than 1 glass per day for women or 2 for men.
•Avoid smoking and tobacco

​If you or a loved one would like to live a long, healthy life, talk to Dr. Dukes. She can advise you on the best habits and means of living longer naturally – without addictive drugs nor invasive surgeries.

​It's obvious that sky-rocketing healthcare costs are out of control. Patients, insurance companies and even the government is seeking ways contain healthcare costs while maintaining quality of care. The good news is that a 4-year study published in JAMA Internal Medicine medical journal revealed that chiropractic is a cost-effective option for health care with benefits that extend beyond just the basic neck and back pain. In a time where we are faced with rising medical costs and an opioid epidemic, utilizing conservative, non-pharmaceutical treatment options is vital. Chiropractic has been proven both safe, and effective. Additionally, patients of chiropractors report a high level of satisfaction with the care they have received.

The studies key findings revealed that those initiating treatment through conservative chiropractic care for back-pain specific treatment, the cost & time savings were substantial:

• 28% lower average cost per episode
• Fewer inpatient stays: 9.3 vs 15.6 per 1000 patients
• Fewer imaging orders: 43.2 MRI’s ordered vs 68.9 MRI’s ordered per 1000 patients
• Fewer back surgeries: 3.3 vs 4.8 surgical procedures per 1000 patients
• Fewer x-rays: 17.5 vs 22.7 per 1000 patients

​While more extensive care is sometimes needed, by beginning with conservative, non-pharmaceutical care, you reduce your chance of needing opioid medications or surgery. You also avoid the associated side effects, lengthy recovery time and risks that accompany them. Plus, with medical costs rising, this study shows you will also most likely reduce your overall health care costs.

If you or a loved one are experiencing back or neck pain, talk to Dr. Dukes about how chiropractic can help. Dr. Dukes will perform a complete exam and, if appropriate, will develop a treatment plan to address your condition. In addition to spinal manipulation, nutrition, modalities, and rehab exercises, Dr. Dukes can order additional testing as well as provide a referral to another health care provider if needed.

About 14,000 children are treated for backpack-related injuries every year. Overweight, improperly fitted or improperly worn backpacks can cause neck, back and shoulder pain along with arm tingling and numbness. 

When used properly, backpacks evenly distribute the weight of the load across the body, reducing potential health risks. 

Here's checklist to help you keep your student safer:

• Limit loads to 10% or less of body weight. When a backpack is too heavy, the weight's force can pull a child backward. To compensate, the child might bend forward at the hips or arch the back. This can make the spine compress unnaturally, leading to shoulder, neck, and back pain.
• Wear the back pack over both shoulders. Kids who wear their backpacks over just one shoulder will likely end up leaning to one side to offset the extra weight. This encourages lower and upper back pain and strain their shoulders and neck.
• Choose a backpack with wide straps to avoid them digging into the shoulders. This can interfere with circulation and nerves leading to tingling, numbness, and weakness in the arms and hands.

Using Backpacks Wisely:

• Lighten the load. Use the bathroom scale to check that a pack isn't over 10% of your child's body weight (for example, the backpack of a child who weighs 80 pounds shouldn't weigh more than 8 pounds).
• Encourage kids to use their locker or desk often throughout the day instead of carrying the entire day's worth of books in the backpack.
• Make sure kids don't tote unnecessary items — laptops, cellphones, and video games can add extra pounds to a pack.
• Encourage kids to bring home only the books needed for homework or studying each night.
• Ask about homework planning. A heavier pack on Fridays might mean that a child is delaying homework until the weekend, making for an unnecessarily heavy backpack.
• Picking up the backpack the right way can help kids avoid back injuries. As with any heavy weight, they Use all of the backpack's compartments, putting heavier items, such as textbooks, closest to the center of the back.

If your student is struggling to get the backpack on or off, leans awkwardly while wearing the backpack, is experiencing neck or back pain, numbness or weakness in the arms or legs, talk to Dr. Dukes. An ounce of prevention might just help you avoid pounds of agony. www.DukesChiropractic.com

​HOW DO I IMPROVE MY WELLNESS THROUGH GOOD POSTURE?

1. Strengthen your back muscles
Many of us slump because of underdeveloped back muscles. Simple exercises, a few times a day can improve your strength and flexibility which will improve your posture. Try incorporating Shoulder Rolls, Lunges and Squats into your daily routine.

2. Stand up more
Take regular standing breaks. Your chair could be an ergonomic champion, but standing up will strengthen muscles and encourage better alignment.

3. Adjust your car seat
Make sure that your headrest remains centered near the middle of your head. And ensure that head is positioned 4 inches or less from the seat.

4. Focus on good sleep
A firm mattress can help as well as using fewer pillows. If your mattress is too soft, your back could be contorting unnaturally. And, too many pillows may encourage bad sleeping posture as you move in your sleep.

5. Be a string
Your spine needs to be straight. Act like your spine is a string. Is the string bent? Keep the string straight.

Good posture is so important for long-term health and wellness. If you're working hard to focus on your wellness but still not feeling your best, call Dr. Dukes. She's helped so many understand the root of their health challenges and achieve lifelong wellness. Dr. Dukes and her team can help you get back to living life on your terms. Call today. (813) 752-2524

One positive outcomes from our pandemic is that more of us are walking more often. And, chances are that walking is something you've never really thought.

Walking offers tremendous health benefits. But, if it's been a while since you've been active, it's important to take a look at how you walk. After all, it’s a repetitive motion and thousands of steps per day can put a lot of stress on your entire body resulting in aches and pains that may keep you from realizing those benefits.

Chances are, you learned to walk when you were just a toddler and you haven’t really thought about it much since. But life and activity levels change so it's important to learn how to walk correctly. Here's how to make the most of your daily strolls step-by-step.

Understand the mechanics
Having a clear idea of what a step actually involves can help you visualize how to walk correctly. Every step happens in two phases: stance and swing. A single gait cycle of stance and swing typically lasts about 1-second.” Your brain does all of that instinctually. Understanding the parts can be valuable in assessing where you might have weaknesses and can help assess any pain you’re having.

Pick the right shoes
Choosing poorly fitting or unsupportive shoes can lead to serious health problems. While symptomatic aches and pains may begin at your feet, the core problem often creates spinal mis-alignments that wreak havoc all over your body. There’s no perfect shoe for everyone. Stability is crucial. Avoid walking in sandals or other footwear without arch support. 

Many shoe stores offer options with corrective structures designed to provide support in specific areas or even correct problems. I recommend starting with an established local running store or show store that specializes in corrective shoes. They'll look at the sole of your current shoes to determine wear patterns. If your shoes are wearing too much on the inside, then you might need something that gives you a little more arch support. If they’re wearing more quickly at the heel and causing pain, then you might need a little more cushioning. If you’re unsure about the shape of your step, sticking with a neutral shoe is a good place to start unless you’re having specific pain or are getting a personal assessment.

Pay attention to posture
It’s possible for your body to have an injury that you haven't noticed which is causing you to over-compensate and walk imbalanced. The obvious sign of this is poor posture. Poor posture often indicates weakness, pain or injury. When this happens we lean over to the weak or painful side, shifting the center of our mass to alleviate forces on that limb. That imbalance will cause of host of problems throughout the body.

If you start to recognize that you're imbalanced, seek professional help. Avoid attempting to force yourself into the right position because that often makes issues worse and accelerates health problems. Rather, call to schedule a consultation. We'll work together to find the underlying cause then use treatment to help eliminate the source of the problem rather than simply addressing the symptom. Sometimes the treatment solution is as simple as a combination of massage and learning proper walking technique and posture. 

Stand up straight
Slouching is never healthy and that’s especially true while walking. Pull your shoulders back, keep your bum tucked underneath you, and your head parallel to the ground. As you lift your chin up, you'll automatically help bring your head in line with your pelvis and eliminate slouching. If you have a habit of slouching at a desk all day, it's normal that your back, neck, and shoulder muscles may feel sore after a long walk. Keep at it, the soreness will soon be replaced with a feeling of vitality.  

Avoid over-striding
Once you’re a more experienced walker, it’s tempting to try and up your pace and distance. But doing too much, too soon can cause problems with your stride and limit your workout capabilities. Taking too big of a stride will require your pelvis to rotate too far to step out in front of you. This puts stress on your lower back and a lot of stress on your heel as it impacts the ground. If you're looking to put a 'little more umpf' into your walking, I recommend increasing the pace of your steps rather than compromising your health by overstretching your stride.

Custom Orthotics
A variety of problems ranging from joint pain, foot discomfort, and posture issues, and especially lower back pain can be alleviated through custom orthotics. These are insoles that slip into shoes. They are custom-crafted especially for your unique foot shape and biomechanical needs.
Dr. Dukes has helped many patients struggling with low back pain, knee pain, plantar fasciitis, and even neck and shoulder pain find relief through custom orthotics so they can achieve their health and fitness goals. 

When you're ready to live your best life, call me. Schedule a consultation. The team at Dukes Chiropractic is here for you. (813) 752-2524

Dr. Dukes spends her days helping people get back to doing what they love and avoid suffering from aches and pains that hold them back from truly living life.

Time and again Dr. Dukes finds lower back discomfort is the most common compliant. Why? Sitting is the main culprit. Prolonged sitting often causes the lower back muscles to become misaligned. 

Poor posture is a compounding factor because lower back muscles then have to work overtime, becoming exhausted and weak resulting pain symptoms related to spinal mis-alignment. Remember that your spine is curved, so proper back alignment entails an 'S' curve — your back shouldn’t be a straight line. The back of your skull, your shoulder blades, and your lower pelvis should be lined up. Correct posture helps your body stay in top shape and avoid injury.

Good posture is the first step. Your second step should be regular preventative stretching and core strengthening exercices such as these:

1. Stretch your hip flexors and quadriceps: To help relieve lower back tension and pain, Dr. Dukes recommends standing hip flexor stretches and quad stretches (https://youtu.be/7r8yUtqLnDw), both of which work the front of your thigh. Doing these allow for proper pelvic mobility, which puts less stress on your lower back muscles.

2. Work on your mobility: Dr. Dukes says it’s really important to have mobility in the pelvis area and the vertebrae in your lower back. Ensuring that the pelvis, sacrum, and lumbar vertebrae are moving properly is a critical factor in lower back health. Try these exercise ball back stretches (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfgI4B20IZ0) and work on neutralizing any pelvic tilt that you may have.

Kudos if you practice good posture and are working exercises such as these into your routine and are realizing the benefits. Dr. Dukes wants you to establish safe and effictive routines. Be sure to schedule a consultation to learn proper posture, stretching and exercising techniques. If you're still struggling with back pain, call Dr. Dukes and schedule an examination. The sooner you do, the sooner you'll be back to living life on your terms. 

We see many patients who are frustrated with the lack of solutions to their serious health conditions, and are resigned to a life of daily chronic pain and illness.

If you’re discouraged with traditional medical options, and have tried everything to find relief, Dr. Dukes can help. Pulse Electromagnetic Field Technology (or PEMF) has radically transformed the quality of life for a number of our patients. In fact, many patients come in for the treatment of a particular issue then end up finding relief and healing from multiple conditions. 

This reparative technique is most commonly used in the field of orthopedics for the treatment of non-union fractures, failed fusions, congenital pseudarthrosis and depression. In the case of bone healing, PEMF uses electrical energy to direct a series of magnetic pulses through injured tissue whereby each magnetic pulse induces a tiny electrical signal that stimulates cellular repair. Many studies have also demonstrated the effectiveness of PEMF in healing soft-tissue wounds; suppressing inflammatory responses at the cell membrane level to alleviate pain, and increasing range of motion. The value of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy has been shown to cover a wide range of conditions, with well documented trials carried out by hospitals, rheumatologists, chiropractors, physiotherapists and neurologists.

Although electromagnetic therapy has a long history in Europe, the FDA first approved non-invasive devices using pulsed electromagnetic fields designed to stimulate bone growth in 1979. Then in 2004, pulsed electromagnetic field system was approved by FDA as an adjunct to cervical fusion surgery in patients at high risk for non-fusion. Over the years, the use of PEMF stimulation has been proven safe and effective in treating a wide variety of conditions.

There is hope for chronic pain. Contact Dr. Dukes today to learn more about PEMF, and experience real freedom from pain. Call 813.752.2524 and schedule your examination. Learn if PEMF exercise therapy is right for you.