In her book, The Women’s Migraine Survival Guide, Christina Peterson, M.D., offers some advice on an array of migraine triggers that women (and men too!) with chronic migraines should learn about and avoid. Here are the most common:

Stress -Stress may be a trigger, says Peterson. When you’re under stress, take periodic breaks from difficult activities, alternating tough tasks that require brainpower with other jobs that are more physically oriented. For example, switch from analyzing problems to picking up needed office supplies or to another activity that’s a no-brainer.

Bright Lights – Bright lights and glare can cause migraines in some people. If you’re outside in bright sunlight, always wear a protective hat and sunglasses, or move to a shady area. If the sun is streaming into the room, it may seem nice. But when you’re susceptible to migraines, it’s best to put the blinds down to limit glare. If you can’t or don’t want to do that, and then move to another part of the room or to another room. Or put on your sunglasses or slap a ball cap on your head! (Yes, even though you’re indoors.)

Odors – Some people are very sensitive to odors, particularly those from heavy perfume or some cleaning items. You may find that strong aromas can trigger a migraine within several hours. If someone at work drenches herself (or himself) in cologne, tell your colleague you’re hypersensitive to aromas. Consider saying that you’re allergic to strong perfume, which is more likely to obtain the reaction you want, less heavy-handedness with the spray bottle.

Cigarette and Cigar Smoke – The odor of cigarette smoke is also a migraine trigger for some people. Fortunately, few workplaces allow smoking, but people do smoke in other locations. If you eat out, always sit in the “non-smoking” section. If there’s a wait to be seated, then wait, or go elsewhere. A few minutes’ inconvenience is worth it if you can avoid an agonizing migraine later on.

Loud Noises – Loud noises can trigger migraines in some people, and if you’re one of them, you may wish to carry earplugs with you to work. (Don’t wear them while you’re driving, of course!) Foods – Foods are a migraine trigger for some people, especially caffeine, chocolate, aged cheese (like Roquefort or Stilton), onions and garlic. Also, stay away from monosodium glutamate (MSG), a common food additive.

NOTE: Some people limit their migraines by using white noise machines at work. These devices make a “SSSSH” sound, and help block out noise chaos. Ongoing white noise will still enable you to hear your boss and other key sounds. If you avoid migraine triggers as best you can, but you still feel a migraine coming on, try icing the pain away. Also, give us a call; we will fit you in for an immediate appointment. Be sure to explain that it’s a migraine attack that’s coming on. Chiropractic adjustments may be able to stop a migraine “dead in its tracks.”

Finally, please remember, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your, “Here’s what I was wondering about”, type questions, instead of “Guess what I just did”, statements. We’re here to help, and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in your life long good health!

THIS FREE REPORT REVEALS LITTLE KNOWN INFORMATION ABOUT HIDDEN INJURIES. BEFORE YOU SPEAK WITH ANYONE OR SETTLE YOUR CASE, READ THIS ENTIRE REPORT AND DISCOVER THE TRUTH ABOUT HOW “SOFT TISSUE INJURIES” HAVE RUINED THE LIVES OF HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CANADIANS JUST LIKE YOU!

In this insider’s report you will learn:

• Why so many people needlessly suffer from headaches, neck and back pain.
• Why taking pills, and resting may never fix your injury.
• How to get help for your pain and suffering right NOW!
• What may happen if you don’t get natural treatments NOW!

WARNING: ‘Soft tissue injuries’ are potentially debilitating and will strike hundreds of thousands of Canadians this year. As a result, many people will suffer for the rest of their lives due to misinformation and inappropriate care! That’s bad news. The good news is that you don’t have to continue suffering.

“SOFT TISSUE INJURIES’ ARE OFTEN MISUNDERSTOOD AND DIFFICULT TO DETECT. MANY VICTIMS WHO SEEK OUT HELP FOR THEIR PAIN ARE TOLD TO TAKE IT EASY AND REST. JUST RESTING USUALLY CREATES SCAR TISSUE AND PERMANENT DAMAGE. SCIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT TAKING EXCESSIVE TIME OFF WORK OR RECREATION CAN MAKE IT HARDER TO GET BACK INTO THE SWING OF THINGS.”

A car accident can strike any person at any time, robbing them of their most basic and important possession: their good health, both physical and mental.

Let’s go back to your accident site immediately after the collision…..

Most people state they feel dazed and confused immediately after an auto accident. If you’re conscious, you begin to realize you have been involved in an accident. You will start to ask a series of questions.

If any person involved is not suffering from an apparent life threatening injury or appears to have no broken bones or major cuts, then most often an ambulance is not called.

Here’s where the problem begins…..the attention immediately begins to shift towards the automobile damages and of course WHO IS AT FAULT?

All of your daily habits, responsibilities and leisure time will be wiped away by the complications that will be created by this accident. The prior stresses you might have been dealing with will not compare to the hassles and inconvenience an auto accident victim experiences.

Not only are auto accidents an inconvenience and a hassle, you may have noticed that since the accident, you have not been feeling like your normal self. You are experiencing obvious pain and symptoms like:

Or worse, you may be injured and feel nothing at all! Either way, you might find yourself at the local hospital.

The emergency room technicians are trained to detect life-threatening conditions and provide appropriate care. If your injuries do not fall into this category, after the evaluation you’ll be sent home with pain/sleep medication and anti-inflammation medication.

During your initial days of taking these medications, you will be instructed to call your insurance company to speak to an insurance adjuster regarding your car accident. These are highly trained individuals who deal with accident claims all day long. They know you have been to the hospital and released and they want to settle this case as soon as possible.

Remember, injured people feel less injured under the influence of medications.

Despite the effects of the medications, you still feel injured and simply not the same person. As each day goes by, the injuries continue and the body produces dysfunctional scar tissue at the sites of the injury.

This continued incorrect healing process begins the initial step of future conditions, the most common being post-traumatic osteo-arthritis.

This form of arthritis over time can ruin your posture giving you a slump or hump back appearance. It causes the vertebrae discs in your spine to degenerate and create scar tissue formation leading to chronic stiffness, pain, numbness and spasms.

Remember, the purpose of medication is to numb the pain not correct the injured problem.

The next step for the general practitioner will be to refer you to a physical and or a massage therapist. Four to eight weeks later, you are done with physical and or massage therapy. You are still in pain and the injury feels worse! At this point, the doctor is at a loss as to why you’re still hurting. You will be referred out to an orthopedic surgeon.

Current medical research states that most soft tissue injuries occurring from auto accident patients do not require surgical intervention. Only in the last few years have facet joints been identified as a cause of whiplash pain, so not much is known about how long they take to heal after an injury. Some research shows that the facet joints may be responsible for those whiplash patients with long-term discomfort.

Only a small fraction of all soft tissue injuries caused by auto accidents require the need for surgery. You will be told that, “there is nothing we can do, you may have to live with this for the rest of your life”.

This is a big mistake, don’t let this happen to you!

The insurance claims adjuster you talked to earlier, will call you as soon as they receive your doctor’s report. The claims adjuster’s interpretation of these reports is that the doctors are finished, and your pain will eventually go away so let’s settle this claim now.

That would be a gigantic mistake.

Many auto accident victims receive multiple-care from hospitals, clinics and medical doctors. While the underlying damages and pain is hidden or numbed with drugs, patients settle their cases. If you do, you may experience pain, numbness, headaches muscle stiffness, fatigue and other problems including arthritis, for many months ahead. Nothing is more important than your health once you start to lose it.

How are theses hidden injuries detected?

When you have been in an auto accident, you need a doctor who is trained and specializes in the biomechanics of the human body. That means he or she can perform routine physical examinations with orthopedic and neurological tests, as well as special chiropractic tests that assess those hidden functional soft tissue damages.

Many healthcare practitioners overlook many damaging injuries from whiplash. Whiplash occurs when the head and neck are thrown or “snapped” back and forth very quickly at speeds as slow as 5mph. Whiplash is the most common injury in auto accidents.

Your neck is made up of nerves, gland, tubes, blood vessels, lymph nodes, and 48 different joint. It also “holds” your brain stem, spinal column, discs, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fluids. The chances of you becoming a whiplash victim in an auto accident are real.

In addition to disc and other soft tissue damage, whiplash causes spinal misalignment and irritation, stretching or impingement to the nerves and spinal curve.

Whiplash is a biomechanical injury.

Proper evaluation and treatment by a chiropractor may make the difference between true recovery (healing and strength) vs. lingering pain (sickness and disability).

My name is Dr. Krisjan Gustavson and I have successfully treated thousands of patients just like you over the past 19 years. I am well trained in the diagnosis and treatment of auto accident victims.

My primary responsibility is giving you the time and care you need and deserve.

In my clinic, I use a variety of equipment and techniques. These include Ultra sound, Thermal Therapy, the Cox table.

If you have been injured, and not sure if you’ve suffer from soft tissue damage, call us.

If you have been injured and are not receiving the care you need, call us.

If you have been injured and not sure what type of treatment will help you, call us.

If you have been injured and not sure where to turn, call us.

WE CAN HELP TO GET YOU OUT OF PAIN.
382-0018

MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: What if my car sustained only minor damage?
A: Documented studies done by specialists Charles Caroll, M.D., Paul McAtee M.D., and Lee Riley, M.D. revealed that, “The amount of damage to the car bears little relation to the force applied to the cervical neck (spine) of the occupants. In other words, the severity of the injury to the passengers is not necessarily related to the damage directly to the vehicle. Most insurance adjusters love to convince you differently. Be careful!

Q: I’ve been to the hospital and walk-in clinic. Do I really need to see Dr. Gustavson?
A: You need a doctor that focuses in the treatment and diagnosis of auto accident injuries. Usually hospitals will check vital signs and release the patient with pain relief medication. They normally do not treat the underlying improper musculoskeletal biomechanics that can and often do lead to future pain. If you are still having problems, you should get a second opinion. If your M.D. has given you pills, you must understand that pills do not correct structural or soft tissue damage. There are special therapies designed for that, and we offer these modalities at our clinic.

Q: I definitely feel injured from my accident. If I have a history of related types of aches and pains, and records of treatment, will this harm my case?
A: No. This is why you need to see a doctor who is familiar with these circumstances. There is always a reason why you may feel injured or differently following an accident. My job is to specifically identify your new injury or the flare-up of an old injury.

Q: Do I need an attorney?
A: It is always important to take care of your well-being as soon as possible. Your first priority is to get checked by a doctor and begin if needed the appropriate treatment. After that you will have enough information to decide if you want to hire an attorney or not. Remember the responsible party’s insurance company has many attorneys. If necessary, we can refer you to a reputable and qualified attorney.

Q: If I need treatments for this injury, do I have to pay for it myself?
A: In most cases the patient is reimbursed for any out of pocket expenses by their insurance. However, every case is different. My Chiropractic Technicians would be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding the fees.

Q: What type of treatment will I receive if you accept me as a patient?
A: You will receive specific chiropractic spinal manipulation to the spinal joint and associated soft tissues. There are numerous chiropractic spinal manipulative techniques. The technique that is best suited for your condition will be determined to maximize your recovery. We may also use modalities such as ultrasound, electrotherapy, neck or lumbar traction, surface EMG and cryo/thermal therapy. All patients are given a program of rehabilitation exercises.

Q: Do I need a referral to see you?
A: No. Chiropractors are primary care givers and you do not need a referral from your medical doctor to book an appointment at my clinic.

MASSAGE THERAPY for WHIPLASH ASSOCIATED DISORDERS

Massage therapy is an effective approach to pain management and rehabilitation with a broad number of applications. Shakeira Wynde has been effective in treating and providing relief for a wide range of disorders such as migraine headaches, tendonitis, arthritis, osteoporosis, sports injuries, auto injuries, as well as many other common conditions related to soft tissue and joint dysfunction.

Muscles move our bodies. The muscle and skeletal system make up 60% of the mass of the human body. Apart from its obvious role in the support and motion of the body, muscle is also involved in biochemical and biomechanical activities. Soft tissue is the main consumer of our body’s energy. Soft tissue can be a source of a great deal of pain and dysfunction. This dysfunction can be the result of trauma, such as sports or motor vehicle injuries, illness, emotional stress and mechanical stress such as poor posture.

Benefits of massage therapy treatment are the reduction of spasms, the improvement of range of motion and strength, and prevention of fibrosis (scar tissue). The prevention and treatment of fibrosis and contracture (abnormal shortening of muscle and soft tissue) is a primary treatment goal following tissue damage, inflammation or immobilization.

In May 2002, an Annals of Internal Medicine study concluded that “in daily practice, manual therapy (massage & chiropractic) is a favourable treatment option for patients with neck pain compared with physical therapy or continued care by a general practitioner.”
* May 21, 2002/volume 136/number 10/page 713-722.

The Quebec task force on whiplash associated disorders examined over 10,000 studies. Below are a few of the highlights that the study found

• Massage is the most frequently used therapy for musculoskeletal problems and is particularly useful in controlling pain.
• Both active and passive massage therapy relieved neck and shoulder symptoms effectively.
• Numbers of painful points on palpation of the neck and shoulder regions decreased significantly after active and passive massage.
• Deep heat and massage can improve blood circulation and thus reduce pain.
• According to the Physical Medicine Research Foundation in BC, “in the early phases of whiplash, short courses of cervical manipulations or mobilization therapies have been shown to be of benefit.