We are going to address some large concerns, what is the opioid crisis, how did it start, what can be done, and is it really that big of an issue.
            The opioid crisis is so impactful right now that it is literally killing over 115 people daily in our great country, which accounts for over 40,000 deaths a year from overdose of opioids. From July 2016 to September 2017 the Midwest saw opioid overdose grow over 70%. Not only is this an extremely deadly ordeal, it is also creating a massive economic burden of over $78.5 Billion a year due to cost of healthcare, addiction treatment, lost productivity, as well as criminal justice involvement. This is not even to mention the strains it forms on family, friends, and loved ones.
            This all can be dated back to the 90s when pharmaceutical companies made a strong push for pain killers to be prescribed. The opioid pain killers lead to heroin, and fentanyl use.
            Approximately 25% of people prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse the drugs, with 80% of people whom use heroin misused the prescription opioids first.
            So what can be done for this incredible crisis?! Well first we need to say what it is, chronic pain patients are being prescribed pain killers. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is seeking non-addictive strategies to manage chronic pain. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) notes chiropractic as one of the leading avenues for this non-addictive strategies to manage chronic pain. West Virginia recently implemented mandatory 20 visits to a chiropractor or acupuncturist BEFORE even considering being prescribed opioids by a medical practitioner.
            If you yourself or someone you know are suffering from chronic pain we are here to help you! We are one of the leading chiropractors in San Diego. We see patients from all over San Diego County (ie, La Mesa, Otay, La Jolla, Pacific Beach, and Santee) as well as far as LA County and El Centro.
            Again, this is something we have the ability to not only slow down, help out with, but this is something that we can PREVENT!! This is something that I personally take interest in as within the past year I have lost old friends from the midwest to this crisis.  Do not let yourself, your friends, your family, your loved ones become another statistic, the time is now for us to stand against this deadly crisis, sweeping its way across our amazing country.
​
 
Dr. Zach Beatty, DC
Gonstead Family Chiropractic
San Diego, CA
 
https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis

     Headaches have seemingly become a part of peoples every day life. It is amazing how many believe that having a headache is a normal part of life. Unfortunately they are very common, but definitely not normal. Lets talk about what they are, what are common causes, and what are some fixes for those nagging pains.
     I am San Diego Chiropractor, Dr Zach Beatty, DC and it my goal to ensure San Diego and this amazing community of people do not have to suffer like so many do around the United States.  
   Headaches are defined by the Mayo Clinic as a pain in any region of the head. These pains can range from sharp, throbbing, or even a dull ache. They can progress gradually or rapidly. Headaches come in so many different forms, this article would be 30 pages long, but we will discuss common general headaches now, in later articles we will review more specific style headaches. 
   Causes of headaches are just as much a wide variety as the style of headaches. In general a headache is caused by some issues in the pain sensitive parts or even over-activity in your head. The head is extremely intricate part of our body. It has nerves, blood vessels, spinal cord, brain, muscles of the neck are all components that can play a factor into headaches. 
   Some ways to combat these darn headaches. Well nothing stimulates the bodies nervous system like a chiropractic adjustment. Yes, this has a plethora of effects on our bodies, blood supply, nervous system, muscles, and bones in the neck. There is chemistry issues that can be leading to headaches, whether it be hormone imbalances, sugar affecting blood flow, lack of nutrition (fat) to feed the brain. All of this is addressed here at Gonstead Family Chiropractic in San Diego.
    There are also other forms of treatment that have shown benefit, massage, acupuncture, yoga, mediation, etc.
    We do not just specialize in the chiropractic aspect of your health, but nutrition and look at things from both a microscopic view as well as the 30,000 foot view. 
    In our office there are 2 things that are the most important to us, Your Health and Our Reputation. If you have questions or concerns about headaches and how we can help you alleviate them from your life, please reach out to use by phone, email, or our website. We look forward to helping change your life through chiropractic and help our San Diego community that much more healthier and happier. 


In Good Health,
Dr Zach Beatty, DC
Gonstead Family Chiropractic
San Diego, CA


​Article From Mayo Clinic on Headaches - Click Here

   Morning sickness, is something almost every and every soon to be mother has or will experience. It is a normal process, so do not be alarmed. Your body is going through extreme changes, especially to your hormonal balance.  San Diego chiropractor, Dr Zach Beatty, wants to give you some crucial tips on how to handle this efficiently and safely.
    So what should you do if you are experiencing this? There are a couple key things you can do to minimize or even conquer morning sickness. It is recommended to try eating smaller amounts, but more frequently and also get more sleep.
    So why should you eat small amounts more frequently? Well we want to keep your blood sugar diving down. This will help your nausea. There are some key foods that will are recommended for you and they are high in vitamin B6. 

* Make sure to avoid overcooking these foods as Vitamin B nutrients are lost when heated to high temperatures.

    The next to make sure you are getting ample amounts of sleep. I know how busy life can become here in San Diego. Wanting to go to the beaches, hangout with friends, and get as much done so you can go do those, but SLEEP is so important for all of you mothers and soon to be mothers in San Diego!
     The last thing is make sure you are getting check by your San Diego chiropractor. Ensuring your spine is in alignment and pelvis is sitting correctly allows maximal room for your little baby to not only grow, but move around. I will plug our office for obvious reason, but Gonstead Family Chiropractic located in UTC La Jolla is family friendly with lots of experience dealing with pregnant moms, infants, kids, and has a family atmosphere.  Not only will the adjustments help your pelvis, it will allow you combat lot of the common obstacles within the pregnancy process, such as frequent urination, shortness of breath, constipation, nausea, and much more. 
       As always, please reach out to use if you have any questions or concerns as you wander this path to ever lasting happiness.

-Dr Zach Beatty
Gonstead Family Chiropractic

​Credit: Well Adjusted Babies - Dr. Jennifer Barham-Floreani

    San Diego drivers are projected to have one car accident every seven years. If you travel to LA, you are more prone, by having one car accident every five years. So it is really not a question as to if you will have a car accident, but rather when you will be affected by a car accident.
    We see car wrecks varying from high speed collisions causing a totaling of the car to a little parking lot fender bender. Who do you think goes to get checked out by a medical professional more commonly, based on previous described situations? You guessed it! If there is not much damage to the car, surely no damage to you, right? WRONG! Whiplash can come from as a little as a 5 mph impact, that is barely enough to put a dent into your car. But it is enough to cause a plethora of issues either immediately or many years down the road wreaking havoc on your body. 
    Whiplash is defined as a strain of muscles and tendons of the neck created by a force causing a forward and backward jerking of your head. It comes in all different forms of collision, whether it be  sports, car wrecks, or a slip and fall.  Some may not even experience any pain or discomfort, but the underlying issue will began instantaneously. The issue I am referring to is degenerative changes along your spine. Whiplash ultimately accelerates the degenerative process. 
   Following most of these collisions, x-rays or some form of imaging are performed by the healthcare professional. The big thing is what happens next. I hear it all the time, "I feel fine, nothing is broken". This is awesome news that nothing is broken, but it doesn't change the straining of your neck muscles from being jerked around. Muscle relaxers relax the muscles, but there is more to healing properly from a whiplash injury.A study performed demonstrated that 39% of whiplash patients, displayed no abnormal findings upon immediate radiographic imaging (ie x-rays), however degenerative changes were displayed 5-10 years following. If we were to base it solely on pain, which many people do, well that same study discusses how 50% of whiplash patients reported chronic neck pain 15 years after the trauma.There are 3 phases that I am going to briefly discuss as well as how chiropractic will be one of the most important healthcare professionals you could see following a whiplash injury.
     The three phases are acute inflammation, regeneration, and remodeling. Acute inflammation occurs in the first 72 hours following the impact.  The second phase is the regeneration phase, which occurs after the 72 hours for up to 6-8 weeks following impact. The third phase is the remodeling phase, which begins from 6-8 weeks up to 6-12 months. These three phases have uniqueness to each, but all are critical to the health of not only your spine, but your overall well being. Each phase is separate and has a unique form of treatment. Step one is to reduce inflammation as quickly as possible from the area of trauma. The second phase is to align fibers correctly to improve the healing within, to avoid long term complications. The third phase is ensure the fibers are healing properly.
     We at Gonstead Family Chiropractic in San Diego deal with these types of cases regularly. We have an amazing front office whom deals with insurance companies and attorneys flawlessly, taking a large weight off of your shoulders. We also have a lot of great networks throughout San Diego, to ensure you receive the high care whether it be legal representation or healthcare that coincides with your chiropractic adjustments. 
     The matter is not a "if", but rather a "when". And "when" it does happen, we will be here to help you get back on your feet as fast as possible and live a long health lifestyle.

-Dr Zach Beatty, DC
Gonstead Family Chiropractic


Study mentioned in the article can be found here - Panjabi
     

    Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is becoming a household diagnosis over the last several years. So what is ADHD? Who is affected by ADHD? What can be done about it? These are all great questions that I am asked on a regular basis.  We will go step by step through these questions.
    ADHD is described by the Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA) as a highly genetic, brain-based syndrome that has to do with the regulation of a particular set of brain functions and related behaviors.  So it essentially comes down to the brain and its function.  
    Who is affected by ADHD? We all most commonly associate this diagnosis with children, rightfully so as the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) statistics show that percentage of children age 4-17 have been on the rise. In 2003 the ADHD diagnosis was 7.8%, then 9.5% in 2007, and again a spike to 11% in 2012. That means approximately 6.4 million children are walking around with the diagnosis of ADHD in the United States! Now for children age 2-5 the diagnosis of ADHD has increased by more than 50% since 2008.  As the infamous sales commercials say, "But wait, there's more!".  ADHD is affecting more than just children.  There are 11,000,000 adults in the US (approximately 5%) suffering from this brain-behavior disorder.  Are you kidding me?! Talk about some staggering statistics. So what are we doing to fix this issue?
    Well based on the CDC statistics, 43% of children age 4-17 are being treated with medication alone. Approximately 13% of children are receiving behavior therapy alone. Are you or your child taking daily dose of the various ADHD medications?
    There is an alternative to these current treatments. It comes in the way of 100% natural, scientific, and producing results. What is this miracle? It is called Chiropractic. Chiropractic directly affects our nervous system, ultimately connecting our brain to our body and all of its functions. But how does it directly affect ADHD?
    The most simplistic answer is that our body has two systems within our nervous system. Think of your car, having a gas and a brake. Our bodies are the same way with our sympathetic (gas) and parasympathetic (break) systems.  When someone is suffering from ADHD, they are hyperactive, they are full throttle gas (sympathetic).  It is like the Toyota's that were being recalled for gas pedals being stuck. Our bodies need that recall or reset to allow the brake to apply and our bodies to become balanced again.
    If you or someone you know is suffering from ADHD, please have them call their local San Diego chiropractor to see if we can help or have them get in touch with us and we will be more than glad to reach out to our trusted network of chiropractors to find one in their specific city or state.

-Dr. Zach Beatty, DC
Gosntead Family Chiropractic


References:
1. ADD.org  https://add.org/adhd-facts/
2. CDC   https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html


   

     If you have been following along with the blogs, we cover a wide range of topics, but in a previous section I discussed my passion for sports and chiropractic. Well how many of us have seen the videos of athletes being adjusted on their respective fields, benches, greens, etc? Well the truth is, there is a lot more to it than just feeling better. 
      A study was performed where they took athletes who were pain free with a control group. The goal was to adjust one group and not the other looking for changes in balance, agility, power, reaction time, and perception of touch. After 6 weeks there was a 10.57% improvement with group being adjusted compared to only 4.5% improvement by those not being adjusted. After 12 weeks that escalated to 16.7% improvement with those being adjusted. [1] 
    So yes, does chiropractic help low back pain, neck pain, etc. Absolutely, but more importantly it allows the body to express itself at 100%, demonstrated by the study above. Now who doesn't want to have that slight edge when competing to be the best?! SIGN ME UP! Well truth be told, I signed up many years ago and let me tell you. I would not have been able to compete in four high school sports all year around or two collegiate sports at the levels I did, without chiropractic care.  After an adjustment I can feel my body come to ease as an energy is spread through my body, the POWER IS BACK ON!
    I think it is important to to understand to not just practice what one preaches, but to educate and LIVE what one teaches. That is why the San Diego Guardians basketball team has a team doctor as a chiropractor, they want to perform at their elite level and I volunteered to get them there!
     Don't believe me? Go check out a chiropractor for yourself and let me know the results.

-Dr Zach Beatty, DC


​
[1] Lauro A. Mouch B. Chiropractic Affects on Athletic Ability J Chiro Research & Clin Investigation. 1991;6:84-87
Photo credit: Goerie.com

    I have been in sports for as long as I can remember. Having played just about every sport I can get my feet, hands, or head into! It became a passion, you know the type where you are to the point people call it an obsession. As many athletes know, a time comes when you must hang up their desired cleats, sneakers, clubs, or whatever item was so near and dear to their soul. So what is next? Is it possible to find another passion that hits your core like none other?
    The answer for me is yes. I found chiropractic, well... rather chiropractic found me! No I do not have a horrific life changing example that led me here. The story is simple. Growing up in a very rural community, nobody wants to ride the bus, am I right? Well thankfully I had an older sister willing to drive me to school and arrive just in time for classes to start. She was an athlete much like myself and one day she was unable to play. She had severe pain down her leg, making it difficult to perform pretty much any athletic movements, even your daily activities were affected. Long story short is she began to see a chiropractor, much like my entire family did, however the only times she could go were before school! Waking up early for no benefit to myself, c'mon now. But I did it because I still did not want to be riding that dang yellow bus. What I began seeing before school would forever change my life unknowingly at the time. I witnessed first hand the incredible effects chiropractic had on her life. I was the best tag along you could ever imagine!
    Fast forward 3-4 years I made the decision that I too would become a chiropractor and help people's lives change before my eyes. Now I am sitting here some 12 years later in beautiful sunny San Diego California, writing away at this blog.  
    I found my life long passion outside of sports, but I could not keep away from watching them, only dreaming of the days I was close enough to hear the coach talk to the players, the jokes made among teammates, the day-to-day grind of trying to be the best as a team and as an individual.  I have the unique privilege of being able to tap into two of my most obsessive passions, sports and chiropractic. It is with great honor and pleasure that I have become the official team doctor for the San Diego Guardians, a semi-professional ABA league basketball team.
    Talk about living out your dream! I am living out my dream every single day and I am beyond fortunate for that. If there is something holding you back from living out your dream, be like chiropractic,find its cause and tackle it head on. Because anyone can run around issues, but dream makers run right through them. Find you passion, obsess over your passion, and make it your lifestyle.

Dr. Zach Beatty, DC