Detecting Hidden Traumas

What do people think when they hear the word “trauma?” Most lean towards something very stressful, notably emotional, psychological, or a life-or-death event. In the moment, it can be devastating, but it can also be hidden in some respects.

A friend and I were hiking up in the Smoky Mountains along the Appalachian Trial about ten years back.

Two days in, an unexpected blizzard hit the region, and I ended up getting hypothermia and nearly dying. Fortunately, my friend helped me get to a shelter and treated me accordingly. It was one of those moments to be thankful for a fellow healthcare professionals. After a few days of rest and warming up, I started feeling okay again, and we headed home, cutting the trip short. About five years following the event, this friend was getting married, and I was asked to say a few words at the reception. I told his bride about the event, expressing my appreciation for such a reliable friend, but choked up in tears about halfway through, remembering the extreme weather and how scared I was. I hadn’t felt that way about it once before then.

In our office, many practice members come in with complaints from pain in different areas to headaches, anxiety, and more and are unsure of the cause or source. Interestingly, we initially ask each new practice member about past traumas, one of the more common instigators of physical problems, and they often fail to mention a car crash, a slip or fall, and even a blow to the head until later into the care plan.

“I didn’t feel any pain then” or “The pain eventually went away” are common dismissals of a possible problem. Your pain is significant, but it is not always a reliable indicator of an early problem.

A neck MRI study by Nakashima reported that of 1211 asymptomatic individuals, ages 20-70, 87.6% presented with a disc bulge, with more findings, including spinal cord compression, found as age increased.

A low-back MRI study by Jensen reported that of 98 asymptomatic subjects, ages 2080, 52% had a disc bulge at one level minimum, and 27% had a protrusion. Several reviews further confirm that abnormalities often exist in the absence of pain, especially in a history of past trauma.

Chiropractors are trained to evaluate physical imbalances that can affect the body in multiple ways. For example, our office evaluates each member with static electromyography (sEMG) regularly to detect neural imbalances, same as NASA uses with their astronauts. Each active member additionally has a leg check performed at every visit to see if there is evidence of functional muscular imbalance. These are a couple of ways to look for those hidden body stressors.

Not every problem is solely a chiropractic solution. Sometimes, it may just be a piece of the puzzle, but it has measures that can be weighed to show if a positive change is happening in the body with treatment. Because we don’t always catch traumas on our own, having a chiropractor in your healthcare plan is certainly worthwhile.

Autauga County Schools

2023 ACA Spelling Bee Winners

Auburn Classical Academy recently held their school-wide Spelling Bee. We are very proud of all who participated; it was clear each student was trying their best and giving 100% of their effort! Pictured are the 3 Spelling Bee Finalists: 1st place - Luke Pittman (5th grade), 2nd place - Elayna Hurley (7th grade), and 3rd placeWheeler Frye (5th grade). Congratulations to all 3!

Teachers of the Year

These outstanding teachers were honored at the Board of Education meeting. Pictured (l-r) Madison Zimmer-Morris Avenue Intermediate School, Bethany Barnes-West Forest Intermediate School, Vivian MozeikasNorthside Intermediate School, Brenda Howell-Opelika High School-2022-23 OCS Secondary Teacher of the Year, Ecameron Dowdell-Jeter Primary School-2022-23 OCS Elementary Teacher of the Year, Emily SandersOpelika Middle School, Madeline Langley-Carver Primary School, and Katie Burns-Southview Primary School.

Celebrating Black History Month at J.F. Drake High School

Auburn’s last exclusively African American public high school, J.F Drake High School, was founded in 1957 and named after Dr. Joseph Fanning Drake. Dr. Drake was an Auburn native who began his service to Alabama education when he accepted an appointment as supervisor of adult education for the State Department of Education. After five years, he became the Dean of the State Normal School (now Alabama State University) in Montgomery. In 1927 Dr. Drake accepted the presidency of what would become Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University, located in Normal (now part of Huntsville). He served as president of this institution until his passing in 1964. Dr. Drake’s legacy lives on to this day as it is now named J.F. Drake Middle School, functioning as a middle school since desegregation. In 2017, this

Opelika High Health Science Classes Enjoy Hands On Learning

Did you know that Opelika High School has an ambulance inside one of the classrooms? One of our health science tracks allows students to get their EMT-Basic certification which gives them the opportunity for immediate employment with Emergency Medical Services and/or allows them to go directly into advanced EMT training. This year, OHS was able to get an ambulance “box” put into Mrs. Wilson’s classroom to allow her students more real-world experience and practice. These students and Mrs. Wilson are doing great things, and we know they will impact the world for the better!

Autauga County Schools

ACA 5th Graders Learn About Mammals and Birds

Auburn Classical Academy Science courses focus on different animals, including mammals, reptiles, insects and birds. In 5th grade, students focus on mammals and birds. One of the class’s science labs is to dissect a sheep heart. This activity is a great hands on experience and greatly reinforces what the students learn about mammalian body parts.