Dr. Wayne Coghlan: Chiropractor

A common question is when to use ice or heat to treat and injury. As a guide, if an injury in new, swollen, hot and painful…ice is the better choice…especially for the first two or three days. Ice reduces the swelling and pain. The best method is to actually massage the area with a block of ice. Freeze water in a paper cup then peel away the paper like a ice pop and rub the ice over the injury. Continue rubbing with the ice for about ten minutes or until the area is numb and you leave a white spot after pressing with your finger. Of course you want to be wary to not actually freeze the skin! If the injury is deeper, you may need to ice longer at a time. For new injuries, repeat again after fifteen minutes…for older injuries, repeat hourly and eventually after activity. I am not satisfied that so called ‘ice gels’ do much more than irritate the skin but they give you something to do. If you don’t have a block of ice to use, gel-packs, frozen vegetables, bean bags or bags of cru

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Pack it Light, Wear it Right As September is here, children everywhere are putting on their backpacks and heading back to school. This year, help your child learn how to choose, pack and wear a backpack to avoid neck, back and arm pain in the future. Choose the right backpack: • Select a bag that is vinyl or canvas - the lighter material makes it easier to carry. • Look for a backpack with two wide, adjustable and padded shoulder straps. o A waist strap, padded back and many pockets are also important features of a good backpack. • Make sure that the backpack fits correctly; the size should be proportionate to your child’s body. Proper packing: • The total weight of the filled backpack should be no more than 10% of the child’s body weight for students up to grade eight, 15% for those in grades nine to twelve. o Encourage your child to pack only what they will need for the day to avoid extra weight. • Distribute the weight evenly: o Pack the heaviest objects closest to the body. o Use c

Fridge magnets. We have new fridge magnets in production and coming soon to you. Magnetic therapy – sticking magnets on your body to promote health is all the rage!!! Not wanting to miss the band wagon – I have enclosed our official Collingwood Chiropractic & Sports Injuries Clinic fridge magnet for you. The health benefits are as follows. - Improves memory! By placing the magnet in a conspicuous location on the fridge it can remind you of your next appointment – a definite health benefit!!! - Improved conversation and social opportunities! When friends and family come to call – tell them about the colourful magnet now on your refrigerator and why going to the chiropractor – that’s me – would be good for them too! If you do have more than one magnet – you can share it with your buddies. They’ll love you for your generosity! These magnets are so powerful they work even when you place them on your refrigerator – try taping them to your forehead and see how much better you reme

Pondering the rubber band. Meagan was trying to get my attention the other day and being the creative soul she is, found a convenient rubber band and fired it at me! In one of those Eureka "ouch!" moments, a flash of inspiration came upon me. No... I didn’t run naked down the street like Archimedes... Not since college days anyway. Hmmmm? Find yourself a rubber band. It may surprise you that a rubber band with all it’s marvelous uses can even improve your health. Go ahead ... pick it up ... it won’t bite. Consider the fresh rubber band you have in your hand. When new, the band is soft and flexible. You stretch it, it snaps back. You can work with it and even have some fun! That’s the way your ligaments, muscles and tendons are supposed to be, soft and supple and stretchy. Imagine now the rubber band neglected and left out in the dry air and harsh sun. It won’t be long before it becomes stiff and brittle. Try to stretch that and you’ll see what being stiff is all abou

Stepping on cracks Has there has been an alarming increase of mothers with sore backs? Research indicates that children stepping on cracks in the sidewalk are the cause. Be glad when they are in school and don't neglect to pester town officials to improve the walkways. In an emergency - apply ice – by way of popsicles in the kids mouths. Can’t hurt!

Stepping on cracks Has there has been an alarming increase of mothers with sore backs? Research indicates that children stepping on cracks in the sidewalk are the cause. Be glad when they are in school and don't neglect to pester town officials to improve the walkways. In an emergency - apply ice – by way of popsicles in the kids mouths. Can’t hurt!

A Happy Referral: A very pleasant couple were in the process of relocating to our community and did not know who else to turn to. The lady had just undergone hip replacement surgery and while I have no doubt that she would benefit from seeing a chiropractor, her most immediate need was to regain her strength and mobility. With just a couple of phone calls, we had arranged for her to see a physiotherapist later that same day. There was no charge for this consultation and we were happy to refer the lady to the therapist she most needed at the time.

In The Right Place: A delightful lady asked for my evaluation numbness in her hand that had been bothering her on and off for several years. By gently moving and pressing on the side of her neck, I was able to reproduce the numbness in her hand. The source of the numbness was a pinched nerve and chiropractic was definitely the correct therapy. I recommended a course of treatment for her and the results have been good. In addition, we were able to identify the reason for her injury. How she sat at the computer was straining her neck and this was the cause of her complaint. A few modifications have helped prevent a relapse!