Health

Pediatric Support with Naturopathic Medicine

By Dr. Jenna Dye, Naturopathic Physician

Naturopathic medicine is a specific type of health care that focuses on whole patient wellness. The role of a naturopathic physician is to diagnose, treat and prevent acute and chronic illness by identifying underlying causes and removing barriers that may be impacting health, rather than focusing solely on symptomatic treatment. This type of medicine can be very beneficial for children. Pediatric health care is a big part of my practice and children respond very well to integrative medicine. Here are a few ways a naturopathic physician can help support your child.

WELL CHILD EXAMS/CHECKUPS:

Well child exams start at infancy to check growth and development. This includes detailed health history review, diet and nutrition evaluation, physical examination, immunization discussions and support, and a growth review. In addition to the basics, we also focus on the naturopathic approach by supporting parents, discussing milestones, and supporting the immune system naturally.

SKIN CONDITIONS: Skin conditions are very common in my practice, especially for children. Eczema is one of the most common skin conditions I see in children and can last throughout adulthood. Typically, this appears once food is introduced. When there is a skin condition, one of the first places we investigate is the digestive system. We focus on healing the gut by balancing the gut flora. Food sensitivities can also be a cause of skin conditions and we explore those by elimination of highly allergenic foods or food sensitivity testing. Other skin conditions, such as acne, can also be supported in similar ways with additional focus on hormone balancing and diet changes.

DIGESTION: Gastrointestinal support is staple for all ages in naturopathic medicine; however, it can be an important part of pediatric support. Many children struggle with constipation, stomach pain and diarrhea. We investigate the root cause of any digestive upset. We focus on diet as food allergies and sensitivities can play an important role is constipation or stomach pain. We support the GI tract by balancing gut flora, especially if there has been a long history of antibiotic use.

IMMUNE SUPPORT: The goal of naturopathic medicine is to support the body and maintain optimal health. Children are exposed to many illnesses, so proper immune support is important. We investigate any nutritional deficiencies and ensure proper supplementation if warranted. If illness occurs, we can support with many natural remedies like herbal formulas and supplements that can boost the immunity and help fight illness. If stronger intervention is needed, such as antibiotics, we can support any side effects from those medications.

As a naturopathic physician, my job is to treat the whole person and individualize medicine. We can treat a variety of conditions in children in addition to those listed above in this article. I love to teach children to be proactive about their health starting from a young age. It is very rewarding to see my little patients grow into young adults with immune system support and top knowledge of health and lifestyle.

Dr. Jenna Dye is a licensed naturopathic physician. Her role is to support the body’s foundation to restore and maintain optimal health. Together with her patients, this is achieved by identifying and removing barriers that may be impacting health while creating a healing environment. For more information, visit drjennadye.com.

Why You Still Have Sciatica Pain

(And How To Get Rid Of It For Good)

-By Leading USA Sciatica Expert, Dr. Tom Padilla

Do everyday activities like nding comfortable sleeping positions and walking feel impossible because of sciatica pain? You may nd it hard to focus on enjoying those around you because you’re distracted by your pain. You may have already tried “everything,” but the di culty is knowing which things will help and which won’t.

Some sciatica is caused by muscular weakness and restriction, while others can be caused by sti joints. Ultimately, certain exercises may help some sciatica, but make other types worse. To best help you, I’ve compiled a list of tips that will help anyone with sciatica regardless of the type to reduce daily pain.

Most people with sciatica just want to know if there’s a solution that actually lasts. Solutions that used to work, don’t work any longer. Eventually you nd yourself in a rabbit hole, searching high and low for solutions that hopefully help you avoid surgery.

You’ve likely already tried many di erent things. Usually the list includes massage, stretching, chiropractic, and di erent exercises.

One of my patients, Marian, had tried everything above on top of back surgery, unspecialized physical therapy, pain management, spinal injections, spinal electrostimulation, acupuncture, and dietary analysis.

Marian told me, “When you go through this, you learn how many things you can no longer do if you can’t stand or walk.”

You don’t have to choose between surgery and giving up the activities that you love.

Sciatica is so common because many of the solutions out there just take one area into consideration. e muscles, the joints, nerves, strength, weakness, etcetera. e simple truth is that sciatica is a complex condition with many contributing factors. e core issue, which has been proven time and again in the best research, is that the body has

developed compensation patterns in order to

protect itself. ese patterns are hardwired into the brain and will continue to persist unless they are xed. is pattern is what CAUSES the tight muscles and the sti joints. ese tight muscles and sti joints eventually pinch the nerve, causing sciatica. erefore, correcting the pattern is the way to target the true root cause. No matter how long you’ve su ered, you can still get your life back. No

surgery. No pills.

6 Reasons Why Your Sciatica May Be Lasting Longer an It Should:

1. You tried looking up exercises to do on your own for your sciatica. But with many “causes,” it’s di cult to gure out which exercises are right for you. is is why some exercises can seem to make it better, but some make it much worse. 2. You tried a few relaxing massages and it felt good for a few days but then it came back. 3. You tried chiropractic care and it eased a bit, but the nagging sensation is still there. 4. You tried waiting for it to go away on its own. at didn’t work… 5. You went to the doctor’s o ce, and they gave you pain meds or nerve medication to numb the pain. ey told you to come back in 6 weeks if it didn’t work. 6. You went to a physical therapist who put you on the same exercises everyone else with sciatica gets…then they left you with an assistant who only half watched your technique.

Why What You’ve Tried Hasn’t Worked

If any of these things have happened to you, unfortunately it’s common. e issue with a lot of these methods is that they focus on addressing the symptoms, not the root cause of your sciatica.

What To Avoid

Here are 3 things that can make your sciatica pain worse. Stretching: If you’ve been stretching to x your sciatica and it hasn’t worked yet, it likely won’t. More often than not, sciatica has come up because of tight muscles. Stretching is for short muscles. Tight muscles are tight because they’re compensating for a weak muscle nearby. Stretching will relieve them for a little bit, but it will come back unless the weakness is resolved. Crossing Your Legs: Avoid crossing your legs at all costs. is can cause stretching in the back of your hip which compresses the sciatic nerve. It also causes twisting in your hips and pelvis which can put stress on the nerves in your back. Resting: Certain activities right now might make your sciatica worse, but that doesn’t mean you should restrict all of your movements. If certain things are painful, like walking, lifting, sitting, it’s important to nd the root cause so you can start moving properly and stay active.

How to Fix Sciatica for the Long Term

So many of the “solutions” we try only provide temporary relief because they’re not targeting the root cause. And without getting to the source of the problem, sciatica pain will continue to return because the cause was never addressed.

Marian learned this the hard way, and unfortunately a lot of people do. After addressing the root cause, Marian says, “I’m back to walking 3-4 miles a day; I can lift and hold my grandbabies; I can go to parties without having to sit in a corner; I can go shopping again.” e only thing she’d change? Finding a specialist to help her address the root cause sooner. “I could have avoided a lot of doctors’ appointments and needless and expensive treatments, not to mention losing a couple of years to my other attempts.”

Tips and Exercises to Crush Sciatica Pain for Good

Get a special sciatica report full of more tips to ease your pain fast so you can get back to picking up your kids or just standing and walking. Get your sciatica report by calling or texting 480-482-0651 and asking for a copy, or emailing info@thedoctorsofpt.

com and saying “Send me a sciatica report.”

Or, if you’d like to meet with a specialist one on one for a personalized diagnosis and roadmap to healing, ask about scheduling a free discovery visits. e doctors believe in teaching you about your body and nding an approach that works best for you. rough getting to know your history, they’ll help you identify the approach that will target the root cause of your sciatica.