Pre- & Postnatal Care

From pregnancy to motherhood

During pregnancy, your body goes through some tremendous changes. During this time, you need special care to help you feel good and prepare for a positive birth experience. Our chiropractors are trained in specialized techniques that can help you safely and gently through common issues such as back pain, sciatica, and pelvic pain. Being certified in the Webster Technique, we can be helpful in breech presentation as a result of improper pelvic positioning, as well as reducing labour time and easing delivery.

Recovering from birth isn’t always easy, especially since you now have a little one to take care of all day and night. The constant stress on your back, neck and shoulders can be alleviated with chiropractic care, and in our family-friendly environment, you can always feel comfortable taking care of yourself with your little one right by your side.

Dr. Sarah Wild and Dr. Sarah Campbell are trained in Pre- and Post-natal Fitness and teach a weekly Fitness For Moms class located at Crossfit Ptbo. The class is designed to guide women through a safe return to exercise after pregnancy, with special instruction in pelvic floor and core rehabilitation. The class is a relaxed but productive environment, whereas you can feel comfortable looking after your baby’s needs while you learn to exercise safely again.

To find out more, contact [email protected]

Babies and Children

Gentle, safe and effective treatment for little ones

Through advanced training with the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, our chiropractors have learned how to help parents with the health and comfort of their little ones. As parents, we know how important it is to choose interventions that are gentle, safe, effective, and have no side effects, which is why we love that chiropractic can be helpful in alleviating symptoms of many common childhood conditions, such as colic, fussiness, reflux, asthma, constipation and ear infections..

As your child grows, the development of their spine and body is related to their posture, and in this age of texting, tablets, and homework on the computer, chiropractic check-ups can reduce the effect of these daily stresses.

Headaches

Frequently, our patients tell us that they have a “normal” amount of headaches each month. While headaches are an extremely common condition, having no headaches is what is actually “normal”. This common condition is not only painful, but can have a negative impact on many aspects of life. Patients with headaches will often report fogginess, grumpiness, lack of patience, inability to focus, and low productivity.

At Thrive, our practitioners are specially trained at diagnosing and treating headaches. It is extremely important for a practitioner to do a thorough history and examination to properly diagnose the headache, as there are many different types of headaches with many different causes. The correct diagnosis allows our practitioners to develop a specific treatment plan that is based on the most current evidence. As most headaches can be caused by an accumulation of factors, our practitioners provide a treatment plan that is comprehensive in its approach and involves multiple forms of therapy. Commonly used techniques include adjustments or spinal manipulative therapy, soft tissue release, acupuncture, exercise, stress reduction techniques, ergonomic advice, supplementation and/or nutritional recommendations. Please contact us if you would more information about how we can assist with headache relief.

Back Pain

Believe it or not, back pain is the leading cause of disability in Canada, even over conditions like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Over 80 percent of people will experience back pain in their lifetime and if not dealt with correctly, will have it re-occur frequently. Unfortunately, even with all the advances in health care technology and research, the prevalence of back pain continues to remain high. Medication can be a valuable tool in managing an intense period of back pain, but it does not address the cause of the problem and it is certainly not the best strategy for preventing back pain in the future. Most recently, the mistreatment of low back pain has been a prominent factor in the Canadian opioid crises.

At Thrive, our practitioners pride themselves on being up-to-date with the latest research in dealing with this huge health issue. As with most conditions, a specific diagnosis which identifies the cause of the back pain, as well as an individualized treatment plan, is crucial. Our practitioners rely on multiple tools to provide back pain relief. With proper education about the causes of back pain, hands-on therapy, a specific, active rehab plan, and activity modifications, most back pain is not complicated to manage.

It is very important to deal with back pain thoroughly. Our spine is an intricate system that is crucial to every aspect of our body’s function and overall well-being. Our chiropractors are spine-care experts who can help you recover from back pain and assist you maintaining the health of your spine to prevent future episodes.

Disc Herniations

A herniated disc is also known as a slipped or ruptured disc; it is one of the most common causes of back and leg pain. They usually occur in the lower part of the spine.

The spine, or backbone, is made up of a series of individual bones called vertebrae that are stacked to form the spinal column. Between the vertebrae are flat, round cushioning pads called intervertebral discs, which act as shock absorbers. Each disc has a soft, gel-like center surrounded by a tough, fibrous outer layer.

A herniated disc occurs when pressure from the vertebrae above and below force some or all of the gel-like center through a weakened or torn part of the outer layer. This can then press on the nerves near the disc, resulting in pain. A disc herniation can be caused by improper lifting, repetitive movements, being overweight, smoking, prolonged and poor postures, sedentary behaviours, as well as sudden trauma.

Symptoms of a herniated disc in the low back include:

• Pain that radiates to the buttocks, legs, and feet (sciatica)
• Tingling or numbness in the legs or feet
• Muscle weakness

It is also possible to have significant pain and other symptoms from a disc just being irritated rather than fully herniated.
At Thrive, our practitioners pride themselves in the specific examination and diagnosis of different disc pathologies (injuries). There are many imaging tests such as CT and MRI that can isolate a specific disc herniation in your spine; however, we often find that a thorough history and examination can provide us with the same information which guides us in developing an accurate treatment protocol. It is always recommended that you consult a practitioner for assessment even if you have a CT or MRI scheduled so that you can begin the healing process as soon as possible.

We follow the current research guidelines for the treatment of disc herniation, which recommend manual therapy, thorough education, and an active rehabilitation program. Fortunately, if treated properly, most disc injuries will never have to resort to an invasive surgery.

Youth Sport Injury

Youth sports and athletic activities are such a valuable and fun experience for growing children. Most people can reflect back on a club sport or team they were part of when they were younger and have great memories and life lessons they learned from those experiences. At Thrive, we have a passion for supporting the younger generation to develop strong, healthy habits that will allow them to continue sports throughout their lifetime.

Growing trends in the recent years are increasing the risks of injury in youth athletes. These include early specialization in one sport; early induction into competitive sport; and an increase in strength and speeds from a younger age. Also, the influence of social media is affecting youth’s perceived reputation in comparison to their peers, which is having profound mental health effects which can also be an important contribution to injury.

Common youth sport injuries:

• Patellofemoral syndrome
• Growing pains
• Concussions
• Neck pain
• Back pain
• Shoulder pain
• Sprains/strains
• Early postural problems

Working with youth affords a unique opportunity to educate them about injury prevention strategies before poor habits and pain develop. Competitive athletes have high demands on their bodies and it is essential that they are taught appropriate mobility and conditioning techniques to prevent injury and improve performance as early as possible. Most parents think that therapeutic interventions are unnecessary until the teen years; however, these strategies need to be in place before the teen years for ultimate sport performance.

As a former and current sport lover, Dr. Brad Wild has had multiple personal experiences with sports injures.

Dizziness/Vertigo/Tinnitus

Dizziness, vertigo and ringing in the ears (tinnitus) can have a life-altering effect and limit your ability to stand, walk, drive, participate in conversation, and generally live well. Commonly, these symptoms can be related to the upper spine as well as the inner ear.

It is important to accurately diagnose the cause of these symptoms and rule out any potentially serious condition. Following a thorough examination, we often apply multiple effective techniques to relieve this issue, which can include Traditional Chinese Acupuncture, Chiropractic care, and possibly vestibular rehabilitation exercises.

Sometimes, after years of having these symptoms, you wonder whether we could be of help. Give us a call or book a complimentary consultation to see whether we are the right place for you. If not, we would be happy to guide you in the right direction.

Anxiety

Anxiety rates in our population have been skyrocketing in the last few years and mood-regulating drugs have become some of the most regularly prescribed medications. For those struggling with these emotions, making it through the basics of daily living can be a constant struggle.

Traditional Chinese Medicine is a natural anxiety remedy with no side effects. It eases anxiety by regulating the nervous system, specifically the autonomic nervous system that controls the “fight or flight” response. Acupuncture helps shift the body back into a relaxed state of being. Our TCM Acupuncturist compliments her treatment with her background as a social worker which takes her results to the next level of understanding and effectiveness.