Benefits of Electrical Muscle Stimulation

The goal of chiropractic treatment is to increase movement in the joint and relax the muscles. At Health 1^st Chiropractic and Rehabilitation, our doctors achieve this while using heat, ultrasound, and electrical muscle stimulation to help relax your muscles before doing spinal manipulation. During electrical muscle stimulation, electrodes are placed on the skin that sends light electrical pulses to different areas of the body with the purpose of reducing inflammation, curtailing muscle spasms and relieving back pain.

Electrical muscle stimulation is an exceptional way to help the body in the healing process. This therapy utilizes a very small electrical current in an effort to help reduce swelling and release trigger points that may have the muscle locked up. The feeling of this therapy is very gentle and most patients feel extremely comfortable during the treatment. In addition, this method of treatment stimulates the body’s natural healing method by helping it to produce natural pain killing endorphins.

If you are interested in electrical muscle stimulation therapy, give us a call today. To learn more about the conditions we treat and the services we provide at our office, visit www.hstriad.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Health 1^st Chiropractic and Rehabilitation in Greensboro, NC, call 336-543-2231.

Thank You for Your Testimonials!

Here at Health 1^st Chiropractic and Rehabilitation, we appreciate feedback from our customers because it teaches us how to improve. Our doctors at Health 1^st are dedicated to helping patients become pain-free. We’d like to not only thank David Mayers for reviewing us but we’d like to encourage the rest of our patients to do the same.  

“I broke my neck during a diving accident 20 years ago and have also had lower and upper back problems. I am active and have just been living with the pain. Now I am remaining active but with no pain. Dr. Mays is a great doctor and great guy. My lifestyle has completely changed since I’ve been getting treatment. Before if I had problems, I would be out for a couple of days and before January of 2004, I hurt every night. Now I have no problems sleeping. With my active lifestyle, if I hurt, I simply go in to see Dr. Mays and that’s the end of the pain. Everything I am able to do I can do without pain thanks to Health 1^st.”

Your opinion is important to us, so please let us know about your visit. To learn more about the conditions we treat and the services we provide at our office, visit www.hstriad.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Health 1^st Chiropractic and Rehabilitation in Greensboro, NC, call 336-543-2231.

Cryotherapy: Icing an Injury

An injury benefits from ice days following the trauma. However, if your pain worsens, you should visit our staff at Health 1^st Chiropractic and Rehabilitation immediately. The icing method – cryotherapy – is an essential management skill that is also a cheap, effective, and drugless method for relieving the pain of injuries. Safe application of ice to your skin can relieve symptoms from sprains, strains, bruises, and virtually any situation in which superficial tissues are inflamed by trauma.

Cryotherapy is an excellent way to heal muscle spasms in the body. Icing is well known to help numb painful areas as well as provide a cooling relief to affected soft tissues. Applying cold compresses to the skin effectively reduces the temperature of the skin and constricts blood vessels in the area to promote healing. It can be done right at home, or we can offer the service to you right here in the office.

If you’ve recently suffered an injury, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To schedule an appointment in any of our Triad locations including our Greensboro, NC office, call us at 336-543-2231 or visit the Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation website, www.hstriad.com. 

Difference Between Sprains and Fractures

You can distinguish the difference between a sprain and a fracture depending on the physical pain that you feel. A sprain refers to stretched or torn tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels around a joint and can be caused by an accident, fall, or blow. A fracture, on the other hand, is a break or crack in a bone that can be caused by the same types of injuries, but instead, you might hear a snapping sound as a bone breaking. Here at Health 1^st Chiropractic and Rehabilitation, no matter what type of injury you have, our staff is here to treat it.

Sprains are defined by the kind of tissue –bone, ligament, or tendon – that’s damaged. Meanwhile, a fracture describes a break in one or more of the bones. Injuries are the most common causes of foot and ankle sprains and fractures. Many fractures and sprains occur during sports, which is why warming up prior to physical activity can prevent ankle sprains and fractures and so can wearing proper shoes.

If you’ve recently suffered an injury, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To schedule an appointment in any of our Triad locations including our Greensboro, NC office, call us at 336-543-2231 or visit the Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation website, www.hstriad.com. 

Get More Out of Your Run

At Health 1^st Chiropractic and Rehabilitation, our staff supplies numerous treatment methods to help get your joints and spine in line. When joints are misaligned, they cannot flow through the full range of motion. Therefore, if you’re a runner, chiropractic care can help improve your coordination, increase your balance, amplify your precision and may even give you a better reaction time.

Gone are the days when chiropractic care was needed just for aches and pains. Nowadays, for runners, chiropractic care can be used for injury prevention because it emphasizes proper alignment of the spine and pelvis. If the pelvis is misaligned, it can not only cause wear and tear your joints, but it can put a strain on one particular body part. Runners can specifically benefit from chiropractic adjustments that will improve your overall performance over time.

If you are a runner and think you may benefit from chiropractic treatment, please give us a call. To schedule an appointment in any of our Triad locations including our Greensboro, NC office, call us at 336-543-2231 or visit the Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation website, www.hstriad.com. 

Self-Care for Back and Neck Pain

Almost everybody who experiences tight shoulders and neck accompanied with tension headaches knows how unpleasant the pain can be. Here at Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation, we offer a variety of treatments to treat your back and neck pain. However, when you can’t make it to the office, here are some self-care tips to keep your discomfort under control.

1. Take it easy – contrary to popular belief, studies on acute back pain actually show that a few days of restricting your activity, and taking the appropriate over-the-counter medication, is all that many people need to allow the strained muscles to relax and unwind.


2. Ice, then heat – Ice and heat can alleviate local pain that comes from muscle and ligament strain. Ice slows swelling and inflammation and using heat afterward increases blood flow to the deep tissues and relaxes muscle spasms.


3. Massage -- if you have a willing companion, gentle massage may provide some relief by stretching tight muscles and ligaments.

If you are suffering from back and neck pain, give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To schedule an appointment in any of our Triad locations including our Greensboro, NC office, call us at 336-543-2231 or visit the Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation website, www.hstriad.com. 

Goals of Therapeutic Exercise

Therapeutic exercise is defined as a bodily movement prescribed to correct impairment, improve musculoskeletal function, or maintain a state of well-being. At Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation, if you suffer from shoulder pain, back pain, neck pain and hip pain, we guarantee to have an exercise method that will heal you in no time.

Therapeutic exercise seeks to accomplish the following goals: enable ambulation, release contracted muscles, tendons, and fascia, mobilize joints, improve circulation, improve respiratory capacity, improve coordination, reduce rigidity, improve balance and promote relaxation. In addition, therapeutic exercise helps improve muscle strength and exercise performance. No matter which types of exercise may be needed to remedy a patient’s specific condition, the final goal of rehabilitation is to achieve an optimal level of mobility by the end of the treatment procedure.

If you think that you can benefit from therapeutic exercise, give us a call. To schedule an appointment in any of our Triad locations including our Greensboro, NC office, call us at 336-543-2231 or visit the Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation website, www.hstriad.com. 

Principles of Ergonomics

Believe it or not, ergonomics can make your job easier and keep your workforce safer. Simple things like sitting up straight while typing or lifting heavy objects with your legs instead of your back can save you a great deal of pain. Here at Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation, we can treat you if you’ve been injured on the job. However, we’d rather you follow these ergonomic principles to reduce the risk factors that lead to discomfort.

• All work activities should permit the worker to adopt several different, but equally healthy and safe postures.


• Where muscular force has to be exerted it should be done by the largest appropriate muscle groups available.


• Work activities should be performed with the joints at about mid-point of their range of movement. This applies particularly to the head, trunk, and upper limbs.

If you have questions about ergonomics, please give us a call. To schedule an appointment in any of our Triad locations including our Greensboro, NC office, call us at 336-543-2231 or visit the Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation website, www.hstriad.com. 

Benefits of Receiving Chiropractic Treatment

If you have stiff joints, a pain in the neck, arms, legs, or if you suffer from frequent headaches, then you are immediately a chiropractic candidate. Our doctors at Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation use hands-on spinal manipulation and other alternative treatments to revitalize proper alignment of the body’s musculoskeletal structure, particularly the spine, without surgery or medication. The benefits from this type of treatment are endless.

Most people are unaware of all the benefits of keeping your spine and nervous system healthy. Chiropractors don’t just crack your neck and send you on your way. In fact, they do much more than that. In general, proper chiropractic treatment of your body's lumbar, or lower back, region, involves very little risk and the rewards can be significant. It may sound silly, but with regular chiropractic care, you can improve your mood, your quality of sleep, and your energy levels, all without hospitals or medicine.

If you think you may benefit from chiropractic treatment, please give us a call. To schedule an appointment in any of our Triad locations including our Greensboro, NC office, call us at 336-543-2231 or visit the Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation website, www.hstriad.com. 

Allergies and Chiropractic Treatment

Summer has arrived, but if you suffer from allergies you may not be all that thrilled. Even though chiropractic care is not a specific allergy treatment, our doctors at Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation would like to explain why patients may find allergy relief from chiropractic care. The goal of chiropractic treatment focuses on optimizing the overall health function of the nervous system in your body. When the body becomes optimized, the body begins to function as it should. Because of this, your immune system develops a “boost” and decreases allergy symptoms.

Chiropractic adjustments release the pressure on the nervous system allowing the immune system to work more effectively. Since the beneficial effects of this treatment are very well documented, it’s no surprise that many chiropractic patients report of a reduction of allergy symptoms. Receiving regular adjustments realigns the spine and allows the body to heal itself and function at its highest performance. If you suffer from allergies, you may want to consider chiropractic as a treatment option.

If you suffer from allergies and think you may benefit from chiropractic treatment, please give us a call. To schedule an appointment in any of our Triad locations including our Greensboro, NC office, call us at 336-543-2231 or visit the Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation website, www.hstriad.com. 

Reaching a Diagnosis

At Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation, it doesn’t matter if you’re suffering from back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, or have recently been injured in a car accident, because we are here to provide you with relief whatever the cause. Once you schedule an appointment with one of our doctors, they will need to assess what is causing you strife. Each one does this by classifying your injury into one of three categories. These categories of chiropractic diagnosis include: 

• Potentially serious: tumor, infection, fracture, major neurological problem, local open wound or burn, prolonged bleeding, artificial joint implant problems, pacemaker problems, joint infection


• Nerve problem: when the nerve root in the low back is pinched or compressed, causing a radiculopathy (sciatica). Typical causes of nerve root pinching include a lumbar herniated disc, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis


• Non-specific: mechanical back pain in the lumbar spine. This type of lower back pain is the most common presentation and includes pain for which there is no identifiable cause.

If you think you may benefit from chiropractic treatment, please give us a call. To schedule an appointment in any of our Triad locations including our Greensboro, NC office, call us at 336-543-2231 or visit the Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation website, www.hstriad.com. 

What is a Subluxation?

The term “subluxation” is used by doctors of chiropractic to depict the altered position of the vertebrae and subsequent functional loss, which determines the location for the spinal manipulation. Subluxations can be caused by a wide range of issues ranging from a minor slip to something as serious as a car accident or sudden trauma. At Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation, we believe the body is an amazing machine. Therefore, if yours is causing you pain, visiting us can only help improve it.

In very basic terms, a subluxation is when one or more of the bones in a person’s spine move out of position creating pressure on or irritating the nerves in their spine. As time goes by and subluxation remains untreated, the spine and surrounding features such as discs can begin to degenerate. This degeneration becomes more difficult to reverse as time goes by as the surrounding muscles, nerves and bones begin to adjust to the new shape. Subluxation symptoms can vary depending on the person, but if you are experiencing any type of spine or nerve pain, please give us a call.   

To schedule an appointment in any of our Triad locations including our Greensboro, NC office, call us at 336-543-2231 or visit the Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation website, www.hstriad.com.  

Sacroiliac Joint Pain

Have you ever felt an unexplained pinch in your lower back and/or hip that becomes irritated when you move from the sitting-to-standing position? If so, then you may be experiencing sacroiliac joint pain. The sacroiliac (SI) joints are formed by the connection of the sacrum and the right and left iliac bones. The function of this joint is to transfer weight and forces due to movement of your upper body through the pelvis, to your legs and vice versa. When this joint becomes injured and/or moved out of place, our doctors at Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation can fix the problem.  

The primary role of the sacroiliac joint is to provide stability for the pelvis and to bear the upper load of the body. It acts as a shock-absorbing structure and does not have much motion, but it can cause pain once it’s moved out of its groove. While it is not clear how the pain is caused, it can develop because of too much movement or too little movement. If you feel inflammation in this area, the longer you wait to find relief, the longer it will take to correct the problem.

If you think you may benefit from chiropractic care, please give us a call.  To schedule an appointment in any of our Triad locations including our Greensboro, NC office, call us at 336-543-2231 or visit the Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation website, www.hstriad.com.  

Chiropractic Adjustment Goals

A chiropractic adjustment, also known as a chiropractic manipulation, manual manipulation, or spinal manipulation, is a common therapeutic treatment for lower back pain. To complete the adjustment, one of our doctors at Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation will apply pressure to the vertebrae that have abnormal movement patterns or fail to function normally. In addition to relieving your back pain over time, people have reported that chiropractic adjustments benefit headaches, ear infections, neck pain, joint pain, and arthritis.  

At Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation, we pride ourselves on taking a natural, drugless approach to helping our patients reach their health goals. Essentially, the basic principle of chiropractic itself is that the body has the amazing ability to heal itself (under proper conditions). The objective of a chiropractic adjustment is to reduce the subluxation with the goals of increasing range of motion, reducing nerve irritability and improving function.

If you think you may benefit from a chiropractic adjustment, please give us a call. To schedule an appointment in any of our Triad locations including our Greensboro, NC office,  call us at 336-543-2231 or visit the Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation website, www.hstriad.com. 

Your First Chiropractic Visit

When suffering from some type of pain, a majority of us are often stubborn about seeking treatment. If you’re finally fed up with living in discomfort and decided that it’s time to do something about it, then our staff at Health First Chiropractic would like to welcome you to our office. Your first visit will focus on getting to know our doctor and discussing your history, current condition and the goals you wish to obtain.

In many regards, a chiropractic examination is very similar to standard examination procedures administered by all healthcare providers. Your first visit will consist of three parts: a consultation, case history, and a physical exam. During the consultation, our doctors will discuss your duration and frequency of symptoms, areas of pain, what makes the pain better and what makes it worse. He will then ask about your family history, dietary habits, as well as past history of other treatments. Finally, the doctor may utilize a variety of methods to determine the spinal segments that require chiropractic treatments. Together, you will come up with a plan of action which will begin when you are completely satisfied and ready to move forward.

If you think you may benefit from chiropractic treatment, please give us a call. To schedule an appointment in our Greensboro, NC office or to check out our other locations, call us at 336-543-2231 or visit the Health First Chiropractic and Rehabilitation website, www.hstriad.com. 

Tips for Proper Posture

Sit up straight! Don’t slouch! If your mother ever shouted these commands at you, they probably didn’t stick, but they should have. Posture refers to the body’s alignment and positioning with the respect to the ever-present force of gravity. Good posture not only affects your physical body, it provides a boost for your emotional and mental well-being. By positioning the body correctly while sitting and standing, there is even pressure on the spine, its muscles and ligaments, leaving you to feel more pain-free. To help you stand tall and maintain good posture, our staff at Health 1^st of the Triad thought we would share the following tips with you.

• Imagine that a string is attached to the top of your head and pulling you upwards. The idea is to keep your body in perfect alignment, maintaining the spine’s natural curvature, neck straight and shoulders parallel with the hips.


• To stand correctly, you should always keep your shoulders back and relaxed while pulling in your abdomen and keeping your feet about hip distance apart.


• Balance your weight evenly on both feet and try not to tilt your head forward, backwards or sideways. Finally, you should always keep your legs straight, but your feet relaxed.

If you have questions about correct posture, please give us a call. To learn about the conditions we treat and the services we provide at the office, visit www.hstriad.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Health 1^st of the Triad in Greensboro, NC, call 336-543-2231.

Temporomandibular Joint Disorder Treatment

The temporomandibular joints, called TMJ, are the joints and jaw muscles that make it possible to open and close your mouth. You have two temporomandibular joints which work together as a pair, one in front of each ear to help you eat, yawn, and speak. Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are a complex and poorly understood set of conditions characterized by pain in the jaw joint and surrounding tissues and limitation in jaw movements. If you have been diagnosed with TMD, our doctors at Health 1^st of the Triad can correct the problem.  

Although there is no documented reason that TMJ disorders occur, scientists have found that most patients with TMD also experience painful conditions in other parts of the body. These comorbid conditions include chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic headache, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis, irritable bowel syndrome, low back pain, and sleep disorders. Signs and symptoms of TMJ disorders may include pain or tenderness in your jaw, discomfort while chewing, aching facial pain, or locking of the joint, making it difficult to open and close your mouth.

If you experience any of these symptoms, please give us a call to discuss your treatment options. To learn more about the conditions we treat and the services we provide at our office, visit www.hstriad.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Health 1st of the Triad in Greensboro, NC, call 336-543-2231.

Thank You for Your Testimonials!

Here at Health 1^st of the Triad, we appreciate feedback from our customers because it teaches us how to improve. Our doctors at Health 1^st not only treat everyday aches and pains, they assist patients who participate in active sports as well, including black belts! We’d like to not only thank Daniel Garcia for reviewing us but we’d like to encourage the rest of our customers to do the same.  

"Prior to my visit to North Carolina, I suffered an injury to my shoulder that was interfering with my training. I went to see Dr. Mays at Health 1st to help eliminate some of this pain and resolve other issues I developed from grappling. It is very important for me to continue my high volume of training in order to stay prepared for upcoming competitions.

Regular visits with Dr. Mays made it possible for me to stay in the gym and continue preparing for my next event. I travel around the world, and within the U.S., competing in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts. The professionalism, knowledge, and kind staff are amongst the best I have ever seen. I highly recommend any athlete to see Dr. Mays, at Health 1st, on a regular basis for injury prevention and healing. To stay on top of your sport, you should add these visits into your training regime."

- Daniel Garcia Black Belt
Team Nova Uniao Brazilian National Champion Maringa, Brazil

Your opinion is important to us, so please let us know about your visit. To learn more about the conditions we treat and the services we provide at our office, visit www.hstriad.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Health 1st of the Triad in Greensboro, NC, call 336-543-2231.

Stimulate Your Muscles with Electricity

At Health 1^st of the Triad, our staff provides patients with Inferential Electro-Therapy to help the body deal with spasms, sprains, and issues related to soft tissues. Inferential Electro-Therapy involves a process through which low-level electrical currents are used to stimulate muscles, forcing them to contract. It is typically used in the early stages of physical rehabilitation following an injury that has left certain muscles unused for a long period of time.

This type of electrical therapy has been advertised to increase muscle strength, to decrease body weight and body fat, and to improve muscle firmness and tone in healthy individuals. The feeling of this therapy is very gentle and most patients feel extremely comfortable during the treatment. In addition, this method of treatment stimulates the body’s natural healing method by helping it to produce natural pain killing endorphins.

If you think you may benefit from electric muscle stimulation treatment, please give us a call. To learn more about the conditions we treat and the services we provide at our office, visit www.hstriad.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Health 1^st of the Triad in Greensboro, High Point, Winston Salem, Burlington, NC, call 336-543-2231.

Ultrasound Therapy

 

While it shares the same name, the type of ultrasound you are going to receive at Health 1st of the Triad is not in any relation to the type of ultrasound expectant mothers receive. Ultrasound therapy is the use of sound waves above the range of human hearing to treat soft tissue injuries, muscle spasms and strains, and additional joint injuries. In fact, these sound waves do an excellent job in excelling the body’s healing process in addition to decreasing scar tissue formation.

There are many different types of therapeutic ultrasound that use different intensities and frequencies of sound, but all share the basic principle of “stimulating” or even provoking tissue with sound waves. Certain ultrasounds even create a heating effect to help relax the muscles or tightness in the body. The heat combined with the overall features of the ultrasound jumpstart the healing process, reducing the length of your road to recovery. 

If you think you may benefit from ultrasound therapy, please give us a call. To learn more about the conditions we treat and the services we provide at our office, visit www.hstriad.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Health 1st of the Triad in Greensboro, NC, call 336-543-2231.

While it shares the same name, the type of ultrasound you are going to receive at Health 1^st of the Triad is not in any relation to the type of ultrasound expectant mothers receive. Ultrasound therapy is the use of sound waves above the range of human hearing to treat soft tissue injuries, muscle spasms and strains, and additional joint injuries. In fact, these sound waves do an excellent job in excelling the body’s healing process in addition to decreasing scar tissue formation.

There are many different types of therapeutic ultrasound that use different intensities and frequencies of sound, but all share the basic principle of “stimulating” or even provoking tissue with sound waves. Certain ultrasounds even create a heating effect to help relax the muscles or tightness in the body. The heat combined with the overall features of the ultrasound jumpstart the healing process, reducing the length of your road to recovery.

If you think you may benefit from ultrasound therapy, please give us a call. To learn more about the conditions we treat and the services we provide at our office, visit www.hstriad.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors at Health 1^st of the Triad in Greensboro, NC, call 336-543-2231.