Author - Dr. Anna Neff

Bell’s Palsy Facial Paralysis

What is Bell’s Palsy?
Bell’s Palsy is a condition where temporary facial paralysis occurs due to trauma or damage done to the nerves in the face, especially the Facial Nerve (the 7th Cranial Nerve). Various viruses and infections, including the Herpes Simplex virus, Chicken Pox, and Epstein-Barr (which causes mononucleosis) , as well as diabetes and high blood pressure can all affect the Facial Nerve.
This nerve travels through a canal in the skull and extends from just under each ear to the muscles that are located on either side of the face.  The facial nerve controls the mouth (smiling, forming words, etc.), closing the eyelids or blinking, frowning, and similar movements. It also transmits nerve impulses to the saliva glands, […]

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorder and Jaw Pain

TMJ disorder can cause pain and discomfort in the jaw area when we talk or eat. This makes it tough to enjoy meals, speak, or even smile. Even doing simple tasks, like yawning, can hurt.  The constant pain might lead some to avoid eating certain foods, or other enjoyable activities such as, singing, cheering on your favourite sports team and even sleep!
The intricate web of muscles, ligaments, and nerves that connects the neck and jaw means that issues in one area can affect the other. Misalignments in the cervical spine can lead to imbalances and tension that radiate into the jaw, contributing to TMJ symptoms.The exact origin of TMJ pain is not always easy to find. Whether it’s an […]

Tune Yourself Up!

SUMMER IS HERE!
The warmer, dry weather has certainly motivated many of us to start gardening, do some renovations, golf, cycle, and generally becoming more physically active. Now is the time to make an appointment for a “tune-up” to get those joints and muscles more mobile!  This helps you restart activity safely and prevent injury after the inactivity from our winter hibernation. Some of you may have already started new physical activities and may be feeling the effects of those in your body—-some positive and some negative!
Check out the following link to the Ontario Chiropractic Association’s pamphlet on reducing your chance of injury with gardening:  https://chiropractic.on.ca/self-management/get-set-to-garden/
Chiropractic and Massage Therapy can help you regain the ability to move more efficiently while […]

Improve Your Memory, Mood and Thinking Skills Through Exercise

We all know that regular exercise is good for the body. It helps us to reduce the size of fat stores, increases muscle mass, and improves cardiac output and circulation, but it can also boost brain function! There is new evidence demonstrating an association between cardiorespiratory fitness and brain health—particularly in grey matter and total brain volume (areas of the brain involved with cognitive decline and aging).
It has been shown that there are a number of physiological benefits within the brain as a result of exercise, ranging from the molecular to behavioural level. This comes from its ability to reduce insulin resistance, reduce inflammation, and stimulate the release of growth factors and hormones.
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF):
This is a protein […]

Appointment Protocols

Here are important considerations for attendance at your scheduled appointment:

It is mandatory that all patients wear a mask to their appointment.
You will receive an email reminder 1-2 days before your scheduled appointment.
Upon entering the office, you will be asked to use the hand sanitizer at the front desk, and pay for your visit in advance of the treatment.
All insurance receipts will be emailed, but paper copies will be provided upon request.

As Public Health and our regulator revises our safety guidelines and directives, so too will our procedures and protocols change.

We’re Built for Walking!

After many healthy individuals are being requested to stay at home due to social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the warmer weather has certainly dragged out even the most reluctant folks for a walk in the very fresh and cleaner air these days. Staying at home for prolonged periods of time can pose a significant challenge for remaining physically active and avoiding the negative effects on mood and emotional health. With fitness centres still temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many people are returning to good, old-fashioned walking to help them feel great and get into shape thanks to its convenience and simplicity. And except for a good pair of walking shoes, it requires virtually no equipment. Physical […]

Working From Home Ergonomics

As many of us find ourselves working from home these days, we need to realize that this trend may continue as the “new normal” for workplace environments.  Besides having the usual distractions—children demanding your attention, sounds of the kitchen blender being used, unrecognizable “things” randomly dropped in your house throughout the day, pets curling up on your lap, at your feet (or conveniently on your keyboard)—-some of us have discovered that we’ve started suffering from aches and pains we didn’t have before.
The goal of office ergonomics is to set up your home office workspace so that it fits you and the job you are doing.  Don’t worry about trying to get everything perfect. You can modify your workspace as […]