What is means to be a Hawkeye

I often get asked why I would name my practice "Hawkeye Chiropractic" when I live and practice in Illinois.   Apart from the obvious connection of Chicago students going to Iowa City to the University, I called my practice Hawkeye because I wanted it to represent what I loved about being a small town doctor.  I wake up every day excited to help people.  There really isn't much I wouldn't do to help someone through a tough time, be it physical or emotional stress.  I remember going to the doctor when I was young in my hometown.  It had a sense of personal touch to it.  A doctor's reputation is everything in small town Iowa.  Everyone knows everyone else and they defiantly talk!  The Northwest Suburbs are not too different.  While much bigger than my hometown everyone knows each other, their kids go to school together, and play sports together.  I am still so excited to be part of a community like Arlington Hts and serve patients with the same sense of caring that I could expect in a small town! 

Whiplash and Accident injury

In my line of work it is very common to see patients experiencing problems due to auto accidents.  The force and energy that travels through the body during a collision can be tremendous and will cause ligament strains, sprains, and dramatic shifting of vertebra.  Even a minor fender bender can cause serious problems due to the shift in the vertebra that interferes with the nervous system. 
Typically an individual in an accident will be very rattled and adrenaline will keep them from feeling any immediate pain.  Whiplash will begin to set in approx. 72 to 96 hours later.  This is due to swelling in the ligaments that have been damaged due to the whipping effect of the head during the impact.  Since ligaments in the spine due not have any significant blood supply, it takes longer for swelling and inflammation to set in.  It also can take a long time to heal since there is no blood supply helping the body repair damaged tissue.  Any misalignment from the impact left untreated can result in enhanced degeneration and arthritis formation.  Do you know anyone that has a bad back or neck due to an accident?  Maybe something that happened years ago but is starting to cause pain and symptoms now?  If so please send them in to get checked out.  I have seen so many unnecessary surgeries or loss of quality of life due to untreated accident injuries.  We are proud to serve the Arlington Hts community and Northwest Suburbs of Chicago!   Yours in Health, Dr. Matthew Monson

American Diet

I was reading a study last week saying that America with its 300 million citizens has the same number of cancer diagnosis as India, a country of over a billion people.  How could this be?  Is it because many people there don't get the health care they need?  Perhaps.  India has many parts that are still considered 3rd world.  I believe a lot of this has to do with diet.  After all we must look at what cancer is.  Cancer is the body's cells replicating at an abnormal rate.  The body can no longer control the surge and the mass of rouge cells becomes destructive.  Consider this analogy for a moment.  If you gave the best construction worker in the world terrible materials would they be able to build a building that can withstand storms and earthquakes?  No.  However you can use the best materials and build a very sturdy building even if you aren't an amazing architect.  This is the same for the food we eat.  The food we eat as Americans is not designed for nutrition, it is produced to turn a profit.  This is why the preservatives are used, to keep food around longer.  It is designed to taste good.  This is why they use so much sugar.  Recently studies have been done relating high sugar diets to cancer patients.  Take a minute to think about this.  The simplest form of energy going into cells that have turned bad is like adding rocket fuel to a camp fire.  The body can not keep up with this.  I encourage everyone to do a cleanse once every month.  Nothing crazy just eat organic fruits and veggies for 7 days.   Eat things that grow naturally and see how you feel after the week.  If you have any questions or would like any help on your personal diet plan please don't hesitate to reach out to us!  Even as a chiropractic clinic we are here to serve the NW Suburbs in all aspects of health and wellness!   Yours in Health, Dr. Matt