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Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 2pm

https://campsite.bio/drcassiebenne, http://bennefamilychiropractic.com/

Dr. Cassie Benne, 2335 West Main Street, Suite 330, Rapid City, SD (2025)

04/25/2024

Change is healthy, but not always easy.

Whether it is change in your own life that may hard for you. Perhaps you changing things in your own life is hard for outsiders too. The idea that you could ever change your mind, job, products, way of life, etc can be really hard sometimes.

The ability for us to change when presented with new information and options is a sign of a healthy nervous system!

To not freeze from the fear of it.

To not be mad or upset at others when they change their mind.

To be open to new opportunities.

To be open to the unknown.

I find change and personal evolution to be an exciting thing. Do you?

04/19/2024

Primitive reflex work is something that has evolved with me throughout my time as a chiropractor. I haven’t always done primitive reflex work because frankly it wasn’t taught well to us in school. We were taught how to check a few of them for pathological reasons, however, it was grossly under taught.

While my work and certifications have since led me down a path of showing me the importance of this work and the impact it can have on people’s lives.

Primitive reflexes are reflexes that originate within the central nervous system. They are primitive meaning immature. We should be born with them active, some even help with the birthing process, and then they NEED to integrate into the nervous system in order for higher level, mature, brain functioning to happen. Retained primitive reflexes can cause a long list of possible undesired experiences and traits for people as it is a very large added stress on a maturing nervous system.

Primitive reflexes help with many aspects of our life and, therefore, can impact many aspects of our life if they do not go away.

As a certified pediatric chiropractor that has gone beyond just classical chiropractic training and even further education after pediatric training into the neurological training realm, this is something I check for in all the children coming into my clinic. Yes, I check adults too.

In the world of science and primitive reflex integration, this concept is “relatively” new. Therefore as I continue to further my education, as I currently am this year, the type of care I provide for individuals will naturally evolve as well.

Change is good. I am constantly trying to find ways to improve what I already do to help people the best I can.

That being said, here is a snapshot of some improvements I have personally seen in my own patients with primitive reflex work (although this may not be everyone’s experience):
✨improved vision
✨no more car and motion sickness
✨dyslexia and dysgraphia
✨behavior regulation
✨improved motor milestones
✨improved sensory regulation
✨delayed eating improved
✨emotional changes

04/18/2024

Grounding or earthing is the practice of being in direct contact with nature and the earth’s electron supply.

It was something ancestors, even some communities around the world today, did not have to think much about. Living in harmony with nature was normal life. Clothes, housing, shoes, etc were not synthetic or separating us from natural elements.

Nowadays we tend to be nature deficient. Even when we try to spend time outside, it can be very difficult to have the continuous connection with nature like the past.

The ground emits a supply of free electrons that can enter the body through direct contact or perspiration. Once in the body, the electrons can stabilize the electrical environment of the body’s tissues.

Benefits of earthing may include:
✨circadian rhythm regulation
✨improved sleep
✨decreased pain and inflammation
✨emotional regulation
✨behavioral changes
✨nervous system regulation

Just a few ways I like to ground myself include being barefoot outside, opening our windows/doors when it rains, salt lamps, sheepskins, and grounding shoes when I need to wear them.

04/17/2024

A few reasons you may want your infant to receive chiropractic care.

✨ In the first 90 days of life the brain will increase in size 64%.
✨ The cerebellum growth will double in the first 90 days of life.
✨ 65% of neurological development will occur in the first year of life.

Chiropractic care helps with the brain-body connection and communication by reducing neurological interference (subluxation) that can contribute to muscle tension and joint misalignments that may present as a myriad of potential unpleasant experiences, symptoms, or diagnoses.

We chiropractors are not treating the symptoms, but we are helping restore this brain-body connection to help the body heal itself from within.

During the birthing process, and sometimes the in-utero development, it is not uncommon for the baby to experience increased inflammation (specifically) in the upper neck and cranium that can contribute to difficulty breastfeeding, head movement, digestive discomfort, etc.

Additionally, if the baby experienced exposure to increased amounts of chemical, physical, or emotional stressors during any of these periods of time it can contribute to the overall tone of their nervous system. Meaning increased neural-dural tension (ie. the strong baby that can lift their head way up right at birth) and increased sympathetic response (ie. flight, fight, or fawn. the baby that won’t stop crying, can’t digest well, fists always clenched, etc).

I don’t say this to induce fear, but rather awareness. That there are providers out there wanting to help support this natural development for children. That sometimes it can be better to have them seen sooner, before a noticeable issue arises. Not just looking at things that may be going wrong, but rather helping support their bodies natural capabilities. To also give true “well checks” that focus on their developmental milestones, optimal health and wellness, and neurological well being.

03/18/2024

Sleep is arguably one of the most talked about things once you have a child. When and how do they sleep? Are they sleeping through the night? Where do they sleep?

First, I believe we need to change our mindset on what is normal sleep. Sleep for everyone looks different. Sleep is not linear - a child that is “sleeping through the night” may not always do so.

Although I think we can all agree sleep is important! Not just for our mental state, but it helps a detox pathway called the glymphatic system.

A baby’s circadian rhythm begins developing in-utero and it will continue to develop the first few years of life. In the beginning of life, light and maternal hormonal input, through breastmilk, help regulate this cycle.

What does this mean? It is not uncommon for children, especially infants, to need support going to sleep and staying asleep. Safety is also an important factor for restorative sleep. There is research indicating when a baby cries both mother and baby’s cortisol levels elevate. This can be a problem for nighttime sleeping when we want cortisol levels to dip and melatonin levels to rise. Prolonged levels of elevated cortisol can also begin to damage nerves and cells through increased inflammation.

What is biological infant sleep? It is the idea that infant’s will sleep when and for however long is needed when given the right cues and support.

✨ limit overhead and blue light exposure at night
✨ get morning sunlight
✨ support mom’s circadian rhythm and stress levels
✨ responsiveness to external cues like crying
✨ create a sleep environment of safety and closeness

What is right for our family may not be right for yours. Our family has chosen to safely co-sleep and room share with our children. Which is actually common throughout the world, except in the USA. We remain in close contact with our children while they sleep which allows for prompt feeding without crying or too much interruption in the sleep cycle.

03/15/2024

There are many different forms of cranial work. I often get asked the type of cranial work I perform. The best I can describe it is — tonal cranial work. I use a combination of many different forms of cranial work I have learned throughout my education, therefore, I sometimes cannot give a definitive answer.

However, the overall theme of how I perform cranial work is in a tonal approach. Rather than doing direct cranial adjustments focused on moving and shifting the bone, I am gently assessing the tone of the nervous system, the rhythmic pulsations from the nervous system's fluid pumping, and providing input into the body in an unforced manner.

This does not mean I won't ever perform a different form of cranial work, but the majority of the time less is more and gentler may produce a more profound impact. This does not mean other forms of cranial work do not work either; however, sometimes the body is needing us to shift and it just needs something different.

Although I do not treat symptoms, a few improvements I have noticed in infant patients I have worked with through tonal cranial work and chiropractic include:

✨ increased head ranges of motion
✨ efficient latching and improved suck, swallow, breathe mechanism
✨ improved eye movement
✨ reduced torticollis
✨ restored head symmetry

03/13/2024

If you’ve been around me you know I’m passionate about being barefoot. You walk into our clinic, you’ll see me without shoes on. Just by estimating, I likely spend around 95% of my time barefoot.

When I was younger I supposedly had flat feet that “needed” orthotics per the recommendation of a chiropractor. Now I know and believe, an orthotic is similar to a corset. The longer we provide outside support without the proper muscle activation those muscles will weaken and the body will only become more dependent on it.

Please understand, this has taken many years of attention and is not an instant process. Six years into intentionally working on my foot health, I can say my feet and arches have never been stronger. My foot shape and size has changed as it has moved away from constriction and into freedom and natural movement.

Foot health is so important not just because of the shape. We also have many receptors on our feet that relay sensory input into our nervous system. It is also the base for our gait, constrict the feet and the gait will automatically change. Tightening muscles and fascia, causing pressure on the bones to promote bone growth, inflammation, etc.

When I do wear shoes I try to prioritize natural-shaped footwear. It is important to note, there are some shoes that meet the qualifications I am looking for without them being labeled as barefoot or natural shaped shoes.

What I PRIMARILY look for in a shoe:
✨ zero drop - meaning the bottom of the shoe does not increase in size or create a heel leading to change in foot position and muscle shortening.
✨ flexibility - if your shoe can’t bend, all the individual bones in your foot can’t bend and move in the proper way either.
✨ wide toe box - the width of a shoe will be different for each individual as each foot shape is different.

I also like an added bonus of grounding if possible. sandals provide this benefit and meet all my requirements. I have a link and code DRCASSIE if you haven’t tried them! In my photo I tagged just a few brands that are natural or barefoot shaped shoes. I have not tried all of them, but I have heard and read wonderful things about all of them.

03/11/2024

This is not an uncommon thing for me to see within the natural health community. Take this, avoid this, etc. I whole heartedly believe we should make choices that promote our health rather than take it away. However, I also believe these decisions should be made from a place stewardship of the body and family God has gifted us. In the world of influencers, there is always the next best thing or the product you must have. I get wanting to share products that may help people - I do this out of a heart of wanting to help as many families as I can. It can be easy to fall into the trap of materialism, comparison, and make natural health our god. We must not do this. Be wise with the tools you use to equip your body and your families with. Yes, make changes but don't forget to ask for guidance and discernment. These decisions don't have to be made from a place of fear and avoidance. Rather we can look at our health care choices as a way of empowering us through knowledge and equipping us with the tools for health. Honestly, sometimes it may even be better not to make a change when it is rooted in fear, stress, and worry. Not everything I share here will be relevant to you and your family. Don't take me sharing what has worked for my family to be what your family needs to do either. Do what you can with the season you are in. Pray about it. God has given us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control
(2 Timothy 1:7).

02/29/2024

"I didn't know there were other options for chiropractic care." This is something I frequently hear from patients.

You may or may not know this, but I did not start out as a tonal chiropractor. I used to practice differently until new information challenged me to pivot within my career. This new information radically changed not just my perspective on chiropractic, but health and life in general.
What is tonal chiropractic? Tonal chiropractic focuses on the overall tone of the body and the nervous system, and how it can change the body's physiology.

This approach looks at the nervous system first and how the doctor's input into the nervous system goes on to impact the muscle system and then finally the skeletal system. It can often be a gentler form of chiropractic care. All systems in the body have connections with the nervous system and depend on its optimal function.

I primarily use MC2 Technique for analysis and gentle adjustments. However, I look forward to continually learning more forms of tonal chiropractic care as my career continues to evolve for the better.

02/26/2024

The placebo effect — a great example of the power our mental, emotional, and spiritual state has on our health, both positively and negatively.

A placebo is often used to test against a true product, situation, etc. Essentially it is a sham and is not supposed to produce an effect. However, in some cases outcomes show changes within placebo groups.

This is why I believe that our thoughts and beliefs can be an important limiting factor in health improvements or perhaps even part of the root cause.

In my opinion, in order to begin root cause healing we must address these questions:

✨do you believe your body has the ability to heal from whatever symptoms or diagnosis you have?
✨ do you believe your body is already taking steps to heal from this?

The body is smart. It will always strive for homeostasis. It will go to great lengths to remain in balance, and often this will appear as a symptom. What if we shift our mindset away from the symptom being only bad, and instead think of symptoms as messengers of a bigger story for our body.

Healing is not just physical, we must not ignore the mental, emotional, and spiritual component of healing.

02/23/2024

Breastfeeding involves a beautiful dance between the mom and baby. Many pieces need to come together for this dyad to function. Although this is an innate function of a woman’s body, sometimes support is needed. Chiropractic care can provide a beautiful support system for mom and baby.

The benefits of chiropractic care for breastfeeding aren’t limited to just mom or just baby. BOTH can benefit.

Chiropractic care evaluates nerve-body communication and reduces the interferences between this system to allow for the body to function to its full potential.

A couple examples of nerve-body communication in breastfeeding:

✨ nerves exiting the thoracic spine go to innervate the breast. When a baby suckles at the breast this sends a signal back into the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) to then send signals to other organs like the pituitary gland that will eventually cause the release of prolactin and milk.
✨ cranial nerves existing the skull directly behind the ear from the jugular foramen include the glossopharyngeal, vagus, and accessory nerves help coordinate functions involved in the learned suck-swallow-breathe mechanism after birth.

The benefits of chiropractic care for breastfeeding aren’t limited to nerve function alone. With improved nerve function there becomes less tension in the muscles and more optimal skeletal alignment. This allows baby to be positioned better for improved latch without it being painful.

Specific positioning - that keeps the nervous system function in mind - at the breast can even help the baby’s nervous system tap into the safe, rest, and digest parasympathetic state verses a fight or flight sympathetic state. This has been one of my favorite additions to helping breastfeeding mothers and babies!

02/22/2024

Five ways chiropractic care can support your body through pregnancy 💫 What if I told you, you could go through pregnancy without all the so called “normal” aches and pains? Although common, it does not have to be YOUR normal to have debilitating pain during pregnancy. Chiropractic care from a chiropractor certified in Webster technique and prenatal care can be a great supportive therapy for you throughout pregnancy.

Dr. Cassie Benne

04/25/2024

04/19/2024

04/18/2024

04/17/2024

03/18/2024

03/15/2024

03/13/2024

03/11/2024

02/29/2024

02/26/2024

02/23/2024

02/22/2024

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