Neck/Back Pain
Pain in the neck and back are the most commonly seen conditions that patients present to our office with. Pain in those areas are usually caused by misalignments of your vertebrae. These vertebral misalignments are known as "Subluxations" which describe how a small misalignment can cause pain by irritating sensitive structures and causing pressure on nerves.
Left untreated, these subluxations often cause muscle spasms and increasing pain. Chiropractic adjustments properly align your spine so that pressure on joints and nerves is alleviated. Spinal manipulation ("adjustments") is a "hands on" treatment for subluxations and for what may be the direct cause of your pain. This hands on approach to relieve pressure on nerves is not just for temporary relief like pain relievers or massage and muscle relaxants. Oftentimes, once a vertebral subluxation is realigned , the pain relief is rapid and long lasting. As a matter of fact, most of the patients leave our office feeling better than they did when they first walked in. If you are experiencing back or neck pain, please call our office and we will do our best to try to get you in today.
Sacroiliac Joint Back Pain and Dysfunction
Joint dysfunction occurs when joints become stiff and full movement is restricted. It can be caused by an injury, poor posture, overuse/underuse of a joint, muscle imbalance, as well as other factors. Like arthritis, joint dysfunction can cause pain in the joint and the surrounding muscles, and can also cause problems in other parts of the body due to overcompensation. One common form of back pain is due to is "Sacroiliac Joint" (SIJ) dysfunction. This type of low back pain occurs where the base of the spine meets the pelvis and is usually on one side or the other, but can also be on both sides. SI joint dysfunction can be very painful and causes low back pain and prohibits movement. This condition is often misdiagnosed because the symptoms are similar to sciatica or a herniated disc. Common symptoms are pain near the dimples in your back at the belt line, low back pain when getting out of bed, back pain when getting up from a chair, pain with bending, twisting and reaching movements like vacuuming, doing laundry, lifting, golf, tennis etc. This is probably the most common condition we see in our office. If properly diagnosed and treated, Chiropractic adjustments usually provide fast relief using specific adjustments for the affected joint and to relieve pain. If you have SI joint pain, give us a call.
Disc Problems
Many patients come to our office seeking relief from neck and back pain that is caused by herniated or degenerated discs. Herniated discs (also known as bulging or slipped discs) commonly occur in younger people, especially between the ages of 24 and 45 as well as in older adults as well. Degenerated discs are more commonly seen in older patients due to age, genetics and trauma.
Disc Function and Anatomy: Intervertebral
discs are positioned between the vertebrae in the spine. The outside portion of
a disc consists of a thick ring of fibrous cartilage termed the annulus , and within the center is the nucleus containing a jelly like
solution . These discs serve many purposes, including allowing movement
of the spine, creating space between the vertebrae, and acting as shock
absorbers. The gelatinous middle allows the disc to compress and expand
based on impact and movement. Trauma to the spine can cause the discs to
herniate, bulge, become displaced (slipped disc), or even rupture.
Trauma or direct injury to the area is not the only cause, however. As
we get older, the discs can begin to weaken and degenerate. These
conditions can put pressure on the nerves around the spine and cause
pain.
If you suffer from a disc problem, consider seeking an opinion from one of our doctors first because the majority of disc conditions respond very well to conservative Chiropractic care. Sometimes surgery or a medical referral is necessary, but surgery can be risky, expensive, and requires recovery time. Many of our patients have experienced relief from their disc conditions without having to resort to more invasive procedures. In our office, we use modern methods of Exercise, Physical Therapy modalities, Acupuncture, Dry Needling, and Spinal Decompression in addition to Spinal Manipulation. By properly aligning the spine, pressure can be relieved
on nerves and on the discs themselves. This will reduce and hopefully
eliminate your pain and discomfort and allow you to live a normal
lifestyle.
Whiplash and Automobile Accident Injuries
Whiplash is a common
injury for people involved in car collisions. When a car is struck from
behind or collides with another object, it causes the neck to snap back
and forth violently. This causes the muscles and ligaments to
overextend, leading to strains and/or tears. This is referred to as soft
tissue damage, and can cause stiffness and soreness. Whiplash can also
cause structural damage such as misaligned vertebrae, herniated, bulging
or ruptured discs, or nerve damage due to the overextension from the
violent movement.
Chiropractic can help with both types of
injuries. Adjustments and alignments can be performed specifically for
those who have been in car accidents and suffered from whiplash. The
pressure on the discs and nerves is released when the spine is returned
to its proper alignment. Chiropractic Physical Therapy modalities including Myofascial Massage therapy can be used to help
relieve the pain and discomfort from soft tissue injuries. If you have
been in a car accident, schedule an appointment with us before relying
on pain medications and surgery.
Shoulder, Knee, Hip, Ankle, Elbow and Wrist / Hand conditions including Osteoarthritis
Arthritis is a condition that
is caused by the wearing down of the cartilage between joints. Some of
the major joints that are affected are the knees, hips, back, neck, and
hands/wrist. Arthritis can be painful and can cause the affected areas
to not function properly. Arthritis in one area can cause arthritis or
other problems in a different joint. For instance, if you have arthritis
in your left knee, you may compensate for this by putting more pressure
on your right side, leading to right hip problems.
Pain killers
can cause temporary relief from pain and discomfort, but it is not a
long term solution. Chiropractic can alleviate pain by releasing
pressure on the nervous system with proper alignment. It can also
restore proper joint movement, helping to ensure that you use proper
motion so that you do not cause injury to other parts of your body. We
are not concerned strictly with the affected area, but rather the body
as a whole. We aim to restore and maintain proper movement and
functionality to increase your overall well being.
Headaches
Many
people believe that headaches are caused by loud noise, being tired, or
being stressed. While these are all factors that can lead to headaches, muscle tension in the neck and shoulders is one of the most common causes. As a matter of fact, 80% of all headaches originate from the neck. With a typical
cervicogenic (neck origin) headache, a person usually feels pain
starting at the base of the skull which radiates into the back of the neck and forward to the temples,
eyeballs, and forehead. Chiropractic adjustments and massage of the neck and shoulder muscles can help release muscle tension and can realign the vertebrae
in your neck to help eliminate the cause of your
headaches rather than offering a temporary relief from the symptoms.
Sciatica
Sciatica
is a condition that results when the sciatic nerve becomes irritated.
Bulging discs, spinal subluxations, and muscle spasms can all cause
increased pressure on the sciatic nerve. When this happens it causes
pain, numbness, and weakness in the lower back and leg. To properly
treat sciatica the cause of the condition needs to be diagnosed and
properly treated. One of the common causes of Sciatica is Piriformis Syndrome. The Piriformis is a muscle in your pelvis that has been found to directly and indirectly irritate the Sciatic nerve. Your chiropractor can help you figure out what is causing your sciatica and provide stretches, exercises, and adjustments to help you with this.
Pinched Nerve
When a nerve
is squeezed or compressed it is called a "pinched nerve". This can be
caused by spinal misalignments, bulging or herniated discs, or other
factors. The increased pressure on the nerve causes inflammation, pain,
and sometimes muscle spasms. The pressure on the nerve must be relieved
in order to alleviate the pain. An examination can reveal the cause of
the pain, and an adjustment can relieve the pain by properly aligning
the spine and addressing the cause of the pain.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
This
condition is most commonly associated with people who are constantly
using a computer. Typing is a motion that, when performed repetitively
and with poor posture, can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Symptoms
include pain, numbness, weakness, or a burning sensation. The nerves in
the fingertips travel through the wrist, up the arm, and into the neck.
The spine is the center of the nervous system, and the pain in your
hands and wrists can be relieved by your chiropractor with concentrated
spinal and joint adjustments.
Maintenance Care
We
have discussed many conditions that can be relieved through
chiropractic. The best way to treat these conditions is to prevent them
before they even start. Regular chiropractic visits can help to prevent
physical problems and injuries from occurring. Other potential benefits
of regular chiropractic visits are increased flexibility and mobility,
higher level of energy, improved posture, more effective immune system,
better circulation, and an overall better feeling of well-being.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia
is a condition that we still do not know much about. There is no
specific known cause, and it could be brought on by many different
factors. The main symptom of fibromyalgia is chronic pain throughout the
body, mainly located in joints. The pain may be achy, sharp, radiating,
burning, or shooting and it may be mild or severe. Fibromyalgia has
also been known to bring on other conditions like trouble sleeping,
headaches, depression, and anxiety.
While there is no known cure
for fibromyalgia, chiropractic treatment can help to uncover what may
be causing the pain and also provide relief for the pain. The cause of
fibromyalgia could be physical, mental, or emotional, so a full
examination will be performed. Adjustments and chiropractic massage can
be used to relieve pain from the affected areas. The added effects of
chiropractic treatment such as increased energy levels, better
circulation, and a stronger immune system can also help to fight the
effects of fibromyalgia. If you are experiencing symptoms of
fibromyalgia give us a call to schedule a consultation so we can
establish a plan to start you on your road to recovery.
Allergies
Chiropractic can help reduce the severity and the frequency of your allergies.(1) Chiropractic does not work like an anti-histamine as a direct, short term relief from allergies. Although we don't know fully how it works, it has been shown that Chiropractic allows your body to be better equipped to fight against allergies ( follow the link below to see the NCBI National Institue of Health study) .
How we think it works: Allergies are a reaction by your immune system to an allergen (substances that normally have no effect on people) resulting in sneezing, coughing, congestion, hives, rashes, and in severe cases, seizure and anaphylactic shock. These symptoms are caused by the histamines your immune system creates in an attempt to protect your body against the allergen. When your spine is misaligned it can impinge on the nervous system in your body. Studies have shown that the nervous system has an effect on the functionality of your immune system. When your nervous system is under stress and not functioning properly, your immune system cannot work at an optimal level. Chiropractors work with the nervous system by aligning the spine to relieve any stress on nerves. It is thought that this allows the immune system to work at a higher level, making it easier to fight off infections while recognizing the allergens. When your immune system recognizes allergens, it will not overreact to them, or at least not react as severely to them. If you suffer from allergies, chiropractic may be able help you find relief. Schedule an appointment today.
(1)Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15965403?dopt=A...