Conditions for Chiropractic Care
Low Back Pain
Sciatica / Leg Pain
Disc Bulge, Herniation or Rupture
Neck Pain & Stiffness
Numbness or Pain Down the Arm
Headaches
Migraine Headaches and Cluster Headaches
Chiropractic Care After Back Surgery
Degenerative Arthritis / Disc Degeneration
Mid Back, Shoulder and Chest Pain
Scoliosis
Fibromyalgia
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
TMJ Syndrome/Temporomandibular joint disorder
Sports Injuries
Dizziness
Pregnancy
Low Back Pain
It is estimated that 75 million Americans will experience low back pain each year, and that 80 percent of the adult population will have low back pain at some time in their life. Low back pain is one of the most common disorders affecting American adults and is the most common cause of disability among the 30-50 year age group. Because these age groups are usually the most productive in the work force, the economic impact of low back pain is enormous.
Low back pain patients comprise the second largest diagnostic group seen by medical family practitioners, yet the common care recommended by these practitioners are often found to be ineffective. A prominent medical low back pain researcher has suggested that family physicians consider referring these patients for chiropractic care, as it has proven helpful for this disorder. Low back pain generally is a mechanical disorder that needs suitable type of care. Chiropractic adjustments are just such a method.
Indeed, growing numbers of low back pain sufferers are turning to chiropractic each year and are finding relief. Many people who were frustrated before seeking chiropractic care return to an active lifestyle, not restricted by disabling pain. The latest statistics show that about one half of low back patients now see a chiropractor, and the percentage should be much greater. Chiropractic is both a safe and effective way to deal with low back pain, the unwanted American tradition.
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Sciatica / Leg Pain
Sciatica can be a severely painful condition. It is caused by inflammation of the sciatic nerve, a nerve which runs from the lower back through the hip and down the leg. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, as anyone who has had sciatica can attest. The most common cause of sciatica is pinching or irritation of the nerve in the lower spine. Slipping of a disc, slight displacement of a spinal joint, bone spurs or combinations of all of these problems are the typical causes of sciatica nerve irritation.
Sciatica is one of the most common conditions for which back surgery is recommended. Back surgery, however, is only successful about 60 percent of the time and has a fairly high risk of complications. More recent interest in non-surgical care for sciatic nerve pain has caused several researchers to look at chiropractic adjustments as an alternative. Researchers at St. Thomas Hospital in London recently reported the results of their study of non-surgical care for back and sciatic nerve pain in the British Journal Of Rheumatology. Comparing traction, spinal injections, and adjustment, they found chiropractic adjustment to be the single most effective care in the 513 patients studied.
In a similar study, researchers at the California College of Medicine at the University of California Irvine also found adjustments to significantly improve clinical signs of sciatic nerve compression. Clearly, chiropractic adjustment is one of the most effective conservative types of care in those with sciatic nerve pain.
Chiropractic adjustment should be one of the first considerations in those with sciatica. It can prevent the need for spinal surgery in many patients. There are effective ways of dealing with pain in the body’s largest nerve!
Disc Bulge, Herniation or Rupture
While the discs of the spine are common culprits in spine related health problems, their function is widely misunderstood.
The disc is a small cartilage pad that is situated between spinal bones. Layers of fibrous tissues contain the soft “jelly-like” center of the disc. Each disc serves as a connector, spacer, and shock absorber for the spine. When healthy, discs allow normal turning and bending. Since spinal discs have a very poor blood supply, they depend upon the circulation of joint fluids to bring in nutrients and expel waste. If a spinal joint loses its normal motion and this pumping action is impaired, the health of the disc deteriorates. Like a wet sponge, a healthy disc is flexible. A dry sponge is hard, stiff, and can crack easily. This is how many disc problems begin
Because of the way each disc is attached to the vertebra above and below it, a disc cannot “slip” as commonly thought. However, trauma or injury to the spine can cause discs to bulge, herniate, or worse, rupture. This can be quite painful, putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots, interfering with their function. The traditional approach to disc problems often ignores spinal function. Chiropractic care is safer and often more effective than back surgery.
The chiropractic approach to disc problems is to help restore better motion and position to the spinal joint. Besides reducing disc bulging, better spinal function helps reduce inflammation and begin the slow process of healing the surrounding soft tissue. While results cannot be guaranteed, many patients have avoided needless surgery or a dependency on pain pills by choosing conservative chiropractic care.
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Neck Pain & Stiffness
Few disorders of the spine rival the frequency of low back pain. One such disorder, however, is neck pain. While some neck pain can have clear origins (i.e. whiplash), many people cannot pinpoint the cause of their pain, which can be puzzling and troublesome. Most people report that they “just woke up with it”. The search for the injury that causes it usually reveals no answers, as it is a “slow injury” that occurs during sleep.
A large study at Princess Alexandria Hospital in Australia brought several points to light concerning this type of neck pain. These researchers found that 71 percent of the patients evaluated at their clinic proved to have a pinching facet joint in the neck. Facet joints are small pain-sensitive spinal joints that can trigger pain in the neck, back of the shoulder, muscle spasm and headache, commonly the causes stiff neck. Almost all had been previously evaluated by medical practitioners who had failed to diagnose this disorder.
In a related study, these researchers found that the simplest and most effective way to diagnose this disorder is by palpation of the joints of the neck. This is the procedure used by the doctors at Care Chiropractic to detect joint tenderness and movement restriction by feeling the spine with the hands. As stiff neck from facet syndrome is caused by pinching of these small joints, chiropractic adjustments are a very effective in freeing the problem, relieving neck pain, muscle spasm and headache. Exercises are often then used in addition to chiropractic care to improve neck joint flexibility and to improve muscle tone. Chiropractic care is often effective for both acute and chronic stiff neck. Prompt care can prevent prolonged suffering.
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Numbness or Pain Down the Arm
People who experience numbness or pain in their hands and arms are often surprised to learn that problem may not be in their arms, but in their neck. Just as low back pain often is accompanied by numbness or tingling in one or both legs, neck pain is often accompanied by these sensations in the arms. While many persons attribute these sensations to “circulation,” they most often result from pinching or irritation of a spinal nerve.
Several causes of numbness and tingling to the arms originate in the neck. Perhaps the most common is restriction of movement of a spinal joint. This may cause direct friction to the nerve root as it exits the spine or secondary muscle tightness, which can also produce nerve friction. Factors such as degeneration or thinning of the spinal discs narrow the nerve openings in the spine and predispose to nerve irritation. Those with disc thinning or degeneration, however, respond well to chiropractic care if normal joint movement can be restored with chiropractic adjustments.
Numbness or tingling in one or both arms is usually the result of a pinched or irritated nerve in the neck. Examination by our team at Care Chiropractic will reveal the cause and rule out “poor circulation.” Chiropractic care is most often successful in resolving this condition and should be considered in anyone with these symptoms.
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Headaches
It is very common to have people come in who are having headaches that start with tightness and or pain in the upper back leading to neck tightness and then the oncoming headache. In fact, Ninety to 95 percent of all headaches are headaches that originate from the neck. These types of headaches are often blamed on stress. Chiropractic care is very helpful with these headaches.
The term cervicogenic headache means “headache originating from the neck.” Nerves exit the spinal cord at each spinal level and pass over and between the joints and muscles of the spine. In the lower neck, these nerves exit and supply the sensation and muscle strength to the arms. Often when one of these nerves is irritated or pinched, the individual experiences pain and tingling in the arm. These same spinal nerves from the upper three spinal levels of the neck go over the skull and provide most of the sensation to the back and sides of the head, and to the forehead over the eyes. These nerves can be irritated by the same joint and muscle problems that, in the lower neck, cause pain and tingling in the arms. When the upper nerves are irritated, headache radiating from the back of the skull to the temple or over and behind one or both of the eyes may result.
The most appropriate care for this type of headache is chiropractic adjustments. Several studies of chiropractic care for neck or cervicogenic headaches have been performed. Within two weeks of care, 85 percent have a significant reduction in the headaches. Many of the patients in these studies had had years of other unsuccessful traditional medical care.
The more that is learned about headaches, the more apparent two facts become. The first is that most headaches are caused by nerve irritation in the upper neck, and the second is that chiropractic adjustments are a safe and successful for this common problem.
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Migraine Headaches and Cluster Headaches
Migraine headaches are one of the most common neurological disorders, affecting approximately 15 percent of the population, or about 45 million Americans. It is a problem for which few people have found a “cure,” and many have accepted as something with which they will have to live. This, however, may not be necessary.
Although all of the factors causing migraines have not been discovered, one common cause is now better understood. Increasing evidence is showing that in susceptible individuals, nerves from the upper spine can be irritated by poor joint movement in the neck. These nerves connect to the trigeminal nucleus, a relay center for many of the nerves going to the head, and particularly its blood vessels.
Chiropractic adjustment has long proven to be one of the most effective care for migraine. The most complete research study to date was funded by the Australian government and performed by a combined team of medical and chiropractic researchers at the University of New South Wales in Australia. This study found chiropractic care to provide more relief and more permanent relief for migraine than any other care tested.
Chiropractic care will bring relief for many patients needlessly suffering from migraine headaches. It does not have to be a problem that “you just have to live with.”
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Chiropractic Care After Back Surgery
Approximately 180,000 back surgeries are performed each year in the United States. For some patients who have not responded to conservative care, surgery is often helpful in returning them to normal function. However, for an unfortunate number, back surgery is unsuccessful and leads to progressive pain and disability. Estimates are that as many as 40 percent of all back surgeries are unsuccessful.
Because of the high numbers of patients still suffering from back and leg pain after back surgery, the continued search for other types of care exists. Unfortunately, many people believe that once they have had back surgery, they cannot be helped by chiropractic care. This, however, is untrue, with chiropractic care being an effective way to care for these patients. Those patients who have had unsuccessful back surgery are good candidates for chiropractic care.
At Care chiropractic we will avoid areas of your spine surgically modified. However, surgery often causes instability above or below the involved level. These “reactions” will be the focus of your chiropractic care.
Chiropractic care can be effective for many people who have Back Surgery, helping them return to a more pain free and active lifestyle.
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Degenerative Arthritis / Disc Degeneration
Degenerative arthritis, also known as osteoarthritis, of the spine is one of the most common disorders that occurs in persons over 50 years of age. Approximately 300,000 persons over 65 years of age are limited in their activities and functioning because of it. If everyone lives long enough, so it has been said, everyone will get degenerative arthritis. Degenerative arthritis, however, does not have to mean a hopeless and ongoing painful condition. While degenerative arthritis of the spine cannot be cured, the pain that accompanies it can often be improved with chiropractic care. Older Americans have learned this and have a very high rate of usage of chiropractic services.
Chiropractic care seems to be effective with this issue for two reasons. The first is its ability to correct the spinal joint misalignments that are often the cause of pain. Degenerative arthritis weakens the spinal soft tissues that maintain joint alignment, causing frequent misalignments in these persons. The other reason chiropractic care is often helpful in degenerative arthritis is that it is effective in regulating spinal pain. In a study in the American Journal of Physical Medicine, researchers reported a 140 percent improvement in spinal pain tolerance following chiropractic adjustment. In a related study, chiropractic adjustments were also found to elevate circulating levels of endorphins, a powerful pain blocker released by the brain.
For many suffering from degenerative arthritis of the spine, chiropractic care can provide relief. No one should have to spend their “golden years” needlessly suffering with pain that can be effectively treated and managed with chiropractic care.
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Mid Back, Shoulder and Chest Pain
Pain in the back of the shoulder radiating around to the chest can be a worrisome problem. The first concern that most individuals have with this type of pain is that there may be a heart problem present. In the majority with this type of pain, however, a visit to the emergency room or to a family doctor will produce a diagnosis of “musculoskeletal pain.” It is estimated that this type of pain is the third most common cause of chest pain in those seen at coronary care units behind only heart attacks and angina.
Although this relieves the anxiety concerning heart disease, these individuals are given little help in resolving this pain. Once it has been established that heart disease is not present, the diagnosis of musculoskeletal pain should lead to appropriate care. Chiropractic care can be an effective type of care for this common complaint. Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to be effective for this condition and should be the first choice in care.
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Scoliosis
Currently, Scoliosis affects from two to five percent of the population and usually begins between ages 10 and 12 years. While the exact cause is unknown, it appears to occur when a child begins to grow quickly in height and the body’s balance or straightening mechanism develops too slowly. At this critical time during growth, the spinal balancing or straightening mechanisms just seem to be overwhelmed in some children. Because it causes no symptoms in its early stages, it is often not obvious to the child who has it. However, because it can cause serious complications if it is allowed to progress or increase, it should be detected early when care is the least difficult and the most successful. Indications that scoliosis may be developing are uneven heights of the shoulders, unevenness of the back surface from side to side, or unevenness of the ribs in the front or on the side. All children should have a periodic screening examination for scoliosis, particularly if any of the above indications are observed.
Adult scoliosis presents a unique problem. Perhaps the most common difficulty adults face with scoliosis is that of back pain. It is both extremely common and difficult to care for in adults.
The care of scoliosis has involved a “wait and see” policy because few early care options have been available. In the later stages, spinal bracing and surgery are the two common types care. Chiropractic care, however, offers a good alternative in the earlier stages of scoliosis when the disorder is most correctable. Many cases can be stabilized, avoiding the need for bracing or surgery. Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to be one of the most effective types of care for back pain. It may offer ongoing relief for the disabling back pain that can occur in adults with scoliosis.
Early detection and care of scoliosis is the best way to control this problem. Chiropractic works to prevent the need for more drastic care in the future.
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Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia, meaning pain in the tendons and ligaments (fibrous tissue) and muscles, is not specifically a disease but rather a grouping of symptoms. We do not know what causes fibromyalgia; therefore, there is no known cure. Some of our patients report having had an illness (viral, bacterial, or parasitic infection) or some kind of trauma, like a car accident, prior to the onset of symptoms. But because this is not true of all sufferers, it cannot be the only cause.
Cases of fibromyalgia symptoms have been documented for at least the past century, but it was only in 1990 that specific criteria for the diagnosis of fibromyalgia were developed, and in 1992 the World Health Organization added fibromyalgia to its classification of diseases. Specific symptoms, namely achiness and pain “all over the body” and at least 11 of 18 tender points (areas that when touched cause pain) that must be present to accurately diagnose fibromyalgia.
There are care methods that may offer some relief from pain and other symptoms. Research and experience have found that spinal adjustments, exercise, dietary changes, nutritional enhancement, postural changes, physical therapies (heat, ice, light massage, etc.), and stress management can improve symptoms. Chiropractic physicians are specially trained in all of these areas, making a Doctor of Chiropractic an excellent choice for the management of fibromyalgia.
Reduction of muscle tension, reduction of stress, correction of postural dysfunction-these and other reasons are why chiropractic adjustments can be effective for fibromyalgia symptom control. Fibromyalgia is a complex condition in which no two people will have the same symptoms and signs. Chiropractic can provide you with natural, non-invasive method of symptom control.
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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Millions of people now suffer from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and increasing numbers of them are seeking chiropractic care. The chiropractic process of relieving irritation in the spine and extremities can yield great results for carpal tunnel syndrome.
Your carpal bones in your wrist form a tunnel-like structure (the carpal tunnel) through which pass nine tendons and one nerve-the median nerve. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome occurs when the median nerve is irritated. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is so common in the work place it’s been referred to as the “occupational disease” and is often caused by repetitive motions like working on a computer.
The relationship between spinal health and carpal tunnel has been documented by a number of individuals that have found spinal nerve root irritation in patients who had carpal tunnel or ulnar neuropathy. Not surprisingly it has been found that a large number of those suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome also had neck arthritis.
Many people resort to surgery with hand surgeons performing 100,000 operations a year for Carpal tunnel syndrome. Recovery from such surgery may take from six months to ten years. The limitations of standard medical care led the late Dr. Robert Mendelsohn who was an instructor at Northwestern University Medical College and a proffesor at TheUniversity of Illinois College of Medicine to state, “Since the medical care for this condition is so often unsatisfactory, I have for years been recommending that my patients consult experts in muscle and joint therapy such as chiropractors.”
With what is known about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, anyone suffering from it should see a chiropractor to ensure that his/her spine and wrists are free of nerve irritation. A chiropractic adjustment may make the difference between a pain-free wrist or a surgical procedure.
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TMJ Syndrome/Temporomandibular joint disorder
This fascinating joint connects your jaw to your head. Ligaments, cartilage, fascia, an articular disc, muscles, nerves and blood vessels run in, around, and through the TMJ. TMJ dysfunction or syndrome occurs when the joint is misaligned or malfunctioning in some way that subjects it to excess pressure.
Among the most common symptoms of TMJ dysfunction are the inability to open the mouth wide and clicking or popping sound when the mouth opens or closes.
Other TMJ symptoms can be severe headaches; loss of hearing; tinnitus (ringing in the ears); the sensation of an object in the throat; facial swelling; shoulder, cheek or jaw joint pain; neck ache; and dizziness.
At Care Chiropractic, we have found a properly aligned spine helps many people with the pain and discomfort associated with TMJ. Chiropractic care, especially in the area of the upper cervical spine and skull, often relieves pressure on the spine and cranial bones. Forward head posture often leads to excess stress on the TMJ joint; therefore, chiropractic care often gets excellent results in relieving TMJ symptoms.
Often a chiropractic spinal adjustment can greatly benefit someone suffering from what had been thought to be only a TMJ problem. Conversely, an unhealthy skull/jaw alignment can put great stress upon the spinal column. There are documented cases of dental problems that, once corrected, have helped chiropractic patients to better hold their spinal adjustments.
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Sports Injuries
Growing numbers of people are becoming more athletic and exercise-minded. With the increased awareness of the preventative effect of regular exercise and the participation in sports has against a wide variety of health problems such as heart disease, this increased activity will continue. An age-old side effect of sports and exercise, however, are exercise-related injuries. Care Chiropractic sees more exercise-related injuries than ever before.
The increase in exercise related injuries associated with sport and exercise, however, should be kept in perspective. Many are preventable and most injuries can be cared for successfully. While the preventative effects of regular exercise on the cardiovascular system are well-known, similar positive effects on the joints and muscles have been documented. In a study at Stanford University School of Medicine, runners were found to have significantly less disability associated with joint disorders than did non-runners.
The care of sport-and exercise-related injury is changing, and one of the most significant changes in recent years is the emergence of chiropractors as important providers of care to the injured athletes and exercisers. An issue of the medical journal Clinics in Sports Medicine attributes the increased interest in chiropractic care for athletes to the high incidence of spinal injuries in sports and exercise and the success reported by many athletes with this chiropractic care. Many professional sports teams have a chiropractor on staff to help with prevention of injuries and care once an injury has occurred
The goal should be for all people to participate in sports or exercise on a regular basis. When injuries do occur, chiropractic care is often very effective to the injured person, returning many to their previous participation level.
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Dizziness
Dizziness can be both an annoying and puzzling symptom. Many disorders can cause dizziness, from ear infections to disorders of circulation. However, an often overlooked cause is joint misalignment or “dysfunction” in the neck.
Dizziness that originates from the neck comes from nerve receptors in the spinal joints called “proprioceptors.” These nerve endings sense the position of the spine and help the inner ear coordinate overall posture and balance. Just as disturbance of the inner ear from infection can cause dizziness, over stimulation of the proprioceptive nerve endings in the neck from joint dysfunction can cause the same symptoms.
In patients who had dizziness that came from the neck, researchers had an approximate 80 percent success rate giving care these patients with spinal adjustments. It has been concluded that joint dysfunction in the neck is a common cause of headache in the upper neck and the back of the head, and that in some patients, this will be accompanied by dizziness. Chiropractic care can be an effective means of resolving these symptoms in many people.
Anyone who has had dizziness, particularly if it is accompanied by pain in the upper neck and headache over the back of the skull, should have a chiropractic evaluation for joint dysfunction in the neck. The cause of these symptoms will be found in many cases, and chiropractic care will bring relief to many sufferers.
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Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a period of rapid development and hormonal changes. Also, the laxity of connective ligaments, and shifting of weight-bearing structures may cause many pregnant women to experience low back pain, mid-back pain, neck pain and pain or numbness down the legs. Many women find their labor shorter and experience less discomfort if they have received chiropractic care. Chiropractic care can quite helpful during all stages of pregnancy. As the center of gravity changes, so does the stress to the spine.
Besides helping to relieve the discomfort many expectant mothers experience, chiropractic care helps normalize nervous system function. This is an important component of overall good health.
The benefits of chiropractic care may also be noticed during delivery. Many chiropractic patients report that their deliveries were faster and more comfortable than deliveries previous to chiropractic care.
At Care Chiropractic we take special precautions with you during your pregnancy. Modified approaches such as modifications to the adjusting table or adjusting certain techniques make chiropractic adjustments for pregnant moms easy and comfortable. So pamper yourself and your baby with regular chiropractic checkups.
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