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Chiropractic Care for Chronic Pain

2/1/2020

Various chiropractic care treatments can help you manage chronic pain caused by a neck pain or back pain condition, such as a herniated disc.
Pain Management for 2 Types of Pain
Pain management often deals with 2 broad categories of pain--intractable pain and chronic pain.
Intractable pain is a term that was first used in World War II as a clinical definition of soldiers who required morphine (an opioid) for constant pain.1 People with intractable pain are in severe, constant pain that controls their life. This type of pain is often treated with powerful medications and surgery—not chiropractic care.

Chronic pain is ongoing pain that persists beyond an expected time frame, and it doesn't respond to the typical pain management techniques. Chiropractors can treat chronic pain. They use a variety of non-surgical treatments, such as spinal manipulation, to address chronic pain symptoms, such as inflammation and muscle tension.
How Does a Chiropractor Manage Chronic Pain?
Before you go to a chiropractor to address your pain, it's important to know what exactly is causing your pain.
Your chiropractor will do a physical exam as well as some tests to help him or her diagnose your pain. Once you're diagnosed with a pain condition, your chiropractor will develop a treatment plan. Your treatment plan may include spinal manipulation, manual therapies, and therapeutic exercises.
Follow the links below to learn more about how chiropractic care can help with specific spine conditions:

Degenerative disc disease
Herniated disc
Kyphosis
Sciatica
Spondylolisthesis
Spondylosis (also called spinal arthritis and spinal osteoarthritis)
Whiplash

Chiropractic Care and Chronic Pain
Work with your chiropractor to develop a treatment plan for your chronic pain. Once your pain is fully addressed, you should be able to gradually increase your daily activities.

https://www.spineuniverse.com/conditions/chronic-pain/chiropractic-care-chronic-pain

5 Reasons to Choose Chiropractors after an Auto Accident

1/1/2020

Car Accident Chiropractic Care - Many people get injured in minor car accidents every year, and when someone gets rear-ended, they may experience some neck and back pain in the near future. It’s common for people to develop chronic issues as a result of their seemingly minor accident. These problems are normally dealt with by a doctor because many people don’t think about visiting a chiropractor, however, chiropractic care is the best solution for most people because it doesn’t involve drugs or surgery. Here are the top five reasons you should visit a chiropractor after being involved in an accident:
Chiropractic Reduces Inflammation - An X-ray is not going to catch micro-tears that occur in someone’s ligaments and muscles after an auto accident. These microscopic tears in the muscle are one of the main reasons people wake up with severe pain the day after an accident. They are a result of whiplash in most cases; muscles cannot be jerked so quickly without experienced some negative side effects. When you go to a chiropractor, they will be able to manipulate your spine and help your body release IL-6, an important anti-inflammatory substance the body produces to help with acute injuries.
Chiropractic Restores Motion - When your neck and back are injured in an accident, the inflammation that occurs afterward is going to cause even more problems. It will slow the healing process because blood and nutrients won’t be able to make it to the areas they need to. Chiropractic adjustments will mobilize your spine and allow it to begin the healing process faster than normal, which will feel amazing as it’s happening and even better the next day.
Chiropractic Reduces Scar Tissue - Most people think of old wounds on their skin when they hear the words “scar tissue,” but this type of tissue can also form inside the body as well. Muscles will develop scar tissue after an injury because it’s the body’s natural response. However, this tissue will cause someone to feel stiff and uncomfortable for some time, even though it will heal naturally. A chiropractor can target the damaged areas and break up the scar tissue faster than a patient can on their own. This will help someone feel better in addition to healing faster.
Chiropractic Reduces Throughout the Entire Body - Studies have shown that people who received chiropractic care after an auto injury experience less pain because the physical manipulation of their body releases more pain-reducing hormones. These hormones are going to help the area that was affected by the auto accident, and also help any areas that were causing pain before the injury. Drugs for pain are not a good solution because they are highly addictive and usually cause more problems than they solve.
Chiropractic Care Has Proven To Work - People who receive prompt chiropractic care after an accident are less likely to experience long-term issues. This method of care has been available for decades because it actually provides patients with results. People who continue working and staying active after an accident are the ones who will recover faster than those who stay in their bed all day. There’s no need to think about taking drugs or undergoing surgery unless it’s absolutely necessary. With most minor auto accidents, surgery is not required at all.

https://www.advancebackandneck.com/blog/5-reasons-to-choose-chiropractic-care-after-an-auto-accident

How Chiropractic Treatment Helps Posture

12/1/2019

Posture is position of the body while standing, sitting or lying down. Good posture, also referred to as neutral spine, has many health benefits, including the avoidance of injury back pain. Chiropractic can help improve and maintain posture.
Why is Posture Important - Appearance benefits with good posture are obvious, but there are many less-obvious health benefits you should know. Good posture can:

Maintain correct alignment of bones and joints
Reduce stress on ligaments, minimizing risk of injury
Prevent muscle strain, overuse and pain
Conserve energy as muscles are used more efficiently
Decrease abnormal joint wear

Research has shown that poor postures may increase feelings of depression, affect your digestive tract and influence confidence and stress levels.
Signs You have Poor Posture - There are many indicators of poor posture, but some of the more common are hunched shoulders, rounded shoulders, rounded upper back, forward head carriage and arched lower back. Another indicator is back pain. Unsure if you have good posture? Talk to your chiropractor or schedule an appointment for a spinal examination.
Factors that Contribute to Poor Posture - There are several common factors linked to poor posture:

Stress
Obesity
Pregnancy
Weak postural muscles
Abnormally tight muscles
High-heeled shoes

How to Maintain or Correct Posture - The first step is awareness! Bring your attention to your posture as you sit, stand or lie down. If you're sitting, keep both feet on the floor or a footrest, don't cross your legs and use low-back support. While standing, keep your knees slightly bent, relax your arms and pull your shoulders back. When lying down it's critical to choose the right mattress and pillow, and avoid sleeping on your stomach.
Importance of Chiropractic Care and Therapies - Your chiropractor can help you to maintain and correct your posture through chiropractic adjustments, exercises and recommendations on proper positions during different activities.

http://www.chiroone.net/how-chiropractic-helps/posture

BENEFITS OF CHIROPRACTIC

11/1/2019

Why Choose It?Chiropractic is the method of natural healing most chosen by those seeking complementary/alternative health care for acute and chronic conditions.
While you may first visit a chiropractor to relieve pain in the lower back or to treat sciatica, neck pain, whiplash or headache, you will find that a chiropractor views you as a whole person and not the sum of your parts. A chiropractor will work in partnership with you to ensure your optimal health and wellness.
TRIGGERS YOUR BODY’S ABILITY TO HEALChiropractors recognize that many factors affect your health, including exercise, nutrition, sleep, environment and heredity. Chiropractic focuses on maintaining your health naturally to help your body resist disease, rather than simply treating the symptoms of disease.
STARTS WITH A THOROUGH EVALUATIONWhen you visit a Doctor of Chiropractic, you will be evaluated using time-honored methods, including consultation, case history, physical examination, laboratory analysis and X-ray examination. In addition, you will receive a careful chiropractic structural examination, with particular attention paid to the spine.
INVOLVES NO DRUGS OR SURGERYA broad range of techniques are used to locate, analyze and gently correct vertebral misalignments (subluxations) in the spine. Chiropractors may use manual adjustment, electrical muscular stimulation, ultrasound or massage. But they never use pharmaceutical drugs or invasive surgery. Chiropractic is a natural method of healing that stimulates the body's communication system to work more effectively to initiate, control and coordinate the various functions of the cells, organs and systems of the body.
PARTNERS WITH OTHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALSDoctors of chiropractic work in tandem with other healthcare professionals. If your condition requires attention from another branch of the healthcare profession, that recommendation or referral will be made.

Chiropractic Sleep Relief

10/1/2019

If you can't seem to get a good night's sleep, there's some good news. Booking a visit with a chiropractor won’t just soothe your achy back—it may also improve the quality of your shuteye. While chiropractors generally aren’t thought of as being experts on sleep issues, one-third of people who have a chiropractic adjustment report that they experience immediate sleep improvement.
Is this treatment right for you? If it’s pain that’s keeping you awake—whether it's back pain, neck pain or headaches—then maybe. Chiropractic care helps alleviate discomfort and improve relaxation and blood flow. So if a lower backache is what's causing you to toss and turn, then it may be worth a visit. But if it’s, say, anxiety that’s keeping you up, then you’re better off finding a different type of specialist, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist.
Not only can a chiropractor diagnose and treat spinal problems to relieve discomfort, but he or she can also offer suggestions for getting better sleep. Your chiropractor may tell you which particular sleep position is best for you (most chiropractors discourage snoozing on your stomach) and whether a chiropractic pillow or a more supportive mattress might be the key to ending your restless nights.
And adults aren’t the only ones who can benefit. Forty percent of infants experience deeper slumbers after just one session with a chiropractor—a fact that every parent will love, considering that about one out of four babies has sleep troubles. And it’s likely that once your tot is sleeping well, you’ll get a better night’s sleep, too.
Intrigued? Luckily, chiropractic visits are covered by most health insurance plans, so there’s no harm in finding out whether the treatment works for you—especially if you’re someone who prefers natural treatments to medication. Your physician may be able to refer you to a chiropractor who is properly trained and licensed.

https://www.sleep.org/articles/chiropractic-sleep-relief/

Chiropractic Care for Pain Relief

9/1/2019

Chiropractic is a system of therapy focused on the structure of the body, particularly the spine. Chiropractors manipulate the body's alignment to relieve pain and improve function and to help the body heal itself.
While the mainstay of chiropractic is spinal manipulation, chiropractic care may also include other treatments, including manual or manipulative therapies, postural and exercise education, and ergonomic training (how to walk, sit, and stand to limit back strain). Chiropractors today often work in conjunction with primary care doctors, pain experts, and surgeons to treat patients with pain.
The most positive research on chiropractic therapy has focused on spinal manipulation for low back pain. As one of the alternatives to pain-relieving drugs, the American College of Physicians low back pain guideline recommends spinal manipulation along with heat, massage and acupuncture.
Chiropractic treatment may also help people with other musculoskeletal related pains.
"Spinal manipulation" is a generic term used for any kind of therapeutic movement of the spine. Most often it involves the application of quick but strong pressure on a joint between two vertebrae of the spine.
In addition to spinal manipulation, a chiropractor may advise you about changing your biomechanics and posture and suggest other treatments and techniques. The ultimate goal of chiropractic is to help relieve pain and help patients better manage their condition at home.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/chiropractic-care-for-pain-relief

Surprise: Chiropractors Can Treat These 5 Conditions

4/30/2017

1. Migraines and tension headaches

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

Perform spinal manipulation or chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and alleviate stress on your system.
Provide nutritional advice, recommending a change in diet or the addition of vitamins.
Offer advice on posture, ergonomics, exercises and relaxation techniques.

2. Stress and anxiety

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

Chiropractors can release muscle tension, one effect of chronic stress that leads to nerve irritation and creates uneven pressures on the body's bony structures, which can cause the spinal column to become misaligned. This, in turn, helps the body return to a more balanced, relaxed state.
Chiropractic adjustments can reduce spinal nerve irritation and improve blood circulation, which can help signal the brain to turn off the "fight or flight" response and begin the healing process.
A doctor of chiropractic can suggest nutritional supplements, like B complex vitamins, to help the body cope with stress.
A chiropractor can also recommend relaxation techniques and discuss posture and environmental changes to help you recover from chronic stress.

3. Fibromyalgia

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

Chiropractors are trained as neuromusculoskeletal specialists, and one of the main focuses of chiropractic care is the positive impact it can have on a person's nervous system. Therefore, chiropractic adjustments can improve a FM patient's nervous system, which gives them a better chance for recovery.
Chiropractic care can treat pressure points, back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, headaches and pain from musculoskeletal injuries.
Chiropractors can also reduce a patient's overall pain through spinal adjustments that increase the mobility between spinal vertebrae, which have become restricted, locked or slightly out of proper position, thereby increasing cervical and lumbar range of motion.

4. Weak immune systems

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

Chiropractic care is the only way to detect and eliminate subluxation, and chiropractic adjustments have been shown to reduce the stress on the nervous system, thereby boosting the coordinated responses of the nervous and immune systems.
One research group found that when an adjustment was applied to a subluxated area, the white blood cell count collected rose significantly.
Another study measured the effects of six months of regular chiropractic care on the immune system function of HIV patients. At the end of six months of care, the patients who had received regular adjustments showed a 48 percent increase in the number of CD4+ T cells, whereas patients who had not been adjusted showed an 8 percent decrease in CD4+ T cells.

5. Flexibility

What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?

A chiropractor uses spinal adjustments and manipulations to other parts of the body to realign the bones and joints so as to reduce pain, restore range of motion and improve flexibility, balance and coordination.
Your chiropractor can also recommend specific exercises that can be done at home to increase your strength and flexibility so that you're able to maintain and build upon the gains from your chiropractic adjustments.
Regular chiropractic care can reduce or eliminate the source of your back and joint pain, allowing you to resume your normal activities and to remain more flexible into your golden years.

Source: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/patient-advice/articles/2015/11/30/surprise-chiropractors-can-treat-these-5-conditions

8 Ways Chiropractic Benefits Athletes

3/31/2017

1. Solid Body Maintenance in Professional Football - It’s no secret that professional football is a beast of a game and injuries are frequent. Even if football players avoid serious injury, it’s a sure bet that stiffness and soreness are just par for the course. In a 2002 survey, thirty-one percent of football teams in the National Football League reported having a chiropractor on staff. Athletes reported using chiropractic care quite frequently, noting its effectiveness. [2]

2. Improved Mobility in College Football - Osteopathic manipulative treatment, or OMT, is one of the main forms of chiropractic therapy used in sports medicine. The main goal with OMT is to promote flexibility and pain-free movement. Football players often rely on OMT as a preventative measure against injuries. A 2012 Virginia Tech study showed that OMT positively impacted sports performance in both offensive and defensive Virginia Tech football players. Most football players also reported a self-assessed improvement in athletic performance after OMT sessions. [3]

3. Helpful for Hockey Injuries - Like football, ice hockey is a full-contact sport and injuries are common. Chiropractic has been shown to reduce painful symptoms of recurrent shoulder instability related to hockey injuries. [4]

4. Relief for Sports Hernia - Five to twenty percent of all sports injuries involve groin pain. However, it’s not always the result of a line drive baseball. One of the most common causes of groin pain in athletes is athletic pubalgia, commonly referred to as sports hernia. [5] A study showed that soccer players who experienced sports hernia were relieved of discomfort following 8 weeks of a combination therapy that consisted of chiropractic care and rehabilitation exercises. [6]

5. Increased Strength in Martial Arts - Although mainly used for alleviating muscular and skeletal complaints, it seems that chiropractic can also promote physical strength. [7] [8] [9] In one study, national level judo athletes showed a 16% improvement in grip strength after undergoing only three chiropractic sessions. [10]

6. Support for All Olympic Athletes - For years, chiropractors have worked with world-class Olympic athletes to improve their strength, endurance, and range of motion while training. Olympic athletes also receive chiropractic care at the games. One particular set of games often overlooked at the Olympics is the Paralympics. These games include professional athletes with some type of physical disability who also use chiropractic care to enhance performance and overcome minor injuries. [11]

7. Soothes Tennis Elbow - A whopping 50 percent of tennis players can expect to get tennis elbow during their lifetime, and one-third of tennis players will experience it in severe fashion. The main goals of chiropractic therapy for tennis elbow is to relieve discomfort and redness, promote healing, rehabilitate the injured arm, and avoid recurrence. [12]Specific joint manipulation performed by a chiropractor has shown to be effective for discomfort associated with tennis elbow.

8. Keeps Baseball Players Swinging - Baseball is a game that demands quick bursts of energy. Whether it’s running the bases or swinging the bat, these fast-moving activities often come with rotator cuff injuries, neck pain, back strains, and hamstring pulls. Studies have shown that chiropractic helps prevent hamstring and other lower limb injuries in baseball players. [13] Another study revealed that muscle strength and long jump distance was greatly improved in baseball players who received regular chiropractic adjustments. [14]

Receiving the Benefits of Chiropractic - There’s no question that chiropractic care is a fantastic method of mechanical maintenance that has repeatedly been shown to benefit the machine that is the body of an athlete (and soldiers!). Are you an athlete who incorporates chiropractic care into your health and wellness plan? Please leave a comment and share your experience of the difference chiropractic has made for you!

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/chiropractic-in-sports/

Trigeminal Neuralgia & Acupuncture

2/28/2017

Trigeminal neuralgia, a disorder of the trigeminal nerve, is a condition that produces intense, sporadic facial pain along one or more of the three branches of this nerve. The pain is severe and can last from seconds to minutes. Another name for this condition is "tic douloreaux" due to the fact that facial muscle spasms often accompany the pain. The pain can be triggered by normal activities such as eating, brushing of the teeth or even touching trigger points on the face during everyday activities such as washing the face or applying make-up. Wind, cold, heat, stress or fatigue may aggravate the condition. The pain is typically one sided, more common in women and more common in the over 40 population. The condition may become chronic and debilitating, often lasting for years.

The basic premise behind the theory of acupuncture is that energy flows thru the body on very specific pathways called meridians. When these pathways become blocked, pain and disease result. Inserting very fine needles into points on the pathways facilitates the smooth flow of energy and pain is relieved. There are many acupuncture points on the face that directly correlate to the three branches of the trigeminal nerve. One common approach to treat trigeminal neuralgia with acupuncture is to insert very fine needles into the corresponding facial points in an attempt to unblock the energy. Sometimes the needles are additionally stimulated with electricity to strengthen the treatment.

The basic premise behind the theory of acupuncture is that energy flows thru the body on very specific pathways called meridians. When these pathways become blocked, pain and disease result. Inserting very fine needles into points on the pathways facilitates the smooth flow of energy and pain is relieved. There are many acupuncture points on the face that directly correlate to the three branches of the trigeminal nerve. One common approach to treat trigeminal neuralgia with acupuncture is to insert very fine needles into the corresponding facial points in an attempt to unblock the energy. Sometimes the needles are additionally stimulated with electricity to strengthen the treatment.

In any case, acupuncture has been shown to be effective in treating trigeminal neuralgia. And without side effects!

http://wholehealthcenters.com/conditions-acupuncture-treats/110-trigeminal-neuralgia-a-acupuncture

Chiropractic for Hip Pain

1/31/2017

How Chiropractic Can Help Hip Pain

After performing a careful physical examination and evaluating your familial and personal history, a doctor of chiropractic can work to determine the source of your hip pain. Your chiropractor will create a personalized treatment plan that could include chiropractic adjustments, exercise therapy, posture advice, stretching, massage, coordination with other health practitioners, and more. Treatments will aim to reduce inflammation, relax any existing muscle spasms, strengthen weakened muscles, and improve the mobility of the joint.
Depending on the cause of your hip pain, chiropractic adjustments could help.
Multiple studies have found that chiropractic adjustments are effective in relieving sciatica, a common cause of pain in the hip and lower back. In a study comparing the efficacy of chiropractic to surgery for sciatica, 60% of chiropractic patients with severe sciatica had substantially improved symptoms that enabled them to avoid surgery.2 Cases studies have also suggested that chiropractic can relieve pain associated with sacroiliac joint dysfunction and Piriformis syndrome, which both frequently result in hip pain.3-4
Some patients with hip osteoarthritis (HOA) have also benefited from chiropractic care. In one study, 83% of HOA patients improved within nine visits to a chiropractor. Treatment included axial manipulation of the hip, stretching, and full kinetic chain treatment ( manipulative therapy to the spine, knee, ankle, or foot when appropriate).5
Natural treatments of hip pain can allow patients to avoid the costs and risks of surgery and drugs. Contact a chiropractor to learn more about non-invasive relief of hip pain.

see full article: http://www.chironexus.net/2012/10/how-chiropractic-can-help-with-hip-pain/