Common Chiropractic Conditions

Chiropractic can treat the following conditions:

• Low Back Pain
• Neck Pain
• Headaches
• Sciatica
• Carpal Tunnel
• Pinched Nerve
• Fibromyalgia
• Slipped Disc
• Tennis Elbow
• Whiplash
• Plantar Fasciitis
• PMS
• Scoliosis

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.

We encourage you to learn more about the services we provide and how we can help. If you have any questions, please contact us by calling (609) 484-9300. We're always happy to hear from you!

Low Back Pain & Neck Pain

Pain along the spinal column in your neck or back is usually caused by subluxations, or misalignments of your vertebrae. A small misalignment can cause pain by causing pressure on nerves. Left untreated, these subluxations can cause muscle spasms and increasing pain. Chiropractic adjustments properly align your spine so that pressure on joints and nerves is released. It is a direct treatment for the cause of the pain, not a temporary relief like pain relievers or massage.

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 joint dysfunction is sacroiliac joint dysfunction, which occurs where the base of the spine meets the pelvis. It causes low back pain and prohibits movement. This condition is often misdiagnosed because the symptoms are similar to sciatica or a herniated disc.

Your chiropractor can properly diagnose this condition and provide relief. Using specific adjustments for the affected joint can return proper mobility and relieve pain. If you have joint pain, visit us for relief.

If you are experiencing back or neck pain visit us today.

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, the direct cause is tightness in the neck and shoulders. The tightness can cause misalignments in the vertebrae of your neck, resulting in pain. 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 temples, eyeballs, and forehead. Massage of the neck and shoulder muscles can release tension, and a chiropractic adjustment can realign the vertebrae in your neck. Chiropractic can 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. Your chiropractor can help you do this.

Sciatica is often just symptom of another problem. It starts out as a pain that you can feel in your lower back. Soon the pain begins to travel down one leg and it’s getting more severe. There may be a tingling or burning sensation or your leg may feel numb. At times the pain might be severe, almost overwhelming, but sciatica is really just a symptom of another problem. The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body. It extends from the lower spine down through the length of both legs.

There are a number of conditions that can cause sciatica, including a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis – all of which affect the discs that act as shock absorbers between each pair vertebrae of the spine. These conditions put pressure on the sciatic nerve and it is that pressure or pinching of the sciatic nerve that causes the pain. Many doctors will prescribe pain medication, anti-inflammatory medication or steroid injections. Worst case scenario? Surgery. What these solutions do, however, is treat the symptoms of sciatica, which is a symptom itself of a nerve disorder, caused by nerve interference, that can be corrected with chiropractic care.

Because sciatica is most often the result of a spinal misalignment in the lower spine, chiropractic care is often very effective in correcting the misalignment, which eliminates the symptoms of sciatica. Said another way – chiropractic adjustments remove the obstruction that is causing the “pinch” in the sciatic nerve, which is causing the pain in the back through the buttocks and down the leg!

Who do you know that suffers with sciatica? Tell them to call our office today!

Carpal Tunnel

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.

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.

Fibromyalgia

With a combination of chiropractic, functional medicine and diagnostic nutrition approach, trigger point therapy, cold laser, and lifestyle changes, fibromyalgia doesn’t have to be a lifetime of pain and suffering.

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.

The latest research indicates that fibromyalgia is a stress-related condition that can have an underlining causation with chronic fatigue, sleep disturbances, irritable bowel, as well as many other symptomatologies. One of the major physical abnormalities that occur with fibromyalgia lies in the muscle itself, where there is a buildup of a protein called “Ground Substance.” Ground substance is normally found in muscle, bone and connective tissue all over the body and is responsible for making the tissues stronger and less susceptible to tearing. In a normal person, when a muscle is injured, the muscle tissue itself is able to regenerate and over time, completely heal itself. In a person with fibromyalgia, the muscle is unable to completely heal itself. Instead, an abnormally large amount of ground substance builds up in the injured area. It is the ground substance, coupled with local muscle spasm it creates that creates the muscle ‘knots’ associated with fibromyalgia.

Adrenal fatigue is a result of the chronic stress whether real or perceived. Chronic pain is a stress to the adrenal glands, though typically not the initial adrenal stressor. We use functional labs to identify these underlying stressors that may be part of the cause of Fibromyalgia. Stressors like; food sensitivities, digestive conditions, hormonal imbalances, detoxification problems, malabsorption, and/or vitamin deficiencies. Then, once identified, we seek to remove the stressors and repair the adrenal glands. My goal is to support the adrenals with various nutritional supplements and herbs.

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.

Slipped Disc

Intervertebral discs are positioned between the vertebrae in the spine. The outside of a disc is made from cartilage, and in the center is 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 herniated, 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 dehydrate. These conditions can put pressure on the nerves around the spine and cause pain.

Many factors decrease the strength and resiliency of the disc and increase the risk of disc herniation. Lifestyle choices such as smoking, lack of regular exercise, and inadequate nutrition contribute to poor disc health. Poor posture, daily wear and tear, injury or trauma, and incorrect lifting or twisting further stress the disc. If the disc is already weakened, it may herniate with a single movement or strain such as coughing, sneezing or bending to pick up a pencil.

Mild to moderate disc herniations can usually be treated conservatively with chiropractic care, lumber or cervical decompression, cold laser, strengthening, stretching and exercise.

If you suffer from one of these injuries you should see a chiropractor. Surgery is risky, expensive, and requires recovery time. In many cases, you can experience relief from these conditions through chiropractic. With our advanced technology, we have helped thousands of people get back on their feet and enjoy the things they love to do despite disc herniations. 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.

Tennis Elbow

In many cases, we take a look at entire skeletal system. Why? Because for example, a slight curvature of the mid spine can cause a high shoulder which can affect the arm and elbow; overtime causing tennis elbow. We then work to reduce inflammation and restore normal function of the entire upper extremity. In other words we work on the cause of tennis elbow to prevent it from reoccurring. We may need to order X-rays, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), or Electromyography (EMG) to assess any structural damage that has occurred over time, but in most cases normal activities can be resumed in no time.

Whiplash

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 massage 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.

Plantar Fasciitis

PMS

Chiropractic care, along functional medicine and diagnostic nutrition, can work to bring the body and hormones back into balance. With this approach, we can help eliminate or decrease many of the symptoms of PMS without the potential side effects of prescription drugs.

Scoliosis

Chiropractic adjustments can be a help to correct, reduce or stop the progression of scoliosis and help to alleviate some pain associated with spine and abnormal muscle stress. Bracing can help to prevent the curve from worsening and does not limit physical activity. In extreme cases surgery may be required but only after the continuous observation has shown that chiropractic, exercise and a brace is not helping. Spinal fusion and instrumentation is a surgery specialized for people with scoliosis whereas rods and hooks are inserted to help align your spine and prevent further curving.