COMMON CONDITIONS ALLEVIATED BY CHIROPRACTIC CARE
Allergies
Did you know that chiropractic can help reduce the severity and the frequency of your allergies? Unlike anti-histamines, which provide short-term relief, chiropractic allows your body to be better equipped to fight againstallergies.
What are allergies?
A reaction by your immune system to an allergen (substances that normally have no effect on people). Allergens can cause congestion, sneezing, coughing, hives, rashes, and in severe cases, seizure and anaphylactic shock. Your immune system creates histamines in an attempt to project your body against the allergen.
How does chiropractic help allergies?
A misaligned spine can impinge on the nervous system in your body, and your nervous system effects the functionality of your immune system. Chiropractors align the spine to relieve any stress on nerves. This allows the immune system to work at a higher level, making it easier to fight off infections while recognizing allergens.
If you suffer from allergies, chiropractic can help you find relief. Schedule an appointment today.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Commonly associated with people who are constantly using a computer, carpet tunnel syndrome is often caused repetitive motions combined with poor posture. Symptoms include pain, weakness, numbness, or a burning sensation, often from the fingertips, then travelling through the wrist, up the arm, and into the neck. Since the spine is the center of the nervous system, pain in your hands and wrists can be relieved by your chiropractor with concentrated spinal and joint adjustments.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Not technically a “disease” as we know the term, but degenerative disc disease was dubbed to describe the changes that can happen to the spine as we age. Spinal discs are made of a tough, rubbery exterior and a soft interior which sit between the vertebrae to act as shock absorbers. As we age, the spinal discs begin to degenerate, which can lead to herniated discs, bulging discs, spinal stenosis, and osteoarthritis.
Although degenerative disc disease is a natural part of aging, there are measures you can take to stay healthy and prevent pain.
If you are experiencing frequent back or neck pain, be sure to visit our office for an examination so we can create a treatment plan for you.
Disc Problems
Positioned between the vertebrae in the spine, intervertebral discs are comprised of cartilage with a jelly like solution on the interior. These discs serve many purposes:
- allowing movement of the spine
- creating space between the vertebrae, and
- acting as shock absorbers.
- herniated discs
- bulging discs
- displaced (slipped disc)
- ruptured disc
- weakened and dehydrated disc
Because of its gelatinous middle, the disc can compress and expand based on impact and movement. Trauma and aging can cause injury to the discs. The above conditions can put pressure on the nerves around the spine and cause pain.
Often, these conditions can lead to risky and expensive surgery that requires a long recover time. You may experience relief through chiropractic. Through proper spine alignment, pressure can be relieved on nerves and on the discs themselves, potentially reducing or eliminating your pain and discomfort and allow you to live a normal lifestyle.
Fibromyalgia
We still do not know much about Fibromyalgia. There is no specific known cause. Fibromyalgia symptoms include
- mild to severe chronic pain throughout the body, mainly located in joints
- trouble sleeping
- headaches
- depression, and
- anxiety.
Though currently no cure for Fibromyalgia, chiropractic treatment may provide relief for the pain. Chiropractic treatment can help increase energy levels, improve circulation, and strengthen the immune system which can help to fight the effects of Fibromyalgia.
Experiencing symptoms of Fibromyalgia? Give us a call to schedule a consultation, so we can start you on your road to recovery.
Headaches
The direct cause of headaches is tightness in the neck and shoulders, which can cause misalignments in the vertebrae of your neck, resulting in pain.
Did you know that 80% of all headaches originate from the neck? With a typical cervicogenic (neck origin) headache, you usually feel pain originating at the base of the skull which then 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.
Eliminate the cause of your headaches through chiropractic, rather than opting for temporary relief from the symptoms.
Joint Dysfunction
Joint dysfunction happens when joints become stiff and full movement is restricted and can be caused by
- injury
- poor posture
- overuse/underuse of a joint and
- muscle imbalance.
Joint dysfunction, like arthritis, can cause pain in the joint and the surrounding muscles, as well problems in other parts of the body due to overcompensation.
Sacroiliac joint dysfunction is a form of joint disfunction and occurs where the base of the spine meets the pelvis. It causes low back pain and limits movement, and is often misdiagnosed because the symptoms are similar to sciatica or a herniated disc.
If you have joint pain, give us a call. Specific adjustments for the affected joint can return proper mobility and relieve pain.
Neck/Back Pain
Subluxations, or misalignments of your vertebrae, can cause pain along the spinal column in your neck or back. Even a small misalignment can cause pain by causing pressure on nerves. Untreated, these subluxations can cause muscle spasms and increasing pain.
Chiropractic adjustments properly align your spine, releasing pressure on joints and nerves, and is a direct treatment for the cause of the pain, not a temporary relief like pain relievers or massage. If you are experiencing back or neck pain visit us today.
Osteoarthritis
Arthritis is caused by the wearing down of cartilage between joints. Common joints affected are the knees, hips, back, neck, and hands/wrist. Often very painful, arthritis can cause the affected areas to not function properly, and arthritis in one area can cause arthritis or other problems in a different joint.
Pain killers can offer temporary relief from pain and discomfort but is not a long-term solution. Proper alignment through chiropractic can alleviate pain by releasing pressure on the nervous system. Chiropractic can also restore proper joint movement, helping to ensure you use proper motion, so you do not cause injury to other parts of your body. We are not strictly concerned with the affected area, but rather the body as a whole and aim to restore and maintain proper movement and functionality to increase your overall wellbeing.
Pinched Nerve
A squeezed, or compressed nerve is called a "pinched nerve", which can be caused by spinal misalignments, bulging or herniated discs, or other factors. Increased pressure on the nerve causes pain, inflammation, and sometimes muscle spasms, and the pressure on the nerve must be relieved in order to alleviate the pain.
A chiropractic examination can reveal the cause of the pain, and an adjustment can relieve the pain by properly aligning the spine.
Sciatica
Sciatica results when the sciatic nerve becomes irritated. Spinal subluxations, bulging discs, and muscle spasms can all cause increased pressure on the sciatic nerve, resulting in pain, numbness, and weakness in the lower back and leg.
To properly treat sciatica, the cause needs to be diagnosed and properly treated. We can help!
Whiplash
Whiplash is a common injury for people involved in automobile collisions. When a vehicle 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 - referred to as soft tissue damage - and can cause stiffness and soreness. Whiplash can also cause structural damage such as herniated, bulging or ruptured discs, misaligned vertebrae, or nerve damage due to the overextension from the violent movement.
Specialized chiropractic treatments for those who have been in car accidents can help with both soft tissue and structural damage. Through treatment, 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.
Maintenance Care
The best way to treat the above-mentioned 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.
