Why do I hurt?

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Pain can be a symptom! This means that the pain that an individual experiences is nothing more than their body’s way of telling them that something is wrong. If a person has had periodic mild soreness sand stiffness that has gradually gotten worse, it is often a sign that the underlying problem has been present for a prolonged period of time and, like the majority of health conditions, has progressive worsened as time passes.

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How chiropractic can help?

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Again, it depends on the cause of the symptom and the severity. Some people have degeneration that is so bad, that they’ve passed the window of opportunity for corrective chiropractic care and are only able to receive the benefit of palliative (pain relieving) chiropractic care. Others simply have biomechanical issues that can be resolved with chiropractic treatment and therapy that is designed to address the vertebral and soft tissue components of this problem.

 

What can I do?

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Depending on what is found on the x-rays and exam, chiropractic treatment and home exercises may be prescribed. The goal of this type of treatment is to correct the bio-mechanical issues from a corrective stand point. By doing this, our clinic is able to get a person feeling better, correct the underlying condition and give you a strategy that allows you to prevent these problems from returning die to the passing of time.

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Headaches

What causes a headache?

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Many things can cause headaches. Headaches can be caused by smells, sounds, trauma, high blood pressure, and a whole host of various conditions. However, one of the main causes of headaches is abnormal spinal motion in the bones of the neck (subluxation) this can be accompanied by muscle tensions from the neck and upper shoulders.

 

These are called a cervicogenic headache. Many times, these headaches can be a byproduct of whiplash, neck injury or muscle trauma due to poor prolonged posture or even stress. This type of headache can produce soreness and pain in any of the following locations: base of the skull, above the ears, in the temples, or above the eyes. People often blame this type of a headache on their sinuses. Although one might feel the pain in one or more of these locations, the headache is actually caused by a problem in the neck.

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If we first look at the commonalities between migraines and the most common kind of a headache, cervicogenic headaches, we can then discuss the unique symptoms. Men and women alike can experience these types of headaches. Both migraines and cervicogenic headache sufferers complain of various symptoms ranging from pain, head throbbing, nausea, phonophobia (sensitivity to sound), and photophobia (sensitivity to light). Often the symptoms of cervicogenic headaches are confused with migraine headaches.

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How can we help eliminate or decrease headaches?

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Chiropractic treatment has been shown effective in the treatment of headaches! There are numerous research studies that prove that chiropractic care is a safe and effective way to treat both cervicogenic and migraine headaches without drugs.

According to the American Chiropractic Association, 14% of the public who see chiropractors presently go for headaches. Most people have dramatic results and become completely headache free. Some migraine sufferers find complete relief. Researchers at Northwestern College of Chiropractic in Minnesota, compared chiropractic care to certain drug therapies used for tension and migraine headaches.

The study, published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, followed 218 headache sufferers who were given either chiropractic care or drug therapy or both. The pain was reduced 40 – 50% in all groups initially. However, four weeks after all care was stopped, only the chiropractic group still retained the benefits, while those who received the drug therapy lost about half of their improvement.

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What can I do to ease my headaches?

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It depends on the individual. After performing a thorough examination and looking at x-rays, it is possible to determine what treatment need to be performed. Many times, treatment is a combination of chiropractic and home care, without the use of drugs, to help prolong the beneficial effects of the chiropractic adjustments and keep the headaches from coming back as often or at all.

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Are Chiropractors real doctors?

A chiropractic college grants a D.C. or Doctorate of Chiropractic degree. Chiropractors are licensed as health care providers in every U.S. state and dozens of countries around the world. The chiropractic, and medical school curricula are extremely rigorous and virtually identical. In fact, chiropractors have more hours of classroom education than their medical counterparts.

 

As part of their education, chiropractic students also complete a residency working with real patients in a clinical setting, supervised by licensed doctors of chiropractic. Once chiropractic students graduate, they have to pass four sets of national board exams as well as state board exams in the states where they want to practice.

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Just like medical doctors, chiropractors are professionals that are subject to the same type of testing procedures, licensing and monitoring by state and national peer-reviewed boards. Federal and state programs, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and Workers’ Compensations programs cover chiropractic care, and all federal agencies accept sick-leave certificates signed by doctors of chiropractic. Chiropractors are also commissioned as officers in the military.

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The biggest difference between chiropractors and medical doctors lies not in their level of education, but in their preferred method of caring for people. Medical doctors are trained in the use of medicines (chemicals that affect your internal biochemistry) and surgery. While the practice of chiropractic health care is working to solve the root cause of the health issue with out the use of drugs and surgery. 

 

However, if your problem is that your spine is misaligned or you have soft tissue damage causing pain, there is no chemical in existence that can fix it. You need a physical solution to correct a physical problem. That is where chiropractic really shines. Chiropractors provide physical solutions — adjustments, exercises, stretches, muscle therapy — to help the body heal from conditions that are physical in origins, such as back pain, muscle spasms, headaches, and poor posture. Another distinction is the fact that it is completely appropriate to receive chiropractic care even if you do not have symptoms.

 

Unlike standard medical doctors, whom you visit when you have a symptom to be treated, chiropractors offer solutions to health issues in the form of determining the root cause of that symptom or the overall decline of how you are feeling and functioning.  The restoration of function and health is done testing your physiology and determining where specific corrections and adjustments can be delivered to improve spinal alignment and overall function and well-being 

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Do I have to go to the chiropractor my entire life?

This statement comes up frequently when the topic of chiropractic is discussed. It is only partially true. You only have to continue going to the chiropractor as long as you wish to maintain the health of your neuro-musculoskeletal system.

 

Going to a chiropractor is much like going to the dentist, exercising at a gym, or eating a healthy diet: As long as you keep it up, you continue to enjoy the benefits.

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Many years ago, dentists worked hard to train everyone that the best time to go to the dentist is before your teeth hurt,  and that routine dental care will help your teeth remain healthy for a long time.

 

The same is true of chiropractic care for your spine. It is important to remember that, just like your teeth, your spine experiences normal wear and tear as you walk, drive, sit, lift, sleep, and bend.

 

Routine chiropractic care can help you function and feel better, move with more freedom, and stay healthier throughout your lifetime. Although you can enjoy the benefits of chiropractic care even if you receive care for a short time, the real benefits come into play when you make chiropractic care a part of your wellness lifestyle.