Total Care Injury and Pain Centers

Fibromyalgia can create many challenges for a person suffering with this disorder. The challenges often go well beyond the typical characteristic of chronic pain. Suffering from chronic pain alone can be debilitating. For a fibromyalgia sufferer just trying to explain all of their locations of pain is often confusing to their doctor and to complicate matters they will typically end up with multiple doctors. Family physicians, internists, endocrinologists, and even pain management specialists and rheumatologists often have great difficulty in comprehending the full extent of fibromyalgia and the serious health and well-being issues that are caused by the disorder.

Persons with fibromyalgia have so many symptoms that an uninformed physician may find it easier to refer such patients to a psychologist or psychiatrist but the physical symptoms of fibromyalgia are real. The sufferers have widespread pain on a chronic basis. Additional symptoms include fatigue, sleep disturbances, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, joint stiffness, and cognitive dysfunction (brain fog). Depression is also common in those with fibromyalgia as it becomes difficult for them to see an end to their pain.

Fibromyalgia is notoriously difficult to treat because even gentle treatment can result in very significant changes. Quite often fibromyalgia sufferers are using multiple medications, prescribed by multiple specialists attempting to combat the problems that fall within their particular branch of medicine – pain management, rheumatology, and psychology/psychiatry. Unfortunately, even trying to comprehend the various interactions between these medications is mind boggling.

Despite seeing a variety of specialists and taking the variety of medications they have been provided, most fibromyalgia patients tend not to show signs of improvement. Depression and chronic pain can take a profound toll as their daily living becomes quite burdensome. Many fibromyalgia sufferers give up hoping for even a partial solution.

Attempting to address fibromyalgia by treating the various symptoms will almost always fail. To date the exact physiologic causes of the disorder is classified as unknown. However, many holistic approaches have offered a greater likelihood of success. Multidisciplinary approaches to treatment are often needed to impact this type of systems-wide disorder. Many fibromyalgia sufferers have reported great responses to chiropractic care. Chiropractic care combined with nutritional recommendations designed to help the patient get back to normal levels of physical activity has offered some of the most consistent relief. Because many fibromyalgia sufferers are significantly delayed in getting on the road to recovery they may also require some psychological counseling or support to help them regain their confidence and to stay positive while in a program of care.

When the physiologic cause for a condition is unknown it is virtually impossible to identify a cure. However, adding activities to your lifestyle that are known to improve health and well-being can be beneficial regardless of the health condition from which you are afflicted. Improving your diet, improving your movement, improving your posture, and improving your hydration all have been shown to be beneficial for your health regardless of your current health condition.

We are always available to answer questions and to see if we can help. Give our office a call today.

Have you ever woken up after a full night?s sleep and felt more exhausted than when you went to bed? Of course you have, but what is the difference between good sleep and bad sleep? The difference is in our sleep cycle and most importantly about the REM our brain was able to experience during this time.

What is REM?

REM or Rapid Eye Movement is one the two main cycles in our sleep. During REM sleep our voluntary muscle groups become temporarily paralyzed by the base of the brain. By turning off the neurons in our spinal cord we do not actively act out the dreams that we are experiencing.

It was first given this name by scientists who noted the rapid, jerky movements of the eyes through closed lids, as if the persons asleep were seeing something. When an electroencephalogram (EEG) was attached to volunteers in a sleep study, it showed that the levels of brain activity were nearly identical to those who were awake. They also noted an increase in heart rate and breaths per minute.

While we sleep we cycle between REM and non REM with four stages of NREM sleep preceding one stage of REM. NREM sleep is the stage at which our body repairs itself, energy is replenished and our immune system is boosted. A complete cycle of sleep takes between 90 and 110 minutes in total, with approximately a quarter of that time being spent in REM sleep. It is also the stage during which dreaming almost always takes place. Scientists are still trying to discover the extent to which REM sleep affects our health and mental well-being, but they do know that REM sleep is important for the development of creativity and problem solving ability, and is how we learn to adapt to our world.

Age Difference

The percentage of time spent in REM sleep is the greatest among babies and children. Babies can spend as much as 50% of their sleep time in the REM stage. And while it has been thought that the dreams we experience during REM sleep are a consolidation of the memories that we have experienced during the previous day, babies in the womb (who experts believe have few or no real world memories) spend most of their sleep time in a state of REM.
Although we are still unclear of its true dynamics, a Professor of Psychiatry Emeritus at Harvard University, J. Allan Hobson, says the purpose of REM sleep is: ?A reinforcement of basic knowledge?knowledge that precedes any waking-state learning: how to be a person, how to be an ego, how to exist in a space, how to move in a space, how to feel. It?s not environmental memory; it?s genetic memory.?

Whether you are a competitive athlete in training or a person who just wants to keep fit by visiting the gym frequently, protecting your back and spine from injuries during workouts is not only the most important but your first priority. Studies found that after injuries to the hand, injuries to areas ranging from the neck to the lower back were the most common type of gym-related injuries.

Life Before the Gym

Today back injuries are the most common due to the repetitive actions that we due on a daily basis. Our lives most often consist of sitting at a desk hunched over a computer or sitting for long periods in cars or planes. These daily repetitive activities done over an extended period of time not only place a daily strain on the back but due to muscle core memory, it recreates a new posture and spinal alignment. Specialists in fitness find that when a person?s posture is rounded throughout the day in their upper back, and then they go to the gym and do an overhead shoulder lift standing, their upper back cannot extend properly. They straighten and arch upward from their lower back, which is then overloaded due to the extra stress that is placed on those discs.

Suggestions for Success

No matter what your career entails, spinal specialists and trainers alike suggest that in order to avoid injury you consider getting a qualified person who can show you the proper way of performing exercises and using the gym equipment effectively.

The most important way to maintain good spinal health is to strengthen your core muscles. These are the muscles that lend strength and support to the spine, and which tend to become weakened with the long periods of sitting.
Following are a few tips on how to use proper form when exercising or lifting weights in the gym.

• Tighten your bum ? When performing a squat, deadlift, or during pushups, be sure to squeeze the muscles in your gluteus. This ensures that the muscles connecting your lumbar and sacral areas are locked so your hips and lower back move as a single unit. Otherwise there is a tendency for the lower back to curve, with the vertebral discs being exposed to more stress than they are designed to handle.
• Tighten your abs ? To keep your spine from arching too much in either direction, tighten your abdominal muscles like you are preparing to be punched in the stomach. This will provide stability to the spine as you bend and lift.
• Pull your shoulders down and back ? Consciously push your shoulders back and down. You should feel the muscles between your shoulder blades tighten. Practice in the mirror and to better visualize the proper position of your spine.
• Enjoy!! Most of all embrace the power of a better healthier you.

Scoliosis, an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine, primarily affects girls between the ages of 8 and 18. It will often onset with what appears to be a postural distortion: one shoulder higher than the other or the torso shifted or twisted to one side. However, if it is allowed to advance it can become a permanent deformity and may interfere with the function of vital organs such as the lungs and heart.

The Three Reported Causes of Scoliosis

1. Congenital: if multiple family members are affected this is often time attributed to a genetic predisposition
2. Habitual: taking part in activities that are asymetrical such as carrying a school bag on one shoulder.
3. Idiopathic: When the doctors shrug their shoulders and say, “We have no idea!” This literally means the cause is unknown.

Regardless of what the cause may be the sooner it is identified the more likely a solution or plan for managing the condition can be implemented the better the long term outcome will be.

The Obvious Warnings

As humans when we look at one another we most often focus on the features of the face. This is also true when we look at ourselves in the mirror. It is very important as a parent to also be alert to your childrens posture. Some of the most obvious postural warnings to see include: their head tilting to one side consistently, a high shoulder or low hip may make clothes fit improperly or uneven tread wearing on the soles of the shoes. Teens that report regular bouts of back and leg pain should never be dismissed as “growing pains” as this can also be an early warning sign.

What are the Options if Your Child has Scoliosis?

Most parent start by using the “wait and see what happens” approach. With many health conditions such as a cold or a flu this can be the best approach. However, if the type of scoliosis a child has is progressive allowing it to “run its course” will simply allow the condition to worsen. In severe cases this could ultimately lead to unsightly bracing or even surgery that attaches steel rods to the spine to force it into a straighter position.

Chiropracic: The Natural Approach

A schedule of specific chiropractic adjustments combined with exercises designed to improve posture may help to improve the function and structure of the spine. Improving the strength and condition of the postural muscles may improve the overall condition of the spine. Bring your child in so we can discuss your concerns and explore the possibilities.

FAQs on Scoliosis:

Isn?t a certain amount of sideways curvature normal?

Any sideways curvature of the spine is considered abnormal. From the back or front, the spine should appear straight and be centered and balanced. When scoliosis is present, there are usually two curves. A primary curve in one direction and a compensatory curve in the opposite direction.

Is scoliosis related to a calcium deficiency?

No. However, there are a growing number of people who believe uncorrected spinal damage from the birth process may be involved while others theorize that ?early walkers? may prematurely interrupt the crawling stage that is essential for proper spinal development.

Can heavy backpacks or school bags cause scoliosis?

This is a significant concern for many parents. However, there is very little evidence that would suggest that the heavy bags would be the cause of scoliosis but it may be a contributing factor to the progression of the condition. Be sure that your children use both shoulder straps on their back-packs so the weight is evenly distributed. Weigh their bag and avoid it exceed 10% -15% of their body weight.

Over the last few decades the number of total hip and knee replacement surgeries have been rising at an alarming rate. In the United States for total hip and replacement surgeries have increased more than 50% and 170%, respectively. Europe is also seeing similar rises for these procedures with some the northern European countries reporting rises of between 170% and 500% over the last decade alone.

Many suggest that these rises are primarily related to the increase age of our population combined with accessibility and advancement of surgical procedures. Of course, for those with unrelenting, daily pain these radical surgeries can appear to be a blessing. However with the level of risk associated to the procedures themselves combined with the fact that the occurrence of nosocomial infections is continuing to rise it is important that we start taking actions today to help prevent these types of surgeries from continuing to rise in popularity. By far the best way forward are the old reliable: regular exercise, as vigorous as is reasonably possible; a healthy diet containing plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables; and sufficient rest on as consistent basis as possible. Regular chiropractic care is also a key component of helping to keep your weight bearing joints in peak condition.

Most replacement surgeries are done when patient reaches the point of severe and unrelenting pain caused by degenerative joint disease, which is also called osteoarthritis. The hips, knees, and ankles are all weight bearing joints. These joints are big and strong and have many surfaces on which to distribute the substantial mechanical loads which are placed on them throughout the day. Unfortunately, these joints may not last forever and similar to many living systems when their age starts show they begin breaking down. If this breaking down process progresses the joint can become necrotic at which point a replacement is almost inevitable. However, there is significant research to suggest that this breaking down process can at the very least be slowed down and in many cases it can actually be reversed through restoring normal movement to the joint and then through using regular exercise.

Chronic poor posture is a significant factor that results in abnormal movement patterns in these large joints and leaves them susceptible to degeneration. Unfortunately, our body doesn’t come with an instruction manual. So as time goes on, the inefficient habits we develop as children and teenagers can become permanent. People slouch, they let their abdominal muscles sag, they stand with all their weight on one leg, and their heads stick out in front rather than being centered over their chests. One result is chronically tight and painful neck, shoulder, and lower back muscles. Another result is chronically uneven distribution of the weight of the body, ultimately causing restricted movement and degeneration of hips and knees.

Poor dietary habits can also be a significant factor. These large joints actually produce their own lubricating fluid, however certain dietary deficiency can result in key nutrients not being available and thus poor production of the lubricating fluids. Lack of proper joint lubrication leads to osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis leads to pain when used for exercise. Lack of regular exercise inhibits normal joint motion and normal joint nutrition and lubrication, leading to the development of degenerative joint disease. When you add up faulty biomechanics, lack of a healthy diet, and lack of proper exercise, the result is a prescription for chronic hip and knee problems.

The best time to start addressing these issues when you’re young and have healthy joints to work with. As they say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That doesn’t mean that you can’t get started at any age because you can. It simply means that starting healthy habits in your lifestyle is easier to achieve when you are young. When you are 9 or 90 the best time to begin making healthful changes is right now. Chiropractic care directly helps improve a person’s biomechanics and posture. Chiropractic care also helps the body to adapt and recover faster when starting a new exercise program. Chiropractic care helps the body make the best possible use of the good food they’re beginning to eat.

For most of us, the best way to prevent the need for a hip or knee replacement is to take consistent, healthy actions on our own behalf. If a hip or knee replacement turns out to be the way to go, all of these healthy actions will help ensure a quick recovery and continued good health from this point onward.

Today most people know that they ?should? be doing regular exercise. However, for the vast majority it has been so many years, if ever, since they did regular exercise that they don?t even know where to begin. This tends to result in an inevitable merry-go-round of various training programs and routines. You probably know exactly what I mean. You join a gym or buy some home gym equipment, then go out and buy some workout clothes so that you will look good during you workout. Now that you’ve spent your hard earned money you are expecting to see some results. You’ve committed to do this new program and a few weeks later you realize that you haven’t worked out in a couple weeks, so you get re-committed and the whole process repeats. Ultimately you never had sufficient follow through to see measurable results. The simple fact that you didn’t get to the measurable result tends to lead to to a variety of undesirable effects: giving up, stress, binge eating, and general self loathing (I hate myself!!).

The fact is that you did get a measurable result – you were just measuring the wrong things: New Membership, New Clothes and New Equipment. Of course, that wasn’t what you had intended but in today’s culture we have a tendency to throw money at things in an effort to buy a solution. Unfortunately it doesn’t really matter how much money you throw at your fitness – it’s tough to buy regular exercise. That doesn’t mean that you can’t make the experience more pleasant by buying a few comforts but the first thing that should be on your to do list is a commitment to what you want to achieve with your regular exercise, in what time frame you want to achieve this goal, how you benefit by achiving this goal and an action plan. You can get very specific on this point.

What Does Your Goal Look Like?

My Regular Exercise Goal: Walk Continuously for 30 minutes 4 days per week
Time Frame to Achieve My Goal: 6 weeks (this is a good time frame to start with)
Benefits from Achieving My Goal: Increase Cardiovascular Fitness, Improved Sleep, Lower Stress and More Life
Action Plan: Walk Continuously for 5 minutes 4 days per week and increase by 5 minutes each week.

Learning to Leverage Yourself

Now it’s time to leverage yourself to ensure that you actually achieve your goal. Decide on a reward that you will give yourself for achieving it. Don’t go over the top on your first goal but it should definitely be something that you really want.

Reward for Achieving My Goal: 2 hour Full Body Spa Treatment

Don’t wait until you achieve your goal to buy the reward – go out and buy it now! This is the best way to spend money on achieving better fitness; on a reward for doing it.

Now the last and most important step to really leverage yourself. Call someone that knows you have been struggling with your exercise and let them know what your goal is and that you have already bought your reward. Tell them that you are so committed to achieving this goal that if you don’t do it that you will be giving them your “reward”! This works even better if you would hate to give this person your reward.

We All Love to be the Winner

As small children we were well conditioned to work hard toward a goal when there was a perceived reward for achieving the goal. We also understood that if we didn’t win that someone else would get the reward for winning. For the vast majority of us that desire to achieve the goal and to get the reward is still present. Learning how to access this built in desire to achieve the goal and reward as part of your regular exercise program can help to get you off of the merry-go-round. The trouble with regular exercise is that we very often can’t perceive the goal or reward and as a result we have a hard time understanding why we are continuing to do this regular exercise. By building in your own goals and reward system I can promise that your commitment to achieve your goals will be much more sustainable.

Once you achieve your first goal and receive that reward be sure to celebrate it because you are in the “Winner’s Circle”! Then turn around and set your next goal. Initially you will want to keep your goals simple to achieve so that you can be the winner again and again. Keep your time frames beteen 4 and 6 weeks so that you can maintain your intensity for achieving the goal. Make each successive goal a bit more difficult but still attainable and one goal at at time you will see your level of fitness continuing to improve.

Is Walking Really Beneficial to My Health?

Remember that general exercise is a key factor in maintaining overall health and well being. If you?re committed to the long-term health and well-being for yourself and your family, regular exercise is essential. Starting with walking as your form of regular exercise is one of the best possible choices. Walking avoids the vast majority of pitfalls associated with other types of exercise. Walking is low-impact, requires minimal equipment, and no gym memberships. Walking can be done outside in the fresh air and sunshine which provides many additional benefits beyond those gained from the exercise itself.

Starting slowly is the main consideration. If you haven?t done any vigorous physical activity for months or years, 5-10 minutes of walking at a modest pace should be sufficient for your first day of walking. 3-5 minutes out and 3-5 minutes back. Make 10 minutes your limit even if that amount feels like it is too little. It?s always better to start with less exercise and gradually increase over time than to start with too much and suffer from muscular soreness or injury. Adding approximately a minute eacj day, until you?re doing a thirty minute walk at a modest pace. With this quantity of comfortable walking, you can now begin to increase your pace. Ultimately, 30 minutes of walking at a brisk pace will provide sufficient health benefits for most people, based on 4 to 5 walking sessions per week.

Consistent regular exercise can help to lower blood pressure, prevent heart disease, reduce the incidence of stroke, reduce the incidence of diabetes and obesity, and it can even improve the outcomes of patients receiving cancer treatment. Walking for exercise is an efficient, enjoyable, and easy way to enable you and your family to begin obtaining these long term health benefits.

Most people that have experienced this painful condition will call it a “pinched nerve”, exclaiming, “it feels like I’ve pinched a nerve“. However, the majority of the time there’s a bit more going on!

Between each of the bones of the spine there are a pair of openings, which are individually called the intervertebral foramen or neural foramen. That’s Latin for a hole or opening between the bones of the spine or an opening for a nerve, respectively. This hole between the bones of the spine is where the nerves exit from the spine to form the connection between our brain and all of the other parts of our body.

This nerve opening along your spine must be kept open to maintain proper communication between your brain and your body. Think about it this way. Do you remember the last time your internet connection was down? That can be pretty frustrating. You have important work to get done or a message that you need to pass along but you are disconnected. Well when these nerve openings between the bones of the spine are closed off your brain and your bodies “internet connection” is down and they can’t properly communicate.

There are 24 movable bones in your spine that are designed to protect your spinal cord and the nerves of the spine while at the same time allowing you to have the freedom of normal movement: twisting, turning, flexing and extending. The spinal nerves exit from the spine in pairs, one on each side. Inside of the spinal column the nerves are connected to the spinal cord in a very organize way. Each segment or level of the spinal cord where a nerve connects services specific organs and tissues of your body. When a neural foramen (nerve opening) is blocked or obstructed, even slightly, your brain can’t do it’s job of controlling and regulating the functions of your body properly.

When a spinal bone is malpositioned or doesn’t move the way that it should this can encroach or close down these important nerve openings resulting in either a pinched nerve or an irritated nerve. In either case most people will refer to this as a “pinched nerve”.

The Two Types:

• Compression lesion: This is the fancy name for a pinched nerve. What is surprising to most people is that this specific problem is actually quite rare.
• Facilitated lesion: This is when the nerve root is over stretched or if the muscle or other connective tissues in close proximity to the nerve become inflamed or injured. When this happens the nerve becomes super sensitized. Imagine that someone or something has been bothering or aggravating you all day long and your at the point where any little thing could just make you scream. That is a “Facilitated lesion”.

Pain Spasm Pain: The Vicious Loop

A facilitated lesion most often starts as a painless process where the body is trying to protect an area that has a mild injury. Maybe you over stretched while lifting something our of your car or twisted yourself while reaching for something under your desk. Initially, you may not feel any pain. However, the area of the spine that has been mildly injured will become tight to restrict the normal movement of the area in an effort to protect it so that it can be repaired. Unfortunately, because we may not realize there is an injury we continue on with our normal activities and the simple fact that we continue to move and use the area allows it to become more and more aggravated until we reach the point that any little thing will cause it to scream. At the point where we reach “pain” the protective reaction of the body becomes stronger and muscle tension becomes muscle spasm. The muscle spasm further aggravates an area which is already facilitated, which in turn causes more pain and the cycle pain spasm pain repeats and repeats.

Remember that bones are a static structure of the body. Bones don’t move on their own – they must be moved by a muscle. Similarly, muscles don’t move the bones of our body unless they are given the signal to do so by our nervous system. In the pain spasm pain loop the facilitated nerve is almost always the culprit. Our job is to locate these areas of your spine and help to bring things back into balance.

A Specific Nudge

A chiropractic examination is designed to helps us identify areas of your spine where the spinal bones and joints are malpositioned or not moving properly as these are often times the cause of a facilitated lesion. Then, through a specific little nudge called a chiropractic adjustment we help your body to ?right itself? thus allowing the nerve irritation to be reduced.

Chiropractic care is a natural way to restore and maintain the normal function of your spine and nervous system. Abnormal spine and nervous system function can lead to a variety of health problems. Chiropractors regularly help patients to recover from health concerns that on the surface appear unrelated to a problem in their spine. Remember spinal dysfunction leads to nervous system dysfunction which in turn causes health problems. Chiropractors help spinal function which helps nervous system function which leads to improved health.

Give us a call today to find out how chiropractic care can help.

FAQs on Pinched Nerves:

How long does it take for nerve irritation to reduce?

There are many factors that help to determine how long the healing process will be. For some pain relief may be instantaneous. While for others it can take many weeks or even months. The biggest factors that affect the healing process include: how long have you had your problem, are you following your treatment schedule, are you getting the proper rest, hydration and nutrition, do you smoke, are you in otherwise in good health? Most patients will experience a sense of good progress while they are following our recommendations. We will do our best to provide you with a good estimate of how long your healing time may be.

My friend/co-worker/family member only needed one visit?

It is true that a single visit can sometimes produce amazing pain relief. However, this type of result is relatively rare and is most often short lived. If the underlying muscles and supportive tissues of the spine are not strengthened and reconditioned, a relapse or worsening of the condition can often occur. Clinical experience demonstrates that the majority of adult patients starting chiropractic care today will have significant levels of damage and adaptive changes to the bones, joints, muscles and other supportive structures of the spine. This leaves a spine in a state where it is easily injured from normal day to day activities and less likely to recover from injury without treatment. A single ?miracle? adjustment may offer significant relief it rarely if ever produces permanent positive changes to the function of the spine.

Your sciatic nerve is the longest and widest nerve in your body, and runs from the lower back, down through the buttock, and all the way into the lower leg, where it controls the muscles in that area. It also provides sensation to the thighs, legs, and the soles of the feet. When the sciatic nerve becomes irritated for some reason and causes pain, this pain is known as sciatica. Sciatica refers to the various symptoms associated with the irritation, and does not give any indication as to the root cause of the irritation.

Much of the low-back and leg pain reported is sciatic pain, and it is most evident in the age bracket of 30 to 50 years old. It is more commonly a result of general wear and tear, rather than an injury.

Symptoms of sciatica

The most obvious giveaway that you are suffering sciatic pain is when it follows the route of the sciatic nerve, as previously described, and is typically apparent only on one side of the body. However, there are variations in how exactly that pain is felt, including tingling, aching or burning. It depends on where the sciatic nerve is being affected. Some patients may also feel pins-and-needles in the toes or foot, or muscle numbness/weakness in the affected leg or foot

More often than not, sciatica first manifests slowly, then increases in intensity, often being accentuated after sitting or bending, or sudden movements such as sneezing or coughing.

Diagnosis of sciatica

This starts with your doctor of chiropractic taking a complete patient history. Your descriptions of where the pain is, how it is felt, when it began, and which activities cause you most pain, are all important in helping to form a diagnosis. It is also necessary to undergo a physical and neurological examination, with a particular focus on your spine and legs. Your ability to perform certain activities will be monitored to assess your sensory strength, muscle strength, and reflexes, and any pain resulting from these activities.

Diagnostic imaging, such as x-ray, MRI, or CT scan may be ordered by your doctor of chiropractic if it is felt there may be more at play, such as a serious underlying problem. This may happen if there is no improvement in symptoms following 6 to 8 weeks of conservative treatment.

Treatment options for sciatica

Conservative care, including chiropractic treatment, is a very effective solution for most people suffering sciatic pain. As there is an array of possible causes of sciatica, treatment plans will be individually tailored depending on what your chiropractor finds in your particular case. When we talk about ?conservative?, it refers to the absence of surgical procedures or medication. Instead, chiropractic seeks to rectify spinal problems, thus restore spinal movement and reduce the inflammation that?s causing the sciatica. Treatment may include spinal manipulation and adjustments, the application of ice/heat therapy, ultrasound, use of a TENS machine, and rehabilitative exercises.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure

To protect your back, improve your spinal health, and guard as best you can against sciatica developing in the first place, follow these tips:

• Follow a healthy diet
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Exercise regularly
• Practice proper posture
• Avoid too much inactivity or bed rest
• Quit smoking
• Lift things safely, using good body mechanics

Mechanical stress over the years of our life is often considered as a primary contributor to the deterioration of joints, ligaments, and tendons. Commonly known as arthritis or osteoarthritis it primarily affects the larger joints of the body such as the hips, knees and the lumbar spine. The shoulder is also prone to undergoing arthritic change primarily due to its level of mobility. The trade off of having tremendous mobility in the shoulder under normal circumstances is a joint with inherent instability. This leave us prone to mild injuries because in the shoulder we sacrifice stability for mobility. With each subsequent mild injury to the shoulder joint our body adds more and more scar tissue in an effort to stabilize the shoulder and over time this can lead to a more serious chronic pain syndrome.

What’s Involved in Chronic Shoulder Problems?

Chronic pain of the shoulder typically involves a small group of shoulder stabilizing muscules known collectively as the rotator cuff. The four rotator cuff muscles attach themselves between the scapula (shoulder blade) at the back and from under the chest muscles at the front out to the tip of the shoulder. The names of the rotator cuff muscles are the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, subscapularis, and teres minor. As the rotator cuff muscles attach to the head of the humorous (arm bone) they form a broad tendonous sheath which is designed to support and strengthen the shoulder joint. However, the shoulder’s inherent mobility causes the soft tissues of the rotator cuff to undergo repetitive stress and strain. Each repetitive mild injury to the shoulder joint cause the body to infiltrate these soft connective tissue with more dense fibrous tissue (scar tissue) in an attempt to further stabilize the joint. As more and more scar tissue accumulates in the shoulder joint this can lead to adhesive capsulitis also known as frozen shoulder. This is the result of degenerative changes affecting the bursa (small bag of water which lubricates the shoulder joint) which can cause it to become inflamed (bursitis) with normal movement, leading to the two prominent symptoms of pain and restricted range of motion.

What are the Traditional Treatments for Chronic Shoulder Pain?

There is an orthopedic sub-specialty which focuses on treatment of chronic shoulder pain. Their primary treatment methodologies include long-term use of anti-inflammatory medication, corticosteroid injections if the medications don’t provide relief, and often times surgery to repair tears in the various rotator cuff tendons. Secondary surgeries known as “revision” surgery is commonly performed if the initial surgery is unsuccessful.

Can Chronic Shoulder Pain be Treated without Drugs and Surgery?

There is good news. In many cases, a more natural approach is possible, which focuses on utilizes the body’s natural recuperative ability. For many, chronic shoulder pain can be reduced and mobility can be improved through rehabilitative exercises and other activities. The objective of rehabilitative exercises is to increase the range of motion and flexibility while improving shoulder strength. The most frequent result is a reduction in the intensity and frequency of shoulder pain.

How Long will it Take to Recover?

Chronic injuries almost always require a long-term approach to treatment. It’s important to remember that the problem developed over time and will not be fixed in a matter of days or weeks. Progress can often happen in the short term where the pain can even disappear at times. However, consistent results in alleviating chronic shoulder pain requires an ongoing treatment plan.

Adding the rehabilitative activities as part of your daily routine is critically important. Chiropractic care can be of great benefit in getting the most from your exercise program. Regular chiropractic care improves mobility in your spine and reduces nerve irritation which may cause tight, inflamed muscles. The result is a body that is optimized for good health and full function. By enabling maximum spinal mobility and maximum function of your nerves, regular chiropractic care helps maximize your body’s ability to recover from pain and chronic injuries.

What Else Can I do to Speed My Recovery?

Adding an overall strength training program to your lifestyle is an important approach to managing chronic shoulder pain. Strength training should be done gradually but progressively, starting with light weights and low repetitions and building up repetitions over time before adding more weights. There are many exercises which can benefit the shoulder: seated press (dumbbell or barbell), lateral raises (dumbbell or cable), rows (seated or bent over), and internal and external rotation exercises done with light dumbbells on a flat bench. If you have had an acute shoulder injury you should start with simple rehabilitation exercises before preceding to rehabilitative strength training. Early rehabilitation includes pendulum exercises and finger-walking up a wall in both forward-facing and side positions.

Chiropractors are trained in injury rehabilitation and can help design an effective flexibility and strengthening program for improving shoulder function. If you are currently suffering from an acute or chronic shoulder injury give our office a call today to find out how we can help.

Traveling can be rough on the body. Whether you are traveling alone on business or on your way to a sunny resort with your family, long hours in a car or an airplane can leave you stressed, tired, stiff and sore.

“Prolonged sitting can wreak havoc on your body,” says Dr. Scott Bautch, a member of the American Chiropractic Association’s (ACA) Council on Occupational Health. “Even if you travel in the most comfortable car or opt to fly first class, certain pressures and forces from awkward positions can result in restricted blood flow. One of the biggest insults to your system from prolonged sitting is the buildup of pressure in the blood vessels in your lower legs. Contracting and relaxing the muscles helps the blood flow properly.”

Use the following to help fight the pains and strains of travel before they occur.

Warm Up, Cool Down

Treat travel as an athletic event. Warm up before settling into a car or plane, and cool down once you reach your destination. Take a brisk walk to stretch your hamstring and calf muscles.

In the Car:

• Adjust the seat so you are as close to the steering wheel as comfortably possible. Your knees should be slightly higher than your hips. Place four fingers behind the back of your thigh closest to your knee. If you cannot easily slide your fingers in and out of that space, you need to re-adjust your seat.
• Consider a back support. Using a support behind your back may reduce the risk of low-back strain, pain or injury. The widest part of the support should be between the bottom of your rib cage and your waistline.
• Exercise your legs while driving to reduce the risk of any swelling, fatigue or discomfort. Open your toes as wide as you can, and count to 10. Count to five while you tighten your calf muscles, then your thigh muscles, then your gluteal muscles. Roll your shoulders forward and back, making sure to keep your hands on the steering wheel and your eyes on the road.
• To minimize arm and hand tension while driving, hold the steering wheel at approximately 3 o’clock and 7 o’clock, periodically switching to 10 o’clock and 5 o’clock.
• Do not grip the steering wheel. Instead, tighten and loosen your grip to improve hand circulation and decrease muscle fatigue in the arms, wrists and hands.
• While always being careful to keep your eyes on the road, vary your focal point while driving to reduce the risk of eye fatigue and tension headaches.
• Take rest breaks. Never underestimate the potential consequences of fatigue to yourself, your passengers and other drivers.

In an Airplane:

• Stand up straight and feel the normal “S” curve of your spine. Then use rolled-up pillows or blankets to maintain that curve when you sit in your seat. Tuck a pillow behind your back and just above the belt line and lay another pillow across the gap between your neck and the headrest. If the seat is hollowed from wear, use folded blankets to raise your buttocks a little.
• Check all bags heavier than 5-10 percent of your body weight. Overhead lifting of any significant amount of weight should be avoided to reduce the risk of pain in the lower back or neck. While lifting your bags, stand right in front of the overhead compartment so the spine is not rotated. Do not lift your bags over your head, or turn or twist your head and neck in the process.
• When stowing belongings under the seat, do not force the object with an awkward motion using your legs, feet or arms. This may cause muscle strain or spasms in the upper thighs and lower back muscles. Instead, sit in your seat first, and using your hands and feet, gently guide your bags under the seat directly in front of you.
• While seated, vary your position occasionally to improve circulation and avoid leg cramps. Massage legs and calves. Bring your legs in, and move your knees up and down. Prop your legs up on a book or a bag under your seat.
• Do not sit directly under the air controls. The draft can increase tension in your neck and shoulder muscles.

Safe Travel For Children:

• Always use a car seat in a car when traveling with children below the age of 4 and weighing less than 40 pounds.
• Ask the airline for their policy on child car seat safety. Car seats for infants and toddlers provide added resistance to turbulent skies, and are safer than the lap of a parent in the event of an unfortunate accident.
• Make sure the car seat is appropriate for the age and size of the child. A newborn infant requires a different seat than a 3-year-old toddler.
• Car seats for infants should always face the rear. In this position, the forces and impact of a crash will be spread more evenly along the back and shoulders, providing more protection for the neck.
• Car seats should always be placed in the back seat of the car-ideally in the center. This is especially important in cars equipped with air bags. If an air bag becomes deployed, the force could seriously injure or kill a child or infant placed in the front seat.
• Make sure the car seat is properly secured to the seat of the vehicle and is placed at a 45-degree angle to support the head of the infant or child.

Chiropractic Care Can Help…

If you follow these simple tips, you can enjoy pain-free, safe travel. If you do experience pain and stress on your back, doctors of chiropractic are trained and licensed to diagnose and treat problems of the spine and nervous system.