Chiropractic – “Only Proven Effective Treatment” for Chronic Whiplash

You might have wondered, “who should I go to for treatment of my whiplash problem?”  You have many choices available in healthcare ranging from drug related approaches such as narcotic medications to natural forms of treatment such as chiropractic, exercise, and physical therapy.  Trying to figure out which approach would best serve your needs can be challenging.  To help answer this question, one study reported the superiority of chiropractic management for patients with chronic whiplash.  It also looked into which type of chronic whiplash patients responded best to the care.

The research paper begins with the comment from a leading orthopedic medical journal stating, “Conventional treatment of patients with whiplash symptoms is disappointing.”

In the study, there were 93 patients divided into three groups consisting of:

1) Group 1: Patients with a “coat-hanger” pain distribution (neck and upper shoulders) and loss of neck range of motion (ROM), but no neurological deficits;

2) Group 2: Patients with neurological problems (arm/hand numbness and/or weakness) plus neck pain and ROM loss; and,

3) Group 3: Patients that reported severe neck pain but had normal neck ROM and no neurological losses.

The average time from injury to first treatment was 12 months and an average of 19 treatments over a 4 month time frame was utilized.  The patients were graded on a 4-point scale that described their symptoms before and after treatment.

Grade A patients were pain free;

Grade B patients reported their pain as a “nuisance;”

Grade C patients had partial activity limitations due to pain; and

Grade D patients were disabled.

Here are the results:

Group 1: 72% reported improvement as follows: 24% were asymptomatic, 24% improved by 2 grades, 24% by 1 grade, and 28% reported no improvement.

Group 2: 94% reported improvement as follows: 38% were asymptomatic, 43% improved by 2 grades, 13% by 1 grade, and 6% had no improvement.

Group 3: 27% reported improvement as follows: 0% were asymptomatic, 9% improved by 2 grades, 18% by 1 grade, 64% showed no improvement, and 9% got worse.

This study is very important as it illustrates how effective chiropractic care is for patients that have sustained a whiplash injury.  It’s important to note that the type of patient presentation that responded best to care were those with neurological complaints and associated abnormal neck range of motion.  This differs from other non-chiropractic studies where it is reported that patients with neurological dysfunction responded poorly.

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FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL JENNIFER AT 262-251-8306

To find out more about my office and how I treat chronic neck problems, log on to www.painfree-greatposture.com

Fibromyalgia and “Lyrica”

As you may or may not have heard, Lyrica is a drug recently approved by the FDA for the treatment of fibromyalgia symptoms. Recently television advertisements have appeared describing the drug as the only approved medication for fibromyalgia.

Lyrica was originally used to treat neuropathic (nerve) pain such as that seen in shingles or diabetes. Since many millions of people suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms in the U.S. (at least 3-6 million), it’s little wonder that patients may be interested in this treatment. For some, the thought of a new wonder drug can be irresistible.

Although treating pain is important, many patients may find this approach wanting because the cause of the pain isn’t addressed. For those who choose the drug approach, they need to consider side affects associated with the drug. In one study, 14% of patients discontinued use because of side effects. The most common side effects were dizziness and sleepiness. More rarely, patients complained of disturbance of balance, confusion, thinking abnormally, blurred vision, and swelling of the legs.

With any type of drug you consider, discuss your concerns with a medical doctor. For some patients, drug treatment can be effective but it’s probably best to try more conservative treatments first.  Especially, those methods that will address the cause of your pain.

Have you considered chiropractic in your fibromyalgia care plan? How is your  posture? Are you as active as you want to be? These factors can influence how much pain you experience and are often overlooked by the typical patient with fibromyalgia. The most common pain symptom in fibromyalgia is low back pain. Many scientific studies have shown the effectiveness of chiropractic care for patients with low back pain. It also has a very low risk for side affects or adverse reactions.

Have you addressed the excess weight you may have put on over the years? Weight-loss and a low -inflammation diet are important adjuncts to fibromyalgia care and have been shown in studies to be effective. Another conservative approach is aerobic and strength/resistance exercise. These activities can greatly influence your symptoms and are also backed up by solid scientific evidence.

To learn more about how fibromyalgia can be treated safely and effectively log on to www.stopyourfibronow.com and order a copy of my free report. Or, if you’d like to discuss your fibromyalgia symptoms more specifically just call 262-251-8306 to make an appointment for a complementary consultation. We are always available to educate the public about natural chiropractic health care.

What Causes Low Back Pain From Degenerative Discs?

Back pain that is caused by degenerative discs is very common.  But, its causes are poorly understood.  For years, doctors observed that people with degenerative discs may have back pain and they may not.

On MRI, some people can have really bad looking degenerative discs and have no pain at all. Another person can have just a small disc problem and have excruciating pain.  And, of course, there are all kinds of situations in between.

These findings led to many different theories about the origins of low back pain. And, of course, many different treatments.

A study done in 2005 has done quite a bit to answer the question; “What causes a painful degenerative disc ?”

The scientists dissected discs from patients who had degenerative painful discs, degenerative non-painful discs and healthy discs.  They found that the painful degenerative discs had small tears in them and the tears were inflamed.  Non-painful degenerative discs were not inflamed and didn’t have the tears.

The tears in the disc are slow to heal because the disc is under stress (tensile stress).  The stress doesn’t allow the disc to heal.  It’s the same as when you cut yourself badly.  You need to have stitches in order for the ends of the wound to be held together with no stress. Then, the cut can heal.  Like any damaged tissue, the disc needs to be stress-free in order to heal.

So, how do you get rid of the pain ? Controlling inflammation and taking stress off the disc are keys to getting rid of low back pain.  This means, don’t use heating pads, don’t eat foods that increase inflammation and get your spine re-aligned to take pressure off the injured disc.  If you do these things, the disc heals itself and the pain goes away.

To find out more about how I treat painful degenerative discs, log on to www.NewBackPainReliefInfo.com and get a copy of our free report.  Or call Jennifer at 262-251-8306 and set up a free no obligation for treatment consultation.

References:

The Pathogenesis of discogenic low back pain., Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery-British Volume, January 2005, Vol. 87-B, Issue 1, 62-67.

Fibromyalgia Relief – Is It Possible?

If you suffer from fibromyalgia, you may have been told by your doctor that you need to learn to live with it. But here’s some good news about a recent fibromyalgia treatment study: The study compared 2 groups of patients with fibromyalgia. One group included Chiropractic with their treatment, which included spinal manipulation, soft tissue therapy and passive stretching.

Chiropractic care improved the range of motion of the neck and low back but that’s not all… after 1 year of Chiropractic treatment, 20 female patients with fibromyalgia found statistical improvement in the intensity of their pain, complaint of non-restorative sleep, and impact of fibromyalgia on functional activities.  In other words: fibromyalgia sufferers had less pain, slept better and could live a more fulfilling life.

Fibromyalgia affects between 10-12% of the general population and is the second most common condition diagnosed in rheumatology clinics. Though no “cures” of this condition have been reported, there is good evidence that chiropractic care helps and helps a lot.

From my personal experience in treating fibromyalgia, I know that only certain chiropractic techniques will work well.  The doctor’s experience and training make all the difference. You don’t have to live with it!

Like all doctors’ offices, care may vary from office to office. But…if you are looking for a Chiropractor who has successfully helped fibromyalgia sufferers, log on to www.stopyourfibronow.com. and order your copy of my free report entitled “Why Your Doctors May Be The Biggest Obstacle You Face In Ever Getting Rid Of Your Fibromyalgia Pain !”

References

1. Wolfe F, Ross K, Anderson J, Russell IJ, Hebert L. The prevalence and characteristics of fibromyalgia in the general opulation. Arthritis Rheum. 1995; 38(1):19-28.

2. Schneider MJ. Tender points/fibromyalgia vs trigger points/ myofascial pain syndrome: a need for clarity in terminology and differential diagnosis. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1995;18:398–406.

3. Blunt KL, Rajwani MH, Guerriero RC. The effectiveness of chiropractic management of fibromyalgia patients: A pilot study. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1997  Jul-Aug;20(6):389—399.

4.  Çitak-Karakaya I, Akbayrak T, Demirtürk F, et al.  Short and Long-Term Results of Connective Tissue Manipulation and Combined Ultrasound Therapy in Patients with Fibromyalgia. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2006 (Sep);29 (7):524—528.

Can Neck Problems Cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Neck problems are a common cause of pain and numbness in the hands.  The nerve involved in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is called the Median Nerve and it runs from your first three fingers, thru the carpal tunnel, up your arm, to your neck.

CTS happens when the tendons of the wrist swell and compress the median nerve as it passes thru the carpal tunnel.

However, if the nerve is pinched at the neck, you can get the same pain and numbness in the hands as when you have CTS.  The symptoms are the same, but the nerve is compressed in the neck, not the wrist.

You can also have a condition called “double crush” where the nerve is compressed at both sites.  Chiropractors have known for decades that the reason CTS surgery has such a high failure rate, is because undiagnosed neck problems are not addressed.  A growing body of research is supporting treatment of the wrist and the neck for CTS.

An article appearing in the March 2009 issue of the Journal Of Orthopedic Sports and Physical Therapy showed that people with CTS have larger postural distortions in the neck and less range of motion than normal healthy people.  Other studies have confirmed that pinched nerves in the neck are often mis-diagnosed as CTS.

If you are interested in more information on how I treat CTS log on to www.ReliefFromCarpalTunnel.com and order a free report.

J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2009;39(9):658-664, Epub 19 March 2009.
doi:10.2519/jospt.2009.3058