Chiropractic Health Center

CONDITIONS AFFECTED BY CHIROPRACTIC

Understanding the Spine		Shoulder Pain
Disc Syndromes		Low Back Pain
Facet Syndrome		Carpal Tunnel Sydrome
Sprains and Strains		Whiplash
Head and Neck Pain		Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries

Understanding the Spine
Your spinal cord is made up of billions of nerves that begin in the brain, extend down your back and branch out to every part of your body. The delicate spinal cord is protected by the spinal column, 33 rings of bone called vertebrae. The vertebrae are stacked up upon one another and connected by muscle, tendons and ligaments to not only keep your spinal cord safe, but to provide flexibility. A healthy spine will maintain the health of your central nervous system, support your body and keep you moving through your day.

There are five sections of your spinal column:
Cervical (7 neck vertebrae)
Thoracic (12 mid-back vertebrae)
Lumbar (5 low-back vertebrae)
Sacral (5 fused vertebrae that connect the hips)
Coccyx (4 fused vertebrae that create your tailbone)

When your spinal column is
out of alignment, it can put stress on the spinal nerves.
Your chiropractor's
job is to eliminate that stress
and allow your body to function naturally.

Disc Syndromes
Discs are the strong ligamentous pads between each vertebrae that protect your spinal column as you move. Their function is to hold the vertebrae apart and also hold them together.

Different disc disorders contribute to back pain:

Slipped Disc- Discs can't really "slip," they are firmly attached to the vertebrae on each side. They can, however, because of vertebral misaglignment or repeated stress bulge and become wedged between vertebrae. The bulge presses on the surrounding nerves or spinal cord and causes pain. Although rare, discs can rupture. This is usually caused by a tremendous trauma or a pathological weakness in the area. Chiropractic care can correct the spinal misalignment around the problem area and help return the disc to its normal function.

Disc Degeneration- Almost everyone over forty shows evidence of disc degeneration. The discs begin to thin due to age, a prior injury, or genetic factors. Once a disc begins to degenerate, the joints can't move properly and often become pinched. This is called "impingement." The impingement is the cause of the pain, not the disc itself. Chiropractic care can be effective in releving pain associated with impingement.

Facet Syndrome
Facets are the joints where the vertebrae come together. Misalignment of the facet joints are a major cause of back and neck pain. Inflammation, "wear and tear," overexertion, or compression can cause this misalignment, or "facet syndrome." The symptoms of facet syndrome include stiffness and soreness that may get worse with inactivity such as sleep, sitting or standing. "Pinching" pains may occur with certain movements. This condition, which can be very painful, often responds well to Chiropractic manipulation. Your chiropractor can help to free the joints and relieve the stress on your back and muscles.

Sprains and Strains
Sprains and strains are a common cause of back pain. When we place too much exertion on our backs, the soft tissue becomes damaged. When too much is expected of muscles, ligaments move in to help. This stress sometimes stretches our ligaments too far. When muscles and tendons are overworked, it is called a strain. When the damage extends to our ligaments, it is considered a sprain. The damaged area swells to protect you from further injury by restricting movement. This causes pain, tenderness, and stiffness. The low back is particularly vunerable to this type of injury. "Whiplash" is a sprain of the neck.
Time may heal all wounds, but chiropractic adjustments, ice, and rest can help back strain or sprain heal faster, while keeping optimum range of motion and preventing scar tissure "adhesions" from forming in the damaged ligaments and tendons.

Head and Neck Pain
Neck problems are a common complaint. Problems can occur suddenly due to trauma or a fall. They can also develop slowly from spinal nerve stress, vertebral subluxation, emotional stress, or poor work habits.

pain and discomfort
reduced movement in neck and head
loss of range of motion in shoulders, wrists, and hands
headaches

vision problems
dizziness (vertigo)
ringing in ears (tinnitus)
nasal problems

Wry Neck (Torticollis)
At times, the cause of a neck injury isn't so apparent. You can just wake up with it! Your head seems permenantly turned to one side, and you can't turn it without great pain. This is called a torticollis, (from Latin; torti = twisted and collis = neck) Stress from the day before or sleeping incorrectly causes these painful muscle spasms. Without care, your stiff neck can eventually cause strain that moves down your neck to your back and arms. Ouch! Your chiropractor can recommend the proper course of treatment to decrease pain and shorten healing time.

Headaches
Headaches are the most common source of pain. Almost everyone gets them at one point. They can cause minor discomfort or immobilizing pain. Some common types of headache are:
Migraine Headaches- A migraine headache is a type of headache, not a measure of its severity. A true migraine is caused by a distubance of the normal blood flow to the brain. Migraines are usually felt in the temple (although they can be felt elsewhere) and are accompanied by visual disturbances, nausea, and dizziness. They come in "clusters" or can be stress induced. "Classical" migraines are often rythmic and independent of stress.
Tension Headaches- Tension headaches commonly begin at the base of the skull. Nerves pass through small openings from the spinal column to muscles of the head. Spinal dysfunction in this area (usually made worse with tension) causes the nerve to become irritated, in short, PAIN!
Sinus Headaches- These headaches are often mistaken for migraines because of the intense pain behind the eyes. They may occur even if you don't seem to have other sinus or allergy problems.

Most treatments concetrate on the symptoms of headache, not the cause. However, chiropractic works to remove the cause of spinal nerve stress. Through examination, your chiropractor can determine what individual mechanisms are responsible for your pain and work to remove that cause without painkillers or drugs.

Shoulder Pain
SOON TO COME!

Low Back Pain
SOON TO COME!

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
SOON TO COME!

Whiplash
SOON TO COME!

Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries
SOON TO COME!

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There are five sections of your spinal column: Cervical (7 neck vertebrae) Thoracic (12 mid-back vertebrae) Lumbar (5 low-back vertebrae) Sacral (5 fused vertebrae that connect the hips) Coccyx (4 fused vertebrae that create your tailbone)
	When your spinal column is out of alignment, it can put stress on the spinal nerves. Your chiropractor's job is to eliminate that stress and allow your body to function naturally.