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Chiropractic Treatment – Common Conditions That Chiropractors Can Treat

Michael Schuneman, DC
November 2, 2016June 16, 2020

A number of years ago, people claimed that nearly every disease and condition could be remedied with chiropractic treatment. While this is true to some extent because chiropractic treatment helps the whole body function better, it was sometimes taken to exaggeration and made chiropractors the odd-man-out in the medical community. They were ridiculed and viewed as quacks.

This was unfortunate because chiropractic does a lot of good. However, with such negative comments from many in the medical community (some of whom even tried to destroy chiropractic as a profession), many people refused to see the good that could be done by a chiropractor.

Thankfully, the winds are changing! More and more doctors, surgeons, physical therapists and other medical professionals are recognizing just how much good chiropractors can do.

6 Conditions That Can Be Treated with Chiropractic Adjustments

While a chiropractor is not able to cure diseases or treat every condition imaginable, the list of what they can accomplish is quite extensive. Here are just a few things that chiropractors are very successful at treating.

1. Back Sprains and Whiplash

Lifting, bending, twisting, playing—they all can result in a back sprain. The muscles and ligaments end up torn or overstretched resulting in some pretty incredible pain. A similar thing happens during a rear-end car accident—the neck is hyper-extended and sprained. A chiropractor can offer suggestions to help ease the pain.

2. Headaches

A patient dealing with TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorder may deal with chronic muscle and jaw joint pain. The pain can radiate throughout their face and head, and be very debilitating. Another cause of headaches is from neck pain. When a person’s neck is out of alignment, their head will ache around the temples, at the base of the skull, behind the eyes, and, of course, the neck. With gentle adjustments, a chiropractor can realign bones within the head and neck to both ease the pain and help prevent re-occurrences.

3. Tailbone Issues

Slipping and falling on one’s tailbone is an extremely painful experience. Pain can continue for years down the road from an injury like this. A chiropractor will make sure the bone isn’t cracked or sheared with x-rays. If not, adjustments can often ease the pain experienced from this type of injury.

4. Sciatica

The sciatic nerve runs down the back, buttocks, down the leg and to the knee. At times, the nerve can become inflamed and irritated, causing shooting, electric shock-like pain. A chiropractor can adjust the lower back and release the muscles to ease the pain.

5. Leg Length Discrepancies

If one leg is longer than the other, it can put an enormous amount of strain on the lower back, hips, knees and ankles. Oftentimes, the cause is not one leg physically being longer than the other but the result of bad posture. The chiropractor can help determine the cause and help correct the problem. Some things they may do is adjust the pelvis, recommend shoe inserts, and suggest exercises to ease pain and improve posture.

6. Degenerative Disc Disease or Herniated Disc

These conditions come about because of age, overuse, or accident. Chiropractors help patients avoid further damage through adjustments, exercises, and muscle relaxation techniques.

Finding Relief with Chiropractic Treatment

Whether a person has been in a car accident, has had a fall, or just woke up on the wrong side of the bed, a chiropractor can help get them out of pain. Chiropractic treatment is a valid form of treatment for anyone experiencing neuromusculoskeletal issues. Give us a call and give it a try today!

Reference

http://www.chiro.org/research/FULL/Evolution_of_Chiropractic.html

Do I Need To See A Chiropractor?

Michael Schuneman, DC
July 22, 2015June 15, 2020

Well I will be completely up front, as a chiropractor in Colorado Springs, I think everyone would benefit from seeing a chiropractor! But to simply tell you that is not the purpose of this blog. I wanted to share five specific things that you can look for that are good signs that you should give the chiropractor a visit to receive chiropractic treatment. These are things that show there may be an underlying problem with your spine that is limiting what you can do and the enjoyment you get out of life.

1. Back or Neck Pain

Now this probably does not come as a surprise to most people. This is typically why people think they should go to a chiropractor. And it is true that chiropractic is great at helping to relieve back and neck pain but it can also help with so much more.

Back or neck pain can be caused by many different things, but most cases of back or neck pain are from what is termed ‘mechanical pain.’ This simply means that the pain is due to some physical stress on the spine or surrounding tissues. This can be from repeated motions, poor posture, increased stress on the spinal joints, etc. An often overlooked cause of back or neck pain is subtle misalignments of the bones of the spine because chiropractors are one of the only health professionals that are even looking for it!

2. Stiff or Limited Motion

This can be of any joint in the body, not just the spine. Chiropractors have the knowledge and skills to adjust every joint in the body. Often stiff or limited motion of the shoulders, elbows, knees, ankles, hands or feet can be improved with a chiropractic adjustment in those areas. When joints become misaligned there are muscle spasms that can go along with it which can make you feel stiff and limit motion. When you correct the misalignment the muscles often will balance again, or if not completely resolved by an adjustment, there are many soft tissue techniques that a chiropractor can use to help.

3. Shoes Wear Out Unevenly

Now you may be surprised by this! What does my shoes wearing out have anything to do with chiropractic you may ask. Well if your shoes are wearing out unevenly there is probably some imbalances in the biomechanics of the body. This can again be from misaligned or restricted motion of the pelvis, hips, knees, feet, or even other areas of the body. A chiropractor can evaluate your posture and motion and find the areas that are causing uneven stress not only on your shoes but the joints in the legs and feet. When these imbalances are corrected they not only save your shoes but your joints as well making it less likely to develop arthritis in those joints.

4. Headaches

There are many different causes of headaches, but something interesting is that not all headaches originate in the head itself. Research has shown that there is an area of the brainstem that extends down into the spinal cord of the upper neck where pain receptors from the head and upper neck connect with other nerves. Sometimes a pain receptor from one area (say the neck) can be interpreted as coming from somewhere else (say the head). This referred pain can be a cause of headache and the source is not even within the head. I actually see this a lot in my chiropractic practice. Headaches, even migraines respond well to chiropractic adjustments as well as working on relaxing and balancing the muscles in the neck.

5. Poor Sleep

What causes poor sleep? There can be many causes – pain so you can’t get comfortable, stimulants are keeping you awake, or stress doesn’t allow you to adequately relax to name a few. But one thing to think about is if you have difficulty sleeping and you take a sleeping pill: does that do anything to address the underlying problem? Poor sleep actually can be helped through chiropractic treatment. I learned this more so from experience than anything else when patients would just mention it as extra benefit of their care. While for some of them it may be from the pain relief allowing them to be more comfortable to sleep, that is not the cause in every case. Besides just the pain relief, chiropractic also helps the body to relax. I have patients every day tell me that they feel more relaxed after the chiropractic adjustment and many make a comment like “I am ready for a nap.” This is because when the spine is misaligned or not moving properly it puts extra stress on the nerves and shifts the body towards the ‘fight or flight’ mode. After an adjustment the body is shifted away from the ‘fight or flight’ response more towards rest, relaxation, and repair.

I hope you found this post to be useful and informative. I love to hear your stories of how chiropractic has helped you. So if you have a chiropractic story that relates to one of these five things or even something else, please share below in the comments. Also if you know someone that could benefit from this information please pass it along!

Several Advantages Of Seeking Chiropractic Care

Michael Schuneman, DC
April 8, 2015June 15, 2020

Even though chiropractors have been a part of the health care scene for a long time, many people are still not altogether certain of what types of ailments a skilled chiropractor can help them with. Almost everyone knows that chiropractors can help with back problems, but there are other reasons to see one as well. For instance, someone suffering from tingling in their extremities might decide to seek the services of a chiropractor in Colorado Springs. These symptoms can indicate pressure on the nerves that may be alleviated by the services of a qualified chiropractor. In some cases, the right kind of chiropractic therapy can eliminate the need for more drastic measures such as surgery.

Headaches are another common condition that can often be alleviated by a chiropractor. In fact, many primary physicians refer patients to chiropractors if they complain of excessive headaches because headaches are often a sign that something is wrong with the central nervous system. We have found that even those who suffer from severe migraines can often benefit from several sessions with a qualified chiropractor. Neck pain is another popular reason why people seek out chiropractors, and it’s particularly useful in helping alleviate the symptoms of the specific type of neck pain suffered by those who remain stationary throughout the majority of their work day.

We also believe that chiropractic care can increase the overall health of any given patient. For instance, circulation may improve in those under the care of a skilled chiropractor, and this can have a positive impact on many health conditions. Some women even report having an easier time in labor and delivery as a result of regular visits to a chiropractors’ office, while others claim that it relieves menstrual cramps significantly.

Many people have their first experience with a chiropractor as a result of a sports injury, and a significant number of professional athletes see a chiropractor on a regular basis in order to keep their bodies functioning at the highest levels possible. Sports injuries often heal a great deal more quickly if they are treated by a chiropractor along with a traditional sports medicine practitioner.

We know that chiropractic treatment can help with a wide range of ailments, but we always encourage our patients to ask questions and decide for themselves before deciding on a program of chiropractic care.

Chiropractic Care For Migraines: A Natural Approach

Michael Schuneman, DC
February 18, 2015June 13, 2020

One problem with diagnosing and treating migraines is that they may be caused by a number of factors. For example, some things that may aggravate these painful headaches are hormone changes, allergies, fatigue, stress, or even certain kinds of food and drink. The things that aggravate migraines in individuals are called triggers, and they are often unique for each patient. There are even many migraine sufferers who have no idea what they do that triggers their painful or disabling symptoms.

While some suffer from agonizing pain, others are more bothered by visual symptoms. No matter how disruptive these symptoms are, many patients would prefer not to rely upon strong medications that may have unpleasant side effects. They would prefer to rely upon more natural remedies and chiropractors offer natural treatments that are based upon years of scientific research.

Natural Chiropractic Migraine Treatment

Doctors of chiropractic, usually called chiropractors, may offer an effective, natural treatment for migraine sufferers. In fact, a study from Macquarie University found that seventy percent of test subjects enjoyed either noticeable or substantial improvement in symptoms after undergoing chiropractic treatment. Of the test subjects, 22 percent said they enjoyed more than a 90 percent improvement in their migraines.

The subjects rated the treatments over the six-month study period. They gave positive ratings if their migraines did not occur as frequently, did not last as long, or required less medication to control.

How Do Chiropractors Treat Migraine Headaches?

Chiropractors use natural means to reduce or eliminate migraine symptoms. Spinal manipulation (adjustments) can help relieve pressure on the neck and skull. In addition, the chiropractor will work with you to pinpoint and eliminate migraine triggers. In some cases, he may send you home with some exercises to practice every day and a suggested diet. If you take medication or have other health issues, the chiropractor can work with your doctor.

Learn More About Chiropractic Treatment for Migraine Headaches

At Life Symmetry Chiropractic, we hope you will make us your chiropractor in Colorado Springs. We offer chiropractic treatment for migraines, other types of headaches, and many other types of pain or physical dysfunction. You can call at any time for a free consultation with the doctor.