Category Archives: Chiropractic
Sciatica
Diagnosing Disc Problems
Here at Spaulding Chiropractic clinic the diagnostic processes for both degenerative disc disease and a herniated disc include a range of methods that confirm the disc as the pain source, as well as the mechanics and anatomy behind how pain is occurring.
We Review Medical History and Specific Symptoms
Our diagnostic process typically begins with a collected medical history and a review of current symptoms. A complete review of symptoms will include:
- The location of the pain, including whether it is confined to the neck or back, or whether it includes arm or leg pain
- A description of how the pain feels, such as searing, sharp, or stabbing vs. dull or achy
- Whether certain activities, positions, or treatments make the pain feel better or worse
Collecting your full medical background can rule out or identify other possible conditions that may cause pain. Your medical history may include information on recurring health problems, previous diagnoses, and past treatments and their effectiveness. Information on sleep, dietary, and exercise habits is usually also collected.
Physical Examination
A physical exam for diagnosing disc pain may include one or more of the following tests:
- Palpation. Palpating (feeling by hand) certain structures can help identify the pain source. For example, worsened pain when pressure is applied to the spine may indicate sensitivity caused by a damaged disc.
- Movement tests. Tests that assess the spine’s range of motion may include bending the neck or torso forward, backward, or to the side. Additionally, if raising one leg in front of the body worsens leg pain, it can indicate a lumbar herniated disc (straight leg raise test).
- Muscle strength. A neurological exam may be conducted to assess muscle strength and determine if a nerve root is compressed by a herniated disc. A muscle strength test may include holding the arms or legs out to the side or front of the body to check for tremors, muscle atrophy, or other abnormal movements.
- Reflex test. Nerve root irritation can dampen reflexes in the arms or legs. A reflex test involves tapping specific areas with a reflex hammer. If there is little or no reaction, it may indicate a compressed nerve root in the spine.
If you are suffering from back pain here in Fairbanks, AK, call Spaulding Chiropractic Clinic today at 907-456-4234.
Herniated Disc – Pinched Nerve – Bulk Disk
There can be two causes of pain, pinched nerve vs disk pain and there are two main ways a spinal disc can cause pain.
• Pinched nerve. In most cases a herniated disc itself is not painful, but rather the material leaking out of the disc pinches, inflames, or irritates a nearby nerve, causing radicular pain. Radicular pain (also called nerve root pain), describes sharp, shooting pains that radiate to other parts of the body, such as from the low back down the leg or from the neck down the arm. Leg pain from a pinched nerve is commonly called sciatica.
• Disc pain. A spinal disc itself may be the source of pain if it dehydrates or degenerates to the point of causing pain and instability in the spinal segment (called degenerative disc disease). Degenerative disc pain tends to include a chronic, low-level pain around the disc and occasional episodes of more severe pain.
A herniated disc and degenerative disc disease typically occur in the cervical spine (neck) and lumbar spine (lower back). Disc pain tends to be most common in the lower back, where most of the movement and weight-bearing in the spine occurs. These conditions are uncommon in the mid-back (the thoracic spine).
If you are suffering from a herniated disc here in Fairbanks, AK, call Spaulding Chiropractic Clinic today at 907-456-4234.
Herniated Disk
A herniated disk refers to a problem with one of the rubbery cushions (disks) between the individual bones (vertebrae) that stack up to make your spine.
A spinal disk is a little like a jelly donut, with a softer center encased within a tougher exterior. Sometimes called a slipped disk or a ruptured disk, a herniated disk occurs when some of the softer “jelly” pushes out through a tear in the tougher exterior.
A herniated disk can irritate nearby nerves and result in pain, numbness or weakness in an arm or leg. On the other hand, many people experience no symptoms from a herniated disk. Most people who have a herniated disk don’t need surgery to correct the problem.
Symptoms
Most herniated disks occur in your lower back (lumbar spine), although they can also occur in your neck (cervical spine). The most common signs and symptoms of a herniated disk are:
• Arm or leg pain. If your herniated disk is in your lower back, you’ll typically feel the most intense pain in your buttocks, thigh and calf. It may also involve part of the foot. If your herniated disk is in your neck, the pain will typically be most intense in the shoulder and arm. This pain may shoot into your arm or leg when you cough, sneeze or move your spine into certain positions.
• Numbness or tingling. People who have a herniated disk often experience numbness or tingling in the body part served by the affected nerves.
• Weakness. Muscles served by the affected nerves tend to weaken. This may cause you to stumble, or impair your ability to lift or hold items.
You also can have a herniated disk without knowing it — herniated disks sometimes show up on spinal images of people who have no symptoms of a disk problem.
If you are suffering from these symptoms in Fairbanks, AK, call Spaulding Chiropractic Clinic today at 907-456-4234.
Manual therapies for migraine: a systematic review
“The results of this study support previous results showing that some people report significant improvement in migraines after chiropractic adjustments. A high percentage (>80%) of participants reported stress as a major factor for their migraines. It appears probable that chiropractic care has an effect on the physical conditions related to stress and that in these people the effects of the migraine are reduced.”
“Migraine occurs in about 15% of the general population. Migraines are usually managed by medication, but some patients do not tolerate migraine medications due to side effects or prefer to avoid medications for other reasons. Non-pharmacological management is an alternative treatment option. Researching random clinical trials (RCTs) on manual therapies for migraines we found that the RCTs suggest that massage therapy, physiotherapy, relaxation and chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy might be equally effective as propranolol and topiramate in the prophylactic management of migraines.”
A randomized controlled trial of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for migraine. Tuchin PJ, Pollard H, Bonello R. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2000 Feb;23(2):91-5
Chaibi A, Tuchin PJ, Russell MB. J Headache Pain. 2011 Apr;12(2):127-33
Headaches and Migraines
Headaches, Migraines In Fairbanks, AK
If you have a headache, you’re not alone. Nine out of ten Americans suffer from headaches. Some are occasional, some frequent, some are dull and throbbing, and some cause debilitating pain and nausea.
What do you do when you suffer from a pounding headache? Do you grit your teeth and carry on? Lie down? Pop a pill and hope the pain goes away? There is a better alternative that is both natural, and better for your health.
Research shows that spinal manipulation – the primary form of care provided by doctors of chiropractic – may be an effective treatment option for tension headaches and headaches that originate in the neck. If you have headaches in Fairbanks, AK, the Chiropractors at Spaulding Chiropractic Clinic want to get to the cause of your headaches.
A report released in 2001 by researchers at the Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, found that spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than a commonly prescribed medication.
Also, a 1995 study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that spinal manipulative therapy is an effective treatment for tension headaches and that those who ceased chiropractic treatment after four weeks experienced a sustained therapeutic benefit in contrast with those patients who received a commonly prescribed medication.
Headache Triggers
Headaches have many causes, or “triggers.” These may include foods, environmental stimuli (noises, lights, stress, etc.) and/or behaviors (insomnia, excessive exercise, blood sugar changes, etc.). About 5 percent of all headaches are warning signals caused by physical problems.
Ninety-five percent of headaches are primary headaches, such as tension, migraine headaches, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused by disease. The headache itself is the primary concern.
“The greatest majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle tension in the neck,” says Dr. George B. McClelland, a doctor of chiropractic from Christiansburg, VA. “Today, Americans engage in more sedentary activities than they used to, and more hours are spent in one fixed position or posture. This can increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck, upper back and scalp, causing your head to ache.”
What Can You Do?
The Chiropractors at Spaulding Chiropractic Clinic suggest the following:
- If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed position, such as in front of a computer, on a sewing machine, typing or reading, take a break and stretch every 30 minutes to one hour. The stretches should take your head and neck through a comfortable range of motion.
- Low-impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. However, if you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid heavy exercise. Engage in such activities as walking and low-impact aerobics.
- Avoid teeth clenching. The upper teeth should never touch the lowers, except when swallowing. This results in stress at the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) – the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull – leading to TMJ irritation and a form of tension headaches.
- Drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day to help avoid dehydration, which can lead to headaches.
What Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Do?
Dr. Moore says your doctor of chiropractic may do one or more of the following if you suffer from a primary headache:
- Perform spinal manipulation or chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and alleviate the stress on your system.
- Provide nutritional advice, recommending a change in diet and perhaps the addition of B complex vitamins.
- Offer advice on posture, ergonomics (work postures), exercises and relaxation techniques. This advice should help to relieve the recurring joint irritation and tension in the muscles of the neck and upper back.
“Doctors of chiropractic undergo extensive training to help their patients in many ways – not just back pain,” says Dr. Moore.
If you are suffering from headaches in Fairbanks, AK, call Spaulding Chiropractic Clinic today at 907-456-4234.