Posts Tagged ‘back pain’

San Jose Chiropractor Explains How Chiropractic Care Can Decrease Back Pain Produced by Arthritis

When it comes to back pain and pain in other parts of the body because of arthritic changes, there is a variety of treatment options from which to make your choice, including going to a San Jose chiropractor However, many individuals who are suffering from painful arthritis and back pain still think that they ought to go to a medical doctor as the best way to find a cure for their affliction. But, you might be surprised to know that not many medical doctors are adept in helping individuals overcome the problem of back pain due to arthritis. Medical doctors are taught to treat symptoms through medication, rather than finding and treating the origin of the pain you are undergoing. And, even though particular medications may ease the symptoms of arthritis, there is plenty more that you can do not only for pain relief, but to genuinely slow down arthritic changes in your body.

One of the actions you can take to gain relief from your arthritis and back pain is to go to see a San Jose chiropractor. Chiropractors are doctors who practice entirely in treating the muscular and skeletal system, and arthritis is a joint problem. Chiropractic care has helped many people to slow the process of arthritis by getting their joints moving. Movement is crucial for joint health. A good chiropractor is extremely skilled in treating back pain, even when it is caused by arthritis

If you have never gone to a chiropractor before, you might be a bit concerned about what is going to occur once you are in the office. It might help to give a quick overview about what you can expect. You will be asked about your medical history, which will likely include a family history of arthritis. The chiropractor will want to know about your current lifestyle and may offer explicit changes that will be advantages in lessening the inflammation caused by arthritis. And, finally, you will receive a detailed examination. After the examination is finished, the chiropractor will let you know if chiropractic treatment can help your back pain, as well as relieve your painful arthritic symptoms. After that you will be told about the exact treatment you will need.

Chiropractic treatment is not only painless, but relieves pain gently and naturally. And, the most wonderful part of going to a chiropractor for your back pain and arthritis is that you can feel confident that the origin of your pain is being addressed, and that the ease you experience is not hiding the symptom of pain, but genuinely taking care of the origin of your condition.

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Sacramento Chiropractor: If You'd Like to Avoid Golf Injuries, Be Prepared!

Sacramento Chiropractor

With any sort of sport, injuries are not unusual. You can often avoid getting injured in a particular sport by discovering what injury is apt to happen, and then do what it takes to avoid it. Sadly, sports injuries can’t always be avoided. Therefore, it’s important to take good care of your body to make injury less probable, or less traumatic.   The most important thing that you can do is to be sure that you have a suitable fitness level prior to beginning to play a sport, such as golf. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle, keeping your joints mobile and your muscles limber, warming and stretching your body before activity, using proper form and good postures while actively playing, and giving yourself sufficient cool down and relaxation time, you may very well keep your body safe from injury.

Golf injuries don’t only happen to amateurs. Nearly a third of pro golfers playing in the same time frame are playing with injury. Fortunately, all-round good health and fitness can decrease how many injuries you may acquire and might actually deter them completely.

Proper body strength in the muscle regions most employed while playing golf is vital. However, before you make an effort to build muscle strength, it’s essential to make sure your spine is aligned and has good mobility. A successful golf swing relies on your spine’s ability to adequately move in a rotational fashion. Back injuries are the most prevalent sort of injuries sustained by golfers. To insure that your spine is in healthy alignment and there is efficient movement in the vertebrae, see your chiropractor in Sacramento. Chiropractic care can go a long way in helping you to avoid back injury.

It’s time to strengthen once you’re “straightened.” Safe, injury-free action on the green is contingent upon your being prepared for your golf activity. You can warm up your muscles and make muscle strain less likely by doing golf stretching and flexibility exercises. Full body range of motion (ROM) exercises will enhance flexibility, relatively speedily, in all areas of the body. Additionally, elastic band conditioning offers functional golf range of motion improvements and can advance needed power in the shoulders, hips and deep muscles of the core. Sports professionals, such as your chiropractor, are adding elastic band training to their golf conditioning programs because the bands supply dynamic resistance that regular weight lifting does not supply.

Besides back injuries, many golfers have painful “Golfer’s Elbow.” There is a minor difference between golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow despite the fact that they are almost the same. Whereas the outside of the upper arm is impinged in tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow impinges the inner arm. Golfer’s elbow, like tennis elbow, can be a reaction to a single intense action, such as (in golf) hitting the mat at the driving range or hitting a hard fairway surface. Although, it most often results from repetitive stress from smaller shocks. Moreover, it can occur for those who suddenly start playing too much golf. For instance, if those that generally play golf once or twice a month decide to play in a tournament, they are potentially at risk for developing the injury.

Golf makes exclusive requirements on our body. Fatigue can be a challenge because the game generally lasts longer than many other sports. Bad posture and lack of coordination are often the consequences of a fatigued body. These two factors combined can create a variety of injuries. In addition, due to continuous swinging of the golf clubs, the shoulder muscles are subject to injury. Just as it is crucial for you to stretch and warm up prior to starting your golf game, be sure to rest your body properly between games.

A surprising injury occasionally connected with golf is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. But, this injury can be induced by numerous games of golf played over several months continuously as it is a condition that comes about as a result of repetitive stress Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be a serious injury creating incapacitation and on occasion needing surgery. However, if a health professional, such as your chiropractor, diagnoses it at an early stage, chiropractic management and, sometimes, the use of a brace will help the condition.

Many golfers seem to feel that injuries are just an unavoidable part of a golfer’s life. However, a healthy, mobile spine, judicious preparation, proper exercise and muscle conditioning, attaining and maintaining a a suitable fitness level, and reasonable rest and recuperation after your game is over, can assisting in making injuries far less a part of your golfing experience.

Dr. Yong Kim is a chiropractor in Sacramento with over thirteen years of experience helping thousands of patients get out of pain and get their lives back. His office is located at 1707 Professional Drive, Sacramento, CA 95825. He has special training in the area of sports injuries. Dr Kim is himself an avid health enthusiast. For more information go to his website at http://www.sacramentochiropractor.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yong_J_Kim

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Scoliosis and Chiropractic Therapies

When the body is looked at from behind, a normal spine appears straight without much alteration from side-to-side.Scoliosis is an affliction that is generally associated with a lateral, or side-to-side, curvature of the spine.The condition shouldn’t be confused with bad posture, even though it often gives the appearance that the individual is leaning to one side. Scoliosis is a troublesome deformity that is defined by both lateral curvature and rotation of the vertebra often causing a symptomatic “rib hump” in the mid or thoracic spine. This is caused by the vertebrae in the zone of the major curve rotating toward the concavity and pushing their attached ribs posterior thus causing the distinctive rib hump seen in thoracic scoliosis. If the thoracic curve and rib rotation are severe, more than 70 degrees, pulmonary and cardiac function can be obstructed. Often later in life in untreated severe idiopathic infantile and juvenile scoliosis patients, this amount of curve and consequential cardiac and pulmonary changes can be life threatening.

Anatomy

If you were to view the trunk from a side view, the spine would reveal four normal curves: the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral. The thoracic, in the chest vicinity, has a healthy round curve, “reversed C,” called a kyphosis, while in the lower spine there is a normal “C” curve, known as swayback or lordosis. Increased kyphosis in the thoracic area is called hyperkyphosis, while heightened swayback is termed, hyperlordosis. Scoliosis changes generally accompany alterations from normal on a side view. Some round back deformities are simply due to bad posture and can often be resolved with postural exercises. A small number of people with kyphosis have more rigid deformities than the postural type, which are coincidental with vertebral deformity. This kind of deformity, called Scheuermann’s kyphosis, is much more difficult to treat than postural kyphosis, and it’s cause is unknown.

Almost anyone can help to identify a child or grownup with scoliosis merely by observing the person in a standing position, preferably without a shirt and in boxers, and observing the following:

  • One shoulder may be more elevated than the other.
  • One scapula (shoulder blade) may be more elevated or more pronounced than the other.
  • With the arms hanging loosely at the sides, there may be more room between the arm and the body on one side.
  • One hip may appear to be raised or more prominent than the other.
  • The head is not aligned with the pelvis.
  • When the person is viewed from the rear and asked to bend forward until the spine is horizontal, one side of the back looks higher than the other.

The child or adult should be sent to a healthcare professional, such as a chiropractor, for further evaluation once scoliosis is suspected. your chiropractor would be happy to help.

There are various origins and many types of scoliosis, but the most common, by far, is Idiopathic Scoliosis, which accounts for nearly 85 % of all cases. “Idiopathic” means “no known cause” and is seen with equal occurrence in boys and girls in the mild or low curve magnitudes. This affliction can be sub-classified into infantile, juvenile and adolescent types, depending upon the age of onset. Idiopathic Scoliosis may be due to genetic or hereditary influences as it frequently runs in families. For reasons yet to be found, girls are five to eight times more likely than boys to have their curves grow in size and require treatment. The most common time for the development of Idiopathic Scoliosis is during adolescence when children are completing the last major growth spurt. Unfortunately, at this age young people are hesitant to allow their body to be seen by parents and other adults, so it is smart to have this age group examined on a regular basis.

It is vital that if a scoliotic curve is found in a growing adolescent, the curves be monitored for any change by a periodic examination and from time to time standing x-rays. In ninety percent of conditions, the scoliosis is mild and does not require active treatment, though| increases in spinal deformity demand evaluation to decide if a brace or other therapy is needed. In a small number of patients, surgical treatment may be required.~Surgery may be needed for a small number of people.

Brace support (orthosis) is recommended for both juvenile and adolescent children when an increase in their scoliosis or kyphosis is observed, or when new conditions of moderate scoliosis or abnormal kyphosis are discovered. There are a number of kinds of braces, all made to prevent curves from increasing through the process of acting as a buttress for the spine during active skeletal growth. Braces generally won’t make the spine completely straight, and cannot always keep a curve from increasing. But, bracing is successful in halting curve progression in a significant portion of skeletally-immature adolescents.

Scoliosis has no simple resolution. The majority of cases, even though often monitored, are not actively treated. Severe symptoms are sometimes treated surgically, but the common medical treatment for moderate symptoms is a brace. You may want to see your local chiropractor first.

Along with bracing, many other therapies have been used successfully including specialized exercise, electric stimulation of spinal muscles, nutritional programs, and chiropractic treatments. It appears that the best results have been sustained with a multi-faceted approach to the care of this affliction.

There are chiropractors, that have excellent success treating scoliosis cases.

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Fat in the Front Means Pain in the Back

There is a large number of men and women today battling to lose weight, notably excess weight around the middle. However, the imperative to lose weight is, quite frequently, more than just a cosmetic issue.  In actuality, if people are walking around with too much weight in their midsection, their back is going to suffer as a result.

The majority of individuals who are overweight suffer from moderate to severe back pain. The reason for this is because the spine was not designed to move something that is more substantial in weight than the body is at its naturally healthy weight.  As an individual puts on extra poundage, the spine starts to unduly stress and to compress, causing a lot of pain and discomfort.  Additionally, it can have an impact on the pelvis, tilting it forward and perhaps forcing it to pinch the sciatic nerve. That is one of the main reasons why individuals who are overweight tend to have problems with their lower back. The pain is due to either sciatica or the distorting of the spinal column.

If this condition sounds painfully familiar, and you’d like to get out pain, certainly the thing to do is to take off the extra weight that you are lugging around, and your spine will begin to respond and go back into its regular position.  Regrettably, losing those pounds is hard and it can take time, even with the best of intentions. However, on a positive note you don’t have to continue to experience back pain as you lose the weight. A chiropractor can offer the pain relief you’ll want as you shed the extra pounds.

Even so, you will still need to lose the additional poundage, and not having back pain will genuinely help you do it. Two things that are simple (but not necessarily easy), but will be highly beneficial to you in losing the extra weight naturally are getting some sort of exercise, even if it’s just a small amount per day, and modifying the food you eat so that you are taking in less calories than you are using throughout the day. Sure, you’ve heard about these two things before. Nonetheless, now that you know your back is depending on you, it’s the perfect time to get truly galvanized for success.

Start exercising slowly, expressly if you’re having problems with back pain. And, most importantly, be sure to seek out  chiropractic care so that you don’t go wrong the way many people do, which is exercising into the pain. That will without a doubt make your condition worse. Exercise, though occasionally uncomfortable, should never be painful or cause pain. That’s why it’s essential to see a chiropractor if you’re experiencing back pain.

Do simple stretching exercises and also concentrate on your core abdominal body muscles. Strong stomach muscles help to ease back pain. Your chiropractor will be able to provide exercises that are best for you, individually. After a very short period of dedication to shedding the pounds that are creating your back pain and perhaps other health difficulties as well, you most likely being to notice a dramatic difference in the way that you feel.

 

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Can Chiropractors Help Sciatica?

Low Back Pain

Low back pain is second in commonality only to the common cold. It affects more than 80% of people. However, unlike the common cold, back pain is often a mystery to most of its sufferers. Your Fort Worth Chiropractor is an expert at solving the puzzle.

Anatomy

To understand back pain, it is helpful to understand the anatomy of the spine. The spinal bones or vertebrae of the lower back consist of posterior joints called facets that link vertebrae to one another and serve to direct the movement of the spine. Inter-vertebral discs, comprised of strong cartilage, link the bodies of the vertebrae. This dense cartilage covers the nucleus, a soft material in the center of the inter-vertebral discs. The discs act as shock absorbers and spacers between the vertebrae. Ligaments and muscles also connect the vertebrae. The wedge-shaped bone at the bottom of the spine is the sacrum and is joined to the two pelvic bones at the sacroiliac joint. The spinal cord is situated between the facets of the vertebrae. The spinal nerves exit the spine between the vertebrae.

Causes of Back Pain

Most back pain patients have not experienced any trauma, accidents or major injuries prior to the onset of their problem. The source of most back pain is the cumulative effects of improper sitting posture, bad work habits, incorrect lifting, lack of proper exercise and other unhealthy lifestyle-related factors.  These cumulative factors create stresses and imbalances on the spine and, therefore, people may injure their back merely by bending over to pick up a piece of paper. The spine was already put in jeopardy and just the simple act of bending was enough to set off the challenge. When this happens, the surrounding back muscles go into spasm to protect the stressed or injured tissues of the back. Chiropractors are back pain specialists. Your Chiropractor can help you to get out of pain quickly.

Disc Problems & Sciatica

Prolonged sitting, specifically in a slouched position creates increased pressure on the intervertebral discs and imbalances in the muscles encompassing the spine. After a while the lower spine loses its ability to function normally during everyday stresses. In the end, the intervertebral disc develops small fissures, or cracks, allowing the soft nucleus to bulge the disc outward. If the disc pushes on sensitive tissues, it causes the pain that is often referred to as a slipped disc. Sciatica develops when the disc presses on the spinal nerve. The symptoms of sciatica include pain, tingling, numbness, and often weakness in the lower extremities. Unfortunately, if the disc protrusion or herniation is large and the condition isn’t managed appropriately, surgery may berequired to clear away the herniated disc material. But, with the correct chiropractic adjustments and management, as well as postural exercises, most of these cases can healthfully mend. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms defined above, it is essential for you to seek chiropractic assistance.

Spondylosis

Increased wear and tear and weight-bearing stress on the spine occurs when there is repetitive assault to the discs, facet joints, and surrounding ligaments. This stress can unfavorably affect the cartilage around the joints and cause calcium to deposit in the tissues around the vertebrae, forming bone spurs. These spurs can constrict adjacent nerves, blood vessels and soft tissue resulting in symptoms ranging from minor pain and numbness to gross sensory loss and muscular atrophy. This constriction causes a form of arthritis, called Spondylosis, that can also occur as part of the aging process of the spine. Nevertheless, determinants such as previous trauma, unhealthy lifestyle, and repetitive stress injury influence the time of onset in life. Regular chiropractic care and overall chiropractic management is extremely beneficial in slowing the aging process of the spine, as well as helping Spondylosis sufferers in managing their condition. Your Chiropractor has treated many Spondylosis sufferers.

Sacroiliac Problems

Another common area of dysfunction or injury in the low back is in the sacroiliac joints. These weight-bearing joints link the upper part of the body to the lower pelvic portion and are usually very strong and stable. However with damage such as falls, sports injuries, or lifting heavy objects, the joints can become unstable and move to an abnormal position.  This condition is called a sacroiliac subluxation. Women may get this condition during or after their pregnancy. The imbalances in the lower extremities caused by sacroiliac subluxation can cause a functional long and short leg. Pain happens particularly with prolonged standing and walking, or during and after physical activity, and the individual may experience a lack of energy and exhaustion.  Many times this imbalance can affect structures further up the spine and people can develop neck and shoulder pain, as well as headaches. Chiropractic adjustments and treatment are extremely effective in correcting this problem by establishing proper alignment of the joints.. Ask your chiropractor how you can get effective pain relief.

Spinal Subluxation

A prevalent disorder of the lower back, as well as the entire spine, is subluxated or misaligned facet joints. Subluxations can prevail on their own or in conjunction with disc problems and Spondylosis. Subluxations are not only painful, but they can compress the nerves as they exit the foramen (or spaces) between the vertebrae, creating paraesthesia. Paraesthesia is a variation of sensation described as a tingling, burning or “funny feeling.” Paraesthesia in the upper extremities more often than notoriginates from nerve problems in the neck, while paraesthesia in the lower extremities is commonly associated with nerve dysfunctionin the lumbar region (lower back). Visceral problems such as asthma and gastric conditions can also beassociated with, or complicated by, spinal subluxations and nerve compression. Subluxations are best treated by chiropractic adjustments.

Trauma

Trauma such as a fall, car accident, or sports injury can create over-stretching or tearing of the tissues of the spine and lower back and produce extensive pain and immobility. Corrective chiropractic care at the onset of symptoms is very important in order to escape long term disability and the development of any of the above conditions. If you experience a trauma, call your chiropractor as soon as possible.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is often associated with low back pain. Chiropractic care offers exceptional pain relief.

When it comes to the spine, chiropractors have more education and training than medical doctors. I can provides state of the art diagnosis and expert treatment for any of the above-mentioned conditions of the spine and lower back.

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Coming From a Chiropractor, How to Relieve Back Pain

Low Back Pain

Low back pain is second in commonality only to the common cold. It affects more than 80% of human being. However, unlike the common cold, back pain is often perplexing to most of its sufferers. Your Fort Worth Chiropractor is an expert at solving the problem.

Anatomy

Knowledge of the anatomy of the spine is essential in understanding back pain. The spinal bones or vertebrae of the lower back are made of posterior joints called facets that connect vertebrae to one another and serve to direct the motion of the spine. The inter-vertebral discs join the bodies of the vertebrae and are comprised of a form of dense cartilage that encases a soft material in the center, called the nucleus. The primary function of the disc is as a shock absorber and spacer between the vertebrae. Ligaments and muscles also join the vertebrae. The sacrum is a wedge-shaped bone at the bottom of the spine. It is connected to the two pelvic bones at the sacroiliac joint. In a canal positioned between the body and the facets of the vertebrae is the spinal cord. The spinal nerves go out from the spine between the vertebrae.

Causes of Back Pain

More often than not, back pain occurs without a trauma, an accident, or a major injury prior to the onset. The cumulative effects of awkward sitting posture, bad work habits, incorrect lifting, lack of proper exercise, and other poor lifestyle-related factors cause most back pain.  These cumulative factors create stresses and imbalances on the spine and, therefore, people may injure their back merely by bending over to pick up a piece of paper. The spine was already put in jeopardy and just the simple act of bending was enough to set off the problem. When this happens, the surrounding back muscles go into spasm to protect the stressed or injured tissues of the back. Chiropractors are back pain specialists. Your Chiropractor can help you to get out of pain quickly.

Disc Problems & Sciatica

Increased pressure on the intervertebral discs and imbalances in the muscles around the spine can happen during and after prolonged sitting, particularly in a awkward position. Eventually the lower spine loses its customary function and no longer can make room for the normal day-to-day stresses in ones life. Finally, the intervertebral disc develops small fissures, or cracks, permitting the soft nucleus to distend the disc outward. If the disc pushes on sensitive tissues, it creates the pain that is often referred to as a slipped disc. Sciatica develops when the disc presses on the spinal nerve. The symptoms of sciatica include pain, tingling, numbness, and often weakness in the lower extremities. On occasion if the disc protrusion or herniation is large and the condition is not managed correctly, surgery is necessary to clear away the herniated disc material. But, with the correct chiropractic adjustments and management, as well as postural exercises, most of these cases can healthfully heal. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms defined above, it is essential for you to seek chiropractic assistance.

Spondylosis

Repetitive assault to the discs, facet joints, and surrounding ligaments may cause increased wear and tear and weight-bearing stress on the spine. This stress can adversely affect the cartilage around the joints and induce calcium to deposit in the tissues around the vertebrae, forming bone spurs. These spurs can compress adjacent nerves, blood vessels and soft tissue resulting in symptoms ranging from minor pain and numbness to gross sensory loss and muscular atrophy. This constriction causes a form of arthritis, called Spondylosis, that can also occur as part of the aging process of the spine. But, factors such as previous trauma, unhealthy lifestyle, and repetitive stress injury influence the time of onset in life. Regular chiropractic care and overall chiropractic management is very effective in slowing the aging process of the spine, as well as helping Spondylosis sufferers in managing their condition. Your Fort Worth Chiropractor has treated many Spondylosis sufferers.

Sacroiliac Problems

Another general area of dysfunction or injury in the low back is in the sacroiliac joints. These weight-bearing joints connect the upper part of the body to the lower pelvic portion and are innately very strong and stable. However with trauma such as falls, sports injuries, or lifting heavy objects, the joints can become unstable and change to an abnormal position.  This condition is called a sacroiliac subluxation. Women may experience this condition during or after their pregnancy. Sacroiliac subluxation creates imbalances in the lower extremities giving a person a functional long and short leg. Individuals with this condition will feel pain especially with prolonged standing and walking, or during or after physical activity. Many complain of lack of energy and feeling tired easily.  Frequently this imbalance can affect structures further up the spine and people can develop neck and shoulder pain, as well as headaches. Chiropractic adjustments and treatment are extremely effective in correcting this problem by establishing proper alignment of the joints.. Ask your Fort Worth chiropractor how you can experience effective pain relief.

Spinal Subluxation

A commonplace disorder of the lower back, as well as the entire spine, is subluxated or misaligned facet joints. Subluxations can happen on their own or in conjunction with disc problems and Spondylosis. They not only cause pain, but they can also endanger the spinal nerves as they exit the foramen or spaces between the vertebrae, and create nerve compression, known as paraethesia. Paraesthesia is a variation of sensation described as a tingling, burning or “funny feeling.” Paraesthesia in the upper extremities usuallyoriginates from nerve problems in the neck, while paraesthesia in the lower extremities is very often associated with nerve problemsin the lumbar region (lower back). Visceral problems such as asthma and gastric conditions can also becorrelated with, or complicated by, spinal subluxations and nerve compression. Subluxations are best treated by chiropractic adjustments.

Trauma

Trauma such as a fall, car accident, or sports injury can produce over-stretching or tearing of the tissues of the spine and lower back and cause extensive pain and immobility. In order to prevent long term disability or the development of any of the conditions listed above, chiropractic adjustments and treatment at the onset of symptoms is vital. If you experience a trauma, call your chiropractor as soon as possible.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is often associated with low back pain. Chiropractic care offers exceptional pain relief.

When it comes to the spine, chiropractors have more education and training than medical doctors. I can provides state of the art diagnosis and expert treatment for any of the above-mentioned problems of the spine and lower back.

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