Other Chiropractic Conditions

Chiropractic care can help reduce the severity and the frequency of your allergies.  Chiropractic care does not work like an anti-histamine as a direct, short term relief from allergies. Chiropractic care allows your body to be better equipped to fight against allergies.

Allergies are a reaction by your immune system to an allergen (substances that normally do not affect people) resulting in sneezing, coughing, congestion, hives, rashes, and in severe cases, seizure and anaphylactic shock. These symptoms are caused by the histamines your immune system creates in an attempt to protect your body against the allergen.

When your spine is misaligned it can impinge on the nervous system in your body. Studies have shown that the nervous system affects the functionality of your immune system. When your nervous system is under stress and not functioning properly, your immune system cannot work its optimal level. Chiropractors work with the nervous system by aligning the spine to relieve any stress on nerves. This allows the immune system to work at a higher level, making it easier to fight off infections while recognizing allergens. When your immune system recognizes allergens, it will not overreact to them, or at least not react as severely to them.

Intervertebral discs are positioned between the vertebrae in the spine. The outside of a disc is made from cartilage, and in the center is a jelly-like substance. These discs serve many purposes, including allowing movement of the spine, creating space between the vertebrae, and acting as shock absorbers. The jelly-like middle allows the disc to compress and expand based on impact and movement. Trauma and direct injury to the spine are two issues that can cause the discs to herniate, bulge, become displaced (slipped disc), or even rupture.  Another cause is as we get older, the discs can begin to weaken and dehydrate. These conditions can put pressure on the nerves around the spine and cause pain.

If you suffer from one of these injuries you should see a chiropractor. Surgery can be risky, expensive, and require extensive recovery time.  You can experience relief from these conditions through chiropractic care. By properly aligning the spine, pressure can be relieved on nerves and the discs themselves. This will reduce and hopefully eliminate your pain and discomfort and allow you to live a normal lifestyle.

Whiplash is a common injury for people involved in car collisions. When a car is struck from behind or collides with another object, it causes the neck to snap back and forth violently. This causes the muscles and ligaments to overextend, leading to strains and/or tears. This is referred to as soft tissue damage and can cause stiffness and soreness. Whiplash can also cause structural damage such as misaligned vertebrae, herniated, bulging or ruptured discs, or nerve damage due to the overextension from the violent movement.

Chiropractic care can help with both types of injuries. Adjustments and alignments can be performed specifically for those who have been in car accidents and suffered from whiplash. The pressure on the discs and nerves is released when the spine is returned to its proper alignment. Chiropractic therapies can be used to help relieve the pain and discomfort of soft tissue injuries.

Arthritis is a condition that is caused by the wearing down of the cartilage between joints. Some of the major joints that are affected are the knees, hips, back, neck, and hands/wrist. Arthritis can be painful and can cause the affected areas to not function properly.  Arthritis in one area can cause arthritis or other problems in a different joint. For instance, if you have arthritis in your left knee, you may compensate for this by putting more pressure on your right side, leading to right hip problems.

Pain killers can give some temporary relief from pain and discomfort, but it is not a long term solution. Chiropractic care can alleviate pain by releasing pressure on the nervous system with proper alignment. It can also restore proper joint movement, helping to ensure that you use proper motion so that you do not cause injury to other parts of your body. We are not concerned strictly with the affected area, but rather the body as a whole. We aim to restore and maintain proper movement and functionality to increase your overall well-being.

Joint dysfunction occurs when joints become stiff and full movement is restricted. It can be caused by an injury, poor posture, overuse/underuse of a joint, muscle imbalance, as well as other factors.  Joint dysfunction can cause pain in the joint and the surrounding muscles, and can also cause problems in other parts of the body due to overcompensation.

One common form of joint dysfunction is sacroiliac joint dysfunction, which occurs where the base of the spine meets the pelvis. It causes low back pain and prohibits movement. This condition is often misdiagnosed because the symptoms are similar to sciatica or a herniated disc.

Your chiropractor can properly diagnose this condition and provide relief. Using specific adjustments for the affected joint can return proper mobility and relieve pain.

Pain along the spinal column in your neck or back is usually caused by subluxations or misalignments of your vertebrae.   A small misalignment can cause pain by causing pressure on nerves.   Left untreated, these subluxations can cause muscle spasms and increasing pain.  Chiropractic adjustments properly align your spine so that the pressure on the joints and nerves is released. It is a direct treatment for the cause of the pain, not a temporary relief like pain relievers.

Many people believe that headaches are caused by loud noise, being tired, or being stressed. While these are all factors that can lead to headaches, the direct cause is tightness in the neck and shoulders. The tightness can cause misalignments in the vertebrae of your neck, resulting in pain.  Around 80% of all headaches originate from the neck.  With a typical cervicogenic (neck origin) headache, a person usually feels pain starting at the base of the skull which radiates into the temples, eyeballs, and forehead. Massage of the neck and shoulder muscles can release tension, and a chiropractic adjustment can realign the vertebrae in your neck. Chiropractic care can help eliminate the cause of your headaches rather than offering a temporary relief from the symptoms.

Sciatica is a condition that results when the sciatic nerve becomes irritated. Bulging discs, spinal subluxations, and muscle spasms can all cause increased pressure on the sciatic nerve. When this happens it causes pain, numbness, and weakness in the lower back and leg. To properly treat sciatica the cause of the condition needs to be diagnosed and properly treated. Your chiropractor can help you do this.

When a nerve is squeezed or compressed it is called a "pinched nerve". This can be caused by spinal misalignments, bulging or herniated discs, or other factors. The increased pressure on the nerve causes inflammation, pain, and sometimes muscle spasms. The pressure on the nerve must be released to alleviate the pain. An examination can reveal the cause of the pain, and an adjustment can relieve the pain by properly aligning the spine and addressing the cause of the pain.

This condition is most commonly associated with people who are constantly using a computer. Typing is a motion that, when performed repetitively and with poor posture, can cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Symptoms include pain, numbness, weakness, or a burning sensation. The nerves in the fingertips travel through the wrist, up the arm, and into the neck. The spine is the center of the nervous system, and the pain in your hands and wrists can be relieved by your chiropractor with concentrated spinal and joint adjustments.

We have discussed many conditions that can be relieved through chiropractic care. The best way to treat these conditions is to prevent them before they even start. Regular chiropractic visits can help to prevent physical problems and injuries from occurring. Other potential benefits of regular chiropractic visits are increased flexibility and mobility, a higher level of energy, improved posture, a more effective immune system, improved circulation, and an overall better feeling of well-being.

Fibromyalgia is a condition that we still do not know much about. There is no specific known cause, and it can be brought on by many different factors. The main symptom of fibromyalgia is chronic pain throughout the body, mainly located in joints. The pain may be achy, sharp, radiating, burning, or shooting and it may be mild or severe. Fibromyalgia has also been known to bring on other conditions like trouble sleeping, headaches, depression, and anxiety.

While there is no known cure for fibromyalgia, chiropractic treatment can help to uncover what may be causing the pain and also provide relief for the pain. A full examination will need to be done to find the actual cause of fibromyalgia. Adjustments and chiropractic massage can be used to relieve pain from the affected areas. The added effects of chiropractic treatment such as increased energy levels, better circulation, and a stronger immune system can also help to fight the effects of fibromyalgia.

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