There are many spinal stenosis treatment options you should consider before resorting to surgery. Most patients with spinal stenosis respond well to non-surgical treatments such as medication, physical therapy, and gentle chiropractic care. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal, typically caused by age, injury, or congenital disorder. The condition can cause difficulty […]
chronic pain
Spinal Stenosis Treatment Options
There are many spinal stenosis treatment options you should consider before resorting to surgery. Most patients with spinal stenosis respond well to non-surgical treatments such as medication, physical therapy, and gentle chiropractic care.
Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal, typically caused by age, injury, or congenital disorder. The condition can cause difficulty with movement and can be debilitating. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery, spinal stenosis affects 8 to 11 percent of the population.
What is Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is a condition where the spinal canal narrows, putting pressure on the spinal cord. Bone spurs can cause a narrowing of the spinal canal. Bone spurs are one cause of spinal stenosis. They are small bony growths that form from calcium deposits and can put pressure on the nerve roots as they exit the spine. Other causes of spinal stenosis include:
- Disc degeneration
- Spinal arthritis
- Herniated disc
- Tumor
- Osteoporosis
What Causes Spinal Stenosis?
The most common cause of spinal stenosis is osteoarthritis. It usually develops slowly over time. Most people who develop symptoms of spinal stenosis are over 50 with women at a higher risk than men.
Besides osteoarthritis, other conditions or circumstances can cause spinal stenosis:
- Narrow spinal canal
- Injury to the spine
- Spinal tumor
- Certain bone diseases
- Past surgery of the spine
- Rheumatoid arthritis
How Do Doctors Diagnose Spinal Stenosis?
Spinal stenosis is often diagnosed using diagnostic imaging. Diagnostic imaging can determine the exact location, type and extent of the problem.
What are the Symptoms?
The most common symptoms are pain and weakness or numbness. Stenosis can affect any part of the spine and often occurs in the lower back and neck.
Other symptoms of spinal stenosis include:
- Radiating pain
- Numbness or tingling in the arms, hands, legs, or feet
- Weakness in the extremities
- Neck pain
- Clumsiness in the arms and hands
- Abnormal reflexes
What are Non-surgical Treatments?
The majority of patients (70%) are able to manage their symptoms through nonsurgical treatments. 1
Treatments for spinal stenosis pain vary depending on the type and location of the pain. Non-surgical treatments include medication, chiropractic care, and acupuncture.
- Pain medications are prescribed to relieve the pain and reduce inflammation. Unfortunately, these medication can cause side effects.
- Gentle Chiropractic care is recommended to help relieve muscular skeletal pain. Chiropractic care improves the movement of the spine. This helps to relieve strain on the discs and nerves in the back. Gentle chiropractic care avoids the twisting, snapping and torque of traditional chiropractic adjustments.
Surgery may be recommended if non-invasive methods don’t provide symptoms relief.
Spinal stenosis is a common condition that affects millions of Americans each year. The symptoms can vary from person to person. Treatment options for spinal stenosis vary depending on how severe symptoms are and what other health conditions are present.
Acupuncture for spinal stenosis is effective for fighting the pain associated with the condition. Clinical studies 4 have shown that this holistic therapy can help relieve the types of pain caused by the condition of spinal stenosis.
Gentle chiropractic care is preferable to traditional chiropractic care for spinal stenosis.
Treatment Options for Spinal Stenosis
The most common treatment is nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDS treat pain and inflammation.
In 2007, the American Heart Association issued a scientific statement warning of the long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) 5 which included this warning:
“Consumers are advised that all over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications, including NSAIDs, should be used in strict accordance with the label directions. If use of an OTC NSAID is needed for longer than ten days, a physician should be consulted.”
If non-surgical treatments can’t provide adequate pain relief, you may need surgery. There are many kinds of surgery for spinal stenosis. The health care professionals at Advanced Wellness Solutions will help get you the care you need if they aren’t able to relieve your pain.
Call to schedule your appointment today at 772-403-7640.
Acupuncture for Pain Relief
Acupuncture has been used to relieve pain for centuries and is used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It involves the insertion of needles into specific points on the body. The needles are inserted into the skin and manipulated. This promotes a healthy flow of energy, or “chi”, through the body. It is believed that this balance can help relieve pain and other symptoms.
Acupuncture for Pain Relief: How it Can Help You
Acupuncture facilitates the communication and activation of the nervous system, which releases specific chemicals within the body. These chemicals can help relieve pain and swelling. This is why acupuncture is used to treat headaches, back pain, arthritis, and joint pain.
Acupuncturists go through rigorous training and licensing. There are many different types of acupuncture. Each one is used to address a different health issue.
Acupuncturists are properly trained to stimulates points on your body that can relieve pain and promote healing.
What are the Benefits of Acupuncture for Pain Relief?
Acupuncture can effectively treat:
- back pain,
- neck pain,
- headaches
- shoulder pain
- wrist pain.
The biggest benefit to acupuncture for pain relief is the safety of the procedure. The complication rate for acupuncture is low and the side effects are usually mild. Soreness and minor bleeding or bruising are the most common side effects.
In a German study1, only 0.003% of patients (13 out of over 4,441,000) experienced severe adverse events from acupuncture.
Acupuncture is also cost effective treatment the following conditions:2
- Allergic Rhinitis
- Low back pain
- Ambulatory Anesthesia
- Migraine
- Chronic Pain
- Neck Pain (plus usual medical care)
- Depression
- Osteoarthritis
- Dysmenorrhea (painful periods)
- Post-operative nausea and vomiting
- Headache
How does acupuncture compare to other treatments for pain?
Acupuncture pales in comparison to the risks associated with taking pain medication. Addiction is a very real risk with prescription pain killers.
According to Hopkins Medicine3,
It takes a couple of weeks to become physically dependent on an opioid, but that varies by individual. If you take an opioid for a day or two, it should not be a problem and, generally, you will not become addicted. However, some studies show even the first dose of an opioid can have physiological effects.
One study found up to 25% of of patients develop a life-long addiction.4 In 2016, there were 63,632 drug overdose deaths in the United States, a 21.4% increase from 2015.5 Two thirds of these deaths involved an opioid.6
A recent study concluded that any dose of NSAIDs for any duration increased the risk of heart attack.8 This means acupuncture is even safer than over the counter pain relievers (NSAIDs).
Acupuncture has treated pain and other chronic symptoms for centuries. It can supplement or replace other treatments, depending on the individual.
What is the evidence for acupuncture?
There have been over 8,000 intensive scientific clinical trials of acupuncture over the past 50 years.9
In 2017, the American College of Physicians began recommending acupuncture for both chronic and acute low back pain.10
The Acupuncture Evidence Project 11 found evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture for 117 conditions, with stronger evidence for acupuncture’s effectiveness for some conditions than others. Conditions with strongest evidence supporting the effectiveness of acupuncture include:
- Allergic rhinitis (perennial & seasonal)
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (with anti-emetics)
- Migraine prophylaxis
- Chronic low back pain
- Postoperative nausea & vomiting
- Headache (tension-type and chronic)
- Postoperative pain
Why You Should Consider Using Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been treating pain for thousands of years. There are many reasons why acupuncture may be a good treatment option for you. Acupuncture is a safe and effective treatment for pain. It’s a safe, cost effective treatment option for many conditions.
Call Advanced Wellness Solutions at 855-509-5400 to schedule your appointment.
Feeling Tired?
Feeling tired is NOT just part of getting older. Fatigue could be a sign of an underlying medical condition that needs treatment.
Fatigue is more than just feeling tired. It’s an overall feeling of lack of energy. It isn’t the same as simply feeling drowsy or sleepy. Fatigue can also mean not having enough strength to do anything on your plate.
Feeling Tired? Symptoms of fatigue
Fatigue can include feeling sleepy or drowsy, but there are other symptoms as well. Other symptoms of fatigue include headache, dizziness and even impaired reflexes. Impaired reflexes can be especially dangerous, especially when driving in south Florida traffic. It can also impair your decision-making and judgement. It can affect your ability to react quickly and cause car accidents. The next time you see someone who’s driving like a crazy person, they may not be crazy. They may just be feeling tired and fatigued.
Fatigue is a common symptom for many medical conditions. If you’re feeling fatigued, it could be a sign of a serious underlying medical condition. It could also be caused by:
- depression,
- stress
- lack of exercise
- poor diet.
Since we live in Florida, it’s possible that your fatigue may be the result of the heat. When it’s oppressively hot, you’re likely to be avoiding the unairconditioned outdoors. This can lead to you not getting enough vitamin D or exercise, which can lead to exhaustion and lethargy.
Feeling Tired? Try these tips to help you feel more energized:
- Reduce stress.
- Drink lots of water.
- Eat for energy, foods like protein, whole grains, high-fiber vegetables, nuts, and healthy oils.
- Take frequent breaks from sitting to stand up and walk around.
- Avoid caffeine after noon
- Resist the urge to nap during the day.
Most importantly, avoid energy drinks. They contain sugar and other ingredients that could make you feel even more exhausted later on.
Seek Medical Treatment for Fatigue
If you’re suffering from fatigue even after getting a good night’s sleep, it’s time to seek medical help. Unfortunately, according to a report from the NIH 1,
Patients generally regard fatigue as important (because it is disabling), whereas doctors do not (because it is diagnostically non-specific).
What this means is that in the world of Western medicine, fatigue can be caused by factors other than an underlying disease.
At Advanced Wellness Solutions, we won’t dismiss your complaint of fatigue. We will first perform a thorough consultation and exam to identify the specific symptoms of fatigue. We’ll then work to identify and address the factors potentially causing your fatigue.
Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as chiropractic care are both effective at treating fatigue.
Chiropractic care has been shown to help successfully treat fatigue 2 with no dangerous side effects. Studies have shown that regular chiropractic care may contribute to an improved quality of life in patients suffering from CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) 3
Acupuncture is another treatment option for fatigue. A fundamental concept in Traditional Chinese Medicine is that QI (vital energy) flows freely through the body. When Qi isn’t flowing properly, it causes fatigue.
Scientific studies show that acupuncture and TCM offer proven benefits for treating fatigue without any negative side effects.4 Acupuncture has also been shown to increase serotonin levels which improves sleep and mood.5
Feeling tired shouldn’t be normal.
Fatigue is not just part of getting older. If you’re feeling fatigued, don’t dismiss it. Extreme stress, lack of sleep and decreased physical activity can trigger fatigue. It can also be a sign of a serious medical condition. If gentle chiropractic care and Traditional Chinese Medicine aren’t able to resolve your symptoms of fatigue, the medical professionals at Advance Wellness Solutions will refer you to another medical professional who can help.
If you’re suffering from fatigue, it’s time make an appointment with Advanced Wellness Solutions.
Arthritis Pain Management
Gentle chiropractic is a safe, nonsurgical method of arthritis pain management. Gentle chiropractic care can help reduce inflammation and increase range of motion while reducing arthritis pain.
Movement is like lubrication for the joints. Gentle chiropractic adjustments can help to encourage full range of joint motion to provide safe arthritis pain management. In conjunction with the gentle chiropractic adjustment, electrical muscle stimulation is often used for immediate pain relief. In addition to in office therapies, patients are also given appropriate exercises to perform at home to promote increased joint mobility.
Arthritis
Arthritis is inflammation of the cartilage which causes swelling and tenderness in afflicted joints. Cartilage is the connective tissue that surrounds the ends of bones. It is dense, elastic tissue that supports and cushions the joints while helping joints to move smoothly. When cartilage becomes inflamed, joint pain and stiffness result.
The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. While the symptoms are similar, the cause of each is dramatically different.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease.
RA is an autoimmune disease is when the body’s immune system attacks healthy cells by mistake. In the case of RA, the healthy cells in the cartilage cushioning the joints are attacked. The joints affected are usually in the hands, wrists, and knees. When the body’s immune system attacks the joint cartilage, it becomes inflamed, swollen and tender. Eventually, the inflammation damages the joint cartilage as well as the bones of the joint. This can cause long-lasting or chronic pain, unsteadiness (lack of balance), and deformity (misshapenness). 3
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis.
OA is a degenerative condition that affects joint cartilage and bones. It causes pain, loss of mobility, as well as decreased muscle function and strength. Like RA, osteoarthritis causes joint pain and stiffness. It was once thought that in osteoarthritis, the joints were simply wearing out. Research has shown that OA is a complex process with many causes. It is not an inevitable part of aging experts say, but rather the result of a combination of factors.
While osteoarthritis can damage any joint, it most commonly affects joints that bear weight — like your knees, hips, feet, and spine. It often comes on gradually over months or years.2 Ten percent of men and 20% of women aged between 45 and 65 years report OA,4 with 80% of those older than 75 years showing radiographic evidence of OA.5
Treatments for Arthritis Pain
According to Scott Haldeman, MD, a neurologist in Santa Ana, California and Chairman Emeritus of the Research Council for the World Federation of Chiropractic as quoted in arthritis.org6,
Chiropractic care is one of the safest therapies you can use if you have back or neck pain due to osteoarthritis.
In addition to treating neck and back pain from osteoarthritis, gentle chiropractic treatment can also treat osteoarthritis of the hip 7 and other arthritic joints.
Gentle Chiropractic Care for arthritis pain
Gentle chiropractic care can help increase the range of motion in arthritic joints and reduce arthritic joint pain.
While gentle chiropractic care won’t repair or rebuild cartilage, it can relieve pressure on joints caused by arthritis. Gentle chiropractic care can also stop muscle spasms and tenderness caused by osteoarthritis through gentle manipulation of muscles and soft tissues surrounding arthritic joints.
Acupuncture for arthritis pain
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine have been used for thousands of years to relieve arthritis pain. While acupuncture can’t cure or reverse the process of arthritis, a study showed it can help you feel significantly less pain and function better. 8
Over-the-counter medications
It’s very common to reach for over the counter (OTC) pain medication for arthritis pain management. Unfortunately, all NSAIDs (including OTC pain medication) now carry a black box warning. This is the strongest of all FDA warnings and is reserved for drugs that pose a significant risk to the population. In 2007, the American Heart Association issued a scientific statement warning of the long-term use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) 9 which included this warning:
“Consumers are advised that all over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications, including NSAIDs, should be used in strict accordance with the label directions. If use of an OTC NSAID is needed for longer than ten days, a physician should be consulted.”
A practice based study of patients with acute and chronic low back pain found that patients receiving chiropractic manipulation as their primary treatment had significant reductions in visual analogue scale (VAS) scores within two weeks of care.10 This study also included evaluation of traditional medical management with a primary treatment using NSAIDs. The same level of pain reduction was not reported in the NSAID group until the 12-week marker.
Herbs and supplements for arthritis pain relief
There are many herbal supplements which tout anti-inflammatory properties. It’s important to exercise caution when taking supplements. Just because a product is natural does not mean it’s safe. The contents of supplements are not verified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Some supplements can interact with medications or can cause health problems.
You should always consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking any supplement.
Turmeric, ginger and cinnamon are supplements that reduce inflammation in the body. There is also evidence that vitamin C and fish oil may help with arthritis pain while providing other health benefits.
Glucosamine sulfate supplements have unique anti-inflammatory effects. In some laboratory tests, it demonstrated a protective effect on the cartilage as well. Chondroitin sulfate supplements also appears to have anti-inflammatory properties. Some laboratory studies suggest that chondroitin sulfate may slow cartilage breakdown associated with osteoarthritis and even stimulate cartilage growth.11
Trigger point injections for arthritis pain relief
If chiropractic treatment alone does not provide adequate pain relief, the medical professionals at Advanced Wellness Solutions may recommend a trigger-point injection. A trigger-point injection usually contains an anesthetic and a steroid to immediately help alleviate arthritis pain. These injections are rarely a standalone treatment. They work best when combined with other conservative treatment methods such as chiropractic care.
Trigger point injection therapy can provide immediate and ongoing relief from pain in the targeted area while chiropractic treatments address the underlying cause of the pain.
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for arthritis pain relief
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) delivers a small electric current to specific nerves. Tens units provide neuromodulation treatments which can ease pain with minimal risks and offer an alternative to pain medication for arthritis pain management. According to Arthritis.org 12
These devices are generally safe. However, they involve sending electrical impulses though your body. So it’s important to talk with your doctor first if you have a pacemaker, another implanted device, are pregnant, have epilepsy, or have a heart problem.
Topical medications for arthritis pain relief
Topical medications that do not contain NSAIDs that Advanced Wellness Solutions recommends are:
- CryoDerm Gel: It contains almost 300% more of the active ingredient and pain reliever menthol than other topical pain relievers. Menthol is used clinically as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. It creates a cold sensation on the skin, by activating the peripheral cold receptors.
- Biofreeze Professional: Biofreeze is greaseless, stainless and has a vanishing scent. It is an optimized, fast-acting proprietary formula.
Topical NSAIDS are now available without a prescription. Diclofenac sodium 1% gel (Voltaren Arthritis Pain) is now available at many pharmacies. A 2016 Cochrane review 14 concluded, “Topical diclofenac and topical ketoprofen can provide good levels of pain relief beyond carrier in osteoarthritis for a minority of people, but there is no evidence for other chronic painful conditions.”
Safe Arthritis Pain Management
When arthritis threatens to immobilize you, gentle chiropractic care can keep you moving.
Accepting new chiropractic patients. Call (772) 403-7640 to schedule your appointment.
We Accept All Major Medical Health Insurance and Medicare.
You can find safe arthritis pain management at Advanced Wellness Solutions. Effective gentle chiropractic care can help to relieve the pain and slow the damage to cartilage from osteoarthritis. Gentle chiropractic maximizes the function of arthritic joints by encouraging full range of joint motion.
Acupuncture for Pain Relief
Using acupuncture for pain relief has been an effective drug free treatment for thousands of years.
Acupuncture and Chinese medicine have been treating pain and illness for thousands of years. Many studies have been performed to measure the effectiveness of acupuncture. The Acupuncture Trialists’ Collaboration compiled raw data from trials where the main outcome measures were pain and function. They concluded that acupuncture is an effective method of treating chronic pain. Their conclusions included: 1
- acupuncture is effective for the treatment of chronic pain
- that the effects of acupuncture persist for up to 12 months,
- and that the benefits of acupuncture cannot be explained away solely by the placebo effect.
The report itself 2 states:
Acupuncture is effective for the treatment of chronic musculoskeletal, headache, and osteoarthritis pain.
Acupuncture for Pain Relief
Acupuncture involves the insertion of sterile, fine needles into specific spots to stimulate the body to heal itself. There are 2,000 acupuncture points according to Traditional Chinese medicine. These points are connected by meridians or energetic pathways. Energy or Qi (pronounced “chee” which means vital energy), flows through the body using these pathways.
In a healthy body, Qi (vital energy) flows freely. Pain, lack of function, or illness are signs that Qi has been disrupted.
By stimulating specific points on the body, Dr. Heather can help to restore healthy function to the body.
Advanced Wellness Solutions patients frequently tell us that they didn’t realize how much chronic pain was impacting their life.
The research makes it clear that chronic pain is bad for your physical health. Chronic pain can elevate blood pressure, pulse rate, adrenaline and cortisol serum levels. This puts hazardous stress on the cardio-vascular system. Chronic pain can cause elevated serum lipids and glucose levels.1
According Perry G. Fine, MD of the Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Pain Research Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA,1 the long-term consequences of chronic pain include:
- sleep disturbances
- cognitive processes and brain function
- mood/mental health
- cardiovascular health
- sexual function
Living with chronic pain makes everything more difficult. Chronic pain can make performing the simplest tasks more difficult. It also has a significant impact on your mental health.
Chronic Pain Affects Your Sleep
According to the APA 2, healthy sleep has been proven to be the single most important factor, more important than diet, exercise, or even heredity, in predicting longevity.
Acupuncture for Pain Relief and Insomnia
Insomnia has been treated with acupuncture in China for thousands of years. Western clinical studies confirm that acupuncture may have a beneficial effect on insomnia.3
Chronic Pain Affects Your Thoughts
If you’re in chronic pain, you’re not operating at your cognitive best. Memory and attention care impaired in up to two thirds of patients with chronic pain.3
Chronic pain doesn’t just harm your physical health. It affects your emotions and relationships. It even affects your state of mind. Chronic pain causes changes in the levels of stress hormones and neurochemicals found within your brain. This disruption can affect your mood, thinking and behavior.
Chronic pain can influence your thoughts, feelings, and memory. It also affects your concentration. It can even affect your connections with others.
Chronic Pain Affects Your Emotions
The emotional effects of chronic pain include:
- Depression
- Anger
- Anxiety, and
- Fear of re-injury
Living with chronic pain can affect your mood. Chronic pain can make you more susceptible to depression, anxiety, and fear. Chronic pain can cause sleep disturbances, depression, and a heightened risk of suicide.4
Acupuncture for Pain Relief and Mental Health
According to studies, acupuncture may be a valuable for those suffering from mental health disorders.4
Chronic Pain Affects Your Heart
Chronic pain can lead to a chronic stress reaction. This in turn causes an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. This stress reaction can lead to a reduced ability to fight off illnesses and diseases. It can increase the risk for heart disease.5
Acupuncture for Heart Health
Acupuncture reduces stress and improves heart function, according to UCLA researchers.6
Chronic Pain Affects Your Sex Life
Chronic pain may interfere with sexuality for several reasons. One is the nature of the pain itself. Other factors associated with chronic pain, include mood disorders, decreased sex drive (libido), medications or stress. All of these can affect sexual function 6.
Chronic Pain – the Invisible Disability
Chronic pain is the “invisible” disability.7 What this means is it is possible to look like the picture of health but suffer from chronic pain. Chronic pain makes everything more difficult.
Advanced Wellness Solutions’ health care practitioners treat chronic pain. If they can’t find a way to relieve or manage your pain, they’ll refer you to someone who can.
Advanced Wellness solutions offers drug free pain relief treatments. Our goal is to help our patients achieve a better quality of life.
Advanced Wellness Solutions offers drug free pain relief using gentle chiropractic and acupuncture and Chinese medicine.
Gentle Chiropractic Care for Fibromyalgia
Gentle chiropractic care for fibromyalgia can help manage the chronic pain, fatigue and poor quality sleep that afflicts patients.
Accepting new patients. Call 855-509-5400 to schedule your appointment.
We Accept All Major Medical Health Insurance and Medicare.
Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain in the joints, muscles, tendons and other soft tissues throughout the body. Other symptoms include:
- fatigue,
- difficulty sleeping,
- memory issues,
- mood issues.
Not that long ago, if you were suffering from pain, fatigue and muscle spasms, your doctor would run a variety of tests. If the tests showed nothing and you kept pestering you doctor, you might get diagnosed with fibromyalgia. That’s no longer the case. Researchers are making progress unraveling this mysterious condition. Research studies suggest that the nervous system plays a role in the illness. Researchers believe that the fibromyalgia patient’s nervous system amplifies painful sensations, affecting the way the patient’s brain processes pain signals. 1
Gentle Chiropractic Care for Fibromyalgia
Gentle chiropractic can help manages fibromyalgia pain and fatigue.
According to a clinical trial published by the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2
“Chiropractic management improved patients’ cervical and lumbar ranges of motion, straight leg raise and reported pain levels.“
Many patients with fibromyalgia also suffer from headaches, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, irritable bowel syndrome as well as anxiety and depression.3
Symptoms of fibromyalgia
- muscles spasms.
- fatigue
- poor quality sleep
- “fibro fog” which is characterized by trouble with remembering, learning, paying attention, and concentrating.
- widespread pain.
If you’re suffering from the symptoms of fibromyalgia, you owe it to yourself to see the pain relief specialists at Advanced Wellness Solutions. Schedule your appointment by calling: 855-509-5400
Gentle Chiropractic Care Provides Chronic Pain Relief
One of the things we often hear patients say after treatment is, “I didn’t realize how much chronic pain was affecting my life!” It’s very gratifying to be able to provide chronic pain relief. We’re happy to help our patients get back to enjoying life instead of simply struggling to survive the day. Unfortunately, many chronic pain patients suffered needlessly and only find us as a “last resort” after they’ve tried everything else.
Accepting new patients. Call 855-509-5400 to schedule your appointment.
We Accept All Major Medical Health Insurance and Medicare.
Living with chronic pain makes everything more difficult. Performing even the simplest tasks can be difficult when you’re in chronic pain. Whether it’s headache pain, back pain, neck pain or hip or knee pain, chronic pain leads to a stress reaction throughout the body. Chronic pain can cause muscles to tighten and spasm which in turn results in even more pain.
Studies show that chronic pain can elevate blood pressure, pulse rate, adrenaline and cortisol serum levels, putting hazardous stress on the cardio-vascular system. Chronic pain may also experience elevate serum lipids and glucose levels.1
So it’s clear that chronic pain is bad for your physical health. However, the damage caused by chronic pain doesn’t stop with your physical body. Chronic pain also affects your emotions, your relationships, and even your state of mind. Chronic pain is known to change the levels of stress hormones and neurochemicals found within your brain and nervous system. This disruption of the delicate balance can affect your mood, thinking and behavior.
People suffering from chronic pain tend to have poor sleep and sleep disturbances. This leads to fatigue, trouble concentrating, decreased appetite, and mood changes. Poor quality sleep, the frustration of dealing with chronic pain and the elevation of stress hormones can then depression and anxiety.
Overuse of Pain Relief Medication Can Cause Headaches
When you’re in chronic pain, it’s fast and easy to reach for pain relief medication. Unfortunately, repeated use of pain relievers can cause medication overuse headaches.1 Medication-overuse headache (MOH) is clinical diagnosis. It’s classified as a secondary disorder affecting patients who use pain relieving medication (OTC or prescription) more than two to three days per week.
The bad news: the most effective treatment for MOH is to stop using pain relieving medication.2
The good news: gentle chiropractic care can effectively treat chronic pain without drugs or other medication. Finding effective treatments for chronic pain can restore healthy sleep patterns which in turn can reduce blood pressure, pulse rate while lowering adrenaline and cortisol serum levels.
Accepting new patients. Call 855-509-5400 to schedule your appointment.
We Accept All Major Medical Health Insurance and Medicare.
Dr. Danielle Hurd, DC practices effective gentle chiropractic at Advanced Wellness Solutions. Dr. Danielle pursues a drug free approach to chronic pain relief when prudent and possible. If she is unable to provide chronic pain relief, she will refer you to medical professional with the needed expertise in the appropriate specialty.
3 Reasons to Choose Chiropractic Care after a Car Accident
If you live in Stuart, Palm City or Hobe Sound Florida, and are injured in a car accident here are 3 reasons to choose chiropractic care after a car accident.
Car accidents can not only cause injury but anxiety as well. Even if your car accident was minor, your injuries could be serious, even life altering. According to a study published in the Society of Automotive Engineers, 1 vehicle crash damage does not directly correlate to the degree of occupant injury.
Unfortunately, it’s common for people to develop chronic issues as a result of a seemingly minor accident. What’s worse, you may not be aware that you’ve been injured immediately following the accident.
Accepting new patients. Call 855-509-5400 to schedule your appointment.
We Accept All Major Medical Health Insurance and Medicare.
Chiropractic care is the best option for musculoskeletal injuries, including those suffered in car accidents. Many of these injuries can be effectively treated without drugs or surgery. Fortunately, the injuries suffered in most minor auto accidents don’t require surgery and drugs.
Here are the top three reasons to choose chiropractic care after a car accident in Martin County, FL
#1: Imaging can’t catch micro-tears that are caused by a car accident.
Unfortunately, medical imaging such as X-rays or MRIs can’t detect the micro-tears in ligaments and muscles after a traumatic injury like those resulting from an auto accident. These microscopic tears in the muscle are why you may wake up with severe pain the day after an accident. Whiplash is a soft tissue neck injury that occurs when the neck snaps back and forth in a rapid motion. That rapid snapping back and forth causes microscopic tears in the neck muscles.
Soft-tissue injuries (a.k.a. micro-tears in ligaments and muscles) like whiplash can take a long time to heal. One study found that more than 70 percent of people who visited the emergency room after a car accident were still in pain six weeks later. Other researchers have noted that nearly half of whiplash sufferers continue to experience symptoms three months later, while 25 percent remain symptomatic for six months.2
Traumatic injuries such as those suffered in a car accident often include micro-tears and micro lesions. These cause inflammation which in turn causes pain. 3 Studies show that chiropractic adjustments help the body release anti-inflammatory Interleukin 6 (IL-6)4. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) plays an integral role in the body’s healing ability, including trauma, burns, cancers and infections.5
#2: Chiropractic Care After a Car Accident Helps Heal Internal Scar Tissues
When you hear the word “scar tissue” you might think of the scar from a nasty fall off your bike when you were young. Your body also forms this special type of tissue inside your body when your ligaments and muscles are injured. Just as the scar tissue you see on your skin doesn’t look or act like your undamaged skin, the scar tissue inside your body doesn’t have the same elasticity or mobility of uninjured soft tissue.
When scar tissue forms in the ligaments, especially those in your neck or back, it can lead to long term pain and reduced mobility. Scar tissue continues to grow and change throughout the recovery process which may take from twelve to eighteen months.6 Prompt chiropractic care after a car accident is very effective at remodeling scar tissue. Chiropractic treatment and stretching of scar tissue helps align the collagen fibers, allowing it tolerate daily activities. 7
Studies show that car accident victims treated within one week of their accident saw the best overall improvement. 8 Many chiropractors refer to this time period as the “golden week” because the inflammatory reaction which occurs during this period, if left unchecked, will produce scars and adhesions that make future management more difficult.
#3: Chiropractic Care After a Car Accident Releases Pain Relieving Hormones
Studies also show that chiropractic care helps release pain reducing hormones.9 These hormones provide natural pain relief from both acute and chronic pain. They will help relieve the pain from the acute injuries suffered in a car accident. Fortunately, they don’t stop there! They will also help any other areas that were causing pain before the accident.
Unfortunately, turning to pain pills can actually make pain worse in the long run. Contrary to marketing messages that imply otherwise, pain medications do not speed up the healing process. Pain medications (both OTC and prescription) can be very beneficial for the first 7 – 10 days after a traumatic injury. Used in the short term, these can provide symptomatic relief while chiropractic care breaks up scar tissue and adhesions, relieving stiffness, pain and the discomfort it causes.
We’re learning that you won’t find the solution to pain – even chronic pain – in a pill. Not only are opioid medications dangerous and addictive, they can actually cause your pain to worsen. Studies show that when you use an opioid pain reliever, it sets off a chain of immune signals in the spinal cord that amplify pain rather than dulling it, even after the drug leaves the body. 10
Prompt Chiropractic Care is Key
Gentle chiropractic care will help prevent long-term, chronic pain conditions and allow you to achieve optimal recovery after an auto accident. Gentle Chiropractic Care is a newer method of chiropractic care. It replaces high-velocity adjustments with low-velocity, low amplitude manipulations. It is performed with a gentle touch, targeting a specific area. Gentle chiropractic care is more comfortable and provides maximum benefit from minimal visits.
If you or someone you know has been in a car accident and you need gentle chiropractic treatment, call 855-509-5400 to schedule an appointment.