Each year thousands of Martin County residents are involved in car accidents. Here are 3 reasons to choose chiropractic care after a car accident. Some car accidents cause minor damage while others cause major damage. The severity of the damage to vehicles and the severity of the injuries vary. Did you know that the vehicle […]
neck pain
3 Reasons to Choose Chiropractic Care after a Car Accident
Each year thousands of Martin County residents are involved in car accidents. Here are 3 reasons to choose chiropractic care after a car accident.
Some car accidents cause minor damage while others cause major damage. The severity of the damage to vehicles and the severity of the injuries vary. Did you know that the vehicle crash damage does not directly correlate to the degree of occupant injury? It’s true. A study published in the Society of Automotive Engineers, 1 dispels this widely held myth. That means, even if your car accident was minor, your injuries could be serious, even life altering.
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.
Chiropractic care is the best option for musculoskeletal injuries, including those suffered in car accidents. As a chiropractor, Dr. Danielle can treat many of these injuries without drugs or surgery. Fortunately, the injuries suffered in most minor auto accidents don’t require surgery and drugs. However, if prescription drugs and/or surgery are required to restore you to optimal functionality, Dr. Danielle will provide guidance in finding the right resources to help you achieve this goal.
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, 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
The key to optimal recovery after an auto accident is prompt chiropractic care. Chiropractic care will allow you to continue to stay active after your car accident.
If you or someone you know has been in a car accident and you need chiropractic treatment, call 855-509-5400 to schedule an appointment.
Looking for Effective Gentle Chiropractic Care?
Residents of Martin County FL and the surrounding areas may not be aware that they have the option of choosing gentle chiropractic care. Dr. Danielle Hurd, DC at Advanced Wellness Solutions in Stuart, Florida provides effective yet gentle chiropractic care.
WHAT IS GENTLE CHIROPRACTIC?
A gentle chiropractic spinal manipulation is performed with a gentle touch targeting a specific area. There’s no vigorous twisting involved. Dr. Danielle uses different techniques and patient positioning to deliver gentle chiropractic care. She achieves the same benefits with gentle chiropractic care that can be seen from traditional spinal adjustments.
This approach allows patients to get the maximum benefit from a minimal number of visits.
Dr. Danielle has actually had patients who were initially disappointed with her gentle chiropractic approach. These patients thought they couldn’t feel better without the twisting, popping and sometimes initial pain they experienced elsewhere. Her patients are delighted to learn that gentle chiropractic care allows them to get the maximum benefit from a minimal number of visits.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRADITIONAL CHIROPRACTIC CARE AND GENTLE CHIROPRACTIC CARE?
For example, let’s look at how spinal adjustments of the neck are performed. In traditional chiropractic care, you’ll lie face up on a table. The chiropractor will take your neck and pull it while twisting your head. This vigorous adjustment is effective but is often the reason some fear seeking chiropractic care.
When Dr. Danielle adjusts your neck, you’ll begin by lying face down on the table. She will then have you position your head and then deliver a gentle, downward force. You may hear a pop – but you won’t have your neck twisted and snapped. For those patients who prefer the traditional vigorous neck adjustment, Dr. Danielle is happy to oblige. However, most of her patients prefer her gentle prone approach to neck adjustments.
GENTLE CHIROPRACTIC FOR EFFECTIVE DRUG FREE PAIN RELIEF
If are in pain, you probably don’t need to be sold on the benefits of gentle chiropractic care. Many people who’ve been seriously injured in an auto accident are anxious at their first visit. They’re afraid she’s going to twist and contort them when they’re already experiencing extreme pain. They are relieved to learn that she practices gentle chiropractic care.
The Activator Method is one of the effective, gentle chiropractic care techniques used at Advanced Wellness Solutions. a small, hand-held instrument Dr. Danielle uses a small, hand-held instrument to deliver a gentle impulse force to the spine with the goal of restoring motion to the targeted spinal vertebra or joint. The patient is either seated comfortably or lying face down on the chiropractic table while this device is used. There’s no twisting or popping with this gentle modality which makes it ideal for anyone suffering from severe acute or chronic pain.
WHY GENTLE CHIROPRACTIC CARE?
Dr. Danielle provides gentle chiropractic care because knows what it’s like to be injured in a serious car crash. She was involved in a near head-on collision on while traveling on State Road 60 on her way to USF’s Tampa campus. While she was extremely fortunate to have walked away from the accident, she was still seriously injured. Her injuries caused her to have trigeminal neuralgia.
Trigeminal neuralgia is characterized by excruciating pain in the distribution of one or more branches of the fifth cranial nerve. In fact, it is considered to be the worst pain known to medicine.1 The pain caused by this condition is so severe, it’s been given the nickname, “the suicide disease.”
Dr. Danielle was fortunate to find a female chiropractor who used effective, gentle chiropractic care to treat her injuries. She was able to relieve her trigeminal neuralgia by effectively treating the injuries she suffered in her automobile accident.
While Dr. Danielle’s injuries forced her to drop out of college for a semester, they helped her choose her career. It’s why after she graduated from Palmer, she worked in two high volume personal injury clinics prior to opening her own practice. Her goal has always been to provide gentle, effective pain relief to people who have been seriously injured like she was. Today she offers that gentle chiropractic care at her Kanner Highway, Stuart Florida location.
Is Your Smartphone Use Causing Your Neck Pain?
You should know that “text neck” is not an official medical diagnosis. Instead it’s a description of a repetitive stress injury from the way you hold your head while using a mobile device.
Text Neck Causes
Text neck a.k.a. postural syndrome is caused by forward head posture and rounded shoulders. When you’re in this position, muscles in the neck, chest, and upper back can become imbalanced due to prolonged forward head posture. Over time, this imbalance can make it difficult to maintain good posture.
A healthy cervical spine has curves that begin by gently curving forward from the base of the skull. A healthy spine then curves backward into the top of the chest/upper back. When the head drifts forward in poor posture it causes an unnatural, forward positioning of the head and cervical spine. This creates additional stress on the inter-vertebral discs, vertebrae, and facet joints, which may accelerate spinal degeneration.
Text Neck Pain
Text neck isn’t limited to pain in your neck. Instead, you may feel pain in your upper back, and/or your shoulders. You may have a stabbing or intense pain in one spot or you may feel sore over a broader region. For example, you might have pain spanning from the bottom of the neck and into the shoulder(s). In addition to upper back pain, shoulder pain and neck pain, you may also be experiencing headaches.
If you notice that your pain increases when your neck is flexed forward into the position that originally caused the problem, then that’s a sign that you may have text neck.
Text Neck Impact
The stiffness resulting from text neck can reduce your mobility. Your neck, upper back, and shoulders may all experience tightness and reduced mobility. This reduced mobility can make driving dangerous.
Text neck can also cause headaches. These headaches are a result of muscle spasms in the neck and shoulders.This pain can then be referred from the neck and shoulders up into the head. Excessive amounts of time looking at screens, regardless of posture, may also increase the risk for eyestrain and headache.
Text Neck Treatment
Chiropractic care is ideally suited to treating neck pain, no matter what the cause. A careful patient history and physical exam can help to determine whether the pain and/or stiffness in your neck is caused by a repetitive stress injury, such as text neck or tech neck.
If a more serious cause of your neck pain is suspected, such as nerve root compression, fracture, or a serious underlying medical condition, Dr. Danielle will order imaging, nerve conduction studies and other tests to confirm her diagnosis.
Schedule your appointment today by calling 855-509-5400.
You Should Know: Sleep Helps You Heal
Pain can keep you from getting healthy sleep. Sleep is critically important to healing from injuries as well as maintaining good health.
If you’re not getting a good night’s sleep, you’re not alone. The American Sleep Association estimates that 50-70 million adults in the US have a sleep disorder.
Though the exact mechanisms are not fully understood, the current research suggests that individuals with a sleep disorder may be more likely to develop chronic pain and people with chronic pain are more likely to have trouble sleeping.1
A growing body of evidence suggests that sleep problems pose an important risk for the development of musculoskeletal pain in adolescents. A large cross-sectional study involving 6986 adolescents found short sleep time to be a risk factor associated with regional musculoskeletal pain, particularly chronic regional pain and chronic widespread pain.2
Why Sleep is Important
When you crawl into bed to go to sleep, you might think your body is shutting down and resting. We now know nothing could be further from the truth. Sleepy time is when your body performs many “heavy lifting” tasks that repair, restore and maintain your mind, body and health.. These processes are so intensive that the body waits until you’re asleep to perform them. This is why getting proper sleep following surgery or an injury is an important part of the healing process.
If you been injured in a car wreck or suffer from chronic pain, getting that healthy sleep is easier said than done.
The Role of Sleep in Injury Recovery
Sleep plays a surprisingly important role in injury recovery . Whether you’ve been in a car accident or you’ve hurt yourself at work or play, you need to get healthy sleep so you body can repair damage to muscles, ligaments and tendon, and even bones.3
According to John DeLucchi, Physical Therapy Manager for OrthoCarolina, “If you want to upgrade your athleticism, decrease your risk of injury, decrease persistent pain, recover faster, boost your immune system, have more energy and perform better, sleep is critical.” 4
Your immune system relies on sleep to be able to fight harmful substances. When you don’t get enough sleep, your immune system can’t properly protect your body from infection. Your body makes white blood cells while you sleep. These white blood cells attack viruses and bacteria that can slow the healing process as well as make you sick.
Sleep is when the body manufactures hormones. During healthy sleep cycles, the brain triggers the release of hormones that encourage tissue growth to repair blood vessels. This helps wounds to heal faster and restores sore or damaged muscles. Some of the hormones your body makes and releases during sleep slow breathing and relax muscles. This process can reduce inflammation and assist with healing. Other hormones your body releases are the ones that make you feel hungry or full. When you don’t get enough sleep, the hormone levels of ghrelin go up. Ghrelin is called the ‘hunger hormone’ because it stimulates appetite, increases food intake and promotes fat storage. 5 At the same time the hormones that tell your body that you’re full (leptin) go down. 4 This is why poor sleep patterns often lead to overeating and obesity.
So – to recap – healthy sleep helps you
- heal and recover after surgery or injury
- relax muscles
- repair blood vessels
- fight infection
- restore sore and damaged muscles
- maintain a healthy weight
In a cruel catch-22, chronic pain sufferers find it difficult to get healthy sleep. Chronic pain can lead to sleep disturbances, depression and a heightened risk of suicide.5 Healthy sleep plays a vital role in battling chronic pain, but chronic pain often prevents healthy sleep patterns.
Good Sleep Hygiene
Here are some things to try to help you get a healthy night’s sleep.
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- Make your bedroom a sleep sanctuary. Reserve the bedroom for sleep, intimacy, and other restful activities.
- Keep your bedroom cool. Between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal sleep.6
- Banish electronics from your bedroom.
- Be careful about napping. Taking a nap at the peak of sleepiness in the afternoon can help to supplement hours missed at night. However, daytime naps can also interfere with your ability to sleep at night.
- Instead of napping, try taking a brisk walk. Exercising – especially when you’re having trouble sleeping – is tough but worth the efforts. Make sure to avoid exercising within three hours of bedtime.
- Avoid caffeine after noon.
- Alcohol is not a sleep aid. While many people think drinking alcohol helps you sleep, studies show the opposite is true. 7 While alcohol will make you fall asleep faster, the quality of sleep you get is greatly diminished. The more you drink, and the closer your drinking is to bedtime, the more it will negatively impact the quality of your sleep.
If you’re logging in 8 hours of sleep at night but don’t feel refreshed in the morning, it’s time to schedule an appointment with Advanced Wellness Solutions. There are many medical conditions – including chronic neck and back pain – that could be responsible.
You Should Know: Carpal tunnel syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a surprisingly common condition that causes pain, numbness, and tingling in the hand and arm.
The pain, numbness and tingling is caused by pressure on the median nerve. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway in your wrist. It is surrounded by bones and ligaments on the palm side of your hand. The median nerve passes through this narrow passageway. When the median nerve is compressed, the symptoms can include numbness, tingling and weakness in the hand and arm.
In its early stages, carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms may include your hand tingles and feels weak, or the fingers numb, or both. These symptoms can often disrupt your sleep.
Diagnosis:
Sometimes carpal tunnel syndrome can be mistaken for something else, such as pressure on nerves in the neck due to disc problems or arthritis, which can cause similar symptoms. A nerve conduction study can be used to confirm a carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis as well as measure how severe the compression of the nerve is.
Treatment:
Numbness, tingling and pain in your hands, fingers and wrist is an example of an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure. Early correct diagnosis and treatment can dramatically improve your outcome. Treatment modalities depend upon the cause of your symptoms.
If Left Untreated:
It’s important to seek treatment if you have signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome that interfere with your normal activities and sleep patterns. Permanent nerve and muscle damage can occur without treatment.
If left untreated, you may begin dropping things. Activities that require fine finger movements, such as writing or fastening buttons, will become more difficult. You may begin to feel you are losing coordinated movement of your fingers. Moving your thumb may also become difficult.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is compression of the median nerve. This compression can lead to permanent nerve and muscle damage without treatment. Dr. Danielle’s EMG/NCV certifications make her uniquely qualified to diagnose and treat this condition. She can also help you to determine if surgery is necessary.
Your first appointment will take approximately 55 minutes, giving you plenty of time to communicate your concerns. This also gives Dr. Danielle time to explain in easy to understand terms your condition and treatment goals.
Contact our office by calling 855-509-5400 to schedule your appointment.
Can chronic pain harm your overall health?
No one likes living with chronic pain, but many of us push through rather than address the underlying issue. Did you know that chronic pain can harm your health even if it’s not limiting your activities?
If you’re living with (and ignoring) chronic pain, university medical school studies reveal that you may be doing long term damage to your overall health.
According to a University of Utah School of Medicine report published at NCBI, chronic pain can significantly impact your overall health.
One of the ways chronic pain can affect your health is by disrupting your sleep. According to a study released by the American Psychological Association, healthy sleep has been proven to be the single most important factor in predicting longevity, more influential than diet, exercise, or heredity!
Another negative health effect of chronic pain is it impairs your cognitive processes, brain function – even your your mood and your mental health. 1 2 3
As if that laundry list weren’t enough, the University of Utah study shows that chronic pain can even impact your cardiovascular health, not to mention your sexual function.
The Good New is: Chronic pain can often be successfully managed without drugs, injections or surgery.
Modern chiropractic care addresses so much more than just neck and back pain. Modern chiropractors treat the whole person – not just a specific body part.
Dr. Danielle has helped hundreds of people suffering from chronic pain return to the activities they love while enjoying pain free living.
If you’re dealing with chronic pain – don’t delay! Chronic pain can have a domino effect on your overall health!
Don’t suffer another day with pain! If you live in or near Stuart, Florida or Palm City, Florida, you owe it to yourself to schedule an appointment with Advanced Wellness Solutions. Call 855-509-5400 to schedule your appointment today.
Chiropractic Treatment of Poor Posture a.k.a. Text Neck
As more people spend their time working on computers, riding in the car for long commutes and spending their free time on their phones or even reading, proper posture becomes crucial. Postural syndrome also known as postural dysfunction occurs when poor posture is maintained for long periods of time causing discomfort.
What is postural syndrome?
Postural syndrome is the result of prolonged time in poor posture. This posture includes head forward, shoulders slouched and the upper back arched for the upper body. For the lower body poor posture is slouched forward while sitting or with the hips pushed forward when standing. This posture causes the muscles in the front of the body to become tight and the muscles in the back of the body to become stretched and weak. This poor posture can occur in many aspects of life such as at the computer, gardening or cleaning.
If you are spending a large amount of your time with your arms stretched out in front of you (for example, holding your phone) then you are in a position that could lead to postural syndrome.
What are the symptoms of postural syndrome?
The symptoms of postural syndrome most often occur while the person is holding the problem position for extended periods of time. These symptoms are:
- Pain when the muscles of the upper back are pressed on
- Forward head carriage
- Muscle tightness
- Dull aching pain
- Burning pain in the upper back all the way up to the base of the head
- Headaches
- Muscle fatigue
How do you treat postural syndrome?
- Chiropractic adjustments
- Physical therapy
- Postural Taping
- Postural Exercises
- At home strengthening exercises and stretches
- TENS unit
- Massage
- Ergonomic corrections
A key with postural syndrome is being aware of one’s posture; this is where postural taping is helpful.
If you are experiencing poor posture or symptoms of postural syndrome and wish to discuss your treatments options please schedule your appointment by calling 855-509-5400.
Chiropractic Treatment of Neck Pain: Brachial Plexus
Have you ever taken a fall and almost landed on your head? When you got up from your fall did you notice that the side of your body you fell on was burning or stinging? If you answered yes, then you may have experienced a brachial plexus injury.
What is a brachial plexus injury?
A brachial plexus injury is commonly known as a burner/stinger. A brachial plexus injury is when the network of nerves going from the spine to the shoulder, arm and hand become stretched, compressed and in some cases torn.
What causes a brachial plexus injury?
This injury happens when your shoulder is pressed down forcefully and your head is pushed in the opposite direction of your shoulder. A direct hit to the upper part of the shoulder can also cause this injury.
Here are signs that warrant immediate medical attention:
- Weakness in the arm or hands
- Weakness following trauma
- If you have suffered multiple burners/stingers
- Neck pain
- Symptoms in both arms
What events can cause a brachial plexus injury?
- Contact sports such as football
- Non-contact sports such as golf.1
- Trauma such as a motor vehicle accident
- For children difficult births
- Inflammation
- Tumors
What are the symptoms of a brachial plexus injury?
The symptoms of a brachial plexus injury vary depending on the severity of the injury. However symptoms are most commonly on one side of the body.
Less severe symptoms are:
- Burning or stinging pain going down the arm
- Numbness and weakness in that arm
These less severe symptoms are often due to a stretch or compression of the plexus due to a contact sport or fall.
More severe symptoms are:
- Unable to move or feel the injured arm
- Severe pain
- Weakness in the muscles of the hand
These more severe symptoms are often due to a tear in the nerves of the plexus.
How long do symptoms last?
In less severe cases the symptoms last anywhere from a few seconds to several days. In more severe cases the injury can be permanent if not address immediately.
When to see a doctor
A brachial plexus injury should always be evaluated by a qualified medical professional such as a medical doctor or chiropractor.
In some cases a brachial plexus injury can lead to permanent damage and loss of function if not treated in a timely manner.
Here are signs that warrant immediate medical attention:
- Weakness in the arm or hands
- Weakness following trauma
- If you have suffered multiple burners/stingers
- Neck pain
- Symptoms in both arms
How do you treat a brachial plexus injury?
Treatment for brachial plexus injuries depends on the severity of the injury.
For less severe injury:
- Time, most minor injuries will correct itself over time
- Muscle strengthening and posture exercises: to maintain motion in the joint and to prevent further injury
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for pain control
For more severe injury:
- Surgery for nerve repair
- Physical therapy
The best treatment for brachial plexus injuries that do not tear a nerve is prevention of multiple injuries. Prevention comes from strengthening exercises for the surrounding muscles, range of motion exercises to keep the joints of the shoulder and arm moving, and recommendations for proper protective gear when playing contact sports.
If you are in or near Stuart, Fl and are experiencing symptoms of a brachial plexus injury, contact us to schedule an appointment.