(for which our Chiropractors have been consulted for previously)
Allergies
An allergy is the body’s response to an irritant. Everybody doesn’t have the same allergies because everyone responds differently to various allergens. Many people have no allergies at all. The reason a person suffers from hayfever for example is not because of the pollen or the grass, but rather their body’s abnormal reaction to that irritant. If your Chiropractor can locate spinal dysfunction and restore optimal spine and nervous system function then relief is quite possible. This may reduce your dependence on drugs or eliminate them entirely.
Asthma
If asthma was purely due to pollen, dust or something in the air, wouldn’t everybody have asthma? If however, your lungs find it hard to tolerate these everyday irritants or you find difficulty in breathing due to some other cause, could chiropractic help asthma? What if the chiropractor was able to find significant tightness, dysfunction or irritation through the neck and mid back creating restriction and dysfunction with the spine, ribs, chest and lungs? Your asthma may well be due to spinal irritation creating your asthma like symptoms. If your chiropractor can locate and correct this spine and nervous system irritation, thereby improving your lung function, it’s more than possible your asthma may well improve!
Bedwetting
As we all know babies and children are subject to repeated falls and accidents. These may occur whilst learning to walk, learning to ride a tricycle/bicycle, falling down the stairs/steps, being knocked over by the dog, rolling off the bed, hitting their chins on the coffee table, trampolining etc. Some recent estimates put the figure at between 1500 – 3000 falls from birth to 3 years of age! If the lower back and pelvis are still developing in your young child and are subjected to repeated minor trauma’s, then spinal/pelvic dysfunction can occur. It’s this pelvic problem that creates the ongoing bladder dysfunction and bedwetting. By correcting the spinal, pelvic and nerve dysfunction in your childs spine, proper bladder control can be corrected.
Carpal Tunnel
The major nerve controlling the thumb, index and parts of the middle, and ring finger is called the median nerve. From the tip of your fingers, it travels through the bones in your wrist, past your elbow, up your arm, through your shoulder and neck, and finally to your spinal cord. Problems can develop in one or more of these areas.
The carpal “tunnel” is formed by bones in the wrist. The median nerve, tendons, and blood vessels pass through this opening. If one or more of the bones forming this tunnel should “collapse”, inflammation, nerve pressure, and painful symptoms can result.
The median nerve connects to the spinal cord through openings between several bones in the lower neck. When these spinal bones lose their normal motion or position, they can cause problems in the fingers and wrist. So even though you feel the problem in your hand, it can actually be coming from your neck!
After a thorough examination, your chiropractor will perform specific adjustments where needed, to help normalise your cervical spine fucntion and reduce the resultant nerve irritation. When given time, conservative chiropractic care has produced excellent results with carpal tunnel problems – without the need for drugs or surgery.
Colic
Chiropractic mothers for generations have used gentle, safe Chiropractic to relieve colic in their newborn. By eliminating spinal subluxations, possibly the result of a forceps delivery or an emergency Caesarean section, nerve irritation subsides and normal feeding occurs.
Degeneration
Subluxation degeneration is how the body responds to improperly functioning spinal joints. With early detection, appropriate chiropractic care has been shown to slow, stop, or even reverse the early stages of this process. Ask your chiropractor to design a program of preventive care for you.
Disc Problems
Since spinal discs have a very poor blood supply, they also depend upon the circulation of joint fluids to bring in nutrients and expel waste. If a spinal joint loses its normal motion and this pumping action is impaired, the health of the disc deteriorates. Like a wet sponge, a healthy disc is flexible. A dry sponge is hard, stiff, and can crack easily. This is how many disc problems begin.
Because of the way each disc is attached to the vertebra above and below it, a disc cannot “slip” as commonly thought. However, trauma or injury to the spin can cause discs to bulge, herniate, or worse, rupture. This can be quite painful, putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots, often interfering with their function.
The chiropractic approach to disc problems is to help restore better motion and postion to the spinal joints. Besides reducing disc bulging, better spinal function helps decrease inflammation so the slow process of healing the surrounding soft tissues can begin.
While results cannot be guaranteed, many patients have avoided needless surgery or a dependency on pain pills by choosing conservative chiropractic care.
Ear Infections
Chiropractors have been successfully treating children with ear infections for decades. If the nerves in the upper neck are irritated by spinal subluxations, then the organs those nerves supply may malfunction, particularly the ears, sinuses and tonsils. Conservative Chiropractic is an excellent first choice of treatment and is side effect free.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy has many causes, some serious, some minor and some unknown. If thorough and appropriate testing has not discovered any medical reason for your seizures (injury or pathology) then there may be a mechanical cause. If the base of the skull or the upper two vertebrae in the neck become jammed or subluxated, then abnormal nerve irritation to the brain stem or top of the spinal cord may occur. If such nerve irritation is located and corrected by your Chiropractor, your seizures may be relieved or eliminated. In consultation and with the cooperation of your G.P., trial medication reduction can occur.
Extremities
When joint function is impaired, there is reduced range of motion, inflammation, calcium build up and scar tissue.
This can be caused from repetitive motions, improper sitting, over exertion, slips, falls, accidents, and other causes. Awareness of these types of problems has become more common with terms like “tennis elbow”, “runner’s knee”, “frozen shoulder”, and “carpal tunnel syndrome”. The traditional treatment of these problems can involve splinting the joint to reduce movement, pain, medications, muscle relaxers, steroid injections, and even surgery.
Today, a more commonsense approach is being taken. Joint mobilization, like chiropractic care for the spine, is being used in the care of elbows, wrists, and other joints of the body. Helping to restore normal range of motion to joints that have become “locked up”, “jammed”, or injured, seems to improve circulation, reduce scar tissue, and speed the healing process.
Your Chiropractor is uniquely trained to detect and help restore proper joint function of the spine and the extremities. Find out if you can be helped, by arranging for a consultation and thorough examination today!
Female Problems
All the organs in the body, including the lower pelvis, receive their nerve supply from the spine. Nerve irritation due to spinal or pelvic subluxations may very well result in dysfunction of the organs supplied by the malfunctioning nerves. By correcting the spinal problems and restoring normal nerve functioning, Chiropractors successfully treat a myriad of female complaints such as infertility, painful menstruation, excessive flow, painful intercourse, pelvic cramps, endometriosis and P.M.S.
Groin Pain and Hamstring Problems
The major muscles in the thigh, namely the quadriceps and hamstrings attach to the lower pelvis. The lower back nerves also supply the groin region. With the incidence of falls onto the buttocks due to sport etc and the increasing incidence of sitting in modern day society and work, subluxations of the sacroiliac hip joints are common. This alone can result in groin strains and hamstring problems. When complicated by lower back nerve irritation and resultant hamstring tightness, hamstring injuries or tears occur. The three times more powerful quadriceps muscle contracts, the hamstring fails to relax and no matter how strong your hamstring it, it is doomed to be damaged. Only reinstating normal pelvic biomechanical function by your Chiropractor will prevent the ongoing saga of hamstring injuries.
Headaches and Migraines
A frequent and overlooked cause of headaches is the malfunction of spinal bones in the neck and upper back.
When bones of the spine lose their normal position or motion, sensitive nerves and blood vessels to the head can be affected. When spinal nerves and related tissues are stretched or irritated, they can produce throbbing headaches. Aspirin and medications may cover up these warning signs, but do not correct the underlying structural cause.
Many people experience correction and relief through chiropractic care.
If a thorough examination reveals reduced range of motion, loss of normal spinal curves, or mechanical restrictions, chiropractic care should be considered. After a complete examination, you’ll receive a care program designed for your unique spinal problem.
Specific chiropractic adjustments can help correct spinal joint dysfunction created by the various chemical, emotional and physical stresses in our lives.
Many patients report headache relief. Others find that the correction of their condition takes longer because their spinal problem has existed undetected for many years. Every patient responds differently. Benefit from the drug-free results millions have enjoyed by consulting a chiropractor.
See Also: About Headaches
Lower Back and Neck Pain
Many of the pain-sensing nerves of the spine are in the facet joints, the two interlocking “fingers” at the back of each spinal bone. The normally smooth surfaces, on which these joints glide, can become rough, irritated and inflamed. Surgical treatment often involves removing these facet joints, exposing the spinal cord. Another cause of neck and back pain can be a bulging disc putting pressure on the spinal cord or a nearby nerve root. The result is often numbness, tingling, or pain down the arm or leg. Cutting away disc tissue can permanently alter its ability to separate and cushion the adjacent bones. This rarely addresses the underlying structural cause(s) of the problem. The Chiropractic approach is to help restore a more normal motion and position of affected spinal bones with specific chiropractic adjustments. The simplicity and success of this approach has been documented in numerous research projects and has helped many patients avoid risky surgery. Find out if yours is a Chiropractic case and enjoy the positive results that millions of patients have discovered.
See Also: About Lower Back Pain and About Neck Pain
Pinched Nerves and Slipped Discs
Pinched nerves rarely occur and discs never slip out of place. These two phrases are usually incorrectly used to describe pain most often caused by swelling around the nerve as it exits the spine. The most common cause of this found by Chiropractors is the spinal subluxation whereby a vertebra becomes jammed or locked up like a rusty hinge. That causes abnormal movement, abnormal swelling and varying levels of pain.
Pregnancy and Children
Pregnancy
This period of rapid development, hormonal changes, the laxity of connective ligaments, and shifting of weight-bearing structures, may cause many pregnant women to experience low back pain.
Besides helping to relieve the discomfort many expectant mothers experience, chiropractic care helps normalise nervous system function. This is an important component of overall good health.
The benefits of chiropractic care may also be noticed during delivery. Many chiropractic patients report that their deliveries were faster and more comfortable than their deliveries prior to chiropractic care!
Your chiropractor will take special precautions with you during your pregnancy.
Modifications to the table or adjusting techniques are made during each stage of pregnancy. Your chiropractor is a specialist in the location, reduction and stabilisation of the vertebral subluxation complex, which can be related to many of the uncomfortable symptoms associated with pregnancy and labor. Pamper yourself and your baby with regular chiropractic checkups.
Children
The birth process may be one of the most traumatic events of our lives. Even so-called “natural” birthing methods can stress a still-developing spine. The resulting irritation to the nervous system can be the cause of many new-born health complaints. Colic, unexplained crying, poor appetite, breathing problems, and allergic reactions can often be traced to nervous system dysfunction caused by a malfunctioning spine.
Head support, followed by crawling, and a baby’s first steps should be followed by chiropractic checkups. If neglected, the bumps and falls during this period of rapid growth may lead to serious spinal deformities later in life. This can set the stage for scoliosis, “growing pains”, and a weakened immune system response.
Chiropractic adjusting techniques are modified to fit a child’s size, weight, and unique spinal problem. Patients often report that their children seem healthier than other kids their age.
Sciatica
The sciatic nerves are the largest (and longest) nerves of the body, reaching about the size of your thumb in diameter, and running down the back of each leg. When these nerves are irritated or affected by the inflammation of nearby soft tissues, doctors refer to this as sciatica.
One of the most common causes of sciatic leg pain is the Vertebral Subluxation Complex. It can be accompanied by the bulging or herniation of the soft pulpy discs which seperate each spinal bone. This can irritate or put pressure on the sciatic nerve roots as they leave the spinal column. The result can be an intense pain shooting down either or both legs.
In the past, treatment has involved pain medications, muscle relaxers, physiotherapy, and even surgery. The chiropractic approach is to use carefully directed and controlled pressure to remove the interference from spinal structures. These chiropractic adjustments can be quite effective in reducing nerve irritation and its associated pain.
Sciatica, like other health problems that can be traced to the spine, often respond dramatically to the restoration of normal spinal function through conservative chiropractic care.
See Also: About Sciatica
Scoliosis
It is thought that scoliosis is the result of a hereditary problem or an adaption to some type of trauma, such as the birth process, or an injury such as falling off a bicycle. It usually starts with problems in the lower back.
Because spinal bones continue to grow well into the early 20s, if left uncorrected, scoliosis often worsens.
Unfortunately, the most common treatment approach has been to wait and see how bad it gets, resorting to unsightly braces, or eventually surgery, if it progresses too far.
The chiropractic approach is to use specific spinal adjustments, often combined with corrective exercises. If detected early enough, chiropractic doctors have had excellent success with scoliosis cases.
Early detection and chiropractic correction is important for optimum results.
Sports
Spinal injuries can restrict range of motion, reduce strength, slow reflexes, shorten endurance, and decrease performance. Chiropractic care for these types of injuries has become increasingly popular. Professional sports teams, Olympic trainers, and competitive athletes are employing chiropractors – because they demand results.
Chiropractic care helps restore function to spinal joints that are fixated and not moving properly. Besides helping to relieve pain, chiropractic care can also help reduce inflammation. Muscles, tendons and ligaments depend upon proper joint movement for peak performance. Injuries to these tissues can reduce range of motion, decrease blood supply, and literally “take you out of the game”.
Normalising spinal function helps speed the healing of these soft tissues and reduce the deconditioning effect of being on the sidelines.
An aerobic exercise program or a plan of brisk walking can improve muscle tone and help you recover from strains, sprains, and other activity-restricting health problems.
Whether you golf, play tennis, bicycle, or bowl, the best treatment for sports injuries is chiropractic prevention!
Stress
For some its an upset stomach. For others, recurring headaches, back pain, or muscle stiffness. Still others respond with nervous twitches, allergic reactions, or sensitivities to chemicals. Regardless of your particular response, the function of your nervous system is involved. That’s why chiropractic can be so helpful.
The chiropractic approach to stress is to help normalise the function of your nervous system by removing the interferences caused by the Vertebral Subluxation Complex or spinal joint dysfunction.
Finding the “weak links” in your spine (the major communication pathway of your nervous system) and helping restore better function, can make a profound difference in your response to stress.
It may not be possible to remove the stress from a busy life. However, with the help of your chiropractor, you can respond better to the unique challenges you face.
Subluxation
Subluxation, or more precisely, the Vertebral Subluxation Complex, describes what happens when spinal bones lose their normal motion or position from stress, trauma or chemical imbalances.
A subluxation, or the Vertebral Subluxation Complex, is a serious condition identified by its five parts:
Abnormal motion or position of spinal bones: (Spinal Kinesiopathology) The bones of the spine have lost their normal motion and position. This can restrict your ability to turn and bend. It sets in motion the other four components.
Abnormal nervous system function: (Neuropathophysiology) Improper spinal function can choke, stretch, or irritate delicate nerve tissue. The resulting nervous system dysfunction can cause symptoms elsewhere in the body.
Abnormal muscle function: (Myopathology) Muscles supporting the spine can weaken, atrophy, or become tight and go into spasm. The resulting scar tissue can change muscle tone, requiring repeated spinal adjustments.
Abnormal soft tissue function: (Histopathology) A rise in temperature from an increase in blood or lymph supply can result in swelling and inflammation. Discs can bulge, herniate, tear, or degenerate. Other soft tissues may suffer permanent damage.
Abnormal function of the spine and body: (Pathophysiology) Bone spurs and other abnormal bony growths attempt to fuse malfunctioning spinal joints. This spinal decay, scar tissue, and long-term nerve dysfunction can cause other systems of the body to fail.
Whiplash
Collisions that occur during sporting events, slips, falls or automobile crashes can all have a damaging effect on your neck and back. These types of collision-related injuries are often called a “whiplash”.
The resulting instability of the spine and soft tissues can contribute to headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, pain in the shoulders, arms and hands, reduced ability to turn and bend, and low back problems. As the body attempts to adapt, symptoms may not appear until weeks, months or even years later.
The chiropractic approach to these types of injuries is to use specific chiropractic adjustments to help normalise spinal function. After a thorough case history and examination, the doctor will recommend a series of visits to help restore proper motion and position of spinal bones. If caught early enough, inflammation can be reduced and scar tissue prevented.
Womens Wellness
A wellness approach to better health means adopting a variety of healthy habits for optimum function on all levels – physical, mental, social, and spiritual.
Because of its focus on the nervous system, chiropractic care can be an important part of a wellness lifestyle. The nervous system controls the function of virtually every aspect of our lives. Maintaining a properly functioning nervous system is essential if you want to be your very best.
Few things as complicated as your body can be “fixed” and then ignored. That’s why your chiropractor may recommend a schedule of regular chiropractic checkups. Like maintaining your teeth, your car, your family, or your faith, maintaining the integrity of your nervous system requires an ongoing investment.
Those who want to be their very best, add regular chiropractic care to their other health practices. The pleasant result is often more vitality, endurance, and the capacity to enjoy life to its fullest.
