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Chiropractic
Chiropractic is from Greek words meaning done by hand. It is a system of healing or therapy that deals with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders of the skeletal, muscular and nervous systems. The method of treatment commonly involves manipulation of the spinal column and other body structures. It is grounded in the principle that the body can heal itself when the skeletal, muscular and nervous systems are all functioning properly.
575 Questions
This means that the intervertebral disk that sits between your fourth and fifth lumbar vertebrae (lower back) has a weakened wall. The weakened wall is allowing the jelly-like center of your disk to push the wall outward (bulge) ever so slightly toward your nerve roots traveling through your spinal canal at this level. Stenosis just means a narrowing of the canal in which your spinal cord (or cauda equina at this level) travels.
Current research has suggested that a bulging disk does not cause pain by compressing nerves, but more likely by sensitizing nerves through local inflammation factors released by damaged cells and cells of the immune system (cytokines). Thus, over time as the inflammation goes down the pain will also go away. Usually, even after the pain is gone the disk bulge or herniation will remain, sometimes contacting nerves or even the spinal cord. It has been suggested that as many as 30% of the population has one or more asymptomatic (non-painful) disk bulges (references 1-3). It is likely a normal part of aging, so unless you are in severe pain don't panic :)
If you are in pain, try a visit to a chiropractor. Spinal manipulation and pain relieving stretches that a doctor of chiropractic can recommend will often relieve the pain associated with a disk bulge with very little risk (references 4-6).
Research is suggesting that unless there are severe neurological issues, surgery is not always good option unless (reference 7) everything else has been tried, and nothing else has worked. Similarly, research suggests that imaging such as MRI is not a great indicator of the need for surgery or severness of a herniation, as as many as 30% of the general public with no back pain at all will have a "herniation" or disk bulge according to MRI (references 1-3). As such, it seems that sometimes what looks on MRI like a painful disk herniation may be a non-painful herniation and it is a different problem altogether that is actually causing the pain.
References
1) Jensen MC, Brant-Zawadzki MN, Obuchowski N, Modic MT, Malkasian D, Ross JS. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine in people without back pain. N Engl J Med 1994;331:69 --73.
2) Boden SD, Davis DO, Dina TS, Patronas NJ, Wiesel SW. Abnormal magnetic-resonance scans of the lumbar spine in asymptomatic subjects. A prospective investigation. J Bone Joint Surg1990;72:403-- 8.
3) Jarvik JJ, Hollingworth W, Heagerty P, Haynor DR, Deyo RA. The longitudinal assessment of Imaging and disability of the back (LAIDBack) Study: baseline data. Spine 2001;26:1158--66.
4) Oliphant D. Safety of spinal manipulation in the treatment of lumbar disk herniations: a systematic review and risk assessment. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2004;27(3):197-210.
5) Santilli V, Beghi E, Finucci S. Chiropractic manipulation in the treatment of acute back pain and sciatica with disc protrusion: a randomized double-blind clinical trial of active and simulated spinal manipulations. Spine J 2006;6:131-137.
6) Liu J, Zhang S. Treatment of protrusion of lumbar intervertebral disc by pulling and turning manipulations. J Tradit Chin Med 2000;20:195-197.
7) Keller RB, Atlas SJ, Soule DN, Singer DE, Deyo RA. Relationship between rates and outcomes of operative treatment for lumbar disc herniation and spinal stenosis. J Bone Joint Surg 1999;81:752- 62.
Can a chiropractor perform a basic physical for a county employment?
Check with your county. However, most require a licensed doctor, which chiropractors are not.
How do you treat a thrown out back?
There are a variety of recommendations for the treatment of back pain, dependent on who you talk to. The optimal treatment usually varies from person to person as there are many causes of back pain, and everyone seems to respond individually to different therapies. The best recommendation I could give someone with low back pain that is not getting better as fast as one would like is to visit your local health care provider who specializes in back care (eg: doctor of chiropractic, doctor of osteopathy, doctor of physiatry, orthopedic surgeon, etc.).
A very thorough set of guidlines for the treatment of low back pain was released by the American College of Physicians in 2007 entitled: Diagnosis and Treatment of Low Back Pain: A Joint Clinical Practice Guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society (Ann Intern Med. 2007;147:478-491). Anyone who reads these recommendations would note that there are many options for therapy, the key is to find one that works for you.
A very brief summary of the treatment recommendations of nonspecific or uncomplicated low back pain are:
Consider the use of drugs like NSAIDS in addition to the use of spinal manipulation, intensive interdisciplinary rehabilitation, exercise therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, yoga, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or progressive relaxation.
A more comprehensive summary is:
Recommendation 1: Patients with low back pain should be categorized into 3 broad categories:nonspecific low back pain, back pain potentially associated with radiculopathy or spinal stenosis, or back pain potentially associated with another specific spinal cause.
Recommendation 2: Special imaging (x-ray, MRI, CT) should not be routinely performed for patients with nonspecific low back pain.
Recommendation 3: Special imaging and testing should be performed for patients with low back pain when severe or progressive neurologic deficits are present or when serious underlying conditions are suspected.
Recommendation 4: Special imaging and testing should be performed for patients with persistent low back pain when they are good potential candidates for surgery.
Recommendation 5: Clinicians should provide patients with good evidence-based information.
Recommendation 6: For patients with low back pain, clinicians should consider the use of acetaminophen or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (after consideration of the risks) in addition to back care information and self-care (exercise and stretching).
Recommendation 7: For patients who do not improve with selfcare options (exercise and stretching), clinicians should consider the addition of spinal manipulation (for chronic or subacute low back pain), intensive interdisciplinary rehabilitation, exercise therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, yoga, cognitive-behavioral therapy, or progressive relaxation.
What does ROM of your joints mean?
ROM is the shorthand way of saying Range of Motion. ROM usually means the movement one has in a joint, and is observed by moving the joint through the extremes of movement possible without causing pain. Massage and physical therapy, as well as some chiropractic procedures, can improve the range and strength of a joint.
This is often called by the more familiar name of costalchondritis. It is pain in the chest, where the ribs (actually coastal cartilage) attach to the sternum. The cause is unknown, and there are no best practise treatments established. The condition usually resolves itself within 3 - 12 months, and pain control while you wait is often the advice of the doctor. Pain control can be accomplished with drugs, exercise, spinal manipulation, interferential current and other physiotherapeutic modalities.
Can Tempur Pedic pillows be compared to Buckwheat pillows and which is better for the neck?
I would recommend a Rice Hull pillow. But not one that's stuffed too tight. They are hard to find. Most are stuffed too tight and you can't use them for multiple positioning. They are all expensive, but knowing this, you can start shopping now!
The pattern you have described sounds very much like a syndrome called cauda equina, which can be caused by a disk herniation or spinal stenosis compressing your lumbar nerve roots. The fact that you have numbness while sitting may already indicate you need to head to a hospital. If you have unbearable intense pain or ANY disturbances to your bowel or bladder function you should definitely head to a hospital emergency room immediately as this would be considered a medical emergency!
Bowel and bladder disturbances would include ANY of the following:
-Inability to urinate
-Difficulty initiating urination
-Decreased sensation when urinating
-Inability to stop or control urination
-Inability to stop or feel a bowel movement
-Constipation
-Loss of anal tone and sensation
If you do not have bowel or bladder disturbances then I would still advise a trip to a doctor of chiropractic or a doctor of osteopathy as soon as possible (Like Now or tomorrow morning)! They will be able to determine the severity of your condition and inform you of treatment options and warning signs that indicate the need to get to the hospital. Studies have shown that the sooner you get treatment for back problems (including disk herniations) the faster you will get better. Delaying treatment if you have cauda equina could result in permanent paralysis of the lower limbs.
What do you do when you have upper back pain more than a day after a chiropractic adjustment?
If this was your first treatment, some of the muscles in your upper back may feel sore for a few days. There are about 7 layers of muscle in your back and 24 movable bones that make up the spine. The spine can lose normal range of motion, very slowly, over time and when that occurs the muscle get deconditioned or lazy. When you receive a chiropractic adjustment there may be some pops or clicks, but there will be increased range of motion and all those deconditioned/lazy muscles have to work normally again. An example of what results is if you have ever started a new exercise routine or worked out in the yard for the first time in the spring and are out of shape, you wake up the next day and will often experience similar muscle soreness.
Research has shown that 30-50% of patients experience some mild soreness following spinal manipulation, for the reasons described above. These mild side-effects will go away in less than 24 hours. It is important to tell your chiropractor about all soreness or changes you experience following an adjustment so that they can appropriately modify their treatment protocol to best suit your body.
Is there prevalence of occupational low back pain among nurses?
Yes!
An extensive reviewof the literature concluded that as many as 17% of nurses will have back pain at any given time (point prevalence), there is a 40-50% chance that a nurse will have back pain in any given year (annual prevalence), and up to an 80% chance that a nurse will have backpain in his/her lifetime (1). Of course, it has been estimated that the lifetime prevalence of low back pain for everyone is 80%, so it may appear that nurses are at the same risk as the rest of the population, but the 2007 Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that nursing easily tops the list of occupation as most associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders (see related links below: Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Reference:
1) Work-related back pain in nurses. J Adv Nurs. 1996 Jun;23(6):1238-46.
For muscle soreness and stiffness, how effective is chiropractic massage?
Chiropractic massages will help with sore muscles. They are very theraputic. You can also go to a certifed massage therapost for a regualar massage as well.
How much do massage therapist usully get paid when working for a chiropractor's office?
Most massage therapist I know dont work for a chiropractor, or a chiropractic clinic, but rather rent a room and work for themselves. Thus, the massage therapist charges his/her patients whatever they like (or whatever is reasonable/competitive) and will just pay a monthly rent fee to the owner of the clinic.
How does one know if a chiropractic website is really reputable?
One can find out about the reputation of chiropractic websites by reading reviews on those sites, since most sites have user reviews. If such reviews are bad, then the site should not be trusted.
What stroke manipulation for contraindication for stroke patient?
There are types of chiropractic manipulations that can reduce the blood flow to certain areas and result in a stroke. Stroke patients should avoid any type of neck or spinal manipulation on account of it causing another stroke.
Spiraldynamic is a fairly new approach to a component of holistic health care that deals with movement.
More specifically, it is very specific and highly controlled movements that are designed to strengthen core muscles, keep all parts of the body balanced, and keep people moving to help them stay healthy. In laymans terms, it is a type of dance that focuses on staying strong and fit.
For detailed information see the related link below:
What does it mean when all of a sudden your back hurts and you can't breath well?
Winded.Its happened yo me LOADS of times.
A surgeon.
How to Cope with Your Back Pain Until You Can See Your Chiropractor?
Back pain can be excruciating. If you aren't able to get an appointment with your chiropractor right away, those first few days can seem like endless torture. You may be wondering if there's anything you can do to minimize your pain until your doctor's visit, or at least avoid injuring your back further. These steps will provide you with a few ways in which you can treat your back kindly between now and your appointment.
- Step 1: If you haven't already, schedule your appointment now. Even if you keep wondering if your pain will go away, it's better to have to cancel a doctor's visit than to suddenly decide that your pain is unbearable and not be able to schedule one right away.
- Step 2: Unless you suspect a very serious injury, don't stop moving entirely. While it may be tempting to lie in bed until your appointment, studies have shown that you are likely to improve more rapidly if you maintain some movement. Rest frequently, don't strain your back further and don't lift anything heavy or stretch in any unusual ways. Just move as much as you can tolerate without making your pain any worse.
- Step 3: Use over-the-counter medications to minimize your pain as much as possible. If these aren't working, consult with your chiropractor or doctor on the phone as to whether there is anything else you can do. (Maybe he can move your appointment up if your pain is getting worse.)
- Step 4: Use an ice pack when your back hurts the most. At times when your pain level is low, try a heating pad instead.
- Step 5: Know when you should seek emergency help. If you develop any pain, numbness, tingling or weakness that radiates down into your buttocks, hips, or legs, or if your bladder or bowel functioning is at all impaired, you should seek immediate help, as you may have a spinal injury. Similarly, if you are in excruciating pain every time you move, you may want to reconsider the emergency room or an urgent care facility.
After dealing with your immediate injury, talk with your chiropractor about how to best rehabilitate your back. See if there are any exercises you should do to build strength and how you can prevent further injury.
What is the cause of an Prickly icy cold stabbing sensation in shoulder and upper arm?
It could be a number of things. Shoulder and arm pain can be classic signs of heart problems or a heart attack. In my case it was just a pinched nerve. Either way, it is something you need to have checked out by a health care professional.
Can a chiropractic adjustment cause a bulging disc in the neck to herniate?
To date there is no evidence to suggest that spinal manipulation, done by a doctor of chiropractic or another health care professional, can cause a bulging disk in the neck or any other area of the spine. Of course, if an adjustment is attempted by an unskilled individual the risks of side-effects are greater, but do not include a bulging disk. A spinal adjustment performed by a skilled professional has very little risk of side effects at all, and the risks that do exist are minor, such as sprains, strains, muscle soreness, headache, nausea, and some risks for fracture.
The thing that you should also realize is that bulging discs are very common in the general population, even if you have no symptoms. Further, chiropractic care is a very helpful treatment for the areas of the spine where there exists a disc bulge of herniation.
They have done biomechanical studies to check the failure of the disc, the point at which it tears. They found that it takes tremendous force to tear the fibers in a disc, and this occurs at 10-13 degrees of rotation. Because of the muscle stretch reflexes and the supportive ligaments in the spine, it is impossible for one person to rotate the spine to the degree that is causes tears in the spine. Bulging discs are usually caused with poor biomechanics over time, and this poor biomechanics is the very thing that chiropractors fix.
Does a hard bed cause hip problems?
Not really. Poor posture, poor footwear, and improper biomechanics cause hip problems. A hard bed can aggravate it.
Try sleeping on your side with a pillow between your legs to reduce pressure on your pelvic bones. You can also try a pelvic stabilizer belt to reduce pain and retrain the muscles that stabilize your pelvis.
DACBR stands for Diplomate, American Chiropractic Board of Radiology. This denotes a doctor of chiropractic who also has a board-certified specialty in diagnostic imaging. A chiropractor who has DACBR status will have:
- 4 year undergraduate college/university degree
- 4 year doctorate in chiropractic
- 3 year postgraduate radiology residency
The chiropractic radiologist is thus a graduate doctor of chiropractic who has completed additional postgraduate specialty education. Many chiropractic colleges throughout the world offer formal, 3-year radiology residency programs for chiropractic radiologists. Entrance into such residencies require applicants to hold a doctor of chiropractic degree (D.C.), as well as successfully passing a pre-residency admission examination. The residency involves intense didactic education in all forms of diagnostic imaging. Each semester is usually devoted to imaging of one major system, and often many semesters are needed to cover an entire topic. The resident also participates in educational programs at various off site imaging facilities at teaching medical hospitals, private imaging facilities, medical grand rounds, and private tutorials.
Interestingly, a recent study revealed that chiropractic trained radiologists were equally as effective at reading radiographs as medical trained radiologists:
Reliability and Validity of Lumbosacral Spine Radiograph Reading by Chiropractors, Chiropractic Radiologists, and Medical Radiologists. Spine. 2002. Volume 27, Issue 17, pp 1926-1933
Where might one find information about Chiropractic clinics?
There are many places were one might find information about chiropractic clinics. The local phone book or yellow pages will be able to provide you with all chiropractic clinics in your area. There are also offers many different websites designed to help find local listings.
Is soft tissue swelling means soft tissue tumor?
I need to know what type of tumor I have. I believe I have been misdiagnosed
I have all the symptoms of a sarcoma tumor but, don't really know.
I have been to a vascular surgeon and they told me that I have a hemangioma
tumor but was not born with a strawberry birthmark and do not have the
traditional symptoms of a hemangioma. I need help?
_____________________
ANSWER
Sarcoma is a general term for a malignant tumor of connective tissue. Soft tissue swelling is not 100% indicative of a sarcoma. The first thing I would want to know is whether or not you have pain in the area of soft tissue swelling during the night that keeps you awake. If there is no pain in the area, then you are getting excited about nothing, it is likely benign as the surgeon suggested. Another indication of something that may be malignant is whether or not it is changing. Have you noticed the mass getting bigger? or new masses showing up? If you do have pain even when you are resting, or if the mass is changing (growing or multiplying) then you go to the next step, have imaging done on the area. A malignant tumor will have very characteristic signs that a doctor will be able to identify.
Besides what I have mentioned, there is not much I can tell you based on the limited information you have provided. If imaging has been done and the surgeon has said it is benign, or if there is no pain, then dont stress out.
Note: If you have pain in the area, or if you are concerned that you have been misdiagnosed, then there is nothing wrong with going to another doctor to get a second opinion. In fact, it may be a good idea to ease you mind, as stress is very unhealthy. If a second opinion can reduce your stress than that would definitely be my suggestion.
