Arthritis
Arthritis, or joint pain or joint disease, is the leading cause of disability in America. More than 50 million adults and 300,000 children are suffering from some type of arthritis. Common symptoms include swelling, pain, stiffness, and decreased range of motion. Severe arthritis can result in chronic pain, inability to perform normal day-to-day activities, and has the potential to cause permanent joint damage.
To determine whether or not you may be suffering from arthritis or to determine the severity, your medical professional will perform blood tests and conduct an imaging scan (ie: x-ray, CAT scan or MRI). Eating healthy, staying active, and understanding your type of arthritis and treatment options are crucial to decreasing your discomfort and paving the way for an enjoyable, happy life.
Auto Injuries
Even a “minor” crash can result in serious injuries like ligament sprains. This can lead to chronic pain and disability if not treated properly. In fact, research shows that early treatment is the best way to prevent long-term symptoms. Chiropractic adjustments are effective because they help restore the healthy, normal function of your nervous system without the use of drugs or surgery.
Back Pain
Many people struggle with back pain. It affects persons across all demographics, from the young to the old. For example, young students get back pain from sitting to study for many hours. Adults get back pain from sitting behind their desks and working for at least eight hours every day. Some jobs involve lifting heavy things, and this too can cause back pain. Pregnancy, sports, aging, and back injuries are also common causes of back pain.
If you have had it, you know that once your back starts aching, every other part seems to ache too. Doing simple tasks turns into a painful experience. You may have trouble rolling out of bed, getting in or out of the car, or picking up a child. Some people cannot lift their hands high up or stand for an extended period. But, chiropractic care may help to reduce or stop the pain completely.
Reasons To Take Up Chiropractic Treatment
The reason you choose a chiropractor for your treatment is that chiropractors are experts at pain treatment. They treat pain in the back, shoulders, neck, head, muscles, and joints. Chiropractors are specially trained to diagnose the source of your pain. Once they address the source, the pain disappears. This factor makes chiropractic care superior to other treatment methods. Many other treatment methods only address the symptoms rather than the source of the pain.
Chiropractic care is also superior because it takes a holistic approach to healthcare. The chiropractor addresses your entire body, including your nutrition, diet, and lifestyle. Chiropractic care seeks to secure your health as a whole.
If your condition is beyond the scope of practice, the chiropractor refers you to a specialist for treatment.
Chiropractic Treatment For Back Pain
The chiropractor takes up a combination of techniques to resolve your back pain. Here are some treatment techniques commonly used for back pain:
Manual Therapy
If your back is stiff, manual therapy may help you regain motion and flexibility on your back. Manual therapies are of three kinds. The first, therapeutic massage, relieves tension in the back muscles. Instrument-assisted soft tissue therapy involves the use of an instrument to repeatedly stroke the area with restriction. Trigger point therapy identifies the points in your muscles that are tense or tight.
Soft Tissue Therapy
With this technique, the chiropractor works to make sore and tight muscles relax. There are various ways to achieve this. Using manual release therapy, the chiropractor stretches your muscles and applies pressure on them. With the trigger point therapy technique, the chiropractor applies direct pressure on the tense muscle. Both of these therapies cause relaxation of the tense or tight tissues.
Exercise Therapy
The exercise therapy treatment involves the chiropractor leading you through some exercises to treat your pain and keep it from returning. If your job involves lifting heavy objects, the chiropractor also teaches you some safe lifting techniques to avoid further injuries. You also learn how to maintain a good posture.
If you have back pain of any kind, don’t “tough it out” or dismiss it. Get a chiropractor to diagnose and fix the pain.
Learn more about treating back pain with chiropractic care, contact Ellis Chiropractic in Marlow, OK at (580) 721-7007 to request an appointment.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
CTS is a problem of the median nerve which runs from the forearm into the hand. When there is excessive pressure in the wrist, it causes swelling of the median nerve. This small area called the carpal tunnel is a narrow tunnel at the wrist made up of bones, soft tissues, nerves, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels. When the median nerve which runs through this tunnel gets compressed it causes pain, weakness, numbness or tingling in the hand and wrist which radiates into the forearm. The carpal tunnel is the most common area that gets compressed in both the hands and feet.
CTS should be diagnosed and treated early. During your consultation, you will receive a standard physical examination of the hands, arms, shoulders and neck to help determine if your symptoms are related to daily activities or to an underlying disorder. Our highly skilled chiropractor will also utilize other orthopedic tests to try to produce the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Laboratory tests and x-rays can reveal diabetes, arthritis, fractures, and other common causes of wrist and hand pain.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Degenerative disc disease is when natural changes in the discs of your spine cause pain. The discs between vertebrae act as shock absorbers for your spine, and as you age, they begin to lose flexibility. While this is a normal part of aging, it should not cause pain. If you experience pain due to this, it is classified as degenerative disc disease.
Each disc is composed of a sturdy outer wall and a soft, gel-like inner core. When we are born, these discs are primarily composed of water, but as age advances, the discs lose some of this water content and begin to get thinner. As you might imagine, this means each disc doesn’t absorb the shocks of everyday life as well.
Headaches/ Migraines
Nine out of ten Americans say that they suffer from headaches. Some of these people experience headaches frequently. Some experience constant headaches that are very painful. These can even make a person nauseous. Ninety-five percent of headaches are tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused from a disease, but from something in your body that is not sitting correctly.
Knee Pain
Knee pain is increasingly becoming a more common problem in society. It is a complaint we see frequently. The most common complaint associated with knee pain is considered the normal “wear and tear.” Another ailment that affects the knee is osteoarthritis. The symptoms and progression of osteoarthritis and knee pain can be reduced through our individualized approach to chiropractic care.
Neck Pain
Everyone can experience a stiff neck once in a while. It could happen upon waking up if you slept wrong. You could also feel the discomfort at the end of a long day after finishing an incredibly stressful project at work. Most people would try a few things at home to ease the pain. These include applying an ice pack wrapped in a towel on their neck, using an extra firm pillow at night, and trying different neck exercises.
Symptoms And Causes Of Neck Pain
While most home remedies work, it’s still vital that you’d know when the pain warrants a visit to a chiropractor. It’s highly recommended to seek chiropractic care if:
- You experience a stiff neck that doesn’t improve after a few days.
- You cannot turn your neck from side to side without severe pain.
- Your neck pain began within a few days after having been involved in an accident.
- Your neck pain is worse upon waking up in the morning. But it starts to improve as the day progresses.
- The discomfort began in your neck but has moved in your hands or wrists, making them prickle or go numb.
- You’re taking pain medications regularly to treat your neck pain.
There are several reasons why a person may struggle with neck pain. These include stress, poor posture, pinched nerves, worn joints, bone spurs, herniated discs, or osteoarthritis. You may also experience this type of discomfort because of muscle strains and injuries sustained from sports activities or car accidents.
Chiropractic Treatments For Neck Pain
Your chiropractor will treat your neck pain depending on what caused it. They will create a program combining different techniques and treatment modalities from their findings. Here are the three main types of neck adjustment methods that your chiropractor may use to ease neck pain:
- Cervical Mobilization. This procedure involves using gentle motions around your neck. Your chiropractor will apply quick pressure to release an area. This way, they can reduce pain and increase your range of motion.
- Cervical Drop Technique. This method involves lying on your side or stomach as your chiropractor moves your neck. After preparing your neck for adjustment, your chiropractor will touch specific points in it, release the headrest to prevent extra pressure around your neck, and quickly twist it. All of this is carried out within seconds.
- Cervical Manual Traction. Here, your chiropractor will move your neck in various angles to determine the best way to fix the problem area. This also helps them assess the right amount of force to apply during the neck adjustment. Unlike other techniques, you’d have to sit in a chair for this particular procedure. Then, your chiropractor will cradle your head in their palms and quickly move it from side to side.
Once a full cervical adjustment is completed, your chiropractor will likely gently massage your neck. This way, they can apply pressure to inflamed soft tissues to increase blood circulation. All of the techniques mentioned above are safe and effective. Our licensed practitioners at Ellis Chiropractic can assess your condition and discuss available treatment options. Contact our office today in Marlow, Oklahoma, to schedule your consultation.
Neuropathy
Neuropathy is a medical condition caused by damaged nerve cells and often associated with autoimmune diseases, infections, diabetes, tumors, or hereditary conditions. Peripheral neuropathy currently affects over 20 million people in the United States with symptoms ranging from tingling or burning pain and nausea to muscle spasms, difficulty moving your arms or legs, or atrophy.
Personal Injury
Our goal is to help you receive the proper care after a personal injury, auto accident or fall. Our staff is devoted to helping you obtain the most comprehensive treatments and the care you deserve, so you may maintain your quality of life after an injury and can begin to feel like yourself again.
Too often, individuals involved in an auto injury or wreck have minimal or no symptoms until several weeks after the auto accident. That is where the professionals at Ellis Chiropractic come in, and can assist you with all aspects of auto accident personal injury recovery.
Pinched Nerve
A pinched nerve can happen in a variety of places throughout the body with some of the most common being the lower spine, wrists, neck, and legs. A pinched nerve occurs when the muscles or tendons around the nerve are inflamed, putting pressure on the nerve and either causing pain or even numbness throughout the extremities related or attached to this affected nerve.
Your pinched nerve may be caused by different physical conditions such as carpal tunnel or a herniated disc. Though pinched nerves can be painful, the majority of patients find that their pinched nerve(s) goes away on its own.
If the pinched nerve does not resolve itself and you have persistent pain that lasts for more than a few days, you should seek medical attention by scheduling an appointment at Ellis Chiropractic with our chiropractor. This is especially true if you’ve tried at-home treatments but feel like your pain is worsening as time progresses. With pinched nerves, it’s important to seek medical attention in order to identify the underlying cause of the pinched nerve to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Sciatica
Sciatica is characterized by pain in the lower back that radiates down one or both legs. The pain is described as dull, achy, sharp, like “pins and needles” or similar to electric shocks. Other symptoms associated with sciatica include burning, numbness and tingling sensations. Sciatic nerve pain varies in intensity from mild to severe, and frequency may range from occasional to constant. The onset is generally gradual and not necessarily associated with a previous event. Sciatica is also known as radiating or referred pain, neuropathy, or neuralgia.
Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain is a very common condition and affects almost half of the U.S. Most patients feel some sort of pain, limited range of motion, an inability to engage in activities of daily living (ADL) or something more serious as a permanent disability.
Sports Injury
Some sports like basketball and ice hockey may be more dangerous than others. But all kinds of sports can cause injury. The most prevalent of these sports-related injuries include sprains and strains. Have you recently misused a body part during a game? Perhaps you got tackled in football or wiped out while skateboarding? Whether the pain is due to overuse or trauma, chiropractic care could be the answer you’re looking for.
As you know, chiropractors focus on correcting body alignment issues. Here’s how this alternative treatment can help with sports injuries:
Prevention
Sports are an excellent way to stay fit while having fun. But they often involve risks. Excessive or unsuitable training methods and dangerous exercise equipment can cause injuries. Traumatic force can also lead to harm. It’s highly advisable to take measures to prevent spine misalignment or any damage before you take part in any sports or exercise program. You can do this by warming up before any routine. You can also loosen stiff muscles by moving around or switching positions every half an hour. In addition, you can reduce your risk of sports injuries by wearing the right footwear, taping vulnerable joints, and using appropriate safety gear like helmets and mouthguards.
Rehabilitation
As previously mentioned, injuries can happen in almost any sport. Runners, swimmers, and weightlifters are prone to lower back pain. The same goes for golfers, cyclers, skiers, and gymnasts, who can also suffer from muscle strains. Other sports are mostly associated with head, neck, and spine injuries. These include soccer and football. Fortunately, there are various chiropractic techniques that practitioners can use to help athletes heal from these injuries. Spinal manipulation will line up misaligned vertebrae correctly. This will help reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and improve joint functioning.
Performance Enhancement
Many pros seek chiropractic care for injury prevention and pain management. But did you know that chiropractors can also help boost your athletic performance? Exertion builds muscles. But it puts tremendous strain on your body, affecting your joints and spine. Spine misalignment can upset your nervous system. This irritation can cause decreased functionality in other body systems, such as your respiratory system. By getting regular, non-injury spine adjustments, you can have an increased blood flow, improved flexibility, and a better range of motion. Also, chiropractic care improves agility, balance, and coordination as well as speeding up recovery. A properly aligned and well-balanced body will enable your muscles, ligaments, and tendons to work in balance together. All of these can help you experience fewer sports-related injuries and support peak performance.
Do you want to ensure proper movement and maximum mobility before your game? Your chiropractor can recommend individualized exercises to help condition your body. They can also assess an existing injury and devise an appropriate treatment plan to help you feel better.
Find out more about the benefits of chiropractic care for sports injuries, contact Ellis Chiropractic in Marlow, OK, at (580) 721-7007.
TMJ
TMJ is an abbreviation for the temporomandibular joint which connects the mandibular, or your lower jaw, to the temporal bones of the skull. The TMJ is one of the more unique joints within your body as it allows you to move your jaw forward, backward, and side to side so that you can chew, talk, sing, yawn, and more. This joint can be found just in front of your ears on both sides of your head.
Any problem with the muscles, ligaments, discs, bones, or the joint itself are known as temporomandibular disorders or TMD and refers to the actual disorder, where the jaw joint is misaligned and causing problems such as pain, inflammation, and inability to move or operate the jaw. However, these problems or conditions are often incorrectly called by the joint name of TMJ instead.
Vertigo
Vertigo is the feeling that you are moving when you’re not. This sensation can be triggered by movements such as turning your head too quickly or looking down from a great distance, but it is ultimately caused by problems in the inner ear, brain, or brainstem. There are two different forms of vertigo with each stemming from various medical issues: peripheral vertigo and central vertigo.
Peripheral vertigo results in a problem with your inner ear and thus your balance, while central vertigo occurs when your brain or brainstem are suffering from a disease originating from your central nervous system (CNS). Peripheral vertigo is typically more severe, and central vertigo is more gradual in its onset. Regardless of the type of dizziness you are experiencing, more than likely, your quality of life is suffering because of it.
Whiplash
According to the American Chiropractic Association, one of the most common causes of neck pain is whiplash resulting from a car accident. A sudden forced movement of the head or neck in any direction and the resulting “rebound” in the opposite direction is known as whiplash. The sudden “whipping” motion injures the surrounding and supporting tissues of the neck and head. Muscles react by tightening and contracting, creating muscle fatigue, which can result in pain and stiffness. Severe whiplash can also be associated with injury to the intervertebral joints, discs, ligaments, muscles, and nerve roots.