When your tooth hurts, you seek out a dentist. When a skin problem arises, a dermatologist can offer relief. For problems with the musculoskeletal system such as back pain, a chiropractic physician is your best option. Chiropractor back pain treatment plans are solely created on an individual basis, to fit each patient to their specific healthcare needs. There are many causes of back pain and many locations throughout the back where pain can arise.

Cervical Pain

The cervical spine is the region of the back that includes the spinal vertebrae from C1 to C7. This neck portion of the back can be injured from whiplash, sprains, strains and other forms of trauma and poor posture. A cervical spine fracture or a herniated disc will cause a tremendous amount of pain in the neck.

Thoracic Pain

The thoracic spine includes vertebrae beginning at T1 and extending to T12. This portion of the spine is the longest segment, covering most of the back beginning at the upper shoulders and extending to near the bottom of the ribcage. This large segment of the spine is the least flexible and because of this, back pain is less common in the thoracic spine.

Lumbar Spine

The lumbar spine contains the L1 through L5 vertebrae. It is this region of the spine that, when there is dysfunction or injury, will cause low back pain. Low back pain is very common and in most cases the cause of pain is not life-threatening. There are some rare medical conditions that do produce feelings of low back pain however, so it is important to seek treatment for persistent low back pain.

Diagnosis and Treatment

A chiropractic physician is trained in the diagnosis and treatment of all forms of back pain. The goal of chiropractic care to is eliminate the cause of the back pain whenever medically appropriate through conservative care options such as rehab, massage therapy and chiropractic manipulation. From a patient evaluation and physical examination, a chiropractic physician will determine if treatment is appropriate. There are some medical conditions that would prevent a chiropractor from beginning chiropractic care for a patient and in these instances, the patient would be referred to another medical specialist for care. For those patients that are indicated for chiropractic treatment plans, the length and type of care required for resolution of the back pain will be dependent on the severity and duration of the pain.

References Cited in this Article

www.spine-health.com                       www.medicinenet.com

Chiropractor jobs and the future outlook for chiropractic students appears to be good. The number of practicing chiropractic physicians within the United States is growing and is estimated to increase 20% from 2008 to 2018, according to the www.bls.gov website. This rapid increase over the course of a decade is the result of more patients seeking conservative and preventative care, avoiding more aggressive treatment options such as surgery and the prolonged use of medications. The success rate for a chiropractic clinic seems to be higher when that practice is included within a multi-disciplinary group of several other professions. When a chiropractic physician is working along with a medical doctor, physical therapist or other health care providers, the running of their practice is more cost-effective and their patients are able to receive many forms of care within the same office group, reducing appointment wait times and allowing services to be more available to the patients. Most chiropractic clinics are open for business Monday through Saturday, generally offering morning and afternoon/evening hours. Some clinics see patients on Saturday as appointment-only while others are open for walk-ins on Saturdays. It is not uncommon for a chiropractic clinic to offer office hours later in the evening on weekdays, seeing patients until 7pm or later. This allows patients who work during the day a chance to keep their appointments on schedule.  

Board or State Examinations

In order for a chiropractor to practice, all 50 states require state licensure and the successful completion of board exams. Each state has different requirements for education, examination, scope of practice and licensure however in some instances certain states have agreements with other states to recognize their requirements. This recognition between states is called reciprocity and it enables a chiropractic physician with the opportunity to work in a different state without having to take more board or state examinations. A chiropractic physician may receive additional schooling and obtain diplomates in pediatrics, radiology, family practice, sports injuries, internal medicine, orthopedics or neurology. Many chiropractors offer their patients complimentary modalities such as heat and ice therapy, massage therapy, traction, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, nutritional counseling and physical therapy rehab along with chiropractic manipulation. Many chiropractic physicians have diagnostic imaging capabilities within their practice as well. The role of a chiropractor is to diagnose and treat disorders of the musculoskeletal system. They can work with other healthcare providers when necessary to help the patient achieve optimal results for their health issues.

References Cited in this Article

www.bls.gov

www.careeroverview.com

A chiropractor doctor is a medical professional who deals with disorder and dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system. Because the profession has doctors practicing with many different styles of treatment and differing opinions on patient care, confusion remains among the general public and potential patients as to what they can expect at a chiropractic visit. Chiropractic is a conservative form of health treatment that translates into “done by hand”. The profession began back in 1895, founded by a D.D. Palmer in Davenport, Iowa. For the past 115 years, there have been many advances in research of the benefits of chiropractic care. There have also been splits between physicians within the field of chiropractic, many still embracing the original teachings and many who have become more entwined with mainstream medicine. Since the beginnings of the profession, the intentions of a chiropractic physician have been to treat illness without the aid of medication. However, recently in New Mexico, a new bill has now been passed to allow chiropractors a small scope of medication prescription rights. This new additional treatment tool may, in the future, be extended to other states as well. Because of the separation of chiropractic beliefs between chiropractic physicians, some oppose this bill, not agreeing with the addition of certain medication rights, while others welcome the change and acknowledgement of being more closely tied to mainstream medicine.

Health Professionals

A chiropractic doctor may practice in many different locations. Many are self-employed, working in and running their own clinic within a community. Other chiropractic physicians work as associates within a clinic, treating patients along with the chiropractor who owns the clinic. Some chiropractors work in multi-disciplinary settings, working along with physical therapists, medical doctors and other health professionals. Many hospitals throughout the country now employ chiropractic physicians and a number of military hospitals offer chiropractic employment as well. There are even chiropractic physicians among the medical staff for olympic athletes. Aside from chiropractic manipulation, many chiropractors offer diagnostic imaging in their clinics, modalities such as massage therapy, traction, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, nutritional counseling, heat and ice therapy, physical therapy rehab and decompression treatments. Many can offer their patients orthopedic and neurologic testing for a more accurate diagnosis when necessary. Many medical doctors will refer their patients to a chiropractic physician when conservative care is warranted. This referral system is important for the chiropractic profession as it creates relationships and stronger connections between providers while also benefiting and improving patient care.

References Cited in this Article

www.nih.gov

www.acatoday.org

There are several online chiropractor directory websites that are helpful for people who are trying to locate or research chiropractic physicians in their areas. These directories list current chiropractors state by state and their purpose is to create an easy to find database for current and prospective chiropractic patients. Chiropractic associations, such as the ACA, have websites that not only provide a directory of chiropractic physicians but also provide current chiropractic health information for both practitioners as well as for patients. A person can search these directories by entering a specific doctor, clinic, location, city, state or zip code. Some directories may also provide detailed maps and directions to the chiropractic clinics as well. A chiropractic directory can also include a detailed list of chiropractic associations, past and current chiropractic articles, alternative health care news, blogs by various chiropractic physicians and past and current research news and updates. Patients may also view chiropractic physician reviews through a directory, giving them a better idea as to the kind of experience and care other patients have received from certain doctors. Some directory websites may also provide information about specific health conditions and disorders that chiropractic physicians can possibly help to treat in their clinics. These listings can help by allowing a search for specific treatment options such as acupuncture, massage therapy, sports therapy, decompression treatment, nutritional counseling and traction.

Chiropractic Physicians and Chiropractic Students

Chiropractic physicians can use chiropractic directories to advertise their clinics. These directories help them to get the public more aware of their services and specialties. Both chiropractic physicians and chiropractic students can search directories for continuing education courses, employment postings, available equipment listings, reviews for chiropractic products, professional practices that are for sale and lists of chiropractic schools. Chiropractic directories are useful for both physicians and patients as they connect one to the other. They can help prospective patients learn more about the profession, read about specific doctors, what to expect at a visit and how to choose a chiropractor that fits well with their individual health care needs. Health insurance companies also provide a directory of chiropractic physicians that are networked with their company. These directories are useful in helping a patient to find what chiropractic offices will accept their health insurance plan. Because of these online search tools, no matter where a patient lives, they will be able to search and locate a chiropractic physician that is able to meet their health care needs.

References Cited in this Article

www.chirodirectory.com

www.chiropractor-pages.com

www.chiropracticdirectories.org                    www.chirohub.com

Chiropractors are physicians that specialize in treating disorders of the musculoskeletal system. They are referred to as chiropractors, doctors of chiropractic and chiropractic physicians. Depending on which educational institution they graduated from, the style in which they practice will vary. There is a distinctive ideology divide within the profession that stems from different teachings about the role of chiropractic within the medical community. Some chiropractors believe that chiropractic manipulations are the only necessary treatment for the improvement of all bodily ailments. They attribute all forms of dysfunction as the end result of subluxations of the spine. They believe that when a subluxation has been corrected with spinal manipulation, the specific health issues will resolve. This form of chiropractic is based upon the belief that subluxations in the spine lead to dysfunction of the nervous system which in turn will cause health problems. The other type of chiropractic physician practices as an evidence-based physician. They will refer to other specialties when necessary and offer services such as physical therapy exercises, rehabilitative programs and nutritional counseling. This type of chiropractor generally works within a group of other physicians or other providers. Depending on what type of  chiropractor you feel most comfortable with, it is important to research the chiropractic physicians in your area to find out who you feel will be the best able to help with your specific health care needs.

Initial Chiropractic Consultation

An initial chiropractic consultation will begin with filling out an intake form, detailing your past and current medical history. A discussion with the chiropractor about any health issues will better enable them to create a treatment plan if it is decided that chiropractic care is indicated and appropriate. Following the discussion of the health history, a physical examination will be performed to help reach an accurate diagnosis. Diagnostic imaging may be necessary for some patients. After the health history and physical exam are completed, the following care you receive will vary at this point depending on what type of chiropractor you have chosen. It is generally advised to avoid a chiropractor that recommends a high number of visits and requires a patient to sign forms agreeing to the high amount of visits and possibly requiring payment in advance for treatment. As with any health care practitioner, if treatment is providing no improvement or if symptoms are worsening, speak to the doctor to discuss other forms of treatment that may be more beneficial.

References Cited in this Article

www.bls.gov

whiplash

When the soft tissues of the neck become injured and produce pain and dysfunction, the condition is referred to as whiplash. This term is not a medical term but since its first usage in 1928, most people have used the term whiplash to describe cervical soft tissue injuries. Someone can sustain whiplash during a car accident, during a fall, an assault or participating in sports. The most common cause of whiplash is being involved in a motor vehicle accident as the speed of the cars during a collision causes sudden movement to the otherwise stationary bodies within the cars. The soft tissues of the cervical spine become injured when an abnormal or sudden movement to the neck causes the muscles to be strained beyond their normal range of motion. Because whiplash involves abnormal movement in the neck and often times with sudden forceful movement, whiplash is also referred to as acceleration flexion-extension injury, a cervical sprain or strain or a soft tissue cervical hyperextension injury. Whatever the name, the result is the same, pain and tenderness in the neck, inflammation, muscle spasms, headache, difficulty in moving the head and possibly radiating pain into the shoulders and upper extremities.

Neck Pain

Even though whiplash is a sprain or strain of the neck muscles, it is advised to seek medical attention immediately following the onset of neck pain. While for most people, the pain is a result of acutely sore muscles that have been strained beyond their normal range of motion, some neck pain may be a sign of something more serious. If the symptoms of neck pain are accompanied by dizziness or a feeling of numbness, tingling and weakness into the arms or legs, a trip to the emergency room is recommended. If serious conditions are ruled out during an emergency visit, a patient will be sent home with instructions to ice the cervical muscles for 20 minutes per each hour during the initial 24 hours, separating the ice from the skin with a thin towel. OTC medications will also be recommended such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce the pain and inflammation in the neck. Follow-up treatments such as chiropractic care or massage therapy may also be helpful in speeding the recovery time and helping to relax the strained muscles of the neck. Chiropractic modalities such as ultrasound, electric stimulation, mild traction and physical therapy exercises will be offered for pain relief. In general, people who have sustained a whiplash injury will fully recover within a time period of 6 weeks. A small amount of people will experience symptoms on and off for up to a year. There is no way to know how long symptoms will last but it is thought that if symptoms of whiplash appear very soon after the injury, then the healing process may take longer.

References Cited in this Article

www.emedicinehealth.com

www.nih.gov

www.mayoclinic.com

An episode of vertigo is similar to dizziness as the person does feel dizzy but it also differs from dizziness in that the person actually feels as if they are moving or that their environment is moving. The most common cause of vertigo is due to changing positions. Going from sitting to standing, bending over and then standing straight again, or standing up from a position of lying down can cause vertigo. These episodes of vertigo are called BPPV, or benign paroxysmal positional vertigo and are typically not serious and can be effectively treated. Other causes of vertigo include inner ear disturbances such as inner ear infections, decreased blood flow to the brain, a tumor present in the nerve tissues called an acoustic neuroma, trauma to the head or neck, episodes of migraines, arteriosclerosis, diabetes and a condition called Meniere’s disease. An episode of vertigo can last for only a few minutes or as long as a few hours. Aside from the feeling of motion that is not actually present, nausea and vomiting may also occur as well as unusual eye movements, increased sweating, a ringing in the ears, hearing loss, trouble with walking and talking and vision changes.  

Reduce the Frequency

While most cases of vertigo are harmless, it is important to tell your doctor about any episodes that are present. A health history will include questions about the duration and frequency of vertigo, if any recent trauma such as whiplash has occurred and if there are any other symptoms present with the feelings of movement. Lab testing and an EEG may be helpful in examining blood sugar levels and heart rhythm as well. If something other than vertigo is suspected, a CT scan may be requested by the primary care physician to rule out any trauma to the brain or neck. If the cause of vertigo  has been diagnosed as being caused by an inner ear infection, treatment will include antibiotic medication. There are medications that can also be used for other causes of vertigo as well as vestibular rehabilitation exercises that work to place the body in specific positions that would normally cause vertigo and to repeat these positions until the vertigo is no longer present. There are simple ways to reduce the frequency of vertigo including changing positions slowly, eating small amounts of healthy snacks between meals to keep blood sugar levels steady, seeking medical attention immediately following any head or neck  trauma and receiving care promptly if an ear infection is suspected. For people who are at high risk for stroke, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, seeking immediate care when vertigo is present can help to avoid a more serious outcome.

References Cited in this Article

www.mayoclinic.com

www.emedicinehealth.com

www.neurologychannel.com

Most people have a pretty good understanding of what varicose veins are and what they look like. This may be due to so much talk of varicose vein removal and the improvement of the overall look of legs and feet when they are removed. While varicose veins can be present in any vein, the veins of the legs and feet are most at risk due to supporting body weight while standing. The arteries and veins of the body work to bring blood away from and back toward the heart. Arteries take oxygenated blood away from the heart to the tissues of the body. Veins bring deoxygenated blood back to the heart by way of muscle contractions and small pumps within the veins. The pumps open to allow the blood to move through them and then close to prevent blood from flowing backward. If these pumps become weak, blood can flow backward and begin to pool in the vein, resulting in a varicose vein. The veins will appear blue on the surface of the skin because the blood pooled there contains no oxygen. This weakening of the vein pumps can be caused by age, weight, hereditary factors, consistently long periods of standing, gender and sometimes occurs during pregnancy due to increased blood volume and more weight and pressure put on the lower extremities.

Removal of Varicose Veins

Generally, complications from varicose veins are rare. In a small amount of cases, a varicose vein will develop within a deep vein in the leg and this could lead to a dangerous blood clot condition called thrombophlebitis. If this condition is present, the leg will generally swell and it is important to seek medical attention immediately. Another rare complication of a varicose vein is the development of an ulcer near the vein, the most common location being near the ankle. An ulcer may form on the skin because of prolonged fluid build-up that is a direct result of increased pressure from the pooled blood within the varicose vein. The beginning sign of ulcer development is a brown spot on the skin and this will appear before an ulcer formation. Medical attention is advised if a brown spot on the lower extremities is noticed. The treatment of varicose veins is usually done for cosmetic reasons. There are laser procedures to make the veins disappear; these procedures are non-invasive and effective when done correctly. There are several other treatment options for the removal of varicose veins that are done as an outpatient procedure with minimal risk or side effects. At home care can include wearing compression stockings to help improve the muscle contractions and blood flow in the legs. Exercise, a healthy weight, avoiding long periods of standing and keeping legs elevated from time to time throughout the day will help to prevent varicose veins or to slow the process if a varicose vein is already present.

References Cited in this Article

www.mayoclinic.com

www.nih.gov

The term inflammatory bowel disease is used to describe conditions that cause inflammation within the digestive tract. Both ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease are conditions that fall into the category of inflammatory bowel disease and both can cause symptoms of fever, abdominal cramping and diarrhea that contains blood. A person who suffers from these conditions may also experience weight loss. There are some differences between ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. When ulcerative colitis is present in the intestines, the sections affected are the innermost lining of the colon (the large intestine) as well as the rectum. The inflammation from ulcerative colitis stretches throughout a continuous section of the colon whereas Crohn’s disease can occur in sporadic patches throughout the digestive tract and can penetrate deep into the tissues. While the location of these conditions is different, both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease can cause debilitation and may cause serious life-threatening complications.

UC Symptoms

Ulcerative colitis can vary in severity and location and because of this the diagnosis will be specific to each individual. It can be specified as pancolitis (affecting the entire colon), left-sided colitis (inflammation from the rectum up the left side of the colon through the sigmoid and descending portion), ulcerative proctitis (inflammation of the rectum), proctosigmoiditis (inflammation present in the rectum and sigmoid colon) and the most life-threatening form of ulcerative colitis, fulminant colitis, which affects the entire colon but can lead to a rupture of the colon and severe distention which can lead to toxic megacolon. In general, ulcerative colitis is not dangerous and people will go through periods of symptoms and then a remission of symptoms. In mild cases, such as proctitis, the symptoms will not worsen. It is not completely known what triggers the onset of ulcerative colitis but it is thought that an immune response as well as genetics may be contributing factors. Some medications may also encourage ulcerative colitis or make current UC symptoms even worse.

Alternative Treatment Options

Crohn’s disease is a condition that causes inflammation within the digestive tract and there is no known cure. While this disease affects the digestive tract in different areas compared to ulcerative colitis, the symptoms and the treatment plan are similar. The common treatment for these forms of inflammatory bowel disease is anti-inflammatory medications and immune suppressants. Some people may also try other forms of care if these medications produce little or no relief or if side effects are bothersome. Alternative treatment options for both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease include acupuncture, probiotics and prebiotics, supplements that include fish oil and dietary modification.

References Cited in this Article            www.webmd.com                    www.mayoclinic.com

Are you pregnant and experiencing agonizing and unrelenting back pain?  You’re not alone; Pregnancy and Back Pain almost always go hand-in-hand.  The reasons why this happens is due to the following: you’re gaining weight, you’re walking in a different way, and your hormones are relaxing the muscles and ligaments in your body. 

How to ease back pain at home

There’s absolutely no reason to do nothing about the back pain while pregnant.  Here is a list of some common things to perform at home to reduce the effects: sleep on your side holding a body pillow between your legs and arms, sit and stand appropriately, always practice good posture by tucking the buttocks under bringing the chin and head to anatomical position, when lifting lift with your legs and also only objects that aren’t too heavy, wear proper fit shoes with a good arch support, exercise regularly but not strenuously, perform pelvic tilt exercises, and try heat or cold compresses at home. 

How to ease back pain outside of the home

While performing at home regimens is necessary, sometimes it’s just not enough to ease the pain and discomfort of back pain.  Some women choose to seek out the care of Chiropractors, Massage therapists, and Acupuncturists.  Some Chiropractors are skilled in the Webster technique, a technique which stabilizes the women’s pelvis by adjusting the sacrum and performing soft tissue techniques to the ligaments of the pelvis like the round, broad, and the sacro-tuberous ligaments.  Massage therapists may receive additional training in the art of pregnancy massage.  In these classes, the massage therapists are trained in proper bolstering of pillows, proper draping, and techniques to not only reduce the patient’s back pain but also the therapist who is performing the massage session.  It is always important to obtain clearance from the OBGYN before administering massage therapy, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy.  Skeptics claim that it could possibly cause a spontaneous abortion and must be contraindicated.  However, this has not been proven recently.  In addition, Acupuncture may provide the pregnant patient with reduced back pain and a sense of calm as well.  Acupuncturists will help to balance the patient’s chakras and meridians.  In the third trimester upon the delivery date, they will be able to induce delivery by applying pressure to specific points on the hands and feet.  These points may also reduce the pain that the pregnant women feels while laboring.