Don’t Wait.

Don’t Wait. While patients with chronic (>3 months) low back pain generally report good outcomes following chiropractic care, patients with acute pain (<4 weeks) recover faster. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, July 2012

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Disk Biochemistry.

Disk Biochemistry. Proper joint motion helps remove wastes and fluids from the disks of your spine and improves the flow of proper nutrients into the disk. It is important to understand that the disk does not have a direct blood supply, and disks only stay healthy with motion. With lack of motion there is decreased…

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Standard Medical Care and Chiropractic.

Standard Medical Care and Chiropractic. Compared to those who received standard medical care (SMC) alone, military personnel (ages 18-35) with back pain who received chiropractic care in addition to SMC showed significantly more improvement in both decreased pain and increased physical function. Note: This particular study did not include a group of patients who only…

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Inflammation!

Inflammation! Inflammation is your body’s natural response to injury and is part of the healing process. However, if proper care is not received, inflammation can hinder the healing process and may lead to scarring, improper motion, and additional pain. Signs of inflammation include: pain, heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function. Chiropractic adjustments and care…

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Macro vs. Micro Trauma?

Macro vs. Micro Trauma? Macro-trauma is an accident such as a car accident or falling down. Many people think this is the only way injury occurs. Micro-trauma is a cumulative effect from simple acts of daily living over a long period of time (weeks, months, or years) that ultimately leads to pain and dysfunction. These…

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Pregnancy and Back Pain

Pregnancy and Back Pain. 20% of women who suffer from severe back pain during pregnancy refrain from having more children out of fear their severe back pain would recur with another pregnancy. Obstetrics & Gynecology, February 1998

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Keep Your Disks Healthy

Keep Your Disks Healthy. In normal healthy discs, the nerves (sinuvertebral) only sense pain on the periphery or outer regions of the disc. In grossly degenerated disks, nerves may penetrate into the center (nucleus) of the disk and be more vulnerable to degeneration and/or inflammation. Lancet, 1997

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My Degeneration

My Degeneration. What causes the pain associated with spinal degenerative joint disease (DJD)? 1. The instability caused by disk degeneration. 2. The mechanical compression of nerve by bone, ligament, or the disk. 3. The chemical mediators of inflammation. Spine, 1997

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Bone Spurs?

Bone Spurs? Bone spurs (osteophytes) are bony projections that form off of bones in and along joints, and are often seen with arthritis. Bone spurs can limit joint motion and can cause joint pain. Bone spurs form when the body tries to increase the surface area of the joint to better distribute weight across a…

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Quit Smoking!

Quit Smoking! Smokers suffering from spinal disorders and related back pain reported greater discomfort than those who stopped smoking during an 8 month treatment period. Patients who had never smoked and prior smokers reported significantly less back pain than current smokers and those who had quit smoking during their care. Journal of Bone and Joint…

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