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Chiropractic Care

Dr Kevin Darden

2005-07-01 11:46:00

: What is Sports Chiropractic?  Does it require a specially trained Chiro-practor to perform this service?

ANSWER: Sports Chiropractic is the knowledge of specific injuries related to specific sports. The most endorsed program is the American Chiropractic Association Council of Sports Injury. There are about 8-10 other sports injury programs. Most of the bigger schools (high schools and colleges) have Certified Athletic Trainers to take care of the athletes but some of the smaller rural schools need help with the athletes and chiropractors may be the only sport injury provider. While it is best to have an Athletic Trainer and Chiropractor in an athletic program, some programs don't have that option. Athletic Trainers are best for the position but if a sports injury chiropractor is available then great. Most of the rural programs are happy to have anyone to help. Each sport has its inherent dangers and the health care provider should know the specific dangers of each. The main benefit that chiropractors offer to athletic programs is the ability to see problems before they become serious. Chiropractors are trained in school to make people function at their best and athletes want to function at their best. This can decrease possible future injuries by correcting problems while minor. Most of the athletes take the opportunity to get treatment prior to games.

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Chiropractic Care

Dr Kevin Darden

2005-06-01 11:06:00

: At what age should chiropractic care be an option? I have heard of infants receiving such care. Is it safe?

ANSWER: I remember the first infant I ever treated in private practice. Jake was having colic type symptoms (spitting up, crying a lot, and not sleeping). His mother insisted that treatment helped her other children and wanted me to treat this little fellow too. Much research has been done regarding treatment of colic symptoms with chiropractic care, and I had studied it in school, but I had not yet had any first hand experience. Obviously the treatment of infants and toddlers isn't the same as treating adults. Adjustments cause more of a sliding sound than popping. They are extremely easy to treat because they don't have any stress and the worries of the world on their shoulders yet. In examining little Jake, I found two areas that needed treatment. I asked the mother to bring Jake back in two days for a recheck. I was nervous and excited at the same time, waiting for his return. When Jake came in he was smiling and laughing. I asked his mom how little Jake was doing. I will always remember her reply, "he's fine", as if she expected the treatment to have fixed him. I treated Jake three times total and he never had problems again. He was 3 months-old at the time of treatment, and as his mother says, "Now he is the healthiest child." Jake is 6 years-old and has had no other health issues. I absolutely love treating the little ones. The youngest that I have ever examined was 6 days old. The delivery process is so hard on the neck of the newborn, it is very common to have trauma occur to the upper neck from the delivery. And, little ones respond so quickly to treatment; usually responding within three treatments. Older patients may require more treatments due to time and severity of their problems. As we age, we heal slower. Chiropractic has evolved from the days of ripping the neck this way and then the other. Treatments have become very gentle. Most patients feel very little if any discomfort during the treatment which has made it safe for children and infants.Each age group has specific problems. The newborns generally have spitting up problems or crying from the neck pain. The infants have colic type symptoms or intestinal distress. Children are sitting a lot more and are suffering from slouching (mid back problems), sitting (pelvic pain and leg pain), and video games (neck and shoulder pain). Teens have a lot of weird habits that cause spine curvatures, headaches, mid back pain, low back pain, and leg pains. Adults have the teenager's habits, only worse. Time is taking its toll and the teen's pain has increased into adult hood. The seniors have a lifetime of bad habits and trauma that have caused chronic pain in multiple areas. It is amazing the amount of pain of the seniors. They have pain and discomfort everywhere. Most will always experience chronic pain but with treatments, the pain can be controlled.

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Chiropractic Care

Dr Kevin Darden

2005-04-01 10:50:00

: I have experienced "low back pain" for many years, is there anything I can do for it?

ANSWER: Many people such as you experience chronic low back pain.  It is estimated that the annual cost in the United States for treatment of low back pain is approximately $100 billion dollars.  Whether working in the garden, climbing a ladder, exercising, or picking up the baby, we are all susceptible to having low back pain. Low back pain can be caused by many things. Usually low back pain can be attributed to performing a movement such as bending or reaching in an incorrect manner. We have habits that cause us harm (the way we sleep, stand, sit, work, etc).  This time of year we often see a rise in complaints of low back pain.  We have set in our lazy-boys all winter watching Reality T.V. Our bodies are not ready for the rapid onset of physical activities such as mowing, gardening, or even horse back riding.  Over the winter months our muscles have become accustomed to little or reduced physical activities.Mild stretching exercises can help our backs get ready for spring time activities.  Just a few minutes a day of stretching exercise can mean the difference between some productive gardening and a weekend spent "down and out".  It's a fact that, after we begin moving more, we tend to have more energy. This extra energy allows us to better enjoy life. Walking is a good way to re-acclimate our bodies to summer time physical activities. In addition, go to your favorite store and purchase a video of stretching exercises. If you're more adventurous-try a Yoga or Tai-Chi class. Remember-start any activity slowly, gradually increasing range of motion, distance, and time the activity is preformed. Warm up and stretch before any physical activity, including all sports, raking, gardening, etc. Be aware of your body form and technique; stand as erect as possible and let your legs and arms do the work, not your back. Allow your body and muscles time to cool down after such an activity. If you currently suffer from low back pain I recommend Chiropractic care.  A good teaching Chiropractor can show you very important stretching exercises to do and evaluate your current and past symptoms to rule out other possible medical problems.  Regular Chiropractic care not only helps reduce low back pain and disability associated with low back pain, but following the treatment phase, assists in keeping pain from reoccurring. Remember, most simple back and neck pain can be associated with a muscles moving in an incorrect manner. Many of us, over the years, have trained our muscles to move in an incorrect manner. Although we cannot change this "muscle memory" overnight, with proper re-education of our muscles we can greatly reduce the chance of neck and back injuries and pain. Remember, regular Chiropractic care can reduce the on-set and reoccurrence of low back pain.

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Chiropractic Care

Dr Kevin Darden

2005-04-01 10:50:00

: I've always been told that cracking my knuckles would cause arthritis and enlargement. How can having my back cracked at a Chiropractor be a good thing?

ANSWER: I was told as well that popping my knuckles would cause arthritis. I believe my 6th grade math teacher thought it was annoying. The popping sound is the release of nitrogen gas that is produced from synovial fluid inside the joint capsule. There is no research that indicates the release of this nitrogen gas causes arthritis, but can change the propioceptive activity of the joint. There is a right and wrong way to adjust the fingers. Bending our fingers forward until the "pop" is heard is absolutely the wrong way. Can it cause arthritis? That's unknown.Each joint in the body is enclosed in a fibrous capsule and this capsule houses the synovial fluid. The synovial fluid is the grease inside a joint. It lubricates the joint and prevents arthritis. As we age, the muscles shorten due to either constant repetitive movement or lack of movement. Unfortunately the shortening of the muscles pushes the grease (synovial fluid) outside of the joint into the capsule. This lack of grease allows the joint to be compromised causing arthritis because the bones have approximated each other. Meaning, the bones are not protected by the grease and allows the bones to rub on each other. The definition of arthritis is "inflammation of the joint". The bones rubbing on each other cause the inflammation. It is important to learn how to properly prevent and reduce arthritis in the hands by doing specific exercises. Patients report significant improvement within 2-3 weeks if the exercises are done daily. The exercises take only about 2-3 minutes per day.Now to answer part two of your question, "How can going to a Chiropractor be a good thing?" Humans have many habits (sleeping on stomach or pulling one leg up, sitting on leg, slouching, talking on the phone, standing on one leg, etc.), these habits cause our bodies to adapt. Trauma also causes adaptation. This adaptation causes muscle strengths and weaknesses that cause our spine to distort until it can no longer adapt, which causes pain. The distortion of the spine causes the synovial fluid (grease) to be squeezed out of the joints of the spine. Chiropractors are very perceptive in identifying adaptations and habits. Adjusting the spine corrects several things including allowing the synovial fluid back into the joint. It also reduces muscle spasms. In chiropractic medicine, patients are taught to identify the cause of the problem, why the problem is causing pain, and how to prevent it by practicing exercises to restore function to the involved area. This is the only way to achieve success. If the patient never learns the cause, they will always have pain, no matter how many treatments, medications, or surgeries they have. Patients who receive treatment and perform the exercises respond very well. Chiropractors see the same habitual problems every day, allowing them to recognize pain causing symptoms quickly and determine the best care for the patient, therefore reducing chronic pain.

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Chiropractic Care

Dr Jennifer Peterson

2005-01-01 08:51:00

: I have been suffering from headaches for quite some time.  I've been checked by my medical doctor, eye doctor, dentist and even a neurologist.  Is there anything that you can do for me?

ANSWER: There are many different types of headaches, some of which can be treated in a chiropractic clinic.  One type of headache, a muscle tension headache, usually manifests as a "tight band" feeling around the head with tight neck muscles.  Migraine headaches, on the other hand, are usually more of a pounding pain in the head, possibly on one side of the head or behind the eyes.  The individual with a migraine may first notice "spots" in their visual field, nausea or other prodromal symptoms (i.e. symptoms that are almost a signal that a migraine is about to begin).  Some research indicates that migraines may be caused by hormonal changes, which may be why they are much more common in women.  Some people report that things like cheeses, wines or chocolate can trigger a migraine for them.  Still another type of headache is the cervicogenic headache, which is caused by some type of problem with the neck bones and joints.  There are many other causes of headaches than those I have listed here, but all of the above types of headaches often respond to manipulation to the neck and upper back.  Research has established that chiropractic adjustments or manipulation may alleviate headaches or migraines.  The adjustments restore normal joint function and relax the muscles in the neck and upper back, which help keep headaches under control.  Additionally, there are some very good acupuncture or acupressure treatments that can be used in conjunction with chiropractic manipulation.   Needles are used to stimulate the acupuncture point or a non-piercing needle can be very effective as well, particularly if the patient has an aversion to needles.  Many people in our culture today consider headaches to be almost "normal."  That is just not true.  Headaches, just like other symptoms you might suffer, signal that there is some type of malfunction in your body.  This is much like the warning lights on the dashboard of your car.  It would not be wise to ignore those or your car may break down.  Headaches are just one of the body's many "warning lights" that can indicate a serious problem.

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Chiropractic Care

Dr Jennifer Peterson

2004-12-01 10:02:00

: Is chiropractic a safe treatment for low back pain during pregnancy?  What about in the case of a breech baby?

ANSWER:Chiropractic care is very safe for pregnant women.  It is no doubt a frustrating situation when an expectant mother is dealing with a health condition but is unable to use medication or other traditional medical treatments to resolve the problem.  Chiropractic treatments can help mobilize the low back area, which is under increasingly more stress as the mother's abdomen gradually grows larger throughout the pregnancy.  Women under chiropractic care have been shown to have 24% shorter labor times, while mothers who have previously given birth have been shown to have a 39% reduction in their average labor time. In the case of breech babies, there are often "intra-uterine constraints" or space limitations of the uterus due to tight ligaments or improper positioning of the pelvic bones that inhibit the baby from turning in the womb.  To correct this, some chiropractors have been trained in the Webster technique, which utilizes manipulation of the pelvic bones as well as loosening of the ligaments using manual pressure.  In this way, the area is more relaxed and the baby is able to position itself for a safe delivery.  Additionally, acupuncture can be used in conjunction with this technique for the same result.  The most common reason that the baby would not turn following one or both of these procedures is that the cord is tangled or wrapped around the baby's neck.  To ensure a safe delivery in this case, the baby would most likely be delivered by Caesarean.  In order to achieve the maximum benefit from chiropractic care, I encourage women to receive care and to prepare their bodies for pregnancy even before they have conceived.

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Chiropractic Care

Dr Jennifer Peterson

2004-10-01 15:07:00

: I was in a car accident and can't seem to get over sore muscles in my neck and back.  How can chiropractic help me?

ANSWER: When a person is involved in a motor vehicle accident they often suffer from a strain/sprain injury.  Many people feel that they are not really "hurt" because they didn't hit their head, break any bones and because they don't have any scrapes or bruises.  What people often do not realize is that even those low-speed crashes can be damaging to the muscles, bones and joints.  This is where chiropractic can help!  A whiplash injury or a sprained/strained back can be difficult to treat because there is often bruising and swelling around the joints that cannot be seen on the surface.  It is important to address the swelling while addressing the joint fixations that can occur when the muscles and ligaments are suddenly stretched and pulled as in a car crash.  We address the swelling through the use of ice packs (just as one would use with swelling and bruising with an ankle sprain) and through a therapy known as interferential current.  Interferential current is a non-invasive therapy using electrode pads surrounding the area of pain.  Patients often describe it as a tingling sensation and it has been shown to not only push the swelling out of the area but also to help decrease the pain.  Unfortunately, if we only resolve the pain and swelling, the joint fixations are still present and can actually progress to more serious conditions, such as torticollis, numbness and tingling in the hands or legs, or even degenerative disc disease.  Proper motion in the spine helps to prevent these conditions from occurring.   Chiropractors correct problems with motion and alignment of the spine through the use of manual or instrument adjusting.  In many chiropractic clinics, the doctor uses his or her hands to manually apply pressure and then a quick force to the joint which moves it back into proper position and restores proper movement.  In traditional medical treatments, a patient is often prescribed a medication that they are to take a certain number of times per day for a certain number of days.  Similarly, the chiropractic adjustments are prescribed a certain number of times per week for a certain number of weeks.  The amount of care varies from person to person and depends on many factors including age, health status, severity of injury and occupation, just to name a few.  Consult your doctor of chiropractic to find out if a course of manipulation and interferential current might be helpful for your condition.

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Chiropractic Care

Dr Jennifer Peterson

2004-10-01 10:31:00

: I was told that my neck does not have the normal curvature?  What causes this and can it be repaired?

ANSWER: The neck normally has a C-shaped curve called a lordosis.  Many people lose the normal curve in their neck due to injuries, improper posture or years of repetitive movements or stresses on the area.  The first change that typically occurs is the straightening of the curve, also known as military neck.  Without the normal lordosis in the neck, the bones and joints begin to wear out or degenerate, often forming bone spurs and eventually causing pain and stiffness.  When allowed to progress to a severe stage, the patient many times has pain into his or her arms and fingers.  There may also be signs of weakness in those areas.  This can often be treated with chiropractic manipulation which will keep those areas moving properly.  If the degeneration has progressed far enough, manipulation can slow down or stop the process but will probably not reverse this process.  This is not to say that one should not treat this condition even in the severe stages, as proper treatment can alleviate some of the symptoms and help the patient maintain a certain amount of mobility.  The amount of progress a patient makes is dependent upon their condition when they begin treatment as well as their involvement in their own care.  When a patient exercises regularly, eats nutritious meals and takes care of themselves, he or she will function better than the patient who does not do those things.

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Chiropractic Care

Dr Jennifer Peterson

2004-09-01 10:57:00

: At what age should chiropractic care be an option? I have heard of infants receiving such care. Is it safe?

ANSWER:  Believe it or not, an infant can be adjusted immediately after being born! What you may not realize is that being born can be a really traumatic event to a little spine. Those tiny little people are often pulled and pushed in different directions in order to bring them into the world!  It is a good idea to have them evaluated and correct any spinal problems early. It is very safe and can benefit a colicky infant or a child who has ear infections. Additionally, children jump, fall, play and tumble frequently during their development. As kids get older, they begin carrying heavy backpacks which throw off their center of gravity and push or pull their spines into awkward positions. All these things can normally be corrected with simple, non-invasive adjustments.  I adjusted my niece when she was only 2 weeks old and continue to adjust her periodically.  I have colleagues who gave their children their first adjustment within the first few hours of their lives. It is important to know that an infant is not adjusted using the same force as an adult and there are different techniques used to accommodate their tiny stature.  Additionally, a child is often adjusted while in Mom or Dad's arms or on their lap in order to keep the child more relaxed.

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Chiropractic Care

Dr Jennifer Peterson

2004-08-01 09:19:00

: I feel like the middle finger on my right hand is going numb.  I golf regularly and it is always sore when I do.  Is this carpal tunnel syndrome or something else?

ANSWER: These symptoms can be termed carpal tunnel syndrome, but there are actually different types of injuries that can cause similar symptoms.  A patient with carpal tunnel syndrome has symptoms of pain, numbness, and tingling in the thumb, first, and second fingers, typically on the palm side of the hand.  They also routinely complain that they have trouble gripping objects, sometimes dropping them.  These symptoms can be caused by irritation to what is known as the median nerve which runs through the carpal tunnel, a tunnel created by wrist ligaments and bones.  It is very important when evaluating a patient for carpal tunnel syndrome to check not only their wrist, but also their elbow, shoulder and neck as well as the muscles in these areas to assure that the nerve is not being irritated there rather than at the carpal tunnel in the wrist.  This is especially important in golfers since they are using their entire upper body to swing the club.A chiropractor can thoroughly evaluate this condition through the use of orthopedic and neurological tests; however, if there is any uncertainty, a referral to a neurologist for a nerve conduction velocity test (NCV) may be warranted.QUESTION: Is it true that once you start chiropractic treatment for a lower back problem (for example), you have to continue with chiropractic treatments forever?ANSWER: Absolutely not.  A patient's need for treatment is based on several things including the health history and health goals of the patient.  Many patients find that they feel and function better when they are regularly adjusted and CHOOSE to return for periodic maintenance treatments to prevent injuries from occurring.  It is important to realize that when a patient initially starts care in a chiropractic office, they often need frequent care for the first 4-6 weeks.  Following this course of care, a patient can decide whether they want to come in when they are hurting or they can work out a preventative treatment schedule with the doctor.

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Chiropractic Care

Dr Jennifer Peterson

2004-07-01 10:52:00

Question:  Can a chiropractor help with painful bone spurs?

ANSWER:  You may want to look for another cause of your pain.  Many patients are told that they have "bone spurs" in their back or neck, with the implication that the bone spurs are the cause of their back pain. However, while bone spurs are an indication that there is degeneration of the spine, these bony growths are not usually the actual cause of the pain. The term "bone spurs" is really a bit of a misnomer, as the term "spurs" implies that they are "poking" some part of the spinal anatomy and causing pain. However, this is not at all true. Bone spurs happen when the discs become worn out and flatten out.  When this happens the spinal bones rub together and, in order to protect itself, the body lays down more bone in the area.  The decrease in disc height also decreases the space for the spinal nerves to exit the spine, causing radiating, lighting-like pain and/or numbness and tingling into the legs or arms.  The more severe the degeneration, the more likely a person is to experience these symptoms.  Such conditions like sciatica, carpal tunnel, pain into the arms and hands, etc. can all be caused by degeneration, which produces those bone spurs.  Chiropractic can help slow down or stop the process of degeneration and thereby decrease the pain in many cases.  Chiropractic manipulation helps to maintain the motion and mobility of the joints and decreases the body's ability to lay down bone spurs.  Regular exercise, good nutrition and care in performing everyday functions also play a big part in keeping your spine healthy.