Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

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There is some compelling evidence that carpal tunnel syndrome may be more common in people who use their hands for strenuous, repetitive tasks (dental hygienists, office or skilled labor jobs, tennis players, golfers, and even knitters) as well as among those making extensive use of vibrating tools. Contrary to popular belief, little evidence suggests that repetitive typing and keyboard use may be a contributing factor. Recent research has actually shown that a certain level of typing may actually be beneficial in preventing carpal tunnel.

Medical management for carpal tunnel usually consists of prescribing NSAIDs. This class of pharmaceuticals has been known to cause stomach bleeding, peptic ulcers, and kidney failure, as well as high blood pressure. If the NSAIDs are not effective, orthopedic surgeons may perform an operation that cuts the transverse carpal ligament in half to alleviate the pressure. This surgery has an alarmingly high failure rate.

A chiropractor knows that if your hands have pain and tingling, the first place to look is your neck, specifically in the mid to lower cervical spine. This is where the nerve roots which make up the brachial plexus originate. The brachial plexus is divided into nerves including the median and ulnar nerve, which travel all the way to the tips of the fingers. Nerve root irritation can occur at numerous places between the vertebra of the neck and the wrist, which can lead to many secondary complications. When a chiropractor adjusts the neck and removes the irritation at the nerve roots, the secondary or downstream symptoms may simply resolve. This is not only a more conservative approach, but also has a higher success rate than surgery for carpal tunnel.

Neck Pain

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Most people will experience neck pain at some time in their lives. In a review of all the research associated with treatments of neck pain, the authors concluded that for those suffering from chronic neck pain, chiropractic adjustments are more effective than any other approach.

Poor posture may contribute considerably to neck pain. Specifically, forward head posture can cause an overload of stress on the neck. For every inch your head moves forwards, it leverages 10 extra pounds to the muscles in your upper back and neck because they have to work that much harder to keep the head from dropping onto your chest. With modern electronics and desk jobs, this kind of stress is becoming more and more common. Chiropractic adjustments are key to maintaining good posture and physical health.

The cervical spine provides structural stability and support for the cranium, as well as a protection for the spinal cord and vertebral arteries. It also enables flexible movement and balance adaptation while allowing for directional orientation of the eyes and ears. Nowhere in the spine is the relationship between the osseous structures and the surrounding neurologic and vascular beds as intimate or susceptible to injury as it is in the cervical region. Whether induced by trauma or not, cervical subluxation syndromes may impact the whole body. IVF insults, and the effects of articular fixations, can manifest throughout the motor, sensory, and autonomic nervous systems. Many peripheral nerve symptoms in the shoulder, arm, and hand originate in the cervical spine, as do some brainstem disorders.

77 patients were divided into three groups. One group received acupuncture, one group received regular NSAID doses, and the last group received chiropractic care. After 30 days of treatment, chiropractic adjustments were the only intervention to achieve a statistically significant improvement. Patients receiving chiropractic care demonstrated a 30.7% reduction in Oswestry scores, a 25% reduction in neck disability index scores, a 50% reduction for low back pain, a 46% reduction for upper back pain, and 33% reduction for neck pain. Neither acupuncture nor NSAIDS provided significant improvement.

Sciatica

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The standard medical approach for sciatica varies depending on how severe it is. Treatment can range from muscle relaxers, pain killers, and NSAIDs, to rest and physical therapy. These treatments have proven ineffective at times, often requiring surgery, which also does not have the best success rate. While surgery has a time and a place, it should be a last resort, and even then it should be made through informed decision-making. In fact, the medical community has even coined the term ‘failed back surgery syndrome’ because of how common surgical complications have become.

Chiropractors have helped millions of people with low back and sciatic pain in a natural, non-invasive way. This is accomplished by realigning the spine to take pressure off the nerve causing the pain. The sciatic nerve originates in the lumbar spine, and although sciatic pain can radiate down the leg and possibly to the toes, most chiropractors focus on the low back to treat the condition at its source.

A case report conducted on two patients with sciatic neuropathy and confirmed disc herniation were treated with low force chiropractic treatment. Follow-up CAT scans in the first case revealed complete absence of disc herniation. Follow-up CAT scans on the second case revealed the continued presence of a silent disc bulge at the L3-4 level and partial decrease in a herniation at the L4-5 level. The bulge appeared to have shifted away from the nerve root. Both patients declared a decrease in pain levels from severe to minimal. The patients regained the ability to stand, sit, and walk for longer periods without discomfort, and lifting tasks also became easier. The patients were able to return to full work capacity at three and nine months, respectively.

Chiropractic consultation is a prudent first step for anyone suffering from sciatica. According to research, it has proven to be the most effective source of treatment for low back pain and sciatica. One study compared 700,000 people who were under regular chiropractic care and found that these people had saved an estimated $16 million on health care costs.

Whiplash

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The cervical spine provides structural stability and support for the cranium, as well as a protection for the spinal cord and vertebral arteries. It also enables flexible movement and balance adaptation while allowing for directional orientation of the eyes and ears. Nowhere in the spine is the relationship between the osseous structures and the surrounding neurologic and vascular beds as intimate or susceptible to injury as it is in the cervical region. Whether induced by trauma or not, cervical subluxation syndromes may impact the whole body. IVF insults, and the effects of articular fixations, can manifest throughout the motor, sensory, and autonomic nervous systems. Many peripheral nerve symptoms in the shoulder, arm, and hand originate in the cervical spine, as do some brainstem disorders.

It’s hard to believe that at such slow speeds your body may become injured, but researchers recently conducted low speed rear impact tests and concluded that 29% of people developed symptoms related to whiplash at speeds of just 2.5mph. Furthermore, it has been shown that a 10mph rear-end collision can produce up to 9 G’s of force in your neck! Keep in mind, the speed of the collision does not correlate to the degree of injury your body may sustain.

The appropriate chiropractic treatment is unique to each whiplash injury and is directed at the primary dysfunctions detected during the chiropractic exam. Chiropractors are trained to diagnose and treat many of the injuries that are typically associated with whiplash. The length of treatment depends on the severity of the whiplash and the results from the examination. The sooner you get checked after an accident, the smoother and quicker the recovery will be.

More than one million people suffer whiplash injuries each year, and about 10% of those end up with chronic pain that affects their daily activities. If you or someone you know is suffering from pain related to an auto accident, get it checked out by a professional. You don’t deserve to be in chronic pain.

Don’t You Love To Get Sick!

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America is sicker than ever and a majority of us choose to live in denial. We were not born into this world with a destiny leading to sickness. What kind of messed up world would this be if that was the truth? The reality is most people believe all of this sickness is normal so we unfortunately do live in a pretty messed up world right now. Seriously, who doesn’t like to get sick these days? We have such great drugs…why bother trying to stay healthy in the first place?

Most Common Excuses

  • I don’t have time
  • I don’t have the money
  • I would just rather live with it
  • I take a baby aspirin already

It is time to put these excuses behind you. If you don’t give time for your health now it surely will not give you time in the future. I know there are a lot of gamblers out there so if you choose to gamble with your health more power to you. Did you know the most common person that seeks chiropractic care is a middle aged person with a high IQ? Hmmmm…I wonder why? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the way most Americans approach their health is not working.

Some of the most common sicknesses people deal with on a daily basis.

  • Asthma
  • Allergies
  • Pain
  • Anxiety and Depression
  • Headaches

Most Common Treatments and Side effects

  • Asthma: Inhalers—tremors, nervousness, headaches, diarrhea, to name a few…
  • Allergies: Claritin—seizures, passing out, jaundice, irregular heart rate and more!
  • Pain: Aspirin, Advil, Aleve, Ibuprofen (I won’t bother getting into the prescription drugs)—hives, rash, heart burn, stomach problems, kill over 100,000 adults and children a year!
  • Anxiety and Depression: Psychotropic drugs—breathing problems, weight changes, memory loss, nervousness, unusual bleeding.
  • Headaches: See “Pain” and side effects.

Sign me up! I can’t believe I am missing out on all the health and fun! All of this information was taken from WebMD and are real facts and statistics. These are only a few of the side effects for the medications listed. I would have put them all but unfortunately ran out of room.

I am just so thankful for the Principled Chiropractor that sat me down and educated me where true health comes from. Thanks to him I have been leading a healthy life and have been able to lead my family, friends and community in the same direction. Chiropractic boosts the Immune System naturally which leads to less sickness. At Apex Chiropractic we deliver this same message once a week, not only to empower you, but your friends and family members as well. It is free to the members of our community in {COMMUNITIES} area. Please call us at {PHONE} for more information.