Chiropractic offers benefits for health, wellness, and optimum
physical function
Health
and wellness are life-enriching benefits that more and more people are obtaining
through their chiropractic doctors.
Still, one of the primary reasons people seek chiropractic care is for relief
from pain. Discomfort and pain are symptoms of changes and/or malfunctions in
your body. Ohio State Chiropractic Association doctors are committed to
correcting the causes of such problems, returning you to full health and
vitality.
Here are some of the more common conditions that can be addressed through
chiropractic care …
Wellness
Lower Back Pain
Headaches
Arthritis
Neck Pain
Whiplash
Extremities and Joint Problems
Carpal Tunnel
Sciatica
Scoliosis
Pregnancy
Wellness
Good health is no longer considered just the absence of
pain or disease. Today, more and more people want to feel good, strong, and full
of vitality. It's a new approach to health called "wellness."
What is
Wellness? Wellness goes beyond the traditional treatment of health problems
or diseases. It's also more than just feeling better. It's a whole-life approach
to health that includes a wide range of habits that promote optimum physical
health. It also results in other desirable benefits, such as dramatically
improved mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
How is Wellness Achieved? The wellness approach to health is both
proactive and preventive in nature. It includes proper nutrition, exercise,
sleep, and mental stimulation - plus an optimally functioning nervous system.
Because it's a fact that your nervous system controls the function and health
your entire body.
Chiropractic care can help correct malfunctions in the nervous
system and promote health naturally through the unhindered operation of the
body's own healing mechanisms. In addition, the complexity of our bodies
requires regular attention. So, just like your teeth and eyes benefit from
regular checkups … your chiropractor can help maintain the proper alignment in
your spine, and the full function of your nervous system through regular
chiropractic checkups.
For a maximum sense of wellness, you'll want to add
chiropractic to your regular health regimen.
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Lower Back Pain
It's one of the most common complaints - and affects people
of all ages, sizes and lifestyles. Lower back pain can be the result of improper
sitting, lifting, an injury, or an inherited abnormality. Left undetected, other
conditions can result, such as damaged discs and constricted nerves.
Chiropractic offers safer, and often more effective results than surgery, and
offers techniques and exercises to avoid future recurrences.
Chiropractic care works!
What's
causing the pain? Nerve-rich facet joints on the back side of each spinal
bone are a common cause of back pain. If these pairs of interlocking "fingers"
aren't moving right, they can produce painful symptoms. Discs between spinal
bones can herniate or bulge, putting pressure on nearby nerves also inflicting
pain. A sedentary lifestyle as well as over exertion can aggravate the symptoms.
What are my treatment options? Bed rest may be
prescribed to subdue pain - however, research shows prolonged bed rest can
actually delay recovery and worsen the condition. Physical therapy is another
option, but exercising joints that aren't working properly will not always
correct the problem. Drugs only disguise the pain, offering temporary relief.
The most drastic treatment is surgery. Those considering surgery should be
cautious because this invasive procedure is costly, risky, and more than half of
these surgeries fail.
Chiropractic care is the healthcare solution that naturally
improves spinal function and balance while correcting the underlying cause of
the problem.
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Headaches
Headaches
are common, but they're not normal. By finding the cause of your pain,
chiropractic care can give you natural relief to a discomfort that disrupts your
life and often makes everyday tasks unbearable.
What causes headaches? There are many causes of
headaches. These include physical or emotional trauma, emotional stress,
chemical toxins, problems in the pelvis and lower back, and a malfunction in the
upper spinal bones in the neck, affecting nerves, muscles and blood supply to
the head.
Is there any danger in taking drugs for my headaches?
Yes. Powerful drugs numb the nervous system so pain doesn't register and can
cause adverse effects on the stomach, liver and kidneys. Although a quick relief
to the pain, drugs provide only a short-term solution to the problem. Worse,
they don't correct the underlying cause of the
headache,
which in some situations can be a signal of a more serious illness and
life-threatening problem.
Can chiropractic help the pain go away? Yes, many times
it can. Your chiropractic doctor will examine you, pinpoint the cause of your
pain and determine if chiropractic will alleviate your discomfort. If you are a
good chiropractic candidate, your care will consist of a schedule of
chiropractic adjustments to help normalize spinal function, restore essential
spinal curves, improve circulation, and reduce nerve irritation. If a cause
cannot be determined, we can refer you to other caregivers who may be able to
help.
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Arthritis
Arthritis has long been considered one of the many
consequences of aging, manifesting itself in different degrees among
individuals. But is arthritis really natural? Should it be accepted as
unavoidable after its first onset? Evidence shows that it's much more
complicated than that.
What Causes Arthritis? The cause of arthritis has
eluded traditional medical practitioners for decades. Evidence is now revealing
that subluxation degeneration is the underlying cause of osteoarthritis ("wear
and tear" arthritis), and includes an excessive buildup of calcium and mineral
deposits in the critical joints of the spine and elsewhere. This buildup is
similar to the way the body mends broken bones - except now the body is slowly
fusing adjacent spinal bones together.
Normal curves and proper disc spacing allow normal function of
the spine and nervous system. Unfortunately, the buildup of calcium limits
movement, fills in the spaces, and compresses the nerves and blood flow.
Can Chiropractic Stop this Degeneration? Chiropractic
adjustments can prevent subluxation degeneration. With early detection from
regular chiropractic checkups, appropriate chiropractic care has been shown to
slow, stop, or even reverse the early stages of this subluxation degeneration
(arthritis) process.
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Neck Pain
Your recurring neck pain has flared up again. Do you take
pain pills? Do you use
a
hot pack? Or get a massage? The smart solution is to address the cause instead
of the symptoms by seeking chiropractic care. Here's why you should…
What's causing the pain? Neck pain is most often
related to problems with posture, your spine's structure, repeated or prolonged
strains or motions, as well as injury or trauma. Using both X-rays and a
physical examination, your doctor of chiropractic will carefully check the curve
of your spinal column, the nerves between the spinal bones, and the overall
balance of your head and shoulders to determine the cause of your pain.
How does chiropractic address the cause? After a
thorough examination, a chiropractic physician can
find the underlying cause of your pain by carefully evaluating your health
history and the curvature or alignment of your spine, including the neck. The
chiropractor then makes a series of adjustments to improve spinal structure,
reduce nerve stress and restore proper alignment and spacing, thus eliminating
the neck pain - all done without drugs and without invasive procedures.
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Whiplash
Usually associated with automobile accidents, whiplash can
occur in any situation that causes a sudden head movement backward, forward,
or
sideways. Whiplash happens quickly and unexpectedly, and its painful effects can
be long lasting without immediate, proper treatment.
Why Does it Hurt So Much? Whiplash results in torn or
strained muscles and ligaments, and misalignment of the bones in the neck and
spine. Your ligaments and tendons may also become inflamed, prolonging the pain
for weeks, or even months. The injury may have altered the natural forward curve
in your neck, possibly straightening it, so it stretches the spinal cord. Your
arms and hands may tingle because their nerves exit the spine through the
injured area. Even lower back pain can result from the loss of proper spinal
curves. Headaches are also common. All of these symptoms may appear soon after
the accident, or may appear weeks or months later.
Chiropractic care helps restore normal motion and position to
spinal bones and reduces inflammation of tissues and nerves.
What's the best course of care? Pain pills and muscle
relaxers won't heal inflamed ligaments or torn muscles, but chiropractic spinal
adjustments can help. Your chiropractic physician
restores proper motion and position of spinal bones in your neck, which reduces
inflammation and promotes proper healing. The most important factor in becoming
pain-free and restoring proper function is to receive care immediately. People
who delay seeking care often discover that scar tissue and spinal instability
require prolonged chiropractic checkups.
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Extremities and Joint
Problems
Some people might write off their pain as "tennis elbow,"
"runner's knee," or "that old injury," but painful joints or loss of motion
should not be something you have to live with. Joint damage from repetitive
motion can result
in pain, inflammation, and stiffness. Whatever the mobility problem,
chiropractic care is the best way to increase your strength and agility and
resume a healthy lifestyle.
What are the extremities and what causes injuries to these
areas? Extremities are the arms and legs. Joints in the extremities include
the shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands, hips, knees, ankles and feet. Repetitive
motion - such as continually sitting in the wrong position, overexertion or
strains, or falls and accidents are a few causes of pain to such areas. These
actions impair joint function, causing inflammation, calcium buildup, scar
tissue and loss of motion. Joints may feel locked up or jammed until the
condition is repaired.
What are my care options? Drugs may numb the pain, but
they won't help you regain your mobility. Steroid injections are sometimes
prescribed, while other doctors splint the joints to reduce movement. Extreme
cases are handled surgically, but these procedures are invasive and costly.
Chiropractic care offers the most natural solution.
What does chiropractic involve? Mobilizing the injured
joints will significantly help your condition. A chiropractor will make
adjustments to restore the joint's normal range of motion and position,
improving blood circulation, reducing scar tissue and enhancing the body's
natural healing process.
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Carpal Tunnel
Because we all work with our hands, carpal tunnel syndrome
is a frequent complaint. It can start with a mild pain that's just a nuisance.
Ultimately, the pain increases to the point that common, everyday tasks are
difficult to perform. What most people don't realize is that the cause
may be
something unrelated to the location of the pain. Chiropractic may help - without
surgery or drugs.
What causes carpal tunnel? Performing repetitive
motions with your hands or fingers, like that done while typing or working with
machinery, is a well-known cause of carpal tunnel syndrome. Pregnancy, stress,
eating habits, sports, playing musical instruments, and sleeping in certain
positions can also cause or aggravate the condition. It could be pinched nerves
and circulation in the carpal "tunnel" in the wrist, but it is often a problem
with nerves running through your neck and shoulder. The elbow, arm, shoulder,
neck and spine can also be affected. Symptoms worsen as the habitual motion is
continued.
How do I know if I have carpal tunnel syndrome? Place
your hands back to back with your fingers pointed toward the floor. Do you feel
numbness, tingling, or pain? Do your hands/fingers get numb when you sleep? Do
you have weakness in your hands or drop things? Carpal tunnel syndrome may be
present. Always check with a health care professional, such as a well-trained
chiropractic physician, for a complete evaluation.
Can chiropractic work better than surgery or drugs?
Yes, because it is the most natural way of fixing the problem that is causing
the pain. Chiropractic care involves making adjustments to return the spine or
other joint to its normal function, reducing nerve irritation.
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Sciatica
The sciatic nerve runs down the back of each leg, and when
compressed or irritated, can cause severe leg pain called sciatica. This
condition is painful and distracting. If left untreated, it cannot only
interfere with a healthy lifestyle, but can even cause permanent nerve damage.
Chiropractic care has proven to be very effective in both identifying the cause
of the pain and correcting the cause of the condition.
What is sciatica? Sciatica usually begins as an acute
pain in the lower back and then extends down the back of either leg. The pain
may worsen with long periods of sitting or standing, or even from the slightest
movement. One of the most common sources of sciatic pain is actually found
higher up in the spine, possibly due to a bulging disc or compressed spinal
joints putting pressure on the surrounding nerves. Sciatica can be the result of
an accident, years of poor posture, excess weight, or other factors. When
vertebrae and/or discs interfere with the sciatic nerve, the pain is felt in
either or both legs.
What is the safest and most effective care? Pain pills
or muscle relaxers are unable to correct nerve irritation caused by the bulging
disc or vertebral misalignment. Physical therapy focuses on muscles rather than
nerves. Surgery, often dangerous and irreversible, can be necessary for a disc
pinching the sciatic nerve, but only a small percentage of cases need this
drastic measure. Chiropractic care is appropriate for most of these types of
cases by taking the pressure off the nerve through safe, effective chiropractic
procedures.
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Scoliosis
Whether the result of a birth or childhood trauma, or a
hereditary problem, scoliosis is the sideways curving of the spine, accompanied
by severe pain as the condition worsens. The chiropractic approach is to use
specialized adjustment techniques, combined with corrective exercises, which
often produces excellent success.
What Causes Scoliosis? Scoliosis is the sideways
bending of the spine showing up as abnormal posture, uneven shoulders and hips,
and in its worst form, extreme deformity. If allowed to advance, it can
interfere with the lungs, heart and many other vital organs. It affects girls
more frequently than boys, and usually between the ages of 8 to 18. Sufferers
may have been born with a spinal deviation, or in other cases, may have been
afflicted as the result of habitually assuming a distorted head or hip position.
Can chiropractic care help? While certain cases of
severe scoliosis are treated with a surgical procedure, chiropractic care can
improve the condition if detected and corrected early. The primary chiropractic
course of action involves a series of adjustments to improve the spine's
structure, strengthen muscles, and improve posture.
Can Scoliosis be prevented? The best form of prevention
is consulting with a chiropractic doctor soon after your child's birth, and then
following up with periodic checkups throughout the child's developmental years.
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Pregnancy
Many women feel low back pain during pregnancy, and it's no
wonder, with rapid fetal development, hormonal changes, and the natural
looseness of connective ligaments in preparation for childbirth. Chiropractic
care can help relieve the discomfort, as well as maintain a normal nervous
system function … leading to improved health for both
mother and
baby.
Is Chiropractic Care Safe During Pregnancy?
Chiropractic care is ideal for caring for expectant mothers and their babies. It
is one of the only healthcare practices that offers safe and natural solutions
to relieving pain and improving the body's overall health and healing powers.
Chiropractic care is ideal during pregnancy, because it heals without drugs and
is completely safe for both mother and baby.
What are the benefits of chiropractic during pregnancy?
Low back pain is a major complaint among pregnant women due to the shift in
gravity, weight gain, and hormonal changes. Chiropractic improves the function
of the spine and nervous system, benefiting the overall good health of the
mother and baby. When the mother feels better, the baby feels better, and
chiropractic can help reduce the pain and stress for both of them. In addition,
many patients report shorter and easier births after receiving chiropractic
care.
At What Stage of My Pregnancy Should I Receive Chiropractic
Care? Doctors recommend seeing a chiropractor throughout your entire
pregnancy. A woman's body changes repeatedly throughout the nine months, and
receiving regular chiropractic checkups is one of the best ways to pamper
yourself during this physically and emotionally stressful period.
How can Chiropractic Help My Baby? The birthing process
can be the cause of a person's first spinal injury. Even the natural process of
childbirth can affect an infant's spine. Colic, unusual crying, poor appetite,
ear infections, or erratic sleeping habits can be signs of spinal distress.
Newborn adjustments are made gently with very little pressure and can help your
baby be more comfortable and healthy!
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