Chiropractic Adjustment for the Lower Back

February 25, 2010

Chiropractic Adjustment for Low Back Pain

One of the most common reasons that people seek treatment from their health care provider is low back pain. Of the many treatment options that are available for this type of condition, I’m going to discuss one of the most painless effective treatments used by chiropractors.

Low back pain is generally caused by acute injuries such as improper lifting and bending or long term strain on the back through bad posture or poor ergonomics.  No matter what the cause, the pain is often due to problems in the joints of the spine and pelvis. When we are injured are put a lot of strain on the back our body tries to protect it by tightening all the muscles around the area. This is helpful but can also cause problems since it doesn’t allow for proper movement of the joints. Our joints are made to move and are most healthy when they are moving properly.

One of the ways in which we treat improper or decreased movement in the joints of the body is through mobilization or manipulation. As chiropractors we call this type of treatment an adjustment. First we do an evaluation of the muscles and joints in the area to determine which joints are involved. Once we know where the problem is we perform an adjustment to mobilize the affected joints. This helps to decrease pain, increase movement in the joints, and relax the surrounding musculature.

There are many ways to perform an adjustment. In the low back it is usually performed with the patient either lying face down or lying on his or her side but can be performed other ways as well. A position in which the patient can relax is most beneficial. The doctor places the patient in certain position and then applies pressure to increase the movement in the affected joints. The patient will often feel a “pop” in the joint being treated but this sound is not necessary for the adjustment to be effective. This treatment is usually not painful. In fact most people report a sense of relief after an adjustment.

Chiropractic adjustments, along with exercises to stretch and strengthen the surrounding muscles, are very effective for treating low back pain. If you or someone you know is experiencing low back pain, I encourage you to consider seeing a chiropractor for treatment.

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Contemporary Treatments for Low Back Pain

February 25, 2010

Contemporary methods of Treating Low Back Pain

Low back pain is common problem suffered by a high percentage of people. In fact most people will experience it to some degree at some time in their life. Of the many options available, I’m going to discuss some of the most contemporary methods of treatment. These techniques not only help reduce pain and promote healing but they can also help prevent future pain and injury.

Pain in the lower back is often due to problems with the joints of the spine and the surrounding soft tissues: muscles, tendons, and ligaments. One of the ways in which we treat soft tissue injury is with soft tissue mobilization. This simply means applying manual treatment to the soft tissues. One common type of treatment which is a movement based massage technique, is called Active Release. With this treatment the provider assesses the tone and texture of the soft tissues then applies tension to the affected area while the patient performs a specific movement. This is especially beneficial for chronic conditions where the buildup of scar tissue causes muscles to become shortened and tight. This tightness can put increased tension on the tendons and ligaments leading to pain and weakness. Active Release Technique helps to break up the scar tissue and lengthen tight muscles reducing the pain and tension.

There are also other techniques which are known as instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization. One of the most leading ones is called Graston. In this technique the provider lightly massages the affected area with a stainless steel instrument. The instrument allows the provider to feel where there is buildup of scar tissue in order to be more specific with the treatment. This technique helps to break up any scar tissue and facial adhesions that may be present due to injury and helps promote proper healing. Graston has been proven very effective in achieving faster healing times in both acute and chronic injuries.

A common finding in people with low back pain is muscle imbalance and weakness. This weakness can be caused by injury or by inactivity. When muscles are tighter and weaker than they should be, the mechanics of motion are changed. When this occurs we can become injured even when performing our everyday activities.  By performing a functional exam using guidelines prescribed by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, we can determine if any muscle weakness or imbalance exists and identify the specific muscles involved. This exam consists of having the patient perform specific movements that are common to many of our normal activities. Watching for abnormal movement patterns allows us to see which muscles aren’t functioning properly. We can then prescribe a program of corrective exercise to correct the problem. The program generally consists of stretches to relax and lengthen the tight muscles and resistance exercises to strengthen weak muscles. Following the prescribed exercise program helps to promote healing of the injury and also prevent future injuries.

No matter what the nature of your pain is, these techniques can help. They have been used successfully in treating everyone from the average to person to the elite athlete. With so many great options available no one needs to live with low back.

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Dr. Hatch's Chiropractic Success Story

February 25, 2010

Chiropractic Success Story

One of the great things about being a chiropractor is the opportunity I have to help people. Chiropractic consists not only in relieving the aches and pains people have but also finding the cause of these symptoms. In this way we are able to help people in ways they may not have expected. As chiropractors we often see people who have had the same reoccurring problems for a long time. Often the cause of their symptoms in one area of the body is related to a problem in a different area and if the cause can be corrected then the pain won’t come back.

One population I enjoy working with is athletes. Over the past few years I’ve had the opportunity to work with a variety of athletes from semipro football players to recreational runners. One of these runners was a women in her late 20’s that had always enjoyed running for exercise but had not been able to for some time due to pain in her knee. When the pain first began she sought treatment and was told she had iliotibial band syndrome which is inflammation of the tendon that crosses the outside of the knee. This is a common problem in runners. After receiving treatment for this problem and feeling much better she began to run again only to have the same symptoms return. She became frustrated since running was her favorite way to exercise and decided to seek a different kind of treatment. A friend told her that a chiropractor might be able to help. She was skeptical at first since she thought that chiropractors only treated back problems, but she was willing to try anything that might help.

When she came to see me she had nearly given up on running and decided that she would just have to do other things for exercise. I assured her that I would do everything I could to get her back running again. After doing an examination I discovered that along with the iliotibial band syndrome that was previously diagnosed, she also had a lack of proper motion in one of her sacroiliac joints, the joint between the pelvis and tailbone, and also in some of the joints of her spine. The examination also revealed weakness in some of her Gluteal muscles, particularly on the side of her knee pain.

I told her that these problems were likely contributing to and possibly causing the knee problem. The lack of motion in those joints and the weak muscles were changing the mechanics of her running stride and putting more strain than normal on her knee. If we could correct these problems it would likely keep the knee problem from reoccurring. She followed the stretching and exercise program I prescribed her along with the treatment I provided. After a few weeks she was able to gradually start running again and was eventually able to run as often as she had before the injury.

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Dr. Shawn Hatch’s Chiropractic Story

February 25, 2010

My Chiropractic Story

Even though when I first decided to become a chiropractor I had never been a chiropractic patient, I had already seen its benefits in the lives of others. I had been with my dad on a number of occasions when he could no longer walk upright because of his back pain but would often walk out of the chiropractor’s office standing tall and practically pain free. I had heard my grandpa’s story about his entire leg going numb while driving a big truck but after a visit to the chiropractor his leg was back to normal. That’s why when I decided to pursue a career as a health care professional I knew that chiropractic was a profession I should consider.

Along with chiropractic, I researched the fields of medicine, dentistry, podiatry, and optometry. They all had positive aspects but what I liked most about chiropractic was that it was a natural form of treatment that aided the body’s ability to heal itself and that the only prescription was exercise and lifestyle changes. I felt that many medications were useful and necessary in some cases but can also have undesirable side effects. I personally never liked to take medication unless it was necessary because I didn’t like how it made me feel so I liked the idea of being able to help people in a more natural way. I also liked the emphasis on achieving and maintaining the proper movement in the joints of the body. This made a lot of sense to me from a practical standpoint since our joints are made to move.

Another thing that I liked about chiropractic was the hands on and conservative way that many chiropractors approach health care and the strong role that rehabilitation plays in their treatment. This coincided well with my interest in sports medicine. Having been an athlete for most of my life and having sustained various injuries, I could see the value that this kind of treatment could have for athletic injuries.

For all these reasons and the fact that it was a profession that would allow me to work for myself and have time to spend with my family was why I became a chiropractor. I have been in practice for several years now and chiropractic has lived up to my expectations. I enjoy not only helping people to get out of pain but also teaching them what they can do to keep the pain from coming back. I enjoy helping people to take charge of their own health and become more active. And I enjoy the connection that I have with each patient as we work together to improve their quality of life.

Now that I’ve not only been able to help people as a healthcare provider, but I’ve also been the recipient of chiropractic care, I still see the positive effect it has on other peoples’ lives but now I have firsthand experience with its benefits in my own life.

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