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Common Conditions Treated by Chiropractors

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME (CTS)

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is an epidemic in the United States. It has become a chronic and debilitating problem in the workplace, affecting those who perform repetitive tasks with improper rest or breaks. Common causes include computer entry, manufacturing line workers, cashiers and pulling weeds in the garden for several hours. With increased computer use, the problem is affecting a greater percentage of the population. Symptoms of CTS include tingling, numbness, weakness and pain in the wrist and hands. The cause is pressure on the median nerve as it passes under the wrist. The pain can interfere with sleep, work and daily routine. The goal of treatment is to rehabilitate the wrist and keep you working at your job. Treatment involves specific joint manipulation, physiotherapy, exercises and possible braces. It is possible to feel better quickly without drugs or surgery.

DISC PAIN

Discs are the stabilizers, connectors and shock absorbers for the spine. They are constructed of soft, fibrous tissue with a jelly-like center. Disc problems can range from a mild bulge or tear of the disc material to a severe rupture that requires surgery. The onset of pain can be sudden and severe, or you may just notice increased pain with prolonged sitting. Most commonly disc problems occur in the lower back or lumbar spine. They can also present in the neck area. Bad cases are accompanied by arm or leg pain. Sometimes patients are practically carried into our office, as the pain and muscle spasm prevents them from standing erect. We have tremendous experience with disc problems at our office. Unfortunately, these cases do not respond as quickly as other common back problems. The reason is because discs have a poor blood supply and heal slowly. Research has shown that the combination of physiotherapeutic modalities, exercise and restored mobility through light spinal manipulation can enhance fluid transfer to the injured disc, allowing them to heal. Disc problems are finicky and require lifestyle management through conservative care to prevent surgery.

FIBROMYALGIA

Fibromyalgia affects from 3-6 million Americans, mostly 25-50 year old women. Although in-depth research has yielded few answers, it is thought that victims have reduced circulation to their muscle cells, which damages the cells' energy producing mechanism. Their bodies also break down muscle protein at an unusually high rate, which may be one of the primary reasons for the typical pain, aching and fatigue. Diagnosis of fibromyalgia is based on 18 trigger points throughout the body that are nearly all painful or tender. Most traditional pain relievers and anti-inflammatory drugs have proven to be ineffective in treating fibromyalgia, although proper diet and nutritional supplementation has been promising. Because of its association with reduced circulation to muscle cells, Wolfe Chiropractic Center focuses on improving circulation, restoring proper skeletal alignment and nervous system function. Severe cases respond to a combination of chiropractic, massage, acupuncture and light medication to re-establish sleep patterns.

HEADACHES

Headaches are without question the most common reason why people choose to seek the care of a Chiropractor. We have all experienced a headache from one time or another, but for most Americans a constant or recurring headache is a very common problem. The typical care for headaches has always been analgesics (aspirin), but ultimately this form of treatment, although effective in reducing immediate pain, is ineffective because typically the headache will return once the analgesic has worn off. That is because analgesics do not address the cause of why a person gets headaches. In over 90% of the headache cases we see each year, the cause for the headache is a spinal misalignment which causes pressure and stress to the muscles and soft tissue in your neck region. A very simple and easy chiropractic adjustment, combined sometimes with some soft tissue techniques to reduce muscle spasm, allows people who enter our clinic with “the worst headache I have ever had” to leave being headache free. Tension and migraine headaches have both been treated extremely successful in our office.

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