Chiropractic

Facet Syndrome

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

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Facet syndrome represents an irritation of the articular facets at the level of the spine. This progressive condition is often associated with a sensation of pain and generally affects the quantity and quality of movement possible.

The spine is made up of several vertebrae, intervertebral discs, ligaments, nerves and many muscles. The facet joints are small joints, covered with cartilage, that connect the vertebrae together.

Facet syndrome most often affects the lumbar or cervical region and usually happens as a result of structural changes that occur in the spine with age. Facet syndrome can be caused by inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis, or following a spinal trauma, such as a car accident or a fall.

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Structures involved

The cartilage that covers the f​acet joint​ and allows the vertebrae to move easily against each other is often involved in this condition.

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Signs & Symptoms that you may experience

Facet syndrome is multifactorial and symptoms can vary greatly from one person to another. The symptoms of facet syndrome vary depending on the region of the spine affected. At the cervical level, symptoms are generally felt at the base of the skull, neck, upper back and shoulders. At the lumbar level, symptoms are usually located in the lower back, hips, groin and behind the legs. Pain and stiffness are often present after periods of rest and are often exacerbated in the morning. Burning and tingling sensations may be felt in the area of the buttocks and legs.

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Developments

Your rehabilitation plan, health profile, fitness level and nutritional status affect the recovery time.​ I​ n most cases, you can expect a full recovery from facet syndrome. This condition can sometimes be associated with

osteoarthritis, which is a chronic condition that cannot be cured. An active lifestyle and a rehabilitation plan may however slow the progression of this condition and make it easier to manage the symptoms. As a general rule, it can take a few months before you can return to a functional level. In cases of long-standing facet syndrome, the pain may sometimes resurface with no real cause or identifiable false movement and then subside with a return to an active lifestyle.

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▶​ ​WHAT TO DO

Early Stage

Relative rest is a good way to protect your facet syndrome and prevent your condition from getting worse, but it is important to avoid over-protecting it. A few days of rest by reducing activities that cause pain may be necessary. A quick return to your daily activities, light cardiovascular exercises that do not cause pain and exercises to strengthen your lumbar and abdominal stabilizer muscles will allow for a better recovery.

Rehabilitation

Follow your therapist’s advice. This will help you manage the various stages of the healing process and increase the odds of successful rehabilitation. Your therapist will accompany you during your personalized rehabilitation program to regain your joint range of motion, your strength and muscular endurance of the spinal region involved and your functional state.

▶ ​WHAT TO AVOID

Do not rely solely on a passive treatment approach. Each phase of the rehabilitation process is important. Patients who actively participate in their treatment plan tend to recover more quickly. Remember that pain is not always a good indicator of tissue damage. As soon as you feel better and the pain is well under control, introduce, in collaboration with your therapist, cardiovascular and strength-building exercises based on your tolerance.

Plantar Fasciitis and Laser Therapy

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

What is it?

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot that connects the heel to the toes and creates the arch of the foot.

Symptoms

The most common complaint is pain in the bottom of the heel. The heel pain may be dull or sharp. The bottom of the foot may also ache or burn. This can be painful and make walking more difficult.
The pain is usually worse:

  • In the morning when you take your first steps
  • After standing or sitting for a while
  • When climbing stairs
  • After intense activity

The pain may develop slowly over time, or suddenly after intense activity.

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar fasciitis develops because of repeated small tears to the flat band of ligamentous tissue that connects your heel to the bones of your toes. These tears weaken the arch that supports the foot. As the arch of the foot weakens, increasing strain is placed on the deeper ligaments and tendons of the foot and lower leg. Over time, Plantar Fasciitis can result in Chronic Pain, Heel Spurs and Degenerative Joint Disease (Arthritis).
You are more likely to get plantar fasciitis if you have:
• Foot arch problems (both flat feet and high arches)
• Long-distance running, especially running downhill or on uneven surfaces
• Sudden weight gain or obesity
• Tight Achilles tendon (the tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel)
• Shoes with poor arch support or soft soles
Plantar fasciitis is seen in both men and women. However, it most often affects active men ages 40 – 70. It is one of the most common orthopedic complaints relating to the foot.
Plantar fasciitis is commonly thought of as being caused by a heel spur, but research has found that this is not the case. On x-ray, heel spurs are seen in people with and without plantar fasciitis.

Signs and tests

The health care provider will perform a physical exam. This may show:
• Tenderness on the bottom of your foot
• Flat feet or high arches
• Mild foot swelling or redness
• Stiffness or tightness of the arch in the bottom of your foot.

Physicians typically treat Plantar Fasciitis with anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid injections. These medications temporarily reduce the pain associated with Plantar Fasciitis but do not treat the cause of the problem. Traditional methods can usually take between 9 months to two years to resolve this condition.

Class IV Laser Plantar Fasciitis Program 

Our program utilizes the latest class IV Lasers, and combines them with other therapies to help reduce the pain, strengthen the muscles around the foot and ankle joints, and increase range of motion. The Class IV Laser is at the heart of our treatment program. It provides a safe, effective, non-invasive, painless solution for plantar fasciitis. Patients generally respond exceptionally well to treatments and usually notice significant pain relief after just a few treatments.

Permanent correction of Plantar Fasciitis requires two procedures.

1. Heal the Damaged Fascia

Ending the pain caused by Plantar Fasciitis requires stopping the cycle of inflammation. This is critical because chronically inflamed tissues block the flow of needed nutrients and oxygen to surrounding muscles and joints. The advanced CLASS IV LASER restores the flow of nutrients and oxygen to the inflamed tissue allowing the cells to repair themselves at an accelerated rate.

2. Correct the Foot and Gait Mechanics

Most cases of plantar fasciitis are resolved very easily with Class IV Laser Therapy alone; however, if the condition has become chronic this can lead to alterations in the gait that will have to be addressed. This could involve stabilizing the arch with orthotics  or implementing a simple series of specific strengthening and stretching exercises.
Plantar fasciitis when treated early has an exceptionally good prognosis with our protocol. We encourage those with Plantar Fasciitis to seek our help right away. The longer one suffers with this painful condition the more likely it will cause other conditions in the knee, hip and spine.

Clavicular Fractures

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Clavicle fracture, also known as collarbone fracture, is a common injury among adults and children, and makes up more than 50% of all shoulder fractures. The clavicle bone is located in front of the shoulder, between your sternum and shoulder blade.

This injury generally occurs following a direct hit to the shoulder, such as when one falls from a bicycle, or when playing sports such as football or hockey. This fracture can also happen when falling on an outstretched arm.

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Structures involved

The clavicle, or collarbone, which is the link between the ​shoulder blade​ and the sternum, is involved in this injury. The fracture typically occurs around the midsection of the bone, but can also occur at the ends. Secondarily, certain l​igaments​ of the acromioclavicular​ and sternoclavicular joint can be overstretched during the injury.

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Signs & Symptoms that you may experience

Everyone will react differently after a bone fracture and recovery will d​epend on the severity and the type of fracture.

A clavicle fracture can cause but is not limited to, localized pain on the clavicle, a bulge on or near your shoulder and localized swelling. Lifting your arm, sleeping on the affected shoulder and wearing a backpack can cause pain.

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Recovery

Your rehabilitation plan, health status, fitness level and nutrition affect recovery time. Most of the time, you can expect to get back to a fully functional level from a clavicle fracture. The bone recovery time frame, called consolidation, will typically be around 6 to 12 weeks.

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▶​ ​WHAT TO DO

Early-stage

Relative rest with a splint is a good way to protect your shoulder against further damage during the consolidation phase where your fractured bone heals, but it is important to avoid overprotecting your injury. Wearing a splint during a certain period will be necessary to ensure full recovery. After an immobilization period, progressive return to specific range of motion and strengthening exercises will allow better recovery.

Rehabilitation

Follow your practitioner’s advice. It will help you manage the different phases of the recovery process and will increase the likelihood of successful rehabilitation. Your practitioner will assist you during your rehabilitation program in order to regain your normal range of motion, strength and endurance, optimal motor control and functional status. Keep in mind that doing a light cardiovascular exercise can increase blood circulation and promote better recovery following a bone fracture.

▶ ​WHAT TO AVOID

Don’t rely on passive treatment only. Each phase of the rehabilitation process is important. Patients that are actively involved in their treatment plan tend to recover faster. When bone consolidation is underway and pain is well managed in collaboration with your therapist, you should reintroduce light mobility and strengthening exercises as tolerated.

Preventing Injury In Young Athletes

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Identifying and reducing risk factors in sports in especially important in young athletes. A review published in “The Adolescent Athlete” journal found that up to 50% go injuries could be avoided with preventative measures for youth participating in sport. Some key items to consider when looking at preventing injuries include:

  • A pre-season screening program to identify muscle imbalances, weakness, previous injury locations and progress of healing at those sites. Waiting for an injury in-season is cuter productive for all athletes but especially young ones.
  • An off-season general strength and conditioning program. This should be aimed at maximizing an athletes general movement skills, sport specific injury prevention through balance and strength and general mobility.
  • Awareness of how growth affects athletes from not only a performance point of view but also how growth impacts muscles, strength and co-ordination, especially in the lower limbs.
  • Awareness of how specific skill sets impact the body through repetitive stress and how to prevent that stress through load management, practice balance and body awareness.
  • Early intervention is always the best course of action when dealing with a young athlete. At first sign of dysfunction, even without pain a professional should be consulted to ensure prevention of exacerbation on the condition. “Toughing it out” leads to more issues down the line.
  • Understanding that pain is not a “normal part of sport”. The old adage “No pain, no gain” needs to be scrubbed from the sporting world. Play and practice smarter and pain can be avoided in all sports.

If you are a coach, parent or athlete looking for more information on these or any sports injury related items, feel free to contact us at any time. 

Can Fibromyalgia Br Prevented?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

What can be done about it?

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common cause for chronic pain (pain that lasts three or more months) and afflicts 4% of the general population in the United States! FM commonly affects the muscles and soft tissues – not the joints (like arthritis); however, many FM sufferers are mistakenly diagnosed with arthritis, so it may take years before they get an accurate diagnosis. There are NO known accurate diagnostic tests for FM, which is another reason for a delayed diagnosis.

In order to answer the question, “Can fibromyalgia be prevented?” we must first find the cause of FM. There are two types of FM: PRIMARY and SECONDARY. Primary FM occurs for no known reason, while secondary FM can be triggered by a physical event such as a trauma (e.g., car accident), an emotional event or a stressful situation (e.g., loss of a child), and/or a medical event such as a condition like irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, or systemic lupus erythymatosis (SLE). Any condition that carries chronic or long-lasting symptoms can trigger FM, and some argue that the lack of being able to get into the deep sleep stage may be at the core of triggering FM since sleep disorders are a common finding in FM sufferers!

The “KEY” to managing FM has consistently been and probably always will be EXERCISE and SLEEP. So, if FM is preventable, daily exercise and getting the “right kind” of sleep are very important ways that may reduce the likelihood for developing the condition! Since emotions play a KEY ROLE in the cause and/or effect of FM, applying skills that keep life’s stressors in check is also important. This list can include hobbies like reading a good book, playing and/or listening to music, or meditation. The combination of exercise with mindful meditation using approaches like Tai Chi, Yoga, Qi Gong, and others has had positive impacts on FM patients such as improved balance and stability, reduced pain, enhanced mental clarity, and generally improved quality of life. Managing physical conditions that are associated with FM (such as irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, or systemic lupus erythymatosis) is also important in managing and/or preventing FM.

Another management strategy of FM is diet. As most patients with FM will agree, certain foods help and others make the FM symptoms worse. In a survey published in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, 42% of FM patients reported certain foods exacerbated their symptoms. Of course, each individual case is unique, so keeping a food log or journal can be very helpful to determine dietary “friends” vs. “enemies.” The first step is to eliminate certain foods for four to six weeks, such as dairy and/or gluten. Most patients report a significant improvement in energy (less fatigue) while some report less pain when problem foods are eliminated from their diet. Generally, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins can have a positive impact on the FM patient. Consider eating multiple small meals vs. two or three large meals during the day, as this can keep blood sugar levels more stable and reduce fatigue.

So back to the question, can fibromyalgia be prevented? Maybe…maybe not. Since the medical community doesn’t know the exact cause, it’s hard to answer this question. However, being proactive and implementing the strategies used to better manage FM may help in preventing it as well!

If you, a friend or family member requires care for Fibromyalgia, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services!

What Is Whiplash?

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

And what can be done about it?

Whiplash is an injury to the soft-tissues of the neck often referred to as a sprain or strain. Because there are a unique set of symptoms associated with whiplash, doctors and researchers commonly use the term “whiplash associated disorders” or WAD to describe the condition.

WAD commonly occurs as a result of a car crash, but it can also result from a slip and fall, sports injury, a personal injury (such as an assault), and other traumatic causes. The tissues commonly involved include muscle tendons (“strain”), ligaments and joint capsules (“sprains”), disk injuries (tears, herniation), as well as brain injury or concussion—even without hitting the head!

Symptoms vary widely but often include neck pain, stiffness, tender muscles and connective tissue (myofascial pain), headache, dizziness, sensations such as burning, prickly, tingling, numbness, muscle weakness, and referred pain to the shoulder blade, mid-back, arm, head, or face. If concussion occurs, additional symptoms include cognitive problems, concentration loss, poor memory, anxiety/depression, nervousness/irritability, sleep disturbance, fatigue, and more!

Whiplash associated disorders can be broken down into three categories: WAD I includes symptoms without any significant examination findings; WAD II includes loss of cervical range of motion and evidence of soft-tissue damage; and WAD III includes WAD II elements with neurological loss—altered motor and/or sensory functions. There is a WAD IV which includes fracture, but this is less common and often excluded.

Treatment for WAD includes everything from doing nothing to intensive management from multiple disciplines—chiropractic, primary care, physical therapy, clinical psychology, pain management, and specialty services such as neurology, orthopedics, and more. The goal of treatment is to restore normal function and activity participation, as well as symptom management.

The prognosis of WAD is generally good as many will recover without residual problems within days to weeks, with most people recovering around three months after the injury. Unfortunately, some are not so lucky and have continued neck pain, stiffness, headache, and some develop post-concussive syndrome. The latter can affect cognition, memory, vision, and other brain functions. Generally speaking, the higher the WAD category, the worse the prognosis, although each case MUST be managed by its own unique characteristics. If the injury includes neurological loss (muscle strength and/or sensory dysfunction like numbness, tingling, burning, pressure), the prognosis is often worse.

Chiropractic care for the WAD patient can include manipulation, mobilization, and home-based exercises, as well as the use of anti-inflammatory herbs (ginger, turmeric, proteolysis enzymes (bromelain, papain), devil’s claw, boswellia extract, rutin, bioflavonoid, vitamin D, coenzyme Q10, etc.) and dietary modifications aimed at reducing inflammation and promoting healing.

Diet Strategies For Fibromyalgia

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common condition that affects about five million Americans, often between ages 20 and 45 years old. FM is very difficult to diagnose primarily because there is no definitive test like there is for heart, liver, or kidney disease. Equally challenging is the ability to effectively treat FM as there are frequently other conditions that co-exist with FM that require special treatment considerations. Typically, each FM case is unique with a different group of symptoms and therefore, each person requires individualized care.

Fibromyalgia symptoms can include generalized pain throughout the body that can vary from mild to severely disabling, extreme fatigue, nausea/flu-like symptoms, brain “fog” (“fibro-fog”), depression and/or anxiety, sleeping problems and feeling un-refreshed in the mornings, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, morning stiffness, painful menstrual cramps, numbness or tingling (arms/hands, legs/feet), tender points, urinary pain or burning, and more!

So, let’s talk about ways to improve your FM-related symptoms through dietary approaches. When the FM symptom group includes gut trouble (bad/painful gas, bloating, and/or constipation), it’s not uncommon to have an imbalance between the “good” vs. the “bad” bacteria, yeast, and problems with digestion or absorption. Think of management as a “Four Step” process for the digestive system:

1.  REMOVE HARMFUL TOXINS: Consider food allergy testing to determine any foods the FM patient has a sensitivity for. Frequently, removing gluten, dairy, eggs, bananas, potatoes, corn, and red meat can benefit the FM patient. The use of anti-fungal and / or anti-bacterial botanicals (as opposed to drug approaches such as antibiotics) can be highly effective. A low allergy-potential diet consisting of fish, poultry, certain vegetables, legumes, fruits, rice, and olive and coconut oil is usually a good choice.

2.  IMPROVE DIGESTIVE FUNCTION: The presence of bloating and gas is usually indicative of poor digestion, and the use of a digestive enzyme with every meal can be highly effective!

3.  RESTORE THE “GOOD” BACTERIA: Probiotics (with at least 20-30 billion live organisms) at each meal are often necessary to improve the “good” gut bacteria population, which will likely also improve immune function.

4.  REPAIR THE GUT: If the gut wall is damaged, nutrients like l-glutamine, fish oils, and n-acetyl-d-glucosamine may help repair it.

This process will take several months, and some of these approaches may have to be continued over the long term. Doctors of chiropractic are trained in nutritional counseling and can help you in this process. As an added benefit, many FM sufferers find the inclusion of chiropractic adjustments to be both symptomatically relieving and energy producing.

If you, a friend or family member requires care for Fibromyalgia, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services!

Chiropractic and Headaches

~ Dr. Robert Speirs DC ~ Leave a comment

According to the World Health Organization, headaches are among the most common disorders of the nervous system affecting an estimated 47% of adults during the past year. Headaches place a significant burden on both quality of life (personal, social, and occupational) and financial health. They are usually misdiagnosed by healthcare practitioners, and in general, are underestimated, under-recognized, and under-treated around the world. So, what about chiropractic and headaches… Does it help?

Suffice it to say, there are MANY studies showing chiropractic care helps headache sufferers. For instance, in a review of past research studies using an “evidence-based” approach, chiropractic treatment of adults with different types of headaches revealed very positive findings! Researchers note that chiropractic care helps those with episodic or chronic migraine headaches, cervicogenic headache (that is, headaches caused by neck problems), and tension-type headaches (chronic more than episodic). There appears to be additional benefit when chiropractic adjustments are combined with massage, mobilization, and/or adding certain types of exercises, although this was not consistently studied. In the studies that discussed adverse or negative effects of treatment, the researchers noted no serious adverse effects.

In patients suffering from athletic injuries, particularly post-concussion headache (PC-HA), chiropractic care can play a very important role in the patient’s recovery. With an estimated 1.6 to 3.8 million sports-related brain injuries occurring each year, approximately 136,000 involve young high school athletes (although some argue this is “grossly underestimated”).

Several published case studies report significant benefits for post-concussion patients after receiving chiropractic care, some of which included PC-HA from motor vehicle collisions, as well as from slips and falls. For example, one described an improvement in symptoms that included deficits in short-term memory as well as attention problems. In this particular study, a six-year-old boy fell from a slide in the playground, and after 18 months of continuous problems, underwent a course of chiropractic care. After just three weeks of care, his spelling test scores improved from 20% to 80% with even more benefits observed by the eighth week of care!

Another case study looked at a 16-year-old male teenager with a five-week-old football injury who had daily headaches and “a sense of fogginess” (concentration difficulties). He reported significant improvement after the second visit, with near-complete symptom resolution after the fifth visit (within two weeks of care). After seven weeks of care, he successfully returned to normal activities, including playing football.

Dizziness and vertigo are also common residuals from concussion and were present in a 30-year-old woman just three days following a motor vehicle accident. She also complained of headache, neck pain, back pain, and numbness in both arms. The case study noted significant improvement after nine visits within an 18-day time frame.

We realize you have a choice in whom you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs.  If you, a friend, or family member requires care for neck pain or headaches, we would be honored to render our services.

Trigger points in the Teres minor muscle

~ bryancobb ~ Leave a comment

The Teres minor muscle is on of the rotator cuff muscles. It originates on the lateral border of the scapula, and inserts on the inferior facet of the greater tubercle of the humerus. This muscle assists with external rotation of the humerus as well as shoulder stability. This muscle is often damaged with a shoulder injury. Trigger points will refer into the posterior deltoid and down the back of the arm.

Pain from subclavius trigger points

~ bryancobb ~ Leave a comment

The Subclavius muscle is a small muscle on the underside of the clavicle. It originates on the first rib and it’s cartilage, and inserts on the inferior clavicle. It’s main function is to assist in protraction of the shoulder. This muscle is often shortened and tight from poor rounded shoulder posture. When trigger points form in this muscle they can refer pain into the anterior shoulder and down the radial part of the arm. Pain can also be referred into the thumb and first two fingers.