Mar
14
2012
Tags: 29464, back pain, Back surgery, belle hall, Charleston chiropractor, Chiropracter, chiropractic, chiropractor in mount pleasant, chiropractors, Concussion, Daniel Island, football, Helmet, Hydrocodone, injury treatment, Long Point, Orthopedic surgeon, Physical therapy, Southeastern, sports injuries, USA, Wando, Whiplash | 
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Comments (0) Dec
25
2011
Merry Christmas Everyone!
Only a few more days till the New Year! That means lots of New Years Resolutions. Those Resolutions often mean new activities which means all those nagging pains you have been ignoring will probably start to flare up. Make sure to get in the office now and start training on the right Foot! That doesn’t mean we can’t help you later but it is much easier to be proactive and reduce the chances of being sidelined due to an injury. Train Smart!
There is still some time to get in at the end of the year and make use of your Insurance benefits or Health Savings Account. We have had many families coming in over the last few weeks in order to use that money towards chiropractic, care, orthotics, exercise equipment etc.
Have a Happy Holiday and Safe New Years! I look forward to helping everyone with their goals for the upcoming year. Nothing makes me happier than to see someone achieve something they didn’t think was possible.
Dec
25
2011
When we say to you, “…you have a cervical disc problem,” do you know what that means? I didn’t think so. As doctors, we talk about these things so often, we sometimes just assume you know what we’re talking about. So first, sorry about that! Now, let’s clear up the question, what is a cervical disc problem?
The term “cervical” means neck, just like the terms “thoracic” means mid-back and “lumbar” means low back. The term “disc” refers to the shock absorbing fibro-elastic cartilage that rests between each vertebra of the spine. Think of the disc as being similar to a jelly donut. The center of the disk is liquid-like (the nucleus), kind of like petroleum jelly, and the outer part (the annulus) is tough and strong and circles the nucleus center like the rings of an freshly cut oak tree stump. What makes the annulus/outer layer so strong is the type of tissue it’s made up of and, maybe most important, the opposing criss-cross pattern of each layer or ring of the annulus. Studies have shown that when the disc is pierced with a knife and then compressed, this criss-cross pattern of the annulus layers self-seals the cut, resulting in no leakage of the liquid center.
So, the question is, how can a disc rupture, herniate or “slip” if it’s so tough, strong, and self-sealing? The answer: as the disc ages or when it’s injured, tears or “fissures” in the disk fibers occur creating rents or channels for the liquid part to work its way out towards the edge and eventually break through the outer most layer – hence, the term “herniated disc.” It’s similar to stepping on that jelly donut until the jelly leaks out to the point where you can see it.
Here’s the strange part. Research tells us that about 50% of people have bulging discs (not quite herniated through) and 20% of us have herniated discs (that have popped through) but have NO PAIN AT ALL! That makes it tough since an MRI or CT scan may show a herniated or bulging disc but how do we know that’s the disc that’s clinically important – the one that’s creating the pain? That’s why we treat patients and not their image (MRI, CT scan or x-ray). Even though a disk may be bulging or herniated, we may not necessarily treat that particular disc if it’s not expressing itself clinically by creating a shooting pain down a specific area in a arm, usually below the elbow often into either the thumb or pinky side of the hand, with associated abnormal tests for strength and/or sensation. That’s why we check your reflexes, your strength, and sensation for each nerve. We’re checking to see if that herniated disc is “pinching” the nerve and if it is, we utilize manipulation, traction, PT modalities, and issue home traction units to try to “un-pinch” that nerve to avoid surgery.
We realize that you have a choice in where you choose your healthcare services. If you, a friend or family member requires care for neck/arm pain, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future.
Tags: belle hall, bulging disc, C5 dermatome, C6 Dermatome, cervical, cervical fusion, chiropractic, chiropractor, degenerative disc disease, Disc, Discectomy, Disk, epidural steroid injuction, Herniated disc, Herniated disk, Herniation, migraine, mt pleasant, neck doctor, Orthopedic surgeon, osteoarthritis, Pain management, Physical therapy, Radiating pain, SC, slipped disc, spinal surgeon, spondylosis |
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Comments (0) Dec
15
2011
Low back pain can arise from many conditions, one of which is a mouthful: spondylolisthesis. The term was coined in 1854 from the Greek words, “spondylo” for vertebrae and “olisthesis” for slip. These “slips” most commonly occur in the low back, 90% at L5 and 9% at L4. According to www.spinehealth.com and others, the most common type of spondylolisthesis is called “isthmic spondylolisthesis,” which is a condition that includes a defect in the back part of the vertebra in an area called the pars interarticularis, which is the part of the vertebra that connects the front half (vertebral body) to the back half (the posterior arch). This can occur on one, or both sides, with or without a slip or shift forwards, which is then called spondylolysis. In “isthmic spondylolisthesis,” the incidence rate is about 5-7% of the general population favoring men over women 3:1. Debate continues as to whether this occurs as a result genetic predisposition verses environmental or acquired at some point early in life as noted by the increased incidence in populations such as Eskimos (30-50%), where they traditionally carry their young in papooses, vertically loading their lower spine at a very young age. However, isthmic spondylolisthesis can occur at anytime in life if a significant backward bending force occurs resulting in a fracture but reportedly, occurs most frequently between ages 6 and 16 years old.
Often, traumatic isthmic spondylolisthesis occurs during the adolescent years and in fact, is the most common cause of low back pain at this stage of life. Sports most commonly resulting in spondylolisthesis include gymnastics, football (lineman), weightlifting (from squats or dead lifts) and diving (from over arching the back). Excessive backward bending is the force that overloads the back of the vertebra resulting in the fracture sometimes referred to as a stress fracture, which is a fracture that occurs as a result of repetitive overloading over time, usually weeks to months.
If the spondylolisthesis lesions do not heal either by cartilage or by bone replacement, the front half of the vertebra can slip or slide forwards and become unstable. Fortunately, most of these heal and become stable and don’t progress. The diagnosis is a simple x-ray, but to determine the degree of stability, “stress x-rays” or x-rays taken at endpoints of bending over and backwards are needed. Sometimes, a bone scan is needed to determine if it’s a new injury verses an old isthmic spondylolisthesis.
Another very common type is called degenerative spondylolisthesis and occurs in 30% of Caucasian and 60% of African-American woman (3:1 women to men). This usually occurs at L4 and is more prevalent in aging females. It is sometimes referred to as “pseudospondylolisthesis” as it does not include defects in the posterior arch but rather, results from a degeneration of the disk and facet joints. As the disk space narrows, the vertebra slides forwards. The problem here is that the spinal canal, where the spinal cord travels, gets crimped or distorted by the forward sliding vertebra and causes compression of the spinal nerve root(s), resulting pain and/or numbness in one or both legs. The good news about spondylolisthesis is that non-surgical approaches, like spinal manipulation in particular, work well and chiropractic is a logical treatment approach!
We realize you have a choice in who you choose to provide your healthcare services. If you, a friend or family member requires care for low back pain, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future.
Tags: 29464, back doctor, back pain, Back surgery, belle hall, Charleston chiropractor, Chiropracter, Chiropracters, chiropractic, chiropractor, chiropractor in mount pleasant, chiropractors, Daniel Island, Long Point, manipulation, Mount Pleasant, spinal fusion, spine surgeon, Spondylolisthesis |
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Comments (0) Dec
14
2011
Headaches are one of the most common complaints for which patients seek chiropractic care. Chiropractic is especially helpful in the treatment of headaches because the three nerves that exit the top of the spine (upper neck) are often the cause of or directly related to headaches. These three nerves travel into the head and have to pass through a very thick group of muscles in the upper part of the neck near where these muscles attach to the base of the skull. This is why when you have headaches and rub the back of the neck, the muscles may feel tight and or tender. In fact, if enough pressure is applied over one of these three nerves, pain will radiate into the head following the course of the nerve, sometimes all the way into the eyes. When chiropractic treatment is applied in the upper neck region, a reduction of the headache and neck pain occurs because the muscle tension is decreased and joint motion is restored.
The International Headache Society (IHS) has classified headaches into two main categories, primary and secondary. Primary headaches occur for no known reason and there are four groups of these:
migraine,
tension-type,
cluster, and
“other” primary headaches.
Secondary headaches are those with a specific cause such as sinus/allergy headaches, those associated with eye strain, a known medical condition or those due to cold or flu. Both migraine and cluster headaches are “vascular” (related to the blood vessels expanding inside the head) resulting in a unique set of symptoms that includes nausea, vomiting, pounding/throbbing and can be quite debilitating.
The most common type is the tension-type of headache. A thorough history is necessary because there is no specific diagnostic test (lab or blood test) for tension-type headaches. Hence, the concept is to make sure the headache is not related to some other condition that is diagnosable by a blood or lab test and if present, having that condition properly managed. So, assuming all the tests come back “normal” and all other causes have been eliminated or “ruled out,” the most common type of tension-type headache is “episodic” or, occurs off and on, lasting minutes to days. The pain is usually described as, “…my whole head hurts.” There is typically tightness or tension (NOT throbbing) described in the neck muscles and the intensity ranges from mild to moderate, not usually severe, where laying down is needed. Physical activity does not usually make it worse and there is no sickness to the stomach (nausea/vomiting), and no intense reaction to bright lights or noise (like there is with migraine & cluster types of headaches). There are sub-types of tension headaches that can occur simultaneous with migraines headaches, but the classic “aura” (a before the headache warning associated with migraine headaches) is usually not present.
Chiropractic treatment typically includes manipulation and mobilization of the neck, muscle release techniques, physical therapy modalities like electric stimulation, ultrasound, and others, exercise, stress and diet/nutritional management.
If you, a family member or a friend require care, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our service. We are proud that chiropractic care has consistently scored the highest level of satisfaction when compared to other forms of health care provision and we look forward in serving you and your family presently and in the future.
Dec
14
2011
This month’s topic will address dangerous headaches. To keep this in perspective, most headaches are NOT dangerous. In fact, tension-type headaches and migraines are very common and remain the focus of most health care providers and patients who suffer from headaches. With that said, it’s important to discuss the signs and symptoms that might help all of us differentiate between headaches that are safe versus those which are not safe.
The most important factor to consider is when the “typical” headache is suddenly “different.” Some of these “different” symptoms may include slurred speech, difficulty communicating or formulating thought, seizures, fainting or loss of consciousness (even for a few seconds), memory lapses, double or blurred vision, profound dizziness, numbness in the face or half of the body, an “alarm” should sound off telling you to get this checked ASAP as these symptoms, when they deviate from “the norm” may be indicative of a more serious condition. This can be challenging as seizures are often related to migraines and might be a common symptom of a migraine headache for some migraine sufferers.
Signs of a dangerous headache include:
A headache that starts suddenly, especially if it’s of a severe degree.
Headaches that start later in life, especially after the age of 50.
A change in the quality of headaches.
Visual changes, including double vision or loss of vision.
Weakness, numbness, or any other neurological symptoms.
Fevers – especially of rapid onset.
Change in mental status including sleepiness, hallucinations, speech changes or confusion.
Weight loss.
If there is ever ANY doubt about a dangerous headache, your physician should be contacted. Typically, the migraine patient will notice a fairly consistent set of symptoms and even though the headaches can vary in intensity, the sequence of events is fairly consistent. Dangerous headaches are the ones that deviate significantly from that migraine sufferer’s “norm.” For example, suppose a patient’s “typical” migraine is: aura (bright, flashy lights in the visual field or, a strange odor precedes the migraine about 30 min. before the headache strikes), followed by a gradually increasing pain in half of the head which worsens to a point of nausea and sometimes vomiting if something isn’t done to stop it (such as a chiropractic adjustment and/or some form of medication). If this is that patient’s “usual,” IF any of the 8 items previously listed above accompany the headache, it should be further evaluated – often requiring an EEG (electroencephalogram) and/or MRI (Magnetic Resonant Image). The EEG will test for any electrical signal changes in the brain and the MRI will show space occupying structures such as tumors, bleeding, infection, aneurism, and if performed with a contrast agents, arterial malformations (that is, abnormal networks of blood vessels).
We realize you have a choice in where you choose your healthcare services. If you, a friend or family member requires care for headaches, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future.
Dec
13
2011
Proud Member Since 2011
Come see us on Spine-health.com – A trusted resource for neck pain, back pain, headaches and musculoskelatal complaints including descriptions of conditions and treatment options.
Dec
13
2011
Check Presentation from Long Point Business Club.
In response to a much needed void in local school funding the Long Point Business Club made a $2,500 donation to Belle Hall Elementary in order to help them acquire books for their library.
The presentation took place during a wine tasting social at the Belle Hall Community Clubhouse. Guests of LBC enjoyed a wonderful selection of hors d’oeuvres served by Evelyn Zale-Brown with EZ Catering LLC. Six different wine varietals were presented for taste and discussion, excently led by Matthew Maksimowitz from The Country Vintner of SC. A great time was had by all and more importantly the children of Bell Hall Elementary will now have new books for their library.
This was the inaugural event and the beginning of many future events to come. This partnership with Belle Hall Elementary hopes to serve as a building block for other service groups in an effort to partner with schools providing support in a similar manner throughout South Carolina.
The Long Point Business Club (LBC) is a networking, business/ marketing/lead exchange club that meets every other Tuesday at 7:30 am in the Keller Williams office building in Mt. Pleasant. Membership is restricted to 1 representative per industry/service. This is a group that I proudly belong to and has come along way over the last few years. We have gone from a simple/networking leads group into a family style service oriented powerhouse. Guests are always welcome and coffee and breakfast is shared over a round table discussion of current events in business and lessons from our diverse group of industries. Information about the group can be found at www.longpointbusinessclub.com You may also contact myself or any other members for more information or to be a guest at an upcoming meeting.
A very special thanks to Matthew Maksimowitz, General Manager of The Country Vintner of SC for his expertise and choice selection of wine. More information can be found at www.countryvintner.com Another thank you to Evelyn Zale-Brown with EZ Catering LLC. More information can be found at http://e-zcatering.com/
If you are interested in becoming a member of the Long Point Business Club or attending one of our networking groups or social please contact myself or any one of the members listed at http://www.longpointbusinessclub.com/
Dec
13
2011
The word “Ergonomics” is thrown around a lot when it comes to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). The term ergonomics comes from the Greek ergon, meaning “work”, and nomos, meaning “natural laws.” By definition, ergonomics means, “…the study of efficiency in working environments.” Wikipedia describes it as, “…the study of designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, and its cognitive abilities.” The International Ergonomics Association offers this definition: “Ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.”
The study of ergonomics is not new as it dates back to Ancient Greece with substantial evidence that, in the 5th century BC, ergonomic principles were applied to tool design, jobs and workplaces. Examples include Hippocrates giving surgeons recommendations on how to arrange their table and tools during surgery.
Some ergonomic concepts we can employ on a daily basis include:
- Take frequent breaks, every half-hour if possible, but at least every 60 to 90 minutes. Get up, stretch and walk around. If nothing else, perform stretches while sitting in your work chair.
- Maintain “good posture” (tuck in the chin and hold the retracted position).
- Evaluate your workstation: proper sitting position, how you hold the phone, keyboard/monitor positions, type & position of the mouse, reaching requirements, avoid twist/bending the wrists.
- When grasping/gripping, use the whole hand – not just the fingers or thumb tips alone.
- Keep cutting instruments sharp (scissors, knives, etc.) and maintain locks on hinged knives.
- Consider modifications if tools are too heavy, buttons too high, too much required force, etc.
- Stay in shape as obesity is a risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Rotate job tasks rather than continuing with one task until finished (less repetition)!
- Communicate with your supervisor and HRO person about improving the workplace.
We realize you have a choice in who 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 require care for CTS, we would be honored to render our services.
Tags: carpal tunnel syndrome, Charleston chiropractor, cock-up splint, Daniel Island Chiropractor, ergonomics, hand numbness, hand weakness, Mount Pleasant, Mount Pleasant chiropractor, neck pain, office posture, posture, radiculopathy, SC, wrist brace. wrist surgery, wrist guard, wrist pain |
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Comments (0) Dec
12
2011
When we hear the term headache, we don’t usually think about the neck. Rather, we focus on the head, more specifically, “…what part of the head hurts?” But, upon careful questioning of patients, we usually find some connection or correlation between neck pain and headaches.
The key to this connection can be found in looking at the anatomy of the neck. There are 7 vertebrae that make up the cervical spine and 8 sets of nerves that exit this part of the spine and innervate various parts of the head, neck, shoulders and arms, all the way to the fingers. Think of the nerves as electric wires that stretch between a switch and a light bulb. When you flip on the switch, the light illuminates. Each nerve, as it exits the spine, is like a switch and the target it travels to represents the light bulb. So, if one were to stimulate each of the nerves as they exit the spine, we could “map” exactly where each nerve travels (of course, this has been done). When we look specifically at the upper 3 sets of nerves that exit the spine (C1, C2, and C3), we see that as soon as they exit the spine, they immediately travel upwards into the head (the scalp). Like any nerve, if enough pressure is applied to the nerve, some alteration in nerve function occurs and usually a sensory change is noted (numbness, tingling, pain, burning, etc.). If the pressure continues, these symptoms can last for a long time. These types of headaches are often called “cervicogenic headaches” (literally meaning headaches that are caused by the neck). These can be caused by the nerves getting pinched by tight muscles through which they travel as they make their way to the scalp.
Another connection between the neck and headaches includes the relationship between 2 of the 12 cranial nerves and the first three nerves in the neck described above. These types of headaches usually only affect one half of the head – the left or right side. One of the cranial nerves is called the trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V). Because the trigeminal nerve innervates parts of the face and head, pain can also involve the face. Another cranial nerve (spinal accessory, cranial nerve IX) can also interact with the upper 3 cervical nerve roots, resulting in cervicogenic headaches. People with cervicogenic headaches will often present with an altered neck posture, restricted neck movement, and pain when pressure is applied to the base of the skull or to the upper vertebrae. Other than a possible numbness, there are no clinical tests that we can run to “show” this condition, though some patients may report scalp numbness or, it may be found during examination.
Though medication, injections, and even surgical options exist, manipulation applied to the small joints of the neck, especially in the upper part where C1-3 exit, works really well so why not try that first as it’s the least invasive and, VERY EFFECTIVE! In some cases, a combination of approaches may be needed but many times, chiropractic treatment is all the patient needs for a successful outcome.
We realize that you have a choice in where you choose your healthcare services. If you, a friend or family member requires care for neck pain, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future.
