Headaches:   
Like back pain headaches are a common ailment that most of us at one time are sure to suffer from.  There many different forms of headache classified according to the symptoms, or the cause of the headache.  There are some forms of headache that can be due to very serious disorders (tumors, aneurysms, concussion, dangerously high blood pressure etc.) that need immediate attention but they are relatively less common. Usually there are other symptoms or some trauma that would suggest a complicated headache and prompt one to check with a physician.   The majority of headaches have less sinister causes.  Either way it is important to be evaluated by a physician if the headaches persist in order to determine the cause and assess the need for emergency intervention.

Most of the headaches that we commonly suffer from have a muscular, and or joint component.  Irritation can happen to the upper neck joints, the muscles in the back of the head, or to the nerves going up to the head.  Poor posture, (slouching in front of counter, computer, or TV), sudden trauma, (a fall, missed step, or a car accident), emotional or physical stress can cause the problem. Chiropractic can help by correcting the joint misalignments at the neck, relaxing the irritated muscles, and soothing irritated nerves.  Methods used are the adjustment, massage, and stretching.  Additionally postural exercises and relevant education for lifestyle changes (ergonomic changes, dietary factors, lighting and reading modifications, etc.) are given to the patient to correct the many factors that could have predisposed the patient to the headache in the first place.

Neck Pain:
Working as computer operators, at desk jobs, or in confined spaces with the head in awkward positions (mechanics, plumbers), sleeping face down, and simple tasks like laying on the couch or watching TV the wrong way, can give rise to neck pain, stiffness, and limitation in motion and function. 

While medicine can take away the pain it does nothing to correct the mechanics and change the way your neck functions.  Chiropractic corrects misalignments in joint motion, helps to evenly distribute stresses to all the joints, relaxes muscles and increases in most cases the amount you can turn or function.  Coupled with postural advice and simple stretches and exercises you can be taught to take care of most aches and pains yourself and combined with occasional Chiropractic correction prevent the inevitable “wry neck” or “torticollis”.

Automobile Accidents / Whiplash:
Use of seatbelts, important in preventing life threatening injury, actually amplifies the whiplash effect.  They stabilize your body and shoulders leaving your head loose and free to snap forward and backward like a whip.  The violent motion tears muscles and ligaments (hold bones together), and can even tear discs and cause nerve pinching.  There is usually a lot of initial pain and swelling and depending on severity after a few hours you can not even move the neck.  The pain and swelling do eventually subside after a couple of weeks but the loss of motion has contributed by then to formation of adhesions and joint locking which if not corrected properly to permanent loss of motion and flexibility and years of nagging aches and pains.It is crucial to have care early on.  Initial phases of therapy include ice pack therapy and physiotherapy (electrical therapy / ultrasound, etc.) to bring down the pain and swelling, mild massage and stretching to keep the initial loss of motion to a minimum.  As spasms subside heat is applied with more stretching, joint mobilization, and Chiropractic adjustments to restore motion back to normal gradually.  As ranges of motion normalize and pain decreases it is important to continue therapy.  After weeks of pain, and not moving properly, muscle coordination and strength has diminished leaving one in a poorly functioning state from which pain is sure to return over time.  Rehabilitation exercises are added at this point to strengthen the muscles back to their normal state and allow a complete recovery.

Back Pain: 
Probably the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorder of our time.  Our civilization and culture involves a lot of sitting down, at work, at home, traveling, etc..  Additionally as technological advances make things easier and more efficient for us, the less physically active we are.  The combination of prolonged sitting and less activity alone can explain most of our back problems.  Additionally people in physical jobs (lifting heavy boxes, working in crouched or confined awkward positions, etc. ) with repeated or constant improper work-imposed postures also develop back pain.
 

All these prolonged bad postures and activities contribute to misaligning the joints, stressing muscles and ligaments, and wearing out the discs.  All can lead to pain.  The pain can be masked by medication, and injections but the cause still remains.  A thorough Chiropractic solution is to first correct the joint alignment and movement, improve the pressures on the disc, and then educate on proper work postures and on proper exercises and exercise breaks.  Only then can one expect optimum performance from ones body and decreased likelihood of pain and injury.

Lower Extremity problems (Knee, Foot & Ankle Sprains, Plantar Fasciitis):
Our lower extremities (legs) have to absorb a lot of force since they support all our weight.  Yet they also have to be flexible to allow us to move about.  Trying to do both is a delicate task and if not done right it can give to rise to a lot of stress, pain, and instability.  The kind of shoes we wear and the surfaces we stand and walk on are two very important factors of the health of our feet.  Most people do not know the important features of a good shoe or sneaker and as a result abuse their feet initiating a host of problems.  A sudden injury, (see Ankle Sprains), can also substantially affect the way our feet and legs function.  Not just until the pain is gone but for years later. Over time such injuries or imbalances  can act as catalysts for serious problems in various areas of the skeletal or muscular system.

Foot problems can eventually turn into back, neck pain or even headaches.
Foot problems can transfer to the rest of the body in the following way.  Every bone and joint is intricately connected with other muscles and joints or bones around it.  A change in one brings about a movement in the next and so on.   Through the long leg muscles and tendons all the joints in the foot and leg are interconnected.  A foot problem can then cause knee pain, or even hip pain.  Through the hip the low back can be affected.  Once the imbalance is transferred to the back, foot problems can have effects as high as the head and neck.  Additionally, our body naturally reacts and adapts to terrain or structural imbalance in a way as to keep our eyes relatively level to the horizon. Both affects combined can put undo strain and stress on almost any joint and muscle from the feet up to the head, causing new areas of pain and dysfunction. Thus depending on how solid and balanced our foundation is, the better we will be able to function above. Chiropractic care includes initially analyzing the arches of the foot, how they change from not bearing weight, to standing, to walking or even running.  Once patterns of imbalance or weakness are identified then specific muscles are checked for proper tension or activity.  Individual joints are checked for excess or restricted motion.  Then one’s posture overall is checked for compensatory changes.  Traditionally the muscles and joints are addressed first to restore proper length, strength, or motion.  Then exercises are given to coordinate them all in a proper standing or walking posture.  Sometimes heel lifts, shoe inserts, or custom made foot orthotic devises are needed to completely correct the problem.  The patient is also educated on the proper foot wear depending on their activity levels and needs.  Emphasis is always placed in addressing the problem area first, then seeing how it affects the whole person and finally involving the patient in a long term resolution or control of the problem.

Ankle Sprains:
A sudden injury, like an ankle or knee sprain, can also substantially affect the way our feet and legs function.  Not just until the pain is gone but for years later. Over time such an injury can act as a catalyst for serious problems in various areas of the skeletal or muscular system.  Our joints have an intricate system of nerves that senses where the joint is in space, how fast or how powerfully it is moving, how stable it is etc..  When that sensor mechanism is disrupted, say by an ankle sprain, we loose a substantial amount of feedback.  We are still able to function but the injured area is guarded and unsteady even after it feels healed.  Our body reacts to the injury with pain letting us know to rest the area or use it less to allow for healing.  Unless that healing is guided properly, the injury heals but the joint position sensors are not fully restored. 

Thinking we are recovered then we then go back to our regular activities with an unsteady ankle.  That leads to two conditions: 1) the body has learned to over  compensate making other areas / joints absorb most of the stress.  This creates more wear and tear and eventually injures another area.
2) We keep putting a lot of force on a joint that is not properly positioned or stabilized. This causes more injury to the originally injured joint through repeated improper use over time or by another sudden trauma.

Proper care needs to be applied to avoid these possible consequences.  Chiropractic care first restores proper and balanced joint movement through manipulation.  Pain and swelling are controlled through physical therapy modalities (ultrasound, electrical therapy, ice or heat). Then muscles and ligaments are stretched or strengthened as needed.  Finally the body is progressively challenged during the healing process on specific devices that gradually restore ones sense of balance, sometimes to levels better than before the injury.  We always address every aspect of a musculoskeletal injury, the muscular, the skeletal / joints, and the nervous system.  Only then can you be assured of complete recovery from an injury and function at your optimum.

Repetitive Strain Injuries:
Carpal Tunnel:Occupational / Work Related Injuries:
Ergonomics:With the steady widespread integration of computers in our daily lives and business a new epidemic has plagued office workers:  Carpal Tunnel Injuries.  Carpal Tunnel Injuries are a classic example of Repetitive Strain Injuries.  Repetitive Strain Injuries are frequently caused by low force but highly repetitive tasks, without adequate rest.  What is most commonly also involved is poor postures or joint mechanics.

Our body is normally very resilient.  However it does have limits that need to be respected. Repetitive strain injuries arise when those limits are exceeded over time.  Example:One might be able to lift 20 lbs off the floor 20 times an hour, but that does not mean that the same person would be able to do it for 8 hours in a row without a break.  The job will also be harder if the same person has to bend at the waist, twist to the side, reach over a counter with the load etc.  (improper posture / joint mechanics). The Chiropractic approach to these conditions is to initially address the pain and inflammation.This is done by various methods - icing, ultrasound, electrical therapy, joint manipulation (adjustment) etc.   Then proper movement is restored with the adjustment, stretching techniques and eliminating activities that aggravate the pain or cause improper movements.  Work stations, tools, equipment, postures etc. are analyzed and improvements are made to optimize the working environment to the worker, ultimately preventing future problems.  Patient education about stretch breaks and postures are also emphasized and an important part of treatment. 

Asthma Like conditions:
Irritable Bowel Syndromes:
Fatigue:
High blood Pressure:
Obesity:

Nerve Pain: Since Chiropractic can have a profound effect on the nervous system many conditions beyond joint and muscle problems can be affected.  Complicated or life threatening conditions that could be the cause of symptoms need to be ruled first to ensure that the patient is not delayed from possibly needed emergency care.  The far reaching benefits of Chiropractic can be understood in the following way.  Almost all of the body’s functions are controlled by nerves exiting the spinal cord.  Due to the close proximity between the spinal joints and the delicate spinal nerves, a spinal joint problem can irritate any nerve and increase or decrease its activity.  The adjustment then is an intervention that normalizes nerve activity by correcting spinal joint problems and spinal reflexes.  Usually lifestyle, (dietary, exercise etc.), changes are also needed.  If the adjustment is effective at least some of the benefit should be seen within the first 4-6 visits.  Chiropractic is one of the best and natural ways to achieve optimal health, along with proper rest, diet and exercise.