Monday, May 4, 2020

What Causes Scoliosis?

 Abnormal lateral spinal curves, called scoliosis, develop for reasons that are largely unknown. Although there are various theories, about 80% of scoliosis is considered idiopathic---of unknown cause. 
Statistically, about 4 adolescent girls in 1000 may develop it, and about 1 in 2500 boys. Roughly 2% of the adult population has some degree of it.
Schools offer scoliosis screening for good reason; the earlier it is detected and addressed, the better chance that conservative care can be effective. 
My treatment plan, the earlier began the better, includes precise Chiropractic balancing of the entire frame, accompanied by specific exercises. 
Special attention must be given to the pelvis, which is the biomechanical foundation for the spine. An unlevel pelvis must be corrected and monitored, because it results in an unstable foundation for the spine.

Monday, April 27, 2020

Medicare 2020

  Every year in October, Medicare allowances and deductibles are updated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS https://www.cms.gov).
Amounts that will be reimbursed for visits to your Chiropractor changed in October, 2019 for the ensuing year, effective until October, 2020. There was a slight increase in what Medicare pays for Chiropractic care.
The annual deductible increased from $185 to $193.
For now, Medicare only covers adjusting the spine. If you are having a problem with your shoulder, knee, arm, wrist, foot or ankle, for example, Medicare will not pay.
However, Chiropractic professionals are actively lobbying and educating Medicare about the benefits and efficacy of Chiropractic treatment of the whole body. We hope that in the near future Medicare will provide comprehensive coverage of Chiropractic care for our patients. 

Monday, April 20, 2020

Muscle "Splinting"

  Your body will respond to an instability or an injury by tightening muscles to protect you. This is an involuntary, autonomic response that I see every day in my practice; I call it muscle “splinting.”
The effect is similar to when the doctor puts a splint on an injured limb to protect it. The splint stabilizes and protects the area from further disturbance and pain.
A common site of muscle “splinting” is in the low back, alongside the vertebrae in the lumbar spine. Autonomic tightening of these muscles accompanies misalignments of the lumbar vertebrae, as well as soft tissue injuries or stresses such as accompany a strain-sprain.
When vertebral misalignments, whether from overuse, one-time biomechanical stress, or an injury, are corrected by precise adjustments with the Activator instrument, the muscles are then able to start to relax. 

Monday, April 13, 2020

A Painful "Crunch"

  A "crunching” in your knee when you crouch or squat may signal that you have the start of a degenerative condition called chondromalacia patella, a form of arthritis. 
This is a condition of abnormal wear-and-tear, and Is commonly caused by aberrant tracking of the patella, or kneecap. The kneecap is embedded in the tendon of the quadraceps (quads) muscles, and every time you bend your knee back or forth, which activates these muscles, the kneecap slides in a grove in the bone underneath.
Misalignment of the patella causes it to rub too far sideways in that groove. What causes this misalignment? Commonly, it is uneven action in the quads.
My treatment is two-fold---correction of the patellar misalignment with the Activator instrument, and teaching the patient how to do daily exercises to correct the action of their quads.

Monday, April 6, 2020

Whiplash Side Effects

 An acceleration / deceleration neck injury, aka whiplash, is not only painful, but can also result in weakness in the neck, loss of normal cervical curvature, hypertonic muscles, and impingement of nerves that exit the spine in the cervical region. 
This nerve impingement may manifest as Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS), with symptoms including pain traveling down the arm, alteration of sensation in the arm and / or hand such as numbness, tingling, and lack of normal perception of touch---hypoesthesia (diminished sensation) or hyperesthesia (accentuated sensation) in the upper extremity.
Symptoms may not be immediately noticeable, but may appear slowly following the injury, and often take a while to resolve.
Proper treatment, including precise, gentle adjustments with the Activator instrument as soon as possible after the injury; rest; a neck brace if needed; ergonomic counseling; anti-inflammatory soft tissue therapy, including ice & topical arnica; and appropriate introduction of gentle stretches + exercises will assist healing and recovery.