Why is neck pain such a common symptom after a car accident?

Why is neck pain such a common symptom after a car accident?

by | Jan 7, 2023 | Car Accident, Chiropractic care, Chiropractic Education, Pain

Why is neck pain such a common symptom after a car accident?

If you experience neck pain after a car crash, don’t worry; this condition is not unusual. Neck pain is a common condition after an auto accident, which we see frequently.

It is not surprising that neck pain is the most common symptom experienced after a car crash. Of course, your head is rapidly thrown back and forth, even in a car wreck. Neck pain is the most common this type of injury in an impact.

Your neck is exposed to very high forces during a car accident, so it’s not surprising that neck pain is so familiar from this type of injury. During a low-speed car crash, your head is exposed to rapid acceleration. The force exerts a severe strain on the tissues of the cervical spine.

The bones of your spinal column are held together with strong bands of tissue called ligaments. These provide stability for your neck.

The cervical spine comprises seven vertebrae that range from the skull’s base to the shoulders’ top. The smallest within the entire spinal column, vertebrae provide:

  • Support for the head
  • Protecting the spinal cord
  • Giving the neck structure
  • Supporting head and neck movements

What causes neck pain after an auto injury?

The ligaments in your neck can be sprained during a car crash, just like an ankle sprain. A sprain means that the ligaments are stretched or torn.

When you experience a sprained ligament, the damaged area becomes inflamed and sore after a car crash.

Chiropractic helps by increasing flexibility in the injured area, which allows the tissues to heal and helps reduce scar tissue.
The uppermost part of the spinal column, the cervical spine, is a complex structure of bones, discs, muscles, ligaments, nerves, and tendons.

Both solid and delicate, the cervical spine is an incredible structure that carries the weight of your head (9-13 pounds).

It protects the spinal cord, supplies blood to the brain, and allows a wide range of motion, supporting your head and neck movements, such as nodding, turning your head from side to side, and looking up and down.

The cervical column comprises seven bones (C1 to C7) uniquely shaped to protect the spinal cord that descends from the base of your skull and the spinal nerves or root that exit the spine between each set of bones.

Can lower back pain be related to your neck?

The neck (cervical spine) is part of the spine and encloses and protects the cervical spinal cord. Neck pain, therefore, is often a response to similar conditions that cause other back pain. Also, like back pain, neck pain may cause referred symptoms, or radiation, along your arm into your hand.

How can chiropractic care help you heal?

Let’s look at how a crash causes neck pain and how Chiropractic Clinics of South Florida can help you.

First, we will look into the root cause of neck pain after an accident. The key to recovering from neck pain caused by a crash is understanding its cause and how chiropractic care can help.

Your chiropractor can be beneficial in diagnosing neck pain and creating a treatment plan that will get you back to yourself and healthy again.

 

What does the cervical spine do?

  • Spinal cord protection. Nerves of your spinal cord pass through the vertebral foramen. It runs the center of your vertebrae — beginning at the base of your skull, and running through the cervical and thoracic vertebrae. It ends between the first and second lumbar vertebrae.
  • Head support and range of motion. The average weight of your head is between 9 to 13 pounds. The cervical spine supports your head. Let your neck and head tilt forward and backward, turn from side to side (rotation), or bend from side to side.
  • Safe passageway for vertebral arteries. The cervical spine is the only section of the vertebrae that contain holes. The holes give a protective pathway from C1 to C6 for vertebral arteries to carry blood to your brain.

What other muscles and soft tissues are in the neck?

  • Sternocleidomastoid. This muscle runs from behind your ears to the front of your neck.
  • Trapezius. These two triangular muscles extend down your cervical and thoracic spine from the base of your neck to your shoulder blades.
  • Levator scapulae. This muscle is attached to your first four cervical vertebrae to the top of the scapula (shoulder blade).
  • Erector spine. Several muscles make up this muscle group. The muscles help with neck rotation, posture, and the extension of neck backward movement.
  • Deep cervical flexors. The muscles run down the front of your cervical spine. They allow you to bend your neck forward and stabilize your cervical spine.
  • Suboccipital muscles. These four muscles connect the top of your cervical spine from the base of your skull. They allow you to rotate and extend the head.

What are the ligaments of your cervical spine?

Three ligaments in your cervical spine connect bone to bone to help to keep your spine stable.

  • The anterior longitudinal ligament extends from the base of your skull down the front of the cervical vertebra. It stretches to resist backward neck motion.
  • The posterior longitudinal ligament starts at C2 and extends down the back of your cervical vertebrae. It stretches to resist forward neck motion.
  • Ligamentum Flava ligaments line the backside of the inside opening of each vertebra where your spinal cord passes. These ligaments cover and protect your spinal cord from behind.

What do discs in the cervical spine do?

Cervical disks are the “shock absorber cushions” that sit between each vertebra. A total of six disks are positioned between the seven cervical vertebrae (one between two vertebrae).

In addition to cushioning against stresses placed on your neck, the disks allow you to flex and rotate your head more easily during activity.

Nerves in the cervical spine

Eight nerves exit through small openings of your spine between every vertebra of your cervical spine. They are labeled C1 through C8 and stimulate the muscle movement in your neck, shoulders, arms, and hands and provide sensation.

  • Cervical nerves C1, C2, and C3 control your forward, backward, side head, and neck movements. The C2 nerve provides sensation to the upper area of your head. The C3 gives a feeling to the back of your head and the side of your face.
  • Cervical nerve 4 controls your upward shoulder motion and is one of the nerves that control your diaphragm (muscle at the bottom of your rib cage that helps you breathe). C4 provides sensation for parts of your neck, shoulders, and upper arms.
  • Cervical nerve 5 controls the deltoid muscles of your shoulders and your biceps. C5 provides sensation to the upper part of your upper arm and your elbow.
  • Cervical nerve 6 controls the extensor muscles of your wrist and is involved in the control of your biceps. C6 provides sensation to the thumb side of your forearm and hand.
  • Cervical nerve 7 controls your triceps and wrist extensor muscles. C7 provides sensation to the back of your arm into your middle finger.
  • Cervical nerve 8 controls your hands and gives sensation to the pinky side of your hand and forearm.

 

How can chiropractic care help you heal?

Let’s look at how a crash causes neck pain and how Chiropractic Clinics of South Florida can help you. First, we will look into the root cause of neck pain after an accident. The key to recovering from neck pain caused by a crash is understanding its cause and how chiropractic care can help. Your chiropractor can be beneficial in diagnosing neck pain and creating a treatment plan that will get you back to yourself and healthy again.

How can chiropractic care help you heal?
Let’s look at how a crash causes neck pain and how Chiropractic Clinics of South Florida can help you. But first, we will look into the root cause of neck pain after an accident.

The key to recovering from neck pain caused by a crash is understanding its cause and how chiropractic care can help. Your chiropractor can be beneficial in diagnosing neck pain and creating a treatment plan that will get you back to yourself and healthy again.

Chiropractic care is an effective way to treat neck and back pain. Let our professionals at Chiropractic Clinics of South Florida, with seven convenient locations, help you. An injury or any pain not taken care of can become an overwhelming issue down the road.

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What Is Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)?

What Is Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)?

by | Sep 7, 2022 | Chiropractic care, Chiropractic Education, Shock Wave Therapy

What Is Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT)?

Shock Wave Therapy, or Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (EWST), is a non-invasive treatment that involves the delivery of shock waves to an injured area to promote healing.

This non-invasive procedure does not involve surgery or needles; results are often seen in only a few treatments.

The device delivers shock waves that are precise and targeted through a handheld wand. Deep tissues can be reached, and there are no significant adverse effects. ESWT is a fantastic alternative to pain medication, with some patients experiencing relief after the first visit.

Multiple studies have found that it can successfully treat conditions such as heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinopathy.
This therapy is not new, but its use in treating painful joints and muscles is relatively recent.

Shockwave therapy was initially developed to help urologists treat kidney stones non-invasively. However, it has now been successfully used to help treat many musculoskeletal conditions.

This treatment produces highly effective shock waves that initiate biological regeneration processes at the cellular level.

The treatment involves applying short, frequent, and high-intensity bursts of mechanical energy (in the form of a shockwave) into injured soft tissue, scarred soft tissue, or tissue that is painful, inflamed, and contains adhesions.

Shock Wave Therapy causes three specific responses to the tissue, including:

1. Physical Response – shock waves hit the tissue and generate positive pressure waves.
2. Chemical Response – the pressure waves mechanically stimulate biochemical reactions that cause our cells to become activated.
3. Biological Response – the cells receive instructions to stimulate remodeling of blood vessels, reduction of inflammation molecules, and the stimulation of new and healthy tissue (muscles, ligaments, and tendons).

This procedure can help provide you with a solution to decrease pain, improve your movement, treat sports injuries, and optimize performance.

 

Shockwave Therapy Can HelpTreat The Following Conditions:

  • Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis or Heel spurs)
  • Patellar Tendonitis(Jumper’s knee) Achilles tendon pain (Achilles/Tendonitis)
  • Tennis and Golfer’s elbow
  • Rotator Cuff tendonitis, including calcifying tendonitis
  • Shin pain / tibial stress syndrome
  • Chronic neck, shoulder, and back pain
  • Muscular trigger points
  • Very tight fascia and muscles
  • Connective Tissue Pain and Degeneration
We Use Shockwave Therapy To Help Reduce Your Pain

How Shockwave Therapy Works:

Suppose you are a candidate for shock wave therapy. In that case, the primary area of pain is localized, and a skin gel is applied to the treatment area to allow the shock waves to be appropriately transmitted into the body.

Shockwave therapy accelerates the healing process in the body by stimulating metabolism and creating increased blood circulation to enhance the regeneration of damaged tissue.

Shockwave technology delivers intense energy pulses applied to the affected area for short periods. The procedure enables the cells in the body that are responsible for bone and connective tissue to heal. In addition, it produces an acoustic pressure wave that transmits to the body’s tissue. The pressure wave created at the point of contact sends radially inside the patient’s body.

Shock wave treatment sessions can be uncomfortable but usually well tolerated. In many cases, shockwave therapy treatments have proven effective in cases where the human body has not been able to heal itself.

How Many Treatments?

The general course of therapy could take 3 to 5 treatments. Some manual therapy sessions may be added to work on some other dysfunctional tissues. The shock treatment sessions take approximately 5-10 minutes, depending on the problem area being treated.

After a therapy session, you will most likely feel no pain, but you may experience throbbing pain 2-4 hours following the treatment. This throbbing pain may last up to 24 to 48 hours.

In rare cases, patients may experience temporary skin reddening, pain, or worsening of symptoms during the first few days after treatment.

 

Benefits of ESWT

  • Non-invasive
  • No anesthesia
  • No scarring
  • No risk of infection
  • No downtime
  • Over 80% of patient satisfaction
  • Faster, easier healing

 

What are the possible side effects/complications?

The non-invasive ESWT treatment has virtually no risks or side effects.
Occasionally, patients may experience slight discomfort, which may continue for a few days in extremely sensitive areas.

Patients may experience bruising, swelling, or skin redness over the treatment area. Contraindications to ESWT include bleeding disorders, active malignancy, and pregnancy.

Our team is excited to be the only provider in South Florida to bring you Focused Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT), a new tool used in many countries across the globe for promoting natural healing without surgery.

Our primary focus is providing patients with a pathway toward better health through ongoing chiropractic maintenance and preventative care. Our first concern is the health and safety of the people we serve.

We serve the Kendall, Miami, North Miami, Miami Lakes, West Palm Beach, and Pompano Florida areas. New Patient?

Call us today at 877-881-4878 or more information, or set up an appointment for Focused Shock Wave Therapy. You can also request a FREE Pain Consultation

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How Can Chiropractic Benefit After a Car Accident?

How Can Chiropractic Benefit After a Car Accident?

by | Jul 27, 2022 | Backpain, Car Accident, Chiropractic care, Chiropractic Education

How Can Chiropractic Benefit After a Car Accident?

Victims of a car accident do not think of a chiropractor as one of the first medical professionals to use directly after their injury.

However, after the initial medical assessment, it is one of the most beneficial treatment plans you could have.

Chiropractic care can behoove you, particularly if you have injuries related to your musculoskeletal system or spine.

A chiropractor can thoroughly evaluate your injuries and make
a treatment recommendation.

Back, neck pain, and stiffness combined with feeling muscle soreness or restricted range of motion are widespread symptoms after an accident.

Chiropractic Clinics of South Florida can identify these symptoms instead of numbing them with medication. Then, we can perform spinal and other joint adjustments, physical therapy, and healing. As a result, pain relief can be achieved.

Making a treatment plan will provide these primary benefits:

  • Reduces inflammation and scar tissues: small tears called micro-tears within the muscles and ligaments in the body are common and are not identified by x-rays.
    In addition, after a muscle is injured, it can get scarred after an accident and cause stiffness and soreness.
    A spinal adjustment will allow the body to return to normal alignment.
  • Reduce the need for medication: Most prescription medication is highly addictive.
    Chiropractors heal the affected areas instead of masking or covering up the pain.
  • Receiving chiropractic care immediately after a car accident can prevent minor injuries from becoming worse, causing a chronic condition down the line.
  • Restore range of motion: When inflammation is present, it restricts your range of motion.
  • Chiropractic adjustments to the spine will allow the healing process to return to the proper range of motion.
  • Reduce pain: Chiropractic adjustments promote relief of the affected area and throughout the entire body.
South Florida Chiropractic Medicine

The Pros and Cons of Conventional Medicine:

Conventional medicine saves lives in emergencies or life-threatening conditions.

However, the potential downside of this treatment when it comes to car accident injuries is that unless a bone is broken or some other serious injury, many doctors prescribe pain and anti-inflammatory medication and send the patient on their way.

Unfortunately, this may only be temporary relief without healing the root of the problem.

 

Why Choose a Chiropractor?

A chiropractor can identify why these symptoms are arising and, instead of numbing through medication and can perform spinal and other joint adjustments along with physical therapy.

Through these sessions, many patients may experience these eight primary benefits:

1. Reduces inflammation:

Micro-tears within the muscles and ligaments of the body are common and cannot be found through a standard x-ray. Spinal adjustments can bring the spine back into alignment, producing natural anti-inflammatory properties to assist with discomfort from these tears.

2. Reduces scar tissue:

Muscles can get scarred after an accident, causing stiffness and
soreness. A chiropractor can target these scarred areas and help break down the build-up quicker than if it was left to heal on its own. Less scar tissue means a person is likely to feel better much faster.

3. Decreased need for medication:

Prescription pain medication can be very addictive. Taking a heavy painkiller in the short term may become a continued addiction or dependency. Chiropractic adjustments can ensure that the actual injury is healed and that pain isn’t simply masked as an effect of the medications.

4. Long-term benefits:

Receiving chiropractic care promptly after a car accident can help prevent minor injuries from worsening into severe and chronic conditions down the road.

5. Restore range of motion:

Neck or back injuries can result in restricted mobility. It may be challenging to turn your neck or move other ways when your muscles are inflamed. Mobilizing the spine through chiropractic adjustments can help restore the proper range of motion and encourage the healing process.

6. Reduce pain:

With spinal adjustments, a person can have reduced pain in the affected areas and relief throughout their entire body. In addition, many people feel significant relief immediately following an adjustment, possibly due to the release of pain-reducing hormones.

What If My Accident Injuries Don’t Show Up Right Away?

Most car accidents are traumatic events. After all, a lot of force is involved when a vehicle hits (or is hit by) something.

Even seemingly minor accidents can lead to significant harm, but injuries sometimes don’t appear immediately.

The most common car accident injuries that show up later are soft tissue injuries, concussions, and back injuries.

It’s crucial to monitor and treat potential injuries for the sake of your health and ability to receive financial compensation for your injuries.

Soft Tissue Injuries After a Car Accident

A soft tissue injury refers to damage done to body parts other than bone. For example, muscles, tendons, and ligaments are “soft tissue.”

Car accidents, even low-speed ones, generate a lot of force. As a result, drivers and passengers often come to a sudden stop along with the vehicle; or they may get thrown around the passenger area.

In addition, the force places a lot of stress on joints and other vulnerable body areas.

Whiplash After a Car Accident

Perhaps the most common type of soft-tissue injury is “whiplash.” Referenced an injury sustained to the neck muscles when the head is suddenly and forcefully thrown forward and then back.

Soft tissue injuries typically result in pain, swelling, and reduced mobility, but these symptoms may not appear immediately.

Back Injuries and Back Pain After a Car Accident

The human spine is a complex system of bones, muscles, nerves, and other soft tissues. So even a minor collision can easily result in a back injury, whether damage to the bone (vertebrae), muscles, tendons, discs, ligaments, or nerves in the neck (cervical vertebrae), upper back (thoracic), or lower back (lumbar).

Besides pain, there are other signs of a back injury, such as:

  • reduced mobility
  • muscle spasms
  • trouble walking, standing, or sitting,
  • headaches
  • body stiffness
  • headaches

Other common symptoms of back injuries include numbness and tingling.

Consider seeing a chiropractor if you’re experiencing pain from a car accident.

Contact us at The South Florida Chiropractors today for an appointment, and we’ll help you get back in the game. Call: 877-881-4878 (HURT)

Treating Whiplash: What Patients Need to Know

Treating Whiplash: What Patients Need to Know

by | Aug 6, 2021 | Chiropractic Education, Pain

Treating Whiplash: What Patients Need to Know

Car accidents. Falls. Sports injuries. Amusement park accidents. Each of these can lead to immediate injuries. However, they can also lead to longer-term conditions– like whiplash. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines whiplash as “a soft tissue injury to the neck.” Whiplash can compromise a variety of underlying conditions, but neck sprains or neck strains are typically the main culprits.

While you may receive accident care on the scene or in an emergency room, a whiplash injury may not present symptoms immediately. While it’s essential to get timely medical care for your injuries, issues from conditions like whiplash may continue for days or weeks after the incident. Therefore, if your whiplash pain continues, you should consider seeking other treatment options, such as chiropractic care.

In this article, we’ll review the basics of whiplash, including what it is, how it may occur, and how best to treat it.

What is Whiplash?

As we mentioned earlier, whiplash is a soft tissue injury to the neck, often caused by sudden, jerking movements. The NIH says whiplash is generally accompanied by neck injuries that occur due to the “sudden flexion and extension” of the neck.

Approximately two-thirds of the cases of whiplash occur due to motor vehicle accidents. In addition, sports injuries, work injuries, falls, and other incidents may also result in whiplash. The symptoms of whiplash typically develop anywhere from 2 to 48 hours after the incident.

In most cases, patients with a whiplash injury may complain of stiffness and pain of the back. Whiplash patients may also complain of pain extending to the shoulders, arms, upper back, and even upper chest. Two-thirds of patients suffer from headaches, typically stemming from the base of their skull. Patients may also experience nausea, blurred vision, difficulty swallowing, and dizziness.

After an accident of any kind, especially a motor vehicle accident, it is important to be looked at by a doctor. While whiplash may seem minor at the moment, symptoms could continue to affect you for years to come.

Whiplash: What are the Most Common Symptoms?

Whiplash is most often the result of car accidents, high-impact sports or sudden falls. According to an article published in Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine, up to 83% of car accident collision victims suffer from whiplash.

However, as we mentioned earlier, whiplash can also result from more unique situations, such as amusement park rides. If you’ve experienced a high-speed injury, it’s important to look for whiplash symptoms following trauma of any kind.

Common whiplash symptoms include:

  • Neck stiffness or pain
  • Loss of range of motion (ROM) in the neck
  • Blurred vision
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Vertigo or dizziness
  • Memory problems
  • Tenderness in the arms, upper back, and shoulders

How is Whiplash Diagnosed?

Once you notice symptoms and visit a doctor, they will ask questions about the event and your symptoms. The doctor will want to know how well you are capable of performing everyday tasks. During the exam, the doctor will touch and move your neck, head, and arms. The doctor will typically check things such as the:

  • Neck and shoulders range of motion (ROM)
  • Tenderness in your neck, shoulders, or back
  • Reflexes, strength, and sensation in your limbs
  • Degree of motion that causes or increases your pain

After the exam, your doctor will do some imaging tests. While evidence of whiplash won’t generally be revealed on these tests, your doctor will likely order one to rule out other conditions that could be making your neck pain worse. These imaging tests include

  • X-RAYS: To identify fractures, dislocations, or arthritis in the neck
  • CT: Produces a cross-sectional image of the bone to show possible damage
  • MRI: In addition to bone injuries, this can detect soft tissue injuries like damage to the spinal cord, discs, or ligaments

What are the Most Effective Treatments for Whiplash Symptoms?

Experienced chiropractors, such as our expert team at Chiropractic Clinics of South Florida, can relieve pain and encourage healing in affected areas. Chiropractors typically use a few different treatment techniques to help patients relieve the aches and pains of whiplash. These include:

  • Chiropractic Adjustment: The primary treatment for joint dysfunction caused by whiplash is spinal manipulation. This involves carefully adjusting the joint by moving it carefully into a different position. Spinal manipulation may be done using both short thrusts and slower movements. This helps create mobility and encourages healing.
  • Muscle Relaxation and Muscle Stimulation: Muscle relaxation and muscle stimulation is one of the core methods a chiropractor will typically use to treat whiplash. A relaxation and stimulation protocol will focus on treating muscle dysfunction via light stretching and contractions (when appropriate). For very tight muscles, a chiropractor may use a more strenuous stretching protocol. When possible, however, chiropractors will generally use light touches to specific pressure points in order to relieve intramuscular tension.
  • McKenzie Exercises: The McKenzie Method is a highly effective, time-tested series of physical therapy exercises specifically designed to treat back and neck pain. Fortunately for patients, McKenzie exercises are also effective at reducing whiplash-related disc derangement. Disc derangement occurs when a disc is irritated or out of place, but is not yet fully herniated. The McKenzie technique typically involves an initial session in your chiropractor’s office. Your chiropractor will then teach you how to perform most of the exercises at home.
  • Ergonomic and lifestyle changes: Not all whiplash treatment options involve directly manipulating the spine. Instead, some types of treatment involve making changes to a patient’s daily lifestyle and posture in order to speed up their body’s natural healing process. Many individuals regularly engage in dysfunctional movement patterns at home, at work, or during their free time. An experienced chiropractor can teach you how to use your body more safely and effectively. They may also teach patients stress-reduction techniques to reduce overall muscular tension and promote additional healing.

What are the Most Common Ways to Treat Whiplash?

In general, the objectives of whiplash treatment include controlling your pain, restoring the normal range of motion (ROM) in your neck, and getting you back to your normal activities. To manage your pain in-between visits, your doctor may recommend:

  • Rest. If an injury is severe, 24-48 hours of rest is often ideal. However, resting beyond this may weaken the muscle and impair blood flow, hindering a patient’s recovery.
  • Heat or Cold. Either heat or cold can be applied to the neck for 15 minutes every three hours to help relieve pain and muscle aches.
  • Over-the-Counter Pain Medications. OTC pain relievers, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen), or Advil/Motrin IB (ibuprofen) can often control whiplash pain.
  • Prescription Medications. In more severe cases, patients may be given certain antidepressant drugs that have been shown to relieve nerve pain.
  • Injections. Lidocaine (Xylocaine) injections can often be used to help numb particularly painful areas. Lidocaine is especially effective used to decrease pain so that patients can do physical therapy more easily.

Every patient’s accident and medical history is different, so it’s essential to take an individualized approach to each and every case. That’s why we at South Florida Chiropractors develop highly specific treatments for each patient. For instance, some patients may benefit more from traditional chiropractic adjustment, whereas others may benefit most from muscle stimulation and heat/cold treatment.

However your whiplash presents itself, rest assured that our chiropractors have whiplash treatments that are tailored just for you. Call our chiropractic clinics to schedule a pain consultation today at 877-881-4878 (HURT). We have 7 locations throughout South Florida in Pompano Beach, North Miami, West Palm Beach, Hollywood, Miami Airport, Miami Lakes, and Kendall. We are ready and waiting to help you on your road to recovery today.

What Exactly is a Chiropractor and How Can They Help Me?

What Exactly is a Chiropractor and How Can They Help Me?

by | Dec 1, 2020 | Chiropractic care, Chiropractic Education

What Exactly is a Chiropractor and How Can They Help Me?

Many people who are not as familiar with chiropractic care as they are with the historical primary care medicine might be unaware that the two have worked simultaneously for years.

Along with your medical physician’s standard of care, some regularly utilize a chiropractor to further advance their health and assist them in returning to optimal well-being.

So, let us begin with exactly what chiropractic care consists of. Some may say that chiropractic is alternative care, and for others, it might be the only practice required to keep you healthy and feeling well. However, for the majority, they need an addition to their medical doctor.

Let us first clear a misconception that chiropractors are not medical doctors. Chiropractors spend as much time as a medical doctor in getting their degree. Doctor of Chiropractic Care cares about people and provides non-invasive, personalized care and treatment. It is a respective alternative to modern medicine. It has earned the same respect in their field as a Doctor of Education or a Doctor of Philosophy for they are the highest university degree conferred after a course of study by universities in most countries and are respected at the top of their field. Doctor of Chiropractic is well-versed in the sciences, including anatomy, physiology, nutrition, and other studies relevant to the advancement of healthcare’s proactive wellness model.

Chiropractic care is defined as: According to Merriam Webster: A licensed healthcare professional who treats disorders (such as back and neck pain) chiefly on the musculoskeletal system, primarily through the manual adjustments or manipulating the spinal vertebrae to correct nervous system dysfunction.

On a more detailed note, Chiropractic is a science, art, and philosophy.

One that utilizes the body’s inherent recuperative abilities and deals with the relationship between the spinal column and the nervous system and its role in the restoration maintenance of health. With that being said, chiropractors treat many conditions above and beyond spinal adjustments.

A medical doctor treats with drugs and surgery to deal with the symptoms of pain and illness. On an alternate note, chiropractic works on the root cause by adjusting to correct the actual cause of many modern medicine health problems.

To achieve the end goal, which is feeling better, pursuing your goals in life, and being the best, you can be there are many reasons you might consider consulting Chiropractic Clinics of South Florida:

The history of chiropractic started as a profession in Davenport, Iowa, in September of 1895 by DD Palmer, and he first called it magnetic healing. The first thing you should know is chiropractic starts with the brain of which controls your body of which is responsible for sending out all signals to the rest of your body through your nervous system, which is the network to allow your body to function correctly. The nervous system is responsible for transmitting signals from your brain just like your boss at work to delegate your duties, as does the brain to the nervous system. A great example is when you touch something scalding the body’s senses from nerve ending send an immediate message to the brain to remove the stimulus that is causing the pain.

Your next question might be How does chiropractic work?

Chiropractic Clinics of South Florida can answer this question for you in simple terms because it is a simple medicine science. The practice of chiropractic’s focuses not only on your bones and nerves but also on your life. After an initial evaluation regarding your spine and how well you eat, if you exercise, your stress level and ways you reduce stress, your family life, and so on. They then create a specific care plan that is individualized to your personal needs of care, based on correcting the cause of your subluxations and possible associated symptoms.

Let us first define subluxation: a slight misalignment of the vertebrae, regarded in chiropractic theory as the cause of many health problems. The adjustments promote communication between your brain and body to flow freely through the blood flow and the transmission of nerve signals and the synapsis of nerve endings to direct the body to respond to the brain’s delegations of tasks and requests without the interruption of blocked avenues due to inflammation or misalignments. A perfect analogy is when a highway is congested due to an auto accident, and the five lanes must filter into two lanes.

One thing to consider with chiropractic care is that it will relieve your chronic problem. It is not a quick fix and being that it will restore your quality of life and require a commitment to treatment. Holistic medicine may require several adjustments over a few weeks to several months, keeping in mind the goal is to is fix the problem, keep it fixed, and keep it from happening again.

At Chiropractic Clinics of South Florida, our chiropractic’s ultimate goal is to help relieve pain and help patients better manage their condition at home and improve functions or mobility. Through treatments such as spinal decompression, physical therapy, and chiropractic adjustments.

We encourage and support the recommended CDC guidelines during COVID-19 and are happy to answer any questions or concerns you might have before visiting us to alleviate any fears you might have about these trying times. Our chiropractors will provide a pain consultation and recommend the best treatments for you.

For help with chronic pain from an accident, injury, or underlying illness, Chiropractic Clinics of South Florida has several locations. Pompano Beach, North Miami, West Palm Beach, Hollywood, Miami Lakes, Miami Airport, and Kendall in Miami-Dade and Broward. This allows you to obtain treatment before, after, or during your busy work schedule, and we are here on the weekends as well to accommodate your hectic lifestyle.

For more information on our chiropractic treatment options for chronic pain, contact us at 877-881-4878 (HURT) or click on Make An Appointment to schedule a consultation with Dr. Garrett Weinstein.

Chiropractic Care May Be The Opioid Solution Well Positioned to Serve Every Community

Chiropractic Care May Be The Opioid Solution Well Positioned to Serve Every Community

by | Nov 26, 2019 | Backpain, Chiropractic Education, Pain

Chiropractic Care May Be The Opioid Solution Well Positioned to Serve Every Community

There’s a good chance you and I have something in common. In fact, it’s probable that you, me, and five of your closest friends all share the same terrifying thing:

We’ve all been affected by the opioid epidemic.  

Maybe you’ve been a victim yourself, or maybe it was a parent, a teacher, a friend or sibling – on average, nearly 130 Americans die from an opioid overdose each day. It’s a national health crisis that is almost unprecedented in its numbers and cost, both emotionally and financially.

These staggering figures have caused a gradual shift among the public and medical community alike – the search for more natural, alternative pain therapies has come to the forefront of the battle against opioid abuse, and there is hope on the horizon.   

The Numbers Don’t Lie

The opioid epidemic has run rampant throughout the United States in recent years – from 1999 to 2017, more than 700,000 people died of a drug overdose. While some of these drugs are illicitly manufactured, more commonly, people are getting hooked as a result of something many of us deal with on a daily basis. Pain.

The sheer number of tragedies is matched only by the cost of combating these drugs and the addictions that follow them – the opioid epidemic cost the United States $696 billion in 2018, and more than $2.5 trillion from 2015 to 2018 according to recent White House estimates.

What are Health Officials Doing? 

This national crisis has caused health officials to act swiftly and sweepingly, with the Center for Disease Control leading the charge in both fighting the opioid epidemic on a national level and supporting states and communities on a much more micro level.

The CDC’s work includes:

Aiding in Prevention – The CDC works to equip states with resources, data collection, and evidence-based prevention strategies.

Improving Data Quality & Tracking Trends – This allows communities to better understand and respond to the crisis. Data on opioid-related overdoses is collected and analyzed to help identify areas that need assistance.

Supporting Health Systems – The CDC utilizes the various tools at their disposal to work in conjunction with local health agencies to improve patient safety.

Collaboration is essential in preventing overdoses and abuse, and while these are effective strategies, many are reactive in nature. Getting to the root of the issue requires a proactive solution that starts with identifying the best types of alternative pain-management therapies. This is where a solution comes into play that has actually been with us for a long time; chiropractic care.

Chiropractic Care as an Alternative to Opioids  

The Food and Drug Administration has proposed changes to the way healthcare providers are educated on treating pain. According to the FDA:

“Healthcare providers should be knowledgeable about the range of available therapies, when they may be helpful, and when they should be used as part of a multidisciplinary approach to pain management”

The changes in guidelines also recommend that doctors obtain information about chiropractic care to present to their patients, in an effort to help them avoid prescription opioids.

Chiropractic care comes along with a host of benefits in terms of quality of life, but it’s also been shown to be a more than viable alternative to opioids for pain management.

In fact, the American College of Physicians recommends the use of drug-free, non-invasive therapies such as chiropractic care as the first line of therapy for chronic and acute lower back pain. Lower back pain is one of the leading causes of opioid dependency – approximately 25% of all opioid prescriptions written in the U.S. are for this condition.

There’s a wealth of data available that supports this stance. A 2016 study found a direct link between chiropractic care and the reduction of opioid prescriptions. More specifically, a greater number of chiropractors and increased spending on chiropractic therapy directly correlated with a lower percentage of younger Medicare patients with opioid prescriptions.

Another study showed that the likelihood of filling an opioid prescription among recipients of chiropractic services was 55% lower when compared with patients that didn’t receive chiropractic treatment.

The same study also illustrated the financial benefit of utilizing chiropractic care – annual charges per person were 78% lower for opioid prescriptions and 71% lower for clinical services among chiropractic recipients when compared to non-patients.

As a nation, the only way we will put an end to this crisis once and for all is through continued education and research that helps remedy the root of the issue – pain.

As more and more evidence is collected, the same conclusions can be drawn and strengthened – alternative therapies, specifically chiropractic care, are long-term, healthy alternatives to prescribing opioids for pain management. The good news? Nearly every community affected by the opioid crisis has access to a local chiropractor in the area. Every person who knows a friend or loved one struggling with pain can also recommend they seek chiropractic treatment over prescription drugs.

Contact us today to start feeling better tomorrow, simply call us at 877-881-4878 (HURT).

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