Huntington Beach Chiropractor

Alien asked:


Chiropractors aim to provide treatment for conditions related to joints bones and muscles. They perform ‘adjustments,’ usually manually, to help correct various physical problems. By treating these conditions, the symptoms and painful effects occurring throughout the body and particularly, in the nervous system, can ideally be eased. Headaches are actually a common complaint heard in the chiropractic office and by performing various adjustments, a chiropractor may be able to help your headaches.

Tension Headaches

Tension headaches in particular may prompt visits to the chiropractor as these can occur from contracted and tense muscles in the neck and back. Anytime the spinal bones are misaligned or compromised in some way, headaches can occur due to nerve or tissue pressure. Problems with the spine, including the neck and back areas are often missed and don’t receive examination. They can cause quite painful headaches and head pain may become chronic.

Headache pain may then be covered up for years through the use of over-the-counter medications. These medications treat the symptoms rather than the cause and also can result in medication overuse and rebound headaches. Therefore, seeing a chiropractor for diagnosis and treatment can be helpful. There is still controversy regarding the effectiveness of chiropractic treatment but ultimately, it may be wise to investigate and discuss with your doctor, various ways of treating headaches. Some treatments such as chiropractic care are still not widely supported but that does not mean you will not experience relief.

Cervicogenic Headaches

A cervicogenic headache is caused by the cervical spine and can occur from an absence of mobility in the upper cervical area. The term is used to refer to headaches where the primary causative agent is the spine. Chiropractic care is thought to be very helpful for this type of headache because it can correct the source directly. It is also suggested as a helpful treatment for other types of headaches such as common tension ones, because they may share the same cervical element. Tension headaches in particular can possibly benefit from spinal manipulation, as this can relax and stretch tense neck muscles and joints.

Migraines

Migraines are a type of headache that is considered less likely to benefit from chiropractic care, although this statement is still somewhat controversial and case studies have still been shown to provide relief for migraines through chiropractic care. Your chiropractor can discuss with you whether he or she is able to treat your migraines.

What Will a Chiropractor Do?

A chiropractor will perform various adjustments and movements, usually with his or her hands. The adjustments are meant to correct identified problems and allow you to regain movement and reduce headaches and other associated pain. Usually a chiropractor will also initially conduct an extensive background history as well as a thorough examination and possibly even x-rays. He or she will then usually provide a diagnosis and suggest an appropriate treatment plan. A chiropractor is not a replacement for your general medical doctor; rather, a chiropractor should be viewed as a complement to your main healthcare provider.

For some people, regular chiropractic care may be helpful and effectiveness will depend on your individual symptoms and headache causes. Be sure to seek out a registered chiropractor and don’t be afraid to check for credentials as well as patient referrals. Some people find that they do experience immediate headache relief while others will require ongoing treatment for several years. Sometimes when a malformation in the spine is undetected for a long time, treatment can be more complicated and often requires patience. Chiropractic care is considered by many to be an alternative treatment and it does not involve medication. It is another option that may help you in your quest for a headache free day.



Huntington Beach Chiropractor

Margaret Winfrey asked:


When seeking chiropractic care in Atlanta, there are certain things you should keep your eyes open for. Chiropractic care is a profession, and Doctors of Chiropractic, sometimes simply referred to as chiropractors, believe in the body’s inherent ability to heal itself with just a little help that avoids drugs, surgery or any other invasive technique. They are generally involved in the treatment of neurological and musculoskeletal problems such as spinal conditions and those involving pain, such as sciatica and back pain. Their treatment involves no surgery or medication, just manipulation that can be carried out manually or by machine.

Some forms of Chiropractics can be harmful if not carried out correctly by trained chiropractors, and it is highly recommended that when seeking chiropractic care in Atlanta you make sure that your doctor is certified with the NACM (National Association of Chiropractic Medicine).  Typical conditions with which you visit a chiropractor include joint pain, osteoarthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica and neck and back pain among many other similar conditions. Frequently patients will have tried more traditional remedies such as surgery or pharmaceutical medication without achieving a lasting cure, and have decided to try chiropractics as a last resort. It is important therefore, that you keep an eye open for indications that your choice of chiropractic care in Atlanta might not be the right one.  

For example, you should avoid any chiropractor who claims to be able to cure a disease, and you should carefully check out anybody that makes claims to practice preventive care. This is true in Atlanta as anywhere else in the USA. Real chiropractors do not use immunizations, and nor do they use ongoing X-rays after the initial examination. Some chiropractors are not fully trained and have set up in business without the proper certification. In fact, had some people considered a qualified Doctor of Chiropractics as their first port of call when seeking chiropractic care in Atlanta they might well have saved themselves a lot of time and pain, not to mention money.  A chiropractic physician will first interview you to find out about your condition and general state of health, and will give you a physical examination.  

If deemed necessary, this could include x-ray examination and perhaps a laboratory analysis.  The whole objective of this is to get a good idea of your musculoskeletal structure and the nature of your condition.  However, they will also ask you questions about your diet, stress levels and other aspects of your life that could influence your medical and mental condition. In reaching a diagnosis a chiropractor will also try to establish a cause, or origin of the problem. It is always important to get to the root cause and deal with that rather than do as many physicians do and treat the symptoms.

That does not remove the problem, simply makes it less noticeable, but it will always still be there. Thus, the bulging disc will be treated, and not just the pain that it causes. The sciatic nerve that it is pinching in your spine might be the cause of the severe leg pain you are experiencing, and there is little point in treating the leg if the root problem lies elsewhere. Perhaps there is a misalignment of bones in your neck that is causing a problem in your arm. The chiropractor can adjust that alignment without surgery and cure the pain in your arm, even though it originates in your neck.

The chiropractor will try to find out what is causing the misalignment:  is it congenital, the result of an accident or your bad posture? By dealing with the cause of the misalignment, a repetition of it can be avoided, so not only are you having the pain in your arm fixed by tracing it to a bone misalignment in your neck perhaps pinching a nerve, but also the cause of the misalignment also rectified. That’s far preferable to giving you some painkillers and sending you home. If your chiropractor offers you painkillers as their first treatment, give them a wide berth. Sometimes they might be necessary but not before the condition has been thoroughly examined and a course of treatment set. Chiropractic treatment might involve regular massage, stretching exercises or even strengthening exercises so that your own muscles become strong enough to overcome the underlying problem. The initial step will be to reduce the pain or discomfort you feel, and that might happen quite quickly.  You might feel that you are being cured, but in fact it is only the symptoms that are being treated at this stage.  

Once you are feeling more comfortable, and are relatively free of pain, rehabilitation begins that involves dealing with the underlying cause of your discomfort. This could involve manipulative treatment and strengthening exercises so that your neuro-musculoskeletal system is functioning as it should be. After that your chiropractor will formulate a program of nutrition and exercise for you, designed to prevent the condition from recurring, and to improve your general well being and health.

All of this takes time, and in chiropractics it is a case of little and often.  Frequent small changes to skeletal alignment or other biomechanical aspects of your body will allow problems to be resolved at a proper rate.  Too fast and the changes will not have time to become permanent, and although they might appear to be effective, you will soon suffer a relapse.  Many people find that chiropractics work for them where the more traditional techniques have not, and if you suffer from musculoskeletal problems, or suffer back pain, disc problems or any form of neural pain, then you are advised to visit a Doctor of Chiropractics who will be experienced in dealing with your kind of problem. However, when seeking chiropractic care in Atlanta make sure that your choice is qualified and NACM certified.



Huntington Beach Chiropractor