Low Back Pain is one of the most common ailments plaguing society today, and can be quite debilitating for some individuals. The low back is a particularly vulnerable area for discomfort since it supports the entire weight of the upper body. Low back pain can be caused by a variety of factors including poor posture, sudden or cumulative mechanical overload of muscles and joints, compression of nerve roots, and arthritic conditions. There are many pain sensitive biological tissues that can generate pain and discomfort in the low back. Symptoms can be anything from pain to stiffness, numbness, burning or sharp sensations, or all of the above. Common low back conditions treated in our office include: Disc bulges/herniations, lumbar facet syndrome, sacroiliac (SI) joint pain, sciatica, osteoarthritis, myofascial pain, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, mechanical low back pain, and degenerative disc/joint disease. Most chiropractic doctors would agree that this is the most common condition they treat, and with the best success.

 

Mid Back Pain may be caused by a number of things including, muscular strain and joint irritation, poor posture, or a mal-positioned rib. Mid back pain has the ability to travel to the front of the chest, and be aggravated by deep breaths.

 

Neck Pain can result from direct trauma or injury such as whiplash, or long-term overload of the joints and balancing muscles of the neck and upper back. Neck pain can be quite disabling for some individuals, with other dysfunctional symptoms arising such as loss of range of motion, headaches, sleep disturbances, and irritability.

 

Migraine and Tension Headaches. Headaches are a common problem experienced by many individuals everyday. They pose a significant economic strain on society, and can drastically affect an individuals activities of daily living. Headaches can have many causes, which may include tension, stress, structural dysfunction of the neck, genetics, hormonal imbalances, medications, food allergies and sensitivities. They may also be connected with prolonged visual or postural strain, stress, anxiety, and trauma.

 

Sciatica is a term used to describe a symptom rather than a diagnosis. Sciatica refers to inflammation of the sciatic nerve, which runs down the back of the thighs, and can cause considerable discomfort into the legs and feet. Inflammation of this nerve may be caused by a number of sources including: disc herniations, degeneration, spinal misalignment, and compression from surrounding tight muscles and joints that are not moving correctly. It should be noted that not all leg pain is caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve. Successful and effective treatment of Sciatica focuses on the true nature of the nerve irritation and addressing it directly. A doctor of chiropractic can help distinguish the true nature and cause of your leg pain, and offer successful treatment for this complaint.

 

Whiplash is a term used to describe an injury to the soft tissues of the neck and upper back, which occurs from a sudden and unexpected movement of the head in any direction, and the resultant rebound of the head or neck in the opposite direction. Whiplash injuries sometimes take hours to days to manifest post injury.

 

Disc Herniation. A disc herniation or "slipped disc" occurs when the jelly-like substance from within the intervertebral disc of your spinal column protrudes from its inner casing. This protrusion and resulting inflammation may irritate or put pressure on the surrounding nerves or spinal column causing tingling, pain, and weakness down the affected limb. The intervertebral disc can become dysfunctional because of trauma, repetitive mechanical stress, the effects of aging, and arthritic conditions of the spine. A disc herniation can occur in the neck and most often in the low back.

 

Muscle spasm and pain can result from overuse, excessive direct or cumulative load, sustained poor posture, or poor physical conditioning. Individuals will complain of pain, loss of ranges of motion and function. Almost always, muscular spasm and pain is accompanied by joint dysfunction and irritation that also needs to be addressed for full and complete resolution of the complaint.

 

Nerve Entrapments and "Pinched Nerves". Numbness, tingling, pain and weakness can arise from a variety of conditions including spinal misalignment, osteoarthritis, disc herniations, inflammation, and muscle spasms. All of these conditions involve nerve irritation or compression.

 

Postural Strain. A common condition seen in a chiropractic office. Patients usually complain of constant aching pain between the shoulder blades, upper and middle back and into the neck. The pain is often relieved with activity and made worse by working at a desk. If untreated for a long period of time, the altered mechanics, irritated joints and muscles associated with postural strain can lead to permanent anatomical changes and chronic pain.

 

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS). A complain of diffuse arm symptoms, including numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness. It is caused by mechanical dysfunction of the upper arm, neck, back, or forearm, where arteries and nerves may become trapped and/or irritated by anatomical structures. Common causes include tight muscles of the neck or shoulder and dysfunctional joints in these areas.

 

Shoulder Complaints. Many people suffer from shoulder complaints including: frozen shoulder, bursitis, impingement, tendonitis, shoulder separation and dislocation. Symptoms may include decreased and painful ranges of motion, pain with overhead movements, weakness, and problems with activities of daily living.

 

Rotator Cuff Injuries. A common shoulder injury, the rotator cuff involves four muscles that surround, support, and stabilize the shoulder joint. These muscles can become strained and irritated causing symptoms such as painful shoulder range of motion, shoulder weakness, and even aching into the upper arm and elbow.

 

Tennis Elbow or Lateral Epicondylitis. Tennis elbow is inflammation and/or strain of the tendon(s) that attach to the outside of the elbow. These tendons are responsible for bending or extending the wrist backward. This condition is usually associated with repetitive sport or occupational activity involving the wrist, elbow, and forearm. Individuals often report forearm weakness and elbow pain made worse by repetitive hand or gripping motions.

 

Golfers Elbow and Medial Epicondylitis. Golfers elbow is inflammation and or strain of the tendon(s) that attach to the inside of the elbow. These tendons are responsible for bending or flexing the wrist forward. This condition is most often caused by repetitive activity involving the wrist, elbow and forearm with individuals complaining of pain or weakness on gripping.

 

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome experience numbness and tingling in the hand, accompanied by a weakness in gripping. These symptoms are due to compression of the median nerve, which travels from the neck, through the muscles of your forearm and wrist, and into the hand. Compression of the median nerve may arise from inflammation of the tendons of the wrist, with direct injury or activities involving repetitive movements of the hand and wrist being common causes. In some cases, carpal tunnel symptoms can be caused by pregnancy, or other diseases such as thyroid disorders and rheumatoid arthritis. The key with chiropractic care is to determine the true cause of symptoms, and to treat the cause directly where possible.

 

Knee Conditions. The human knee takes on a great deal of mechanical stress. As a result, many people suffer from a variety of knee complaints including arthritis, bursitis, patello-femoral disorders, Osgoode Schlater's, chondromalacia, ligament sprains, ITB syndrome, and cartilage damage. These injuries may arise for any number of reasons, ranging from repetitive stress, abnormal mechanics, occupational and sport injuries, being overweight, and the normal aging process.

 

Iliotibial Band (ITB) Syndrome. The illiotibial band is a superficial thickening of tissue on the outside of the thigh, extending from the outside of the pelvis, over the hip and knee, and inserting just below the knee. ITB syndrome is a condition where the ITB is stretched and twisted causing it to rub against part of the knee causing irritation during activity or movement.

 

Piriformis Syndrome. The piriformis is a muscle that runs from the tailbone to the outer hip, deep below the more superficial gluteal muscles. The sciatic nerve travels in close proximity to this muscle, and in 15% of the population travels right through the muscle. Lower back and mechanical pelvic dysfunction may contribute to tightening of this muscle and subsequent buttock and leg pain from irritation of the sciatic nerve. Anyone can be affected, but more often individuals who participate in athletic activity and sedentary individuals who spend a great deal of time sitting as part of their occupation are predisposed to this condition.

 

Shin Splints are caused by overusing the lower leg or by using it incorrectly. Inadequate stretching, warm-up or exercise technique will increase the chances of shin splints. The soft tissue becomes inflamed due to the stress that has been put on the shin. This area is enclosed in a compartment and if the tissue swells, there is no place for the swelling to go so the pressure increases. The increased pressure makes it hard for the blood to flow freely and the net result is a deep pain and sometimes tingling, numbness or weakness that is often worse with weight-bearing. This condition is also sometimes referred to as compartment syndrome.

 

Bursitis. Bursa are fluid-filled sacs that surround many joints in the body and function to allow smooth motion between tendons. Any condition that leads to altered mechanics and irritation around a joint can contribute to inflammation, pain and bursitis. Joints most commonly affected in the body include the shoulder, elbow, hip and knee.

 

Achilles Tendonitis a condition where the achilles tendon, at or near its insertion into the heel, becomes inflamed and causes pain. Usually the cause is overuse, strain or improper biomechanics.

 

Plantar Fasciits, Heel Spurs and Arch PainPlantar fasciitis is characterized by pain on the sole or arch of the foot, especially in the heel at the hindfoot. It is caused when the soft tissue fascia of the foot becomes torn, inflamed or over-stretched. It is often precipitated by an acute injury, prolonged or excessive pronation, or even a change in footwear. Prolonged and repeated pulling of the fascia can lead to the development of heel spurs, with or without pain. Typically, the discomfort is more noticeable first thing in the morning after getting out of bed or after rising from a prolonged seated position.

 

Sprains and Strains. Sprains occur when joint ligaments are damaged, and strains occur when muscles are injured. In reality, they go hand in hand. When a ligament or muscle is injured the joints in the area are usually affected. During the initial stage of sprain or strain, an individual may complain of pain, stiffness, and loss in range of motion and function. Muscular dysfunction and joint irritation and dysfunction need to be addressed simultaneously for full and complete resolution of sprains and strains.

 

Tendonitis refers to any inflammatory condition of the tendons in the body. Tendons are the dense fibrous bands of connective tissue that attach muscle to bone. These structures can become injured from trauma or repetitive use with the end result being pain, weakness, and a loss of motion around a joint.

 

Osteoarthritis a common condition that affects many individuals, also frequently referred to as degeneration. Osteoarthritis is characterized by a gradual breakdown of the cartilage that protects joints in your body. Synovial fluid, which helps to lubricate the joints like oil, also reduces its production. Genetics, aging, cumulative biomechanical stress, injury and trauma are some of the factors that contribute to cartilage breakdown. Bone deformities called osteophytes or "bone spurs" occur in conjunction with cartilage breakdown. Individuals often complain of joint pain and stiffness, and reduced ranges of motion.

 

Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain. Individuals suffering from this disorder typically also experience fatigue, sleep disturbances and headaches.

 

TMJ Dysfunction or syndrome is a popular term to describe a disorder of the jaw joints or the muscles that control the joints. TMJ syndrome occurs when the joint is misaligned or functioning improperly. Symptoms include headache, jaw pain, sinus problems, an inability to open the jaw and a clicking and/or popping sound when the mouth opens or closes.

 

Pregnancy Related Conditions. Pregnancy is a time of tremendous musculoskeletal, physical, and emotional change. Chiropractic care during pregnancy can be of great benefit to deal with structural complaints arising from a women's changing center of gravity, and hormonal changes which will make joint structures, namely ligaments, more flexible. These physical changes put increased stress and pressure on spinal discs, muscles, and nerves.

 

Ergonomic Posture and Related Problems. Ergonomics is a relatively new science that involves fitting a job to the physical limitations and characteristics of the worker. It becomes an issue when workers are exposed to repetitive motions, force, awkward posture, or overexertion of certain muscles and joints. For the most part these injuries may be very subtle in their initial stages but can progress to more serious conditions, such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, if not addressed early on. 

 

Repetitive Strain Injury. Performing a certain task over and over again such as typing, lifting, bending or twisting causes these injuries. The same muscles and joints are used which eventually results in pain, weakness, and dysfunction in those areas. Examples of repetitive strain injuries include, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, golfers elbow, rotator cuff tendonitis, and jumper's knee.

 

Stress and Chronic Fatigue. Stress and chronic fatigue are common symptom complaints that usually underlie a larger condition or problem. Our centre can offer alternative approaches to managing stress and chronic fatigue, especially if these conditions are of structural origin or can be addressed through lifestyle modifications such as diet, sleep, exercise, nutritional supplementation and stress management. Whenever possible, our healthcare team will aim to determine the cause of your stress and chronic fatigue to help you address these complaints naturally. If we deem the possible cause of your complaints to be outside of our healthcare teams scope of practice, we will refer you to the appropriate health care discipline.

 

Wellness and Preventative Care. The absence of symptoms does not necessarily indicate that we are healthy. This is why chiropractic patients throughout the years have taken a proactive role in their health and benefited from maintenance and preventative care. This type of chiropractic care is voluntary and given at pre-determined regular intervals. It is designed to maintain maximum health and promote optimal function. Through communication and education, we also provide our patients with practical knowledge to help them manage their structural complaints.