Patients Questions and Dr. Burt’s Answers #14-#18

October 8, 2010 by drburt

Do you think I have a concussion?

I was at cheer practice yesterday, and we were staging, and I guess I got hit in the face somehow. I don’t remember any of it. I barely remember anything that happened yesterday afternoon. I don’t remember the incident, or any of the rest of practice. It hurts a lot. I was knocked to the ground, I was told, and the next thing I remember is sitting on the ground holding my head.

It is still swollen a little, I’ve been dizzy since it happened, and it has been about 29 hours later, I still have a bad headache, even though I am on numerous ibuprofen, and I keep saying bazaar things. I am mixing up words, and saying things that don’t make any sense. I feel really dizzy still, and it is hard to concentrate, and I have a lack of motivation to do my work (when normally I used to do everything to the dot and on time. all a -student.) but now, I am irritable, and I feel confused. But I don’t know about what.
My mom won’t take me to the doctor, even though my coach thinks I have a concussion. She thinks “ill be fine”.

What should I do?

Answer:

In my professional opinion I think you most likely had a concussion. The only way to find out how serious is to go to a Hospital and get CT Scan done of your brain. Your mother must take your complaints seriously. If she does not listen, you must go to your school’s nurse and have her evaluate you. If necessary she will refer you out to a specialist. Dizziness, difficulty concentrating, confusion are all signs of a concussion. Please do not delay seeing a specialist ASAP.

I have a migraine, how do I get rid of it ?

Hello , I have a painful migraine . I got it today around 5:30 pm , it is now 7:52 pm where I live its not as painful anymore , now it feels like a regular headache but it still hurts and I want it to go away. We have no Advil or Tylenol in my house & my mom cant get any because she is sick as well .
Do you have any home remedies? or what ?
My birthday is Friday & I would hate for me to still have one .
I remember I had one migraine that lasted a whole week when I was little 🙁 & I hope it doesn’t happen it again .

So any home remedies ? Or what should I do?
Thanks.

Answer:

Since your mother is sick I assume she will not take you to a local Chiropractor to have your neck checked. At this point and time I would recommend you to educate yourself about migraine headaches – taking into consideration that it is migraine and you can use some stretches that will help to reduce the stress in the musculature of your cervical spine. Please read the following

1. Exercises For Cervical Strain

2. Headache Secrets Revealed and Chiropractic Care

3. C1 Vertebral Level and Chiropractic http://bit.ly/aIqkiQ

4.C2 Vertebral Level and Chiropractic http://bit.ly/cVFc8r

How To Get Better Sleep?

Every time I wake up, I always have a stiff neck. I have tried to lessen the amount of pillows…same result, even if I sleep with 10 pillows it is still stiff in the morning. I have also tried icing it down while I sleep. Please help. Thanks a lot!

Answer:

This is an advice that I usually give to my patients who have similar problem. Your pillow width must match the width of your shoulder base. In plain English – junction of your neck and shoulder and junction of your upper extremity and a shoulder. The width of your of a shoulder base must match the width of the pillow width after you place your head on it. This will insure that your cervical spine is in neutral position all night long. Neutral position of the cervical spine will insure that you don’t have a sore neck in the morning or during a sleep. It would be a great idea if you could go see a local CMT for your strained muscles

How to get rid of constipation?

I am always constipated and its really annoying because I always feel like I need to go but can’t 🙁 I’m fed up of it now…I spoke to my doctor about it recently and she said that it is because of the pills I have taken but basically she didn’t care & just told me take a laxative. but I don’t really want to take them anymore because I was constipated for about a month not long ago and I took them everyday for about 1-2 weeks and they didn’t even work as well as they should have. It’s really embarrassing as well because every time I go my belly makes these really loud rumbling sounds *sighs. I eat so healthy I could never squeeze in anymore salad & veg but I also eat a lot of take always help?
Oh and I heard that drinking water helps is that true because barley drink more than a can of diet coke a day.

Answer:

First of all you need to stop drinking diet coke. Diet coke contains Aspartate (Artificial Sugar) which is known as damaging neurotransmitters in your central and peripheral nervous system. Plain water is the best way to go.

You must go see you local chiropractor and have your L1 Vertebral Level Checked. When the peripheral nerve at this vertebral level is not functioning properly one of the symptoms is constipation. Just remember there is a cause to every problem. Laxative is not a solution. Please read this post for better understanding of your problem –

Relationship of The Nervous System And Spine To Organs … read more

What is wrong with my ankle?

Ever since Saturday (it is now Wednesday) my ankle has been really swollen. I’m a runner and run anywhere from 3-5 miles daily. It also feels creaky when I try to roll it around, what is wrong? I’ve had lactic acid build up in the past, but it wasn’t like this, could it be the lactic acid again? Should I stop running on it? Because I was told that you should keep exercising when you have lactic acid build up…

Answer:

Swollen ankle usually indicates that there is sprain or strain of the soft tissue in your ankle. It usually happens to runners. I would suggest that you go see a local Chiropractor who has Physical Therapy modalities and Certified Massage Therapist as a staff member.

Please read this post – Ankle Injury and Rehabilitation Options …read more

Ultrasound Therapy and Chiropractic Rehabilitation

September 17, 2010 by drburt

When people hear the word “ultrasound” the first thing that comes to mind is the ultrasound from the OB-GYN where you can view a 2-dimensional or 3-dimensional image of what’s inside your tummy. But, this therapy is not this type of ultrasound as it is a therapeutic procedure that uses sound waves in treating injuries such as with soft tissues, muscles or joints.

The sound waves would vibrate at a frequency that is higher than the range that human ears could hear and it provides a mechanical vibration that provides a micro-massage. I can either be a thermal or non thermal application at frequencies ranging from 0.72 MHz to 3 MHz.

Ultrasound therapy had been used as a treatment for years for musculoskeletal injuries as it helps in rapidly healing the injured tissue as well as decreasing the pain. However, it is underutilized despite its great potential and this is because of a few factors including the lack of education for therapists to use this treatment. The technique in using this treatment is very specific and some therapists are reluctant as they have been disappointed with previous outcomes which may have been a result of their insufficient training regarding ultrasound therapy.

Therapists must understand how this treatment works in order to get the desired outcome. The potential for success is increased as you combine the knowledge, correct technique and pathology of injury. Things that should be considered by the therapists to ensure a maximum effect for patients are the factors that would affect the absorption of the muscles, hemoglobin and fat, the physiology as well as the delivery process and contraindications for this treatment.

The basic benefits of the ultrasound therapy includes an increased in the elasticity of the collagen found in joint capsules, tendons and scar tissues; an increase in the motor as well as the sensory nerve conduction that helps in reducing the pain; the increase in blood flow; the reduction of muscle spasm from an altered contractile activity of the skeletal muscle; and the muscle spasm reduction through the reduction of the activity of the muscle spindle.

US therapy is just one of the treatments that must be considered in treating musculoskeletal injuries. Other treatments to be considered are electromagnetic radiation, hot packs, electrical stimulation, massage, cryotherapy, heat therapy, Erchonia Cold Laser PL 5000 and exercise. The choice really depends on the therapist and with the type of injury and the location of the injury as well as the condition of the patient.

There certain contraindications. If the patient has these medical conditions then this treatment must be avoided. Medical conditions include malignancy, pregnancy, myositis ossificans, circulatory insufficiency, acute infection, sepsis (severe) infection. Also, if the injury is situated over the heart, spine, eyes, testes, growing bones, carotid sinuses, epiphyseal plates, cervical stellate ganglion, pacemaker or vagus nerve then ultrasound therapy must also be avoided.

Precautions must also be observed for hypersensitivity to the treatment, area of the tendon repair, cemented prosthesis, or of reduced in circulation and with the diminished sense of pain and change in temperature or the lack of it. This type of therapy is available in our office for rehabilitation of our injured patients.

Question: Have you ever experienced ultrasound therapy while rehabilitating your injury?

Patient’s Questions Dr. Burt’s Answers #6-#13

September 13, 2010 by drburt

Does sitting up straight really help you?

If you sit straight (back straight, legs in front of you, shoulders back) does it help you in later life? Or will you get a hunch back?

Answer:

Please read these articles. These two posts describe everything you need to know about the posture.

Why is Posture So Important and 96 Tips for a Perfect Posture

Back Pain/Lower back joint grinding?

Hello, I have a curve in my spine, and also have arthritis in my lower spine. For the last year or so I have been having really bad grinding noises in my lower back when I move my hips back and forth—if I lay on my side and stretch and move you can feel this as well. It’s kind of painful with a lot of grinding and popping. I have posted this before with no success only scams–so please any help would be great as I don’t have any medical insurance and I don’t want to go to M.D. if this is something everyone feels?!

Answer:

The symptoms you are experiencing correlate with symptoms of someone having osteoarthritis in the spine. The presence of scoliosis (curve in my spine) is most likely a contributing factor over a long period of time. I don’t know your age but is sounds that you have had it for a very long time. Lack of proper biomechanics in your lower back (lumbar spine) took its toll on your vertebral joints and proper articulations of each vertebrae. I would suggest for you to go see a specialist in your area ASAP. Doctor of Chiropractic would be the first choice – he/she has X Ray machine in the office and will be able to determine how advanced is the stage of osteoarthritis. If things went beyond the point where chiropractor can’t help your next choice should be an Orthopedist. My advise was given on a description of the problem that was provided in your question. I hope you feel better.

Leg pain after soccer practice?

My friend has bad leg pains. In her soccer practice she kicked the soccer ball full power at the same time as someone else did (and they are the best on the team btw…) and now when she steps with it she feels a rush of pain. But when she stretches like by pulling it towards her it does not hurt as much. Do you know what the problem is??? Is it serious?!?!?

Answer:

It sounds like your friend has sprain/strain in her leg. Since you do not provides specific region of the leg I will use general terms. When she applied a weight load on her leg injured muscles and tendons react to the load by sending painful signals to the brain. Basically pain is the way your body communicates with your brain by letting you know that something is wrong and you should do something about it. When your friend is stretching she does not feel as much pain and probably she feels better after the stretch. I would have your friend to see a local Certified Massage Therapist and get several session of deep tissue massage around painful area. Massage will help to repair soft tissue fibrosis and will enhance the healing process. The sooner she does it the easier it is going to be to fix the problem. Hope your friend feels better.

Is my sprained ankle good to go?

I sprained my ankle a little over a month ago and it has been starting to feel better. It now has a full range of motion and everything but when I run and jump around on it, it still feels a little sore. The pain is definitely tolerable but I’m worried I could be making things worse. Is this normal or do I still need to give it more time?

Answer:

Hello. The last sentence of your question tells me that you did not have any rehabilitation done to your ankle after you have injured it. That is basically the cause of your pain. During sprain injury your ligaments and tendons are being over stretched. During the passive healing process the soft tissue fibrosis is forming. In basic English that means that scar tissues around injured ligaments and tendons are being formed. These fibrotic tissue is very painful and will not go away on its own without proper rehabilitation. You could see your local Chiropractor, Massage Therapist or Acupuncturist with combination of Physical Therapy modalities. Please read more here

My ankle has been swollen for months?

I suffered an inversion sprain in March and it is now 5 months later but it still looks fat. I can run, sprint, jump and all that good stuff no problem, its just the physical appearance of the ankle that confuses me. Why is it still fat?? What can I do to get rid of it?

Answer:

Most likely you have fluid retention or there is still an inflammation after your injury. I would suggest for you to go see your Family Doctor and have him/her order X Rays and MRI of your ankle. This will help to figure what is going on with your ankle.

Another option is to try rehabilitation process. Please see an answer above with some additional information. I hope this helped to answer your question. Have a great day.

Is my hand fractured?

So earlier today I was taking my curtain down and I guess my hand came to close to my ceiling fan and the back of it got hit. It hurt so bad and now I am left with a few scars, a swollen hand and moving my fingers isn’t to easy. The one that hurts the most to bend is the middle finger. Should I go to the doctor or just keep icing it?

Answer:

Most definitely please go see a Doctor ASAP. The fact that you have difficulties moving your fingers is not a very good sign. The presence of a fracture is possible. Please see your PCP and have hand X Rayed. If you have a fracture your doc will cast it for however long is necessary. If it is not fractured please get some rehabilitation of your hand from a Certified Massage Therapist, Chiropractor or Acupunturist.

Hip pain/Lower back pain after running, playing basketball, weight training?

So last year I was playing basketball, and another teammate jumped and his butt landed on my hip/lower back. After that I could barely play. Pain went away after a few days. So I kept playing all last year and pain would come and go.

This year in another basketball tournament, after not playing for months, I played and pain was killing me, I played through pain for a game but I couldn’t handle it anymore.

Now every time I run at gym or lift some heavy weights, hip/lower back starts hurting for a couple of days. Went to Back to a Doctor. He gave me none inflammatory pills but didn’t really help.

I constantly feel a pinch in right hip after seating at work for 8 hours.

What could it be? I will be starting Police Academy in the next 6 months or so. I don’t want this to be a problem.

Answer:

Sorry about your agonizing pain. I am pretty sure you are tired of taking anti inflammatory pills as by now most likely they stopped working anyway and your pain level has gone up. It is very common to have lower back and Sacroilliac Joint being injured during sport acitivies. The fact that you teammate landed on your hip tells me that excessive force was used to misaligned your Lumbosacral and Sacroilliac Joints. You MUST go see your local Chiropractor ASAP. Have him/her adjust your entire spine, use some PT modalities and get deep tissue massage. Make sure that Chiropractor that you choose has everything in the office – I mean PT modalities and Certified Massage Therapist. Please read more about lower back pain here.

Understanding Chiropractic Care

September 10, 2010 by drburt

Chiropractic profession promotes holistic care with main focus on maintaining proper physical vertebral alignment in order to maintain a good health. It is a scientific fact that structural imbalances could lead to nervous system dysfunction and lead to a variety of symptoms such as pain, aches, discomforts and other conditions. The goal of care is to restore the body to its maximum potential without drugs or surgery. Doctors of Chiropractic check the physiological function of neuromusculoskeletal system by utilizing orthopedic and neurological exams. Besides specific chiropractic adjustment, therapies such as massage, moist heat, electric stimulation, ultrasound, and Erchonia PL 5000 Laser can be utilized in order to restore a balance to the system. Diet and exercise advise can be given to a patient by a Doctor of Chiropractic.

CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENT:

Chiropractic use controlled forces, called adjustments, when there are restrictions around joints that the body is unable to overcome itself. Such barriers include scar tissue and pain, swelling (edema), and muscle spasm.

Chiropractic examination helps to discover joints with limited range of motion weather they are painful or not. Specific chiropractic adjustment applied to a subluxated (restricted) joint can restore range of motion when the body’s own musculature cannot.

Adjustments help to relieve pain, as well as, restore and maintain normal movement, biomechanics and function.

The controlled force of chiropractic adjustments safely generates the energy required to overcome such limitations or restrictions and bring the joint back to its normal and full range of motion.

CHIROPRACTIC PROMOTES HEALTH NATURALLY:

The goal of chiropractic care is to bring back and retain the health of the whole person and not just treat separate symptoms or diseases.

Chiropractic care is not focusing on illness, instead it personalizes the care and helps to achieve maximum potential for a patient’s well being and improves the quality of human life.

Chiropractic care is focused at restoring and maintaining normal structure, nervous system function, joint and muscle.

RESTORING FUNCTION AND CHIROPRACTIC CARE:

Function means the ability to perform everyday activities of daily living as well as work activities. It includes range of motion, coordination, strength and flexibility.

Improving function is the key to long term pain relief. When function is not restored completely, any pain relief is temporary and accelerates the risk factor of chronic pain return. Good functioning joints do not have any pain, perform better and are not likely to get injured or degenerate. Bottom line – Chiropractic helps to minimize the pain and maximize the function.

BENEFITS AND GOALS OF CARE:

The benefits of Chiropractic care include good function, tissue healing and pain relief.

Each patient will require different frequency and different amount of time to achieve each of these goal

When pain is gone it does not mean that soft tissue has healed completely nor that the function has been restored.

It takes much longer time for soft tissue restoration vs. pain relief. It takes much longer time to restore the function vs. for tissue to heal.

Chiropractors carefully monitor pain, tissue healing and function using specific outcome measures to know when a patient has achieved maximum benefit and it is time to end care or shift to a prevention/wellness program.

CHIROPRACTIC, MOTION AND NUTRITION OF DISCS AND JOINTS:

Maintaining good motion is critical to the survival of discs and joints. A vertebral joint that can not move is not able to nourish itself. A healthy exchange of nutrients and wastes only occurs by physically pumping fluids into and out of the disc via spinal motion because discs and cartilage have no blood supply – process called imbibition. Movement stirs fluid through joints, washing nutrients in and waste products out. Lack of motion may lead to poor nutrition and disc degeneration.

The discs in the spine live because of the movement. Doctor of Chiropractic locates joints that have restricted range of motion, whether they are painful or not, and specific adjustments and exercises help restore and maintain normal motion and nutrition.

This post was based on Dr. Malik Slosbergs’s research.

Question: Did this article help you to understand what is the goal of chiropractic care?