Top Chiropractor in San Leandro, CA

San Leandro Chiropractor

Sciatica Pain or Subluxated Sacroilliac Joint Pain

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sciatica painLast month I had two patients who came to my clinic because they thought they had sciatica pain. One of the patients has self diagnosed himself and the other patient was diagnosed by a medical doctor. Both of these patients had excruciating pain in their lower back, which radiated down to a lower extremity. It is very common that many patients will wait for their pain to go away with rest, anti-inflammatory and pain medication. As a result, pain symptoms will get worse and get to the point where pain medications will stop working.

The first patient was a male in his early 60’s. He came to my clinic on his crutches. The pain level was so intense that he was not able to support his upper body. The pain would shoot all the way down his right lower extremity past the knee level but did not effect his toes.  After thorough examination it was evident that his right SI (sacroiliac joint) was about 2 inches lower than the left SI joint. All of the nerves that were exiting from sacral foraminas (openings) were very irritated and inflamed. Every time this gentleman would place a load on his legs he would cry and I could see tears of pain on his face. After three sessions of full spine chiropractic adjustment, physical therapy (moist heat and electrical stimulation) and deep tissue massage from my CMT (Certified Massage Therapist) he was completely free of pain. I have recommended him to stop by once or twice a month for maintenance care in order to avoid future flare up and pain.

The second patient was a female in her early 50’s. She has had very similar symptoms as the patient I have mentioned above. Her medical Doctor diagnosed her with sciatica and prescribed her pain medications, which eventually stopped working. The examination finding were very similar to a patient I have mentioned above, except the part that the pain symptoms were on a left side. The pain intensity was so great that it would wake her up at night. The treatment parameters were the same  with addition of stretching to her lower back and some dietary changes. She was also advised on taking more frequent brakes from prolonged sitting that her job required. After 4 sessions she was pain free and was advised on a once a month maintenance care.

Sciatica Pain and Misaligned Sacroiliac Joint are two conditions that can be misdiagnosed or misunderstood by patients and other medical care providers. It takes much longer for a patient with Sciatica nerve entrapment to respond to a care. Often times Sciatic Pain is presented in athletes with intense training. In conclusion I would like to say that it is important to treat the cause of the problem instead of masking it with pain killers and anti-inflammatory medications. The sooner the cause is fixed the faster the road to recovery is.

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Manipulation Under Anesthesia in San Francisco Bay Area

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Manipulation Under Anesthesia in San Francisco Bay AreaThere are thousands of people in the United States and Abroad who suffer from a chronic pain daily. They are tired of taking pain medications and yet they are not surgical candidates, or still have pain after the surgery that have already had. The good news for all those patients who suffer from pain and lack of mobility is that there is a non surgical solution to this problem. It is a simple and painless procedure that is offering a pain relief and restores range of motion. Manipulation Under Anesthesia also known as MUA is the solution to the problems to many neck, low back and shoulder chronic pain sufferers.

MUA is the procedure where manipulation of the spine or shoulder is performed in a surgical center under sedation. This procedure is one of the most effective methods of altering chronic pain conditions where chiropractors work together with medical doctors in order to achieve the best results possible. The techniques used in manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) have been described as low-velocity/high-amplitude in contrast to the usual chiropractic adjustment which is most commonly described as a high-velocity/low-amplitude thrust or “impulse.” The purpose of high-velocity technique is to overcome the conscious patient’s protective reflex mechanism which would prevent the separation and movement of the joints. In a joint manipulation, the articulation is moved through its entire passive range of motion and past the elastic barrier and into the paraphysiological space where joint cavitation occurs. Cavitation of the joint is an audible “report” signifying that the articulation has been distracted sufficiently to affect the physiology and function of that synovial joint.

Manipulation Under Anesthesia has been recognized and used in the manual therapy arena for over sixty years. It is a great procedure for those who do not respond to a traditional care or invasive surgical procedure.The MUA procedure continues to gain widespread support and recognition in the medical community and is helping to bring much-needed relief to a grater patient base than ever before.

A Doctor of Chiropractic with post graduate degree – Manipulation Under Anesthesia Certified with Hospital privileges would be a chiropractor who would perform this procedure. It is a rule that two chiropractors perform MUA procedure. First one is a primary doctor and the second one is an assistant. The reason why you need an assistant is because patient is unconscious and the assistant is supporting the body on one side while the other chiropractor is performing a manipulation and stretches. Then they switch sides. Manipulation Under Anesthesia is not only safe, but also highly successful in treating acute and chronic musculoskeletal conditions.

Who Is The Best Candidate for MUA?

Patients who have received conservative care for 6-8 weeks for their neck, mid-back, lower back and shoulder with very limited improvement in symptoms or findings. Also patients who still have pain after the surgery would also be the candidates for this procedure. Common indications for Manipulation Under Anesthesia include neck, middle and lower back pain, chronic muscle pain and inflammation, acute and chronic muscle pain and inflammation, acute and chronic muscle spasm, chronic fibrositis, nerve entrapment, disk pathology including herniated disks, torticollis and failed back surgery.

What is Manipulation Under Anesthesia Procedure Like?

MUA procedure is an ongoing process for three consecutive days. During these three days the patient is being treated in a surgery center under supervision on Board Certified Anesthesiologist and two Board Certified Chiropractors where spinal manipulative therapy and stretches are performed. After the procedure, treatment continues as strengthening and stabilization programs are initiated over the next few weeks in a chiropractic office. Post-Procedure care is a vital part of the MUA procedure. Follow-up visits with a Chiropractic Physicians are important at this time as the stretches accomplished during the MUA procedure are built upon, helping the patient to regain strength and prevent future pain and discomfort.

What Are The Effects of Manipulation Under Anesthesia Procedure?

The proposed effects of therapy include the following:

  1. Breaking up scar tissue (adhesions) both in and around the spinal joints, commonly caused by multiple injuries or failed back surgery.
  2. A decreasing chronic muscle spasm
  3. Overcoming super-sensitivity of injured areas, making the patient unable to cooperate for effective treatment
  4. Stretching persistent shortened muscles, ligaments and tendons
  5. Relief from pain and radiating symptoms caused by damaged invertebral discs.
  6. Most importantly however, Manipulation Under Anesthesia affords patients immediate relief and noticeable difference in their daily lives post-procedure. These positive results only continue to improve with time and post-MUA therapy.

Am I a Candidate for MUA?

Medical screening is an absolute necessity for each patient who is planning to get an MUA. Medical history and physical examination and where indicated, CBC blood studies, chest X-Rays, EKG’s and other diagnostic tests such as MRI or CT’s. Feel free to CONTACT us at our primary San Leandro Chiropractic Clinic at (510) 481-BACK (2225) and we will be more than happy to answer any of your questions.

Sincerely, Dr. Eduard Burt, D.C., MUAC  a.k.a Doctor of Chiropractic, Manipulation Under Anesthesia Certified.

Heart Attack or Thoracic Outlet Syndrome ?

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TOSToday’s post is about real case that have treated on Friday. I saw this patient over a year ago for severe neck pain and headaches. Patient’s problem was resolved with very good results. This morning patient’s husband calls and asks me to see his wife today as an emergency visit because she has numbness in her left upper extremity, loss of temperature in that extremity, and shooting pain. Over the phone he explained to me what has happened couple of days ago.

He took his wife to a near by Hospital Emergency Room suspecting that she had a heart attack. She had severe shooting pain in her left upper chest and shooting pain down her arm. In a Hospital medical Doctors performed a complete check up, including laboratory test and fancy CT- Scan diagnostic. After numerous hours they found nothing wrong with his wife and discharge her home with some pain medications. She was not very happy with an outcome since the symptoms were still there even with pain medications.

This morning I performed my examination and was trying to figure out what was wrong with this lady. First off all she always carries her heavy bag on her left shoulder with her belongings and belongings for her two young kids. That was a first sign that the problem was mechanical in nature and something was compressing her arteries and nerves. Her intercostal muscles between first and second ribs were extremely painful. Her left clavicle (look at the picture on a left) was out of alignment and did not have any movements during passive and active range of motion. Both of her rhomboid major and rhomboid minor muscles were very sore as well.

My Solution to This Problem:

I have diagnosed this lady with TOS. The first procedure was the electrical stimulation and moist heat. I used electrical stimulation on PAIN and CONSTANT settings for 15 minutes. Two pads were placed on her first and seconds intercostal spaces and two pads were placed around rhomboid major and minor muscles. Moist heat pack was placed in the same area for 15 minutes as well. Next, my massage therapist worked on her tight muscles for about 20 minutes or so. My CMT has informed that her entire left side is completely out of balance. Muscles were tight and patient was guarding during the massage which made her job a bit more difficult. But she got it done. After the massage I have performed full spine Chiropractic Adjustment ( that included cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine) and I have adjusted her first rib and clavicle on the left side.

I have called later on today to follow with this patient. Patient has informed me that she did not feel any pain since I saw her this morning. She has also informed me that she felt wave of heat coming into the left side of her body and left upper extremity.

The moral of this case: – please carry your heavy bags on both shoulders if you have too. Make sure that your kids’ backpacks are not too heavy and they carry them on both shoulders as well. Let’s start 2011 with a healthy habit.

Happy New Year !!!

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Sciatica Pain Relief and Chiropractic Treatment

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What is Sciatica?

SCIATIC NERVE AND CHIROPRACTICSciatica is not a medical condition in itself but rather a symptom of other medical problems. It refers to the pain, numbness, tingling or weakness felt in the legs as an effect of compression or injury of the sciatic nerve.

The pain is usually felt in the buttocks, lower back or at various parts of the patient’s leg including the foot. The pain is usually severe combined with weakness of the muscles as well as numbness and tingling sensation. This condition is usually felt only on one side of the patient’s body.

Treatment Options

The treatment for the symptoms depends on the problems that cause the symptoms. Sciatica can be caused by spinal disc hernia, spinal stenosis, pregnancy, piriformis syndrome and many other conditions. What’s important is that the patient gets a proper diagnosis of his or her problem in order to get the right treatment.

Treatments for this condition vary from taking pain medications to surgery. Anti-inflammatory medications and paracetamol are taken to relieve the pain experienced by the patient. If this isn’t enough, narcotics can also be used especially if the pain is already severe.  Steroid injections provide short-term relief and benefits as well. Acupuncture, physical therapy, massage therapy and chiropractic care are also great treatment for sciatica. Some also benefit from yoga sessions and weight loss to reduce the pressure on the nerve roots of the spine.

Chiropractic treatment

Sciatica is treatable by chiropractic care and most of the time, it responds positively after spinal adjustments on the patient’s lower lumbar vertebrae as well as on the sacroillac joints. Some types of nerve irritation respond much faster while some takes a little while depending on the severity of the case and especially if the symptoms are already chronic.

A type of sciatica that is very difficult to deal with even for a chiropractor is when there is an actual herniation of the patient’s intervebral disc. This causes extreme pain that even taking narcotics and analgesics won’t give enough relief for the patient.

Before considering a chiropractic treatment to aid in your symptoms, you must know that most spinal adjustments done can only provide you with short-term relief to pain. It really depends on what causes the symptoms of nerve irritation and you must consult with your health professional regarding the matter. Your local chiropractor would tell you if your problem that results to sciatica symptoms can be improved through chiropractic care.

The best way to get real pain relief the pain in this condition is to relieve the sciatic nerve of the pressure. Correcting the root of the problem is the best solution in order to completely recover from the injury. If you only want pain relief then it will only be a temporary solution. Finding the real source and correcting it would get rid of the symptoms for a long time. By permanently relieving pressure off the sciatic nerve is the best solution to the problem.

Question: Have you or anyone you know experienced Sciatica?  What kind of treatment have you had?