Top Chiropractor in San Leandro, CA

San Leandro Chiropractor

Chiropractic Questions and Chiropractor Answers

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CHIROPRACTIC QUESTIONS ANSWERSChiropractic Questions and Chiropractor Answers

Question #25 

Lower back pains !!!? 

I work an eight hour shift almost every day and stand on my feet constantly. My work duties require me lifting heavy objects. I always try to lift with my legs and not my back. However, lately the lower right side of my back has been killing me. It is very painful to sit, so I stand more or lay down when I get the chance. What can I do to lessen the pain?

Answer: 

From my professional standpoint it appears that you might have an overuse or repetitive soft tissue injury. That might involve sprained tendons and strained musculature around the lumbar spine. Also herniated disc and subluxated lumbar vertebral level can also be contributing factors for the pain. I would suggest that you take some time off of work and see your local chiropractor who has physical therapy equipment and massage therapist in the office. The time off of work will allow your body to avoid farther soft tissue damage and proper rehabilitation will expedite the healing process. Hope it answered your question

 

Question #26 

What’s wrong with my ankle(s)? 

Last year during volleyball practice, I dove and twisted my ankle. Ever since it has been weird. I’ve had really flat feet since I was a little kid, and my ankles always hurt because of that. i don’t wear very supportive shoes, but even when I do it doesn’t help. I went to a podiatrist a few months ago, and he diagnosed me with an excessively flexible flat foot. Strange. I use an ace bandage on my ankle, but to no avail. Nothing has made it feel better. It hurts off and on, though, and when it hurts it hurts a lot. I think I sprained it that day, and since I have bad feet, it just never healed. Do you think that’d what happened? Also, do you recommend for me to get those sport supports you put on your ankles with your shoes while playing? Thanks in advance. Also, I’m kind of an injury magnet 😀 never broken anything, but I always seem to be hurting myself

Answer: 

You are correct about sprain injury to your ankle. When this happens the soft tissue needs a proper rehabilitation in order to prevent scar tissue formation. Most likely you did not have any rehabilitation at all thus is the reason for the pain. At this point it is in chronic stage and will require some time to fix it. Deep tissue massage and active/passive ROM will help. As to your second question about ankle support – you can use it if it does not interfere with your game and running pattern. The most important thing is keeping your gate normal.

 

Question #27

Tingling in my left leg, please help?

 

It started with lower back problem where i could sit down for a period of time, couldnt bend over or put on my socks. This happened overnight. This lasted for 5 months then I woke up with tingling and pain on my left butt cheek all the way down my leg. All of this has lasted for 8 months now and wont go away. Have been through 3 X-rays, and 3 Physical Therapist and nothing. They refuse to give me an MRI. They keep saying it’s a weak core but I know it’s not because I can do advanced core exercises with not problem. I believe my muscle is pinching my sciatic nerve. Can someone please shed some light on this for me?

Answer:

X-Rays will not show soft tissue problem. What you need is an MRI, but it looks like your ignorant doctors refuse to authorize it. Sounds like a Kaiser type of therapy. Physical therapy will not help either at this point and time as strengthening injured musculature and soft tissue is only going to make things worse. Get a second opinion about your problem. I am afraid if you are attached to a particular treatment facility your only option would be paying out of your own pocket and figure out what is going on. I think finding a local neurologist or a chiropractor would be my first step. It all depends on what kind of treatment you would prefer for this kind of problem. It could be Sciatica but it could also be Sacroilliac Joint misalignment.

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Ultrasound Therapy and Chiropractic Rehabilitation

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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?

Frozen Shoulder Syndrome and Chiropractic Rehabilitation in San Leandro, CA

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frozen shoulder

Frozen Shoulder Syndrome and Chiropractic Rehabilitation

Frozen shoulder (FS),medically referred to as adhesive capsulitis, is a disorder in which the the connective tissue surrounding the glenohumeral joint, becomes inflamed and stiff, and grows together with abnormal bands of tissue, called adhesions, greatly restricting motion and causing chronic pain. Some people experiencing this kind of problem don’t go for any forms of treatment in order to gain back the motion of their joints. The condition will get better eventually without treatment but it will take a very long time to do so. The pain and the reduced Range of Motion without any form of treatment means only one thing, you won’t be able to function to a full capacity. The more you try to move your joint, the more pain you will experience. Therefore, it is best to seek treatment for pain control. There several options for patients who have frozen shoulder pain:

1. Oral and Injectible Steroids

2.Hydrodilation and Hydroplasty

3. Chriopractic rehabilitation with Physical Therapy

4. Manipulation Under Anesthesia

Frozen shoulder(FS) is more common for people between the ages of 40 and 60. If you have diabetes, you are more prone to experiencing frozen shoulders as around 20% of diabetic patients also suffer from this condition at one point. Though, the actual causes of FS are still inconclusive but there are risk factors that may increase your chances of suffering from this condition. The conditon is twice more common in women than men. If you are between the ages of 40 and 60 and female who has diabetes, you have a higher risk of acquiring a frozen shoulder. Endocrine problems also increase your chance of experiencing a frozen shoulder. If you have Parkinson’s disease, you are also at a higher risk of suffering from a FS. Lastly, if you suffered from a shoulder injury or trauma and you immobilized your shoulder joints for a long period of time, you have the highest risk of developing a frozen shoulder.

According to health professionals who treat FS, the condition generally follows a course of three stages:

  • Stage one: a slow onset of pain, and the shoulder gradually loses the range of motion. This stage can last from six weeks to nine months.
  • Stage two: a slow improvement in pain relief, with stiffness remaining. This stage can last from four to nine months.
  • Stage three: a “thawing” as shoulder slowly regains motion and pain is relieved. This stage can last from five to 26 months.

There are two options for a treatment of FS: nonsurgical and surgical treatment. As a rule of thumb, the health care professional would advise the least invasive treatment first before they ask for a surgical intervention. For nonsurgical treatment there are chiropractic care and physical therapy, manipulation under anesthesia, as well as pain control using steroid medication.

Chiropractic care is a successful method in easing the frozen shoulder pain. Doctors of Chiropractic use TENS units, Ultraound, Erchonia Cold Laser PL 5000, stretching, educating patients about lifestyle change and diet.  The length of time spent on the chiropractic treatment depends on the severity of the condition. If the pain is more advance it can take months to rehabilitate the shoulder. Chiropractic can limit the devastating effects of all forms of physical disability such as FS. At this point research into its cause remains inconclusive.

As a general rule, prevention is better than cure. With chiropractic care, you can prevent FS even before it sets in. When you start feeling a slight pain in your shoulder area, you can try chiropractic care to avoid the stiffening of the joint that causes extreme pain and immobilization. If prevention is unsuccessful, treating the frozen shoulder with chiropractic care requires the use of modalities, chiropractic adjustmnts and deep tissue massage. This treatment is used to manage the pain, inflammation and increase range of Motion.

In the majority of cases, chiropractic involves few risks and has been proven beneficial in treating a FS syndrome. Reputable chiropractic professionals will assure their patients of the best program to follow in maintaining optimum physical movement and a quality life.