Not all pain means you call the doctor. In sports injuries there’s a very good rule of thumb – a relative scale by which to grade the severity of an injury. Here it is from least to worst. Use this as a rule of thumb but even if the pain is minor, if it doesn’t go away in 3 days call our office at 860-620-9523 to be evaluated.

Calling the doctor for minor pain is ineffective and costly. Least bad is an injury that hurts only when you’re doing your sport. If you’re a football player, your recently sustained injury only hurts when you get tackled, for instance.

Next is an injury that hurts when you’re doing your sport or another type of exercise. The football injury also hurts when you’re doing aerobics on the elliptical machine, for example.

Next in severity is an injury that also hurts when you’re doing regular physical activity, such as walking to the store.

Worst of all is an injury that hurts not only when you’re active but also when you’re resting. Pain at rest is usually an indication that the injury needs to be evaluated by your chiropractor or your family doctor. Other levels of injuries may need to be seen by your chiropractor or family doctor, but when you have pain at rest, pick up the phone right away. Go to our website at www.southingtonchiropractor.com to find out how we can help you.

In my Chiropractic office, I constantly hear people complain about their lack of energy.  Most Americans skip breakfast, grab a cup of coffee and a muffin at the local chain store, and hit the office vending machines for an extra boost of “energy” (code word for sugar) in the late morning.

I try to explain to my Chiropractic patinets what the results of that habit is in regards to their energy levels.  The long-term result of these morning habits is blood sugar levels that fluctuate wildly throughout the day. Insulin levels spike and drop in tandem with blood sugar levels, and over time many people develop “insulin resistance”. The next likely stage is developing type 2 diabetes, a chronic disease with many potentially severe consequences.

Blood sugar and insulin highs and lows leave a person’s body worn out and with minimal energy. Much energy is wasted in compensating for these metabolic swings, and people wonder why they “have no energy”. Without knowing the real cause, people actually make things worse by loading up on candy and nutrient-depleted carbohydrates as they attempt to gain sufficient energy to get done the work they need to do.

The good news is healthful energy sources are available. One important energy source is making the time to eat a real breakfast. That probably means getting up 15 minutes earlier. But the benefits of those 15 minutes are huge. A half-cup of real oatmeal combined with a pear or quarter-cup of blueberries provides servings of valuable protein and complex carbohydrates. Your body uses this nutrition to provide you with energy for the next two to three hours.

That’s all it takes to have an energy-filled morning. If you eat similarly smart meals at lunch and in the late afternoon you’ll have as much energy as you need for a highly productive day.

Looking for new ways to treat muscle spasms are important in any Chiropractic office.  Muscle spasms have been historically treated with heat, electrical stimulation and or ultrasound. And this can be effective to a certain degree. But there are new ways to treat spasms that we use in our Chiropractic office.

New ways to treat muscle spasms inclue using the bodies own neurologic and physiologic mechanisms to reduce the spasms. What that means is that our bodies understand that while spasms can be protective, they are not something that should continue and we have inborn ways of reducing them.

One of the new ways we use to treat muscle spasms is called reciprocal inhibition. This uses the theory that by contracting one muscle it will relax the opposite muscle. For example, by contracting the biceps arm muscle, the triceps muscle in the back of the arm relaxes. We frequently use this and other similier techniques to relax the hamstring muscles which can help with back pain.

If you have pain that is not responding to typical treatments feel free to contact us or visit our web site at www.southingtonchiropractor.com for more information.

Many people suffer from CTS (Carpal Tunnel Syndrome) and unfortunately, avoid prompt treatment and often ignore the initial symptoms of numbness or tingling in the hand(s). These early symptoms are typically not too alarming and hence, they often do not raise the level of concern until more intense symptoms occur; such as waking up from sleep due to numbness, dropping items, difficulty buttoning clothing, needing to switch hands when driving, difficulty writing, typing, knitting, as well as work related pain. There may also be fear of job loss associated with CTS, especially in these hard economic times with frequent lay offs, prompting CTS sufferers to postpone initial care. Unfortunately, delaying treatment is associated with a longer recovery time when compared to prompt management which usually results in a quicker, less complicated and more satisfying recovery.

There are many causes and contributing factors of CTS. The most prevalent cause is mechanical irritation from simply moving the hands too fast for too long, without enough rest. Another risk factor is age (over 50 years old). In this era of an aging workforce, this may be a significant issue. Fast, repetitive movements of the arms and hands are often a direct cause and can be appreciated by watching someone knit rapidly and/or performing line work using fast, repetitive movements. If the hands/wrists have to bend in awkward positions to accomplish a work task, or if a tool that is frequently used places pressure in the palm of the hand, these can also contribute to the onset or perpetuation of CTS. Other conditions can also contribute to CTS including inflammatory arthritis like rheumatoid, diabetes, pregnancy, the use of birth control pills, obesity and hypothyroidism.

The management of CTS is case specific, and is dependant on which of the above mentioned causes or contributors are present. Management of any metabolic disorder such as diabetes or hypothyroid is important, especially compliance with taking appropriate medication, when indicated. The management of weight, hormone replacement therapy, and fluid retention all play a roll in CTS management. Ergonomic or job-related management strategies are very important and can include work station modifications so that unnecessary awkward arm/wrist/hand positions can be avoided. This may require moving the item being worked on to a less stressful position, using a different type of tool handle (screw driver, etc.), changing the height or reach distance at which the material is worked on, and taking “mini-breaks” every ½ to 1 hour when the lack of rest is a contributor. Frequently, the combination of pinching a phone between the head and shoulder, typing data into a computer where the monitor is positioned too high or off to one side, and excessive arm motions using a computer mouse can contribute to pinching the nerve in the neck and/or arm, resulting in CTS. Remedies for this situation include the use of a head set, repositioning the computer monitor so that it is in front of the worker, and using a trackball type of mouse to eliminate arm motion can be extremely helpful.

Treatment strategies offered by chiropractors include the use of night splinting to avoid awkward wrist/hand positions during sleep. In addition, manual therapy to the wrist and the tight muscles in the front of the forearm, as well as other nerve constriction areas such as the elbow, shoulder, and neck, manipulation of the joints in hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder, and/or neck, depending on what is unique and needed for that patient, and the use of physiological therapeutics such as low level laser light therapy, electrical stimulation, and/or ultrasound have all been shown to offer beneficial effects. Nutritional recommendations include Vitamin B6 (150mg/day), magnesium, calcium, Co-Q10, omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D3. Reducing glutens (wheat, oats, barley, and rye) is also very important due to the inflammatory response of these foods. Surgery is typically, the last treatment resort and is appropriate, “when all else fails.” We welcome you to our clinic and are proud to offer you a non-drug, non-surgical solution for CTS and its disabling symptoms.  Visit our website at www.southingtonchiropractor.com to find out more about us.

Patients that present to my Chiropractic office with neck pain along with arm numbness, pain, and/or weakness, often ask, “…what’s causing this pain down my arm, is it a disc herniation?” The condition is often caused from a bulging or herniated disk pinching a nerve in the neck. The cause of this complaint can include both trauma as well as non-traumatic events. In fact, sometimes, the patient has no idea what started their condition, as they cannot tie any specific event to the onset.

The classic presentation to a chiropractor of a neck disc herniation, includes neck pain that radiates into the arm in a specific area as each nerve affects different parts of the arm and hand. Describing the exact location of the arm complaint such as, “I have numbness in the arm and hand that makes my 4th and pinky fingers feel half asleep,” tells us that you have a pinched C8 nerve. This nerve can also be pinched at the elbow and make the same two fingers numb. The difference between the two different conditions is when the nerve is pinched in the neck, the pain is located from the neck down the entire arm and into digits 4 & 5 of the hand. When the nerve is pinched at the elbow, the pain/numbness is located from the elbow down to the 4th & 5th digits, but no neck or upper arm pain exists.

The Chiropracic examination for people that we suspect with neck disc herniations, usually include limitations in certain cervical (neck) ranges of motion (ROMs) – usually in the direction that increases the pinch on the nerve. Another common finding is the arm is often held over the head because there is more stretching on the nerve when the arm is hanging down and pain in the neck and arm increases. Hence, raising the arm over the head reduces the neck/arm pain. To determine where the nerve is pinched, there are a number of different compression tests that can recreate or increase the symptoms. Some compression tests include placing downward pressure on the head with the head pointing straight ahead, bent or rotated to each side. Other compression tests are performed by pressing in areas where the nerve travels such as in the lower front aspect of the neck, in the front of the shoulder where the arm connects to the chest/trunk, at the elbow and at the wrist. If there is a pinched nerve, numbness, tingling and/or pain will be reproduced when pressure is applied to these regions. Other tests include testing reflexes and muscle strength in the arm. When a nerve is pinched, the reflexes will be sluggish or absent and certain movements in the arm are weak when compared to the opposite side. Another very practical test is called the cervical (neck) distraction test where a traction force is applied to the neck. When neck and/or arm pain is reduced, this means there is a pinched nerve. This test is particularly useful because when pain is reduced, the test supports the need for a treatment approach called cervical traction. It has been reported that the use of cervical traction when applied 3x/day for 15 minutes each, at 8-12 pounds, 78% of 81 patients reported a significant improvement in symptoms, which is very effective. Other forms of care that can be highly effective include spinal manipulation, spinal mobilization, certain exercises, physical therapy modalities, and certain medications.

If you, a friend, or a loved one are struggling with a herniated disk in the neck with associated arm complaints, we will properly assess your condition, run the appropriate tests, and administer the appropriate care that is needed. We also coordinate services with other health care providers when necessary. This recommendation may represent one of most significant acts of kindness you can give to those that you care about.

In my chiropractic office still find myself surprised when I see a person with a brace on their wrist because of Carpal Tunnel, it never fails. It could be the waitress at my favorite restaurant or the cashier at the supermarket, but that little wrist brace always gives me pause and compels me to ask the question, “what’s wrong with your wrist?”

Almost to a person the answer is: carpal tunnel. But the thing that surprises me more is that the person usually says how much pain they’re still in, despite the brace. Maybe it’s because their work is so stressful on the wrist. Serving tables is hard work and holding a couple of heavy plates with one hand can put a considerable strain on the wrist.

For many patients, the brace can be a life saver, getting us back to work and providing for our families. But for many others, they don’t solve the problem. That’s because simply limiting motion, while good in theory, could make the muscles of the wrist weaker. Also, wrist problems aren’t always just a problem in the wrist. If the wrist and hand pain is actually coming from a pinched nerve in the neck, then the wrist brace will do little to help.

The important thing is to get the problem checked out. Is a small bone of the wrist out of its normal position? Is the mobility of the wrist asymmetrical and uneven? Is there a double-crush problem, with a pinched nerve not just in the carpal tunnel, but also where the nerves exit the neck area?

Our clinic does our best to help the pain of carpal tunnel. Usually a comprehensive approach is needed and we may need to adjust the bones of your neck and wrist to help restore proper alignment. If the vertebrae are twisted in the neck, they can narrow the openings where the delicate nerves emerge and travel down the arm to the hand. Sometimes the posture of the neck is affected and there is a loss of the normal forward curve of the neck. This can cause a stretch to the spinal cord and nerve roots.

If possible, we try to limit the use of braces and instead focus on strengthening the muscles of the forearm, or use deep tissue massage and stretching to increase muscle flexibility.

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This information is solely advisory, and should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.

Avoiding disc surgery can be accomplished with Chiropractic care. Disc herniations with the resulting sciatic nerve pain can be very painful and debilitating. But treating the injury with surgery before trying all types of care may make the problem worse.

In my chiropractic office we treat disc herniations with gentle non invasive techniques. My website: www. southingtonchiropractor.com has examples of the types of treatment that we perform to help these types of people. Things like flexion/distraction has an over 80% success rate which is just as effective as the expensive spinal decompressive programs.

If you have symptoms including low back pain, leg pain, weakness, tingling etc, you may have a disc herniation but you could have something else as well.  A Chiropractor is well trained to identify the types of problems causing disc herniations from conditions that require medical intervention.   If you have symptoms such as bowl or bladder problems, that may require emergency intervention.  Discuss your symptoms with your Chiropractor or call 860-620-9523 and one of the doctors would be happy to give you some guidence.

Many times low back, hip and knee pain can be traced to the feet. Even if your feet don’t hurt, they may be a major factor contributing to your health problems. I find that if a patient doesn’t respond to treatment, addressing any foot issues can result in dramatic improvement. A foot problem may be the cause of discomfort or pain in your leg/hip, back, arm/shoulder or even your neck. Take the following test and if you answer yes to any of the following questions, you need to have your feet addressed.

Low back pain caused by foot issues are triggered by many things.  Answer the following questions:  Do you stand or walk on hard surfaces for more than 4 hours daily? Don you participate regularly in any physical sport such as basketball, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling etc.? Are you over 40?

Other questions which need to be answered to identify low back pain from feet problems are:  Have you had a prior knee injury, back injury or neck injury? Do your shoes wear unevenly? Do you have joint pain while standing, walking or running? Is one of your legs shorter than the other?

Some other questions to answer are: do you have knock knees or bow legs? Do you have obvious foot problems such as bunions, corns, flat feet, etc.? Do your feet toe out when you’re walking? Your chiropractor can perform a few simple tests to determine if orthotics or arch supports can help your condition. In our office we have a machine that can take a picture of your arches as you stand and actually show how well or poorly your feet support your body. This machine captures an accurate functional image of your feet. If orthotics are needed, exacting measurements are taken by the laboratory and orthotics are made. We would be happy to scan your feet at no charge and show you the work your feet are doing.

There are three arches which are important in supporting the foot and the body; the long arch traveling front to back on the inside of the foot, a parallel arch on the outside of the foot and a shorter side to side arch in the ball of the foot shaped like a kidney bean. These arches act as springs which support the foot during weight bearing. Many factors can change these arches which can then cause foot pain.

Injuries such as sprained ankles can cause swelling which results in adhesions. This can limit the motion in the foot. Fractures which are treated by splinting or casting also prevent motion and cause adhesions to form. Foot abnormalities such as flat feet or feet that roll in or roll out change the way the arches work and ultimately the way the foot supports the body.

As the feet fail to function properly, the ankles are affected. The muscles and ligaments which support them will become stretched or shortened and unbalanced. This can lead to additional strains and sprains. As the ankles fail the knees are affected leading to narrowing joint spaces and arthritis. As the knees are damaged, walking changes can occur leading to hip problems and low back pain. All of this can relate back to the feet.

Treatment of foot pain involves addressing the lack of mobility as well as the structural abnormalities. Chiropractic adjustments work well to break up adhesions causing lack of motion. Custom orthotics can help to support the foot. Balance work especially on a wobble board will strengthen the ankle and foot. It will also stimulate nerves which help decrease back pain. A podiatrist may recommend the use of a special stocking which keeps the foot in a particular position when you are sleeping. Simple exercises such as picking up pencils with your toes or crinkling a newspaper with your toes help strengthen the arches as well as the muscles in the feet.

Cortisone injections will help to decrease foot pain very rapidly. However, if the underlying cause of the foot problem is not address, the pain will return. Cortisone injections can only be used 3 times in the same area. It can cause localized decreased bone density (osteoporosis) which could lead to the muscles or ligaments tearing away from their attachments.

It is important to remember that the body is more than the sum of its parts. Problems with one area will lead to problems with other areas. Addressing the root cause of your pain or symptoms will help to speed your recovery and perhaps avoid the use of medications and their side affects.

In my Chiropractic office we treat a lot of neck injuries along with headaches and other problems that start at the top of the spine. We find a lot of weak muscles which cause instability and perpetuate the problems the patient has come in for. The neck is the most flexible part of your spine and just like any other area of the body, movement exercises and good postures are important to maintain its health. Neck pains can be brought on or aggravated by how you treat this vital structure. We often neglect our neck when it comes to exercises, focusing instead on our legs or heart. So try these helpful hints and incorporate them into your daily routine.
Exercising your neck by slowly moving it through all its ranges is key. It is important to do pure movements rather than combinations, rolling the neck around like a ball and socket joint (such as the hip or shoulder) is to be avoided. What I find is that if there is any joint in the neck that are not working perfectly, combination movements can further jam these joints. Instead, flex the neck forward until your chin touches the top of your chest. Then, slowly bend your neck backwards, chin to the sky. These movements should not cause pain if they are done slowly and you have no pre-existing injury but of course if there is any pain you should discontinue the movement and have your neck evaluated.
The next neck exercise that chiropractor encourage is movement side to side bending and is accomplished by trying to bend either ear towards the shoulder. Do this in front of a mirror so that you keep your head straight looking forward. Note whether you can do this movement the same amount to each side. This is a great exercise to stretch the side neck muscles as well as the tight ligaments and tendons.
The last movement is rotation. Simply rotate your chin slowly so that you are looking over one shoulder. None of these movements should cause pain or make you dizzy. If they do, then it’s a sign you have a neck injury and need to be seen by a chiropractor or other physician. Again, note if you can do the same amount of movement to the right and left.
An important aspect of neck function is how the shoulder girdle influences neck posture and motion. Try rolling your shoulders forwards and backwards, stretching slowly, to help ease tension at the neck. General exercises such as fast paced walking or hiking are important for your neck too. Remember, your spine is the core of your body and walking is one of the least “injury-producers,” something you can keep up well into your later years.
Lastly, make sure your neck posture is kept upright when you are talking on the phone, driving, reading, doing other tasks, or sleeping. A very small pillow is usually best for sleeping and neck support pillows are available to help maintain the normal forward arch of the neck. A small pillow will allow your head to ease back, relaxing the muscles at the back of the neck.

Want More? It you would like to receive The “Weekly Health Update” Every Monday Via Email, Go To www.WeeklyHealthUpdate.com – Code: 06467GRANT. My website also has a lot of information on neck treatment and other problems. Check out www.southingtonchiropractor.com.

I treat a lot of headaches in my Chiropractic office.  One of the reported causes of both migraine and tension headache is cervical muscle tension and spinal joint abnormalities in the neck. When considering treatment for headaches, whether it’s a tension-type or migraine, there are many choices available. The question is, which of the many options offer the best benefit?

There have been many studies compairing various treatment for headaches including Chiropractic care.  One study compared the effectiveness of physical therapy (PT) to that of relaxation and thermal biofeedback (RTB). Both groups were treated using one of these approaches, and if at least a 50% improvement was not achieved, the other form of treatment was then utilized. Results were calculated at 3, 6, and 12 month timeframes. The PT group of 30 females used standard physical therapy approaches that included:• Posture correction for alignment of head and spine
• Cervical range of motion for neck and shoulders • Isometric strengthening of the neck • Flare-up management techniques • Active self mobilization of the spine • Whole body stretching
The goal was to target muscular abnormalities and those in this group were to perform the above twice per day for 30 min. The RTB group were instructed in relaxation and thermal biofeedback (RTB) treatment that focused on muscle relaxation, breathing exercises, and the use of a thermal feedback device that determines when the subject’s temperature changes telling them if they are successfully relaxing. The participants were to practice at home and utilized audiotapes for relaxation and monitor success with the portable biofeedback unit.

Using the PT approaches, only 13% reported a successful outcome compared to 51% in the RTB group. In the follow-up of 3, 6 and 12 months, both groups reported continued benefit. When the subjects reported less than 50% benefit with either method, they were given the other treatment option, and the PT approach achieved a 47% success rate and the RTB 50%. These findings suggest that treatments that focus on muscle tension reduction (such as the RTB group) might result in a better outcome compared to only addressing posture, range of motion and flexibility. However, as illustrated in the follow-up group, PT did have a positive beneficial effect.  An important point – the subjects in the RTB group demonstrated the ability to reduce migraine pain and the associated disability by using a self-applied form of care. When teaching the patient to self-manage their condition by instruction and training, the greater the likelihood is for a successful outcome.

Chiropractic focuses on many self-management training procedures including (but not limited to) the training of the use of ice vs. heat, exercises, proper methods of bending and lifting, as well as posture and strength. The use and instruction of relaxation is also a commonly recommended form of care, which this study found to be most beneficial.

Want More?

•To Receive The “Weekly Health Update” Every Monday Via Email, Go To www.WeeklyHealthUpdate.com – Code: 06467GRANT
•To Sign Up For Our Free Email Newsletter, Go To: www.InGoodHandsLetter.Com – Code: 06467GRANT
•Visit Me At www.Spine-Health.com
This information is solely advisory, and should not be substituted for medical or chiropractic advice. Any and all health care concerns, decisions, and actions must be done through the advice and counsel of a health care professional who is familiar with your updated medical history.