Ventura Acupuncture

Oxnard Chiropractor

Dr. Donald Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard, is aware that allergies can make your daily life  difficult. A walk in the park, a yarn ball toss with your favorite feline, a shellfish pasta, or merely something as tiny as a nut may result in such irritating symptoms as itchy eyes, a runny nose, sneezing, or a skin rash.

Then again, occasionally an individual’s allergic reactions can go from just plain irritating to acute and life-threatening as the air passageway starts to close and breathing becomes strained. Such development of difficulties can readily generate a state of acute anxiety and even a trip to the emergency room.

Allergy symptoms can, indeed, change into an alarmingly challenging problem and make you feel unable to participate in daily life. In fact, should you be one of those unfortunate sufferers who have allergic reactions, it might perhaps seem to you that, from time to time, your environment is a pretty unfriendly space and that natural environment all around you is, virtually, out to get you!

You may question why it is that other people seem so unaffected by the identical environmental challenges that send your system into overwhelm. Other people appear either unaware of or plainly`totally unresponsive to the would-be irritants that lurk at every turn, while your body reacts, or rather overreacts, to them. Why you? It is a appropriate question. The answer is that a lot of individuals, not unlike you, have a hyperactive immune system that basically “goes into a frenzy” when you come upon routine substances like pollen, dander, shellfish, or nuts.

Can your Oxnard Chiropractor help you in obtaining relief from your allergy symptoms? Happily, the answer is a definite “Yes,” and the reason may possibly surprise you. Numerous chiropractic patients have realized that they experience freedom from their allergy symptoms after a chiropractic adjustment, despite the fact that chiropractic care does not really directly address allergies, per se. The true reason for the lessing of allergy symptoms is because chiropractic manipulation impacts your whole nervous system, which includes your autoimmune system, which is the cause of your allergic responses. Any time there’s a hindrance within the nervous system, in conjunction with other challenges, the autoimmune system, whose duty it is to allow you to adapt and respond properly to your surroundings, can easily become under-active or overactive. Where your allergies are concerned, the breakdown is the latter (it becomes overactive).

Considering that chiropractic manipulations are intended to reduce or even totally get rid of perturbations within the nervous system and bring back balance and tranquility to the complete body, along with a number of other corrections, the adjustments generate homeostasis to the autoimmune system as well. A strong immune system responds appropriately to so-called allergens in the atmosphere.

So, as stated above, your Oxnard Chiropractor doesn’t necessarily apply treatment to allergic reactions, nevertheless that doesn’t suggest your allergies won’t improve or disappear for good. On the other hand, one could say, instead, that relief from your allergies is merely the “side-effect” of your rebalanced nervous system. If you would like to get back into a balanced relationship with your surroundings as soon as possible, contact Dr. Bolt, your Chiropractor in Oxnard, today. He will help you to start living your life again!

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Sacramento Chiropractor

With any sort of sport, injuries are not unusual. You can often avoid getting injured in a particular sport by determining what injury is likely to occur, and then do what it takes to avoid it. The truth is, though, that sports injuries can’t always be avoided. As a result, it’s advantageous to take good care of your body to make injury less probable, or less traumatic.   Prior to starting a sport, such as golf, the most important thing you can do is to be confident that you have the proper fitness level. You may very well keep your body safe from injury if you stick to these general guidelines: Perpetuate a healthy lifestyle; make sure your joints are mobile and your muscles are limber; prepare your body before to activity; use proper form and good postures during activity; give yourself sufficient cool down and relaxation time.

It isn’t just amateur golfers who experience injuries. It has been conjectured that close to a third of pro golfers playing at any given time are playing with injury. The good news is that overall good health and fitness can lessen the number of injuries that you may acquire and might conceivably deter them altogether.

It is very important for you to have good body strength in the muscle regions most used while playing golf. But, it’s important to determine that your spine is in healthy alignment and that it has good mobility prior to setting out to build muscle strength. A successful golf swing hinges on your spine’s facility to adequately rotate adequately. Back injuries are the most prevalent type of injuries suffered by golfers. Your Sacramento chiropractor will establish that your spine is in appropriate alignment and that there is effectual movement of the vertebrae. Chiropractic treatment can go a long way in helping you to prevent back injury.

Once you’re “straightened” it’s time to strengthen. Being prepared to play your game is crucial to a safe, injury-free day on the green. You can warm up your muscles and make injuring them less likely by doing golf stretching and flexibility exercises. Flexibility in all areas of the body can be escalated fairly quickly as the result of full body range of motion (ROM) exercises. In addition, elastic band conditioning affords targeted golf range of motion advantages and can increase needed energy in the shoulders, hips and deep muscles of the core. Sports professionals, such as your chiropractor, are including elastic band training in their golf conditioning programs because the bands offer dynamic resistance that ordinary weight lifting does not provide.

Besides back injuries, a large number of golfers suffer from “Golfer’s Elbow.” There is a minor difference between golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow although they are nearly the same. Tennis elbow disturbs the outside of the upper arm whereas golfer’s elbow impinges the inner arm. Golfer’s elbow, like tennis elbow, can result from a single violent action, such as (in golf) hitting the mat at the driving range or hitting a hard fairway surface. Repetitive stress from smaller shocks, though, is most often the cause. In addition, it can happen to those who all of a sudden start playing too much golf. For example, if players that usually play golf once or twice a month decide to play in a tournament, they are conceivably at risk for contracting the injury.

Golf makes exclusive requirements on the body. Fatigue can be a challenge because the game generally lasts longer than the majority of other sports. Poor posture and impeded coordination are normally the consequences of a fatigued body. Together, these two components can create a number of injuries. Additionally, the shoulder muscles are liable to injury as a result of the constant swinging of the golf clubs. Just as it is essential for you to stretch and warm up prior to starting your golf game, be sure to rest your body appropriately between games.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is, sometimes, a surprising injury associated with golf. But, because it an affliction that occurs due to repetitive stress, many games of golf played over several months repetitively may produce this injury. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be a serious injury producing incapacitation and occasionally necessitating surgery. However, chiropractic treatment and, sometimes the use of a brace will help the condition if a health professional, such as your chiropractor, discovers it at an early stage.

Many golfers seem to feel that injuries are simply an unavoidable part of a golfer’s life. Nonetheless, a healthy, mobile spine, judicious preparation, proper exercise and muscle conditioning, reaching and sustaining a a good fitness level, and sensible rest and recuperation after your game is over, can make injuries a good deal less a part of your golfing experience.

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Chiropractic Seattle Style has treated plenty of foot pain sufferers, and knows all too well how prevalent painful foot problems are these days. Here’s why: We all know that movement is beneficial for the entire body, right? From our head to our toes, our good health is highly affected by how much physical exercise we get on a regular basis. So, why do so many individuals suffer from aches and pains in their feet? After all, our feet are made for walking, aren’t they? The answer, of course, is “yes,” but they aren’t designed for mistreatment.

The average, healthy individual takes 3,000-5,000 steps each day, not counting activities such as running and aerobic exercise. But, many times those steps are taken by people walking improperly, with clumsy gait patterns and bad posture.

Furthermore, a large number of individuals wear poorly-designed, improperly-fitting shoes. Walking and exercising on feet that are inhibited from performing as they were meant to cannot help but to create aches and pains not only in a number of places in the feet, but in other parts of the body, too.  For example, if a person over-pronates (walks like a duck) in a pair of poorly-made or unevenly-worn shoes, or in any pair of high heels, that individual is not only likely to develop foot and ankle challenges, but will more than likely experience challenges in the back, knees and legs.

The most common foot problem is Plantar Fascitis (heel pain), which is most frequently caused by inflammation of the plantar fascia. The plantar fascia is an extraordinary, multi-tasking band of connective tissue that surrounds the muscles on the bottom of the foot, adheres the heel bone to the ball of the foot, supports the arch, protects the foot, and absorbs shock. It goes without saying, then, that the healthy function of the plantar fascia is crucial for pain-free walking and exercise.

There are many factors that can be considered reasons for the development of Plantar Fascitis. One factor is short and tight calf muscles. Undue stress on the smaller and weaker plantar muscles and fascia occurs when calf muscles get short and tight, exerting a strong pull on the back of the heel bone. What causes calf muscles to get short and tight? Besides running and jumping activities such as aerobics, volleyball, running, basketball, and tennis, the wearing of high heels can produce the problem.

Other factors that contribute to Plantar Fascitis include sudden strenuous activity after a period of prolonged inactivity, incorrect walking patterns (such as over-pronation), improper footwear, walking on hard or uneven surfaces (especially barefooted), and obesity.

Once developed, Plantar Fascitis is frequently difficult to manage and can become extremely painful and persistent. Plantar Fascitis won’t go away without proper treatment.

If you are suffering from the pain of Plantar Fascitis, your chiropractor will be able to determine the reason for your problem and what chiropractic treatment would be most appropriate. Such care might include ultrasound therapy, laser, joint manipulation, Graston technique, muscle stretching and strengthening exercises, special taping and, in some cases, orthotics.

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If you are experiencing back pain looking to a traditional healing technique may not automatically be the solution for you.  As a matter of fact, some natural methods will often be able to assist you in overcoming the pain, even when medical science is unable to do so.  One of the reasons why is because natural approaches tend to look for a cure for the actual cause of the problem while medical techniques treat just the symptoms.  If you’re curious about natural techniques that have been confirmed to be potent in relieving back pain and quite a few other afflictions, you don’t need to look any further than chiropractic and acupuncture.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been performed in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years.  It is acquiring popularity many places around the world and for a splendid reason: Many sufferers have experienced relief from their back pain and quite a few other afflictions by visiting an acupuncturist on a regular basis.  In keeping with traditional Chinese acupuncture therapy, small needles are introduced into the body at distinct points that are said to affect multifarious areas of the body.  In traditional therapy, only the needles are used, though on occasion and in particular these days, small electrical currents are directed through the needles into the body.  Even though it may seem like it would hurt, it hardly ever does and, actually, most people experience relaxation and pleasurable sensations while undergoing acupuncture treatments.

Chiropractic

For over one hundred years, chiropractors, such as a Honolulu chiropractor, (also called doctors of chiropractic) have been treating men, women, and even children experiencing back pain and other health problems. A chiropractor cares for individuals who are suffering from musculoskeletal and nervous system challenges. Chiropractic medicine attends to the deviations of the vertebral column that impede the function of the nervous system. These misaligned vertebra can lessen resistance and immunity, therefore causing new health problems. A proficient chiropractor has superior observational and diagnostic skills that assist in detecting physical anomalies and joint complications. Many chiropractors complete neurological tests and orthopedic tests. Some will analyze the posture of an individual as a means of identifying postural irregularities, and may also observe a person’s gait to determine faulty movement patterns. Chiropractic management non-invasive, drug-free treatment as well as advice and education about the advantages of individual lifestyle changes, such as in exercise and nutrition.

So, if you are experiencing back pain, headaches, neck pain, hip pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, balance challenges, or arthritis, and you’ve tried a number of other things and they haven’t worked, it could be time for you to try chiropractic and acupuncture.  One way to find out  for sure is to make an appointment with a good chiropractor or acupuncturist, and to permit them to explain to you precisely what they can do for you.  More than likely you will experience some relief from your problem even after only one visit.  With subsequent visits, you will make more advancements and improvements, and you might just find that these natural treatments work best for your back pain.

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Is It Safe To Adjust Children? FAQ#7

Today’s moms and dads are more worried than ever about the detrimental effects pharmaceuticals have on their children. Parents want to know if there is more that they can do for their child than to give them pharmaceuticals.

Many children’s pharmaceuticals often not only mask a child’s symptoms, but can produce serious side effects. Today, parents are looking for health care options for their children that assist and maintain their child’s natural ability to be healthy.

Chiropractic care is that option because it aids a child’s nervous system in functioning at peak performance. The immune system is directed by the nervous system. When it is functioning optimally, children stay healthier.  In the case of children’s health, “the best offense is a good defense.” Everyday, children are exposed to massive amounts of airborn, food-born, and contact bacteria. So many bacteria, in fact, that it would be impossible to immunize them against them all. Your Camarillo Chiropractor has both knowledge and experience with colds, sore throats, ear infections, fevers, colic, asthma, tonsillitis, allergies, bed-wetting, infections, pains, falls, stomach-aches, and the hundred and one little (and big) things children go through as they grow up.

Almost all illnesses that affect children are avoidable. Chiropractic treatment assists in removing interferences to the natural healing power that runs through your child’s body. When that power is released, the healthy results that take place many times appear to be profound.

Furthermore, a child has less tendency to be injured at play or in sports when his or her spine is in alignment. In addition, children who are brought in regularly for chiropractic care more often than not don’t experience as many “growing pains” as other children.

Today, we are finding at your Chiropractor that more and more moms and dads are bringing their children to us for general childhood health concerns. All children are deserve the right to express their entire potential. Chiropractic treatment for children at your chiropractor is safe, gentle and effective.

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pediatric chiropractic

Earache is the most common purpose for office visits to pediatricians. More than 70 percent of children will have had at least one earache by the age of three, and nearly one-third will have had three or more earache incidents. Although, what might be unforeseen is that earache is also the most common reason for children under the age of five years to be brought to the chiropractor’s office.

How Chiropractic Care Relates to Earache and Ear Infections

A pediatrician who determines that a child with an earache has a middle ear infection will normally prescribe antibiotics as a typical course of treatment. Advanced study, however, has concluded that such practices are often ill-advised. The cause of the child’s middle ear infection may not be due to bacteria, and since antibiotics are only effective against bacterial pathogens, frequently there will be no positive reaction. This is because numerous cases of middle ear infection can be generated by a virus, and viruses do not respond to antibiotics. This may be the reason why children develop chronic ear infections.

One of a number of assessments that a Honolulu chiropractor can make is whether the earache or ear infection is caused by inflamation of the small nerves in the spine, called free nerve endings.

When these nerve endings are irritated, an abnormal tension is created in the small muscles of the neck. This muscle tension can put pressure on the lymphatic drainage ducts resulting in inadequate drainage from inside the ear, thereby keeping the body from being able to naturally correct the problem. In addition, balance can also be affected.

Inadequate drainage of lymphatic ducts can be discovered by a chiropractor if there is elevated tension in the neck and paraspinal muscles on the side with the earache. In addition, the chiropractor will check to see which spinal vertebrae are either slightly out of alignment or not moving within their normal range. There are many reasons for such aaffliction due to the many bangs, jolts, and falls almost all children encounter growing up. Restoration of normal lymph drainage is normally accomplished with a short regimen of treatments that include spinal adjustments and manipulation of the neck muscles. If your child is experiencing the pain of an earache or an ear infection, call your Honolulu chiropractor as soon as possible.

Advanced Research and Guidelines

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), ear infection, the most widespread childhood illness after the common cold, accounts for nearly 30 million doctor visits each year. What’s more, at least 6 million courses of antibiotics are unnecessarily prescribed for the affliction.Recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released new guidelines for treating pediatric ear inflammation, and expressly recommended a period of “watchful waiting” since, in many cases, infections clear up on their own, without medication.

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) endorses the AAP on the guidelines and reiterates that chiropractic treatment is a “good first option” for treating ear infection conservatively. “Doctors of chiropractic have been treating children for decades with great success – helping them to avoid painful ear infections, antibiotic overuse and resistance, and ear tube surgery,” said ACA President Donald Krippendorf, DC. “Particularly when dealing with young children, drugs and surgery should be an absolute last resort.”

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Does it Hurt to Get Adjusted

Not too long ago sports injuries were usually limited to professional athletes, boys participating in school sports programs, and the occasional male “weekend warrior. Today, men and women of all ages participate in regular sports and fitness activities. The vast majority of both sexes play golf, tennis, basketball, and/or participate in aerobic activities like running. No matter what the activity, however, there is always the risk of injury.

Nearly all of injuries generally fit into two categories: 1) traumatic injury, such as a slip, fall, or collision and, 2) repetitive stress or overuse injury.

Traumatic Injuries

As the name implies, this kind of injury causes the type of incapacitation and debilitation most frequently associated with trauma. Most traumatic injuries are to the ligaments, the tissue that connects bone to bone, and to body muscles, although fractures and dislocations do take place at times, in particular with contact sports. A strain is any injury to either a muscle or its tendon, and a sprain is damage to ligaments.  Sprains and strains most frequently occur in the ankles, knees, and shoulders, and not as commonly in the low back and neck. Because the spinal cord and/or spinal nerves can be affected, injury to the neck and low back can be quite serious.

Traumatic injuries can extend from a mild “muscle pull” or ankle twist to a serious problem needing surgery. It is contingent upon the amount of tearing of the tissues, the area of the body, and the age of the person. Some degree of swelling occurs with almost all sprains and strains. However, with certain injuries, especially those of the ankle and knee, there can be some internal bleeding as well. With all strains and sprains competent management is very important, particularly during the initial stages of the injury to insure correct healing and avoid future disability. Therapy from a competent health-care professional, such as your Santa Barbara chiropractor, is highly advisable.

Listed below is an acronym for the post-injury management of sprains and strains specifically if no professional aid is available: PRICE
P    Protect injury to avoid more damage
R    Rest the damaged body region
I     Ice injury to diminish swelling, bleeding, muscle spasm, and pain
C    Compress injury with a specifically designed or elastic bandage to support injured tissues
E    Elevate the injury, particularly when the damage is to ankles and knees

As formerly mentioned, proper evaluation and care are essential to a thorough recovery. A chiropractor can find out the extent of your injury and start needed recovery treatment. When knowledgeable treatment is supplied during the various stages of healing, nearly all individuals who have suffered sprain and strain injuries will recover. If not treated carefully, some sprains and strains can result in long-lasting problems such as joint instability, painful or weak joints and muscles, and lack of mobility. Expert care of your sports injury by a chiropractor with years of experience in sports injury management will insure that your injury recovers properly. If you have sustained a traumatic injury, call your Santa Barbara chiropractor.

Repetitive Stress, or Overuse, Injuries

These injuries are becoming more and more common, expressly among individuals involved in sports such as golf, tennis, bowling, and any other activity that requires the same motion over and over (repetitively). An action as uncomplex and healthy as running, particularly on a treadmill, can also be a factor.

Essentially, overuse or repetitive stress injuries happen when a person is occupied in a repetitious activity that causes a very small strain to tissues, expressly tendons and muscles, that by itself would not generate a problem, but performed many times has an accumulative effect.  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one of the most common kinds of overuse injuries. Over time the muscle or other affected tissue undergoes changes that no longer let it to function correctly, resulting in pain, stiffness and disability. Definite factors predispose a person to these kinds of injury. A portion are “intrinsic,” i.e., the factor is found within a person’s own body. Other factors are “extrinsic,” which is to say that the factors are external and can frequently be changed or controlled by the individual.

Some of the most prevalent intrinsic factors for injury

Age is the mostcommon intrinsic factor for injury. The older a person is, the easier it is for that person to get injured. Congenital abnormalities are another factor. There are those who are born with joint or muscle problems. And, finally, previous injuries are a factor as they frequently prevent the joints or muscles from functioning properly.

Extrinsic factors for injury

Extrinsic factors are numerous.  For instance, sports equipment can insufficient–an inappropriate grip size of tennis racket or worn-out running shoes are prime examples, even a playing surface can be a factor, e.g., a too-hard surface for soccer or an uneven treadmill. Incorrect technique in any sport, such as an unsuitable golf grip is, as they say, an injury waiting to happen A further factor is poor conditioning. Some individuals are injured because they aren’t in shape. Elevated frequency or extended duration of an activity, without developing slowly, can create the conditions for injury. Insufficient flexibility can cause injury if someone is too stiff to do an activity correctly. Lack of warm-up, like stretching and properly preparation, is a frequent factor in injuries.  And, finally, and maybe surprising to some, stress is a factor. Being tired or stressed can create tense, inflexible muscles that are too tight for most activities.

There are quite a few factors that are extrinsic and, consequently, within a person’s control. Nevertheless, most people must have assessment by a qualified health care professional to ascertain their overall body health, the type of injury, and the resolution to the problem. If left untreated, sports injuries can greatly affect a person’s life and limit a favorite activity. Treatment such as joint manipulation, massage, bracing, and specific exercises is frequently needed to stabilize the condition. A chiropractor is a good source of help. Call a chiropractor if you’re either thinking of beginning a new activity, you’re feeling pain related to a current sports activity, or you’ve sustained a sports injury. Your Santa Barbara Chiropractor has years of experience helping people just like you.

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Santa Barbara Chiropractor: 10 Most Frequent Questions

Regulating and maintaining body position while staying still or moving is the principal function of good balance. Good balance helps someone to walk without faltering, arise from a sitting position without slipping, and to climb stairs without slipping.

Approximately 9 percent of adults, age 65 and older, report having challenges with balance. Good balance is vital in aiding an older person to stay independent, and perform daily chores and activities. Many older individuals, however, experience dizziness, “wooziness,” and problems with balance.

The label, vertigo, applies to the sensation that a number of people have that they, themselves, or the things around them are spinning. About 40 percent of Americans will encounter dizziness that is consequential enough to go seek medical assistance. And, among older adults, falls are the prevailing cause of extreme injury and deaths.

Balance and Inner Ear Conditions

There are quite a few kinds of balance disorders. Three familiar types are benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, labyrinthitis, and Meniere’s disease. Of these three, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is the most prevalent. Its symptoms involve a brief, intense feeling of vertigo with a change in head position, when rolling over to the left or right in bed or when getting out of bed, or when looking up for something on a high shelf. This affliction is more likely to occur in persons 60 and older, but it can also happen in younger individuals.

There are diverse causes for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. It may be caused by an inner ear infection, head injury, or simply aging. Even though it can be connected with other disease processes, many times a simple Epleys procedure can fix the condition. Your Santa Barbara Chiropractor has many years of experience in this procedure.

Labyrinthitis is an infection or iirritation of the inner ear that cause dizziness and loss of balance. It affects adults of any age and the cause is unknown.

Ménière’s disease is a balance disorder that creates vertigo, hearing loss that comes and goes, tinnitus (ringing or roaring in the ears), and a “full feeling” in the ear.

Although people who are older are more likely to encounter balance disorders, age is not the only reason these problems happen. Treatment for balance disorders varies depending upon the reason. Many times, there’s a simple resolution to balance problems, such as simple exercises for vestibular rehab. A chiropractor is well-educated in analyzing and treating many of balance problems. Call a health care professional, such as your Santa Barbara Chiropractor, if you have encountered, or are currently experiencing, dizziness, vertigo, or other challenges with balance.

Although some balance disorders are created by problems in the inner ear, other disorders may involve another part of the body, such as the brain or the heart. Head injury, stroke, certain medicines, circulation problems, upper respiratory infections and other viral infections, stress, fatigue, smoking, alcohol use,  high or low blood pressure, and heart disease are all influences that, in addition to aging and ear infection, may cause balance disorders.

Balance disorders caused by high blood pressure can usually be managed by less sodium intake,cultivating a healthy weight, and exercise. To aid in making the symptoms of dizziness less intense, generally eating low-salt or salt-free foods, and avoiding caffeine and alcohol, will help.

Balance disorders are significant. It is the number one cause of falls and fall-related injuries in older people. It is extremely important to have a suspected balance disorder diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

If you can answer “yes” to any of these questions, you should discuss the symptom(s) with your chiropractor:

• Do you have the feeling of being “unsteady?”

• Does the room seem to spin around you?

• Is there ever a time when you feel as if you are moving when you know you are standing still?

• Do you lose your balance and/or fall?

• Do you feel as if you are falling?

• Does your vision ever become “blurred?”

• Do you ever feel disoriented, or lose a sense of time, place or identify?

Don’t wait until it’s too late! Call your chiropractor today.

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San Jose Chiropractor: Ten Most Frequently Asked Questions

Besides spinal problems, knee pain and disability is one of the most widespread ailments of the musculoskeletal system. dysfunction of the knee can be divided into several categories including deficient of the knee and faulty foot mechanics as the result of foot pain, general overuse of the knee joint,  inflammation due to arthritic changes in the joint, and traumatic injury from events such as sports and falls.

Non-trauma knee problems: The most widespread cause of non-traumatic pain is insufficient mechanics of the knee joint and the related stress on the soft tissues of the knee. The patella or knee-cap is the most common area affected because frequently the patella does not move adequately on the femur during bending of the knee generating abnormal stress on the tendons, cartilage and ligaments. This particular condition is often called chondromalacia patella (CMP) or Patella Femoral Syndrome (Knee Cap Pain). This problem is due to imbalances in the quadriceps muscles of the thigh that connect to and move the patella. Imbalances in the muscles related to knee movement frequently originate from lower back dysfunction, particularly in the sacroiliac joint. Imbalances in muscle groups that attach to the knee can also lead to pain and dysfunction. For example, pain on the medial or inside of the knee occurs when the muscles on the insides of the thigh are stressed and taut.   Mechanical knee pain is also caused by gait abnormalities such as pronation.

The associated pain from overuse is most generally felt during activity, especially stair climbing, running, jumping, and after getting up from prolonged sitting. Many women are likely to be predisposed to painful overuse problems for anatomical reasons, however such conditions are often caused by wearing high heels on a regular basis.

The main treatment for mechanical or overuse injuries to the knee is to re-establish proper balance of the muscles, restore proper movement to the patella and other joints of the knee, and to correct any subluxations of the sacroiliac joints and bones of the foot.  In certain cases, a brace is adopted to help with the alignment of the patella or to stabilize the joint. Chiropractors, such as your San Jose chiropractor, are fully trained to administer knowledgeable assessment and treatment of these problems.

Knee problems due to trauma: Traumatic injuries frequently take place during sports that involve running and jumping, especially. Sprains take place when tissue is torn as the result of the knee being stretched or contorted beyond the strength of the ligaments that hold the joint together. Strains to muscles that give motion to the knee can arise when the muscles are torn during injury. As with a sprain, a muscle strain can vary from a slight injury that necessitates little care to a serious injury requiring surgery. Furthermore the two special knee “cartilages” located between the tibia and femur (called the menisci), which facilitate fluid motion and cushioning, may also be torn during traumatic injury. This serious injury commonly necessitates surgical repair, or even removal if damaged severely.

Traumatic knee injuries can create intense pain and swelling and require immediate diagnosis and care. In the majority of cases a qualified chiropractor, such as your San Jose Chiropractor, can manage these problems, although there are some injuries that may necessitate the craft of an orthopedic surgeon. In any event, it is very important to stabilize the injured joint immediately and to put ice on the hurt area, if possible, until the injury can be examined.

Conditions such as poor mechanics and problems due to overuse, as well as traumatic injuries, need to be fixed at an early stage. Otherwise, the tissues of the knee joint, particularly the cartilage, will eventually erode. If tissue and cartilage erode, the bones will rub together unprotected and changes such as bone spurs can eventuate. This painful affliction, known as degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis, commonly progresses with age. General treatment may involve medications such as NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Fortunately, there are natural anti-inflammatory supplements that are very effective such as rosemary, glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate, bioflavinoids, curcumin. Conservative treatment, such as chiropractic, can be extremely beneficial in reducing the pain. Your San Jose chiropractor is will gladly discuss anti-inflammatory supplements. In addition, individuals can frequently help themselves by keeping their weight down, doing exercises (especially in the pool), and wearing cushioned shoes or insoles.

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