Can a Chiropractor Help Scoliosis?
A normal spine is straight, without much change from side-to-side, when the body is viewed from behind.Scoliosis is an affliction that is commonly associated with a lateral, or side-to-side, curvature of the spine.This condition often gives the appearance of the patient leaning to one side but it should not be confused with poor posture. Defined by both lateral curvature and rotation of the vertebra, this complicated deformity oftentimes produces a distinctive “rib hump” in the mid or thoracic spine. This is produced by the vertebrae in the zone of the major curve rotating toward the concavity and pushing their fastened ribs posterior hence producing the characteristic rib hump seen in thoracic scoliosis. If the thoracic curve and rib rotation are severe, exceeding 70 degrees, pulmonary and cardiac function can be impeded. This intensity of curve and subsequent cardiac and pulmonary changes are frequently seen later in life in untreated severe idiopathic infantile and juvenile scoliosis patients and, as such, present a threat to life.
Anatomy
If one were to view the trunk from a side view, the spine would disclose four normal curves: the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral. In the lower spine there is a natural “C-shaped” curve called swayback or lordosis, while the thoracic curve in the chest area has a “reverse C” called a kyphosis. Increased kyphosis in the thoracic area is called hyperkyphosis, while heightened swayback is termed, hyperlordosis. Alterations from normal that are visible from a side view frequently accompany scoliosis changes. Postural exercises can resolve some round back deformities that are simply due to bad posture. A small portion of individuals with kyphosis have more rigid deformities than the postural type, which are associated with vertebral deformity. This kind of deformity, called Scheuermann’s kyphosis, is much more difficult to treat than postural kyphosis, and it’s cause is unknown.
Almost anyone can help to identify a child or adult with scoliosis just by viewing the person in a standing position, preferably bare-chested and in shorts, and observing the following:
- One shoulder may be more elevated than the other.
- One scapula (shoulder blade) may be more elevated or more conspicuous than the other.
- There may be more room between the arm and the body on one side when the arms hang relaxed at the side.
- One hip may look to be raised or more prominent than the other.
- The head is not in plumb with the pelvis.
- When the person is viewed from the rear and asked to lean forward until the spine is horizontal, one side of the back seems more raised than the other.
The child or adult should be sent to a healthcare professional, such as a chiropractor, for further assessment once scoliosis is suspected. your chiropractor would be happy to help.
The most prevailing type of scoliosis is, by far, Idiopathic, and even though there are various roots and many kinds, Idiopathic Scoliosis accounts for approximately 85% of all cases. “Idiopathic” means “no known cause” and is observed with equal prevalence in boys and girls in the mild or low curve magnitudes. This affliction can be sub-classified into infantile, juvenile and adolescent categories, depending upon the age of onset. Idiopathic Scoliosis may be caused by genetic or hereditary influences as it frequently runs in families. For reasons yet to be found, girls are five to eight times more likely than boys to have their curves increase in size and require treatment. As the term “Idiopathic Scoliosis” implies, this kind of scoliosis usually develops when children are ending their last major growth spurt. Unfortunately, at this age young people are disinclined to permit their body to be seen by parents and other adults, so it is very important to have this age group examined on a regular basis.
If a scoliotic curve is observed in the growing adolescent, it is vital that the curves be monitored for development by periodic examination and from time to time standing X-rays. In ninety percent of cases, the scoliosis is mild and does not require active treatment, however increases in spinal deformity necessitate evaluation to ascertain if a brace or other management is required. In a small number of people, surgical treatment may be needed.~Surgery may be needed for a small number of individuals.
Brace therapy (orthosis) is recommended for newly-identified symptoms of moderate scoliosis or abnormal kyphosis, as well as when an increase in scoliosis or kyphosis is discovered in both juvenile and adolescent children. There are a number of kinds of braces, all designed to prevent curves from increasing through acting as a buttress for the spine during active skeletal growth. Braces will not usually make the spine entirely straight, and cannot always keep a curve from increasing. However, bracing is effective in stopping curve progression in a significant number of skeletally-immature adolescents.
Scoliosis has no simple solution. Most cases, even though frequently monitored, are not actively treated. The usual medical treatment for moderate instances is a brace, whereas severe cases in some cases are treated surgically. You may want to see your local chiropractor first.
Specialized exercise, electric stimulation of spinal muscles, nutritional programs, and chiropractic treatments are among many modalities used in addition to bracing. It appears that the best results have been supported with a multi-faceted approach to the treatment of this condition.
There are chiropractors, that have expertise managing scoliosis conditions.
Is the Government Catering To the Whims of the Insurers?
The National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association (NNOC/CNA), the nation’s largest RN union and professional association, today announces a national online advertising campaign beginning this week that calls on key Congressional leaders to protect the public - not the profit motives of the insurance industry - through a system of guaranteed, single-payer healthcare reform. The ads are also sponsored by the Massachusetts Nurses Association. View the blog ad, the first phase of the campaign, www.CalNurses.org.
The ads ask supporters of reform to send a message to Sens. Max Baucus and Ted Kennedy and Reps. Henry Waxman, George Miller, and Charlie Rangel-each of whom chairs key committees with oversight on healthcare reform-urging them to support the “nurses’ plan” for guaranteed healthcare, as reflected in HR 676 by Rep. John Conyers and S. 703 by Sen. Bernie Sanders, which would expand and update Medicare to cover everyone.
A major barrier to comprehensive reform, the ads emphasize, is healthcare industry contributions which nurses say influence the decision by some to craft proposals that cater to the whims and financial interests of the insurers. And, they say, nurses have had enough.
“We all know the incredible financial and lobbying resources that health insurance and pharmaceutical companies bring to the table in Washington,” said Malinda Markowitz, RN, co-President of NNOC/CNA, “but every voter is also a patient who deserves reform that will protect our families and heal our nation. Healthcare reform is too important to let the insurance industry once again corrupt the democratic process that nurses and patients are relying upon.”
The campaign will continue through May 13, when hundreds of nurses from around the country will mark Nurses Week with a march and rally in Washington urging guaranteed healthcare and major patient safety improvements. The blog ads will run on national and local websites.
This effort is part of a national campaign that has seen thousands gather in recent weeks outside the six White House Forums on Healthcare to demand the single-payer, Medicare-for-all approach be at least a central part of the national debate on major reform. National systems, such as proposed in HR 676 and S. 703 are flourishing in every other industrialized democracy - the main reason why the U.S. lags far behind other nations in key healthcare barometers though it spends more than twice as much per capita than all other countries.
A single-payer system, says NNOC/CNA, is the most effective reform to assure universal coverage, choice of doctor, and real cost controls that will end the financial and healthcare insecurity faced by American families and American businesses.
Under a single-payer system, patients choose from among competing doctors and hospitals, which are paid from a universal, non profit health coverage fund, with no co-pays and deductibles, real cost controls that eliminate waste and fraud, and comprehensive benefits for less than we and our employers pay now.
Single-payer reform would also promote economic recovery by creating 2.6 million net jobs and more than $300 billion in new business and public revenues, according to a January study by the Institute for Health and Socio-economic Policy, the CNA/NNOC research arm.
Arthritis is not a Whim!
Arthritis is generally confusing to most suffers.Often the word, “arthritis,” inspires images of a future that includes crippled and twisted joints. However “arthritis” is a very general word that includes many different conditions from the benign to the severe. For our purposes we will limit this analysis to the most common forms of arthritis.
Osteoarthritis and Chiropractic Care
The most common form of arthritis has many labels: osteoarthritis, degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease (DJD), and spondylosis if it is in the spine. This form of arthritis is not limited to humans, but occurs in all mammals, and is due to the breakdown of the cartilage that protects the joint surfaces. Degenerative changes in the joint happens when joint cartilage is injured and causes stress to the sensitive bone tissue that is ordinarily guarded by the cartilage. Occasionally, osteophytes, or bone spurs, can occur when the bone around the joint proliferates. Bone spurs cause painful inflammation to other tissues adjacent to the joint aggravating the already grievous condition.
Degenerative joints as a rule occur in the lower neck and lower back, the knees, hips, and fingers. Everyone may experience DJD at one point in their lives, though previous trauma, ones occupation, activities, weight, diet, and heredity influence the degree of the condition and its onset.
Pain and/or stiffness in the affected joints are primary indicators of DJD. As the condition advances there can be loss of mobility, notably when weight-bearing joints such as hips or knees are involved. In some cases, if the joint is appreciably worn and the person can no longer walk without severe hip or knee pain, the joints are surgically replaced with synthetic devices. Of course, one should make an effort to manage the condition early on in ones life to avoid the need for surgery.
Prevention is always the best option, beginning at an early age.
- Making sure that all injuries to joints are properly treated will help to avoid future problems.
- People involved in occupations that necessitate standing or walking should wear appropriate shoes that give good support and shock absorption.
- Weight loss through proper diet will help to reduce stress on weight-bearing body joints.
- Avoid kneeling on hard surfaces, such as when doing housework, as this can put strain and produce knee pain.
- Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables as they have natural vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are crucial for the health of the joints, as well as the rest of the body.
Recently there have been some studies that reveal that the nutritional supplement, Glucosamine, can help with DJD and may actually help rebuild joint cartilage. However, it must be used over an extended period and does not work in all conditions.
Chiropractic adjustments aid in the restoration of proper mobility and function to the spinal joints. Chiropractic care is not only sound, but extremely effective in relieving the debilitating pain of arthritis. Your Chicago chiropractor is highly skilled when it comes to arthritic pain relief. Other forms of chiropractic care may include joint mobilization, massage, ultrasound, cold laser, or electro-therapy, all of which may be helpful in the relief of painful and stiff joints. Occasionally, a brace is necessary to support the joint and relieve pain. A chiropractor may suggest exercises such as stretching, yoga, tai chi and other gentle mobilizing activities to help maintain arthritic joints.
Gout
Gouty arthritis is caused by increased levels of uric acid in the blood and the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints. Generally, gouty arthritis is characterized by acute pain and swelling of the joints in the big toes, knees, ankles and wrists. A large number of people who develop gout are predisposed through heredity, though episodes are usually brought on by binge eating of inflammatory foods, when dehydrated or fasting, or after a major surgery or illness. Foods that must be avoided include a natural substance called Purines that are metabolized in the liver to form uric acid. People with this condition cannot efficiently metabolize uric acid, thus the proliferation in the bloodstream and the subsequent joint problems. The foods most associated with high purine content are: red meat especially organ meat, certain seafood, legumes, mushrooms and other foods as well. There are other dietary restrictions that must be followed including refraining from drinking alcohol.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease, is systemic in nature and thought to be created by immune system dysfunction. The most common joints affected are the small joints of the hands and fingers, the feet, knees, and shoulder, though other areas of the body can be affected as well. The condition is generally associated with morning stiffness that is aggravated by motion. Many times people complain of general malaise and fatigue, and the disease in its more advanced forms can affect many of the other body systems. Rheumatoid arthritis can be easily identified through particularized blood tests. Management includes medication and vitamin and diet therapy, as well as chiropractic manipulations. In addition, joint mobilization and modalities such as ultrasound, heat, electro-therapy and massage can help with the pain and stiffness associated the condition. Your Chicago chiropractor is dedicated to supporting individuals in getting relief from the pain and suffering associated with arthritis.
Sports Injuries and Chiropractic Care
Sports injuries, today are not just limited to professional athletes or young people who participate in school sports programs. Today, men and women of all ages are involved in regular sports and fitness activities. The vast majority of people are involved in sports like golf and tennis, and/or other healthy activities like running, aerobic classes, and weight training. No matter what the activity, however, there is constantly the risk of injury.
Nearly all of injuries can be put into two classifications: 1) traumatic injury, such as a slip, fall, or collision and, 2) repetitive stress or overuse injury.
Traumatic Injuries
As the name implies, this type of injury produces the sort of incapacitation and debilitation most commonly associated with trauma. As a rule injuries to the ligaments (the tissue that connects bone to bone) and to muscles are the most commonplace, although the trauma of fractures and dislocations frequently occurs in contact sports. Damage to a ligament is called a sprain, while damage to a muscle or its tendon is a strain. The most common parts of the body for these sorts of injuries are the ankles, knees, and shoulders, nevertheless other areas can be affected including the low back and neck. Injuries to the neck and low back can be quite serious as the spinal cord or spinal nerves can also be affected.
Traumatic injuries can range from a mild “muscle pull” or ankle twist to a serious problem necessitating surgery. It all depends upon the severity of tearing of the tissues, the location, and the age of the person. Some amount of swelling happens with almost all sprains and strains. But, with certain injuries, especially those of the ankle and knee, there can be some internal bleeding as well. With all strains and sprains appropriate management is vital, especially during the initial stages of the injury to assure proper healing and avoid future disability. Attention from a competent health-care professional, such as your Santa Barbara chiropractor, is highly recommended.
Listed below is an acronym for the post-injury management of sprains and strains expressly if no professional aid is available: PRICE
P Protect injury from additional damage
R Rest the injured area
I Ice injury to reduce swelling, bleeding, muscle spasm, and pain
C Compress injury with a specifically designed or elastic bandage to support injured tissues
E Elevate the injury, especially when dealing with ankles and knees
As formerly mentioned, knowledgeable evaluation and management are vital to a thorough recovery. A chiropractor can find out the extent of your injury and begin needed recovery treatment. Nearly all of these injuries can recover, but they do require proper care during the various stages of healing. If not treated attentively, some sprains and strains can result in long-lasting problems such as joint instability, painful or weak joints and muscles, and lack of mobility. Experienced management of your sports injury by a chiropractor with years of experience in sports injury care will insure that your injury recovers properly. Call your Santa Barbara Chiropractor if you have sustained a traumatic injury.
Repetitive Stress, or Overuse, Injuries
These injuries are becoming more and more common, expressly among people pursuing sports such as golf, tennis, bowling, and any other activity that requires the same movement over and over (repetitively). Something as simple and healthy as running, particularly on a treadmill, can also be a factor.
Repetitious activity can generally produce a very slight strain to tissues, especially tendons and muscles. Nevertheless, it is the accumulative effects of the repetition that produces the more serious problem. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one of the most frequent kinds of overuse injuries. Over time the muscle or other affected tissue establishes changes that no longer permit it to function normally, resulting in pain, stiffness and disability. There are two categories of factors that predispose a person to these types of problems: 1) Intrinsic, i.e., found within a person’s own body, and 2) Extrinsic, i.e., external factors that can frequently be changed or controlled by the individual.
Some of the most prevalent intrinsic factors for injury
Age is the mostgeneral intrinsic factor for injury. The older a person is, the easier it is for that man or woman to get injured. Congenital abnormalities are another factor. There are those who are born with joint or muscle problems. And, lastly, previous injuries are a factor as they generally prohibit the joints or muscles from functioning correctly.
Extrinsic factors for injury
Extrinsic factors are plentiful. A wrong grip size of a tennis racket, worn-out running shoes, an uneven treadmill surface, or a too-hard surface for soccer are all examples of deficient sports equipment that can produce problems. Inept technique in any sport, such as an incorrect golf grip is, as they say, an injury waiting to happen Another factor is poor conditioning. A number of people are injured because they aren’t in shape. Added frequency or extended duration of an activity, without developing slowly, can produce the conditions for injury. Lack of flexibility can cause injury if a person is too stiff to do an activity safely. Lack of warm-up, like stretching and appropriate preparation, is a prevalent factor in injuries. And, lastly, but perhaps surprising to some, stress is a factor. Muscles that are tense and inflexible due to stress are too tight and, as such, unprepared for most sports activities.
There are a number of factors that are extrinsic and, hence, within a person’s control. Before embarking on a new sport, or as a way to avoid injury in a current sport, it’s a good idea to get an evaluation of your current body condition. If you’ve been injured, it is extremely to seek out a experienced professional, like a chiropractor, to determine the nature of the injury and design a plan of treatment. If left untreated, sports injuries can considerably affect a person’s life and limit a favorite activity. Treatment such as joint manipulation, massage, bracing, and specific exercises is often required to stabilize the condition. A chiropractor is and excellent 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.