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Hip Problem, Back Problem, or Both?

12 Sep

Musculoskeletal conditions drive millions of patients to doctor’s offices each year, with back and hip pain being among the most common. Because the hip and low back neighbor one another in the body, these conditions often overlap, with only one of the two being diagnosed. This can lead to inadequate treatment, unnecessary costs, and unsatisfying outcomes for the patient with prolonged pain, disability, and mental health distress.

In some cases, a problem elsewhere in the body can refer pain to another region. For example, dysfunction in the upper neck could result in symptoms in the wrist and hand that could appear to be carpal tunnel syndrome. Or an issue in one area, like the foot, can change a patient’s gait and lead to a problem with the knee. It’s possible that the patient may only seek care for their knee pain, as their foot may not have obvious symptoms for concern. With the hip and low back, both scenarios can occur, which is why it’s important to focus on the whole patient and not just the area of chief complaint.

That’s why doctors of chiropractic consider the whole patient when they present for conditions like hip pain or back pain, starting with a thorough patient history. This includes asking the right questions, in which we frequently use the acronym LMNOPQRST, which stands for: Location, Medical History (or Mechanism of injury), New, Other Symptoms (or, Onset), Provoking/Palliative, Quality, Radiation, Severity, and Timing. These questions MUST be asked for each complaint.

The remaining history of Past, Family, and Social histories and, a Review of Systems allows the doctor of chiropractic to consider other potentially important aspects of the patient’s past such as prior injuries, accidents, surgeries, current medications, genetics, social aspects (smoking, drinking, exercise habits, sleep quality) and more, which can give clues to the current presenting complaints. The use of pain diagrams and questionnaires helps quantify the amount of suffering and serve as good outcome tools to determine treatment success.

The examination includes observing the patient walk and move (with or without distress), their posture, and their affect (is their condition all-consuming); palpating or feeling for painful structures and performing movements that both increase and relieve their pain; measuring patient’s range of motion; determining what position is favored or “best” vs. “worst”; and nerve function tests to look for impairments with regards to sensation, strength, and reflexes.

Each part of the examination is considered in order to arrive at the correct diagnoses so that treatment can accurately focus on healing and improving the function of the ailing parts.

 

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

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Pregnancy

9 Sep

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a condition that we typically associate with overuse activities, especially occupations that require fast, repetitive hand work such as typing, sewing, and packaging. However, the hormonal changes that occur in pregnancy can also lead to swelling or inflammation in the wrist, and subsequently, the symptoms associated with CTS.

A 2019 study involving 382 women in the third trimester of pregnancy revealed that 111 (23.03%) experienced the signs and symptom consistent with mild-to-severe CTS. Further analysis showed that the women who were older, left-handed, and had gestational diabetes mellitus were more likely to have severe CTS symptoms.

It makes sense to assume that pregnancy-related CTS would resolve once a woman has given birth, but another study suggests this isn’t always the case. In one long-term study, researchers monitored the status of 45 women who presented with CTS during their pregnancy. One year following the birth of their child, only 40% of the participants reported that their symptoms (pain, tingling, numbness) and function had improved. Half of the women reported no change in their symptoms or function and a small portion said their condition worsened (13.3% symptoms, 4.4% function). Nerve conduction testing showed no problems in 17.8% of participants, with the rest experiencing some degree of nerve interference.

At the three-year mark, 51% were symptom-free, while 49% were still symptomatic but less so compared to their situation at the start of the study and at the one-year follow-up.

In conclusion, although many women who develop CTS during pregnancy will experience improvement over time, almost half will continue to report symptoms and functional impairments up to three years after the birth of their child. Doctors of chiropractic offer a non-surgical, effective combination of management strategies that can be easily and safely applied during pregnancy and after delivery.  Because CTS can be highly disruptive to sleep and cause other quality-of-life issues, women with the condition should strongly consider chiropractic care during pregnancy and after if symptoms or problems persist.

 

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

When Spinal Fusion Is Needed…

5 Sep

You’ve probably heard of a friend or loved one whose back pain resulted in a spinal fusion surgery, but you may not understand what prompted surgery over non-surgical approaches, including chiropractic care.

Simply put, spinal fusion is a surgical technique that aims to eliminate excessive motion (instability) in the spine by fusing two or more vertebrae together. Fractures related to trauma are a common reason for spinal instability, but excessive motion can also be caused by conditions such as spondylolisthesis (when one vertebra slides forward on another) and age-related disk degeneration.

When is a fusion necessary? The short answer is after every non-surgical option fails to result in a satisfactory outcome. The long answer is when there is progressive neurological loss or deficit, cauda equina syndrome, failed non-surgical care, failed prior surgical care, x-ray evidence of instability with neurological signs, and unremitting pain that affects one’s quality of life. Treatment guidelines are not always followed, as many patients consult with a doctor of chiropractic only after they’ve already been advised that their lower back condition requires surgery.

The good news is that most conditions of the lower back can be managed with non-surgical chiropractic care, especially early on. With any musculoskeletal injury, it’s almost always best to seek care right away when the symptoms may be milder. Ignoring an injury may cause it to worsen and/or lead to the formation of scar tissue in the affected area and secondary problems elsewhere as the body attempts to compensate for mobility impairments. Conditions like chronic back pain can still respond well to chiropractic care, but keep in mind, it may take longer to achieve a successful outcome.

However, there are times when surgery is necessary.  Surgery may include decompression of the nerve without fusion, but in cases of spinal instability, fusion may be needed, which is determined on a case-by-case basis. There are always risks associated with surgery, which is why it’s so important to exhaust non-surgical options first. When appropriate, your doctor of chiropractic can help facilitate in the referral process for a surgical consultation.

 

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

Walking Backward Boosts Memory

29 Aug

We previously discussed how walking backward can strengthen the low back extensor muscles, which can aid in both the treatment and prevention of back pain. According to a study published in the January 2019 issue of the journal Cognition, walking backward (or even watching a video simulating backward motion) may also improve one’s memory.

The study involved 114 people who participated in experiments focused on recalling images, word lists, and even details from a crime scene. Before the recall stage of each experiment, participants were instructed to walk forward, backward, sit still, watch a video that simulated forward or backward motion, or imagine walking forward or backward.

The results revealed that participants performed better in nearly every instance when they either physically walked backward, watched a video that simulated walking backward, or simply imagined doing so. Further analysis revealed that this memory boost lasted an average of ten minutes. While it’s unclear how walking backward benefits memory, psychologist Dr. Daniel Schacter of Harvard University hypothesizes that people may associate backward movement with the past, which may trigger a memory response.

When a crime has occurred, detectives will perform a cognitive interview with witnesses that involves walking them through the crime. Including a backward walking component to the process may allow witnesses to recall more details about the event, which may help solve the case.

Future studies will aim to uncover why this technique improves memory recall and if motion-based memory aids such as this can be applied to patients with cognitive impairments, either from dementia or brain injury.

 

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

Whiplash and Tinnitus

22 Aug

While tinnitus is commonly associated with a ringing sound in the ears, it can also involve a buzzing, hissing, or whistling noise. The sound can be intermittent or constant and can change in volume. The noise often intensifies in a quiet room when background noise is absent, such as at night, which can interfere with sleep. Approximately 50 million adults in the United States are affected by tinnitus, and up to 90% of people with tinnitus have some degree of noise-induced hearing loss. Though tinnitus can be due to many different causes, trauma-induced tinnitus from motor vehicle collisions is common.

Studies have demonstrated that an 8 mph (12.87 kmph) rear-end collision can result in 4.5g of neck acceleration, which can cause a sprain/strain injury to the neck that can lead to the cluster of symptoms that characterize whiplash associated disorders (WAD) such as neck pain, back pain, mental fog, headache, balance disturbance, depression, anxiety, tinnitus, and more.

Additionally, this process can also accelerate the head, essentially slamming the brain against the inside of the skull, followed by a rebound into the opposite side of the skull. This can lead to bruising on the brain, which is commonly called a concussion but is more formally known as a mild-traumatic brain injury (mTBI). This type of injury shares many symptoms with WAD, including tinnitus. If symptoms persist, the condition is known as post-concussive syndrome (PCS).

This has led researchers to speculate that WAD and mTBI often co-occur, and treatment to address cervical spine dysfunction commonly observed in WAD patients may also help patients with PCS. In a 2015 study involving five patients with diagnosed PCS, researchers observed that when the patients received manual therapy treatment to address cervical spine dysfunction, they reported improvements in several symptoms associated with PCS.

Doctors of chiropractic are highly trained to manage cervical spine dysfunction, a common sequela following a motor vehicle collision. Frequently, the many symptoms associated with WAD, including tinnitus, improve once the dysfunction is managed through manual therapies applied to the muscles and joints in the neck. If you are suffering from the aftermath of an MVC, please see your chiropractor!

 

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

Chiropractic Treatment for Wry Neck

19 Aug

Wry neck, also known as torticollis, is a painful condition in which the top of the head usually tilts to one side while the chin rotates to the opposite side. Torticollis can have several causes from infection (cold, flu, or otitis media, for example) to sleeping in a draft; however, the cause is usually unknown (idiopathic).

In a typical case, torticollis may resolve itself within four to six weeks, but with chiropractic care, cervical function can return to a more normal state much faster, often within a week. Chiropractic treatment for torticollis often includes stretching, in which manual cervical traction, spinal mobilization, and myofascial release techniques help to restore the lost range of motion and faulty posture. Once enough motion has been restored, a doctor of chiropractic may utilize spinal manipulation, which often hastens the recovery rate of torticollis. Chiropractors may also use physical therapy modalities and/or provide instruction on home-based exercises and other self-management strategies.

There’s a type of torticollis called congenital torticollis in which an infant is born with torticollis that either developed in utero or during the birth process. Current guidelines support prompt treatment for congenital torticollis versus taking a wait-and-see approach. One study found that treating infants with gentle manual therapy approaches at one month of age led to higher success rates than waiting until they were six months or older when substantially more care was needed to restore full range of motion with lower odds of success.

There is a less common but more serious type of torticollis called cervical dystonia, sometimes referred to as spasmodic torticollis, which is characterized by involuntary contraction of muscles in the neck that twist the head in a variety of directions. Cervical dystonia can occur at any age, but it’s more common among middle-aged women. While there is no known cure for the condition, there are case studies showing that cervical dystonia may respond to chiropractic treatment. In one such case study, a 59-year-old woman with an eleven-year history of cervical dystonia experienced a dramatic improvement in function (from 3/10 to 9/10 on a scale of 0 to 10, 10 being full function and 0 being no function) following a treatment regimen that included cervical spinal manipulation, reflex therapy, eye exercises, and vibration therapy.

 

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