Chiropractic Care and the Headache Patient

13 Apr

According to a 2020 study, up to 1 in 5 new chiropractic patients list headaches as one of their chief reasons for seeking care. Let’s take a look at the features and characteristics that are often found in the chiropractic patient population…

A survey that included input from 224 adult patients with headaches as their chief complaint and 70 doctors of chiropractic revealed that 25% of patients who consult with a chiropractor concerning their headaches have headaches lasting longer than three months, known as chronic headaches, and 42% rate their headache pain as severe.

Based on International Classification of Headache Disorders criteria, 21% of these patients exhibited characteristics of migraine headaches, 17% likely had tension-type headaches, and a third experienced characteristics of two or more types of headaches. However, among the patients who rated their pain as severe, 62% had migraines and two-thirds had more than one type of headache.

A series of studies published in 2020 and 2021 compared multi-modal chiropractic care (ten treatments spread over 14 weeks) and enhanced usual care (medical treatment with migraine education literature) in the treatment of 61 adult women with episodic migraines. The patients in the chiropractic group experienced a near three-fold reduction in migraine days per month (2.9 days vs. 1 day).

Follow-up interviews with the participants in the chiropractic group on their perception of chiropractic care revealed three common themes: 1) over the course of treatment, participants became more aware of the role of muscle tension, pain, and posture in triggering a migraine; 2) participants revised their prior conceptions of chiropractic care beyond spinal manipulation; 3) participants viewed the chiropractor-patient relationship as essential and valuable for effective migraine management.

A study that included 150 patients with chronic tension-type headaches revealed that chiropractic care and the medication amitriptyline provided similar benefits during the treatment phase of the study. While three participants in the chiropractic treatment group reported neck soreness and stiffness, 82.1% of those in the group that took amitriptyline experienced side effects that included drowsiness, dry mouth, and weight gain. Of special note is that once treatment concluded, only the patients who received chiropractic care continued to experience reduced headache intensity and frequency while the participants in the medication group reverted to their initial headache intensity, frequency, and duration levels.

The findings from these and other studies support chiropractic care as an effective treatment option for patients with headaches, with few (if any) side effects and high patient satisfaction.

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.

Ankle Pronation and Knee Osteoarthritis

8 Apr

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a very common condition that is a significant cause of disability in older adults, often resulting in knee replacement surgery. There are several contributing factors to KOA, and perhaps one of the most important issues is excessive force exerted on the knee joint by improper biomechanics of the foot and ankle.

In the normal gait or walking cycle, there are two primary phases called the stance phase and the swing phase. As the names imply, the stance phase refers to the entire time the foot is in contact with the ground and the swing phase occurs when the foot is off the ground.

A 2019 systematic review and meta-analysis reported that the forces across the knee are not transmitted equally during walking, with the inside of the knee joint bearing greater loads than the outer knee joint in most individuals. This leads to breakdown of the cartilage faster on the medial side of the joint, which leads to KOA. One identified cause of this is called ankle pronation, which is an excessive rolling-inward of the ankle that occurs during the stance phase. This results in the knee knocking inward, which is technically called external knee adduction moment, or EKAM.

Fortunately, this can be addressed with the use of lateral wedge insoles or shoe inserts that try to minimize or eliminate the ankle pronation aspect that reduces the EKAM and associated excess loading of the medial knee joint.

When assessing a patient, doctors of chiropractic will expand their examination to regions of the body outside of the area of chief complaint as it’s common for dysfunction in one body part to affect another. In this case, we can see that abnormal motion of the ankle can place added stress on the knee, potentially leading to knee replacement. For the patient to achieve an optimal outcome, such issues need to be addressed.

Chiropractic treatment for the KOA patient can include manual therapies to restore proper motion to the affected joints, specific exercises to strengthen weakened muscles, and nutritional recommendations to reduce inflammation. If ankle pronation is suspected to contribute to the patient’s knee condition, then an orthotic insert may also be necessary. As with many musculoskeletal conditions, it’s better to seek care sooner rather than later. The earlier treatment can be provided, the faster and more likely there will be a satisfactory outcome.

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.

Home Exercises for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

6 Apr

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common peripheral neuropathy affecting approximately 3% of the general adult population. Individuals with jobs or hobbies that involve fast, repetitive movements and forceful gripping with little-to-no rest may be at increased risk for CTS, as are those with metabolic/hormonal conditions that can lead to increased swelling/pressure/inflammation in the wrist. In most instances, treatment guidelines recommend utilizing conservative treatment approaches, like chiropractic care, before consulting with a surgeon. In addition to workstation modifications, manual therapies, nutritional recommendations to reduce inflammation, nocturnal splinting, and co-management with other healthcare professionals, doctors of chiropractic will also advise patients to perform exercises at home to speed recovery and prevent recurrence.

Below is a description of four CTS-specific exercises recommended by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS).

Exercise 1: Wrist Extension Stretch. With the elbow straight (but not “locked”), bend the wrist back (as if saying “STOP”) and use the other hand to apply “over-pressure” to assist to a maximum tolerated stretch. Hold for fifteen seconds. Repeat five times for each wrist.

Exercise 2: Wrist Flexion Stretch. With a straight elbow (but not “locked”) and the palm facing down, bend the wrist downward until the fingers point toward the floor and use the other hand for to achieve the maximum tolerated stretch. Hold for fifteen seconds, repeat five times for each wrist.

Exercise 3: Median Nerve Glides. Make a fist (with the top of the hand facing upward) and then open the hand, but not the thumb, and bend the hand backward toward the forearm and extend the thumb backward. Rotate the palm up toward the ceiling, keeping the wrist/fingers/thumb extended. Grasp the thumb with the other hand and extend back (assist) to tolerance (but not too hard). Hold for three to seven seconds and repeat on the other hand.

Exercise 4: Tendon Glides Type One: Start with the hand pointed outward with the fingers straight out, palm facing down. Bend the fingers upward and then curl them downward into a fist. Tendon Glides Type Two: Start with the hand pointed outward with fingers straight out, palm facing down. Bend the fingers downward touching the end of the fingers to the base of the palm.

The AAOS recommends warming up the hands and wrists with heat for about 15 minutes before performing these exercises and using ice for 20 minutes to cool down afterward. If your symptoms to worsen, cease these exercises and consult with your doctor of chiropractic about modifications.  

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 Is an Excellent First Choice for Low Back Pain

1 Apr

The current available research notes that 52% of all opioid prescriptions are for patients with low back pain, and over two million Americans suffer from opioid use disorder (OUD), with 47,000 dying from OUD in 2017. In light of the opioid epidemic, the high cost of diagnostic tests and invasive treatment, and the low level of patient satisfaction with such care, researchers from the Boston University School of Public Health set out to find better options for the management of low back pain. Their findings revealed that a patient’s INITIAL choice of healthcare provider plays an important role in their prospects for a successful outcome from the perspective of both the patient and the insurance company.

This prompted a major health insurance carrier to send a notice to their policy holders promoting initial care for low back pain with either a doctor of chiropractic (DC) or physical therapist (PT). The carrier notes that this move is expected to reduce the use of spinal imaging tests by 21%, spinal surgeries by 21%, and opioid prescriptions by 19%, leading to lower costs for employers and plan participants.

This recommendation is not only in line with guidelines from the American College of Physicians that non-drug, non-surgical care should be the initial course of treatment for the low back pain patient, but also a growing body of research on the effectiveness of non-surgical, non-drug approaches for managing low back pain:

  • A 2020 study found that 22% of patients who initially visited their primary care doctor (PCP) received a short-term opioid prescription, with those first consulting with a PT or DC being 85-90% less likely to require an opioid prescription.
  • A 2015 study found patients who first sought care from a DC were not only more satisfied with their care than those who visited a PCP first, but the overall treatment costs were lower.
  • Back in 2013, researchers reviewed data from Washington state worker’s compensation cases and found that 43% of workers with a back injury who initially consulted with a surgeon ended up having surgery while just 1.5% of those who first received chiropractic treatment eventually had a surgical procedure for their back pain.
  • A study published in 2019 found that low back pain patients were less likely to see DC/PTs vs. PCPs when the insurance plan had greater restrictions on DC/PT visits (higher co-pays, deductibles, participation in programs such as a health savings account). The authors stated long-term economic and social benefits would result if health insurance benefit designs were changed to encourage LBP patients to see DC/PT provider types.

BOTTOM-LINE: It’s becoming increasingly clear that conservative treatment approaches like chiropractic care should be strongly recommended for patients with low back pain and other musculoskeletal conditions. Not only will this lead to a reduced use of potentially harmful opioids and the issues that can stem from their misuse, but there will also be cost savings for patients and insurers. As with most health conditions, the sooner a patient seeks care, the greater their likelihood for a successful treatment outcome.

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.

Vitamin C Truths and Myths

30 Mar

Ever since Dr. Linus Pauling wrote about vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and its ability to fight the common cold, controversy has persisted about the value of vitamin C, how much is needed, and how to get it into the body. Let’s discuss some truths and myths about vitamin C…

MYTH: Blast a cold with vitamin C. It can fight it off! Though a lot of people ramp up their vitamin C intake during the winter months in the quest to avoid getting a cold, this unfortunately may not be as helpful as we think. While some research found that those who take vitamin C regularly may be sick for a slightly shorter duration (about 8% in adults, and up to 18% in kids that took 1-2 g/day or 1000-2000 mg/day) or have milder symptoms, for most people, boosting vitamin C does not reduce the risk of coming down with the common cold.

TRUTH: In many Western countries, like the United States and Canada, vitamin C deficiencies are rare. Although our bodies cannot produce vitamin C and we have to get it from food, most residents in richer countries are successful in getting enough in their diet to avoid deficiency symptoms such as bleeding gums, nosebleeds, joint swelling, dry/rough skin, and bruising. The minimum daily dose to target is 75mg for women and 90mg for men, though many experts believe this should be increased to 200mg/day, which is the minimum needed to saturate the body. Scurvy can be prevented with as little as 10mg/day.

MYTH: Citrus is the best source of vitamin C. Just one cup of bell pepper offers 200-300mg of vitamin C compared with 70mg from an orange. Other good (and non-citrus) sources include broccoli, brussels sprouts, kiwi, strawberries, papaya, pineapple, and cantaloupe.

TRUTH: Reduce obesity risk by improving vitamin C intake. A study conducted by researchers at Arizona State University found that a low blood level of vitamin C has been linked to having a higher BMI, body fat percentage, and waist circumference. Researchers report that vitamin C plays a role in the body’s ability to use fat as a source of fuel during both exercise and rest.

MYTH: You can’t overdose on vitamin C. You can! Because we can’t store vitamin C, the excess surplus when taking over 2000mg/day has to be eliminated through the kidneys in urine. Though many easily tolerate that dose and more, a megadose can trigger bloating/gut upset, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, headache, insomnia, and kidney stones.

If you have any questions about vitamin C or other facets of nutrition or overall health, feel free to ask your doctor of chiropractic during your next visit.

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.

Screening for Both Concussion and Whiplash

25 Mar

Whiplash injuries are often associated with car accidents and concussions are typically connected with sports collisions, but there’s a growing body of research suggesting that patients should be screened for both conditions following either type of incident.

In one study, researchers measured the forces applied on the brain both as it impacted the headrest during a rear-end collision and when struck from the rear while wearing a football helmet. They found similar head angular velocities between both crash simulations, suggesting both types of collision can result in brain injury.

On the other hand, a 2015 study reported that athletes with stronger deep neck flexor muscles experienced a faster recovery after a concussion. Past research has also indicated that stronger neck muscles may reduce the severity of whiplash injury to the neck during a motor vehicle collision. This data suggests that reduced injury to the cervical spine and associated tissues during a collision may lessen the severity of an accompanying concussion.

In a 2019 study published in the Journal of Orthopedic Sports & Physical Therapy, researchers reported that the overlap in symptoms between whiplash and concussion are strikingly similar, but the guidelines for diagnosis and treatment for the two are implemented separately, which could potentially lead to misdiagnosis and a delay in appropriate management, along with an increased risk for a poor outcome. The authors concluded that proper assessment and management should incorporate the principles set forth in BOTH whiplash and post-concussive guidelines. Moreover, coordinating other diagnostic principles such as imaging guidelines should also be incorporated to offer these patients optimum quality assessment and management strategies.

These suggestions are backed by a series of case studies of whiplash-injured patients with symptoms that suggested co-existing post-concussion syndrome. The patients reported improvements in function following a course of treatment derived from guidelines for managing both whiplash and post-concussion syndrome.

Likewise, a study published in 2015 by authors affiliated with Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College revealed that the post-concussive syndrome patients experienced favorable outcomes when they received treatment similar to that provided to whiplash associated disorder patients to restore function in the cervical spine.

These findings suggest that whiplash and concussion commonly co-occur, and patients should be screened for both, regardless of how the injury occurred, whether from an automobile crash or a sporting collision. Treatment guidelines show that the non-surgical, conservative treatment provided by doctors of chiropractic is an excellent option for these types of 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.

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