MOST OFTEN ASKED QUESTIONS

BACK PAIN
     What is back pain?
     Who suffers from back pain?
     What can chiropractic do for back pain?

HEADACHES
     What kinds of headaches are there?
     Who suffers from headaches?
     What should I be concerned about?
     What can chiropractic do for headaches?

HERNIATED DISKS
     What are herniated discs?
     What are some of the typical symptoms of herniated discs?
     What can chiropractic do for herniated disks?

NECK PAIN
     What is neck pain?
     Who suffers from neck pain?
     What can chiropractic do neck pain?  

COLIC
     Is your baby crying?
     What Is Colic?
     Who suffers from Colic?
     What are some of the symptoms of Colic?
     What can chiropractic do for Colic?

SCOLIOSIS
     Give your children a headstart.
     What is Scoliosis?
     Who suffers from Scoliosis?
     What are some of the symptoms of Scoliosis?
     What can chiropractic do for Scoliosis?

What is back pain?
        Back problems can be caused by an extraordinarily wide range of problems – some of them originating elsewhere in the body, but with pain being transmitted (referred) to areas of the back by the nervous system. Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical attention. It is the symptom that prompts most patients who get chiropractic care. The majority of backache sufferers complain of pain in the lower back; the second most common site of discomfort is the base of the neck. 

RETURN to TOP

Who suffers from back pain?
        Virtually all human beings are subject to back problems. The fact that humans walk upright, on two legs, puts great pressure on the spine and muscles that support it. Over time, back pain is all but inevitable. Normal wear and tear, accidents, disease, and such bad "back habits" as unnecessary strain from overexertion at play or work (especially lifting, pushing, pulling, and reaching for things improperly), and poor standing and sitting posture result in both immediate and long-term back problems.

RETURN to TOP

  What can chiropractic do for back pain?
        Chiropractors successfully treat subluxation (a complex of functional and/or structural changes in joints, which can interfere with nerve transmission, disturb other organ systems and undermine general health). Spinal subluxations may have symptoms localized in some part of the back or may radiate down to the buttocks, thighs and legs. Chiropractors also treat tension that can show up as backaches and/or headaches or pains elsewhere in the body.

        Doctors of chiropractic draw upon a wealth of knowledge and experience with treating and preventing back pain and back injuries. Soothing and pain-reducing spinal adjustments have been developed over the last century, during which chiropractors have practiced, improved and refined their techniques.

        The chiropractic approach is similar to the clinical practice guidelines of the U.S. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. That is, doctors of chiropractic not only treat the pain, they try to keep patients engaging in their normal activities rather than resting immobile in bed, which can actually cause further debilitation. And, of course, chiropractors do not rely on surgery, hospitalization and medication that can be both dangerous and needlessly costly for patients and their insurance providers.

RETURN to TOP

What kinds of headaches are there?
        More than 90 percent of headaches can be classified as tension - type, migraine or cervicogenic. By far, most people get tension-type headaches and get them frequently. They typically suffer mild to moderate pain, on both sides of the head, that is often described as tight, stiff, constricting – like having something wrapped around your head and pressing tightly.

        Migraines are periodic severe, throbbing headaches that afflict far fewer people (and more women than men), usually hurt on one side of the head, can cause loss of appetite, nausea and even vomiting, and may involve a visual change called an aura.

        Cervicogenic headache is a muskuloskeletal form of tension-type headache (which may also be related to migraines). Many times, cervicogenic headache goes undiagnosed as such due to the relative newness of this classification.

RETURN to TOP

  Who suffers from headaches?
        Many millions of adults, worldwide, get headaches regularly. Headaches are among the most common physical complaints prompting people to treat themselves or get professional assistance. One estimate holds that some 50 million people in the U.S. get severe, long-lasting, recurring headaches. Most headaches are not signs of serious underlying conditions, but they can be very distracting, debilitating and account for significant amounts of time lost from work.

RETURN to TOP

 What should I be concerned about?
        If you are a headache sufferer, your obvious concern is to obtain safe, dependable relief. You should avoid making things worse by using drugs, even over-the-counter nonprescription drugs that can have serious side effects and dangerous interactions with other medications or supplements you take. You should also be aware that many people experience what are termed "analgesic rebound headaches" from taking painkillers every day, or nearly every day. Watch out! The medicine you take to get rid of today's headache may give you a headache tomorrow and the days after.

RETURN to TOP

What can chiropractic do for headaches ?
        Chiropractors have had considerable success relieving the cause of headache pain and releasing headache sufferers from the dangerous vicious circle of taking ever-larger doses of ever-stronger painkillers that may even be causing new and worse headaches.

        Chiropractic adjustments have shown to be as effective and even more effective than medications in reducing the severity and frequency of headaches. Chiropractic is particularly successful dealing with cervicogenic headache. Even though cervicogenic and other tension-type headaches may not actually involve stress or muscle tension, chiropractic's ability to adjust spinal abnormalities seems to lessen or remove the forces contributing to many individuals¹ headache pain.       

 RETURN to TOP

  What are herniated discs?
        The 24 vertebrae of your spine are separated from one another by pads of cartilage called discs. These discs have a fairly tough outer layer with a soft interior to cushion against the shocks and strains experienced as you move and put various stresses on your spine. The discs are subject to injury, disease, and degeneration with use over time. Certain activities and types of work increase the risk of discs being damaged or deteriorating. When the soft interior material of a disc pushes out through a tear or weakening in the outer covering, the disc is said to be herniated.

        Herniated discs are also called protruding, bulging, ruptured, prolapsed, slipped, or degenerated discs. There are fine distinctions between these terms, but all really refer to a disc that is no longer in its normal condition and/or position. Herniated discs cause pain by impinging on (intruding upon, irritating, and pinching) and even injuring nerves in the spinal column.

 

 RETURN to TOP

What are some of the typical symptoms of herniated discs?
        Most disc herniation takes place in the lower back (lumbar spine). The second most common site of herniation is the neckpain (cervical spine). A herniated lumbar disc may send pain shooting down through your buttock and thigh into the back of your leg (sciatica). Cervical disc herniation may cause pain in the shoulder, arm, and hand. Herniated discs can cause muscle weakness, make it hard to get up when you've been sitting or lying down, cause pain when you strain to do something, even when you cough or sneeze. They sometimes produce pain in the lower right side of the abdomen. Herniated discs may also affect nerves to the bladder and bowel, causing incontinence. This symptom signals the need for immediate, emergency attention.

 RETURN to TOP

What can chiropractic do for herniated disks ?
        There is broad acceptance among health care professionals and the public of the recommendation that the pain from herniated discs be initially treated conservatively. That is, as long as there are no signs (such as severe pain, numbness, or functional impairment from nerve involvement) of the need for more invasive treatment, two or three months of chiropractic care may be the best choice before considering to spinal surgery or shots of analgesics (painkillers) in your back. And only a minority of disc herniations turn out to require treatment as traumatic and costly as hospitalization and surgery or with as many side effects (especially for older people) as opioid analgesics and muscle relaxants.

        A chiropractor will examine and question you carefully, take a complete history, and conduct appropriate diagnostic tests. He or she will focus on exactly what symptoms you've been suffering and determine which parts of your spine are the likely cause of your pain and loss of function. Chiropractic provides the special training, techniques, and experience needed to safely and effectively adjust your spine so that the stress on the discs is minimized, the pain relieved, the damaged or displaced structures given a chance to heal, and your ability to return to normal functioning restored.

 RETURN to TOP

What is neck pain?
        Neck pain can be so mild that it is merely annoying and distracting. Or it can be so severe that it is unbearable and incapacitating.

        Most instances of neck pain (and stiffness) are minor and commonly caused by something you did. That is, if you keep your head in an awkward position for too long the joints in your neck can "lock" and the neck muscles can become painfully fatigued. The price you pay for carelessness in how you position your head and neck (say, while working, watching TV, using a computer, reading a book, or talking on the phone with the receiver held against your shoulder and under your chin), is a pain in the neck. You may be one of the many unfortunates who, after a long and tiring day, has "harmlessly" fallen asleep in a chair or in bed with your head propped up, only to awake with a stiff and painful neck. Fortunately, most minor, posture-induced neck pain episodes clear up on their own after rest and efforts not to repeat the offending stresses on the neck.

       But neck pain that just won't go away after a day or so is a more serious matter. Neck pain that lasts for many days or keeps coming back is a signal that something isn't right. Disease, an injury (such as whiplash in an auto accident), a congenital malformation, or progressive degeneration that can come with age may be responsible for the more significant pain you experience. An expert must determine the underlying causes of such neck pain. Examination, diagnosis and treatment by a doctor of chiropractic can relieve your mind and may quickly relieve your pain.

  RETURN to TOP

  Who suffers from neck pain?
        Almost everyone experiences some sort of neck pain or stiffness at one time or another. Because you are human and walk upright, your head is "balanced" atop your spinal column. If the muscles that support your head are not kept strong and in good condition, the upper part of your spinal column is vulnerable to strains and injuries.

       Older people, whose joints have been worn by much use over time, are subject to osteoarthritis (also known as degenerative joint disease or DJD). When this form of arthritis hits your back and neck, you feel it as neck pain that gets worse over time. The pain may radiate into your shoulders and arms, and you may feel numbness or tingling in hands and fingers.

       Arthritis can also involve symptoms including headaches, dizziness, and even a grating/grinding feeling when you move your head. It is very important for your chiropractor to examine you to rule out osteoarthritis or identify it and see that it is properly treated.

  RETURN to TOP

  What can chiropractic do for neck pain ?
        Doctors of chiropractic have the training and skills to relieve your neck pain, overcome stiffness, and restore the mobility and range of motion of any frozen neck vertebrae. They are devoted to helping you get back to your normal pursuits and start feeling like yourself again.

        Perhaps their most important contribution is their ability to bring their specialized diagnostic skills, techniques, and equipment to bear in assessing what is causing your neck problems. Your chiropractor can determine if you have a relatively minor and treatable condition or a more serious underlying condition (from disease, degeneration, or trauma) that may require more intensive, extended treatment or referral to a specialist.

        Your chiropractor will ask you for detailed information on your behavior, posture, physical condition, and work and home environment He or she will obtain x-rays and other diagnostic images to pinpoint which of many possible causes is a responsible for your discomfort. Only then will the appropriate treatment be recommended.

        Once your normal feeling and function is restored, your chiropractor will be available to keep the muscles and joints of your neck and back in optimum condition to prevent recurrence of neck pain and related life-restricting symptoms

  RETURN to TOP

  Is your baby crying? Take a trip to the Chiropractor.
        The most widely accepted definition of "colic" is uncontrollable crying in babies, especially from the ages of 0-3 months, and often lasting for more than three hours a day, more than three days a week for three weeks or more.

        No matter how long the condition lasts, parents know that struggling with a colicky child can be frustrating and exhausting. But there is hope, and it could come from your doctor of chiropractic. A recent study divided 50 infants with colic into two groups. The first group received chiropractic spinal manipulation for two weeks; the second group received traditional drug treatment (dimethicone) over the same two weeks.

        Results revealed that the chiropractic group improved more than the drug group (less hours spent crying) after the first five days of the study. After day five, the dimethicone group showed little or no reduction in average colic hours per day.

Days 4-7: Hours of crying were reduced by a total of 2.4 hours in the manipulation group compared with only one hour in the drug group.

Days 8-11: Hours of crying were reduced by 2.7 total hours in the manipulation group, compared with one hour in the drug group.

        Even more revealing, five infants in the dimethicone group dropped out before the end of the study, described by their patients as having "worsened" or "much worsened" colic. The authors suggest that if these severe cases had been included in the results, drug intervention would have appeared even less effective than chiropractic for reducing the symptoms of colic.

Reference:
Wiberg JMM, Nordsteen J, Nilsson N. The short-term effect of spinal manipulation in the treatment of infantile colic: a randomized controlled clinical trial with a blinded observer. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, October 1999: Vol. 22, No. 8, pp517-22.

For more information on chiropractic care for your child, go to http://www.chiroweb.com/find/tellmeabout/colic.html and http://www.chiroweb.com/find/tellmeabout/earaches.html

RETURN to TOP

  What is Colic?
        Infantile colic was first described as indigestion. While different diagnostic criteria have emerged since then, there has never been complete agreement on what colic is, what causes it, or how to treat it. The most widely accepted definition of colic today is "unexplainable and uncontrollable crying in babies from 0 to 3 months old, more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week for 3 weeks or more, usually in the afternoon and evening hours."

RETURN to TOP

 
Who suffers from colic?
        It has been widely estimated that between 8% and 49% of newborns suffer from colic, or an estimated average of 22% of all newborns who suffer from colic at some time. The condition is regarded as self-limiting, disappearing spontaneously at three months of age; however, studies have shown that many cases of colic will persist until six and even 12 months of age, causing considerable distress and frustration for both children and parents.

RETURN to TOP
 

What are some of the symptoms of colic?
        The most common symptom of colic is "excessive crying" -- more hours of crying and more stretches of crying per day than non - symptomatic children. The crying may also have a higher frequency / pitch than normal babies. Other possible symptoms include motor unrest (flexing of the knees against the abdomen, clenching of the fists, and extension or straightening of the trunk, legs and arms).

RETURN to TOP

 
What can chiropractic do for colic?
        For years, chiropractors have cared for children with colic symptoms, and with apparently good results. In fact, the benefit of chiropractic for managing infantile colic was clearly illustrated in a recent study that compared the short-term effects of spinal manipulation vs. drug intervention (a drug called "dimethicone"). Results not only showed that chiropractic adjustments were effective in reducing colic symptoms, most notably the average hours per day spent crying, but also that the use of drugs was not particularly effective, and certainly less effective than chiropractic care. Your doctor of chiropractic can evaluate your child's condition and recommend the best approach for maximizing health and wellness.

RETURN to TOP

Give Your Children a Head Start
        No one has a completely straight spine, but nearly 3 out of every 100 people have what¹s known as scoliosis ­ an S-shaped curvature of the spine. Usually, this curvature isn¹t a problem, but for some, the curve gets worse over time and can cause discomfort and problems with breathing and circulation.

        Scoliosis might be even more dangerous than originally thought. A study in the journal Spine found that children diagnosed with scoliosis had significantly lower bone mineral density (BMD) than healthy children. These results were maintained over three years of follow-up measurements.

        What's this all mean? Basically, bone density is a good indicator of bone strength. The greater the bone density, the stronger your bones are. People with weak bones often suffer from osteoporosis, which can lead to painful falls and fractures. Researchers believe that osteoporosis is extremely uncommon in children, but these results suggest that children with scoliosis may be at risk.

        Give your children a head start on health by making sure they visit your chiropractor regularly. A complete physical examination can help detect scoliosis and any other spinal abnormalities that may lead to problems later in life.

Reference:
Cheng JCY, Sher AHL. Persistent osteopenia in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Spine, June 15, 1999: Vol. 24, No.12, pp1218-1222.

RETURN to TOP

 What is Scoliosis?
        Everyone's spine has a natural front-to-back curve -- that's what produces the normal rounding of the shoulders and the sway of the lower back. However, some people suffer from "Scoliosis" -- an abnormal curvature of the spine, especially one characterized by a rotational side-to-side deformity.

        In simple terms, what this means is that the spine is twisted side-to-side, often taking on an "S" shaped appearance and even resembling a corkscrew in some cases.

        Almost three out of every 100 people have some degree of abnormal spinal curvature, and for some it never becomes a serious problem. But for many others, the curve gets worse over time and can cause considerable pain, frustration, and limitations on normal activities. Severe scoliosis can even complicate breathing and circulation.

RETURN to TOP

   Who suffers from scoliosis?
        The most common form of scoliosis is called idiopathic scoliosis, which basically means that the cause is unknown. Anyone can suffer from scoliosis; the condition usually begins in childhood, although too often it is not identified until the teenage years or later.

        Scoliosis tends to run in families, and it affects many more girls than boys. In fact, research indicates that girls are nearly eight times more likely than boys to have scoliosis and five times more likely to require some form of treatment for their condition than boys, and the curvature of their spine is more likely to worsen over time, especially if left unattended.

RETURN to TOP

What are some of the symptoms of Scoliosis?
        Sometimes curvature of the spine is visible (the body tilts to the left or the right, or one shoulder blade is raised higher than the other. Some of the actual physical symptoms of scoliosis can include back pain, fatigue (especially postural fatigue -- feeling tired when standing, sitting, etc.), and in more severe cases, problems with circulation and breathing.

RETURN to TOP

What can chiropractic do for scoliosis?
        Doctors of chiropractic are trained to identify and manage problems relating to the spine and the back. An initial visit to the chiropractor will include a thorough physical and diagnostic examination (including range-of-motion tests and spinal x-rays) to identify any problems you may be having, including whether you or your children may be suffering from abnormal or dangerous curvature of the spine.

        If you do show signs of scoliosis, your chiropractor can provide a variety of techniques to help your condition, including spinal adjustments to increase movement and biomechanical function, and advice on posture and exercise to help prevent further increase in the problem.

Home | Dr. Mossburg | The Staff | Education | FAQ's | Location | Contact Us

© 2001-2006 Fountain City Chiropractic & Rehabilitation 1525 W. High St. Bryan Ohio

Website Maintenance by Bobbybee.Com