Wellness

Here in the wellness secition of our site, you will find various joints that we can help you with. Please click on any of the following links to see various injuries that may be causing your pain so you can better discuss with Dr. Allen your treatment.

 

Spine

The spine, or vertebral column, is made up of a series of bony blocks, known as the vertebrae.

The spine is not a rigid structure – it is able to bend and twist because there are flexible, shock-absorbing cushions or discs between each of the vertebrae.

Each intervertebral disc is a flat, biscuit-shaped structure with a jelly-like centre called the nucleus and an extremely strong outer skin called the annulus.

What is a disc herniation?

Many people will have heard the term ‘slipped disc’ but this is a rather inaccurate name, as discs actually cannot slip. They can wear, split or herniate.

When this happens, usually following cumulative stress on the spine – most commonly involving bending, twisting or lifting – the strong fibres of the outer annulus can tear, allowing ‘leakage’ of the jelly-like nucleus out of the centre of the disc.

This is known as a disc herniation. This ‘leaked’ material may then cause irritation by pressing on the nerve that runs next to the disc.

Is it a common problem?

Contrary to popular belief, disc herniations are not a common problem. It is estimated that approximately 5% of patients who consult a physician with lower back pain do so as a result of a disc herniation. The annual incidence is only in the region of 0.1 – 0.5% of the general population between the ages of 24 and 64 years.

What are the symptoms?

The pain of a disc herniation can be very severe but classically, you will feel a greater intensity of pain in the leg, due to the nerve irritation, than that felt in the lower back. You may feel a degree of numbness or ‘pins and needles’ in the leg, sometimes also into the foot, and you may notice that some of the muscles in the leg become weaker. It is important to mention to your Chiropractor if you also experience any changes in bladder or bowel function or if you notice any numbness of the ‘saddle area’ (i.e. the area that would be in contact with a bicycle saddle when seated). These may be signs of a rare, but severe type of disc herniation.

Chiropractic Treatment

Chiropractors do treat disc herniations and many scientific studies have shown that a high proportion of patients find relief with this kind of treatment. It has also been shown that Chiropractic treatment is superior to the application of heat, exercises, postural education and also conventional physiotherapy.

Elbow

The elbow is a hinge and pivot joint that allows for bending, extension, and rotation the arm. It connects the humerus to the radius and ulna with ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Fractures and dislocations, muscle strains, sprain, and injuries to joints and ligaments are some types of acute elbow injuries.

Rest is the most effective treatment because elbow injuries are commonly caused by overuse. Limited usage will alleviate the problem. Immobilizing the elbow with a splint will help absorb shock and rest the muscles and tendons.

Some doctors will recommend heat therapy to increase circulation and accelerate healing. Cold therapy usually follows as it reduces swelling and pain. Sometimes your chiropractor will use electro-stimulation to increase the healing process between hot and cold treatments.

Cortisone injections will alleviate elbow pain and swelling but almost always deteriorate the ligaments after repetitive doses.

Another form of treatment is similar to vaccinations where your doctor will inject an "artificial injury" to stimulate the cells to repair themselves.

In any case surgery should be the last resort.

Ankle

If you have ever twisted your ankle, you might still have some weakness, which could still be causing problems. The most common injury to the ankle is turning it in, such as when wearing high heels and turning it over by stepping on a stone or the edge of a kerb. This is a common ankle sprain.

Occasionally the end of the bone on the outside of the ankle breaks but more often the ligaments of the ankle on the front and side get torn and produce massive swelling and bruising.

It can take 4 to 6 weeks to recover from the immediate injury but, the ligaments very rarely repair satisfactorily and often become full of scar tissue, which is not elastic. This increases the likelihood of rolling over again and several further sprains. Such repeated traumas will influence the mechanics of the ankle and cause problems in the joint and the structures above, such as the knee and spine. These usually tend to become obvious after jogging or long walks, especially on uneven ground, but as the symptoms may be in a distant joint, you do not necessarily think of that old ankle injury being the origin of it. Chiropractic treatment can help to prevent chronic and recurrent problems.

Your chiropractor will, by careful case history and examination, be able to discover the cause and remedy it accordingly.

Pronation

Chiropractors recognise that this can be caused by a weakness in the calf and foot muscles and produces distortion such as flat feet, bunions, hammer toes and widening of the fore foot. Although pronation is often a consequence of ankle instability, it can occur on its own through various other factors such as prolonged standing, bad shoes or inherited tendencies. Much is now known about foot pronation and many chiropodists or podiatrists treat it with insoles or othotics. It is important, however, to deal with any mechanical and muscle imbalance problems that may excist and your chiropractor is ideally suited to diagnose and treat the problem. Here at the ISIS clinics we offer to correct the problem and often refer you to our in-house podiatrist. The chiropractors will also advise you on the correct shoe wear and on the right type of exercise to help the condition.

Flat Feet

The feet have two arches, one on the inside and one of the outside of the foot, allowing for correct propulsion. Wearing shoes on even surfaces means the arches of the feet do not get used for shock absorbance. The muscles weaken and eventually the arches drop, causing the person to become mildly 'knock kneed'?. This puts more pressure on the inside joint of the knee and can result in arthritis and cartilage problems. An assessment by the chiropractor will determine if the arches have dropped. If they have, this can be addressed by exercises to strengthen the muscles and use of arch support.

Nerve irritation in the lower back can often cause weakness in the legs, therefore, Chiropractors will also assess the spine as a possible source of the problem.

Knee

Chiropractic treatment is very effective for many of the problems that cause knee pain and although a condition such as osteoarthritis is not curable, the symptoms can be reduced and the progression of the problem can be helped thanks to our unique approach to treatment.

If knee pain is limiting your day-to-day or sporting activities, if you have been given painkillers and been told to rest with no long-term improvement, or you have been told you have arthritis and there is nothing that can be done?

Then chiropractic treatment may well be the answer.

The Knee Joint

The knee is a complex joint that relies heavily on ligaments and muscles for stability.The knee is a major weight bearing joint and is composed of:

• The tibio-femoral joint (between the thigh and lower leg).
• The patello-femoral joint (between the knee cap and the thigh.
• Muscles and ligaments, which gives active and passive stability to the knee.
• Two ring shaped cartilage discs in the knee, called the menisci (one meniscus).

Chiropractic treatment of knee pain:

We have outlined the process of our treatment below to give you an idea of our approach. We would normally modify the treatment to suit each patient and their specific conditions. So the type of treatment that is most appropriate for one person is not necessarily right for another.

Stage 1: Reduce joint inflammation and reduce pain.

• How?
• Avoidance of aggravating factors, use of a support, sports tape
• Ice to reduce inflammation, muscle spasm and pain
• Soft tissue healing: laser, ultrasound and interferential therapy

Stage 2: Normalise joint function

• How?
• Specific chiropractic manipulation and mobilisation techniques to areas of restricted movement in the knee and surrounding joints, to increase movement, improve the function and reduce pain
• Deep soft tissue massage, trigger-point therapy and cross-friction.

Stage 3: Rehabilitation exercise program.

• When appropriate we introduce exercises to improve strength, endurance and stability. We also work on improving your balance and your sense of joint position (proprioception). This will help you to return to normal and also prevent new injuries.

Wrist

Wrist and hand pain can seriously interfere with a person's daily life. Common household tasks such as brushing teeth or opening a can of soda may become an excruciating ordeal. Some typical causes of wrist and hand pain are arthritis, tendonitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

There are a number of treatment options available for wrist and hand pain, depending on what is causing the problem.

The first choice is to rest the joint, and allow the inflammation to die down before any further treatment is performed. Be sure that you do not immobilize the wrist for too long, however, because this may cause it to freeze up or stiffen from lack of use.

You can also use ice packs and heat pads for wrist and hand pain.

Support braces are available for people who need protection for an existing injury or to prevent a future problem. The braces are only intended to be a support for the wrist, not a protection against severe trauma or injury.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain medications may be prescribed, especially for wrist and hand pain caused by problems such as arthritis and tendonitis.

Cortisone is a more powerful medication that can be used for severe cases of inflammation in the hands and wrists.

Shoulders:

Common Injuries:

Pain that has been referred from the neck-

• When the structures in the neck are painful, the pain is often felt over the shoulder. It is important to remember this and your chiropractor will always examine your neck when you come in for shoulder pain.

Bursitis/Rotator Cuff Tendinitis-

• The most common diagnosis in patients with shoulder pain is bursitis and tendinitis of the rotator cuff musculature causing impingement syndrome.

Rotator Cuff Tear-

• Different degrees of rotator cuff tears can occur. If the tendons of the rotator cuff separate from the bone, surgery is sometimes necessary.

Frozen Shoulder-

• Also called 'adhesive capsulitis,' this is a common condition that leads to severely restricted movement of the shoulder.

Calcific Tendinitis-

• Calcific tendinitis is a condition of calcium deposits within a tendon - most commonly within the rotator cuff tendons. Treatment of calcific tendinitis depends on the extent of symptoms.

Shoulder Instability-

• Instability is a problem that causes a loose joint. Instability can be caused by a traumatic injury (dislocation), or may be a developed condition.

Shoulder Dislocation-

• A dislocation is an injury that occurs when the ball-part of the shoulder joint (top of the arm bone) slips out of the socket (part of the shoulder blade).

Ligament Injury-

• Also called an A/C separation, these injuries are the result of a disruption of the acromio-clavicular joint. This is a very different injury from a gleno-humeral dislocation.

Labral Tear-

• There are several patterns of a torn labrum and the type of treatment depends on the specific injury.

Arthritis-

• Shoulder arthritis is less common than knee and hip arthritis, but when severe may require a joint replacement surgery. However, arthritic changes are more common in the acromio-clavicular joint between the collarbone and the shoulder blade.

Biceps Tendon Rupture-

• The upper part of the biceps tendon can rupture and cause shoulder pain.

Neck

Today’s modern living often entails hours of driving and hunching over workstations, which can play havoc with our necks. So it is no surprising that neck pain is the second most common condition that chiropractors treat. While neck pain is less common than low back pain, millions of people experience neck pain and related arm pain at some stage in their lives and therefore seek chiropractic care.

It results from abnormalities in the soft tissues – muscles, ligaments, and nerves, as well as in the bone and the joints of the spine. The most common causes that chiropractors identify and treat are soft tissue abnormalities from injury or prolonged wear and tear and in many people it is also the source of pain in the upper back, shoulders and arms.

When neck pain is caused by muscle strain, you may have aches and stiffness that spread to the upper arm and forearm. Shooting pain that spread down the arm into the hand and fingers can be a symptom of a “pinched nerve” or nerve entrapment in the neck. When a nerve is “pinched” in the neck, numbness, weakness and possibly pain of the hands or arms may occur. Disc injuries are rare but it is the most common cause of nerve entrapments.

Trauma

Injuries to the neck caused by a sudden movement of the head backwards and forwards or sideways, are referred to as “whiplash”. Whether from a car accident, sporting injury or an accident at work, whiplash or neck injuries warrant a thorough chiropractic examination.

Whiplash is most commonly suffered as a result of a road traffic accident. An impact or collision causes the head to suddenly jerk back and forth beyond its normal limits. Read more bout how chiropractors treat whiplash .

Wear and Tear

Wear and Tear, Osteoarthritis or Joint Degeneration occurs due to the accumulation of stresses and trauma over time. Throughout life the spine is required to withstand considerable weight bearing strain, purely as a result of the pressures of daily living. The overall effects of degenerative changes of the spine, leads to a feeling of stiffness and reduced spinal mobility. However, just like any other part of the body, the better care that is taken of the spine, the less degeneration is likely to occur. Chiropractic treatment is usually very effective for the symptoms caused by wear and tear. It is never too late to take proper care of the spine and reduce the effects of aging.

Overuse or Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI)

There is a constant process of breakdown and repair of the soft tissues in the human body. RSI develop when the balance is upset either from increased use and/or impaired healing. RSI is caused by mechanical irritation, which upsets the body’s highly tuned natural balance. It is an inflammation of the fibrous layer that covers soft tissues. Repeated physical movements, such as typing, can cause damage to tendons, nerves muscles and ligaments.

Often problems in the spinal joints of the neck and upper back can aggravate or even cause RSI to develop in the arms and hands. This is because the nerve supply, which control both the tension in the muscles and blood supply of the arm come from the neck.

RSI may present as tightness, discomfort, stiffness or pain in the neck, arms or hands. You may experience tingling, coldness or numbness in the hands. There may also be an associated clumsiness, loss of hand strength and co-ordination.

We all have occasional aches and pains that go away within a few days, especially when we have overdone things. But if your symptoms are progressive, persistent or recurrent see your Chiropractor as soon as possible.

Posture

Chiropractors recognise that poor posture can contribute to spinal pain. Very often poor posture is a result of an existing muscle imbalance, pain or bad habits and conversely, having poor posture can also contribute to you developing pain and a muscle imbalance.

If you work in an office sitting is part of what you have to do, but too much sitting is not good for you.

Sitting on an office chair for long periods can contribute to spinal problems. Sitting doubles the pressure on the discs in your low back. The static posture will also affect the muscles in the lower back, neck, arms and legs. The muscles prefer to be used in dynamic rather than static activities. The reason being that they depend on movement to help the blood flow in the musculature. This is important, as it helps to flush away build-up of lactic acid and other by-products in the muscles. The postural muscles are the ones that are most likely to suffer.

Prolonged sitting can cause muscles that support the spine to weaken and over time this weakness becomes significant. As our muscles fatigue it often results in the upper back being more slumped. A slumped posture causes increased musculo-skeletal stress, which in turn may lead to conditions such as; headaches, neck pain, jaw pain, shoulder pain, numbness or tingling in the arms or hands and pain in the shoulder blades.

Over time a poor sitting posture and incorrect work ergonomics can damage spinal structures and become the cause of recurrent episodes of pain. Chiropractors place great emphasis on giving both postural and ergonomic advice as part of the chiropractic treatment.

Once symptoms have arisen, the problem is usually fully established and a chiropractic treatment program including postural advice, manual treatment (chiropractic adjustments and soft tissue therapy) and rehabilitation exercises help to re-establish a flexible, strong and pain-free posture.

Hips

Chiropractic and Osteoarthritis of the Hip. There are many reasons for having pain over the hip. One of the most common reasons is referred pain from the back.

Osteoarthritis of the hip joint is a problem affecting mainly older people and is the most common disease affecting the hip joint, with 25% of women and 15% of men experiencing symptoms over the age of 60 years.

Previous trauma, such as fracture, dislocation or diseases of a joint often predisposes it to osteoarthritic change. You are also more likely to get it if you have a family history of the disease and you are more at risk if you are obese, as that puts more stress on your hips. But you can get osteoarthritis even if you do not have any risk factors