CHIROPRACTIC HELP questionsCHIROPRACTIC HELP questions makes space for you to submit your own queries about Chiropractic, and whether it can help this or that. Fire away. Please submit your questions via
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"No Question...just a compliment. Wow, I'm really enjoying your website. I just discovered it today because my orthopedic dr suggested I read up on FAIS. Who knew? lol - I can't believe after so many years of discomfort and complaining to dr's and even chiropractors in the States, no one even thought of FAIS. I'm a twin and it seems probably that "my" FAIS is from 56yrs ago, my twin on my left side, both of us breech, me w/torticolis etc...Even though I was very athletic/active I never knew why/what was bothering me. I live in Israel now and my amazingly wonderful orthodped suggested FAIS and that I look it up online. That's how I came across your site and I just love it. Now..I just need to sit long enough to read everything. I will get to everything. Thank you so much for providing great information and with a great sense of humor. Love it!!!! Again thanks!!!! BM, Ashdod, Israel" YOUR QUESTIONS
Thank you for your submission to Chiropractic Help Questions. Congratulations on your pregnancy and hopefully by now you have been safely delivered of your child. Inner thigh pain is a common occurence, especially in pregnancy, but certainly not exclusively. While it may go away of itself after the birth of your child, sometimes it remains stubbornly painful for months, and even years. Opening your thighs during sex may remain very painful. The offender can be any one of a number of muscles, but in my experience it is often the Adductor Magnus, a large inner thigh muscle that inserts into the pubic bones, also the origin of the deep pelvic muscles so important in pregnancy. A fixation of the sacro-iliac joint is commonly the cause. Remember that more low back pain starts AFTER pregnancy, with all the lifting, bending and twisting. This is the time to get started on a gentle exercise program, before the condition gets worse. I would suggest you start by sliding your thumb into the groin and feel for the pubic bone. It may be very very tender. Should you cross the pulsating Femoral artery, obviously avoid it. Now run your thumb down the inner thigh, feeling for that painful muscle. Once you find it, run your thumb down the length of the muscle several times. It may be red-hot, but don't let that stop you, leaving a day in between as it may feel bruised. In fact you may get a little bruise, that's okay. An ice block will help with after-pain. Normally we would suggest stretching the muscle, but that would not be wise immediately after the birth. Then start some simple back exercises which you can get from our Chiropractic Tips page. Follow this program for a few weeks. If it's not improving, then I suggest you contact your chiropractor. Here are some links that you might find useful. Enjoy your baby and again congratulations to you both. Thank you for your contribution to Chiropractic Help questions.
Dear M, At Chiropractic Help questions we would want to know if the pain worse at night, and do you get relief by putting your hand on your head, or sleeping with your hand under your head? Is the pain worse when carrying a heavy bag, and do you have pain in your shoulder when you use it - for example putting on a T-shirt, or washing the wall. Do you have pain putting your arm behind your back? Are you a smoker and do you have a bad cough? Does turning your head, particularly turning towards the sore arm, and looking upwards provoke pain, not just in your neck, but also in your arm? Did you have a whiplash recently, or long ago? Answers to these questions will help your chiropractor diagnose the source of irritation of the nerve(s) to your arm. There are many possible sites of injury, but the most common are a slipped disc in the low neck, arthritic spurs in the foramen where the nerve emerges from the neck (from an old injury) or a trapped nerve as it passes through a tunnel formed by the first rib, the collar bone and some muscles in the neck. All three are treated regularly by chiropractors, but you will have to be patient. This is a very trying condition, and is sometimes stubbornly resistant to treatment. My own experience is that an inexpensive home traction device (around $50), PLUS chiropractic, is even more beneficial. Research shows that on its own, traction has little benefit. Try pricking your arm with a pin, and comparing it with the other arm. Is there a difference, and is your arm becoming weak? An MRI or at least an X-ray would be very useful in making the diagnosis, certainly if you are not improving within say two weeks. The answer to this is dependent on your chiropractor's clinical examination. The following links will be useful in trying to understand the pain you are experiencing:
Hello H, Congratulations on your pregnancy. Two little tests: 1. Bend forwards slowly and carefully. Does it hurt in your back only, your leg only, or is it sore in your back and the muscles at the back of your left leg feel much tighter, even painful, than the other. 2. Sit upright in a kitchen chair. Ask you husband to lift first the non-painful leg parallel to the ground (in your case the right one), note the pull in that leg (the non-painful one), and whether in hurts in the opposite leg. Lower the leg. Now ask him to raise the painful leg parallel to the ground. Is it much more painful that the other leg? In the back? In the leg? In the back and the leg? If these tests hurt in your leg, then yes, you have sciatica. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, as large as your little finger, and somewhere it's being pinched. If the nerve is only being irritated, not pinched, then these tests could still be negative, but you do have sciatica. More complex tests are needed to confirm it, tests that I can't go into. Two more little things you can do. Prick different parts of your leg and foot with a needle. Is there are difference between the painful leg and the other leg? Now the most important: can you stand on the heel of your painful foot, and raise your big toe? Can you stand on your toes and raise your heel from the ground. Is it rock solid, or does your foot begin to shake? These tests are not exclusive, as there is another nerve, the Femoral nerve that serves the leg, but it's affected much less commonly, so for convenience we'll ignore it. At this page, you can see a picture of the sciatic nerve:
Thank you for this contact. I hope this makes a contribution to a more enjoyable pregnancy.
Hello Mukesh, The first important factor is to diagnose which level is the problem. Sometimes you can have two discs that are complaining, but that is less common, and the treatment is quite different for a L4-L5 disc, or a L5-S1 disc hernia. This is done in several different ways, but the pattern of tingling will help your chiropractor decide which is the level: Read more. TINGLING IN FEET AND LEGS ... There is an important protocol to follow. For example, it's important to sit and stand much less, and perhaps not at all, depending on the severity of the hernia. This protocol can be found at http://www.chiropractic-help.com/Postero-Medial-Disk-Herniation.html Read more. POSTERO MEDIAL DISC HERNIATION ... Scroll down to 'Home Instructions'. Then, some simple exercises will help, both now and after the pain has gone. You should continue to do them. Sign up here for our Chiropractic Tips: I'm not sure where you will find a Chiropractor in India. You will have to do your own homework. Good luck, and thank you for your contact. There are a number of pages on Slipped disc at this site. Browse around, starting at Pain Syndromes on the Navigation bar at the left of this page.
Dear B, You've put me on the spot here! Unfortunately, not having all the facts at hand, it's impossible for me to give a definitive answer to your question. What I can tell you is that I can't remember when I last asked a patient to come in for that amount of treatment in such a short time. Not that I can't envisage a situation in which I might, but that surely must be the exception that proves the rule. What rule? It's my belief, and I must stress that it is purely a personal opinion, not backed by research, that a joint should not be manipulated more than 25 times in a year. And that I think is too much. What your chiropractor may have in mind is to adjust different joints on each occasion. For example, there are some patients' necks (a small minority) who just don't respond well to adjusting say C6 and C2 on the same day. Often where there has been a reversal of the curve, as you have, usually after a whiplash, the patient has dysfunction in the lower neck, and the upper neck. It could well be that, in your chiropractor's professional opinion, in your case they might adjust C6 on Mondays and C2 on Fridays. If, for whatever reason, you only wish to go for 10 treatments, I would personally recommend 2/week for 5 weeks, rather than 1/w x 10weeks. But that's my opinion. Take it for what it's worth. I also have no idea what technique your chiropractor is using. Some of the non-force techniques do take longer. What also needs to be considered is how many analgesics you are swallowing ... they have serious side-effects on the kidneys and stomach. Three questions down, you can see how I personally schedule my patients. Thank you for your question, and I hope this answers it in part, but probably not entirely to your satisfaction! Dear R, Thank you for your question. It's made me realise there is a deficiency in my site. I have nothing on compression fractures. Nobody unfortunately, not a surgeon, doctor, PT or chiropractor is going to 'fix' a compression fracture, and the management of the fracture depends on when it occurred, and where. If it's recent, then I would recommend a brace for a few months if it's in the low back area, or a collar if it's in the neck. A fracture needs to be immobilised. Bed rest may be indicated, depending on the severity. Secondly, if there are neurological signs, tingling, loss of reflexes, numbness or weakness, changes in bladder habits then it needs to be very carefully managed. A consultation with an experienced chiropractor is in order, but s/he may decide to refer to an orthopedist. If it's in an elderly person who has taken a fall, you are between the devil and the proverbial deep blue sea. Bed rest will serve to aggravate osteoporosis, but the demands of the fracture may require it. An experienced clinician will advise you correctly. Old compression fractures are an every day experience for every chiropractor. They really aren't that rare. Plenty of people take a tumble, have car accidents, falls from horses ... Take a look at this SHORT ANECDOTE page, and scroll down to a November case involving several compressions in the lumbar spine. How long is the process? Because this is a condition that no one can cure, you will probably require periodic regular maintenance. Fractures in the spine usually leave their mark, requiring exercise and correct management.
Hello B, Sorry about the side-effects of your osteoporosis medication. Frankly six months of severe mouth pain and quite marked weight loss have totally outweighed any possible benefit from these medications. Whilst not against medication for osteoporosis, let's recognise that all medications have side-effects and because you are so active, are a non-smoker, have not had a hysterectomy, I question the necessity at 85 for taking this medication. Always be careful with generics. Read more about CAUSES OF OSTEOPOROSIS
Hello H, To be quite honest H, it would be fairly difficult for you to check if you are doing the right thing. I presume you did your homework and didn't choose your chiropractor out of the Yellow Pages. Did you get recommendations from family or friends, or your doctor? If so, then trust him, unless you instinctively feel very uncomfortable with what he is suggesting. As a VERY ROUGH guide, I think you understand I have no idea what is your problem, but as a VERY ROUGH guide an average program might consist of: Phase I: Treatment 2 or perhaps 3 times a week for about 3-4 weeks. Phase II: Rehabilitation and stabilisation phase. More emphasis on exercise and posture, perhaps once a week for a few weeks. Phase III: Maintenance phase: Quite quickly increasing the space between treatments to about a treatment every 2-3 months. But I have patients who need quite a bit more treatment than that, if they have a serious and chronic condition, and others who need much less. It all depends ... Take some time and browse around the site. It's large but will probably cover your condition. If not get back to me. If you're worried that he may be ripping you off, then you may enjoy reading this story by Bernard Preston: I'm just wondering what sort of joint pain I would expect after delivery of a child. At the moment I'm just suffering some back pain and lower rib pains while I'm sleeping because of the pregnancy. This is fine after I change from side to side or after I wake up and do some stretches. So I'm more interested in the possible joint injury or common joint problem immediately after birth and what I can do to prevent such problem. Hello F, A certain amount of discomfort are to be expected in your last trimester. That doesn't mean you need to be getting anxious. Mostly, childbirth does not cause serious joint pain after your delivery. But it is a time to keep active and fit. Not only the delivery itself, but in my experience the next months of caring for your child, can be quite difficult for your back. There's plenty of hard physical work ahead! So keep fit. Walk, Swim, and do some specific little back exercises which you can get from our Tips. But if you start to get significant low back pain, or if it starts in your leg, groin or around the pubic bone, then it's time to consult your chiropractor. Occasionally, childbirth can be traumatic for the coccyx, but there's little you can do to prevent that. Just hope it doensn't happen, and if it does, get to your chiropractor sooner rather than later. Check out our pages on the pubic bone and the coccyx. Enjoy the ride. It's a very special and precious time. Get some rest too. Congratulations and best regards.
In the context of a joint-muscle-tendon-ligament-nerve website, I think the 'Chiropractic Hands FIRST' poster is valid, especially considering the emphasis we place on the prevention of breast and prostate cancer, the two most common killer cancers. Did you know that research in the Netherlands (highest breast cancer in the world, 1/8 women) concludes that the high protein diet in the Netherlands is the main contributory cause? Or that research in the USA reveals that a tomato a day decreases prostate cancer by a half? However, if you or a loved one has one of these cancers, there is no research that I know of that suggests Chiropractic has anything whatsoever to contribute to the disease per se. Whilst I and I presume most chiropractors regularly treat patients with a history of these cancers, we are not purporting to be treating the disease in any way, but some unrelated conditions. Like pain in the foot, perhaps, or headaches, always mindful of the possibility of metastasis. I hope this contributes something. My suggestion? Go with your doctor's advice and your gut-feel. Good luck, and God bless. CHIROPRACTIC HELP questions Hello L, How old are you? Did this start suddenly? Lie on your back and, using your arms, pull your leg onto your chest. Rotate it a bit. Is it very stiff and sore compared to the other side? In the groin? Side of your hip? Back? Or does it only hurt if you use your leg muscles to lift your leg? There are actually quite a lot of things that could be causing this. Let me know. This reply from me was returned. Spam is such a problem these days - if you want a reply, you have to make sure that your email is open to emails from me. Read more about one possible cause of L's problem. FEMERO ACTETABULAR IMPINGEMENT SYNDROME ... Dear A, You're in a bit of an awkward spot. The reality is that no treatment from a doctor of any kind has absolutely no side-effects, and that includes chiropractic. We try to follow the dictum of Hippocrates: First, do no harm, but it happens. On balance, if your chiropractor helped the pain in your neck and back, despite the negatives, I would go back and speak forthrightly with him. He caused it (perhaps), he can and should fix it. The money side you can argue about. If you feel that you really don't want to consult him again for the reasons expressed, then go to someone new, speak very directly about the cause of the problem, and see if they listen. If they don't, decline treatment. Heavy thoracic adjustments will just further aggravate the pain. Would you like to respond to this page: http://www.chiropractic-books.com/GOLDEN-CHIROPRACTIC-RULE-3.html : What you would like your chiropractor to know? You might start by taking an ice block to the shower, ice the painful joint, then warmth, then ice again ... then using some massage cream, massage deeply between the joints. Keep doing it. You might be lucky and the pain goes away. There is a specific technique for this condition that I only learnt after being in practice for 25 years. I've caused a few of what you have myself! Your chiro can always contact me directly. Sternal pain. Read more. TIETZES SYNDROME ... Dear A, There is an old adage that reads: "The patient can have two diseases." What needs to be carefully assessed is whether the pain and numbness in your thigh is part of the shingles, or a quite separate condition. I recommend a consultation with an experienced chiropractor to make this decision. A thought: If bending, forwards, backwards, to the side causes pain in the back or leg, if pressing in the groin is painful, if rotating your thigh whilst lying on your back is stiff or painful then you can be fairly sure this not the shingles. Look at these links: http://www.chiropractic-help.com/upper-leg-pain.html http://www.chiropractic-help.com/Iliotibial-Band-Stretch.html http://www.chiropractic-help.com/maignes-syndrome.html Hello A, thank you for your submission to CHIROPRACTIC HELP questions. I'll answer your last question first. There is no treatment for anything that is TOTALLY safe. However, the increasing complexity of the treatment, the greater the risk of serious side-effects of the treatment. We think that manipulation - an adjustment - is the treatment of choice for a sciatica, skilfully given. But it's an art, and an injudicious manipulation can certainly aggravate the problem. Correctly given, you have the best possibility of getting over this problem. Anti-inflammatories can help, but there are dangers too. Significant dangers. 14 000 people per year die in the USA from gastric bleeds from NSAIDs as they are called. I doubt one person died from manipulation of the lower back. You may have read in the press that Mrs Bush Snr very nearly died from an ulcer recently, caused by NSAIDs. Good surgery can be very successful too, but there again the potential for serious problems is even greater. The anaesthetic too has it's attendant dangers. I would recommend you consult an experienced chiropractor in the neighbourhood, talk to friends and family, and look to doing plenty of exercises. The right exercises, ask you chiropractor. If you sign up for our Chiropractic Tips, you will get a simple set of exercises. Sit less, don't bend, try not to cough or sneeze. Question: When sitting, extend the knee in the NON-painful leg. Now the painful leg. Is there a noticeable difference? I hope this helps. Feel free to ask further questions. I take it you have looked at the various pages pertaining to low back and leg pain at Chiropractic-Help.com . If not, go to http://www.chiropractic-help.com/chiropractic-conditions.html, scroll down to low back pain, Lower limb pain, and Pelvic conditions. There you will find plenty of info. Walking and other activities does not increase the pain. In fact, the only time the pain is unbearable is while sleeping on the sides.Does CHIROPRACTIC HELP questions offer a solution? Hello A, I take it you have pain on both the outer and inner side of the same leg. Do 3 small tests for me: * Slowly bend forwards (careful!). Is the pull in the sore leg much tighter than the other leg? YES. * Lying flat on your bank, ask your husband to slowly lift the straight leg. First the non-painful leg, and then the other. It's a passive test - he must do the lifting, not you. Is there a difference? NO. * Press around in the groin, and the deep bone (pubic bone), and the muscles on in the inner thigh. Is it very sore? YES. Hello A, Your answers suggest this is not clear-cut. The stretch in your leg whilst bending suggests a pinched nerve in the low back, but the Straight Leg Raise test is negative, indicating that it is certainly not a severe sciatica. My gut feeling is that you have a condition widely seen in the chiropractic management of pregnancy. Referred Pubic Bone pain, perhaps with an associated Sacro-iliac Joint syndrome. Please look at these two pages: http://www.chiropractic-help.com/pubic-bone-pain.html http://www.chiropractic-help.com/sacroiliac-joint-anatomy.html With back pain, you can wait a bit if it's not severe. But with pain radiating down your leg, it's better not to wait. I think it's time for a proper evaluation by your chiropractor. Keep in touch.
Hello J, At CHIROPRACTIC HELP questions we recommend you sign up for some simple exercises for back pain (low back pain): http://www.chiropractic-help.com/chiropractic-tips.html It's free. Groin pain needs to be professionally assessed. It can be caused by many different conditions, most of them benign and responsive to chiropractic care, but some of them more serious. I suggest you make an appointment with a local chiropractor for an evaluation. At Chiropractic-Help.com you will find these pages, all of which can cause groin pain, but this is only scratching the surface: http://www.chiropractic-help.com/pubic-bone-pain.html http://www.chiropractic-help.com/Femero-acetabular-impingement-syndrome.html http://www.chiropractic-help.com/hip-arthritis.html http://www.chiropractic-help.com/sacroiliac-joint.html As you can see they are widely divergent, and need to be correctly managed according to the condition. Keep in touch with CHIROPRACTIC HELP questions. Dear J, I'm very sorry to hear you have been diagnosed with ALS. As I'm sure you already know it is a serious neurological disease that attacks the body's Motor Neurons causing muscle weakness. We at CHIROPRACTIC HELP questions will do our best to offer a few suggestions. The answer to your question is Yes and No. Yes, because muscle weakness means that your joints are going to be under stress, and spinal joints in particular have a very important impact on your nervous system. Support at that level is important, and Chiropractic treatment can help. But No, because we are not treating the primary cause of your disease. Unfortunately no one knows what the cause is. My best advice? Interesting new research reveals that the Motor Neuron Diseases occur only in persons who have been on a high Carbohydrate (starch) and low Fat diet. Neurons are lined with a fatty sheath made of Myelin, essential for the transmission of impulses. If I were diagnosed with ALS, or Multiple Sclerosis, or Motor Neuron Disease, I would immediately reverse that ratio, and make sure that my diet is full of healthy fats. Absolutely avoid margarine.
Why avoid margarine
? HYDROGENATED FOODS ... What then are the healthy fats?
Click here for more about HEALTHY FATS
OLIVE GARDEN NUTRITION ... In fact I would take it one step further. Discuss with your neurologist the possible benefits of the Ketogenic Diet. You will need an experienced nutritionist to guide you in this. For more about the new research concerning ALS and diet go to this site. Don't be put off by the picture at the top, but scroll down to the bottom of the page.
Read more about tingling in arms and hands
Hello P,It's all about the degree of osteoarthritis in your hip(s). If it's mild, then chiropractic could certainly help you, if it's advanced then it gets more difficult. How stiff are your hips when you pull them onto your chest, and in a circle? Pain? Perhaps send me a copy of your x-ray report, or even if you have the xrays themselves, take a digi photo of them, and send them. The answer is a guarded yes, chiropractic can help you. There are quite a few ifs, not least of which is whether you can find a chiropractor interested enough to try. I'm sure you can, but you may have to shop around a bit ... Good luck and thank you for your submission to CHIROPRACTIC HELP questions.
Hello C, First and foremost, what is needed is a good examination to find the source of your neck and shoulder pain. They often go together, as the shoulder girdle is innervated from the lower neck. There are 101 possible diagnoses, but most commonly, shoulder pain is caused by a subluxation in the lower neck, or upper back. I would recommend you chat to friends and family, and find a good chiropractor in your area. Make an appointment, and let him/her examine you carefully and thoroughly. Take it from there. Let me know how it goes. Thank you for your submission to CHIROPRACTIC HELP questions. A: You are a brave lady, C! They say big families are happy families, I hope this is true of yours. Congratulations. Pain in the inner thigh with exercise can come from a myriad of conditions, the hip, the sacro-iliac, the back and other. What is needed is a thorough examination. I recommend you ask your friends and family to recommend a local good chiropractor. Where I would start looking is at the insertion of the Adductor Magnus muscle. It is a commonly involved in the last trimester in a syndrome causing pain in the groin and inner thigh. Thank you for your submission to CHIROPRACTIC HELP questions.
Read more about Pubic bone pain
A: There are a lot of ifs and buts, S. I take she is 50+ and has pain in the groin. If she has advanced arthritis then it may be necessary to have a hip replacement. Ask Mum to pull her knee to her chest, and rotate it gently. Is it MUCH more stiff and very painful compared to the other leg? Does she walk with a marked limp? How long has it been painful? Did it start suddenly? Osteoarthritis progresses slowly over a number of years, but a capsulitis tends to start very suddenly, often after an wrong move. However, the usual rule of thumb applies. Try the most conservative things first. Use some ice, do some gentle exercises, massage around the groin and buttock and side of the thigh. If that doesn't help, ask friends and neighbours to recommend a chiropractor in your area. Go with Mum and take any x-rays with you. Advanced arthritis usually needs surgery. But this syndrome in the absence of advanced arthritis responds magnificently to chiropractic. Thank you for your submission to CHIROPRACTIC HELP questions.
A: Hello P, Congratulations on the birth of your child. The first step is a correct diagnosis of your pain. Pain running down the thigh should always be taken seriously. Why? Because it can be serious. If you bend forward, does it pull or hurt more in one leg than the other? Sitting, if you raise that leg parallel to the ground, does it hurt? In the back? leg? If the answer to these questions is YES, then you should not delay. Get to see a local chiropractor. We are specialists in treating this problem. However, there are a host of other conditions that can cause this, and it is the correct diagnosis that will get you on your way to recovery. Careful with lifting and bending. Go down on one knee when working with your child. Try not to sneeze. If you subscribe to Chiropractic Tips, you will get some very general low back exercises. Whilst usually it is recommended that first the diagnosis is made, these simple exercises hurt almost nobody, done with a modicum of common sense, and help many. I do them myself every morning. If the pain doesn't resolve within a week, i would recommend you consult your chiropractor. Follow the usual route - ask friends and family to recommend someone local. Thank you for your submission to CHIROPRACTIC HELP questions. A: What has Chiropractic Help Questions to say to that? I would discuss it frankly with your chiropractor. It is not unusual for your chiropractor to adjust your neck, if you are suffering from back problems. Each neck is unique, and finding the perfect adjustment takes sometimes a bit of patience, and honest dialogue. Don't be afraid to tell him/her of the pain you have had since the treatment. Every doctor needs to have something of a thick skin, and he needs to face this. The correct adjustment will restore the correct balance to your neck. Should he/she not want to hear your story, or be willing to work with correcting the subluxation, then I would consult someone else. Good luck. Honesty always wins. Iatrogenic disease also occurs in the Chiropractic domain. CHIROPRACTIC HELP questions Read more
IATROGENIC ILLNESS ... CHIROPRACTIC HELP questionsCHIROPRACTIC HELP questions is here for you. We try to give you balanced and unbiased suggestions. Use your common sense as obviously we don't have the whole picture: when did the condition start, slowly or suddenly, sharp or dull, how old you are ...?
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