COMMON CHIROPRACTIC CONDITIONS TREATED

Causes: There are many causes of headaches. At ProMotion Chiropractic, your doctor will conduct a thorough health history with a physical examination to determine the type and possible cause of your headaches. Many headaches are due to muscle tension and restricted neck joint motion, but some are from dehydration, hormone imbalances, stress and the list goes on of possible causes of headaches.

Treatment: Chiropractic care is safe, gentle and effective in treating the symptoms of most types of headaches. The problem is typically fixed with chiropractic adjustments, myofascial release therapy, postural training and corrective exercises.
We have all had it. That "crick" in your neck when you wake up or sit at the computer too long. Neck pain can be the result of anything from improper sleeping habits, to poor posture or even from car accidents.

Causes: Neck pain can be produced from the neck itself, or even from the jaw (TMJ), whiplash, thoracic outlet syndrome, headaches, upper back problems or shoulder problems. Symptoms: Neck pain can be felt in the neck, jaw, shoulders, upper back, arms, chest and even up in the head. Cervical spine disorders can even cause radiation of symptoms into the arms, hands and finger tips.

Treatment: The problem is typically fixed with chiropractic adjustments, myofascial release therapy, postural training and corrective exercises.

Tips: Some tips to avoid neck pain are postural awareness, avoid sleeping on your stomach, modifying your work station and regular exercise. Additionally, avoid "text neck"! Bring your smart phone or tablet closer to eye level to avoid looking down for prolonged periods of time and straining your neck.

Check out our blog on neck pain!
Causes: Mid back pain has many potential causes, such as improper posture, sitting or driving for prolonged periods of time, herniated discs, muscle strains, improper sleep habits, muscle imbalances of your arms, neck and back muscles, neck pain referring pain into the upper back, slips and falls (traumas), spinal degeneration and more.

Symptoms: Postural problems are the most common cause of mid back and rib pain. Sitting in a forward flexed position (slumped) rounds the shoulders forward, brings the head in front of the shoulders, rounds the lower back, compresses our ribs/chest and more. All of this can lead to pain not only felt in the mid/upper back, but also pain in the lower back, shoulders, neck, disc herniations, sciatica and disc degeneration.

Treatment: The problem is typically fixed with chiropractic adjustments, postural training and corrective exercises. Chiropractic care combined with simple corrective exercises that involve thoracic mobility and strengthening can be literally life changing.

Tips: Some other tips to avoid mid back and rib pain include postural awareness, avoidance of sleeping on your stomach, regular exercises, proper shoe wear and ensuring adequate hydration. Foam rolling can also be beneficial to the mid and upper back muscles, relieving muscle tension, stretching the chest muscles and breaking up adhesions.

Check out our blog on effective stretches for office dwellers!
Causes: Lower back pain is a leading cause of disability in the US, and a reported 80% of Americans will have lower back pain at some point in their lives. Lower back pain is often caused by muscular strain, improper lifting techniques, improper shoe wear, bad sleep habits, muscle imbalances, sitting for prolonged periods of time, sports injuries, other traumas, spinal degeneration or stenosis, herniated disc and more.

Symptoms: Lower back pain can be felt in the lower back and hips, but there can also be radiation into the buttocks, legs and feet.

Treatment: At ProMotion Chiropractic, we manage your lower back pain with spinal and pelvic adjustments, as well as by including postural training, myofascial release therapy and corrective exercises. Rock Tape can also be used to manage pain, inflammation and provide stability.

Tips: Lower back pain is best prevented! Paying attention to how you lift objects, making sure to get regular exercise, stretching adequately, wearing the right shoes, modifying your workstation and avoiding sleeping on your stomach all help to alleviate lower back pain.
Causes: Knee pain can be aggravating and disabling if severe. Knee pain can be caused from the knee itself, or from its neighbors the hips/pelvis or ankle/feet. A proper diagnosis is key to determine proper treatment.

Symptoms: Pain can be felt in the back or front of the knees and is common with certain activities, like going up or down stairs, sitting, squatting and running, depending on the cause.

Treatment: The problem is typically fixed with chiropractic adjustments, myofascial release therapy, postural training and corrective exercises. At ProMotion we also may Rock Tape to further help with inflammation, decrease pain and add stabilization to a joint.

Tips: Regular exercises and stretches work wonders for knee dysfunction. Also, proper posture when lifting and exercising is helpful to prevent pain. Lastly, make sure your shoes are not worn out as this can cause issues in the knees, ankles, back and more.
Causes: Shoulder dysfunction can be caused from the rotator cuff, the labrum, tendonitis, impingement, frozen shoulder, bursitis, brachial plexus injury, arthritis and more.

Symptoms: Shoulder pain is most commonly felt in the front of the shoulder. Many people also report some muscle weakness with certain activities, as well as a reduced range of motion.

Treatment: Typically, if there is no structural damage there are many ways we can help. At ProMotion Chiropractic, we focus on restoring normal alignment, decreasing pain and inflammation, and restoring the muscles and ligaments back to health. We understand the body is connected, so we look to correct the cause of your problem as many joints can be involved in a shoulder injury.

Tips: Exercises and stretches, along with adjustments and soft tissue work, can help effectively manage shoulder injuries. Also paying attention to your posture (big surprise!) throughout the day is important, as well as when working out or playing a sport.
Causes: TMJD, or Temporal Mandibular Joint Disorder, can be painful and debilitating when the joint or soft tissue around the joint is injured or damaged. Common causes of TMJD are grinding the teeth, clenching the jaw, stress, misalignment of the teeth or jaw, poor posture, chewing gum frequently, arthritis or injury to the teeth and/or jaw.

Symptoms: When there is damage to the jaw or inflammation present, the most common symptom is jaw pain. However, other symptoms that can indicate TMJD are headaches, neck pain, ear pain, ringing in the ears, jaw clicking or popping, pain in the temple region and locking of the jaw.

Treatment: Treatment of TMJD is focused on restoring misalignment if present, and healing the soft tissue through muscle work.

Tips: Pay attention to activities that make your pain worse. If chewing gum hurts- don't do it! If you are grinding or clenching, you may need a Dentist referral for a mouth appliance. Ice can help reduce inflammation, which some people find helpful. Additionally, if you are having trouble chewing, avoid eating hard food to lessen the strain on the jaw.
Causes: Whiplash is an injury caused from an acceleration-deceleration movement of the neck as the result of a sudden trauma. Most commonly whiplash is the result of a rear-end collision, but can occur with sports injuries, other physical traumas or even amusement park rides. Whiplash results when the muscles, ligaments and tendons surrounding the neck are suddenly extended beyond their normal range of motion, causing them to stretch and tear.

Symptoms: Common symptoms of whiplash are neck pain, headaches, neck stiffness, dizziness, blurred vision, fatigue, jaw pain, arm pain, back pain and more.

Treatment: Treatment of whiplash focuses on restoring normal motion to the spine, healing the soft tissue, decreasing inflammation present and ensuring there is a proper cervical curve in the neck to avoid long term problems. At ProMotion Chiropractic, we use chiropractic treatments, myofascial release therapy, postural training and corrective exercises to manage your pain and facilitate recovery.

Tips: Movement is key! Avoid wearing a cervical collar as this can cause increased stiffness and delay healing. Stretching the neck GENTLY in all directions may help the stiffness and maintain range of motion, although this should be under supervision of your physician at first. Additionally, maintaining good posture during this time of healing is imperative, as well as sleeping on your side or back with a supportive pillow. Ice may be used to control inflammation with avoidance of heat, as heat will increase inflammation. Supplements that are anti-inflammatory include Tumeric, Curcumin, Garlic and Fish Oil.

Check out our blog on alternatives to Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs.
Causes: Plantar Fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes. Plantar Fasciitis has several possible causes, such as wearing improper shoe wear, tight calves, and activities that place a lot of stress on your heel and attached tissue, such as running, jumping, ballet dancing. All these factors work to create micro-tears in the tissue, which causes the fascia to become irritated or inflamed, though in many cases of plantar fasciitis, the cause isn't clear.

Symptoms: The most common plantar fasciitis symptom includes pain in the heel, especially the inner part of the heel, and sometimes in the medial arch. Symptoms are usually made worse with walking and running, first thing in the morning, and when wearing non-supportive shoes.

Treatment: Treatment focuses on healing the soft tissue by utilizing myofascial release therapy, Rock Tape and IASTM (instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization). Ensuring proper shoe wear is also important. Tips: There are many things you can do at home to help manage Plantar Fasciitis, including rolling your foot on a frozen water bottle, stretching your calves, wearing supportive shoes, picking up a towel with your toes and practicing balance activities.
Causes: The wrists and elbows (and shoulders) are commonly overworked and can lead to a host of problems. Golfer and Tennis Elbow are two common tendonitis conditions of the elbow caused from over-use. Other causes of elbow and wrist pain are Carpal Tunnel, DeQuervain's Syndrome, wrist sprains, finger/thumb arthritis/pain, Pronator Teres Syndrome and more.

Symptoms: Pain with gripping activities, wrist pain and weakness, stiffness, tingling and numbness are all symptoms that can be seen.

Treatment: The problem is typically fixed with chiropractic adjustments, postural training and corrective exercises.

Tips: REST is key if you have an over-use injury. Applying ice the first several days of the injury can help reduce inflammation, and applying heat after that will help increase circulation and assist the healing process. An elbow soft brace may be worn to take strain off the tendons and to decrease pain with activities. The most important step to take though is rest and following your prescribed corrective exercises!
Causes: Athletes can be injured in a number of ways, anywhere on their body. At ProMotion Chiropractic, we often see athletes who over or under-train and become injured, as well as injury due to physical trauma, repetitive over-use and muscular imbalances. We also commonly see high school athletes develop injuries if they are in the same sport year round.

Treatment: If there is no structural damage with the injury, at ProMotion Chiropractic we typically utilize chiropractic adjustments, myofascial release therapy, postural training and corrective exercises to address misalignment, mobility and muscle imbalance issues.

Tips: Knowledge is power! Some tips to remember are to have a proper training plan, ensure you are doing a dynamic warm-up before your activity and a proper cool down and recovery after the activity. Make sure you are taking adequate time each day to stretch, foam roll, do lacrosse ball work, or whatever your vice is for mobility and recovery. Also remember the 10% rule: only increase your total miles by 10% each week. Anything above that puts you at increased risk for injury. Lastly, for kids in year-round sports it is important to remember that they need a break from that sport such as a physical break from activity, cross-training, or becoming involved in a different sport in the off-season. Prevention of injuries is much easier than recovery from actual injuries.
Causes: Achilles tendonitis is a common condition that develops from over-use, like any tendonitis. It will typically be brought on by increasing training intensity or distance too fast, having too tight of calf muscles and then doing a vigorous workout, or having a bone spur in the area.

Symptoms: Achilles tendonitis symptoms include pain at the back of the lower leg near the heel. Pain will be more severe first thing in the morning, as well as during and after activities such as walking, running and jumping. Swelling may or may not also be present, but if present will tend to worsen with activity.

Treatment: Treatment is focused on healing the damaged tendon with soft tissue work, Rock Tape, postural training and corrective exercises.

Tips: Make sure you are following a training program or are being mindful of your training intensity and frequency, and that you are not increasing them too aggressively. Also, stretching your calves throughout the day is a good idea, as well as using a Addaday or stick to roll out the knots. Icing will help decrease inflammation if it is present. If you are having acute or chronic problems, then rest is one of the most important things you can do to allow the damaged tendon to heal. Lastly, shoes that have a lower back are helpful so the inflamed tendon isn't constantly rubbing against the back of the shoe.
Causes: Sciatica is a shooting pain that begins in your lower back or pelvis and shoots down into the buttocks to the back of the thigh and leg. The pain occurs when the sciatic nerve has been injured, irritated and/or inflamed. Often times this is a result of an unbalanced pelvis, which causes a tight piriformis muscle. The piriformis muscle sits on top of the sciatic nerve in the buttock area, and when it becomes aggravated it causes painful sciatica symptoms.

Symptoms: Symptoms of sciatica include pain in the lower back and hips, buttock pain, shooting pain, numbness or tingling down the leg, pain with sitting, pain with walking, and reduced range of motion in the hip joint.

Treatment: Treatment is focused on restoring balance to the pelvis and decreasing spasm and tightness of the piriformis muscle. At ProMotion Chiropractic we perform chiropractic adjustments and myofascial release therapy, while also including postural training and corrective exercises to correct your problem.

Tips: Make sure you are getting up periodically if you are sitting for prolonged periods of time. Icing may help inflammation the first few days of onset, where heat and ice contrast therapy help some people if it becomes more chronic. Lastly, as always pay attention to your body. If a particular position or activity is making your pain worse, that activity should be avoided until your healing is further along.
Causes: Stress can be physical from a hard workout or repetitive activity, emotional from our thoughts, or chemical from the foods we eat. Short term stress is beneficial to the body, but chronic stress creates destructive inflammation in the body, which leads to chronic diseases. Inflammation also creates more aches and pains in our body, which can be very aggravating if you are doing measures to get out of pain but they aren't working.

Treatment: Chiropractic care is very effective in managing your aches and pain and reducing muscle tension.

Tips: No matter the cause of chronic pain, stress can make it worse! Stress management is imperative in the management of chronic pain and for overall health. Relaxation techniques are effective and easy to do anywhere, and involve refocusing your attention on something calming and increasing awareness of your body. A few examples of relaxation techniques include deep breathing, meditation, yoga, biofeedback, listening to relaxing music and tai chi. If you are new to meditation, try downloading an app or finding a website that offers guided meditation. Or just ask Dr. Schroeder for what she does!
Causes: Pregnancy can be a wonderful time for a mother-to-be, but it can also be accompanied by unwanted aches and pains. During pregnancy, your body is naturally adapting to the changing weight and body shape that comes with carrying a baby. A reported 50% of pregnant women complain of developing lower back pain during pregnancy. Neck pain and sciatica are also common complaints during pregnancy.

Treatment: At ProMotion Chiropractic, we know this is a special time in your life and we want to keep you feeling your best! Chiropractic care offers a safe, comfortable and effective option to manage your pregnancy-related symptoms. Dr. Schroeder has advanced chiropractic training in the Webster Technique which focuses on balancing the pelvis and sacrum to facilitate pelvic alignment and nervous system function in pregnant women. Balancing the pelvis allows for reduced torsion to the uterus and decreased muscle and ligament tension. Therapeutic exercises can also be helpful to add strength and stability to help prepare you for labor and beyond.

Tips: Regular chiropractic adjustments throughout pregnancy help your body during this time of great change. Also try to keep active as much as possible during your pregnancy with stretches and exercises, and remember to maintain good posture during standing and sitting.
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