Upper Cervical Chiropractic News

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a long term condition that causes widespread pain throughout the body. Doctors used to use tender points to help them form a diagnosis. These are areas on the body that feel tender after pressure. However, recent guidelines have phased these out and introduced new diagnostic criteria. In this article, we explain what is the fibromyalgia trigger points are and the current diagnostic criteria that have replaced them. Possible triggers Fibromyalgia is often triggered by a stressful event, including physical stress or emotional (psychological) stress. Possible triggers for the condition include: an injury a viral infection giving birth having an operation the breakdown of a relationship being in an abusive relationship the death of a loved one But in some cases fibromyalgia does not develop after any obvious trigger. Doctors used to use the phrase tender points trigger points to describe sensitive areas on the body that become painful with a standard amount of pressur...

Post-concussion syndrome is a condition in which the symptoms of concussion or a head injury last long after the initial injury. PCS can last for months or years, but the symptoms improve over time, and, in most cases, people make a full recovery. In this article, we look at the symptoms of PCS and how long they last. We also cover causes and risk factors, diagnosis, treatment options, and possible complications. Post-concussive syndrome  refers to persistent concussive like symptoms that result following a traumatic brain injury. Anywhere from 30 to 80 percent of patients with mild to moderate brain injury will experience some symptoms of PCS. Symptoms start within a few days after the head injury and usually persist after three months. Fifteen percent of patients will have symptoms one year later. Usually patients do not exhibit neurologic deficits on examination, but report headache, fatigue, dizziness, impaired memory, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, irritability, as well ...

Sciatica is a condition that occurs when a person’s sciatic nerve becomes irritated, leading to pain along the back of one leg. This article reviews the symptoms of sciatica, how to treat and manage it, how long it lasts, and when to see a doctor. Sciatica can be acute or chronic. An acute sciatica episode may last between one and two weeks and usually resolves itself in a few weeks. It’s fairly common to experience some numbness for a while after the pain has subsided. You may also have sciatic episodes a handful of times a year. Acute sciatica may eventually turn into chronic sciatica. This means the pain exists pretty regularly. Chronic sciatica is a life-long condition. It doesn’t currently respond well to treatment, but the pain from chronic sciatica is often less severe than the acute form. For many people, sciatica responds well to self-care. Rest for a couple of days after a flare-up begins, but don’t wait too long before resuming activity. Long periods of inactivity will actu...

 In post-concussion syndrome (PCS), a patient with a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) experiences persistent symptoms from the injury. The symptoms might last months, years, or even decades after the event if left untreated. Post-Concussion Syndrome Signs and Symptoms All of the following are symptoms of post-concussion syndrome: Anxiety Headache Blurred vision Hormone Dysregulation Car sickness or nausea with motion Irritability Change in blood pressure Light Sensitivity Change in (or loss of) taste or smell Loss of balance Confusion Low energy or motivation Delayed response to questions Nausea Depression Noise sensitivity Difficulty concentrating Occasional heartbeat irregularities Difficulty finding things Persistent neck pain Difficulty reading Ringing ears Treatment There are two option treatments for post-concussion syndrome , generally speaking: active rehabilitation and medication. Active rehabilitation is currently the best treatment protocol for restoring concussion dam...

Meniere's disease can occur at any age, but it usually starts between young and adulthood. It's considered a chronic condition, but various treatments can help relieve symptoms and minimize the long-term impact on your life. Meniere's disease is a disorder of the inner ear that can lead to vertigo and hearing loss. Meniere's disease affects only one ear in most cases. Causes The cause of Meniere’s disease isn’t known, but scientists believe it’s caused by changes in the fluid in tubes of the inner ear. Other suggested causes include autoimmune disease, allergies, and genetics. Symptoms Meniere’s disease symptoms tend to come on as attacks. These symptoms include: vertigo, with attacks lasting anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours loss of hearing in the affected ear tinnitus, or the sensation of ringing, in the affected ear aural fullness, or the feeling that the ear is full or plugged loss of balance headaches nausea, vomiting, and sweating caused by severe vertigo S...

Post-concussion syndrome occurs when concussion symptoms last beyond the expected recovery period after the initial injury. The usual recovery period is weeks to months. These symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, and problems with concentration and memory. Causes Post-concussion syndrome follows the occurrence of an injury or trauma to the head. Not all people who suffer mild traumatic head injury experience post-concussion syndrome. This syndrome may be worse in people who have had previous concussions or head trauma. It may also be more severe in those who have early symptoms of headache after injury, or who have mental changes such as amnesia, fogginess or fatigue. Other risk factors include younger age and prior history of headaches. Women and older patients appear to be more susceptible to the development of post-concussion symptoms. Diagnosis Since symptoms can be vague and attributable to other reasons, it can be difficult to diagnose post-concussion syndrome. There is no...

Scoliosis is where the spine twists and curves to the side. It can affect people of any age, but most often starts in children aged 10 to 15. Scoliosis can improve with treatment, but it is not usually a sign of anything serious and treatment is not always needed if it's mild. Symptoms Symptoms and signs of scoliosis may include: Uneven shoulders One shoulder blade that appears more prominent than the other Uneven waist One hip higher than the other If a scoliosis curve gets worse, the spine will also rotate or twist, in addition to curving side to side. This causes the ribs on one side of the body to stick out farther than on the other side. Causes Doctors don't know what causes the most common type of scoliosis — although it appears to involve hereditary factors, because the disorder tends to run in families. Less common types of scoliosis may be caused by: Neuromuscular conditions, such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy Birth defects affecting the development of the b...

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a complicated disorder characterized by extreme fatigue that lasts for at least six months and that can't be fully explained by an underlying medical condition. The fatigue worsens with physical or mental activity, but doesn't improve with rest. The causes of CFS aren’t fully understood yet. Some theories include viral infection, psychological stress, or a combination of factors. Because no single cause has been identified, and because many other conditions produce similar symptoms, CFS can be difficult to diagnose. There are no tests for CFS. Your doctor will have to rule out other causes for your fatigue when determining a diagnosis. While CFS was previously a controversial diagnosis, it’s now widely accepted as a medical condition. Other characteristic symptoms include : Sleep that isn't refreshing Difficulties with memory, focus and concentration Dizziness that worsens with moving from lying down or sitting to standing The cause of CFS is un...

 Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain and spinal cord process painful and nonpainful signals. Fibromyalgia has many symptoms that tend to vary from person to person. The main symptom is widespread pain. There may be periods when your fibromyalgia symptoms get better or worse, depending on factors such as: your stress levels changes in the weather how physically active you are If you think you have fibromyalgia, visit your GP. Treatment is available to ease some of the symptoms, although it's unlikely they'll ever disappear completely. Widespread Pain This may be felt throughout your body, but could be worse in particular areas, such as your back or neck. The pain is likely to be continuous, although it may be better or more severe at different times. The pain could feel like: an ache a b...

 Many people choose to see a chiropractor about their back pain. In fact, an estimated 27 million Americans are evaluated and treated by a chiropractor each year, mostly for back pain relief, according to a 2015 National Institutes of Health report. The hallmark therapy of chiropractic care is spinal manipulation. Modern chiropractic treatment is based on the assumption that back pain is caused by misalignment of the spine. Spinal care for back pain involves physical pushing, pulling, and methodical repositioning of the head, shoulders, neck, back, or hips to help alleviate back pain. Once considered a fringe medical treatment for back pain, the practice of spinal manipulation for low back problems is being adopted by more medical doctors. The American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society, in their patientcare guidelines, included spinal manipulation as one of several treatment options for trained practitioners to consider using. The groups’ guidelines specify that ...

Chiropractic is a health care profession dedicated to the non-surgical treatment of disorders of the nervous system and/or musculoskeletal system. Generally, chiropractors maintain a unique focus on spinal manipulation and treatment of surrounding structures. When patients with non-specific chronic low back pain are treated by chiropractors, the long-term outcome is enhanced by obtaining maintenance spinal manipulation after the initial intensive manipulative therapy. A 2018 study of chiropractic care for treating low back pain , researchers enrolled 750 active-duty military personnel who complained of back pain. Half were randomly assigned to receive usual care including medications, self-care, and physical therapy while the other half received usual care plus up to 12 chiropractic treatments. After six weeks of treatment, those assigned to receive chiropractic care: reported less pain intensity experienced less disability and more improvement in function reported higher satisfaction ...

Sciatic nerve pain can be so excruciating and debilitating that you don’t even want to get off the couch. Common causes of sciatica can include a ruptured disk, a narrowing of the spine canal, and injury. Sciatica pain can occur for a variety of reasons, identifying what doesn’t move is the first step toward solving the problem. Often, the most problematic body parts are the lower back and hips. The best way to alleviate most sciatica pain is to do any stretch that can externally rotate the hip to provide sciatica pain relief. The symptoms of sciatica can vary from a mild ache to excruciating pain that radiates along the pathway of your sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back down past your hips and into each leg. These symptoms can include numbness, tingling sensations, or muscle weakness that travels down the back of your thigh and into your calf or foot. It’s often worse with coughing or sneezing. Typically, people affected with sciatica will experience symptoms on only one s...

Common causes of dizziness include a migraine, medications, and alcohol. It can also be caused by a problem in the inner ear, where balance is regulated. Dizziness is often a result of vertigo as well. The most common cause of vertigo and vertigo-related dizziness is benign positional vertigo (BPV). This causes short-term dizziness when someone changes positions quickly, such as sitting up in bed after lying down. People suffering in dizziness may feel various sensations, including: lightheadedness or feeling faint a false sense of spinning unsteadiness loss of balance feeling of floating or swimming Sometimes, dizziness is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, or fainting. Seek emergency medical help if you have these symptoms for extended periods. There are many causes of dizziness. Often, something as simple as getting up too quickly from a chair or bed, for example, can cause you to become dizzy. But dizziness can lead to some very dangerous situations, such as causing you to faint or ...

Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that occurs most often during the growth spurt just before puberty. While scoliosis can be caused by conditions such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, the cause of most scoliosis is unknown. About 3% of adolescents have scoliosis. Back pain is one of the main problems caused by scoliosis in adults, so scoliosis treatment is mainly aimed at pain relief. If the condition is not severe and is not causing any pain, treatment may not be needed. Painkilling tablets may help relieve the pain that can be associated with scoliosis. NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, are usually the first treatment recommended. These are available to buy from pharmacies and supermarkets without a prescription. But NSAIDs are not suitable for everyone, so check the box or leaflet to see whether you can take the medicine first. Speak to a pharmacist if you're not sure. See a GP if over-the-counter painkillers do not work. They may prescribe stronger painkillers o...

TMJ disorders occur when something goes wrong with your jaw joints and jaw muscles. Oftentimes, this happens because of a jaw injury, inflammation such as with arthritis, or overuse. You may not think about your temporomandibular joints (TMJ) much, but you use them a lot. The joints connect your jawbone to your skull. Your TMJ springs into action each time you talk, chew, and swallow.  Your doctor or dentist will discuss your symptoms and examine your jaw. He or she will probably: Listen to and feel your jaw when you open and close your mouth Observe the range of motion in your jaw Press on areas around your jaw to identify sites of pain or discomfort If your doctor or dentist suspects a problem, you may need: Dental X-rays to examine your teeth and jaw CT scan to provide detailed images of the bones involved in the joint MRI to reveal problems with the joint's disk or surrounding soft tissue TMJ arthroscopy is sometimes used in the diagnosis of a TMJ disorder. During TMJ arthrosco...