Type of Back Pain
Type of Back Pain – How it Feels. Different types of back pain often indicate very different problems. A simple example is dull, achy, diffuse pain, sharp pin pointed pain and electrical shooting pain. Dull, achy, diffuse pain is often, but not always, a pain in the muscle that can be caused by strain, skeletal misalignment, nerve damage or overuse. Sharp pin pointed pain is the type of back pain that often leads back to a joint problem or acute trauma. Electrical shooting pain, like in the case of sciatica down the back of the leg, is often neurological and can be caused by a number of different underlying issues. Self diagnosis is a bad idea. So is Dr. Google. If you are experiencing back pain, you should be evaluated by a chiropractor first. If they cannot help, they will send you to someone who can. Back pain is one of the leading cause of temporary and long term disability. Most importantly, it ruins plans, aspirations, hopes, goals and routines. It prevents you from holding your kids and making a...
read moreChild Seem Disconnected? – Autism in Maine
Does your Child Seem Disconnected? Parents know their children, even if the child has only been around for a few months. Many parents report that their child does seem disconnected in a way that is atypical. Does your child’s gaze roam away from your eyes? It doesn’t take a doctor to recognize that something is off, in fact, the parent is often the best judge of what is normal. A child that appears disconnected very likely, almost certainly, has neurological imbalances that need to be evaluated. Stress in utero, labor and delivery stress, can lead to brain development that is not balanced from side to side. There are tests that can be done at various stages of childhood development that let a chiropractor know whether or not your child has been wired normally. If the tests reveal that the child is neurologically disconnected, there are steps that may be taken to re-wire your child that have proven effective clinical practice. **Time is of the essence** The younger your child is when the work on your child starts, the greater the likelihood the results will be optimal. Younger children have greater neuroplasticity, meaning their brain will...
read moreNerve Communication Breakdown and nerve pain
Your nervous system is a communication loop. Your brain is the central processor of your body. It interprets your environment and creates action in your body based on it’s processing of internal and external information. Your nerves are a two way street. They communicate from your brain to your body parts and from your body parts back to the brain. Constantly evaluating and responding to your environment. Abnormal responses and interpretation of what is going on in your world may occur when vertebral subluxation is present. Vertebral subluxation is a misalignment of the spine caused by physical, mental or chemical stress that leads to interference in nerve communication and ultimately dysfunction, nerve pain and even dis-ease. Don’t let your spine get on your...
read moreArthritis In The Musician. The Show Stopper.
Arthritis in the musician can be a show stopper. Headlines Read: Alex Lifeson’s Arthritis Could Bring an End to Rush’s Touring! Degenerative change in the joints of the hands, shoulders, elbows, wrists and even hips and knees can be the nail in the musicians’ coffin. Common sense, professional help and an action plan for preventing debilitating change can make a world of difference to your career or your hobby. Zone 1: The first zone of arthritis in the musician, and the one with often the most limiting damage is the wrists and hands. Repetition of playing fine movements coupled with the need to use our hands in day to day life translates into high risk of injury and degeneration. Rigid, inflexible, inflamed, painful joints of the hand and wrist can be disastrous. What happens with degeneration in the hands? Our bodies are under constant strain and breakdown. Physical stress and inflammation leads to pain and restricted motion. “In smaller joints, such as at the fingers, hard bony enlargements, called Heberden’s nodes (on the distal interphalangeal joints) and/or Bouchard’s nodes (on the proximal interphalangeal joints), may form, and though they are not necessarily painful, they do...
read moreIs That Your Hip Or Your Sacroiliac Joint?
Your Hip Is Different Than Your Sacroiliac Joint. 8 out of 10 patients that come to me with hip pain put their fingers their sacroiliac joint (SI joint) when asked to point to the pain. There is a big difference in a hip problem and an SI joint problem. The prognosis, common underlying causes, treatment – very different. If you have hip pain you may want to see a different doctor than you would with an SI joint issue. So what’s the difference between the two? Your hip is on the side of the upper part of your leg. If you have hip pain you should be evaluated by your orthopedist, physical therapist or chiropractor. Arthritis, bursitis, labrum tears, Iliotibial band syndrome are all common hip diagnoses that need special treatment. Hip pain may be caused by underlying issues that may lead to serious issues later in life and should not be ignored. Your sacroiliac joints are located underneath the dimples of your low back as illustrated below. SI joint pain is deep, achy and burning. This pain can be really uncomfortable and is often exacerbated by standing and sitting for long periods of...
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