Tag Archives: chronic pain
How Chiropractic Care Can Help You Enjoy the Winter
Chiropractic care is vital during the winter. As the days get colder and the nights get longer, people can and will experience a wide variety of cold-related symptoms. While adjusting the thermostat or burrowing under the blankets can relieve symptoms, it’s only temporary. Thankfully, chiropractors can relieve some of the most common ailments during winter.
Cold and Flu-Related Symptoms
Sometimes going to the pharmacy isn’t enough. For some flu and cold sufferers, joint or muscle pain can linger five to seven days after initial exposure. If you have aches and pains that won’t go away, consider adding a chiropractor to your treatment plan. Chiropractic adjustments, a series of painless movements that realign your spine, can alleviate lasting flu symptoms.
Additionally, regular visits to your chiropractor can bolster your immune system and prevent illness. Subluxations and misalignments along the spine can cause your immune system to malfunction – meaning you’re more vulnerable to seasonal maladies. Visiting your local chiropractor for periodic adjustments can protect you and your family from common illnesses throughout winter.
Joint Pain and Stiffness
As it turns out, there is a scientific reason why your joints act up before a storm: according to thejoint.com, as the temperature drops, barometric pressure causes the fluid between our joints to move less freely. As a result, when the temperature hits 30 or lower, our joints become stiff or even painful. This effect is more pronounced in the elderly population and those who suffer from chronic pain.
Thankfully, regular visits to the chiropractor can alleviate joint pain and stiffness. Through gentle movements and adjustments, chiropractors can help the fluid in your joints move freely. The expert team at Allen County Family & Sports Chiropractic can help relieve your joint paint throughout the colder months.
Depression
Several studies have shown that chiropractic care can alleviate the symptoms of depression. While depression can affect everyone no matter the time of the year, a lack of sunlight may lead to SAD or seasonal affective disorder. Thankfully, increased blood flow and mobility improvement can help alleviate the symptoms of depression. Additionally, by performing a series of slow, gentle movements, chiropractors can relieve stress and, in turn, reduce anxiety and depression.
Weight Gain
The winter months are well-known for an abundance of food. But all those delicious holidays treats come with a price – weight gain. While you likely won’t experience drastic weight gain during the holidays (Americans put on 1-2 pounds over the holiday season), the added weight can cause unnecessary strain on your joints. In turn, this leads to unnecessary joint pain and more weight gain.
If you or a loved one have weight-related joint pain, book a chiropractic appointment today! Regular chiropractic appointments are an investment in yourself and your future. Traveling to and from appointments will keep you moving, while regular treatment will relieve joint pain and encourage movement.
Ready to book an appointment? Head over to the Allen County Family & Sports Chiropractic’s page to schedule with us today! Dr. Hartle and his team can usually see patients the same day they call.
Should Children Visit a Chiropractor?
Childhood is marked by dramatic change. From infancy to adolescence, your children will experience behavioral changes, growth spurts, and more! Unfortunately, these changes may reveal underlying health problems or developmental delays. While you should always consult your child’s general practitioner (or GP) if they are experiencing pain or discomfort, chiropractors can provide a holistic, natural way to relieve your child’s pain.
Do Chiropractors Treat Children?
Yes, many chiropractors treat children. While 35 million adults visit the chiropractor’s office annually, over 11% of patients are under 18. If you’re looking for a chiropractor that treats children, look for practices with “family” in the name – Family Chiropractors treat all ages.
How Early Can a Child Visit a Chiropractor?
That depends on the parents! Typically, children can visit the chiropractor once they’re a few months old. Birth can be a traumatic event for both mother and child, which can result in damage to a newborn’s nervous system and spine. Chiropractic care can alleviate a newborn’s pain and strengthen their nervous system. If you’re nervous about letting a chiropractor see your child, be sure to schedule a consultation first!
What Does a Pediatric Chiropractic Appointment Look Like?
Treatment is always tailored to the patient’s unique needs. First, a chiropractor will schedule a consultation to determine your child’s individual needs. This includes obtaining a medical history from the child’s guardians or parents. Then, the chiropractor will schedule a physical examination to identify spinal issues and any other health problems.
It’s important to note that chiropractors will apply less pressure to younger patients. Many chiropractors will use fingertip pressure to gently correct spinal issues and bolster the nervous system. While adjusting spinal joints, you may hear some soft popping noises. This is normal and will not harm your child.
When Should a Child Visit a Chiropractor?
Generally, children should see a chiropractor if they suffer from debilitating or chronic pain. If your child’s primary doctor cannot alleviate their pain, a chiropractor may be a useful addition to their treatment schedule. If your child suffers from limited head/neck mobility, back pain, neck pain, hunched shoulders, or irregular sleep patterns, a visit to your local chiropractor may reduce their pain while improving their quality of life.
What Ailments Can a Pediatric Chiropractor Treat?
Chiropractors can treat a wide variety of ailments, no matter the patient’s age. However, children seeking chiropractic care will see improvements if they suffer from several chronic conditions. Chiropractors can alleviate infants’ breastfeeding problems, reflux, colic, and movement issues. Older patients often seek out chiropractic to help with headaches, scoliosis, spinal misalignment, asthma, growing pains, constipation, urinary incontinence, and other chronic issues.
Does Chiropractic Treatment Hurt?
No. Unless your practitioner is treating a severe injury, chiropractic treatment is painless. Any sensitivity your child experiences during treatment is short-lived and should fade shortly after the adjustment.
Fun for the Whole Family
The Allen County Family & Sports Chiropractic is proud to serve clients of all ages! If you or your child needs chiropractic services, schedule an appointment with us today. Dr. Hartle and his team can usually see you the same day you call.
Chronic vs Acute Pain: How Chiropractors Help
Chiropractors are well-versed in treating pain. Whether it’s back, neck, or spinal complications, chiropractors correct ailments throughout the body. However, not all pain is temporary. Chronic pain, which the NHS defines as “persistent pain that carries on for twelve weeks” and resists medication, is a serious condition that causes unnecessary suffering. On the other hand, acute pain lasts less than three months and is typically the result of an injury. While chronic and acute pain can be debilitating, both conditions can be treated.
Chronic vs Acute Pain: What’s the Difference?
Before discussing how chiropractors treat different types of pain, we must understand the difference between chronic and acute pain. Chronic pain is constant: it can last for weeks, months, and even years. Caused by several factors, including, but not limited to poor posture, traumatic injury, spinal issues, and more, chronic pain lasts long after injuries have healed. Examples of chronic pain include:
- Headaches
- Lower back pain
- Cancer pain
- Arthritis pain
- Nerve damage
Acute pain, according to WebMD, “starts suddenly and usually feels sharp.” Unlike chronic pain, acute pain can last moments or even months. While acute pain normally signals an injury, it disappears after the injury has healed. Acute injuries include, but are not limited to:
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Cuts
If left untreated, acute pain can become chronic pain.
How Chiropractors Treat Acute and Chronic Pain
For those who suffer from prolonged pain, there is hope. There is a wide variety of medical and holistic treatments available to help treat pain. If you’ve exhausted all your medical options, chiropractic treatment may be right for you.
Chiropractors are well-versed in treating different types of chronic pain. First, your chiropractor will perform a physical assessment to local the pain. Next, they’ll develop a treatment plan. The most popular remedy for chronic pain is a spinal adjustment – a series of firm movements that apply pressure to vertebrae. For other issues, chiropractors may use the flexion-distraction technique (most commonly used for whiplash injuries) or instrument-assisted manipulation. As the name suggests, your chiropractor will use a small, hand-held instrument to apply gentle pressure to stretch soft tissue. This, in turn, will relieve pain.
Chiropractors treat chronic pain and acute pain similarly. To treat acute pain, a chiropractor will first perform a physical assessment. Next, they’ll work with you to develop a treatment plan. Your treatment will depend on your symptoms: for example, those suffering from subluxation or joint restriction as a result of a fracture should undergo a Gonstead chiropractic evaluation. Patients with burn scars may benefit from massage therapy, which controls the development of scar tissue and helps burn victims heal more quickly.
Allen County Family & Sports Chiropractic treats both acute and chronic pain using proven, natural methods. To help manage your pain, schedule an appointment with us today. Dr. Michael Hartle and his team of experts can usually see you the same day you call.
Why NFL Teams Use Sports Chiropractic Care
American football is one of the most dangerous contact sports to date. According to the Seton Medical Center, over 1.2 million young men are injured while playing football per year. The most common injuries players experience are concussions, overuse, and heat injuries. As players – especially the pros – are vulnerable to injuries, more and more coaches require their team to visit chiropractors. The NFL considers chiropractors essential to a team’s health and well-being, and all 32 teams have chiropractors on staff. As players consider longer careers and spend less time off the field, chiropractors have become a vital part of the NFL.
Proper Joint Function
Many athletes’ careers end prematurely due to improper joint function. Our joints are made of fibrous materials, with a piece of cartilage in the middle. Synovial fluid, a type of liquid found in our joints, ensures smooth and easy movement. Through a series of chiropractic adjustments, professionals help players prevent common joint injuries. These adjustments also have the added benefit of reducing pain and tension in muscles, which ensures that NFL players can run, jump, and tackle with ease.
To prevent injuries, many NFL players will see a chiropractor before or after a game. In fact, a chiropractor performs thirty to fifty adjustments in a regular season. Jerry Rice, a former wide receiver who spent twenty seasons in the NFL, had this to say about the importance of chiropractors: “I did a lot of things to stay in the game, but regular visits to my chiropractor made all the difference.”
Muscle and Joint Maintenance
Football is a brutal sport. From drills to practice to preseason games, players are putting constant stress on their bodies. This leads to wear and tear on the joints, muscles, and spine. Even if players aren’t injured, they may still feel pain and soreness all over their bodies. Through spinal alignment and manipulation, chiropractors reduce pressure on the body’s nervous system. This, in turn, relieves pain without the use of addictive medications. Continued work with a chiropractor helps players perform at their highest level.
As an added bonus, many players have reported increased strength and endurance on the field. The Excellence in Health Chiropractic & Rehab Clinic reports that chiropractic adjustments have been shown to increase endurance and stamina.
Sports Hernia Relief
Athletic pubalgia, also called “sports hernia,” is another common injury athletes suffer from. Sports hernias occur when tears or dilation occurs near the superficial ring of the inguinal canal. These injuries are incredibly painful and can prevent an athlete from participating in games and practice. Thankfully, chiropractic treatments have been shown to improve pain and range of movement for those suffering from sports hernias within eight weeks.
It Treats Symptoms at the Source
Chiropractic treatment has rightfully gained a reputation as a natural, holistic way of treating injuries. Chiropractic care treats pain at the source by applying slight pressure to painful areas. This can aid in the healing process and even reverse some of the causes of pain. For NFL players, chiropractic treatment is non-invasive, meaning they can return to the field and never miss a game.
Whether you’re an NFL player or a fan cheering a touchdown, the Allen County Family and Sports Chiropractic in Fort Wayne, Indiana, can treat your sports-related injuries. Dr. Hartle and his team of experts are fast, efficient, and can usually see you the same day you call. Book an appointment today to relieve your pain.
Happy holidays from the Allen County Family and Sports Chiropractic team!
Three of the Best Weekend Trips in Fort Wayne, Indiana
With a population of 267,633, Fort Wayne is a diverse city known for its gorgeous parks and family-friendly atmosphere. As the second-largest city in Indiana, Fort Wayne has plenty of “must-do” experiences, including restaurants, golf courses, museums, and more! With such a wide variety of attractions, it’s easy to plan a short “staycation” that will take you out of the house. If you’re looking for the best weekend getaways in Fort Wayne, here are our top three destinations.
The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo
Located on Sherman Boulevard, The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is educational fun for the whole family! Split into five sections, The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo holds over 1,000 animals from all over the world. With over 40 acres to explore, there’s plenty of exciting exhibits to entertain and delight your children. Explore the grassy savannahs of the African continent or come face-to-face with the endangered orangutans. Experience the colorful Indonesian rainforest or discover the outback and learn about the life cycle of crocodiles! The zoo’s bright and friendly atmosphere earned it a spot on Trip Advisor’s Top Seven Zoos in the U.S. back in 2015 and a Traveler’s Choice Award in 2020.
Foellinger-Friemann Botanical Conservatory
Founded in 1983, The Foellinger-Friemann Botanical Conservatory is a world-renowned greenhouse with over 25,000 square feet of indoor gardens. While the conservatory provides a safe haven for endangered plant species, it also hosts four changing showcases each year. The conservatory hosts a wide array of plant life – their greenhouse holds over 1,200 plants (or 500 species) and 72 different types of cacti. Their most popular gardens include:
- The main Showcase Garden, with four seasonal exhibits.
- A Tropical Garden which features waterfalls, goldfish, and 13 types of palm trees.
- The Desert Garden, which contains the Saguaro cacti, fishhook barrel cactus, and prickly pear cactus.
- The Streetside Garden, where ornamental grasses and shrubs surround beautiful bronze statues.
Eagle Marsh Nature Preserve
For aspiring hikers, boaters, and environmentalists, Eagle Marsh Nature Preserve offers a wide variety of activities in the great outdoors. Founded in 2005 with help from the federal Wetlands Reserve Program, Eagle Marsh was the site of the largest wetlands restoration project in Indiana. Today, the preserve is over 831 acres, with fourteen miles of extensive hiking trails. If you’re looking for a less intensive way to spend the weekend, Eagle Marsh is also a great place for bird watching and photography. The preserve boasts over 245 types of birds and 45,000 native trees and shrubs.
Communing with nature is a proven method of stress relief. However, if hiking isn’t enough to relieve your everyday stressors, try massage therapy at Allen County Family & Sports Chiropractic! We offer outstanding chiropractic, nutritional, and rehabilitative programs that will reduce stress symptoms. Allen County Family & Sports Chiropractic also offers massage therapy services which, according to the Mayo Clinic, can reduce stress, minimize muscle tension, and alleviate the symptoms of chronic pain. Our office is fast, efficient, and provides same-day services.
How Massage Therapy Helps with Chronic Pain
In the United States, 65 million Americans suffer from some episode of back-related pain recently in their lives. However, 16 million experience chronic pain, which interferes with their everyday activity. When pain takes over your life like that, you want to find a solution. For many victims, massage therapy is the answer.
Massage therapy uses pressure and long strokes to relieve muscle-related pain in our bodies. Many of us use this type of treatment for those frustrating flair-ups or bouts of acute pain. We then enjoy massages that relieve our suffering until the next round while providing a relaxing environment. But what about chronic illness?
Causes of Chronic Pain
Chronic pain is different from acute pain because it’s long-lasting and not related to one particular episode. On the other hand, chronic pain develops from repetitive stress, trauma, or injury. Muscle overuse is a common cause of chronic pain. When this happens, tension builds up, and muscles can no longer relax. It’s almost as if they’re in a constant state of contraction.
Injury or trauma can also cause chronic pain. Many athletes manage pain when an injury or stress fracture occurs. It isn’t a quick, acute flair-up, but rather long-lasting due to the injury itself.
Repeated positioning is another cause of chronic pain. This can be due to work, such as with professions that require you to sit or stand in one position. Over time, this creates tension and pain.
How Massage Therapy Helps
During massage therapy sessions, blood flow increases throughout the body, but most importantly, into the muscles. Circular movement and long strokes relax muscles and reduce tension, which brings back movement by enhancing the muscle tissues’ elasticity and flexibility. Add in relaxation techniques, and you have the perfect recipe to reduce pain.
Muscle tension also impacts the bones and joints, which is why massage therapy partners well with regular chiropractic care. As chiropractors shift the bones into realignment, muscles will contract, and slowly your bones return to an incorrect position. By using massage to relieve that tension, your bones will stay in alignment for more extended periods, reducing pressure on joints, and pain.
Stress and Chronic Illness
Stress is an aggravator of chronic pain. When we feel anxious or stressed, our brain releases the hormone cortisol. Like a vicious cycle: pain causes stress, releasing cortisol, which exacerbates the pain even more. Massages are relaxing and can lower stress hormone levels. Aside from increasing blood flow and reduce muscle tension, massage can also help you feel better mentally, resulting in lower levels of pain.
Goodbye, Chronic Pain
When patients use massage therapy regularly, these techniques can reduce recurrent episodes of pain. This is true for any healing method — you can’t just do something once and get immediate results. To alleviate symptoms of chronic pain with massage, you must receive sessions regularly. Weekly or biweekly massages are an excellent place to start, and patients can reduce sessions to once a month or fewer once the pain begins to subside.
Five Benefits of Massage Therapy
Massage therapy is a standard method of relaxation. When picturing massage, it’s easy to envision scenes of soothing music, aromatherapy candles, and the melting of your worries. Although this is undoubtedly true, there are many more benefits of massage that are less obvious but just as helpful.
Massage Therapy for Everyone
Before we dive into these five advantages, it’s important to note that massage therapy is beneficial for everyone in many different ways. Regardless of age, physicality, job, gender identity, race, and more, massage is a great option that targets an array of issues. Some techniques are even specific to certain demographics, such as children, athletes, or those suffering physical injuries.
Benefit One: Stress Reduction
Let’s start with the prominent perk—stress reduction. It’s the reason why many people choose to begin massage therapy. Studies show that relaxation techniques in massage cause an observable reaction in the brain. These methods result in increased endorphins, as well as heightened levels of both serotonin and dopamine. These chemicals are all associated with the feeling of happiness and can help alleviate anxiety. Massage can also decrease cortisol, which is the hormone responsible for the stress we feel.
Benefit Two: Injury Healing and Prevention
A lot of patients turn to the benefits of massage because of an injury. When damage occurs to your body, especially with muscle, joints, and ligaments, specialized massage therapy can help. Strategic pressure and movement can enhance the healing process for sustained injuries by releasing muscle tightness, reducing swelling, and decreasing scar tissue. This technique is a common practice in sports chiropractic care.
Massage can also support the body in preventing future damage by increasing blood flow, lubrication, and stretching in muscles. Your body is “looser,” which enhances your range of motion. When this happens, injury is less likely to occur because your body can move better.
Benefit Three: Reduce Acute and Chronic Pain
The rhythmic motion along muscles works out what we call “knots,” which are tense muscle fibers. They can also contain a buildup of fascial tissue, which can cause something called a “trigger point.” At first, this muscle tightness can feel like small bits of pain, known as acute. But over time, that pain can become more frequent and even start to impact you chronically. By releasing these triggers, the accumulation of connective tissue dissipates, and your muscles are more loose and agile.
Benefit Four: Improved Circulation
As mentioned above, the rhythmic motion of massage increases blood flow in the body. When your blood is flowing more freely, that improves circulation. There are lots of benefits of massage therapy, but this one takes precedence. Poor circulation is responsible for various symptoms, including fatigue, digestive problems, cognitive decline, joint pain, swelling, numbness, and more. Addressing circulation issues can significantly improve your health.
Benefit Five: Enhance Immune System
Lastly, as massage improves circulation, that blood flow also enhances immune system function. Massage therapy can flush out toxins and increase the white blood cell activity in our bodies. Both of these results support immune functionality, but white blood cells are the ones that fight disease and can even lower cortisol.
Five Ways Massage Therapy Will Help You
Massage therapy is a widespread technique of holistic medicine, one that often complements other treatment methods. In chiropractic care, for example, massage is an excellent partner to regular adjustments. It uses pressure to manipulate the body’s muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Patients see relief with reduced stress and pain in trouble areas.
There are many different kinds of massage therapy, all that work towards a similar end goal by practicing different techniques. Each type delivers various benefits, so let’s look at the most common forms of massage.
Swedish Massage
Swedish massage is a popular style that is the most gentle on the body and promotes relaxation. Therapists use long strokes and circular movements to press into the muscle and skin. The pressure tends to stay on the surface, as the primary goal of a Swedish massage is to relax and reduce mental stress.
Although most patients who request a Swedish massage are looking for an hour of relaxation and stress relief, the technique has other benefits as well. The movements can treat minor muscle tension that tends to accumulate with everyday activities, such as sitting at a computer all day. Thanks to the relief of muscle strain, many patients leave their session feeling lighter, more buoyant, and with a sense of renewed energy.
Deep Tissue Massage
If you want to relax but also reap the muscular benefits, you can upgrade to a deep tissue massage. Using similar techniques of a Swedish massage (long strokes and circular movements), therapists apply more pressure to access the deeper muscles in the body. By reaching the deep layers of the inner muscles, this form of massage therapy can heal chronic or injury-related pain.
Sports Massage
If you’re an athlete, you can benefit from sports massage. Using distinct strokes and techniques, this form of massage therapy helps to alleviate pain from past sports injuries, as well as work with the muscles to prevent future issues. The pressure will vary depending on each patient’s unique situation, but the end goal is the same: to reduce pain, increase mobility and flexibility, and prevent injury.
Trigger Point Massage
Trigger point massage focuses specifically on clusters of deep, tight muscle fibers. When these fibers connect deep into the muscle, it can cause chronic pain and reduce mobility. Therapists use bouts of prolonged pressure and short, circular movements to separate the connective tissues and fibers. Patients often feel a “popping” or “melting” sensation as the tight knot is released.
Overall Benefits
Besides the benefits of relaxation, stress management, pain relief, and sports-injury prevention, there are many other advantages to massage therapy. With regular practice, massage can relieve anxiety and stress, and therefore help reduce stress-related ailments such as insomnia. Many patients find relief with diseases such as digestive disorders, fibromyalgia, and myofascial pain syndrome.
Further, massage therapy has emotional and mental health benefits, as well. Taking the time to care for yourself with relaxing treatments gives patients a feeling of comfort and connection to their bodies. Massage can boost mood and sense of self, which can increase happiness, productivity, and focus.
Introduction to Massage
Massage and bodywork have been used, in one form or another, for thousands of years to promote health and well being. The Chinese culture has practiced ‘Amma’ techniques since around 3000 B.C., as the Cong Fou of Tao-Tse attests. In the Indian medicinal practice of Ayurveda, Tshanpau has been used since about 1800 B.C.
In the West, we find them integrated into rehabilitation programs, but also (and often) these practices are helpful in a large variety of other situations, such as comforting prenatal mothers-to-be, as palliative care for hospice patients, or for general relaxation and decrease in stress levels, as examples. I think massage therapy should be a vital and useful part of every individual’s overall health routine.
Practicing as a massage therapist for 15 years, I have had the privilege to be a part of thousands of clients individual health protocols. In one such case, I was working with a client who had some range of motion restriction and pain when raising their right arm overhead. This client had seen a few other bodyworkers, but the cause of the issue was elusive. As it turns out, after a functional assessment of that shoulder, as well as palpation of the muscles connected to it, we discovered that the client had a range of motion restrictions in the right pectoralis minor, as well as the latissimus dorsi, anterior deltoid, and biceps brachii. In this case, the patient’s history showed an old exercise injury, with muscular and fascial scar tissue present.
We decided to proceed with a protocol that involved contrast (hot/cold) therapy, a daily stretching routine, functional exercises, as well as some deep scar tissue massage work. This type of massage is more goal-oriented, and tends to not be the most comfortable modality. The client understood this and stayed faithful to the protocol, knowing that the results would follow. After 1 month, the client showed an increase in range of motion of more than +50% compared to the initial assessment, and by month two, had improved that to +80%. When we reassessed the client at the 3 month mark, they had nearly ALL of the range of motion restored, and were substantially stronger in the previously weaker/restricted muscles.
This was certainly a situation where immediate pain was present, but this is not always the case. In my practice, I also use massage and bodywork to help athlete’s muscular and nervous systems prepare for competition, to recuperate afterwards, to facilitate lymph movement in the reduction of swelling, to improve overall blood and interstitial fluid flow, etc.
Keep in mind, not all benefits of massage or bodywork are physical. Psychological and neurological benefits have also been reported in many studies. One of the more famous studies on the need for massage therapy and it’s emotional ramifications was conducted by a pediatrician named Dr. Fritz Talbot. He concluded that human beings are creatures that NEED human contact and touch to thrive.
There are times where I have found that massage is needed in a more short-term, symptomatic situation, such as in the case of a calf cramp or minor headache. In other cases, clients may require long-term treatment, such as athletes who need to keep fluid and flexible, or those gaining in years who just want to keep as mobile and ambulatory as possible.
From the very first session, massage can (and should be) customizable to YOUR individual needs. I have seen many clients who simply needed to “walk out feeling better than when they walked in”. In my practice, I strive to be flexible enough to suit as many needs as I may. I look forward to seeing you in the near future!