TAMPA CHIROPRACTOR BODE CHIROPRACTIC CHIROPRACTOR OLDSMAR

The Auto Accident Guide

2012-02-27T13:26:00.001-08:00

Fixing Disc Injuries ...Without Surgery!!

2012-02-23T07:04:00.000-08:00

Whiplash and Slow Onset ...Don't be Fooled!!

2012-02-20T13:05:00.000-08:00

Whiplash is a more common injury than most people realise. Millions people get whiplash with varying forms of severity every year. It's a known fact that the majority of people don't claim the compensation they may be entitled to, but that is another article altogether!

So how long does it take for whiplash symptoms to appear? Sometimes, the symptoms occur straight away, but they can start a few hours, days or even weeks after the accident and then suddenly begin to intensify. This is common in whiplash injuries, whether it has been caused by a car accident or any other type. This slow onset of symptoms leads some to believe they have no injuries following a car accident. Don't Be Fooled!!!

The symptoms of whiplash also vary, as well as the amount of pain a person experiences. However, no matter how little pain or discomfort you are in you should always take the condition seriously. Some symptoms include headaches, fatigue, burning sensation around the neck area and most commonly a pain in the shoulders or neck. The pain can also appear in the jaw, back and arms so you should be aware that just because you have no neck pain does not mean you aren't suffering from whiplash. Some of these hidden injuries can cause a lifetime of pain, so getting checked by your Chiropractor as soon as possible is a must!

The length of time whiplash symptoms stay around for also varies depending on the seriousness of the accident or injury. You should always visit the Chiropractor if you suspect you have whiplash. He will be able to advise you on the best course of treatment. Try to apply ice to the neck area immediately after the accident to reduce any swelling and Call Your Chiropractor Immediately!!

Ignoring Headachs after a Car Accident... A Big Mistake!!

2012-02-16T11:33:00.000-08:00

A case report published in 2007 from the Canadian Chiropractic Association shows us that if you have a car accident, and you have a headache that does not go away, You could have complications requiring more invasive emergency treatment

This case study tells a story of a patient who came to a chiropractic physician’s office to treat her spinal trauma from a car accident. She had the usual symptoms that people have when they have a car accident. She had neck pain, back pain and headaches.

She responded well to chiropractic care, as most patients that have whiplash trauma do. However about a month after ending treatment, she started experiencing the headaches again, and they grew stronger. She started developing numbness and tingling on one side of her body. She also had other neurological signs (pointing to a supratentorial lesion of the brain.)

She was reluctant at first to go for more diagnostic tests, but her chiropractic physician insisted that she receive advanced imaging from the local hospital. At the hospital, they did a CT scan of her head, and they found a subdural hematoma. Because of this, she immediately had surgical decompression of the brain by draining the blood from the hematoma. This decompression gave her immediate relief. Because her chiropractor was her primary treating physician for this care, she returned to him for follow-up neurological tests. She was all clear.

This story teaches you important lessons. If you are in a car accident, or other similar type of injury, you need to properly trained physician to take stewardship over your case, and see it through properly. Chiropractic physicians are trained in orthopedic and neurological testing and diagnosis. Chiropractors are trained to efficiently handle spinal trauma from car accident cases, and many of us take advanced courses specific to spinal trauma and motor vehicle accident cases.

In this case, a patient was properly cared for and referred by a trained chiropractic physician. There was no guesswork involved. This story illustrates the neurological diagnosis that chiropractors are trained to perform.

37% of people with a whiplash injury have tension headaches after the injury. 27% have migraine headaches. 18% have cervicogenic headaches. 18% have non-specific headache pain. (European Spine Journal)

Subdural hematomas are very rare, and the symptoms can be very subtle. The symptoms can make it look like a person is having a stroke, but instead of coming on suddenly like a stroke can do, a subdural hematoma comes about very gradually.

No, there’s no chiropractic treatment for a subdural hematoma. However, chiropractic physicians at the hub of a person’s injury or health can direct care that needs to be done by the appropriate specialist. Many times, chiropractors organize and command care for patients that get put into reports for reviewing doctors or attorneys to look at for a broad overview of the case.

If you have suffered from an injury from a car accident or from spinal trauma from other causes. I encourage you to seek chiropractic care from a chiropractor who specialized in these kinds of injuries.

Article by: Todd Lloyd DC

Common Mistakes to Avoid After a Car Accident

2012-02-09T05:09:00.000-08:00

Did you know that one of the most stressful aspects of living in modern life is dealing with the problems that arise after an auto accident? Were you also aware that some auto accident
injuries are hidden and are seldom detected for months or even years? As a
result, two things can occur when an injury is not taken care of properly, or
the accident victims settle their case with the insurance companies before
getting evaluated from a Doctor trained in soft tissue injuries.

...This Could Be a Big Mistake

Why?

Because once you settle your case, you lose the right to have your insurance
company pay for treatment if you need it. A good rule of thumb is to be informed
of your rights and then make a decision. It is our position that if you were
indeed injured, you should get the care you need to get you back to the way you
felt and functioned just before the accident. It is not the responsibility of the
insurance company to pay for anything more than that. They are not responsibile
for pre-existing injuries; only the injuries sustained from the accident. Even
if you are just sore, you should get checked out immediately because you may
experience pain, numbness, headaches, muscle stiffness, fatigue, and other
problems including arthritis many months down the road. Remember, nothing is
more important than your health, especially when you start to lose it.

Here's where the problem begins...

Most people who suffer from an auto accident have one
thing on their mind: their automobile! Common questions include:

"Who is going to fix my car?"

"What will I drive in the mean time?"

"Will my insurance rates go up?"

"Who is going to pay for it?"

And the last thing on their mind is: "Am I Really O.K.?"

Not only are auto accidents an inconvenience and a hassle, a common redundant complaint of auto accident victims is that they don't feel like their normal selves. You may also
be experiencing obvious pains and symptoms like muscle stiffness or spasm, neck
pain, headaches, numbness and tingling, back pain, difficulty sleeping,
irritability, memory loss, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and many other
difficulties. Or worse than that, you may be injured and feel nothing at all.

Either way, did you know that auto accidents can cause post-traumatic osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis can ruin your posture (giving you a slumped or hump back
appearance). Osteoarthritis can cause the discs in your spine to degenerate and
create scar tissue formation leading to chronic stiffness and the inability to
move properly. As a matter of fact... Most Doctors Are NotTrained In The Detection Of These Hidden Injuries...

If you have been in an auto accident, you need a doctor who is trained in the biomechanics of the human body; someone who treats these injuries every day. In addition,x-rays can be taken to find out if there has been any structural damage. In our office, we evaluate auto
accident victims and make any appropriate referrals to other health care
providers if needed. Our primary responsibility is giving you the care if you need It, and submitting the required medical reports to the insurance company so your rights are
protected.If we can't help you, we will refer you to a doctor or facility that can.

If you have been in an auto accident
recently, there are some important decisions you have to make, and if I were
you, I'd make these decisions very carefully.

Q: Should I See an Attorney before I see a Chiropractor

A: It is important to get checked out by the doctor first. That way the findings from your exam will allow you theinformation you need in order to decide if an attorney is necessary. If
necessary, we can refer you to a reputable and qualified attorney.

Q: What if My Car Ony Sustained Minor Damage?
Sustained Only Minor Damage? A: Documented studies done by Charles
Carroll, M.D., Paul McAtee, M.D. and Lee Riley, M.D. revealed that: "The amount
of damage to the automobile bears little relation to the force applied to the
cervical spine (neck) of the occupants."In other words, the damage to the passengers
is not necessarily directly related to the damage to the vehicle.

Q: If I Need Treatment for This Injury, Do I Have to Pay for it Myself?

A: No, only in very rare circumstances does the patient pay for his care as he goes. Our office provides care "on credit" when patients are represented by an attorney. Some car
insurance policies have what is called "Med Pay." This means that medical bills
will be paid at 100% up to a certain limit. My office can assist you in
obtaining this information. Using your medical coverage should not raise
your premiums.

Q: The Insurance Company Has Been Calling Me and Wants To Settle, What Should I Do?
A: Do not sign or settle until you have had us evaluate your injury for you. If you settle before
your injury is fully resolved, you will be completely on your own and will have
to pay out of pocket for your care.

Q: I've Been to the Hospital and My Medical Doctor, Do I Really Need to See a Chiropractor?

A: You need a doctor who focuses in the treatment and diagnosis of auto accident injuries. Usually hospitals will check vital signs, make sure there are no life-threatening
conditions and release the patient with pain relief medication. They normally do
not treat the underlying improper musculoskeletal biomechanics that can and
often do lead to future pain. If you are still having problems, you should get a
second opinion. If your M.D. has given you pills, you must
understand that pills do not correct structural or soft tissue damage. There are
special therapies designed for that, and we offer these modalities at our
office.

Q: Does Your Care Hurt?

A: Absolutely not. The care is very gentle and quite soothing. Most patients can hardly wait
to get their care.

Q: Is The Care Safe?
A: Yes, extremely. Particularly when compared to the side effects
from medication. I urge you to go to the patient testimonial tab to get a feel
for what you can expect.

Using Exercises To Relieve Chronic Back Pain

2011-03-01T14:03:00.001-08:00

Is using exercises to relieve chronic back pain effective? Yes, most definitely. Chronic back problems are ones that persist over a long period of time. This could be due to several reasons and can affect many different people. It is important for you to check with your doctor before taking on any new exercise program, especially if it involves a chronic back problem. Using exercises to relieve chronic back pain can help quite a bit but, if not done properly or when your body is not ready, it can worsen the situation.

When using exercises to relieve chronic back pain you stand to experience benefits far beyond that of just helping your back. You will be positively affecting your overall well-being. You should look to take on a couple different types of exercise, one being aerobic. The goal of aerobic is, of course to help strengthen your heart but it will also have an added benefit of helping you strengthen your back and lose weight. For many people who have chronic back problems, much of it can be remedied by losing weight. The extra weight one carries puts unnecessary stain on your back.

Another to consider when wanting to use exercises to help relieve chronic back pain is yoga. Yoga involves a lot of really positive stretching moves that has the benefits of stretching out your spine and strengthening your back. It promotes the overall health of your back. Really any kind of back stretching can be beneficial but yoga provides you with quite a few postures and movements that typical stretching does not. It requires a lot of concentration and can also help you on other levels. Yoga can help you with breathing and increase your balance.

An added benefit to using exercises to relieve chronic back pain is that it helps with your out look. Having chronic back pain for a long period of time can bring depression. This comes from having to endure pain for so long, having to miss out on life and being limited to what you can do. Many people who battle depression are told to get active, to find ways to move around and to exercise. If you have problems staying positive and can see it affecting other parts of your life, then exercise will help you on many levels.

It is important, to an extent, to get plenty of rest for your back but what happens if it gets too much rest is it gets weaker. The weaker it gets, the more pain you endure and the easier it becomes to get injured. Exercising on a regular basis will not only make your body stronger as well as all the other added benefits discuss earlier, it will help you remain mobile and may help to make you even more flexible. It will also help to shorten the amount of time it takes to recover in those moments that you hurt your back again and makes those moments further and farther between. Using exercises to relieve chronic back pain will work and will help not only take the pain away, but help keep it away.

How to Become a Chiropractor

2011-02-22T10:30:00.000-08:00

To become a chiropractor you should have a chiropractic degree in the philosophy of chiropractic. You should be well-versed with the chiropractic principles; apart from theoretical knowledge you should also have practical knowledge. How to treat the patient, how to effectively understand the symptoms and what course of action should be undertaken as per the symptoms should be properly understood.

Chiropractor as an alternative medicine is gaining wide popularity but unfortunately in the USA the numbers of chiropractic schools are not many. So, most of the time, the aspirants have to go to different countries, to obtain a degree.

In order to become a chiropractor you need to have a chiropractor license. In the USA these licenses are valid only in that state from where you have got the license. License is provided to those who have got about two to four years of undergraduate education and one has to do a 4 year college course in chiropractic.

The course helps to get a Doctor of Chiropractic degree; later one needs to attend the state and national exam. Certificate for chiropractic is awarded in specific areas. The areas include neurology, nutrition, industrial health, internal disorders, sports injuries, thermography, occupational health and diagnostic imaging. Without the license you may not be allowed to practice

A chiropractor has to deal with the patient more closely; lot of body contact occurs during the whole process of treatment. If you want to become a chiropractor be prepared for it; you should have zeal and moreover patience. The result won't be quick; you should have to convince the patient to follow certain dos and don'ts.

So, to become a chiropractor you should have a good communication skill; whatever you want to convey to the patient you should be able to do it in an effective manner. Inter-personal skill is also very important because apart from the chiropractor skill it is also important that the patient beliefs in you and feels confident when in front of you.

The patients are considered to be responsible for the maintenance of their own health. Manual therapies are used to treat the patient.

Straight and mixer are the two forms of chiropractic practice which are prevalent today. Straight is the oldest form of chiropractic principle; it is based on the teachings of B.J. Palmer and D.D. Palmer.

Mixer chiropractor is a new concept wherein the chiropractors mix the chiropractic principles with the other forms of medical practices. In order to practice chiropractic it is essential to take the license.

A chiropractor may work in a private sector or may also work in a hospital. Those aspiring to become a chiropractor will be pleasantly surprised to know that the chiropractor salaries are continuously increasing.

The average salary of chiropractor at present in United States of America is 81,500 USD per annum. The range is from USD 45,000 to USD 102,000 per annum. The chiropractor salary definitely depends on experience and qualification.

So if you want to become a chiropractor then go for it; money won't be a problem.

Finding A Chiropractor Can be Hard

2011-02-15T11:21:00.000-08:00

Find a chiropractor that really suits your requirements and this can only be achieved by detailed analysis of different chiropractors. You can find a chiropractor to help you with your health problems. Chiropractor is an alternative health care professional that offers medicinal and complementary treatments. Chiropractor focuses on treatment, diagnosis and prevention of certain disorders of musculoskeletal structure.

The effects of these disorders on nervous system is also diagnosed and treated by chiropractor. Chiropractor, also known as doctor of chiropractic, use different combination of treatments. It includes soft tissue therapy, spinal adjustments, lifestyle counseling and prescription of exercises.

One can find a chiropractor divided in to two main groups; mainly mixers and straights. The main differences between these two types are claims about spinal adjustments, beliefs and values concerning professional incorporation, scope of practice, and other differences. Different treatments used by chiropractor are full spine manipulation, physical exercises and fitness plan, postural advice, self care strategies, activities of daily living and others.

Then other treatments include Extremity adjusting, Ice pack/cryotherapy, Trigger point therapy, early screening advice, Disease prevention and Stress reduction. The philosophy of chiropractic experts states that resistance to counteract the illness is directly related with equilibrium of skeletal and muscular system; mainly in spinal cord. Thus, when there is imbalance in this system, different side effects in the form of illness affects our body.

Find a chiropractor that suits in certain parameters, which are very important. Different aspects from which you can decide and choose chiropractor are scope of practice, diagnostic approach, philosophic orientation, scientific orientation, process orientation, practice attitude, professional integration and of course the reputation. Find a chiropractor and this will be brilliant deal for your overall well being.

Commonly, chiropractor provides organic home based treatments and prevention methods to promote healthy and cost effective treatments. Chiropractor is simplistic and prefers natural methods to counter the illness. In addition, chiropractor is quite affordable as alternative medicines are greatly benefiting and you can pay directly to your chiropractor or from medical insurance.

Licensed chiropractor undergoes extensive study of minimal of six years and thus they are trustworthy and can give you the best of treatments and prevention methods. If you really want to increase your overall health and fitness then you must find a chiropractor for sure. To stay active and lead healthier life, you must include exercises, diet and regular check up at professional chiropractor. Chiropractor not only treats you, but also helps you to lead quality life and that to without spending that much money.

If you want to find a chiropractor, then you can try different web sites that offer extensive search for wide range of chiropractors from almost all regions. Certain web sites have online directory for different chiropractors. They also provide special map link for easy understanding of chiropractors present all over.

Different search types are available for the convenience of people who are looking for chiropractor. You can search chiropractor by location, by name, international search, techniques, services, gender and providence. Thus, you can easily find a chiropractor with so many web directories is available on internet.

The importance of chiropractors for people with spinal cord injuries

2011-02-07T17:30:00.001-08:00

Nobody is excused from developing spinal cord injuries. This is for the simple reason that all people are prone to experiencing nerve trauma caused by car accidents, gunshots, heavy falling, or caused by certain illnesses that affect the back area like polio or ataxia.

Since many people are prone to having spinal cord injuries, there is a need for experts who would tend to the needs of the former. For those who know people who have spinal cord injuries or those who are prone to the condition themselves, now is the time to get to know one person who can help them get through the whole process of recovery from spinal cord injuries—the chiropractor.

Who needs them?

Generally, all people who feel pain—especially in the spine or vertebrae area—need a chiropractor. This is because through the services offered by a licensed chiropractor, one can feel relieve from pain, learn how to manage pain, and can reap health benefits though various chiropractic treatments and therapies.

Experts believe that a person's spine is one of the most vulnerable parts of the person's body. This is because the gravity of stress and fatigue take toll in this and lead to back problems such as scoliosis. Problems in the spine may also lead other complications such as low immune function, headaches, allergies, asthma, and even menstrual disorders.

The process to recovery

The major treatment option offered by chiropractors is to treat subluxation more specifically spinal subluxations which as misalignments of the person's vertebra. When there is misalignment in this area, there will be nerve irritations, which usually causes the body not to function properly. Experts believe that is there is too much or too little movement in the person's vertebra, he or she subluxation. While others may be painless especially among kids, there are those who experience painful ones and aggravates their overall health.

Chiropractors usually work on subluxations at different areas of the person's spine. Since there are different parts, there are also varied problems depending on the area targeted. The most common subluxation type which chiropractors address is the "C2" or second cervical vertebra type that usually triggers dysfunction of the sinus and major headaches while the "T5" or fifth thoracic vertebra type usually involves a stomach complication.

If you are experiencing these complications and other health problems, it a must to seek from a chiropractor immediately from the nearby hospital or center. In choosing chiropractic center, make sure that it has holistic and comprehensive family care format, strict consultation and examination, and gives the proper recommendation depending on the severity of the condition and the age of the patient. These are very important to ensure that there will be no medical malpractice on the side of the chiropractor and no added complication on the part of the patient who is seeking for medical attention.

If you are one of those who know somebody who is having problems due to spinal cord injuries, you can try to be of help by being a chiropractor. If you have decided to take on this path, the first thing that you need to research is where to get education. Since the chiropractic schools offer curriculums that designed on several health issues and overall wellness options, your will be able to learn everything you need to know.

Chiropractic Care for Migraines

2011-01-31T15:05:00.000-08:00

Chiropractic care is a safe, non-invasive way to relieve migraine suffering without the use of medication. Chiropractic migraine treatment is not for everyone, but it may be particularly useful for patients who cannot use prescription medication due to other risk factors.

Migraine headaches are idiopathic. This means that despite the last century's advances in medical science their cause is still unknown. A number of theories exist to explain migraines. They include a possible serotonin deficiency in migraineurs, genetics malformations, and arterial swelling in the cranium.

A common chiropractic theory is that subluxations in the muscles at the base of the skull and the neck cause, or contribute to, the formation of migraine headaches. Subluxations are tense areas in the muscles adjoining the small bones of the upper spinal column. On an x-ray, the bones appear to be in the correct place and medical doctors often miss the tension in the muscles. A chiropractor gently manipulates the spine to relax these subluxations.

Chiropractors offer two varieties of care for migraine patients, straight chiropractic and mixed chiropractic. Straight chiropractic only involves manipulation of the spine and spinal subluxations. Mixed chiropractic care combines traditional manipulation with other complementary techniques. The focus in mixed chiropractic is to reduce overall neck strain and tension.

Researchers at Northwestern College of Chiropractic in Minnesota recently compared chiropractic care with drug therapies for migraines and chronic tension headaches. The study was published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. Two hundred eighteen headache patients were given either drug therapy or regular chiropractic care. Both groups reported a 40-50% reduction in headache pain at the end of the study.

Follow ups four weeks after discontinuing all care showed only the chiropractic group still enjoying the pain reduction the treatment initiated. Only 20-25% of the drug therapy patients were still benefiting from their treatment at this follow up.

Relieving Spinal Stress

2011-01-25T12:31:00.000-08:00

In 1953, American orthopaedic surgeon, J.J. Keegan documented spinal positioning with a series of x-rays. With his patients lying on their sides, Keegan recorded the lumbar spine in standing, right angle sitting, and bent over positions. He concluded, “The normal curve of the lumbar spine in adult man is determined by maintenance of the trunk-thigh and the knee angles at approximately 135 degrees.”

There are two major flaws with Keegan’s research, however. First, he only studied 4 individuals and second, a normal sitting position does not involve lying on one’s side.

Don’t Sit up Straight!

In November, 2006, Dr. Waseem Bashir and a team of researchers confirmed Keegan’s findings. Bashir led a study, conducted at Woodend Hospital in Aberdeen, Scotland, to define the optimal sitting posture by investigating changes in the lower back contours and spinal disc shape using whole-body positional MRI.

The new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner allowed each of the 22 subjects to sit up, simulating three seated postures, while evaluating the lumbar spine and surrounding muscles, nerves, tissues and ligaments for any signs of degeneration or injury.

The study concluded the best seated posture is the open angle (135 degree) trunk-thigh posture. Of the three seated positions, this appears to cause the least strain on the lumbar spine. The worst seated posture is the forward bending position, like hunching over a desk. This is followed closely by the 90 degree posture with a straight back and legs parallel to the floor.

Alterations of Lumbosacral Curvature and Intervertebral Disc Morphology

On top of workplace fatigue and decreased productivity, a well known relationship exists between seating posture and back pain. In a healthy spine, there are three natural curves: the cervical, which curves inwards at the neck; the thoracic, the curve outwards in the middle; and the lumbar, the inward curve in the low back. When the lower back curves in too far lumbar lordosis occurs. This condition puts pressure on the entire back and can lead to pain and restricted movement.

Bashir’s research found the intervertebral disc height showed a tendency to decrease the more the subject bent forward, with the two lowest spinal disc levels showing the greatest loss of disc height. The nucleus pulposus, or inner gel of the spinal disc, was seen to move the most at all spinal disc levels when bent forward. The least amount of spinal disc movement occurred when the subject sat in the 135 degree posture, which means less strain is placed on the discs and lower back when sitting in this open position.

According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, nearly everyone has low back pain sometime in their lives and men and women are equally affected. It occurs most often between the ages of 30 and 50, due in part to the aging process but also as a result of sedentary life styles with too little exercise.

We live in a culture where it's common to have back pain and sitting can aggravate a low back condition. Lifting, bending, twisting, it all adds up and experts stress maintaining ergonomic habits at home, as well as at work. So, to combat low back pain, many experts suggest finding a chair that can be adjusted to open up the hip angle. A seat that tilts forward also encourages this natural posture.

How to Treat Car Accident Back Pain

2011-01-17T10:59:00.000-08:00

It is typical to experience back pain after even a mild car accident. A rear end collision where both cars were going under ten miles an hour can result in whiplash injury symptoms. A well positioned headrest will decrease the acceleration – deceleration movement of a whiplash, but cannot prevent trauma to the soft tissues of the neck. When a driver sees the impact coming, tensing up the entire body is a reflex, and this can lead to muscle spasms of the hip area, low back, mid and upper back, shoulder area and of course, neck.

The cranial muscles as well can tense reactively, contributing to post traumatic headaches.

It is a miserable experience. While it rarely leads to severe injury, a whiplash injury can still take weeks to completely heal.

Scar tissue forms within twenty four hours, so it is best to see a chiropractor right away, the same day if possible.

A chiropractor knows how to treat car accident back pain, yet it is astonishing that many people do not know this.

A chiropractor does a great deal more than “crack your back”. In fact, after an automobile accident, a chiropractor will probably treat you several times without even trying to perform an adjustment of spinal mis-alignments.

Your soft tissues – muscles, tendons and ligaments, will be sprained and strained. In a severe situation, there may even be tears.

These soft tissues can be treated with ultrasound therapy, electrical muscle stimulation, gentle manual stretching, and ice packs.

Expect to put some time into seeing your chiropractor to heal properly. Remember that lost wages and time to go to the doctor are reimbursed through auto insurance policies.

The Benefits Of Chiropractic Care

2011-01-12T08:47:00.000-08:00

There are many benefits of chiropractic care. If you are considering seeking out this type of treatment, there are many reasons why it can and should be done. Those that find themselves with problems with their body often do not realize that chiropractic care can often relieve these problems when other medicinal options will not. Often times, it is necessary to seek out the help of a chiropractor if relief will be found.

What Can They Do For Me?

There are many physical benefits to chiropractic care. Here are just a few of the things that can be made better in your life through chiropractic care.

· Decreased arthritis and pain in joints that have arthritis. · Pain relief from all areas of the body, virtually. · Reduction of pain in the back, legs, feet and knees through the relief of spinal pressure · Less stiffness in the areas that are treated · Less muscle spasms throughout the region · You will be able to move better and more if you were restricted to begin with. · Range of motion will increase. · You have better coordination from taking that step to throwing that baseball. · You have increased energy, self esteem and you just overall feel better

There are additional benefits of chiropractic care as well. When you realign the body as it should be, you relieve pressure throughout it. This often allows you body to begin to heal as it should again. For example, it can help your joints to heal, your tissues to heal and your pains to leave.

Some relief through chiropractic care is actually immediate. Often times, when you lay on a chiropractic table and the doctor works his magic you will get up feeling better. This is due to the fact that the doctor has the ability to realign joints and limbs that are not right now. That means that when he puts them back into place he can and he will provide you with a lot of immediate relief.

Other times, a chiropractic care treatment can leave you a bit sore and aching. This is due to the very same reasons. Consider the fact that your body has been out of line for so long that it is going to feel different and it may hurt a bit to fix it. Although your doctor will tell you what to expect from the chiropractic care treatment, it is a sure thing that benefits are likely if you need them.

Ideally, everyone should seek out a doctor for this type of treatment. Yet, this is not always the case. The benefits of chiropractic care should push more people into doing it because it can be so overwhelmingly beneficial to your body and your mind's well being.

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Spinal Decompression Instead of Surgery for Relieving Back Pain

2011-01-04T08:37:00.000-08:00

While back surgery is often recommended for people suffering from severe instances of back pain, there are far too many people whose surgery fails to bring them lasting relief from discomfort. This not altogether rare occurrence is referred to as failed back surgery syndrome. For people who were suffering with herniated discs, sciatica, or other injuries to their spines, a failure of surgery to produce long-term relief from pain can be very difficult to deal with.

Unfortunately, herniated discs are not easy to repair, and surgery may not result in as positive outcome for patients. Back surgery can also cause complications with the bad disc or new discs. As well, back injuries themselves can last far longer than the 6-12 weeks that make up many disability and rehabilitation guidelines. A severe injury of a disc or other tissues of the lower back — especially ligaments — can take years to recover from until the pain is finally gone or significantly reduced.

When surgery fails, patients are often recommended a number of movements to practice, exercises to complete, physical therapists to consult with, and other pain management protocols. Typically, if back surgery fails to facilitate healing from an injury, a second surgical procedure is not done. If the original procedure was not successful, less invasive treatments are used in the hopes of addressing different but related issues causing or exacerbating the pain.

For some patients, though, spinal decompression should be considered as a treatment for lower back pain. This is an alternative form of back injury treatment and works on the discs and vertebrae of the spine to reduce compressive loads on the tissues. A machine, the DRX9000, is used to decompress the tissues through the use of traction. As the joints are decompressed, circulation of oxygen and nutrients are able to reach the injured tissues and begin the healing process in the body. There is often less circulation to the discs and ligaments of the spine, so a procedure like spinal decompression that helps to drive nutrients to the injured areas can help promote healing.

Chiropractic... Active Vs Passive Care It Makes All the Difference in the World

2010-11-01T06:57:00.000-07:00

Chiropractic care is an effective treatment option for whiplash, especially when combined with other treatments, such as bracing and Active Physical Therapy. In whiplash, the soft tissues in your neck are damaged, so a Chiropractor can work with you to restore proper function and movement of those tissues.

Chiropractors are trained to utilize Physical therapy, which includes both passive and active treatments. Passive treatments help to relax you and your body. They’re called passive because you don’t have to actively participate. Most likely, you’re experiencing acute pain because of whiplash, so you’ll probably start with passive treatments as your body heals and/or adjusts to the pain. But the goal of the therapy is to get into active treatments. These are therapeutic exercises that strengthen your body so that your spine has better support.

Passive Treatments for Whiplash

•Deep Tissue Massage: This technique targets muscle tension that can develop as a result of whiplash. The therapist uses direct pressure and friction to try to release the tension in your soft tissues (ligaments, tendons, muscles). This should help them heal faster.
•Hot and Cold Therapies: By using heat, your Chiropractor seeks to get more blood to the target area because an increased blood flow brings more oxygen and nutrients to that area. Blood is also needed to remove waste byproducts created by muscle spasms, and it also helps healing. Cold therapy slows circulation, helping to reduce inflammation, muscle spasms, and pain. Your Chiropractor will alternate between hot and cold therapies.(When you first injure yourself—either in a car accident or in another trauma-inducing event—you can use this hot and cold therapy technique at home. Use ice first to bring down the inflammation, and after the first 48 to 72 hours, you can switch between ice and heat. The heat will help relax tense muscles, and it will increase circulation to the injured area. Increased circulation promotes faster healing. As a reminder, never put ice or heat directly on your skin—wrap it in a towel, for example.)
•Ultrasound: By increasing blood circulation, an ultrasound helps reduce muscle spasms, cramping, swelling, stiffness, and pain. It does this by sending sound waves deep into your muscle tissues, creating a gentle heat that enhances circulation and healing.

Active Treatments for Whiplash
In the active part of physical therapy, your therapist will teach you various exercises to work on your strength and range of motion (how easily your joints move). Your Chiropractic therapy program is individualized, taking into consideration your health and history. Your exercises may not be suitable for another person with whiplash and neck pain.

If needed, you will learn how to correct your posture and incorporate ergonomic principles into your daily activities. Even after you recover from whiplash, this posture work should help you because you’ll be able to prevent other forms of neck pain that develop from daily living.

Overall, the goal of Chiropractic for whiplash patients is to help reduce muscle spasms, increase blood circulation, and promote healing of the neck tissues.

Go to Dr Garrett Bode's website http://www.bodespinalcenter.com/ or see our latest press release (Click Here). [Chiropractor oldsmar], Chiropractic Tampa, 33635, Chiropractors Tampa, Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center, Oldsmar, 33635, Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Automobile Accidents, Headaches. Link Link http://fl.local.yahoo.biz/chiropractortampa/

Five Reasons to visit a Chiropractor after an Auto Accident

2010-11-01T06:40:00.000-07:00

Were you in a car accident? You feel fine, but are you? You may not know. That is why you should see a chiropractor. Do you need more reasons?

1 – You May Have an Injury and Not Know It
Most individuals mistakenly believe that they will be in pain if they have an injury. This is not always true. Damage to the body, muscles, joints, and spine typically hurts, but there are no guarantees. Some damage is just minor enough that there is no pain. However, a smaller injury or just time can lead to aggravation and then pain. Why not prevent this from happening? You can with chiropractic care.
After a car accident, a chiropractor will meet with you. They will gather your medical history, perform a quick physical exam, and ask questions about your car accident. They will diagnose any problems and decide on a course of treatment. This treatment can include joint adjustments or therapeutic massages to relieve pain that will go away on its own overtime.

2 – It Is Less Invasive
With chiropractic care, surgery is a last resort. Even then, you are referred to a specialty surgeon. No surgical tools or invasive medical procedures are needed for treatment. Chiropractors rely on manual therapy, which is therapy of the hands. As previously stated, a joint adjustment may be necessarily to properly realign a joint. This is done with precision force of the hands. There is no cutting of the skin or drawing of blood.
After a car accident, many accident victims fear seeking medical treatment. They worry about surgery or being loaded up on prescription medications that have many side effects. Although you may fear the hospital or your primary care physician, you have no reason to fear a chiropractor. Although you are seeking medical care, a trip to the chiropractor may actually feel more like a trip the spa than a doctor's visit.

3 – No Medications
As previously stated, chiropractic care involves the use of manual therapy. This is 100% all natural. If a chiropractor cannot see a patient right away, they may suggest the use of over-the-counter pain medications. After treatment, they are no longer needed. Pain relievers do provide relief, but that relief is short-lived and it only masks the problem. Chiropractors want to eliminate your pain, but they do so by going directly to the source.
Whiplash victims may receive ongoing massages to treat the pain and discomfort. Whiplash corrects itself overtime, but not all corrections are proper. A patient who does not wear a neck brace or does not limit their activities can experience complications. In these instances, neck adjustments or vertebrae realignment are preformed. Once again, this is done with the hands and not with medications or surgical tools.

4 – It Is Safe
Although chiropractic care is 100% natural, is there is some concern about the force used in adjustments. What if a chiropractor slips? Will more damage occur? These are legitimate questions, but you do not need to worry. Chiropractors are medical professionals. They are educated and trained as such. Not anyone can be a chiropractor. It requires training, education, the passing of many tests, and a state license. If your chiropractor is a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.), you can rest assure knowing you are safe in their hands.
Not only is chiropractor a safe form of healthcare, but it is ideal for individuals of all ages. In fact, some parents bring their newborns in for examination following birth! Yes, they really do and it is perfectly safe. If your child is in the car with you during an accident, their primary care physician may prescribe pain medication. It is very dangerous, especially for small children. The 100% natural relief of chiropractic care is safe for individuals of all ages and even pregnant women.

5 – It Is Sometimes Covered by Insurance
Following a car accident, your focus may be on costs. After all, your car is damaged. You may have to pay for a new method of transportation, but now healthcare too. As previously stated, some injuries are hard to spot immediately following an automobile accident. Don't wait to get diagnosed until after the incident and after all insurance claims have been filed. Know now.
Luckily, many insurance providers extend coverage for chiropractic care. Many realize that it can lower their operating costs. The onetime cost of neck realignment is much cheaper than 10 years of prescribed pain medications or surgery.

Go to Dr Garrett Bode's website http://www.bodespinalcenter.com/ or see our latest press release (Click Here). [Chiropractor oldsmar], Chiropractic Tampa, 33635, Chiropractors Tampa, Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center, Oldsmar, 33635, Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Automobile Accidents, Headaches. Link Link http://fl.local.yahoo.biz/chiropractortampa/

I Didn't Think My Car Accident was That Bad

2010-08-18T06:03:00.000-07:00

I didn't think my injuries were that bad. I can't tell you as a physician how many times I have herd these exact words, while explaining to a patient the extent of their injuries. Since most people do not have medical training, knowing what signs to look for can be difficult. What makes this dangerous is that some of these injuries can be life threatening or permanant if not treated a.s.a.p.!
Car accidents and the injuries they cause have been the subject of many scientific studies throughout the years. How injuries manifest and how they are resolved(i.e. what therpies work the best) I'm sure will continue to be debated for years. The one thing that has been proven true is that not all injuries show up right after the accident.
Headachs, disc injuries, whiplash(torn muscles & ligaments) and inflamation don't always show up immediately. Many times the accident victim may not experience symptoms for days or even weeks, even though serious damage has been done. There are several reasons this may occur, but the damage done to the spine and surrounding structures will ultimately cause Chronic Pain, Disc Damage, and even Loss of Function. This is the case with most small accidents, however with bigger accidents the damage done can be life threatening.
The answer to all of this is simple, get checked! Call your doctor immediately after Any car accident and have a complete examination done including; physical exam, x-rays, consultation, and a report of the findings by the physician. Once you have done this and have a comprehensive understanding of your injuries, you can make an educated decision as to which therapy will work best for you.
Whether your accident was major or minor, you owe it to yourself to get evaluated by a physician. Injuries to the spine and the spinal structures will not heal correctly on there own and you could be left with a lifetime of Disability and Pain. If you have had an accident, call us today at Bode Chiropractic. (813) 891-1600

The Importance of a Strong Multi-Vitamin

2010-04-05T08:11:00.000-07:00

Nutritionists and doctors alike are beginning to discover that it doesn't matter how old you are, whether you're male or female, whether you have ailments or are as healthy as an ox...
You see, each and every day your body's 63 trillion cells are constantly being bombarded by unstable molecules called "free radicals."

When cells in your body encounter a free radical, the reaction can cause destruction in those cells.
Free radicals are responsible for many effects of aging. These unstable molecules lose electrons and "borrow" them from a healthy cell, destroying that cell in the process.
Then these electrons ricochet all over your body, damaging healthy cells from your bones, blood, skin, and even your internal organs. Free radicals eventually break into your cell membranes and destroy the DNA inside.

The better you can protect your cells, the less these free radicals can damage them. And one of the best ways to protect them is through solid nutrition. But not just your ordinary garden-variety nutrition...

To combat the free radical chain, your body uses what's called antioxidants. These naturally occurring compounds help prevent or delay oxidative damage to the body, cells and tissues. Antioxidants may inhibit the harmful effects of free radicals, which scientists believe may contribute to serious health challenges.

Now some antioxidants are well-known. You probably already get a lot of them if you eat a good well-balanced diet. For example:

Vitamin C – Found in citrus fruits, broccoli, bell peppers, kale, cauliflower, green leafy vegetables
Vitamin D – Found in salmon, tuna fish, milk, eggs, liver, beef, and even direct sunlight
Beta carotene – Found in sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, collard greens, squash
Other antioxidants are more concentrated, but a bit harder to come by. In fact, most people don't get nearly enough of these.

Used for centuries by Asian health practitioners for its nutritional benefits and delicious flavor, Mangosteen is a rare, tangerine-sized fruit, whose growth is limited mainly to tropical Southeast Asia with strict growing conditions. Only recently has it been available in North America.

One such food source is Mangosteen, dubbed the "superfruit" and "Queen of All Fruits" because of its four notable qualities:
It has appealing taste, fragrance and visual qualities
It is very rich in phytonutrients called xanthones
It has tremendous antioxidant properties
Its potential impact for lowering risk against human diseases
Mangosteen has been used for centuries by Asian health practitioners for its tremendous nutritional benefits and delicious flavor.
There's a legend about Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, who offered a reward to anyone who could deliver to her this fabled fruit. This story was printed in a U.S. newspaper article in 1925:

Queen Victoria on her throne, surrounded by retainers eager to obey her every wish, with the luxuries of the world at her beck, longed for something that even the resources of the British Empire could not procure for her. She longed for a taste of mangosteen, the wondrous fruit of the East.
Requests and offers of reward proved unavailing. No one, even the most enterprising, could bring it to London... the Queen of England never tasted mangosteen.
Unfortunately, mangosteen is difficult to come by in many countries because of import restrictions and was just recently introduced to the United States. This makes it a highly-sought after, expensive fruit that is rarely eaten in its native form.
The good news is there are available sources of mangosteen that retain the "superfruit" nutritional qualities.
When the antioxidant-rich power of mangosteen is combined with vitamins, plant-sourced minerals, organic glyconutrient-rich aloe vera and decaffeinated organic green tea, the result is the ultimate nutritional foundation.
Introducing the Vemma Nutrition Program™
Vemma provides a powerful liquid formula that makes it easy to get the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants you need to form a solid nutritional foundation.* Each refreshing serving is bioavailable (body-ready), delicious and easy to drink!
It takes about...

2 oranges to equal the amount of Vitamin C
9 avocados to equal the amount of Vitamin E
3 stalks of broccoli to equal the amount of Iron
55 eggs to equal the amount of Vitamin D
1 cup of spinach to equal the amount of Vitamin A
3 cups of peas to equal the amount of Thiamin
19 medium bananas to equal the amount of Riboflavin
62 oz. of cheddar cheese to equal the amount of Vitamin B-12
5 large potatoes to equal the amount of Niacin
61 cups of tomatoes to equal the amount of Folate
2 large watermelons to equal the amount of Vitamin B-6
17 oz. of cherries to equal the amount of ORAC Value
37 medium mushrooms to equal the amount of Pantothenic Acid
...in just one daily two-ounce serving of the Vemma formula!

Think of it as your added "wellness insurance" for filling nutritional gaps in your diet.
Here are just a few of the benefits the Vemma Nutrition Program provides your family:
Physician formulated
Packed with powerful antioxidants from multiple sources
Complete full spectrum multivitamin
Vital major, trace and ultra-trace plant-sourced minerals
Easy to use, no more choking down pills or tablets
30-day "Empty Bottle" Money-Back Guarantee
Delicious with results you can feel

You risk nothing, because you're protected by our...

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Listen, I want you to be as confident as all the satisfied customers who've used Vemma, Verve and NEXT. But just in case you have any lingering doubts whatsoever, I want to make it a no-brainer for you.
Try Vemma Nutrition today. See how delicious it tastes and what a difference it makes in the way you and your family feel.
If in the unlikely chance you don't notice a difference in the way you look and feel, then return your product to us for a complete 100% refund, even if the bottles are completely empty!
The truth is you NEVER have to worry about a refund. Why? Because once you actually start using these physician-formulated delicious nutritional supplements, packed with antioxidants, multivitamins, and essential body-ready minerals, I'm confident you're going to fall in love with the way you feel!– BK BoreykoCEO and Founder of Vemma

If you are interested in making sure your body has all the nutrition necessary to maintain a strong Immuse System, eliminate Inflamation, and control Pain, then call me today to get started with Liquid Vemma Nutrition supplement!

Go to Dr Garrett Bode's website http://www.bodespinalcenter.com/ or see our latest press release (Click Here). [Chiropractor oldsmar], Chiropractic Tampa, 33635, Chiropractors Tampa, Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center, Oldsmar, 33635, Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Automobile Accidents, Headaches. Link Link http://fl.local.yahoo.biz/chiropractortampa/

2009-04-10T10:48:00.000-07:00

ABOUT SPINAL DECOMPRESSION

The Beginning and the End of Discogenic Pain.

Intervertebral disc pathology is one of the primary causes of back and neck pain. The discs are prone to degeneration and injury as they are compressed and twisted through daily activities.

As the disc degenerates, the gel-like nucleus loses its hydration, reducing disc height and creating the possibility of facet syndrome and lateral foraminal stenosis. Furthermore, disc degeneration causes the pliable outer coating of the anulus to become brittle and susceptible to cracks and tears that can lead to disc herniations. Bulging or herniated discs often press on spinal nerves, causing severe pain and radiculopathy.

Damaged intervertebral discs seldom heal because they remain under constant pressure, even while a person is at rest. It is widely accepted that the ideal environment to improve disc pathology is to decompress, or reduce the intradiscal pressures of the damaged disc.

The goal of reducing intradiscal pressure is to enhance the osmotic diffusion of fluids and nutrients across the endplates into the disc, furthering the body’s natural healing abilities. Additionally, reduction of intradiscal pressures may help draw the nucleus pulposus of a herniated disc back into the center, thereby relieving pressure on a compressed nerve root—alleviating the problem and the pain.

Is The Bode Decompression Technique for Me?

The Bode Decompression Technique is a non-surgical, drug-free procedure for patients suffering discogenic pain caused by:

Bulging disc Herniated disc Degenerative disc disease Posterior Facet syndrome Sciatica Post-surgical patients Spinal Stenosis Non-specified mechanical low back or neck pain.

The Bode Decompression Technique is designed to help patients whose pain is caused by a damaged lumbar or cervical spinal disc.

You’re not a candidate for Decompression if you have:

Instabilities of the spine, such as recent fractures Bilateral pars defects Gross osteoporosis Cancers or tumors of the spine Surgical hardware fixation (pins, screws, woots, etc...) in the region of the spine being targeted. Pregnancy Patients under the age of 15 Disc fragmentation, calcification, severe arthritis and any surgical spinal appliances are all relative contraindications.
Post surgical patients are NOT contraindicated unless they have surgical hardware fixation in the region of the spine being targeted. In fact, failed back patients may respond well to The Bode Decompression Technique.
Call Dr. Bode today if you would make a good candidate for The Bode DecompressionTechnique.

How Does Decompression Work?

Damaged intervertebral discs seldom heal because they remain under constant pressure, even while a person is at rest. The Bode Decompression Technique is designed to reduce pressure inside the discs by gently separating or distracting the injured spinal segments.
Under distraction, pressure on the disc is relieved; allowing fluids, nutrients and oxygen to flow back into disc. This nutrient exchange helps the body’s natural rebuilding process and can accelerate the repair and eventually heal damaged spinal discs. In addition, a reduction of intradiscal pressures may help draw the nucleus of a building or herniated disc back into the center, thereby relieving pressure on a compressed nerve root—alleviating the problem and the pain or numbness. Video of Spinal Decompression click here

Go see Dr Garrett Bode or visit his other links and websites: http://bodespinalcenter.com/ or see our latest press release (Click Here). [Chiropractor Oldsmar], Chiropractic Tampa, 33635, Chiropractor Tampa, Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center, Oldsmar, 33635, Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Auto Accidents, Headaches. Link Link BodeChiropractic.Blogspot.com http://fl.local.yahoo.biz/chiropractortampa/

Why See a Chiropractor after an Accident?

2008-12-08T08:10:00.000-08:00

Do you need to seek out chiropractic care following an auto accident? My answer is a resounding "yes!" Why is it so important? Why can't you just rest and take the medications that were prescribed by your medical doctor? Is the insurance company going to give you a hard time about it?

The reason why chiropractic care is so important after an accident has little to do with you being in pain (although it's good for that too). A vertebra that moves out of its normal alignment can wreak havoc on your spine and its associated nerves. You may not be in a lot of pain immediately following the accident, but research indicates that most people will experience a bulk of their symptoms after a few days or even a few weeks.

Once you start to feel symptoms, this is a good indicator that something has moved out of place, and likely that you're experiencing a sprain/strain injury. Sprain and strain don't sound horrible, but really they are describing various degrees of muscle and ligament tearing. The severity of the tear will indicate the type of treatment you should probably consider first. The chiropractor can help make the determination.

Eventually, your body will heal with scar tissue. Scar tissue is more (pain) sensitive than the previously uninjured tissue. Once scar tissue sets up (this takes about 3 weeks following the trauma), it will become increasingly difficult to get you back to your pre-accident state. Receiving chiropractic adjustments to your spine will help assure that your spine is in its best position as the tissue begins to heal. The better aligned your spine is as this occurs, the more likely you can return pain-free following your therapy and treatment.

So why can't you just rest and take the medications? That may be your best first course of treatment for a couple of days following your accident, but certainly can't be the best choice long term. The medications are there to help you with pain, to help you get through the difficulty of the initial phase of your injury. However, they're certainly not fixing anything.

In addition to the chiropractic adjustment, you can typically receive additional therapies that will help your muscles and other soft tissue heal more quickly than just "resting" alone. The additional therapies also help with pain, swelling, and inflammation and can be a big help in the speed of your recovery.

Will your auto insurance or health insurance company give you any trouble? You have insurance for just this type of situation, when you need health care and you can't afford to pay for it yourself. Your Auto-insurance company will cover your health care costs, even if the accident is your fault, and often will cost you nothing out of pocket.

Your auto insurance policy will determine the amount of coverage and just how much help the company has to give. Still, it's your body and your health and you'll need to make sure your injuries are taken care of following the accident. Where you will have trouble is if months have gone by and you haven't gone to see any doctors, just hoping it will go away. Injuries like these can progressively worsen and even require surgery if left untreated. However, as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so get started with a chiropractor today.

If you've been in an auto accident, it's best to see a chiropractor as quickly as possible to evaluate your injuries. The faster you get treatment, the better your results.

Muscle Spasms, Trigger Points, and Fibrositis

2008-10-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

Muscle Spasm, Trigger Points and Fibrositis

Many of the millions of people who visit their doctors of chiropractic annually do so because of chronic pain, strain, spasm, irritation, inflammation or other musculoskeletal conditions. Since about 60% of our body is muscle and bone, it should come as no surprise that these problems areso common. And yet although chiropractic is not a treatment for chronic muscle pain, it has been a blessing to millions so afflicted.Why?

What Are Muscles?

Muscles are organs that contract. The 650 or so muscles that are connected to our bones -the ones that bulge when we lift weights and hurt when we overuse them - are called skeletal or striated muscles. These are the muscles that are involved in musculoskeletal (muscle and bone) and neuromusculoskeletal (nerve, muscle and bone) conditions. These muscles can perform impressive feats of speed and strength but quickly gel fatigued.

Facia (Connective tissue)

Wrapped around the outside and lining the inside of muscles and nerves is a strong sheet of connective tissue called muscle facia; you see it event time you separate meat from a bone or pull a piece of meat apart - it looks like plastic or cellophane, and it carries the many nerves, blood vessels and lymphatics that supply the muscles. If the fascia are damaged, the blood, nerve andlymph supply to the muscles can be interrupted and chronic muscle problems can result.

Muscles and nerves

Nerves make muscles move; when a nerve is stimulated the muscle to which it is connected contracts. Nerves also supply muscles with growth nutrients. If you can cut a muscle's nerves, two things happen:-
the muscle becomes paralysed;
it withers away.
Cut or severed nerves are not the only cause of muscular paralysis. Neuromuscular diseases like multiple sclerosis or polio can also cause a loss of nerve conduction to the muscles.

Chronic Muscle Spasm. Fibrositis, Fibromyalgia

Feeling "tight"; always needing to stretch; feeling constant aches and pains in the back of the neck, lower back, and hips; feeling old and stiff; being plagued by morning fatigue, sleeping problems or tender points (sensitive areas on the body surface) are the symptoms of chronic muscle spasm. This condition is also called fibrositis or fibromyalgia, and by a host of other names: myofascial spasms, nonarticular or muscular rheumatism, myofascitis, myositis or myotendinosis.

Trigger Points

Trigger points are tender, sensitive areas that, when pressed, stuck, heated or cooled can be exquisitely painful. They may exist before as well as after the appearance of muscular aches and pains. In fact, patients may first discover their trigger points when they are surprised by someone pressing a seemingly pain-free area. The pain of trigger points may not only be felt in the area pressed but may also be referred to other areas of the body. Trigger points are common in chronicmuscle spasm, myalgia, myositis, fibrositis, strain and sprain and other muscle and joint problems.

The Medical Approach

To standard medicine, muscle spasm, fibrositis and trigger points are a mystery. General Practitioners and rheumatologists searching for a viral or chemical cause have come up empty-handed. Medical doctors have tried injections with pain-numbing agents such as novocaine, procaine, and xylocaine; cooling sprays; muscle relaxant drugs and injections (including cortisone);and other drugs, with mixed results. These are temporary, often hit-or-miss solutions that can sometimes make the patient feel worse. The still-suffering patient is often referred to a physiotherapist for treatment with heat, massage and other modalities, again with limited success.

The Chiropractic Approach

The most common disruption of the nerve-muscle relationship occurs as a result of the vertebral misalignment stresses. The spinal bones (the vertebrae) become misaligned and irritate, impinge, or otherwise disrupt the spine's nerve-muscle-bone relationship; the spinal chord, spinal nerves, fascia, meninges and other tissues can also become damaged. Vertebral misalignment stress can causejoints to "freeze" or lose normal movement, causing damage to the involved area.

Conclusion

The doctor of chiropractic corrects the mechanical (muscle, bone and joint) factors that play a major part in chronic muscle spasm or fibrositis: the nerves, muscles, and bones (the neuromusculoskeletal system). For some, chiropractic may prove to be the key to alleviating chronic muscle spasm. Nearly anyone suffering from this condition should make sure that his/her spine is free from spinal nerve stress. A healthy spinal column- nerve system is a necessaryfoundation for proper muscle function.

Whiplash: Do Most Patients Recover in 6-12 Weeks?

2008-10-02T14:35:00.000-07:00

By Arthur Croft, DC, MS, MPH, FACO

Although the provenance remains obscure, the notion that whiplash injuries usually heal within 6-12 weeks has somehow become firmly rooted in the medicolegal community. Over the years this myth has been served well by those eager to mollify insurers, usually in a rather thinly veiled attempt at self-promotion.

Some of the more recent "experts" now frequently, and erroneously, cite the Mercy Conference Guidelines as the source of this data. However, try as I might, I have never discovered any scientific evidence to support this belief.

Even the Quebec Task Force on Whiplash-Associated Disorders (QTF),1 in their near total abnegation of the relevant literature, suggests that the outcome is excellent and encourage physicians to so reassure their patients. Unfortunately, it is possible to arrive at such overly sanguine conclusions only by ignoring the relevant literature, which the QTF did, based on the pretext that it was flawed and, therefore, "unacceptable." It is unfortunate that the editors of Spine and their manuscript reviewers could not find all of the flaws in the QTF document, because, despite the vainglorious claims of some of its authors that their methods were of the highest scientific rectitude, this mix of good and mostly bad industrially-inspired "science," sponsored by an insurance industry with an obvious and serious interest in its outcome, should never have been foisted on the medical and lay publics. And I say this fully expecting a steaming rejoinder from Dr. Cassidy who is also incisively critical of (most of) my work.

So what does the field practitioner do to counter such baseless claims? To begin with, always i challenge the expert who relies on the 6-12 week myth. Ask for the source of this folklore. They'll never volunteer anything, because it simply does not exist. Although there are over 30 papers dealing with outcome, most have not reported data on week by week recovery periods. However, there are two recent exceptions.

Elsewhere2-4 I have presented a treatment guideline based on my grading system of whiplash injuries. These guidelines have recently been partially validated by the studies of Radanov et al.5 and Gargan and Bannister.6 Radanov et al. found that about 45% of his patients remained symptomatic at 12 weeks; about 28% were symptomatic at six months; about 23% were symptomatic at 12 months; and about 18% after two years. However, this was a mixed group of patients; some were the victims of side impact collisions, while others were victims of frontal or rear impacts. The rear impact patients fared worse than others, as has been almost universally noted in the literature. In fact, the mean of the reported figures for chronicity from mixed vector whiplash injuries (i.e., side impacts, frontal impacts, and rear impacts) is 39%, while the mean figure for chronicity for rear impact only studies is 56%.7 As I have noted elsewhere, some of these studies do suffer from methodological flaws, but it is clear that the majority of victims do not recover quickly and completely.

Gargan and Bannister6 divided their group into four grades of severity and reported time to recovery in the mildest group at eight weeks. The second group "stabilized" at 17 weeks, while the third and fourth (most severe, i.e., disabled) groups required an average of 20.5 weeks to "plateau."

Of course, we cannot argue that recovery periods are synonymous with treatment periods, nor do these two papers actually validate my treatment guidelines. However, making the argument that some patients will require careful management throughout their healing process, these outcome studies strongly discredit the 6-12 week healing construct and suggest that a whiplash grading system would indeed be helpful in determining a reasonable treatment period.
The issue of determining reasonable care is made more difficult by the fact that the recovery curve from whiplash, for some patients, has two peaks. Bring and Westman8 reported a second wave of symptoms in whiplash victims occurring many months after the original injury. We have also documented a similar trend at this institute, with a large portion of recovered patients relapsing in the months or years following.

Gargan and Bannister6 reported a late onset of neck pain, extremity pain or paresthesia, interscapular pain, tinnitus, headache, dizziness, and visual disturbance after one week. Between three months and one year post-accident 4% deteriorated; between one and two years post-accident another 22% deteriorated, lending further support to the two phase phenomenon as described by Bring and Westman.

Other investigators have reported fairly long delays in the onset of other conditions following exposure to whiplash trauma. Magn¹sson9 reported a delayed onset of shoulder peritendinitis in 53% of his study group several months after the accident. JÖnsson et al.10 reported an early onset of disc symptoms in the more severe grades of herniation, but half of the disc herniation patients developed pain over a six week period.

Postconcussion syndrome may also develop days, or even weeks after an injury.11 Coert and Dellon12 reported two patterns in the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) following motor vehicle accidents, one group becoming symptomatic within one week, and the other becoming symptomatic from one week to more than six months, and considering perineural fibrosis as etiology, two years.

As clinicians we must of course approach the craft of patient care conservatively and avoid accepting patients who seek care only as a means to an end in litigated cases, while treating true patients with no more care than is necessary.

Whiplash is a significant and growing public health problem, despite remonstrations to the contrary by special interest groups. As clinicians, we must be vigilant to guard against the proroguing of clinical mythology. As the noted science philosopher, Sir Karl Popper, wrote, "Science must begin with myths, and with the criticism of myths."

Understanding Whiplash

2008-09-16T07:47:00.000-07:00

The first thing to understand is that you may have the symptoms of a whiplash injury without having tissue damage. The pain, weakness of the neck, or dizziness of a whiplash injury often result entirely from muscle-spasms -- spasms that can usually be ended fairly quickly with the right methods. If symptoms have persisted long after tissue should have healed (according to your doctor), you probably have muscular spasticity.

That said, let me explain some things about whiplash injuries. At the time of your accident, muscles in your neck went into contraction to protect you against injury. When your head and neck were suddenly and violently thrown back and forth, a protective reflex, called the "stretch reflex" (or myotatic reflex, the clinical term) tightened the muscles of the neck to prevent excessive motion, which might otherwise have fractured your neck and damaged your spinal cord. So, those muscular contractions braced you quickly and automatically to protect you.

In the process, the incident galvanized your whole neuromuscular system into a heightened state of arousal; the shock of the incident created a vivid impression of an emergency situation in you -- a shock to your system. Shocks to the system tend to make lasting impressions on memory. Even though the incident was momentary, the memory persisted, and along with it, the protective, reflexive reaction. Suddenly a tension habit was formed.

Within minutes, in many cases of whiplash injury, neck muscles are fatigued and sore. That soreness, felt as neck pain, may have convinced you that you were injured, leading you to guard against head movement to prevent further pain. Guarding leads to further tension, tension leads to pain, and pain leads to a diagnosis of a whiplash injury.

Tension also leads to muscle fatigue, and muscle fatigue feels like muscle weakness.

As incidents of injury usually come from one side or the other, muscles are affected unequally. Unequal muscular tension (more tension on one side than the other) moves vertebrae more to one side: spinal misalignment. Loss of spinal alignment leads to distorted head movement and to unbalanced head position. The combination of distorted head movement and unbalanced head position send distorted sensations from the balance centers of the inner ears to the balance centers of the brain. You might feel dizzy, tight, and sore -- all from the shock of an injury causing muscles to tighten.

The same muscular tension also pulls the vertebrae of your neck closer together, making your neck shorter, thicker, and stiffer. Pressure on the discs increases, sometimes leading to disc bulges, disc degeneration and sometimes, to pinched nerves, with pain and numbness down the arms, possibly into the hands.

Bode Chiropractic has been working with whiplash victimsfor the last 12 years in the Tampa Bay area, and has earned a reputation as one of the leading doctors treating this condition. By reducing inflamation, incorporating integrative therapies, and boosting the body's ability to heal, you can be sure Bode Chiropractic is the best place to eliminate your pain and rehabilitate your injuries.

How To Choose A Chiropractor

2008-09-04T14:06:00.000-07:00

Most of us don't know how to find a good chiropractor. Generally, when we are looking for a doctor, we just open up the yellow pages and let our fingers do the walking. Sometimes, we may ask our friends, family or co-workers for a recommendation, but face it, what works for them may not work for you. Finding a good chiropractor can be a very difficult decision, because this is a profession with an unusually wide variety of techniques and philosophies. Here are some tips on how to find a competent chiropractor best suited for you as an individual.

Do a phone interview. Take time out to interview your prospective chiropractor. If the doctor is not available when you call, then arrange a time when you can speak to the doctor. Take note of the doctors communication skills, he should be comfortable to speak with and eager to answer your questions. You may want to ask:

What the doctor's feelings are about how chiropractics differ from other health professions? What does the doctor see as his responsibility when performing a competent diagnosis?

How does the doctor feel about referring patients to other specialists?

What kind of techniques does this doctor offer?

What kind of experiences has he had with other patients with similar conditions to you?

What are the doctor's fees or does the doctor take your insurance, or in case you have an HMO, do you need a referral?

What is doctor's location and what are his hours of operation?

Avoid a chiropractor who: Considers his profession as being opposed to the medical profession. Denies responsibility to diagnose and refer patients in a good manner.

Tries to sell you on his "miracle cures" or any other technique that only he knows how to do or has learned in some "school of thought."

Insists you have x-rays done as a routine or requirement, or insist on having an EMG scan or other expensive test that is often not necessary.

Uses scare tactics or if he sounds like he's making a sales pitch on you.

Has a dirty, littered or foul smell in his office.

Cold calls you to announce their presence in your area and tries to make you a free appointment.

All depending on the seriousness or extremity of your condition, you may need to see the chiropractor several times before your condition can be relieved. This is a good reason to choose a chiropractor that works within a reasonable driving distance with hours that suit your schedule. It's important to have a chiropractor that you can rely on to get into fairly quickly without having to wait a month or so to get in.

On your first visit to the office, what is your general impression? Any doctor's office should have a clean and professional appearance. The office staff should be able to treat you with the courtesy, respect and professionalism that are expected of a medical establishment. Many offices require you to fill out forms about your general medical history and the problem that brought you to them for the doctor to review with you during a private interview. You should be able to discuss your problem in detail, followed by having vital signs taken, and a number of other neurological and orthopedic tests. You should also have an analysis of your musculoskeletal system functions and structure, to determine if your problem is within the scope of chiropractics. If the doctor insists that other laboratory tests are necessary, ask why. He should be able to provide a clear and concise explanation that makes sense and that is easy for you to understand. The doctor should be able to explain your problem, treatment options and customize a treatment plan that you are able to understand. If he is unable to do this, then he is not the right doctor for you.

The length of treatment varies with each individual. Although your condition may resemble your best friends, it does not mean you will heal as quickly as she did. Everyone's musculoskeletal system is different and responds differently to treatment. This is why it's important to do your own research and interviews before settling with a chiropractor. Never let anyone pressure you into seeing a particular doctor.

This article was published at http://wwwarticlebase.com/

Chiropratic Care When to start your Kids

2008-08-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

There is no such thing as to young or to old for Chiropractic care. Chiropractic patients range in years from birth to old age. Regardless of age, vertebrae can become misaligned. If a vertebrae become misaligned it can cause pressure or irritation to nerves thus causing them to malfunction. This process is known as a "Subluxation". For example, the birth process may cause trauma to the neck and spine. If left uncorrected, the vertebral subluxation may disturb the delicate spinal cord and nerves which control the infants muscles and organs. In some cases, an uncorrected subluxations may lead to a deformity of the spinal column. An early chiropractic checkup may detect subluxations while they are still easily correctable.

When should I start my child under Chiropractic care?Your child should have a chiropractic examination as soon after birth as possible. Spinal trauma to an infant's or child's spine can occur during the birth process as well as from any number of tumbles while learning to sit up or walk. Your child's spine grows almost 50% in length during that first year (the equivalent of a six-footer growing to nine feet in just 12 months!). It's this kind of tremendous growth and developmental changes which make continued chiropractic examinations so important in the early stages of your child's life.

In Chiropractic we believe it's much more important to prevent diseases than wait till some illness occurs. Through regular adjustments, as well as awareness on proper diet, exercise and posture, Chiropractic can help you raise a child free of subluxations whose body is structurally and functionally sound. Your child will also learn good health habits at an early age which can be very beneficial to him or her as an adult.

Youngsters suffer numerous accidents and falls while learning to walk, riding a bike, or even while jumping or running around. But after their tears have dried, underlying injuries could go undetected--such as a subluxation during the spine's most formative period.
Regular Chiropractic spinal exams can provide corrective and preventive care for your son or daughter and peace of mind for you.

It is especially important to have your child under chiropractic care when your child takes part in athletic activities. The "sack" of a young quarterback could twist a young spine. A softball pitcher could throw a vertebra out of alignment. In Chiropractic we can do more than correct these problems, we can also help improve performance on and off the field by helping the body function at its optimum level, naturally without stress and without drugs.

How effective is chiropractic care for children?Doctors of Chiropractic have been providing safe and effective care or children for nearly 100 years. There are several published studies conducted by researchers in Germany, Australia, Denmark and the United States which confirm the effectiveness of chiropractic for a variety of childhood illnesses. The scientific evidence is growing every day.

This article was published at wwwchiropracticresearch.org

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Chiropractic

2008-08-29T12:16:00.000-07:00

On March 4th, 2006 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a long-time chiropractic supporter, addressed a group of Doctors of Chiropractic on Natural Fitness. The event is held each year in conjunction with the Governor's own bodybuilding and fitness event, the Arnold Fitness Weekend.
In his appearance at the ICA event Governor Schwarzenegger spoke to the group of professionals on a number of issues including his most recent mishap on a motorcycle. In his candor he admitted that after the accident he had been suffering and in some pain. He then sought the help of a long time friend Dr. Franco Columbu. Dr. Columbu is a chiropractor and a former champion bodybuilder, having won numerous bodybuilding championships including the most coveted Mr. Olympia in 1975, 1976, and 1980.

Mr. Schwarzenegger told the chiropractic audience, “As Governor, you have a chance every day to help people. This is what we have in common…We are friends of chiropractors because chiropractors are dealing with health, fitness, strength and energy…That’s what chiropractors are all about, helping people, to make them strong and fit and get their lives back together. So here we are for fourteen years, holding interesting meetings, working together, learning from each other, and I just wanted to tell you how proud we are of all of you, and how happy we are that we have joined together in this great program.”

Governor Schwarzenegger also spoke about his own personal experience with chiropractic, telling the audience that after his recent and much publicized motorcycle accident, “ Even though on screen I am the robot, the mechanical man, in reality I am also vulnerable and I have my accidents; and you probably heard about my motorcycle accident…my head was thrown forward and I had stitches on my lip…but you know your neck and back afterwards are sore, and I went to the chiropractor who fixed me up and it was really bad for a few days and I couldn’t move; and he gave me just three adjustments and I was perfectly fine after that. So I just want to say that I love your profession.”

Governor Schwarzenegger concluded his talk and then took the time to pose for individual pictures with each of the doctor's present. His ongoing support of chiropractic is evident as he continues to make a point of being present for the chiropractic event even though he has cancelled most of his other appearances during the Fitness Weekend since becoming governor of California.

The Arnold Fitness Weekend is the largest family fitness festival in the world. This year's weekend hosted more than 30 events, drew over 120,000 spectators and featured over 15,000 athletes, which is more than six times the number present at this year's Winter Olympics.

This article was published at wwwchiropracticresearch.org

Severe Neck Problems After Unsuccessful spinal Surgery Helped With Chiropractic

2008-08-27T13:52:00.000-07:00

In the September 2001 issue of the peer reviewed, "Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics" comes a case report study titled, "Chiropractic care of a patient with vertebral subluxations and unsuccessful surgery of the cervical spine". This was a report of a 55-year-old man who had neck pain along with radiating pain down both arms after unsuccessful cervical (neck) spine surgery.

The man's history was similar to many seen in chiropractic offices. While responding to an auto accident during an ice storm, the 55 year old highway patrolman slipped getting out of his car and fell backward, landing on his upper back and neck After a few days he began to experience pain in his neck. Two months later he consulted a medical doctor, who referred him to a neurologist. During the neurological examination, the patient experienced a seizure that eventually led to a diagnosis of a tumor of the adrenal gland. Several weeks later, the patient had surgery to excise the tumor which resulted in temporary relief of the neck pain.

He returned to work, and 6 weeks after surgery he began to experience neck pain again, which he described as “sharp,” along with pain, numbness, and tingling in both arms. His condition worsened, for about 6 to 7 months, and he was was referred to a neurosurgeon. The patient eventually consented to neck surgery, and an anterior cervical diskectomy (disc removal) was performed.

When he returned to the surgeon for a postsurgery check-up and had continuing complaints, he then asked when the surgeon wanted to see him again. The reply was, “I never want to see you again.” This answer was devastating for the patient, and he assumed that he was destined to live with these problems for life.

Approximately 3½ years after surgery, the patient started chiropractic care. The chiropractic care began and after receiving the first set of adjustments, the patient indicated that his ability to raise his left arm had increased by 50% and that his neck pain and arm complaints were also relieved. He was astonished and excited by the results of the care he received. Within 2 weeks of starting care he was able to fully abduct his left arm and to loop his belt to his pants. A year after the onset of chiropractic care, the patient was working on his small ranch performing various odd jobs and has, on occasion, had some problems because of over activity.

This documented and published case is not unfamiliar to chiropractors world wide. The unique aspect of this case is the fact that it was published in a peer reviewed scientific journal. The authors of the study summed this situation up with the following; "This is the first description in the indexed literature of the chiropractic care of a patient with vertebral and sacroiliac subluxations with a history of unsuccessful cervical diskectomy of the cervical spine. In our experience, allopathic (medical) practitioners usually do not offer patients the option of chiropractic care before surgery. Perhaps more rarely is chiropractic care considered a viable option in instances of unsuccessful surgical care." It is obvious from this study that chiropractic should have been considered first.

This article was published at wwwchiropracticresearch.org

Sciatica & Chiropractic Relief

2008-08-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

Doctors of Chiropractic medicine regularly treat sciatica. Sciatica is characterized by pain that originates in the low back or buttock that travels into one or both legs. Sciatic nerv e pain varies in intensity and frequency; minimal, moderate, severe and occasional, intermittent, frequent or constant. A misconception is that sciatica is a disorder - however, sciatica is really a symptom of a disorder

Sciatica is generally caused by sciatic nerve compression. Disorders known to cause sciatic nerve pain include lumbar spine subluxations (misaligned vertebral body/ies), herniated or bulging discs (slipped discs), pregnancy and childbirth, tumors, and non-spinal disorders such as diabetes, constipation, or sitting on one's back pocket wallet.Sciatic nerve compression may result in the loss of feeling (sensory loss), paralysis of a single limb or group of muscles (monoplegia), and insomnia.
Treatment Approach The purpose of chiropractic treatment is to help the body's potential to heal itself. It is based on the scientific principle that restricted spinal movement leads to pain and reduced function and performance. Chiropractic care is non-invasive (non-surgical) and drug-free. The type of chiropractic therapy provided depends on the cause of the patient's sciatica. A sciatica treatment plan may include several different treatments such as ice/cold therapies, ultrasound, TENS, and spinal adjustments - sometimes called manipulation.

Adjustments (Spinal Manipulation) At the core of chiropractic care are spinal adjustments. Manipulation frees restricted movement of the spine and helps to restore misaligned vertebral bodies to their proper position in the spinal column. Spinal adjustment helps to reduce nerve irritability responsible for causing inflammation, muscle spasm, pain, and other symptoms related to sciatica. Adjustments should not be painful. Spinal manipulation is proven to be safe and effective.

If you have further question concerning Sciatica or any other condition contact Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center today.

Go to Dr Garrett Bode's website http://www.bodespinalcenter.com/ or see our latest press release (Click Here). [Chiropractor oldsmar], Chiropractic Tampa, 33635, Chiropractors Tampa, Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center, Oldsmar, 33635, Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Automobile Accidents, Headaches. Link Link http://fl.local.yahoo.biz/chiropractortampa/

Chiropractic What does it Do?

2008-08-25T07:01:00.000-07:00

Every part of your body works by the direction of your nervous system. From healing due to injury, to digesting food, all is a result to the relationship of the nevous system and the body. Electrical impulses generated by the brain are sent though the superhighway of the spinal cord to every single muscle, organ, and cell of the body. The tissue of the body responds and sends messeges back to the brain to let it know if everything is working properly.

Interruption in these impulses are what cause dis-ease within the body, and cause the tissue and organs to function improperly. Irritated nerves can overstimulate affected areas causing a myrid of responses from pain and numbness, to total loss of function. These responses are called symptoms and help to let us know when there is a problem.

The spinal column is a complex structure made up of 24 independently movable bones that house and protect the spinal cord and spinal nerves. Frequently, the irritation of nerves or interruption of nerve impulses is due to misalignments in these bones. These misalinged vertabra will now move in an abnormal fashion causing stretching of the spinal nerve, as well as increased wear and tear on the surrounding tissues. This is what Chiropractors call The Vertebral Subluxation Complex or simply Subluxation.

Symptoms due to subluxations are what commonly bring us to the doctor. However, subluxations can affect organs and tissues that do not sense pain, so you could actually have one right now but not know it. This is true with any health related issue. Symptoms of Cancer are often not felt until advanced stages. Relying on symptoms to determine your overall health can be dangerous.

Chiropractic care seeks to find the cause of your dis-ease or disease by finding and correcting the Subluxations within the spinal column. This is done through Chiropractic adjustments. Adjustments correct the misalignments in the spine to restore the normal motion and position of the individual vertabra, relieving symptoms.

The human body is a self-healing organism with extrodinary recuprative ability. By utilizing Chiropractic care you are giving your body the best ability to attain and maintain true health.

Go to Dr Garrett Bode's website http://www.bodespinalcenter.com/ or see our latest press release (Click Here). [Chiropractor oldsmar], Chiropractic Tampa, 33635, Chiropractors Tampa, Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center, Oldsmar, 33635, Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Automobile Accidents, Headaches. Link Link http://fl.local.yahoo.biz/chiropractortampa/

Disc Injuries

2008-08-18T07:41:00.000-07:00

A common cause of neck, shoulder and arm pain is a ruptured or herniated cervical disc. Symptoms may include dull or sharp pain in the neck or between the shoulder blades, pain that radiates down the arm to the hand or fingers, or numbness or tingling in the shoulder or arm. Certain positions or movements of the neck can intensify the pain.

The symptoms of a cervical herniated disc often resemble other disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome, problems with the rotator cuff and gout. In some patients, a cervical herniated disc can cause spinal cord compression where disc material pushes on the spinal cord. This is a much more serious condition and may require a more aggressive treatment plan. Spinal cord compression symptoms include awkward or stumbling gait, difficulty with fine motor skills in the hands and arms, and tingling or “shock” type feelings down the torso or into the legs.

Anatomy – Normal Cervical Disc In between each of the vertebrae (bones) in the spine is a disc, a tough fibrous shock-absorbing pad. Endplates line the ends of each vertebra and help hold individual discs in place. Each disc contains a tire-like outer band (called the annulus fibrosus) that encases a gel-like substance (called the nucleus pulposus).Nerve roots exit the spinal canal through small passageways between the vertebrae and discs. Pain and other symptoms can develop when the damaged disc pushes into the spinal canal or nerve roots.
Cervical disc herniation occurs when the annulus fibrosus breaks open or cracks, allowing the nucleus pulposus to escape. This is called a Herniated Nucleus Pulposus (HNP) or herniated disc.

Research has shown that Chiropractic Care is the best treatment for non-surgical disc injuries. Determination for surgery is based upon the findings of the doctor and the MRI(radiological films). By Re-aligning the vertabra of the spine, abnormal pressure is removed from the disc injury therefor relieving the pain. At Bode Chiropractic we have the experience and resources to allow you to become pain free as quickly as possible. Call us today for immediated relief.

Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center
13694 WHillsborough Ave
Tampa, FL 33635
(813) 891-1600

Whiplash Can be a Lifetime Trauma if not Treated

2008-08-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

The mechanical relationship between the head and neck has been crudely compared to a brick attached to a flexible rod. As the structural mass of the head is so much greater than that of the neck, it is no wonder that injuries of the neck are so prevalent. Even the person with a short neck and well-developed neck muscles and ligaments is not free of potential injury.

Neck sprain and disc rupture are usually associated with severe pain and muscle spasm and are more common in adults because of the reduced elasticity of supporting tissues. Pain is often referred when the brachial plexus is involved. Cervical stiffness, muscle spasm, spinous process tenderness, and restricted motion are common. When pain from either a soft-tissue or vertebral lesion occurs, it is often poorly localized and referred to the occiput, shoulder, between the scapulae, arm or forearm (lower cervical lesion), and may be accompanied by pain radiating to the arm. Muscle clues may point to a nerve lesion.

1. Stage of Acute Inflammation and Active Congestion

Following soft-tissue neck trauma without emergency airway complications, the major goals are to control pain and reduce swelling by vasoconstriction, compression, and elevation; to prevent further irritation, inflammation, and secondary infection by disinfection, protection, and rest; and to enhance healing mechanisms.

2. Stage of Passive Congestion

The major goals are to control residual pain and swelling, provide rest and protection, prevent stasis, disperse coagulates and gels, enhance circulation and drainage, maintain muscle tone, and discourage adhesion formation.

3. Stage of Consolidation and/or Formation of Fibrinous Coagulant

The major goals are the same as in Stage 2 plus enhancing muscle tone and involved tissue integrity and stimulating healing processes.

4. Stage of Fibroblastic Activity and Potential Fibrosis

At this stage, causes for pain should be corrected but some local tenderness likely exists. The major goals are to defeat any tendency for the formation of adhesions, taut scar tissue, and area fibrosis and to prevent atrophy.

5. Stage of Reconditioning

At this stage the goal is to femold the tissue to further reduce scar tissue that has formed to increase mobility as well as decrease the possibility of re-injury. With less scar tissue, the elasticity of the tissue can be preserved and exercises can begin to be incorporated.

Reducing the effects of Whiplash trauma will require significant therapy to completely heal, even with very minor injuries or accidents. Considering the alternative is lifetime pain, the choice is an easy one. If you have any questions on this or any other subject please call us at

Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center

13694 WHillsborough Ave

Tampa, FL 33635

(813) 891-1600

Chiropractor & Headache Relief

2008-08-14T10:56:00.000-07:00

Descriptions of the Primary Headache Types:

1. Tension Headaches: Tension type headaches are the most common, affecting upwards of 75% of all headache sufferers. As many as 90% of adults have had tension–type headache. Tension–type headaches usually involve a steady ache, rather than a throbbing one, are described as a feeling of pressure or tightening, may last minutes to days, affect both sides of the head, and and do not worsen with routine physical activity. It may also be accompanied by photophobia or phonophobia (hypersensitivity to light and noise, respectively.). Nausea is usually absent. Some people get tension–type (and migraine) headaches in response to stressful events. Tension–type headaches may also be chronic, occurring frequently or daily. Psychologic factors have been overemphasized as causes of headaches.

Rebound Headache: Rebound headache may occur among people with tension

headaches, as well as in those with migraines. It appears to be the result of taking prescription or nonprescription pain relievers daily or almost every day, contrary to directions on the package label. If prescription or nonprescription pain relievers are overused, headache may "rebound" as the last dose wears off, leading one to take more and more pills. This is a great reason to call your chiropractor. Break that cycle!

2. Cervicogenic Headaches: Cervicogenic headache originates from disorders of the neck and is recognized as a referred pain in the head. Primary sensory afferents from the cervical nerve roots C1–C3 converge with afferents from the occiput and trigeminal afferents on the same second order neuron in the upper cervical spine. Consequently, the anatomical structures innervated by the cervical roots C1–C3 are potential sources of cervicogenic headache.

Cervical headache is often precipitated by neck movement and/or sustained awkward head positioning (such as painting the ceiling, or washing the floor) and can reproduced with pressure over the upper cervical or occipital region on the symptomatic side. It is often accompained by restricted cervical range of motion, ipsilateral neck, shoulder, or arm pain of a rather vague non-radicular nature or, occasionally, arm pain of a radicular nature.

3. Migraine Headaches: Migraine headaches are less common than tension–type headaches. Nevertheless, migraines afflict 25 to 30 million people in the United States. As many as 6% of all men, and up to 18% of all women experience a migraine headache at some time.

Among the most distinguishing features is the potential disability accompanying the headache pain of a migraine: migraines may last 4-72 hours, are typically unilateral (60% of reported cases), throbbing, of moderate to severe intensity, and are aggravated by routine physical activity.

Nausea, with or without vomiting, and/or sensitivity to light and sound often accompany migraines. An "aura" may occur before head pain begins–– involving a disturbance in vision, and/or an experience of brightly colored or blinking lights in a pattern that moves across the field of vision. About one in five migraine sufferers experiences an aura.

Usually, migraine attacks are occasional, or sometimes as often as once or twice a week, but rarely occur daily.

4. Cluster Headaches: Cluster headaches are relatively rare, affecting about 1% of the population. They are distinct from migraine and tension–type headaches. Most cluster headache sufferers are male –– about 85%.

Cluster headaches come in groups or clusters lasting weeks or month. The pain is extremely severe but the attack is brief, lasting no more than a hour or two. The pain centers around one eye, and this eye may be inflamed and watery. There may also be nasal congestion on the affected side of the face.

These "alarm clock" headaches may strike in the middle of the night, and often occur at about the same time each day during the course of a cluster. A history of heavy smoking and drinking is common, and alcohol often triggers attacks.

Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center has worked patients with each of these types of debilitating headaches. Therapies designed speciically for each type are done to acheive total relief. Call us today to begin living pain free. (813)891-1600.

Chiropractor & Auto Accidents

2008-08-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

Auto-Accidents happen everyday. Finding the right place to answer your questions and care for your injuries can be a difficult task. Injuries from Auto-Accidents can vary, and so can the therapies used to treat them. At Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center we are experienced in all areas of Auto-Accident rehabilitation and recovery.
Injuries from accidents can be very painful, and left untreated for even a couple of weeks, permanency of the injuries can begin to set in. Calling Bode Chiropractic today will greatly enhance your chances of preventing a debilitating and painful disability. When soft tissue such as muscle or ligament is torn, scar tissue begins to form almost immediately. This new scar tissue has three very bad qualities: 1) limited movement or elasticity, 2)more senitive to pain, and 3)more prone to re-injury. These properties of scar tissue will cause untreated auto accident injuries to become permanent.
At Bode Chiropractic We take pride in guiding you through the process. From notifying the insurance company, treating your injuries, even help with an attorney if necessary. At Bode Chiropractic we treat the entire body, not just spinal injuries. By utilizing different types of therapies we are able to care for a wide range of injuries.
* Whiplash* Torn Muscle/Ligaments
* Disc injuries* Nausea/Dizziness
* Pinched Nerve* Nutrition/Weight Loss
* Numbness* Sciatica
* Headaches
Total physical restitution is always our goal with your care, however the longer you wait to begin your treatment the less likely that will occur. Calling us today is your best chance to regain your total health and wellness. Start living painless tomorrows today! (813) 891-1600
Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center
13694 W Hillsborough Ave
Tampa, FL 33635
(813) 891-1600

Go to our website at http://www.BodeSpinalCenter.com/ or see our latest press release (Click Here). [Chiropractor oldsmar], Chiropractic Tampa, 33635, Chiropractors Tampa, Bode Chiropractic Accident & Wellness Center, Oldsmar, 33635, Neck Pain, Low Back Pain, Automobile Accidents, Headaches. Link Link#http://fl.local.yahoo.biz/chiropractortampa/

Chiropractor Tampa, Oldsmar Chiropractic, http://www.BodeSpinalCenter.com

2008-08-14T07:54:00.000-07:00

Located in the heart of Tampa, Bode Spinal Center are dedicated to helping you achieve your wellness objectives and recieving the quickest relief of your Auto-Accident injuries and symptoms-- combining skill and expertise that spans the entire chiropractic wellness spectrum. Dr. Garrett Bode is commited to bringing you better health and a better way of life by teaching and practicing the true principles of chiropractic wellness care.
Patients seeking treatment at Bode Spinal Center with Dr. Garrett Bode are assured of receiving only the finest quality care through the use of modern chiropractic equipment and technology, as well as the best documentation for those involved in auto-accidents. Dr. Bode utilizies x-ray, physical therapy, and several Chiropractic techniques to ensure the quickest recovery availiable. Call us today at (813)-891-1600 or visit us at 13694 W Hillsborough Ave Tampa, FL 33635
For more information:
For more information visit this web site: www.BodeSpinalCenter.com or You may contact Dr. Bode at (813) 891-1600.

Visit our website: http://www.bodespinalcenter.com/