TAMPA CHIROPRACTOR BODE CHIROPRACTIC CHIROPRACTOR OLDSMAR: February 2019

Monday, February 18, 2019

All About Spinal Decompression Therapy

Spinal Decompression Therapy involves stretching the spine, using a traction table or similar motorized device, with the goal of relieving back pain and/or leg pain.

This procedure is called nonsurgicaldecompression therapy (as opposed to surgical spinal decompression, such as laminectomy and microdiscectomy).

This article provides an overview of nonsurgical spinal decompression therapy and its role in treatment of lower back pain and neck pain.

Theory of Spinal Decompression

Spinal decompression devices use the same basic principle of spinal traction that has been offered by chiropractors, osteopaths, and other appropriately trained health professionals for many years.

Both traction and decompression therapy are applied with the goals of relieving pain and promoting an optimal healing environment for bulging, degenerating, or herniated discs.

Spinal decompression is a type of traction therapy applied to the spine in an attempt to bring about several theoretical benefits including:

Create a negative intradiscal pressure to promote retraction or repositioning of the herniated or bulging disc material.
Create a lower pressure in the disc that will cause an influx of healing nutrients and other substances into the disc

Clinical Evidence

While the fundamental theory of spinal decompression is widely accepted as valid, there is a lack of evidence supporting decompression therapy as being efficacious. Additionally there are some potential risks.

Although some studies that do not include control groups conclude that decompression therapy is efficacious, the few that do generally conclude that mechanized spinal decompression is no better than sham decompression. [Schimmel JJ, et al. European Spine Journal 18(12):1843-50, 2009] Thus, there is insufficient evidence that spinal decompression therapy is as effective, or more effective, than less expensive manual methods in treating back pain or injured herniated discs.

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/

How Spinal Decompression Therapy is Thought to Work

In nonsurgical spinal decompression therapy, the spine is stretched and relaxed intermittently in a controlled manner. The theory is that this process creates a negative intradiscal pressure (pressure within the disc itself), which is thought to have two potential benefits:

Pulls the herniated or bulging disc material back into the disc
Promotes the passage of healing nutrients, into the disc and fosters a better healing environment.

Spinal Decompression Session

During spinal decompression therapy for the low back (lumbar spine), patients remain clothed and lie on a motorized table, the lower half of which can move.

A harness is placed around the hips and is attached to the lower table near the feet.
The upper part of the table remains in a fixed position while the lower part, to which the patient is harnessed, slides back and forth to provide the traction and relaxation.

One difference between various decompression therapies is the patient's position on the table:

Some older devices place the patient in the prone position on the table, lying face down (e.g. VAX-D)
Some newer devices have the patient lying supine, face up (e.g. Spine Med, or DRX9000)

The patient should not feel pain during or after the decompression therapy although they should feel stretch in the spine.

Treatment Series and Costs

Decompression therapy typically consists of a series of 15 to 30 treatments, lasting 30 to 45 minutes each, over a four to six-week period. Sessions are conducted in the practitioner's office.

The cost of each session typically ranges from $100 to $200, which means that a recommended series of treatments will typically cost from $3,000 to $6,000. Although insurance companies might pay for traditional traction, decompression therapy is not usually allowed although they are nearly the same.

Sessions may include additional treatment modalities, such as electric stimulation, ultrasound, and cold and/or heat therapy applied during or after the procedure.

Recommendations may also include drinking up to a half-gallon of water per day, rest, utilizing nutritional supplements, and/or performing exercises at home to improve strength and mobility.

Wednesday, February 13, 2019

The Physics Behind a Whiplash Injury

Whiplash is the most common injury associated with a car accident. It typically happens when a person gets rear-ended but could be a result of any type of accident. But, although you’ve likely heard of whiplash, do you understand the physics behind a whiplash injury?

Many people assume that whiplash only occurs in severe accidents and if you are just bumped from behind at a stoplight, you have nothing to worry about. This simply is not the case. Whiplash can occur at surprisingly low speeds and cause an unexpected amount of damage.

What Happens When a Car Gets Rear-Ended?

Let’s start with a simple scenario. Someone is stopped at a stoplight on a city street. A car approaches behind them and slows down; however, because they are on their cell phone, they fail to stop completely in time. The two cars collide at approximately 15 miles per hour. Since the first car is at rest, presumably with the brakes on, it resists the impact. However, that resting car still absorbs 15 miles per hour worth of force.

So, what happens when your vehicle absorbs that amount of force?

When impact occurs, the seats of the first car jolt forward suddenly and with more force than you might expect. Of course, the seats aren’t the only things moving; the torsos of the driver and passengers also jolt forward. The heads of the driver and passengers, however, do not move with their bodies at the same speed. This is what causes the whiplash action.

You may not have known it, but the headrests in your car are not just for comfort; they’re another of your vehicle’s safety features. The headrest lessens the severity of the impact.

The Movement of the Spine in a Rear-End Collision

Normally, the head initiates most spinal movement. The movements of the neck in the cervical spine primarily consist of rotating and looking up and down. When a car gets rear-ended, however, your body moves beneath the spine rather than the head initiating the action. This unnatural movement causes an abnormally high amount of strain to be put on the spine, causing whiplash injury.

This abnormal movement can cause more damage than you might expect. Common damage includes neck stiffness and soreness, but also nerve pain. And, depending on the amount of damage done, you may feel pain immediately, or it could be days or months before the effects of the impact set in. The only way to immediately know the amount of damage done to your body is to have a doctor or chiropractor examine you. Doctors can give a good initial estimate of the damage, but consider seeing a chiropractor who specializes in whiplash injury.

What to Do If You Are in a Car Accident

Most people know the steps you should take if you are involved in a car accident. Check the damage done to people and the cars, call the police, exchange information, and file an insurance claim. However, many people forget that not all injuries are noticeable at first glance. Many people think they are okay while their body is in shock, shielding them from any awareness that they may have suffered bodily damage. Once this shock effect wears away, however, the pain will eventually set in. Getting checked out immediately can make whiplash injuries easier to connect to the car accident. This is especially important in the event of an insurance claim. Often, when whiplash injuries are left undiagnosed, insurers resist covering the injury once symptoms finally appear. It is important to understand the physics of whiplash injury and know how to take proper care if it happens to you.

Relationship Between Headaches and Neck Pain Characteristics With Neck Muscle Strength

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this study was to assess the correlations between neck muscle strength and pain features, such as neck-related disability, neck pain frequency and intensity, and headache frequency in women with headache.

Methods

Seventy women with migraine between 18 and 55 years of age diagnosed according to International Headache Society criteria were assessed. Participants provided clinical information regarding neck pain and headache. The Neck Disability Index was used to assess neck-related disability, and neck muscle strength was assessed via maximum voluntary contraction during flexion, extension, and lateral flexion with a handheld dynamometer. The correlation was verified with Spearman’s correlation coefficient (ρ). Multiple linear regression was performed to verify whether the clinical variables could predict the strength of neck muscles. All calculations were performed adopting a level of significance of 0.05.

Results

Neck extensor strength was negatively correlated with all clinical variables (ρrange = –.24 to –.32, p < .05); lateral flexor strength was negatively correlated with headache frequency, neck pain intensity, and neck-related disability (ρrange = –.27 to –.39, p < .05); and flexor strength also correlated negatively with neck pain intensity and related disability (ρr = –.26 to –.29, p < .05). Headache frequency and neck pain intensity were identified as significant predictors of the strength variability in extension (R2 = 0.16, p < .05) and in lateral flexion (R2 = 0.18, p< .05).

Conclusions

For the women with migraine in this study, correlations of headache and neck pain with neck muscle strength features were weakly to moderately negative. Headache frequency and neck pain intensity may influence a small proportion of the strength variability in extension and lateral flexion.

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