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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.