Health Related Workshops

I am giving a series of health related workshops covering topics such as sciatica, headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, low back pain, and neck pain. Each workshop will about 20 minutes long and will discuss common causes and treatments, as well as demonstrations of some things you can do on your own to help. I will also be allowing a question and answer period where people can get questions about their specific problems answered. Check out our website at www.thefixchiro.com for complete details and a schedule of topics. No cost, No Obligation, Refreshments provided.

What is a Chiropractor? What Kinds of Problems do They Treat?

What is a Chiropractor? What Kinds of Problems do They Treat?

A chiropractor, or Doctor of Chiropractic, is a licensed physician with the educational and professional expertise in the area of treating musculoskeletal disorders of the spine; in other words, they are experts at treating symptoms such as back pain, neck pain, and headaches. Chiropractors commonly work with problems such as sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, disc problems, arthritis, and many others.

The word Chiropractor comes from the Greek words for “hand” and “practice or treat”, so Chiropractic literally means “treating with the hands”. This definition is very appropriate to the practice of Chiropractic, as Chiropractors work with their hands to “adjust” or “mobilize” the joints of the spine in order to provide a drug and surgery free method of relieving a person’s symptoms and restoring their spine back to normal health. Chiropractors rely on different adjusting techniques to correct postural problems, reduce structural misalignments, and improve joint range of motion. A Chiropractic adjustment is a specific movement or maneuver performed by a Chiropractor that includes the proper force, speed, and direction in order to effectively move or mobilize the bones of the spine. Chiropractors rely on their extensive background in spinal anatomy combined with years of hands-on education to provide adjustments in a comfortable, pain free, and safe manner.

Before beginning adjustments on a patient, Chiropractors typically take a thorough history, including information about the patient’s presenting problems, as well as past health history, relevant family health history, and a review of systems. A Chiropractor also performs a complete orthopedic and neurological exam to determine if the patient is a candidate for Chiropractic adjustments or if a referral needs to be made. The exam also helps to determine the projected length of treatment and expected outcomes. In some offices x-rays may be taken or referred out, depending on the needs of the patient.

Besides treating musculoskeletal conditions of the spine, many Chiropractors are heavily involved in preventative health measures as well. They are advocates of proper nutrition, exercise, non-smoking, natural foods, limited use of medications, proper posture, and proper biomechanics while at work. Many Chiropractors also recommend maintaining the health of the spine through the process of regular “maintenance” adjustments.

This has been a brief overview, for more information about the practice of Chiropractic, call or visit a local Chiropractor in your area.

Dr. Calvin Shanks, a practicing Chiropractor of nine (9) years is the owner of The Fix, Chiropractic Solutions in Paducah, KY. For more information please visit the website at www.thefixchiro.com, or telephone at 270-450-0848, or visit the office in The Village Business Center (behind The Home Depot, next to Dallas Medical and David Spicer Jewelers) in Paducah, KY.

Should I use ice or heat? I answer this commonly asked question.

I get asked this question more than any other and the answer is actually pretty simple. Let me explain first what ice and do when you put them on your body, then I will explain the two different scenarios for their use, followed by some do’s and don’ts.
Both ice and heat serve to interrupt the pain that is traveling from an injured area to your brain. Essentially what happens is that the information your body transmits about the heat or cold, travels to your brain faster than pain, so you don’t feel the pain as much. Both heat and cold serve to reduce muscle spasms and muscle tension. Heat increased the circulation to an area, thereby bringing more nutrients and taking away more harmful waste products. Ice reduces the circulation to an area, thereby reducing swelling. So, they both work and technically it probably does not matter which you use, but there are specific times when one works much better than the other.
It is always best to use ice for the first 48-72 hours right after an injury; this is also known as an acute injury. R.I.C.E is an acronym standing for the things you should do to treat an acute injury; Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate. The ice will help to decrease the swelling and inflammation. After the first 48-72 hours, you can switch to heat, which will help to relieve any muscle tension while you continue to heal.
It is best to use heat for chronic muscle soreness or soreness after an activity (as long as an injury with swelling is not present). The heat will help the muscles relax better. Heat can also be helpful for chronic joint pain such as arthritis (osteoarthritis).
The directions for using ice and heat are the same. Apply ice or heat for 15-20 minutes at a time only! No longer! Then take away the ice or heat until the skin returns to room temperature, I usually recommend 30-40 minutes, then you can re-apply the ice or heat. It is ok to use a bag of ice or a commercial ice pack. For heat, it is best to use a moist heat source such as a hot shower, hot tub, or hot towel (but be careful not to burn yourself).
Now for the don’ts. Do not put ice directly on your skin; always use a towel or other protective barrier. Leaving ice on for longer than 20 minutes can have the exact opposite effect from what you are going for (think about what happens to your nose and cheeks when you come inside after being out in the cold for a long time). Never, never use an electric heating pad, especially not to sleep on. I know it feels good, but you are probably doing yourself more harm than good.

What causes Lower Back Pain when you wake up in the morning?

As a chiropractor, I get asked this question a lot, from people in their sixties and also from people in their twenties and thirties. Usually the symptoms are described as severe soreness and stiffness during the night while sleeping and/or when first getting up in the morning. For most people, the lower back pain and discomfort tends to ease up after thirty minutes to an hour after waking up.

So what is happening? Most doctors will just tell you that you have arthritis. While this may be possible, it is not exactly true. Arthritis is not a disease, but rather a process that can happen to a person’s joints, were the movement of the joints slowly decreases over time and allows stiffness and discomfort to set in. So, typically what has happened to someone who experiences pain at night while sleeping or stiffness in the morning upon waking up, is that the joints have stiffened up due to injury, lack of use, or chronic problems. Just like all the other tissues in our body, the joints need a constant supply of fresh nutrients and constant removal of waste products in order to stay healthy.

Unlike muscles, which have a blood supply to bring fresh nutrients in and take away waste products, the joints rely on movement. The movement of our joints acts as sort of a pump that is constantly exchanging fluid with the tissues around them. This allows for the delivery of fresh nutrients that can rejuvenate and repair joints as well as the removal of harmful waste products such as lactic acid. Through either acute injuries or chronic progressive miss-use, our joints tend to lose their normal movement, which allows for joint breakdown to occur, resulting in pain. The pain is usually worse at night or in the morning because a person has been very still for a prolonged period, resulting in more build up of harmful wastes. After moving around, the extra movement helps remove some of the waste and the joints begin to feel better, at least until the next morning.

Getting adjusted by a Chiropractor can help relieve this type of pain and discomfort as well as help restore the normal movement of the joints to prevent further occurrences.

For more information, go to our website www.thefixchiro.com