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Hip Pain and Treatment

Hip pain is a common complaint that can be caused by a number of problems. Muscles, ligaments and tendons can be torn, strained, sprained and bruised causing inflammation and altered function. The hip bursa can also become inflamed due to trauma or altered mechanics of the hips, pelvis and lower extremities. Arthritis within the hip joint can also lead to increasing pain and decreased function. A hip that becomes significantly uncomfortable can make many normal and pleasurable activities difficult. Walking, running, participating in a variety of sports, getting up and down out of a chair and even sleeping may become difficult due to hip pain.

Effective hip treatment can include ultrasound, interferential current, Graston myofascial technique, massage, stretching and strengthening exercises and various forms of home care including icing and/or heating. Chiropractic adjusting can be particularly beneficial for many hip conditions. One study revealed that 83% of the study participants who had hip arthritis obtained significant relief after nine treatments. Chiropractic treatments included in this study included a hip adjustment has well as adjusting the sacroiliac, knee and ankle joints when indicated to improve overall lower extremity biomechanics.

Assessing, and correcting, abnormal mechanics of the foot, ankle, knee, pelvis and lower back is paramount for many hip conditions. It is not uncommon for hip symptoms to be caused, in part or totally, from abnormal function of any of the leg or pelvic structures even though they may be asymptomatic themselves. Assessing and optimizing the function of the entire leg and pelvis, in addition to the hip, can help provide significantly improved short-term and long-term results when treating hip conditions.

Noninvasive natural treatment of hip conditions can help patients avoid the risks and costs associated with drugs and surgery. A Board Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician is uniquely trained to evaluate and treat many lower extremity conditions utilizing noninvasive treatment options. Contact us now for an adjustment or exam!

This is the syndicated copy of an original article posted at http://bend-oregon-chiropractor.com/hip-pain-treatment/

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Back pain, what is it?

Back pain (BP) is an extremely common cause of pain and disability. Moderately severe BP, unlike many other pains throughout the body, can essentially make every normal daily activity difficult and uncomfortable. It makes getting up from a chair, turning over in bed, getting in and out of a car, walking, putting on shoes and many other activities difficult. Our back is necessary for almost every activity we do throughout the day.

Mayo Clinic has estimated that 80% of all Americans will experience at least one bout of significant BP during their lives. In June, 2014, the British Medical Journal’s review of “The Global Burden of Low Back Pain: Estimates from the Global Burden of Disease 2010 Study” stated: “Out of all 291 conditions studied in the Global Burden of Disease 2010 Study, LBP ranked highest in terms of disability…LBP causes more global disability than any other condition.”

Low back pain is extremely common and can cause us to miss out on much of what we enjoy in life. Time is lost from work, from activities and sports that we enjoy, and can keep us from even the most basic forms of caring for ourselves.

Some of the numerous causes of BP include sprains and strains that can occur when we put too much stress on the muscles and ligaments throughout the back. Sprains and strains can result from a singular lifting, from automobile or sports injury as well as from repetitive strain when similar activities are repeated over and over again. This can include activities we frequently perform at our job or at home. Disc injuries are another common cause of BP. Discs can rupture putting pressure on nerves or on other tissue in the back that cause pain. Discs also wear out over time. Disc wear and arthritis frequently cause BP. Anything that causes or puts abnormal stress or strain on the muscles, ligaments, tendons, joints, discs or nerves can cause BP.

Chiropractors have effectively provided low back pain relief for over a century. Chiropractic treatment frequently includes spinal manipulation, massage, exercise instruction and physiotherapy such as ultrasound and muscle stimulation. Contact us today for more information!

This is the syndicated copy of an original article posted at http://bend-oregon-chiropractor.com/back-pain/

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Sports Therapy

When the term sports therapy is heard or thought about frequently images of sprains, strains or bruises pop into our mind. This type of care includes much more than just treating injured athletes. While it is important to treat an injured athlete so that they can return to play it is just as, or more, important to work toward optimal function so that performance levels are increased and injuries decreased.

Performing a biomechanical analysis to determine what parts of the body may not be functioning ideally, thereby affecting performance and setting the stage for injury, is extremely important for anyone who is serious about their athletic endeavors. Determining which joints, muscles or regions of the body are either restricted or hypermobile is important in order to improve the athletes ability to perform and to decrease the altered biomechanics that may lead to pain and injury.

Altered hip or knee function will greatly affect any sport that involves running. Altered shoulder or arm mechanics will affect throwing, swinging a golf club or tennis racket and even casting while fishing. When the biomechanics of a region are not functioning optimally the effectiveness with which we perform an activity will frequently be diminished. Repetitive use of a region that is not functioning as it should will cause us to accommodate in ways that frequently put abnormal stress on tissues that will lead to pain and injury.

In sports therapy it is important to evaluate and treat for areas of weakness and tightness in both injured and non-injured athletes. Once the abnormal biomechanics are identified they can be addressed utilizing various procedures including corrective strengthening exercises, stretching, joint manipulation, massage, Graston soft tissue mobilization and Kinesio taping. As biomechanics improve physical activity becomes more efficient and can result in less energy expenditure, increased speed, increased endurance and better overall athletic performance.

This is the syndicated copy of an original article posted at http://bend-oregon-chiropractor.com/sports-therapy/

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Sports Chiropractic Benefits

The benefit of sports chiropractic care for sports injuries and increased performance is well documented. It is estimated that 90% of all world-class athletes utilize chiropractic care to help improve their physical performance and/or to recover more rapidly and completely from injuries. All of the National Football League (NFL) teams have a team chiropractor. Most of the Major League Baseball teams utilize chiropractic care and chiropractors are on staff to treat athletes at the Olympics.

A Certified Chiropractic Sports Physician (CCSP) is a specialty within the chiropractic profession that requires a minimum of 100 hours of postgraduate education. To obtain the CCSP specialty degree a five-hour sports medicine exam administered by the American Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians must also be taken and passed. Annual continuing education hours in sports medicine must also be completed to maintain a CCSP specialty degree. Hopefully, this helps make obvious the importance of obtaining evaluation and treatment from a sports physician with the training and experience to address your specific athletic demands rather than just searching for any “chiropractor near me”.

The complex functions of running, throwing, kicking and a golf swing require optimal alignment, strength and flexibility/movement to achieve maximum performance as well as healing after an injury. This is where a sports chiropractor can be of great assistance to help improve athletic performance and minimize injuries in addition to speeding and optimizing healing after an injury.

From professional athletes to the weekend warrior, athletes receiving regular chiropractic care may notice improved performance, flexibility, endurance and a decreased incidence of injuries. Dr. Wilkens has treated athletes participating in a vast variety of sports including football, baseball, soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, snowboarding, wrestling, golf, track, cycling and pickleball. Even the activity of pulling a bow in archery or casting a line in fishing require a complex set of functions and can result in injury. Dr. Wilkens has treated athletes from the Olympic level to the weekend enthusiast. In Central Oregon patients from Redmond, Prineville, Sunriver and Bend have the advantage of being able to easily access Dr. Wilkens for sports related treatment when searching for a “chiropractor near me” compared to the time and distance many patients from other parts of the state and country would have to travel to see a sports chiropractor.

This is the syndicated copy of an original article posted at http://bend-oregon-chiropractor.com/sports-chiropractic-benefits/

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Which Chiropractic Adjusting Technique Is Best for Me?

Many people become confused while trying to choose a chiropractor to see for their neck, back or other musculoskeletal complaints when confronted with the numerous forms of chiropractic adjusting that are available. Often people have heard from a friend or some other source that a particular chiropractic technique is “the best”. Bend chiropractors utilize many different forms of chiropractic adjusting and all of them have their benefits. So, if you are looking for the best chiropractor in Bend to address your specific needs, I will explain some of the most commonly utilized chiropractic techniques and some of their benefits to help aid in your decision.

“Traditional” or manual chiropractic adjusting frequently elicits a “pop” or cavitation when performed. Two of the most common forms of manual adjusting include Gonstead and Diversified techniques. These techniques have been utilized for many years and have been very effective for helping to restore normal joint function and relieve pain.

Instrument adjusting utilizes a handheld device that delivers a gentle rapid impulse to help restore normal joint function. Activator technique is the most commonly used form of instrument adjusting. Instrument adjusting places less torque on the area of being adjusted and can therefore be an ideal choice for patients that are arthritic, have osteoporosis or just prefer a technique other than manual adjusting.

Drop Table techniques can also be one of the more gentle techniques and require less torque or twisting when performed. At the same time as the doctor provides a small rapid thrust a section of the table that the patient is lying on drops approximately 1 cm. Drop techniques can be utilized throughout the skeletal system and are frequently a very effective technique for the lower back, hips and pelvis.

Flexion Distraction and Spinal Decompression techniques can be helpful in cases where there is a disc bulge or spinal arthritis. These techniques are sometimes referred to as nonsurgical decompression therapy. These techniques are a unique form of spinal traction with the goal of creating a negative pressure in the disc to help decrease the disc bulge in the hope of avoiding spinal surgery. As spinal discs begin to wear out and spinal joints become arthritic these techniques can also help unjam and open up a region providing relief.

All of the numerous chiropractic adjustive techniques have their benefits. Some chiropractors choose to utilize one specific technique only while others utilize various techniques within their practice. Hopefully the descriptions of some of the more common techniques above will help you in finding a chiropractor to best help you. Now, when performing a search for “Best Chiropractor Bend”, you can also review what technique(s) the doctors provide to help get you to the office that will best serve your unique needs.

This is the syndicated copy of an original article posted at http://bend-oregon-chiropractor.com/chiropractic-adjusting-technique-best/

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What is a herniated disc, or slipped disc?

Spinal discs are the cushions or “shock absorbers” between the spinal bones or vertebrae which if damaged can cause a herniated disc. The discs also allow for motion in the spine. The disc is made of a tough outer border and a softer gelatinous center kind of like a jelly donut. When the tough outer border becomes torn or cracked some of the softer center called the nucleus can be pushed out causing a bulge or herniation. This is what is typically referred to as a herniated disc. Other terms that are sometimes used include a pinched nerve in the neck or back, a trapped nerve or a disc rupture to spinal decompression.

Symptoms of a herniated disc

The symptoms associated with a herniated disc depend on what direction the disc herniates and what other tissue the herniated disc places pressure on. In some cases a herniated disc will create little or no pain at all. The various symptoms of a herniated disc depend on which pain sensitive tissue the disc puts pressure on and include the symptoms listed below:

Sciatica – Leg pain or tingling

Arm pain or tingling

Numbness

Muscle spasm

Muscle weakness

Neck pain

Back pain

Shoulder pain

The pain associated with a disc herniation may be mild to severely debilitating. The pain can often make sleep and many other normal daily functions extremely difficult.

Treatment of herniated discs

The treatment options for a herniated disc include many of the same treatments utilized to achieve back pain relief. Chiropractic manipulation has been shown to be beneficial in many cases. A particular form of manipulation called spinal decompression or flexion distraction techniques are utilized with the goal of decompressing, or taking pressure off, of the nerve that is creating much of the pain or other symptoms. Other treatments that may be utilized include various forms of exercise and stretching, steroid medication taken orally or injected to decrease inflammation around the nerve and surgery. Contact us for more information!

This is the syndicated copy of an original article posted at http://bend-oregon-chiropractor.com/herniated-disc/

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What Is a Chiropractor?

Chiropractic physicians utilize a drug-free, hands on holistic form of care. Chiropractic is the largest natural health care profession in the world. Chiropractic physicians are trained in the examination and treatment of muscle, joint and nerve condition conditions. They also have extensive training in nutrition and the role it plays in many of the health conditions that plague Americans today. Chiropractors look to find and correct the underlying cause of a patient’s pain or other health condition instead of prescribing drugs that often only cover or mask the symptoms but fail to deal with the true cause of the condition. This is more important today than ever given the epidemic overuse and abuse of prescription pain medications as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chiropractic care can decrease the need for drugs and surgery.

 What Does a Chiropractor Do?

 For patients presenting with musculoskeletal complaints such as back pain, neck pain, headaches, hip pain, shoulder pain or many other joint and muscle conditions a chiropractor may utilize clinical examination, laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging such as x-rays and scans to help determine the cause of the patient’s complaints. After a patient is evaluated a course of treatment to decrease pain, improve function and enhance health can be initiated. Chiropractors work with many other types of health professionals and can make referrals to them when necessary or in the best interest of the patient. Forms of treatment that may be utilized by a chiropractic physician include spinal and other joint manipulation, various forms of physiotherapy including ultrasound and muscle stimulation, massage therapy, exercise instruction and home care.

 What Does a Chiropractor Treat?

 Chiropractors are best known for their treatment of various spinal, joint and nerve conditions. Much of the treatment provided by chiropractors for musculoskeletal conditions centers around improving joint function. If joint function and motion are abnormal this will place abnormal stress on the soft tissues that are in close proximity to the joint. The soft tissues that can be stressed and become painful include muscles, ligaments, tendons, blood vessels and nerves. Treatment that improves and helps normalize joint function will help take abnormal stress off of these various soft tissues and frequently greatly diminish pain. Musculoskeletal conditions that patients often seek chiropractic care for include the following:

  Back     Pain

Neck     Pain

Headaches

Hip     Pain

Shoulder     Pain

Sciatica

Carpal     Tunnel Syndrome

Knee     Pain

Tennis     Elbow

Herniated     Discs

Whiplash

Degenerative     Disc Disease

 You may ask how can I find a chiropractor near me? When searching for a chiropractic physician to help decrease your pain and improve your health and vitality be certain to consider the years of experience the doctor has. Also, the chiropractic adjustive techniques offered, if a massage therapist and physiotherapy such as ultrasound are available and any additional certification in sports medicine, orthopedics, nutrition, etc. the doctor has completed, in addition to their location.

 This is the syndicated copy of an original article posted at http://bend-oregon-chiropractor.com/what-is-a-chiropractor/

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What is Sciatica?

Sciatica is a term used to describe leg symptoms that are caused by a pinching or irritation of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body and is formed by nerve roots that come together from the lower back. The sciatic nerve begins in the lower back and its branches travel down the entire leg and into the foot.

Sciatica Symptoms

The symptoms associated with sciatica can include lower back pain that extends to the hip, thigh, lower leg and foot. The leg symptoms often include achiness, numbing, tingling, burning and/or shooting pains. Sciatic leg pain can be present in some cases without associated lower back pain. The pain associated with sciatica can be anywhere from a mild irritation to debilitating pain that significantly affects one’s sleep and many normal daily activities.

Sciatica Causes

Sciatica can be caused by numerous conditions in the lower back and hip regions. Four of the most common causes of sciatica are the following. Degenerative disc disease can decrease the space that the nerve root has to travel out from the spinal cord causing pressure or irritation to the nerve. The degenerative changes may also allow abnormal motion in the lower spine which will irritate the spinal joints and cause an increase in inflammation. This inflammation can “spillover” and irritate the nerve root causing sciatic leg pain. Another common cause of nerve root irritation is a herniated disc. The disc can crowd the nerve where it exits from the spine once again causing nerve irritation and sciatic leg pain.

Two common causes of sciatica that irritate the peripheral nerves rather than the nerve roots are sacroiliac joint dysfunction and piriformis syndrome. The sacroiliac joints are joints in the pelvis. When the sacroiliac joint is malpositioned or moving abnormally this can irritate the nerve that runs over it creating sciatic pain. The piriformis muscle starts at the sacrum, at the very bottom of the spine, and attaches to the femur or “hip bone”. The piriformis muscle travels very close to the sciatic nerve and if it is contracted or irritated for any reason it can also irritate the sciatic nerve causing leg symptoms.

Sciatica Treatment

The first step in treating sciatica is to determine what part of the lower back or pelvis is functioning abnormally and may be irritating the sciatic nerve. If it appears that the cause is mainly from degenerative disc disease or a disc herniation chiropractic flexion distraction techniques for the lower back can be very helpful. If sacroiliac joint dysfunction is present chiropractic manipulation techniques to help normalize these joints have been shown to be very beneficial. Piriformis syndrome is frequently as a result of sacroiliac joint dysfunction also. Stretching of the piriformis muscle as well as ultrasound or muscle stimulation are also frequently utilized to help normalize piriformis function and decrease sciatic nerve irritation.

At Cascade Chiropractic Center in Bend, OR we are equipped to treat sciatica with many non-surgical approaches including those mentioned above. We have successfully treated hundreds of cases of sciatica over the past 30+ years. Please call us today to schedule an appointment so that we can begin working to bring you the relief you desire.

This is the syndicated copy of an original article posted at http://bend-oregon-chiropractor.com/what-is-sciatica/