Woodburn chiropractor, chiropractor in Woodburn, OR

Chiropractic Helps...

The primary job of a chiropractor is to correct structural spinal problems affecting the spinal cord and spinal nerve roots. This means that we treat those patients with problems arising directly or indirectly from the bone, nerve or muscular systems. Not all conditions arising from these systems can cure completely.

While chiropractic care can help with any number of symptoms and problems, we have listed out some of the more common conditions that you may recognize in yourself or others. This includes any condition, no matter how previously diagnosed, which involves structural spinal problems affecting the nerve system.

If you are experiencing any of these problems, please contact us for an appointment.

Allergy

Millions of people who suffer from a wide variety of conditions, allergies included, have benefited from chiropractic care even though chiropractic is not an allergy treatment. Why? Because chiropractic is a method of healthcare that permits your body to function at its best. That is especially important if you suffer from allergies.

What is an allergy? Your immune system keeps you 100% natural, organic, unadulterated! It recognizes and destroys anything not supposed to be in you: bacteria, and viruses, pollutants, dust, pollen, drugs, tumors, dead pieces of your own skin cells, and even artificial hearts and donor organs (metal and plastic, however, don't trigger an immune reaction). A healthy immune system means high resistance to disease and infection, better ability to deal with stress thus greater health and well-being.

By releasing stress ("interference") on the nervous system, chiropractic permits the immune system to function more effectively-something all allergy sufferers need. A nervous system without stress functions more normally and efficiently. Recent understandings in psychoneuroimmunology reveal that when the nervous system functions better the immune system benefits.

Chiropractors correct a basic cause of body malfunction to improve the function of your immune system. Please note that the chiropractic approach is to remove vertebral "subluxations," a common "spinal distortion or misalignment" that puts stress on your nervous system. Freed of nervous system stress, your body will work more effectively to neutralize the allergy causing chemicals in your environment.

Disc problems

The disc is a small cartilage pad that is situated between spinal bones. The soft jellylike center (nucleus pulposis) is contained by layers of fibrous tissues (annulus fibrosis). Each disc serves as a connector, spacer, and shock absorber for the spine. When healthy, discs allow normal bending and turning.

Since spinal discs have a very poor blood supply, they depend upon the circulation of joint fluids to bring in nutrients and expel waste. This occurs primarily through movement (think exercise), and is called "canaliculi seepage". If a spinal joint loses its normal motion and this pumping action is impaired, the health of the disc deteriorates. Like a wet sponge, a healthy disc is flexible. A dry sponge is hard, stiff, and can crack easily. This is how many disc problems begin.

Because of the way each disc is attached to the vertebra above and below it, a disc cannot "slip" as commonly thought. However, trauma or injury to the spine can cause discs to bulge, herniate, or worse, rupture. This can be disablingly painful, putting pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots, interfering with their function.

While results cannot be guaranteed, many patients have avoided needless surgery or a dependency on pain pills, by choosing conservative chiropractic care.

Whiplash

Whiplash is most commonly received from riding in a car that is struck from behind or that collides with another object. When the head is suddenly jerked back and forth beyond its normal limits, the muscles and ligaments that support the spine and head can be overstretched or torn. The soft, pulpy discs between spinal bones can bulge, tear or rupture. Vertebrae can be forced out of their normal position, reducing range of motion. The spinal cord and nerve roots in the neck can get stretched, irritated and traumatized. While occupants can suffer considerable soft tissue injury, the car may only be slightly damaged.

The resulting instability of the spine and soft tissues can cause headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, pain in the shoulder, arms and hands, reduced ability to turn and bend, and even low back problems. As the body attempts to adapt, symptoms may not appear for weeks or even months.

The chiropractic approach to these types of injuries is to use specific chiropractic adjustment to help return spinal function. After a thorough examination and case history, we may recommend a series of visits to help restore proper motion and position of the spinal bones. If caught early enough, inflammation can be reduced and scar tissue can often be minimized.

Consult a Chiropractic Doctor before enduring constant headaches, depending upon addictive pain medication, or submitting to surgery.

Osteoarthritis

Arthritis is a condition of inflamation characterized by the gradual breakdown of joint cartilage, most common in the weight bearing joints of the body such as the knees, hips, and back. It is also common in the neck and hands. As the joint is broken down it can lead to joint stiffness and increased strain on the muscles in that area. Additionally, as joint function changes it can lead to movement compensations and place strain on other areas of the body as well. Although degenerative changes are common with age they do not automatically result in pain. Research now shows that it is not the degeneration of the joint that is responsible for pain but the effects the degeneration has on how the joint is functioning, particularly the stiffness and muscle strain. This is where underlying spinal nerve interference may be a factor.

We focus on restoration and maintenance of function by emphasizing joint movement and increasing the ability of the muscles to support and stabilize the affected joints. Underlying this, we assess how the body as a whole is functioning to uncover any other movement abnormalities at the spinal level that may be affecting the degenerated area ("nerve control").

Joint Dysfunction

Joints of the body need to move. When this movement becomes restricted and normal motion is altered several problems arise. Most commonly joint dysfunction results in pain, stiffness, muscle tightness, cartilage breakdown/degeneration, and movement compensation leading to undue stress on other areas of the body. Joint dysfunction are common in the spine and the extremities and can commonly occur with injury, poor posture, muscles tightness, scar tissue, or muscles imbalance.
The doctor will assess movement of the joints to feel for areas of altered or restricted movements. Once identified, the abnormal movement can be restored using a combination of chiropractic adjustments and ART. Whenever possible simple home exercises are demonstrated to facilitate and maintain proper motion in key areas. Underlying factors such as poor posture and muscle imbalance may need to be addressed in cases of chronic or recurrent joint dysfunction.

Neck/Low Back Pain

Subluxations (misalignments of the spinal column) are one of the most common causes of neck and low back pain. When vertebrae are misaligned, they put pressure ("nerve interference") directly on spinal nerves, causing pain. Muscle spasms may set in, which can increase the pressure further. This extra pressure can cause even more inflammation and irritation, which leads to more pain. And the cycle continues.
Often times stretching and massage may only temporarily relieve the pain, because the cause (subluxation) has not been addressed. A chiropractic adjustment focuses on correcting the cause.

Headaches

Headaches are a multibillion dollar industry today. Many headaches originate from the neck. Usually an increased amount of stress and tension held in the shoulders causes contractions of all of the surrounding neck muscles. When these muscles contract, vertebrae can become misaligned (subluxate) causing pressure on spinal nerves , and ultimately pain. With a typical cervicogenic (neck origin) headache, a person usually feels pain starting at the base of the skull which radiates into the temples, eyeballs, and forehead. There may be many other causes of headaches, so a proper examination is needed to determine the actual cause.

Sciatica

The sciatic nerve is a long nerve originating in the lower back and extending down the back of the leg. When this nerve is irritated, it can cause pain, numbness, weakness, or other symptoms in the lower back and down the leg. The discomfort may be minor to disabling. There are several possible causes of this condition. A misaligned vertebra can cause inflammation of the joints, putting pressure on the nerve. Bulging discs and muscle spasms can also cause pressure on the sciatic nerve.

Several other conditions may cause this symptom, so a complete evaluation would be needed to correctly asses the exact cause.

Pinched Nerve

A pinched nerve is just that. It is a severely compressed nerve, usually caused by a severe misaligned vertebra, a bulged disc or something such as calcium infiltration. When nerves get pinched they become severely inflamed and muscles may spasm, causing even more discomfort. The pain is usually so severe that you can't move that part of the body and it can cause other symptoms as well. There can be several causes of the pinched nerve; a proper examination is needed to determine the exact cause.

More common is functional stretching or compression of the spinal nerve root by the misaligned vertebra causing interference at that level.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

These days millions of Americans have jobs which can have damaging effects on the hands and arms. Repetitive movements which are not performed with good ergonomics in mind can cause micro-trauma to the hands and wrists. This trauma combined with joint dysfunction and spinal problems (subluxation) may result in a condition known as carpal tunnel syndrome. The median nerve which is affected travels from the tips of the fingers through the wrist up the arm and into the neck connecting to the spinal cord. If one or more of these structures are affected, symptoms of wrist pain, numbness, weakness, burning and loss of muscle function can occur.

Chiropractic can assure that all of the joints and muscles along the path of the nerve are free of obstruction and functioning normally, thus reducing nerve irritation.

Maintenance Wellness Care

What many people don't know is that you don't have to be injured to benefit from chiropractic care. By staying well adjusted with maintenance chiropractic care you can help prevent injury. Some other possible benefits of maintenance care are: optimal nerve output for optimal physical performance, improved posture, decreased stiffness, increased mobility, energy, strength, circulation, and immune function just to name a few.

Everybody benefits from chiropractic a little differently, but one thing everybody has in common is that they just feel better.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a controversial and complicated condition to understand. For proper diagnosis and treatment, a wide variety of factors need to be considered including "head-to-toe" joint and muscle function, nutrition, and lifestyle issues. A thorough examination including orthopedic and neurologic testing, as well as other specialized tests, will help to determine the exact causes of your symptoms and your individualized treatment plan. Very often, a comprehensive treatment program addressing all of these issues leads to significant improvement.

Joint and soft tissue adjustments/manipulation are often very helpful in relieving the aches and pains of fibromyalgia and related conditions. (Other referral options may include ultrasound or electrical muscle stimulation, acupuncture, therapeutic exercises, and massage therapy & myofascial release techniques.) These procedures, combined with nutritional & herbal medicine, and/or homeopathy constitute a comprehensive, holistic approach. Although researchers are still a long way from finding a "cure" for fibromyalgia, chiropractic and nutritional care are usually very successful in the effective management of this condition.

There are many other "disease" processes too numerous to mention that may respond to chiropractic care.

We do not accept for treatment such conditions as are listed below:

broken bones, conditions requiring surgery or medicine resulting from accident, irreversible diseases, cancer, most infectious diseases, heart attack (during emergency status), some diseases of the internal organs, blood diseases.

If we find or suspect one of the above conditions upon examination, a prompt and appropriate referral will be made. However, if a patient has two distinct problems, one of which falls within our conservative field of treatment, we may try to work out a co-operative effort between ourselves and another provider.