Chiropractor - Doroski Chiropractic Neurology, Woodbridge, VA

Kids and knee pain

in Chiropractor by Doroski August 2, 2019 0 comments

As your chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area joint pain is what I do! One complaint I hear from parents is their child has knee pain. Joint pain in kids isn’t a very common thing. So when a child starts complaining of knee pain parents get concerned. This complaint is one of the most common ones and also one of the least significant complaints. Years back it was growing pains but now it goes by its original name. It is worth getting an exam and xray but the diagnosis shouldn’t be overly concerning.

Symptoms

Symptoms of Osgood Schlatters disease typically consist of pain at the tibial tuberosity or bony bit at the top of the shin. The tibial tuberosity may become swollen or inflamed and may even become more prominent than normal. Tenderness and pain is worse during and after exercise but usually improves with rest. The athlete is likely to experience pain when contracting the quadriceps muscles or performing squat type exercises.

Causes

Osgood Schlatter syndrome is primarily an over use injury although certain factors can increase the likelihood of sustaining this condition.

Age – It is more likely to affect boys aged around 13 to 15 years old than girls, although girls certainly can be affected and if they are it is more likely to occur earlier at about aged 10 to 12 years old. it is often put down to growing pains in knees. Obviously this is a general guide and ages can vary. It occurs due to a period of rapid growth, combined with a high level of sporting activity. Osgood Schlatter in adults can occur, especially if it has not been looked after during teenage years but is more unusual.

Activity – As the young athletes bones grow quickly, it can take some time for the muscles and tendons to catch up. These changes result in a pulling force from the patella tendon, on to the tibial tuberosity at the top of the shin. This area then becomes inflamed, painful and swollen. This is frequent in younger people because their bones are still soft and are not yet fully grown. It is seen more often in children involved with running and jumping activities which put a much greater strain on the patella tendon.

Osgood Schlatter Treatment

Treatment for Osgood Schlatters disease consists of reducing pain and inflammation by applying the PRICE principles of protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation along with longer term managing the condition through training modification and educating the athlete or parent until the young athlete grows out of it.

Apply a cold therapy and compression wrap to the knee regularly throughout the day to reduce pain and inflammation and particularly following activity or sport. Ice should be applied at least three times a day for 10 to 15 minutes. If it is particularly painful then ice can be applied for 10 minutes every hour. Ice massage with an ice cube is also a convenient way to apply cold therapy to a specific area such as the patella tendon. Keep the ice moving as applying directly to the skin can cause ice burns.

Rest is the most important element of treatment. Only do as much exercise as it will allow without causing pain. Weight bearing exercise will make Osgood Schlatters disease worse. Keep your sessions few and high quality rather than training every day.

Use a patella knee strap or patella tendon taping technique to help reduce the tension on and support the knee. A patella strap or taping can absorb some of the shock or impact and change the angle the forces are transmitted through the tendon.

A Doctor may prescribe NSAID’s or anti inflammatory medication such as Ibuprofen to help reduce pain and inflammation, although this is not good to rely on long term, or mask how bad the condition actually is. Athletes with asthma should not take Ibuprofen.

Once normal daily activities are pain free then gentle stretching exercises may be beneficial along with massage for the quadriceps muscles and myofascial release techniques to help stretch the muscles can help ensure they are strong enough to cope with the loads placed on them as well as not being too tight.

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Your Weight and your Low Back pain

in Chiropractor by Doroski July 26, 2019 0 comments

What factor does your weight play in your low back pain? Putting on a few pounds really doesn’t have a significant impact on your low back complaint. Of course, the more weight you add the greater risk you have of developing a low back issue. One thing that seems to go hand in hand with weight gain is a decrease in activity. This is also a factor in developing a low back injury. Your chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area wants to help you understand the links between low back pain and weight gain.

According to the American Obesity Association, episodes of musculoskeletal pain, and specifically back pain, are prevalent among the nearly one-third of Americans who are classified as obese. The American Obesity Association also reports that more obese persons say they are disabled and less able to complete everyday activities than persons with other chronic conditions.

Some of the most common obesity-related problems include musculoskeletal and joint related pain. For people who are overweight, attention to overall weight loss is important as every pound adds strain to the muscles and ligaments in the back. In order to compensate for extra weight, the spine can become tilted and stressed unevenly. As a result, over time, the back may lose its proper support and an unnatural curvature of the spine may develop.

In particular, pain and problems in the low back may be aggravated by obesity. This occurs for people with extra weight in their stomachs because the excess weight pulls the pelvis forward and strains the lower back, creating lower back pain. According to the American Obesity Association, women who are obese or who have a large waist size are particularly at risk for lower back pain.

Obese or overweight patients may experience sciatica and low back pain from a herniated disc. This occurs when discs and other spinal structures are damaged from having to compensate for the pressure of extra weight on the back.

In addition, pinched nerves and piriformis syndrome may result when extra weight is pushed into spaces between bones in the low back area.

Arthritis of the spine that causes back pain may be aggravated when extra body weight strains joints. Those patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of greater than 25 are more likely to develop osteoarthritis than those with a lower BMI. The American Obesity Association recommends modest weight loss as a treatment for some types of osteoarthritis.

The effectiveness of back surgery may also be affected by a patient’s weight. Obese patients are at higher risk for complications and infections after surgery compared to patients who are not obese. For seriously overweight patients, paying attention to weight loss before undergoing back surgery may improve the healing process after surgery.

Identifying the Need for Weight Loss

Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure commonly used by medical practitioners. BMI is a mathematical formula (BMI=kg/m2) that takes into account a person’s weight in kilograms and height in meters and calculates a number. The higher a person’s BMI falls on a pre-determined range of values, the higher the likelihood for obesity. Although there is some debate over the specific meaning of BMI measurements, a BMI of 30 or higher is typically considered to be obese, while a measure of 25 to 29.9 is typically considered to be overweight.

It is also important to evaluate where excess fat is carried on the patient’s body. Patients who carry more weight around their midsection are at greater risk for obesity-related health problems, such as low back pain. Weight loss for health considerations is often advisable for women with a waist measurement of more than 35 inches or men with a waist measurement of more than 40 inches.

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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SI joint and low back pain

in Chiropractor by Doroski July 19, 2019 0 comments

Sacroiliac or SI pain is one of the most common types of low back pain I see as your chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area. It is a pain that is on the right or left side of your waist line. It can cause pain into your butt or leg. Chiropractic can help with this complaint once the inflammation goes down so I always preach ICE!

Chiropractic is all about expression of optimal health and living the best possible life for you. The focus, especially with doctors of chiropractic at The Joint, is about improving the overall quality of your daily life through regular spinal adjustments. An adjustment helps restore spinal movement, which allows the nervous system to function at its highest possible level. Because the nervous system controls everything we do (including breathing, blinking and swallowing), a system operating optimally is extremely valuable. One of the additional perks — the one that often brings people in — is that pain and joint dysfunction often go away. That’s like magic! Many times people are freed to return to activities they love but have struggled participating in, whether it’s skateboarding, surfing, or lifting a little one up over their head. One of the most common issues that chiropractors see is SI joint dysfunction. It’s common enough that many people know what the SI joint is, but if you don’t, don’t worry — just keep reading. I’ll go over a bit of the science and how chiropractic can play a role in resolving SI joint issues.

The Science

SI stands for sacroiliac. You have two SI joints. The joints are on either side of the sacrum and each ilium (you know this as your hip bone). They are at the bottom of the spine and connect the sacrum and ilium on each side. The main motion of the joint is a shearing motion (a sliding motion back and forth between two parallel surfaces, joint facets in this case).

Dysfunction

SI joint dysfunction means the SI joint is not moving the way it’s intended. Perhaps this means its range of motion is limited — either the sacrum or the ilium is literally mal-positioned and stuck — or there is too much motion. Each joint works to transfer weight from the upper body to the lower body; they are designed to allow minimal movement and they have strong ligaments and tendons that support them. The dysfunction can occur as a result of a variety of things. We live in a society in which the average person sits far too much and carries too much weight. This lack of movement doesn’t encourage proper SI joint health and function. Dysfunction can also be a result of stress from overcompensation after prior spinal surgeries. Too much SI joint movement commonly occurs in pregnant women due to ligament-stretching and laxity.

Symptoms and Treatment

As with most conditions, symptoms vary from person to person. It’s common for SI joint dysfunction to present with low back pain or pain in the buttocks. Pain can radiate down the leg or even into the front of the thigh, but generally not past the knee. SI joint pain can mimic many other causes of low back pain. Chiropractors are experts at determining the source of spine pain in patients — and caring for them, too!

Through an adjustment, chiropractors help restore motion in the SI joint and/or associated joints contributing to the problem. I’ve found that SI joint dysfunction typically responds well to chiropractic care and that pain relief can occur quickly after an adjustment. The exact treatment duration and intensity will depend on the person, their lifestyle and the degree of the subluxation.

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Decreased shoulder movement

in Chiropractor by Doroski July 11, 2019 0 comments

Shoulder pain is very common because the joint has a huge range of motion which means it sacrifices some stability. A common shoulder injury is frozen shoulder. This can be the result of multiple injuries to the labrum portion of the joint causing pain, which than leads to lose of motion and a tightening of the shoulder. Your chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area has some information that may help

Frozen shoulder, also known as adhesive capsulitis, is a common condition in which the articular shoulder capsule (a sac of ligaments surrounding the joint) swells and stiffens, restricting its mobility. It typically affects only one shoulder, but one in five cases affect both.

The term “frozen shoulder” is often used incorrectly for arthritis, even though the two conditions are unrelated. Frozen shoulder refers specifically to the shoulder joint, while arthritis may refer to other/multiple joints.

The shoulder has a spheroidal joint (ball – and – socket joint), in which the round part of one bone fits into the concavity of another. The proximal humerus (round head of the upper arm bone) fits into socket of the scapula (shoulder blade). Frozen shoulder is thought to cause the formation of scar tissue in the shoulder, which makes the shoulder joint’s capsule (not to be confused with the rotator cuff) thicken and tighten, leaving less room for movement. Therefore, movement may be stiff and even painful.

The modern English words “adhesive capsulitis” are derived from the Latin words adhaerens meaning “sticking to” and capsula meaning “little container” and the Greek word itis meaning “inflammation”.

Frozen shoulder is a condition that commonly occurs in people between 40 and 60 years of age. Women tend to suffer with frozen shoulder more than men.

Causes of frozen shoulder

The cause of frozen shoulder is not fully understood and in some cases is unidentifiable. However, most people with frozen shoulder have suffered from immobility as a result of a recent injury or fracture. The condition is common in people with diabetes.

Risk factors for frozen shoulder

A risk factor is something that elevates the risk of developing a disease or condition. For example, smoking is a risk factor for cancer – it elevates the risk of developing lung cancer.

Common risk factors for frozen shoulder are:

You’re more likely to suffer from frozen shoulder if you’re female and over 40 years of age.

Age – being over 40 years of age.

Gender – 70% of people with frozen shoulder are women.

Recent surgery or arm fracture – immobility of recovery may cause the shoulder capsule to stiffen.

Diabetes – two to four times more likely to develop frozen shoulder for unknown reasons; symptoms may be more severe.

Having suffered a stroke.

Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid).

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).

Cardiovascular disease (heart disease).

Parkinson’s disease.

Symptoms of frozen shoulder

A symptom is something the patient feels and/or reports, while a sign is something others, including the doctor observe. For example, pain is usually a symptom, while a rash could be a sign.

The most pervasive sign or symptom of frozen shoulder is a persistently painful and stiff shoulder joint. Signs and symptoms of frozen shoulder develop gradually; usually in three stages in which signs and symptoms worsen gradually and resolve within a two – year period.

There are three stages of frozen shoulder:

Painful stage – the shoulder becomes stiff and then very painful with movement. Movement becomes limited. Pain typically worsens at night.

Frozen/adhesive stage – the shoulder becomes increasingly stiff, severely limiting range of motion. Pain may not diminish, but it does not usually worsen.

Thawing stage – movement in the shoulder begins to improve. Pain may fade, but occasionally recur.

You should visit your local chiropractor to have this problem evaluated and treated.

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Weekend sports stars!

in Chiropractor by Doroski July 5, 2019 0 comments

Well summer is here and time for the weekend sports to begin! Which means tons of new injuries. As your chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area I encourage getting out there from an overall health stand point. Of course, getting injured is a bad idea. So, here are some tips to help you prevent injury.

Anyone who concentrates all their exercise into 1 or 2 intense bouts a week could be considered a weekend warrior. But physicians agree that weekend warriors tend to be men older than 30, especially former competitive athletes who expect their bodies to adapt to—and recover from—activity the same way it did when they were teenagers.

But even people who are not super athletes can suffer injuries if they do intense activities over the course of a day or two, such as a weekend of yard work or cleaning gutters.

The types of injuries that frequently occur for weekend warriors are:

Muscle strains, such as hamstring injuries

Ligament sprains, particularly ankle sprains

Tendonitis in the Achilles tendon and elsewhere

Shin splints

Shoulder or rotator cuff injuries

Nearly all of these types of injuries can be resolved by following the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevate) protocol. If pain lasts longer than a few weeks or doesn’t improve, make an appointment to see your doctor.

Prevent injuries before they occur

The main trigger for weekend warrior injuries is the abrupt transition from little or no activity to intense bouts of it. Muscles and soft tissues need gradual conditioning to perform at their best.

To prevent this, it’s important to exercise more regularly, if possible. Even if your main period of activity is on the weekends, try to fit in at least 1 or 2 periods of exercise on weekdays.

Build up activity slowly.

If you’ve been inactive for most of the winter or you’re starting training for a marathon in the fall, gradually increase your exercise time and intensity each week.

Warm up.

Before you jump into activity, warm up your muscles with 10 minutes of moderately paced activity like jogging, for example.

Stretch.

After doing a few minutes of light exercise, stretch your major muscle groups, such as your quads and hamstrings, as well as any muscles that will be heavily used during your chosen activity. You can also benefit from using a foam roller before you stretch, which has been shown to increase flexibility and lessen post-exercise pain.

Don’t forget to stretch after you finish exercising too. The findings about the benefits of pre-exercise stretching are mixed, but stretching after exercise has clear benefits for decreasing soreness and helping muscle tissue return to its normal state.

Use proper technique and proper equipment.

It may help to consult a coach, trainer, or physical therapist if you’re new to a sport or piece of equipment.

Find an exercise program.

A class or race training group can help you set a good pace for working toward your exercise goals.

Don’t push through serious pain.

Mild muscle soreness is normal after a workout, but stop exercising if you experience sudden, piercing pain or if you have pain that’s getting steadily worse.

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Homemade sports drinks

in Chiropractor by Doroski June 28, 2019 0 comments

It is going to be really hot and if you are working outside it may be beneficial to replace some minerals while hydrating. I am one of those people who enjoys making things that can be easily purchased. I recently decided to make my own tonic, for gin and tonics, and it turns out it costs about $25.00 to make a 69 cent bottle of tonic water. All I do as your chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City area is preach hydration, well here are some sports drink recipes.

Maple Sports Drink

This easy-to-make, maple syrup-flavored recipe is delicious and settles well because it is not acidic, says recipe developer and author Nancy Clark, RD. “When you are working out for more than an hour, enjoy this all-natural sports beverage to energize your workouts,” she says. (If you dig natural syrups, try this molasses recovery shake, too.)

3 3/4 cups cold water

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients together in a 1-quart bottle.
Shake well and enjoy!

Yield: 1 quart.

Note: Maple syrup is also a tasty alternative to energy gels. Put some in a small flask and take nips during extended exercise.

“Greaterade”

When the Golden State Warriors decided to ban commercial sports drinks and started making their own with Himalayan sea salt, Chef John of FoodWishes in San Francisco was inspired to try his own—with less sugar. “You can tweak this recipe to create your perfect formula,” he says. (This is how much sodium you really need each day.)

8 cups fresh cold water

3 tablespoons honey, or other sweetener to taste

1/2 teaspoon fine *Himalayan pink salt (mine was coarsely ground, so I used a rounded 1/2 teaspoon), or sea salt (or any pure salt)

3/4 teaspoon calcium magnesium powder (I used NOW Foods Cal-Mag Citrate)

pinch cayenne

3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

2 lemons, juiced

2 limes, juiced

Pour 1 cup of water into a large pot.
Add honey, salt, calcium-magnesium powder, and cayenne.
Place pot over low heat and whisk until ingredients have dissolved.
Remove from heat and allow to return to room temperature.
Add juices to room temperature mixture in pot.
Pour in remaining 7 cups water and whisk until well blended.

Makes about 9 cups.

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Iliotibial Band Pain

in Chiropractor by Doroski June 21, 2019 0 comments

This injury is often overlooked and it may not be your main complaint but it can contribute to it. As your Chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area I want to let you know about it. It can be mixed in with a piriformis complaint, sciatic complaint or just regular low back pain. Just fixing the main complaint without addressing this can cause the original complaint to linger or just come back.

Symptoms

Symptoms of ITB syndrome consist of pain on the outside of the knee, more specifically at or around the lateral epicondyle of the femur or bony bit on the outside of the knee.

It comes on at a certain time into a run and gradually gets worse until often the runner has to stop. After a period of rest the pain may go only to return when running starts again. The pain is normally aggravated by running, particularly downhill.

Pain may be felt when bending and straightening the knee which may be made worse by pressing in at the side of the knee over the sore part. There might be tightness in the iliotibial band which runs down the outside of the thigh. A therapist or trainer may use Ober’s test to assess this. Weakness in hip abduction or moving the leg out sideways is another common sign. Tender trigger points in the gluteal muscles or buttocks area may also be present.

Causes

TFL muscleCertain factors may make you more susceptible to developing runners knee or iliotibial band syndrome. A naturally tight or wide IT band may make someone more susceptible to this injury. Weak hip muscles, particularly the gluteus medius are also thought to be a significant factor.

Over pronation or poor foot biomechanics may increase the risk of injury. If the foot rolls in or flattens, the lower leg rotates and so does the knee increasing the chance of friction on the band. Other factors include leg length difference, running on hills or on cambered roads.

Treatment

Below are outlined a number of treatment options for ITB friction syndrome. See rehabilitation for more details on how the various forms of treatment might be included in a full rehabilitation program.

Rest

Rest is important to allow the inflamed tendon to heal. Continuing to run with ITB syndrome will most likely make it worse. Initially complete rest is a good idea but later activities other than running which do not make the pain worse such as swimming or cycling should be done to maintain fitness.

Cryotherapy

Apply cold therapy or ice to reduce pain and inflammation. Ice should be applied for 10 to 15 minutes every hour until initial pain has gone then later 2 or 3 times a day and / or after exercise is a good idea to ensure the pain does not return. Once the inflammation has gone then potential causes must be addressed such as a tight ITB or the pain will most likely return.

Medication

A doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory medication such as NSAID’s e.g. Ibuprofen. This is useful in the early acute stage to reduce pain and inflammation. Long term it is not likely to be of benefit, particularly if it is just being used to mask in injury and not as part of the treatment. Always check with a doctor before taking medication in case you have contraindications which mean they could cause harm, for example asthmatics should not take Ibuprofen.

Stretching exercises

Stretching exercises for the muscles on the outside of the hip in particular are important. The tensor fascia latae muscle is the muscle at the top of the IT band and if this is tight then it can cause the band to be tight increasing the friction on the side of the knee.

Foam roller exercises

Using a foam roller on the IT band and gluteal muscles can help stretch the iliotibial band and remove any tight knots or lumps in the tendon. therefore friction on the side of the knee.

Strengthening exercises

Improving the strength of the muscles on the outside of the hip which abduct the leg will help prevent the knee turning inwards when running or walking and therefore help reduce the friction on the ITB tendon at the knee. In particular strengthening exercises for the tensor fascia latae muscle and gluteus medius such as heel drops, clam exercise and hip abduction are important.

Sports massage

A professional therapist may perform sports massage to help relax and loosen the tissues and use myofascial release techniques which have been shown to be highly effective. Self massage techniques can also be very helpful in correcting excessive ITB tightness, especially where access to a massage therapist on a regular basis is not possible.

Electrotherapy

Use of electrotherapeutic treatment techniques such as TENS or ultrasound may help reduce pain and inflammation.

Acupunture

Dry-needling techniques or acupuncture may be beneficial also. Acupuncture is performed by inserting needles of various lengths and diameters into specific points over the body and in this case around the knee joint. The needle is usually inserted, rotated and then either removed immediately or left in place for several minutes. It is thought to be beneficial in reduce chronic or long term pain.

Training modification

Errors in training should be identified and corrected. These can include over training or increasing running mileage too quickly. As a general rule a runner should not increase mileage by more than 10% per week. Running across a slope or camber in the road for long periods or poor foot biomechanics should be considered. When training starts again avoid too much downhill running.

A rehabilitation strategy which includes stretches and exercises to strengthen the hip abductors is important. In acute or prolonged cases a corticosteroid injection into the site of irritation may provide pain relief.

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Time to start gardening!

in Chiropractor by Doroski June 14, 2019 0 comments

Well it looks like it is time to get the plants in the ground! Next weeks weather looks like it is the kick off of another horrible humid, muggy, hot NOVA summer. But it is nice to have a fresh tomato too. Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA chiropractor has some tips to help you avoid injuries while getting them in the ground.

Gardening can be enjoyable, but it is important to stretch your muscles before reaching for your gardening tools. The back, upper legs, shoulders, and wrists are all major muscle groups affected when using your green thumb.

A warm-up and cool-down period is as important in gardening as it is for any other physical activity,” says Dr. Scott Bautch, a member of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Council on Occupational Health. “Performing simple stretches during these periods will help alleviate injuries, pain and stiffness.”

To make gardening as fun and enjoyable as possible, it is important to prepare your body for this type of physical activity. The following stretches will help to alleviate muscle pain after a day spent in your garden.

Garden Fitness Stretches

Before stretching for any activity, breathe in and out, slowly and rhythmically; do not bounce or jerk your body, and stretch as far and as comfortably as you can. Do not follow the “no pain, no gain” rule. Stretching should not be painful.

While sitting, stretch your leg out in front of you, knee straight, and prop your heel on a step. Then lean forward until you feel a stretch in the back of the thigh, or the hamstring muscle. Hold this position for 15 seconds. Do this once more and repeat with the other leg.

Stand up, balance yourself, and grab the front of your ankle from behind. Pull your heel towards your buttocks and hold the position for 15 seconds. Do this again and repeat with the other leg.

While standing, weave your fingers together above your head with the palms up. Lean to one side for 10 seconds, then to the other. Repeat this stretch three times.

Do the “Hug your best friend” stretch. Wrap your arms around yourself and rotate to one side, stretching as far as you can comfortably go. Hold for 10 seconds and reverse. Repeat two or three times.

Finally, be aware of your body technique, body form and correct posture while gardening. Kneel, don’t bend, and alternate your stance and movements as often as possible to keep the muscles and body balanced

After the Bulbs Are Planted

If you feel muscle aches and pains after your day in the garden, there are ways to alleviate the discomfort. Apply a cold pack on the area of pain for the first 48 hours or apply a heat pack after 48 hours, and consider seeking the services of a doctor of chiropractic in your area.

Doctors of chiropractic (DCs) practice a drug-free, hands-on approach to health care that includes patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. While best known for their expertise in treating the musculoskeletal system and their use of spinal manipulation, DCs have broad diagnostic skills and are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling.

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Shoulder Pain

in Chiropractor by Doroski June 7, 2019 0 comments

Due to the fact your shoulder has an incredible range of motion it suffers in stability. So, this decreased bony stability means the supportive soft tissue has to prevent the shoulder from dislocating. This tissue does a pretty good job unless there is a lot of torque applied to the arm. Throwing over hand, repetitive arm movements… are just a few that can lead to support tissue injury. The most common result of an injury to this tissue is frozen shoulder. Your Woodbridge, Dale City VA chiropractor has some frozen shoulder information for you.

Frozen shoulder is a condition that commonly occurs in people between 40 and 60 years of age. Women tend to suffer with frozen shoulder more than men.

Causes of frozen shoulder

Risk factors for frozen shoulder

A risk factor is something that elevates the risk of developing a disease or condition. For example, smoking is a risk factor for cancer – it elevates the risk of developing lung cancer.

Common risk factors for frozen shoulder are:

You’re more likely to suffer from frozen shoulder if you’re female and over 40 years of age.

Age – being over 40 years of age.

Gender – 70% of people with frozen shoulder are women.

Recent surgery or arm fracture – immobility of recovery may cause the shoulder capsule to stiffen.

Diabetes – two to four times more likely to develop frozen shoulder for unknown reasons; symptoms may be more severe.

Having suffered a stroke.

Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid).

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).

Cardiovascular disease (heart disease).

Parkinson’s disease.

Symptoms of frozen shoulder

A symptom is something the patient feels and/or reports, while a sign is something others, including the doctor observe. For example, pain is usually a symptom, while a rash could be a sign.

There are three stages of frozen shoulder:

Painful stage – the shoulder becomes stiff and then very painful with movement. Movement becomes limited. Pain typically worsens at night.

Frozen/adhesive stage – the shoulder becomes increasingly stiff, severely limiting range of motion. Pain may not diminish, but it does not usually worsen.

Thawing stage – movement in the shoulder begins to improve. Pain may fade, but occasionally recur.

You should visit your local chiropractor to have this problem evaluated and treated.

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link

Glucosamine

in Chiropractor by Doroski May 31, 2019 0 comments

I am not big on plugging products or selling stuff to my patients. One reason is I am skeptical of most things and the other is even if they work most people don’t completely follow through and they blame the seller or the product… not the fact they didn’t do it right! Oddly enough that is how things work right now. As your Chiropractor in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area I have to relearn the benefits of glucosamine every 6 months. Like most people I take it daily for about two months, then I take it when I see it on my desk for about a month and finally, I forget about it until my knee starts hurting. Then I go man my knee hurts I wonder why? About a week later I start taking the glucosamine.

Helps Improve Joint Health & Osteoarthritis

Glucosamine is one of the best supplements for supporting joint health and lowering symptoms related to degenerative disorders like osteoarthritis. Aging naturally impacts the strength and durability of our joints, normally causing cartilage loss and joint pain over time. It doesn’t improve symptoms 100 percent of the time, but compared to many other supplements like chondroitin, glucosamine consistently rank as one of the most effective for treating arthritis discomfort.

Glucosamine slows down deterioration of joints when used long-term, plus it offers other benefits that prescription painkillers cannot (such as lowering chronic inflammation and improving digestive health). The results of taking glucosamine differ from person to person, but some long-term users often report pain relief that allows them to avoid surgeries and lower or eliminate medication use.

Osteoarthritis is a disorder characterized by ongoing joint pain caused from years of accumulating pressure and friction places on joints. It’s the most common type of arthritis worldwide, effecting millions of people (especially older adults). Glucosamine is one of the top supplements I recommend as part of a natural treatment approach for managing arthritis with diet and lifestyle changes.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease, so it becomes harder to move over the years as joint friction increases. Studies show that taking about 800 to 1500 milligrams of glucosamine daily can help millions of people suffering from degenerative joint diseases, preventing further damage, especially in commonly effected joints such as those in the knees and hips. It has been shown to help offer relief from joint pain within 4–8 weeks, which might be longer than some prescriptions or over-the-counter pain killers, but it’s also a more natural and well-tolerated approach.

Glucosamine, whether used alone or in combination with other supplements like chondroitin, is not a “cure all” and guaranteed to help everyone, but major studies have found it can help many, especially those impacted most by arthritis. The Glucosamine/Chondroitin Arthritis Intervention Trial (GAIT), which is considered the most comprehensive trial ever done involving glucosamine, found that the combination of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate used for 8 weeks resulted in significant relief in the majority of study participants who had high amounts of joint pain. Many experienced improvements regarding their moderate-to-severe knee pains, although not all did (including those with milder pains).

Improves Digestion & Eases Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Glucosamine is a helpful supplement for improving digestive function and repairing the lining of the GI tract. It’s even been shown to be an effective leaky gut supplement, combating a condition sometimes called “intestinal permeability.” This condition involves undigested food particles and proteins (like gluten, toxins and microbes) passing into the bloodstream through tiny openings in the lining of the GI tract.

Once these particles enter the bloodstream, they often trigger inflammation or initiate or worsen immune responses in the body. These include food sensitivities, arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases. Glucosamine supplements, or naturally glucosamine-rich bone broth, help repair damaged tissue and lower inflammation related to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a set of conditions that are notoriously painful and hard to treat. The supplement may also help repair the lining of the bladder and stomach and intestines.

In 2000, researchers from the University Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology at University College School of Medicine found that glucosamine was an effective, inexpensive and nontoxic supplement used for treating chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Children affected by inflammatory bowel disease tend to have lower levels of glucosamine in the body. Interestingly, N-acetyl supplementation (GlcNAc) offered a mode of action distinct from conventional treatments, resulting in lower symptoms in 75 percent of patients.

The researchers found evidence of significant improvements in the majority of patients using glucosamine, even those who were unresponsive to other anti-inflammatory medications and antibiotics. Results showed improved integrity of the GI tract and restoration of healthy epithelial cell structures that helped stop gut permeability.

Can Help Relieve TMJ Symptoms

TMJ (a disorder related to the temporo-manibular joint in the jaw) is common in young to middle-aged adults and characterized by frequent jaw and neck pains, headaches and trouble sleeping. TMJ affects the joint that connects the jaw to the skull and allows for the head to move up and down, or side to side, normally without pain.

As the TMJ joint becomes inflamed and worn down, pain worsens. This makes it harder to talk, eat and function normally. Studies suggest glucosamine helps ease TMJ symptoms and pain in people with arthritis that effects the jaw. The pain relief is on par with taking NSAID pain relievers can (such as ibuprofen or Advil). Taking 500 to 1500 milligrams of glucosamine daily for several months or years may help you sleep better, chew and heal while lowering inflammation in the jaw long-term.

Helps Alleviate Bone Pain

Many people with bone pain, low bone density and a history of fractures can benefit from taking glucosamine, which assists bone healing. This is especially true if they also have joint pains or a form of arthritis. Some evidence suggests that glucosamine helps preserve articular cartilage surrounding bones, decreases pain, increases physical function, and enhances activities in people with bone disorders or those who are at most at risk for bone loss (such as middle-aged and older women).

A 2013 study by the Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology at Haseki Training and Research Hospital in Turkey found that glucosamine helped speed up the time it took rats to heal from bone fractures. Those researchers found that new bone formation and osteoblast lining were significantly higher in glucosamine-treated rats compared to those in control groups. After 4 weeks of taking 230 milligrams of glucosamine sulfate daily, the rats’ connective tissue surrounding bones were more cellular and vascular, and the newly formed bones that were previously fractured were stronger compared to controls.

Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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