Chiropractor

Sacroiliac Joint Pain

in Chiropractor  by April 24, 2015 0 comments

Sacroiliac pain is a very common type of low back pain.  It can also create a referral pattern similar to sciatic nerve entrapment.  Patients who come in with low back pain that shoots into their buttocks are usually concerned about a disc injury.  More often than not it is the SI joint.  Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in the Woodbridge, Dale City Virginia area wants to help you understand how the SI joint works.

Pain in and around the sacroiliac joint is one of the more common causes of low-back pain. With approximately 80 percent of the population suffering from low-back pain at some point in their lives, the sacroiliac joint dysfunction likely represents about 15-25 percent of those cases.

The following points will help you educate your patients about the sacroiliac joint dysfunction.

What Is Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction?

Sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SJD) is a broad term often applied to pain in the sacroiliac joint region—the largest joints at the base of the spine.

SJD can be painful and debilitating, but it is rarely life-threatening.

SJD rarely requires invasive types of treatment such as surgery.

Symptoms and Causes

SJD symptoms include low-back pain, typically at the belt line, and pain radiating into the buttock or thigh.

These symptoms are hard to distinguish from other causes of low-back pain, such as disc herniations or facet joints disease.

Most often, SJD is caused by trauma. For example, rotation of the joint when lifting or participating in some vigorous activity may cause tears in small ligaments surrounding the joint, resulting in pain and dysfunction.

While more serious conditions such as fracture or dislocation, infection and inflammatory arthritis can cause sacroiliac joint pain, minor trauma is considered a much more common cause.

The risk of SJD may also increase with true and apparent leg-length inequality, abnormalities in gait and prolonged exercise.

Pregnant women may suffer from SJD because of hormone-induced relaxation of the pelvic ligaments during the third trimester, weight gain and increased curvature of the lumbar spine.

Evaluation

Because SJD pain resembles other types of low-back pain, it is often difficult to isolate it as the actual cause of the patient’s discomfort and disability.

Diagnostic imaging procedures, such as X-ray or MRI, aren’t very helpful in evaluating SJD.

The mostcommonly used diagnostic procedures are physical examination and anesthetic blocks of the sacroiliac joint.

Physical examination involves stressing the joint in various body positions and movements.

During anesthetic blocks, a procedure with unproven validity for SJD diagnosis, the anesthetic solution often creeps outside the sacroiliac joint and may relieve pain from other structures.

Treatment

Because it is often difficult to isolate SJD as the source of pain, an appropriate management strategy is hard to implement. Once SJD is determined as the cause of the problem, many therapies are available.

Chiropractic manipulation and mobilization of the sacroiliac joint has been shown to be beneficial.

Exercise focusing on strengthening the core stabilizer muscles of the spine and trunk and on maintaining mobility of the sacroiliac joints can also be helpful.

Patients with a leg-length inequality may benefit from a shoe inserts helping to properly distribute weight borne by your lower back and sacroiliac joints.

For those with abnormal gait biomechanics, gait training may be needed.

To reduce the excess rotation that sometimes occurs with SJD, a pelvic belt can help stabilize the sacroiliac joints.

In cases of fractures and dislocations of the sacroiliac joints, surgery is needed.

Prevention

Use proper lifting techniques and ergonomics during your daily activities.

Maintain a regular exercise program and a healthy diet to help you function at peak capacity and prevent injuries

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Anti-inflammatory Risks

in Chiropractor  by April 15, 2015 0 comments

There are risks associated with every treatment you get.  Your chiropractor will make sure they remove as many as possible to make sure your chiropractic treatment is safe.  Some treatments people just assume are safe because they are easily accessible.   Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in the Woodbridge, Dale City VA area wants to give you some information on a commonly used treatment for back pain.

To properly assess the risks of chiropractic treatment, it must be compared against the risks of other treatments for similar conditions. For example, even the most conservative conventional treatment for neck and back pain— prescription and over-the-counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—may carry significantly greater risk than the drug-free chiropractic approach to these conditions.


The most common and most serious adverse effects associated with NSAIDs are gastrointestinal (GI) ulcers and bleeding. These conditions can often be very serious, and occasionally lead to fatal complications such as perforation of the gut or bleeding to death. According to a study from the American Journal of Gastroenterology, approximately one-third of all hospitalizations and deaths related to gastrointestinal bleeding can be attributed to the use of aspirin or NSAID painkillers like ibuprofen.

One retrospective study reported that nearly 80 percent of all ulcer-related deaths in the U.S. occurred in patients who were using an NSAID. At any given time, a patient on NSAID therapy has a 5- to 10-times greater risk than non-users of developing a gastric ulcer.

One large epidemiological study estimated that the death rate for NSAID-associated gastrointestinal problems was 0.04% per year among patients receiving NSAIDs specifically for osteoarthritis and related conditions. This figure extrapolates to 3,200 deaths in the U.S. per year.

A more recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine estimated that at least 103,000 patients are hospitalized per year in the United States for serious gastrointestinal complications due to NSAID use. At an estimated cost of $15,000 to $20,000 per hospitalization, the annual direct costs of such complications exceed $2 billion. This study estimated that 16,500 NSAID-related deaths occur among patients with rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis every year in the United States. This figure is similar to the annual number of deaths from AIDS and considerably greater than the number of deaths from asthma, cervical cancer or Hodgkin’s disease. If deaths from gastrointestinal toxic effects of NSAIDs were tabulated separately in the National Vital Statistics reports, these effects would constitute the 15th most common cause of death in the US.

Complications from NSAID use apparently do not result only from long-term use. One analysis found short-term NSAID use was actually associated with a higher risk of GI complications than chronic use. One double-blind trial found that 6 of 32 healthy volunteers (19 percent) developed a gastric ulcer that was visible on endoscopic examination after only 1 week’s treatment with naproxen (at a commonly prescribed dose of 500mg twice daily–the same dose received from 5 non-prescription Aleve per day).

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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How to safely rake leaves

in Chiropractor  by April 10, 2015 0 comments

Before you rev up the lawnmower or reach for your rake this fall, consider the possible consequences: upper or lower-back strain, neck strain and pain in the shoulders.  Some people forget that cleaning up the yard for the summer can be just a strenuous as a trip to the gym.  You need to do a little warm up for your body and Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in the Woodbridge, Dale City Virginia area wants to help you do it safely.

Just as playing football or golf can injure your body, the twisting, turning, bending, and reaching of mowing and raking can also cause injury if your body is not prepared. Like an athlete, if you leap into something without warming up or knowing how to do it, the chances of injury are greater.


What Can You Do?

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) offers the following tips to help prevent the needless pain yard work may cause.

Do stretching exercises, without bouncing, for a total of 10 to 15 minutes spread over the course of your work. Do knee-to-chest pulls, trunk rotations, and side bends with hands above your head and fingers locked. Take a short walk to stimulate circulation. When finished with the yard work, repeat the stretching exercises.

Stand as straight as possible, and keep your head up as you rake or mow.

When it’s still warm outside, avoid the heat. If you’re a morning person, get the work done before 10 a.m. Otherwise, do your chores after 6 p.m.

Wear supportive shoes. Good foot and arch support can stop some of the strain from affecting your back.

When raking, use a “scissors” stance: right foot forward and left foot back for a few minutes, then reverse, putting your left foot forward and right foot back.

Bend at the knees, not the waist, as you pick up piles of leaves or grass from the grass catcher. Make the piles small to decrease the possibility of back strain.

When mowing, use your whole bodyweight to push the mower, rather than just your arms and back.

If your mower has a pull cord, don’t twist at the waist or yank the cord. Instead, bend at the knees and pull in one smooth motion.

Drink lots of water, wear a hat, shoes and protective glasses. And, to avoid blisters, try wearing gloves. If your equipment is loud, wear hearing protection. If you have asthma or allergies, wear a mask.

Try ergonomic tools, too. They’re engineered to protect you when used properly.

If you do feel soreness or stiffness in your back, use ice to soothe the discomfort. If there’s no improvement in two or three days, see your local doctor of chiropractic.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Yard work injury prevention

in Chiropractor  by March 31, 2015 0 comments

There are so many potential ways to get injured this time of year.  Getting the yard ready for the season involves a lot of bending, twisting, lifting and pulling.  You need to be careful when getting out there.  Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in the Woodbridge, Dale City Virginia area wants to give you a few tips to avoid injury.

The state-of-the-art equipment available today for lawn and leaf management can help turn the average homeowner into a lawn specialist overnight. But the use of weed trimmers, leaf blowers and hedge clippers has also been sending many aspiring landscapers to the office of their local doctor of chiropractic.

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) warns that using this equipment can result in back and neck pain, as well as more serious muscular strains and tears if not used properly.

“The repetitive motion that your body undergoes when using such equipment can bring on a whole host of mechanical problems within the body,” says ACA President Dr. Richard Brassard. “It is essential to operate your equipment properly. If you do not, the pounding your body endures may be multiplied.”


Tips On Safely Using Your Outdoor Equipment

Dr. Brassard offers the following tips to help you safely enjoy a productive day in the yard:

Regardless of what piece of equipment you are using, make sure it has a strap-and that you use it. Place the strap over your head on the shoulder on the opposite side of your body from the device. This will help normalize your center of gravity.

Be sure to switch the side on which you are operating the equipment as often as possible, and to balance the muscles being used, alternate your stance and motion frequently.

Take frequent breaks from the activity of the day. Muscle fatigue may be felt when using any of these devices for an extended period of time.

Consider electric-powered items, especially if you experience back or neck pain, as they tend to be much lighter than their engine-powered counterparts.

When picking up or putting down your equipment, be sure to bend from the knees, not at the waist. Keep the object close to your body as you lift, not at arm’s length.

“While it is critical that you operate your yard equipment safely, it is equally important that you prepare your body for the work you are about to do,” explains Dr. Brassard. “Be sure to include a warm-up/cool-down period that involves stretching to help avoid injury.”

Simple Stretches For Everybody

Before stretching, there are a few tips to keep in mind. Breathe in and out slowly throughout each stretching exercise until the muscle is stretched to its furthest point. At that point, hold your breath in. When you relax, breathe out. Stretch gently and smoothly. Do not bounce or jerk your body in any way and stretch as far as you can comfortably. You should not feel pain.

Following are a few easy stretches Dr. Brassard recommends for getting the most out of the time you spend in the yard:

Stand up and prop your heel on a back door step or stool with your knee slightly bent. Bend forward until you feel a slight pull at the back of the thigh, called the hamstring. You may need to stabilize yourself by holding onto a garage door handle or sturdy tree branch. Hold the position for 20 seconds, then relax. Do it once more, then repeat with the other leg.

Stand up and put your right hand against a wall or other stable surface. Bend your left knee and grab your ankle with your left hand. Pull your heel toward your buttocks to stretch the quadricep muscle at the front of your thigh. Hold that position for 20 seconds, relax and do it again. Repeat with the other leg.

Weave your fingers together above your head with your palms up. Lean to one side for 10 seconds to stretch the side of your upper body, then reverse. Repeat two or three times.

“Hug your best friend”: Wrap your arms around yourself after letting your breath out and rotate to one side, as far as you can go. Hold it for 10 seconds. Then reverse. Repeat two or three times.

Chiropractic Care Can Help

If you experience pain or discomfort resulting from outdoor equipment misuse, call your doctor of chiropractic. Doctors of chiropractic are trained and licensed to treat the entire neuromusculoskeletal system, and can help people lead healthier lives by focusing on wellness and prevention.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Safe Gardening Tips

in Chiropractor  by March 19, 2015 0 comments

Here we go!  To all my weekend warriors and weekend gardeners that time of year is here again!    After spending all winter indoors don’t going running outside yet.  Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in the Woodbridge, Dale City Virginia area wants you to read this before you get going!

As springtime approaches, weather warms up and leaves turn green, many people will spend more time outside planting bulbs, mowing the lawn and pulling weeds. Gardening can provide a great workout, but with all the bending, twisting, reaching and pulling, your patients may not be ready for exercise of the garden variety. Provide your patients with the following gardening tips.


Prepare for Gardening

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.

Treat gardening as an athletic event. A warm-up and cool-down period is as important in gardening as it is for any other physical activity. To warm up, walk for five to 10 minutes to get your heart rate up.

Perform 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, prop your heel on a stool or step, keeping the knees straight. 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” exercise. 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.

Be aware of your body technique, form and posture while gardening. Kneel, don’t bend, and alternate your stance and movements frequently.

Remember Gardening Ergonomics

Use tools, such as shears or clippers with a spring-action, self-opening feature, to prevent strain on the muscles and joints. Make sure the tools are well-oiled to open and close easily.

When lifting potted plants or bags of mulch and dirt, bend your knees and lift straight up, keeping your back as straight as possible. Use your knees, rather than the back muscles, to lift, and avoid twisting and turning while lifting.

Sit while working or take sitting breaks to conserve energy and decrease stress on your back, knees and hips.

Don’t Ignore the Pain

If you already feel muscle aches and pains and did not complete the warm-up and cool-down stretches, 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 chiropractic care.

Spinal manipulation can help alleviate the pain due to overuse injuries and improper gardening techniques. The goal of a doctor of chiropractic is to manipulate the spine and help stimulate your body’s natural healing process.

 

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Winter injury prevention

in Chiropractor  by March 6, 2015 0 comments

Winter is almost over and for those of you who are still dying to get out there.  Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in the Dale City Woodbridge VA area wants to help you prevent some injuries.  Here are some tips to help you stay safe!

When snow, ice and frigid weather blast into town, watch out, says the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). Winter recreational activities and chores can pose problems for the outdoor enthusiast whose body is not in condition. Winter sports like skating, skiing and sledding can cause painful muscle spasms, strains or tears if you’re not in shape. Even shoveling snow the wrong way, clambering awkwardly over snow banks, slipping on sidewalks and wearing the wrong kinds of clothing can all pose the potential for spasms, strains and sprains.

Simply walking outside in the freezing weather without layers of warm clothing can intensify older joint problems and cause a great deal of pain. As muscles and blood vessels contract to conserve the body’s heat, the blood supply to extremities is reduced. This lowers the functional capacity of many muscles, particularly among the physically unfit. Preparation for an outdoor winter activity, including conditioning the areas of the body that are most vulnerable, can help avoid injury and costly health care bills.

“Simply put, warming up is essential,” says Olympic speedskating gold and silver medalist Derek Parra. “In fact, when pressed for time, it’s better to shorten the length of your workout and keep a good warm-up than to skip the warm-up and dive right into the workout. Skipping your warm-up is the best way to get hurt.” Parra, who took both the gold and silver medals during the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, UT, adds that, “You can complete a good warm-up in 15-20 minutes. And believe me, it will make your workout more pleasant and safe.”

Derek Parra and the ACA suggest that you start with some light aerobic activity (jogging, biking, fast walking) for about 7-10 minutes. Then follow these tips to help you fight back the winter weather:

Skiing – do 10 to 15 squats. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart, knees aligned over your feet. Slowly lower your buttocks as you bend your knees over your feet. Stand up straight again.

Skating – do several lunges. Take a moderately advanced step with one foot. Let your back knee come down to the floor while keeping your shoulders in position over your hips. Repeat the process with your other foot.

Sledding/tobogganing – do knee-to-chest stretches to fight compression injuries caused by repetitive bouncing over the snow. Either sitting or lying on your back, pull your knees to your chest and hold for up to 30 seconds.

Don’t forget cool-down stretching for all of these sports – At the bottom of the sledding hill, for instance, before trudging back up, do some more knees-to-chest stretches, or repetitive squatting movements to restore flexibility.

Shoveling snow can also wreak havoc on the musculoskeletal system. The ACA suggests the following tips for exercise of the snow shoveling variety:

If you must shovel snow, be careful. Listen to weather forecasts so you can rise early and have time to shovel before work.


Layer clothing to keep your muscles warm and flexible.

Shoveling can strain “de-conditioned” muscles between your shoulders, in your upper back, lower back, buttocks and legs. So, do some warm-up stretching before you grab that shovel.

When you do shovel, push the snow straight ahead. Don’t try to throw it. Walk it to the snow bank. Avoid sudden twisting and turning motions.

Bend your knees to lift when shoveling. Let the muscles of your legs and arms do the work, not your back.

Take frequent rest breaks to take the strain off your muscles. A fatigued body asks for injury.

Stop if you feel chest pain, or get really tired or have shortness of breath. You may need immediate professional help.

After any of these activities, if you are sore, apply an ice bag to the affected area for 20 minutes, then take it off for a couple of hours. Repeat a couple of times each day over the next day or two.

If you continue to feel soreness, pain or strain after following these tips, it may be time to visit a doctor of chiropractic. “I’ve always believed in chiropractic care,” says Parra. “I’ve used a lot of other treatments for injuries and pain, but the problem doesn’t get fixed until I go to a doctor of chiropractic.”

 

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Ear infection and chiropractic

in Chiropractor  by February 26, 2015 0 comments

Ear infections in children can be a very serious ailment that may need medical intervention due to an infection.  These are the cases I refer out for co-treatment .  Some cases I can help them in my Woodbridge, Dale City VA Chiropractic office.  Here is some overall information on how chiropractic care can help.

Ear problems can be excruciatingly painful, especially in children. With 10 million new cases every year, ear infections (otitis media) are the most common illness affecting babies and young children and the number one reason for visits to the pediatrician—accounting for more than 35 percent of all pediatric visits.

Almost half of all children will have at least one middle ear infection before they’re a year old, and two-thirds of them will have had at least one such infection by age 3. The symptoms can include ear pain, fever, and irritability. Otitis media can be either bacterial or viral in origin, and frequently results from another illness such as a cold. For many children, it can become a chronic problem, requiring treatment year after year, and putting the child at risk of permanent hearing damage and associated speech and developmental problems.

Standard treatment for most cases of otitis media is with antibiotics, which can be effective if the culprit is bacterial (antibiotics, of course, do nothing to fight off viruses). But, according to many research studies, antibiotics are often not much more effective than the body’s own immune system. And repeated doses of antibiotics can lead to drug-resistant bacteria that scoff at the drugs, while leaving the child screaming in pain.

Frequent ear infections are also the second most common reason for surgery in children under 2 (with circumcision being the first). In severe cases—for example, when fluids from an ear infection haven’t cleared from the ear after several months, and hearing is affected—specialists sometimes prescribe myringotomy and tympanostomy, more commonly known as “ear tubes.” During the surgical procedure, a small opening is made in the eardrum to place a tube inside. The tube relieves pressure in the ear and prevents repeated fluid buildup with the continuous venting of fresh air. In most cases, the membrane pushes the tube out after a couple of months and the hole in the eardrum closes. Although the treatment is effective, it has to be repeated in some 20 to 30 percent of cases. And this kind of surgery requires general anesthesia, never a minor thing in a small child. If the infection persists even after tube placement and removal, children sometimes undergo adenoidectomy (surgical removal of the adenoids)—an option that is effective mostly through the first year after surgery.

Before yet another round of “maybe-they’ll-work-and-maybe-they-won’t” antibiotics or the drastic step of surgery, more parents are considering chiropractic to help children with chronic ear infections. Dr. Joan Fallon, a chiropractor who practices in Yonkers, New York, has published research showing that, after receiving a series of chiropractic adjustments, nearly 80 percent of the children treated were free of ear infections for at least the six-month period following their initial visits (a period that also included maintenance treatments every four to six weeks).

“Chiropractic mobilizes drainage of the ear in children, and if they can continue to drain without a buildup of fluid and subsequent infection, they build up their own antibodies and recover more quickly,” explains Dr. Fallon. She’d like to see her pilot study used as a basis for larger-scale trials of chiropractic as a therapeutic modality for otitis media.

Dr. Fallon uses primarily upper-cervical manipulation on children with otitis media, focusing particularly on the occiput, or back of the skull, and atlas, or the first vertebra in the neck. “Adjusting the occiput, in particular, will get the middle ear to drain. Depending on how chronic it’s been and on where they are in their cycle of antibiotics, children generally need to get through one bout of fluid and fight it off themselves.” That means, for the average child, between six and eight treatments. If a child’s case is acute, Dr. Fallon will check the ear every day, using a tympanogram to measure the ear and track the movement of the eardrum to make sure that it’s draining. “I’ll do adjustments every day or every other day for a couple of days if they’re acute, and then decrease frequency over time.”

Dr. Fallon, whose research garnered her the acclaim of childrearing magazines like Parenting and Baby Talk, often sees great success when she treats a child for otitis media. “Once they fight it themselves, my kids tend to do very well and stay away from ear infections completely. Unless there are environmental factors like smoking in the house, an abnormally shaped Eustachian tube, or something like that, they do very well,” she says.

“I have two large pediatric groups that refer to me on a regular basis. In the winter, when otitis is most prevalent, I see five or six new children each week from each group,” says Dr. Fallon. “It’s safe and effective and something that parents should try, certainly before inserting tubes in their children’s ears.”

Chiropractic Care Can Help…

Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about your child’s ear infections. Doctors of chiropractic are licensed and trained to diagnose and treat patients of all ages and will use a gentler type of treatment for children.

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3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Vitamin C and colds

in Chiropractor  by February 20, 2015 0 comments

Vitamin C and colds seem to go together.  Patients in my Woodbridge, Dale City VA Chiropractic office always ask me this time of year about Vitamin C.  So I did some looking around for information to give them.  It appears nothing has changed since college nutrition.  Vitamin C still looks like it is good at shortening the duration of a cold and possibly preventing it.  So it is good to stay on it all year rather than wait until you have one.  Here are the findings:

The common cold is a major cause of visits to a doctor in high-income countries and of absenteeism from work and school. There are over 200 viruses which can cause the common cold symptoms including runny nose, congestion, sneezing, sore throat, cough, and sometimes headache, fever and red eyes. Symptoms vary from person to person and cold to cold. Since the common cold is usually caused by one of the respiratory viruses, antibiotics are useless and therefore other potential treatment options are of substantial public health interest.


Vitamin C has been proposed for treating respiratory infections since it was isolated in the 1930s. It became particularly popular in the 1970s when Nobel laureate Linus Pauling concluded from earlier placebo-controlled trials that vitamin C would prevent and alleviate the common cold. Over two dozen new trials were undertaken thereafter. Vitamin C has been widely sold and used as a preventive and therapeutic agent.

This review is restricted to placebo-controlled trials testing 0.2 g/day or more of vitamin C. Regular ingestion of vitamin C had no effect on common cold incidence in the ordinary population, based on 29 trial comparisons involving 11,306 participants. However, regular supplementation had a modest but consistent effect in reducing the duration of common cold symptoms, which is based on 31 study comparisons with 9745 common cold episodes. In five trials with 598 participants exposed to short periods of extreme physical stress (including marathon runners and skiers) vitamin C halved the common cold risk. The published trials have not reported adverse effects of vitamin C.

Trials of high doses of vitamin C administered therapeutically, starting after the onset of symptoms, showed no consistent effect on the duration or severity of common cold symptoms. However, only a few therapeutic trials have been carried out and none have examined children, although the effect of prophylactic vitamin C has been greater in children. One large trial with adults reported benefit from an 8 g therapeutic dose at the onset of symptoms, and two therapeutic trials using five-day supplementation reported benefit. More trials are necessary to settle the possible role of therapeutic vitamin C, meaning administration immediately after the onset of symptoms.

 

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Healthy back tips

in Chiropractor  by February 13, 2015 0 comments

People have definitely increased their health awareness in the last couple of years, which is great!  We now watch what we eat, drink, what we put in our bodies and have been increasing the amount of Doctor questioning!  At Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in the Woodbridge, Dale City Virginia area I love when a patient says but why.  That gives me an opportunity to educate them even more and it shows they are listening.  Patients no longer go to their Doctors like sheep.  Here are some general tips for a health spine.

A healthy spine is an often overlooked and essential part of a healthy lifestyle. People who suffer from back pain, particularly if it is long-term, are generally less healthy than those who do not. In fact, back pain costs are staggering not only financially, but also in terms of lost time from work and because of psychosocial problems that arise during the healing process associated with long-term back pain.

Unfortunately, approximately 80-90% of the population suffers from spinal pain at some point. People who are overweight or obese, and who smoke, lift heavy objects, or had a previous episode of back pain, are more likely to experience back pain.

Because so many people suffer from spine pain, it’s important for you to try to keep your spine as healthy as possible. Following simple posture, lifting, and healthy lifestyle guidelines can help you keep your back in good shape.

The American Chiropractic Association recommends the following spinal health tips:

Standing

When standing, keep one foot slightly in front of the other, with your knees slightly bent. This position helps to take the pressure off your low back.

Do not stand bent forward at the waist for prolonged periods of time. The muscles in your low back become deconditioned in this position, which may lead to pain.

Lifting

At all times, avoid twisting while lifting. Twisting is one of the most dangerous movements for your spine, especially while lifting.

If the item is too heavy to lift, pushing it is easier on your back than pulling it. Whenever possible, use your legs, not your back or upper body, to push the item.

If you must lift a heavy item, get someone to help you.

Sitting

Keep your knees slightly higher than your hips, with your head up and back straight.

Avoid rolling your shoulders forward (slouching).

Try to maintain the natural curve in your low back.

Reaching and Bending

When reaching for something above shoulder level, stand on a stool. Straining to reach such objects may not only hurt your mid-back and neck, but it can also bring on shoulder problems.

Do NOT bend over at the waist to pick up items from the floor or a table.

Instead, kneel down on one knee, as close as possible to the item you are lifting, with the other foot flat on the floor and pick the item up.

Or bend at the knees, keep the item close to your body, and lift with your legs, not your back.

Carrying

When carrying objects, particularly if they are heavy, keep them as close to your body as possible.

Carrying two small objects—one in each hand—is often easier to handle than one large one.

Healthy Diet and Exercise

While the proverbial jury is still out, we suspect that extra weight puts undue strain on your spine. Keep within 10 lbs. of your ideal weight for a healthier back.

“Beer belly” is likely the worst culprit, as it puts unwanted pressure on the muscles, ligaments and tendons in your low back.

The most efficient and effective way to reduce weight is by eating a sensible diet and exercising regularly.

Consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise program, particularly if you have a health condition.

Sleeping

Sleeping on your back puts approximately 50 pounds of pressure on your spine. Other positions may be better.

Placing a pillow under your knees while lying on your back cuts the pressure on your spine roughly in half.

Lying on your side with a pillow between your knees may also reduce the pressure on your back.

Never sleep in a position that causes a portion of your spine to hurt. Most often, your body will tell you what position is best.

Quit Smoking

Smokers have more spine pain than nonsmokers, and they also heal more slowly when they have an episode of back pain because the chemicals in tobacco smoke restrict the flow of blood to the tissues in and around your spine.

While following these instructions is no guarantee that you’ll be free from back pain for your entire life, it can certainly reduce your risk of developing it. These simple steps will help you keep your spine in good shape, making you a healthier, happier person.

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

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Carpal Tunnel

in Chiropractor  by February 6, 2015 0 comments

Wrist pain and shooting pains into the hands are very common complaints since lots of people work on the computer all day.  Even chiropractors complain of it due to all the pushing and pulling we do.  At Doroski Chiropractic Neurology in the Woodbridge, Dale City Virginia area we give our patients the best information on the cause of CTS and its treatment.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS ) is one of the most common workplace injuries. It is often associated with prolonged computer use, but it can also affect construction workers, assembly-line workers and even athletes — any profession in which a person does a lot of gripping or holding the wrist in an unnatural position. Women are three times as likely to develop CTS as men.

What is carpal tunnel syndrome?

CTS is an irritation to the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel (made up of bone and soft tissue) of the wrist, explains David Benevento, DC, who practices in Folsom, Calif. “As your flexor tendons become swollen from overuse, they occupy more space in the carpal tunnel, which in turn compresses the nerve,” he adds.

There are many explanations for the development of CTS, including an injury to the wrist that causes swelling, overactivity of the pituitary gland, hypothyroidism, diabetes, inflammatory arthritis, mechanical problems in the wrist joint, poor work ergonomics, repeated use of vibrating hand tools and fluid retention during pregnancy or menopause.

Symptoms

CTS most often appears as numbness in the thumb and first two fingers, says Dr. Benevento. But symptoms can include burning, tingling, itching, weakness and/or numbness in the palm of the hand, thumb and fingers. Some sufferers of CTS describe their fingers as “useless and swollen,” even if no swelling is apparent. Weakened grip strength often makes it hard for CTS patients to form a fist or grasp small objects. Additionally, many CTS patients report that it is hard to distinguish hot from cold by touch. The symptoms of CTS generally first appear while sleeping because many people have a tendency to sleep with flexed wrists.

Diagnosis

A CTS diagnosis is 95-percent personal history, explains Dr. Benevento. “When a patient comes in complaining of wrist pain or numbness, simply talking to him or her about daily behaviors and workplace ergonomics is often enough to determine that the pain is caused by CTS,” he says. History, plus the initial physical examination of the hands, arms, shoulders and neck, is often all that is needed for a diagnosis. There are, however, specific tests that can be done to produce the symptoms of CTS and confirm the diagnosis, including:

• Pressure provocation tests. A group of tests designed to provoke CTS symptoms by increasing the pressure on the carpal tunnel. This can be done by placing the wrist in flexed or extended positions, percussion – or tapping – over the skin of the wrist or placing a cuff on the wrist. If any of these methods produce tingling or numbness, the presence of CTS is confirmed.

This test is rated with a Sn of 1.0/Sp of 0.97 with a LR+ of 33.33 and LR- of 0.00. (PubMed, Williams, Ann Plast Surg. 1992.)

Carpal compression test. Similar to the pressure provocation tests, the carpal compression test involves the physician placing both thumbs over the median nerve in the tunnel and applying pressure for up to 30 seconds. If symptoms occur or worsen, CTS is confirmed.

This test is rated with a Sn of 0.14/Sp of 0.96 with a LR+ of 3.50 and a LR- of 0.90. (PubMed, Boland, J Clin Neurosci. 2009.)

• Laboratory tests and image studies. These tests can reveal diabetes, arthritis, fractures and other common causes of wrist and hand pain, helping to rule out CTS. Electrodiagnostic tests, such as nerve conduction velocity testing, can be used to help confirm the diagnosis of CTS. With these tests, small electrodes, placed on your skin, measure the speed at which electrical impulses travel across your wrist. CTS will slow the speed of the impulses.

There are many other conditions that mimic the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, including a pinched nerve in the neck, and certain tests, such as the nerve conduction studies, can be used to rule out these other ailments.

Treatment

According to Thomas Davis, DC, lead author on a CTS clinical trial study, the best treatment of CTS is to simply “do what doctors of chiropractic do. That is, manipulate the neck and spine and then deal with the specific areas experiencing pain.” Basically, says Dr. Davis, you want to free up the structures in the wrist so that there is no pinching or compression and your nerves can pass through the tunnel.

Davis’ study, “Comparative Efficacy of Conservative Medical and Chiropractic Treatments for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial,”1 utilized the chiropractic treatments of ultrasound, nighttime wrist supports and manipulation of the wrist, arm and spine. These techniques were compared with the medical model of ibuprofen plus a night wrist splint. While both groups had similar results, the potential side effects of ibuprofen on the stomach, liver and kidneys led the authors to conclude that a strong argument can be made for the non-drug, chiropractic approach.

“Cold lasers weren’t available during the time of the study [published in 1997], but I would include them in my treatment of CTS today,” says Dr. Davis. “I also prescribe at-home wrist flexion stretches for patients to help get a free nerve flow through the wrist.”

Dr. Benevento agrees and adds that soft-tissue work such as ART® or Graston® can help release flexor tendons to alleviate nerve compression. He has also seen positive results with median nerve flossing or gliding (basically moving or stretching the nerve to try to free it from tight muscles or scar tissue), and it’s something that patients can do for themselves at home. “Kinesiology taping can also be helpful to keep wrists in the proper position and to alleviate swelling during the inflammatory process,” he continues.

Because carpal tunnel syndrome can stem from poor workplace ergonomics such as a forward head posture, Dr. Benevento notes that patients are more susceptible to CTS after they’ve experienced it once, especially if they do not make the necessary ergonomic changes to their work spaces. He makes a point of addressing head posture and workplace ergonomics. “It’s important to get the patient’s head back over his or her shoulders while sitting at a computer. Additionally, the patient’s palms should be parallel to the ground when typing. I advise my patients to be conscious of their posture while at work and to take frequent breaks to stand up and stretch,” he says.

Reference

1. Davis PT, Hulbert JR, Kassak KM, et al. “Comparative efficacy of conservative medical and chiropractic treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized clinical trial.” J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 21.5 (June 1997): 317-326.

Workplace Ergonomics

Many workers spend countless hours in front of computers barely ever changing position. Here are some tips to share with patients to help prevent injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome:

• Your feet should be touching the floor, with the legs and body forming an angle of 90 to 110 degrees.

• Adjust the height of your monitor. Look forward with your head in a neutral position. Your eyes should be at the same height as the top of the monitor.

• When talking on the phone, use a headset, when possible, especially if you talk on the phone for prolonged periods.

• Find a mouse that fits your hand, and then slide your palm up to rest on the mouse and use your whole arm to move the mouse when possible.

• If you rest your wrist on the desk for extended periods, consider using a soft gel pad to minimize pressure on the carpal tunnel.

• You should be able to use your mouse with your elbow at your side and your hand directly in front of you. Try a keyboard that has a separate number pad or one that is on the left of the keyboard, which frees up space on the right for the mouse.

For the latest research on CTS, see:

1. Brantingham JW, Cassa TK, Bonnefin D, Pribicevic M, Robb A, Pollard H, et al. Manipulative and multimodal therapy for upper extremity and temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. Elsevier; 2013 Mar;36(3):143-201.

2. Burke J, Buchberger DJ, Carey-Loghmani MT, Dougherty PE, Greco DS, Dishman JD. A pilot study comparing two manual therapy interventions for carpal tunnel syndrome. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2007 Jan;30(1):50-61.

 

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Doroski Chiropractic Neurology

3122 Golansky Blvd, Ste 102

Woodbridge VA 22192

703 730 9588

Map Link