Headaches/ Migraines
A migraine headaches are severe recurring head pain that lasts any where between 4 to 72 hours. It is often described as left or right throbbing head pain. Pain is often described by the patient as increasing with exertion, and accompanied by symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, sound and touch. A small percentage of migraine sufferers will also suffer an aura (visual disturbance) just before the start of the headache. It is estimated by migraine research foundation that approximately 1 billion people worldwide suffer migraines. This makes it is the third most prevalent illness in the world.
How do we stop the migraines progression or interrupted the process? You should try some of the following: immediately take an ibuprofen, drink some caffeine such as coffee and remove triggers. Caffeine has been shown to work for some but, not all migraine suffers. It has been shown to help constrict the blood vessels of the brain, but can also be a trigger. It is commonly added to some of the migraine medications for the same reason. Migraine medication are chemicals used to constrict blood vessels associated with the event.
Natural prevention might include some of the following options: oral magnesium oxide, vitamin E, and B2. Some of the following can help with the inflammation chemicals of the migraine and symptoms associated with menstruation.
The recommended treatment options for migraine headaches may include: chiropractic, nanaimo acupuncture, and exercise. The Nanaimo chiropractors can assess, diagnose and manage headaches; however, in some cases referral and co-management may be the most appropriate course of treatment. Canadian Chiropractic Association states that studies have demonstrated that care offered by chiropractors can also decrease the intensity and frequency of migraines.
Back Pain
Since back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide, it is vital to know how to prevent the cause of back pain. By maintaining a healthy diet and weight, remaining active and avoiding prolonged inactivity or bed rest are all important ways to avoid back pain. Before doing exercises or any physical activity, it is recommended to warm up and/or stretch.
Neck Pain
The neck, also called the cervical spine, begins at the base of the skull and contains seven small vertebrae. The cervical spine supports the full weight of your head which is on average about 12 pounds. While the cervical spine can move your head in nearly every direction, this flexibility makes the neck very susceptible to pain and injury.
Heel Spurs/Plantar Fasciitis
Foot pain caused by plantar fasciitis rarely resolves on its own without some intervention. This condition is caused by a thickening or increased tension of the soft tissue band on the bottom of the foot. When the tissue thickens past a certain point, it begins to restrict movement and causes heel pain.
Some of the reason for the development of this condition include: old ankle sprains, knee injuries, a decrease in exercise, excessive standing, changes in foot wear and other factors.
At Atlas Chiropractic in Nanaimo we examine the foot, knee, pelvis and perform a gait assessment to determine the major factors involved in your condition. The chiropractor after identifying areas of joint restriction and areas of pain the chiropractor can perform a series of specific extremity adjustments to the entire limb. This change in motion reduces the tension in the plantar facia, reduces pain, swelling and corrects underlying gait mechanics.
Types of Treatments
Chiropractic Extremity Adjustments
Ongoing chiropractic care can not only resolve this painful foot condition, but also may prevent plantar fasciitis from re-occurring. Chiropractic care could include manual adjustments, laser therapy, shockwave therapy and custom foot orthotics.
Custom Foot Orthotics
Prevention also focuses on giving clients the proper advice on footware, custom foot orthotics and exercises to support the alignment of the arch and bones of the foot. All custom foot orthotics are manufactured by Atlas Orthotic Group under the guidance of an orthoptist. Depending on patients use and foot alignment, specific corrections are made prior to manufacture with the latest computer technology.
Dr. Whyte performs an examination that includes a biomechanical assessment followed by a 3-D computerized scan of your arches. This allows us to identify foot flexibility issues that may even be contributing to knee pain and back pain. Book for your FREE 3-D Foot Scan.
Shock Wave Therapy
The severe cases often require radial pulse wave therapy also known as shock wave therapy to break up scar tissue or to initiate re-healing of the inflamed area. Typically patients will need only 3-5 treatments to resolve the symptoms associated with this condition. This in conjunction with chiropractic extremity adjustment and prevention treatment will likely resolve this condition permanently .
Laser Therapy
Laser therapy is sometimes used for the really difficult cases with excessive inflammation and pain. This type of therapy is used to increase blood flow to the site of pain speeding up the healing process. The laser light beam at a frequency of 1050 nm will penetrate to a maximum depth of 6 cm having an affect on damaged ligaments, muscles and cartilage cells.