Pain Management

On-site Interventional Pain Medicine with Fluoroscopic-guided injections.

   

Steroid & Hyalgan (Hyaluronic Acid) Injections

• Epidural & Transforaminal Injections
• Medial Branch Block
• Facet Injections
• Sacroiliac Injections
• Joint Injections
• Hip Joint Injections

Visco-supplimentation Hyalgan Knee Injections(hyaluronic acid to prevent knee replacement)

Pain is a debilitating force that affects your body, mind, lifestyle and the people around you. Pain can assume many forms, from distressing local sensations, to a general sense of malaise, or even psychological and emotional suffering. Suffering and distress are more likely to be common in patients who experience chronic and severe pain.

Treatment plans for pain management are highly specific to the individual, but may incorporate the expertise of these professionals:

• Primary care physician
• Neurosurgeon
• Neurologist
• Chiropractor
• Psychologist
• Orthopedic surgeon
• Physical therapist
• Massage therapist

As a community-based practice, ProHealth enables its doctors to provide a patient-centered combination of personalized contact, consistent care and modern treatments for both chronic and acute pain problems. Due to our desire to promote a natural approach to health care, we utilize homeopathic products whenever possible.

Headache Pain?

Nerve irritation is the leading cause of headache pain for many sufferers.

Tired of taking medication for headache pain that does not go away? Find out how many people are finding a more permanent solution for their headache pain naturally.

There are an estimated 4.5 million Amercians that suffer from severe, recurring attacks of migraine and tension headaches. They spend upwards of $40 million each year on over-the-counter and prescription drugs in their search for permanent relief. For some, the medication works. Unfortunately for many the relief obtained is temporary at best. A cycle of headaches and medication often occurs without any lasting relief found. If you think this describes your pain then there is good news for you.

Recent studies link headaches pain to nerve irritation. One study, conducted at the University of Maryland, found a connection between muscle tension at the base of the neck and headaches. Muscle contractions interfere with the sensitive fibers at the base of the neck that lead to the brain and spinal cord. This muscle tension often plays a contributing factor to headache pain. Another study conducted by Dr. Wright found that the vast majority of migraine headache sufferers has misalignments of the spinal vertebrae in the neck that was placing pressure on the spinal nerves.

Our remedy of headache pain is two-fold:

• Remove pressure on the nerves caused by spinal misalignments.
• Reduce tension in neck muscles to minimize nerve pressure due to tight muscles.

This strategy works for many headache sufferers, not only in our office but also in several studies. One such study, conducted by the government of New Zealand found that the majority of people who suffered from spinal misalignments has their headaches relieved or their condition improved through chiropractic care. And in follow-up studies of the same patients it was found that many were still without recurring headache pain two years later.

Of course, not all headaches can be helped with chiropractic care. But, if you suffer from persistent migraine of tension headaches you owe it to yourself to come to our office for an exam and consultation. If we can not help you we will tell you, and we can refer you to another health care professional that can help.

Can a chiropractor really get rid of my headaches?

It will help to understand what causes most headaches. Your spine protects your nervous system which starts with the brain and becomes the spinal cord. When the vertebrae in your neck are unable to move properly, it irritates or puts pressure on the nerves in that area. That can cause headaches. To correct this problem (called a subluxation) a chiropractor gently adjusts the vertebrae. Since most headaches are caused by subluxations, they will soon disappear.

Why would I have spinal problems in my neck?

There are many reasons. They can originally occur during the birth process, and as your body grows and matures. Also, falls, sports activities, motor vehicle accidents, bad posture or simply the stresses of daily living can cause spinal problems. It is also very common for headache sufferers to experience neck pain and stiffness.

But my headaches are migraines?

Migraine headaches are usually severe and sharp, throbbing in nature, and generally affect one side of the head. Tension headaches tend to occur frequently, last a long time and are characterized by a dull, steady pain that feels like a band of pressure around the neck. But despite these differences they are closely related. Chiropractic care has been proven to be extremely effective in treating migraine and tension headaches as well as neck pain and stiffness.

What will the chiropractor do to treat my headaches?

Your first visit will include a consultation, examination and possibly an x-ray to help diagnose your problem. Once your condition is fully understood, your chiropractor will explain your test and x-ray results and outline a treatment plan that is tailored to your needs. Your chiropractor will use highly skilled, gentle manipulations to adjust the spine.

Once my headache stops, does the chiropractic care end?

Your body continues to heal after the pain has gone. Continuing to have chiropractic adjustments helps to retrain your vertebrae to hold their healthy positions. Your nervous system will function more efficiently and your body will be better able to heal itself. In time, exercise, a healthy diet, and periodic visits to the chiropractor will help you stay healthy, pain free, and live life to the fullest.

What causes neck pain?

Your neck protects your spinal cord and spinal nerves, while supporting and balancing the weight of your head. Poor posture, wear and tear, injury, stress, and tension can strain or damage vital parts of your neck. Damage to the natural curve of your spine can cause painful problems.

Can Chiropractic care help me?

Your doctor of chiropractic looks at your overall health, focusing not only on your neck, but also on your lifestyle, such as diet and amount of daily exercise. This integrated approach helps determine the best treatment for your neck pain. To help identify the cause of your problem, you and your chiropractor will discuss your symptoms and previous injuries, your family health history, and your lifestyle, including recreational and work related physical activities.

Spinal Adjustments

Your doctor of chiropractic is uniquely qualified to restore the health of your spine and neck. Special chiropractic techniques may relieve the pressure that is causing your neck pain. After locating the misaligned vertebrae in your neck, your chiropractor applies gentle pressure with a hand held instrument (activator) and repositions the vertebrae. These adjustments can help restore alignment, improve mobility, and relieve pain and stiffness.

What is Whiplash?

When a sudden accident or injury hurls your head backward and forward, your neck gets thrown out of balance. The force can damage parts of your neck and reverse its natural curve. This may even cause pain in your shoulders, arms, hands and low back. Sometimes symptoms aren't felt until days, weeks, or months after whiplash has occurred.

History

To help identify the cause of your problem, you and your chiropractor will discuss your symptoms and previous injuries, your family's health history, and your lifestyle, including recreational and work-related physical activities.

Physical Exam

Physical, orthopedic, and neurological tests can reveal the condition of your neck and the rest of your spine. Static and motion palpation tests check for tenderness, muscle spasms, and your back's range of motion. This gives your chiropractor clues to the cause and extent of your neck problem. As "blueprints" of your spine, x-rays can reveal misalignments, fractures, arthritis, hereditary malformations, or other problems. Additional tests will be done, if necessary.

Whiplash Treatment

Your doctor of chiropractic is uniquely qualified to restore the health of your spine. Special chiropractic techniques may relieve the pressure that is causing your neck pain.

Mid Back Pain

Intercostal Pain occurs when the nerve that runs along one of the ribs in the thoracic cage becomes slightly inflamed; this is also known as intercostal neuralgia. The pain appears abruptly, and can worsen considerably with a movement of the vertebral column, incorrect posture, a respiratory movement, coughing, or even the simple act of talking.

Analgesic medication may lessen neuralgic pain, but it will not correct the problem. Intercostal pain is generally due to neuro-musculoskeletal problems which cannot be treated with medication.

Signals to watch for: (3 or more, see a chiropractor)

• A tender spot in your chest that goes on and off.
• Struggling for breath while breathing normally.
• Chest pains from taking a deep breath.
• Chest pain from sneezing or coughing.
• Sensitivity in the ribcage.
• Ever had a back pain that crossed to the front, around your chest?
• Is it painful to press the pit of your stomach (below the sternum)?
• Restricted range of motion when turning your torso.
• Pain along one of your ribs, along with a skin rash.
• FOR WOMEN: discomfort in the area where you do up your bra.

Lower Back Pain

Years of abusing your back (poor posture, improper lifting and the lack of body conditioning) make the back prone to injury. The lower back is particularly vulnerable and the dysfunction of its major joints can lead to painful results. Other pain-sensitive structures can be stretched, torn and distorted. Using spinal adjustments and other techniques, your chiropractor can treat many of the common low back problems described below.

Facet syndrome (back sprain) is most often brought on by a sudden movement or injury, often following years of back neglect, and results in pain and stiffness and difficulty moving. You may find yourself bent off to one side.

Sacroiliac syndrome occurs from a sudden injury or movement and is felt as a sudden pain in the hip area. You have difficulty changing positions and the pain can be excruciating. It is sometimes difficult to differentiate from a facet syndrome or disc herniation. This is the most commonly misdiagnosed back problem, usually called a muscle pull.

Herniated (slipped) discs are brought on by a sudden movement, often lifting, on top of general wear and tear and may cause severe pain in the back and legs. It takes quite a while to build up and may take quite a while to get better.

Muscle and ligament Strain is most often caused by poor posture or an old untreated back injury. Symptoms are chronic backaches with occasional spasms.

Scoliosis (curvature of the spine) is most common among teenage girls. It is important that it be screened for after the age of 10. Your chiropractor can show you how. While few symptoms may occur, the long term effects can be quite significant.

Is lower back pain really a serious problem?

First of all, if it makes life more difficult for you, that's serious in itself. Even if it goes away in a few days, you haven't really gotten rid of the problem. It will most likely return and, if left untreated, could be more debilitating the next time. Which is why we recommend seeing a chiropractor at the first sign of back pain.

Lower back pain can also be accompanied by a variety of symptoms, some of which indicate very serious problems. Do you currently have or have you ever had:

• Leg pain with numbness, tingling and/or weakness?
• Back or leg pain with coughing or sneezing?
• Difficulty standing up after sitting for any period of time?
• Morning stiffness?
• Pain after extended walking?
• Pain in the hip, buttock, thigh, knee or foot?

If you've answered "yes" to any of these symptoms, it's time you got help from a doctor. A doctor of chiropractic.

What are herniated discs?

The 24 vertebrae of your spine are separated from one another by pads of cartilage called discs. These discs have a fairly tough outer layer with a soft interior to cushion against the shocks and strains experienced as you move and put various stresses on your spine. The discs are subject to injury, disease, and degeneration with use over time. Certain activities and types of work increase the risk of discs being damaged or deteriorating. When the soft interior material of a disc pushes out through a tear or weakening in the outer covering, the disc is said to be herniated.

Herniated discs are also called protruding, bulging, ruptured, prolapsed, slipped, or degenerated discs. There are fine distinctions between these terms, but all really refer to a disc that is no longer in its normal condition and/or position. Herniated discs cause pain by impinging on (intruding upon, irritating, and pinching) and even injuring nerves in the spinal column.

What are some of the typical symptoms of herniated discs?

Most disc herniation takes place in the lower back (lumbar spine). The second most common site of herniation is the neck (cervical spine). A herniated lumbar disc may send pain shooting down through your buttock and thigh into the back of your leg (sciatica). Cervical disc herniation may cause pain in the shoulder, arm, and hand. Herniated discs can cause muscle weakness, make it hard to get up when you've been sitting or lying down, cause pain when you strain to do something, even when you cough or sneeze. They sometimes produce pain in the lower right side of the abdomen. Herniated discs may also affect nerves to the bladder and bowel, causing incontinence. This symptom signals the need for immediate, emergency attention.

What can chiropractic do?

There is broad acceptance among health care professionals and the public of the recommendation that the pain from herniated discs be initially treated conservatively. That is, as long as there are no signs (such as severe pain, numbness, or functional impairment from nerve involvement) of the need for more invasive treatment, two or three months of chiropractic care may be the best choice before considering to spinal surgery or shots of analgesics (painkillers) in your back. And only a minority of disc herniations turn out to require treatment as traumatic and costly as hospitalization and surgery or with as many side effects (especially for older people) as opioid analgesics and muscle relaxants.

Sciatica

The term Sciatica refers to pain, numbness and occasionally muscle weakness in the area supplied by the sciatic nerve, i.e. hip, buttock, posterior thigh, calf and foot. The patient may experience a crawling sensation over the affected area and an inability to walk on his toes or heels due to muscle weakness. There are many possible causes for sciatica, but the most frequent cause has been found to be faulty alignment and mechanics of the lower spine and pelvis. Such faulty alignment serves to compress or irritate the sciatic nerve with a resulting painful inflammation of the nerve. Faulty spinal-pelvic alignment may result from a single fall, accident or unusual exercise or such structural deficits may develop gradually as part of an over all posture distortion pattern.

The top three ways the sciatic nerve is injured:

• The nerve openings between adjacent vertebrae in the lower back may be partially occluded by a misaligned or subluxated vertebra. Nerves which make up the sciatic nerve are compressed and irritated as they pass through the partially occluded openings.
• A sacro-iliac subluxation or distortion may exert a direct pressure on the sciatic nerve.
• The deep muscles of the buttock may be placed under unusual stress by a faulty pelvic alignment. the stretched or even collapsed muscles may squeeze and irritate the sciatic nerve as it passes between them.