Frequently with occult ligament tears, the structure stays in place due to the supportive surrounding tissues and therefore, neurologically, nothing is compressed or damaged. But over time, those supportive tissues will become lax and the joint will first aberrantly position (misalignment), followed by neurological compromise.  Clinical findings demonstrate that ultimately, the joint will prematurely degenerate (as a result of the misalignment).  According to Robert et al. (2000), negative X-Rays and MRI’s do not exclude cervical injury with significant mechanism of injuries.  They conclude that examination under fluoroscopy or digital motion x-ray is an effective tool to diagnose the occult ligament tear. Therefore, it is not responsible to consider that no injuries were sustained in the presence of negative x-rays or MRI’s until all testing has been concluded.

Currently fluoroscopy or digital motion x-rays are NOT frequently ordered, but can be done when medically appropriate to diagnose an occult ligament tear or other pathology.  If you have been in a recent car accident or other trauma, then call your Maitland Chiropractor today 407-629-5333 to discuss examination and treatment options for pain relief.

Traumatic Neck Extension

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NSAID’s carry many potential side effects and can potentially damage the stomach and/or kidneys with long term use.  Anyone NSAID’s for an extended period of time (e.g. six months or more), a blood test needs to be performed to check for early signs of kidney damage.

If you find that you or someone you know regularly takes NSAID pain relievers and has for an extended period of time you may want to consider addressing the underlying cause or finding a natural alternative before permanent damage is done to a vital organ like stomach ulcer or kidney failure.  Omega-3 EFA’s are only one of many possible natural treatments for chronic pain and inflammation.  Call your Maitland Chiropractor today 407-629-5333 to make an appointment to discuss your chronic painful condition to see if there is a natural alternative to handle the pain and reduce or eliminate pain medication like NSAID’s today.

References:

• Maroon, JC and Bost,  JW.  “Omegea-3 fatty acids (fish oil) as an anti-inflammatory:  an alternative to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for discogenic pain.”  Surgical Neurology, 2006; 65; 326-331.

• Houston, M and Sparks, W.  “Latest Findings on Essential Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Health.” The Original Internist, June 2008; 65-69.

FDM is patient focused and NOT disease focused model. Example: A FMD practitioner encounters a patient who presents with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) they don’t “treat” the patient’s RA, but instead assess the weaknesses and imbalances in that patient’s physiology to try to understand why the patient got RA in the first place. The FDM practitioner is discovering and correcting the underlying cause of a disease process or dysfunction so the body can return to a state of health and wellness.

Goals of FDM:

1. Prevention of disease and dysfunction.

a. Identify risk factors

b. Make patient aware that they have risk factors for developing disease process

c. Helping patient avoid, reduce and modify risk with focused and individualized treatment

2. Early detection of disease and dysfunction through the use of:

a. Focused history

b. Functionally oriented physical exam

c. Functionally oriented laboratory testing

3. Advanced patient specific treatment techniques:

a. Lifestyle modification

b. Therapeutic exercise

c. Structural Support

d. Diet

e. Nutritional Support

f. Stress Reduction

g. Other treatments (as appropriate)

h. Referral and/or co-management with specialist(s)

4. Aim of Treatment Protocols:

a. Address the underlying cause(s) as revealed by examination and testing

b. Respect biochemical individuality

c. Focus on restoring the patient’s physiological function

d. Cause no harm to the patient

People who may benefit from FDM:

1. Those who want to lose weight or change body composition

2. People the energy issues like fatigue or weakness

3. Individuals suffering with inflammatory conditions

a. Obesity

b. Arthritis

c. Muscular inflammation

d. Atherosclerosis

e. Type II Diabetes

f. Auto-immune (ex: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, etc.)

g. Gastrointestinal Inflammation (Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Crohn’s disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Gastritis, etc.)

4. Individuals with blood sugar deregulation:

a. Metabolic Syndrome

b. Type II diabetes

c. Insulin sensitivities eg. Hyperinsulinemia which is associated with the following conditions:

i. Atherosclerosis

ii. Obesity

iii. Hypertension

iv. Hyperlipidemia

v. Predisposition to certain cancers especially bowel, breast and prostate

vi. Alzheimer’s disease

vii. Premature aging with the problem of Advanced Glycosylation End Products (AGE’s)

5. People with cardiovascular disease and dysfunction:

a. Hypertension

b. Hyperlipidemia

c. Atherosclerosis

d. Congestive heart failure

e. Vascular insufficiencies

6. Stress Related Issues

7. Hormonal conditions:

a. Decreased libido

b. Menstrual problems: endometriosis, PMS

c. Menopausal issues

d. Infertility (male & female)

8. Dermatological Conditions

Are you tired of masking your symptoms with drugs? Call your Maitland Chiropractor for a FDM evaluation today 407-629-5333.

Symptoms of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) can include neck, shoulder, and arm pain, numbness, or impaired circulation to the extremities.  Frequently symptoms are reproduced when the arm is positioned above the shoulder or extended.  Some patients can have a wide variation of symptoms from mild and intermittent, to severe and constant.  Sometimes the pain can extend to the fingers and hands, causing weakness.

There are many different types of injuries that can happen in a car accident.  Call your Maitland Chiropractor today 407-629-5333 to discuss non-surgical pain relief options.

 Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

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 If you think you have a herniated disc or other back pain condition, then call your Maitland Chiropractor today to discuss non-surgical pain relief options 407-629-5333.

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If you suffer with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) call your Maitland Chiropractor today 407-629-5333 to discuss non-surgical treatment options.  If you have been in a recent car accident and have whiplash or wrist sprain you should get checked out.

Whiplash is caused by a physical trauma which usually causes injury to the soft tissue of the neck and upper back, and often, even to the mid back and lower back. Traumatic injury can lead to acute stagnation of Qi (energy) and blood in the local channels the above areas. The nature of pain is usually sharp, stabbing and fixed. It is also often aggravated with activity and movement and relieved is often relieved by acupuncture techniques that free circulation of the Qi and blood in the body.
Acupuncture has developed an excellent reputation as a treatment for relieving pain.

Acupuncture can help Whiplash in the following ways:

• relieves pain completely, or significantly (with goal to give the patient as much relief as possible)
• improves the patient’s ability to deal with their whiplash injury
• helps regulate an individuals emotions i.e. depression, anxiety, fear, worry and sadness are common emotions someone may feel after a whiplash injury
• increases an individual’s energy levels
• helps an individual deal with their activities of daily living (ADL’s), by increasing the ability to perform tasks that have become difficult since the injury
• enhances the patient’s quality of life
• reduces reliance on prescription medication and prevents associated side effects.

The basic premise about pain in Chinese Medicine is: “If there is free flow, there is no pain; however, if there is a disruption in the free flow of Qi and blood circulation, then pain occurs. The circulation of Qi and blood in the body should be constant, just like the coming and going of the ocean’s tide.

For whiplash occurring during a car accident, the ten most reported symptoms with their estimated prevalence, are: neck pain (97%), headache (97%), TMJ (82%), shoulder pain (65%), anxiety (55%), back pain (42%), depression (41%), visual symptoms (blurred vision) (35%), and dizziness (23%)⁽¹⁾. Clinical investigation often reveals cervical strain, muscle tears, and/or rupture of ligaments, cervical disc herniation, cervical spine fracture and cervical facet-joint injury. Acupuncture has been an effective treatment in alleviating the symptoms mentioned above and helping to accelerate the healing process of these conditions.

One study by Rabl V, et al, focused on the effect of acupuncture on 153 patients suffering from pain, edematous conditions, and impaired movement following traumas sustained in accidents. Following a standardized acupuncture program, there was a significant improvement in all nine groups within the total sample of patients.⁽²⁾

Even auricular (ear) acupuncture was found to be effective at alleviating symptoms post whiplash.  This was demonstrated in a study of 30 whiplash patients by Hertz H, et al.⁽³⁾

TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicicine)Treatment for Whiplash Injuries

When providing acupuncture treatment for whiplash, regarding the selection of specific acupuncture points to be used, one must consider several factors:

1. the specific meridian system affected, which is usually the musculo-tendino meridian system
2. pattern differentiation
3. local symptoms reported and observed
4. the effectiveness of acupuncture pointe combinations including both distal and local points
5. the combination of acupuncture points in body meridians and auricular acupuncture points
6. the combination of acupuncture with traditional electrical modalities, chiropractic adjustment and exercise (stretching & rehab).

Whiplash Stages and Acupuncture

Acute Stage there are two types of TCM problems, Qi Stagnation and Blood Stasis.

(1) Qi Stagnation

Symptoms include: neck (unilateral or bilateral), shoulder and upper back pain, soreness and heaviness in the upper extremities (which is usually worse with cold and better with heat), temporal and occipital pain, moving or wandering pain, neck muscle tension, limited neck range of motion, fluctuating emotions, headaches, insomnia, feelings of by anxiety and sometimes even panic.

(2) Blood Stasis

Symptoms include: stabbing and burning pain in the neck and upper extremity, pain in a fixed location, which is increased at night and intensified with pressure, numbness or a tingling sensation in the fingers, headache and vertigo (dizziness).

Chronic Stage

Symptoms can include: history of whiplash injury, neck stiffness accompanied by a pulling sensation, upper extremity heaviness, numbness in the finger tips, dizziness and nausea, and neck pain aggravated by humidity and changes in barometric pressure. Soreness and weakness in the neck, tinnitus (ringing in the ears), vertigo (dizziness), blurred vision, hot flashes, a dry throat, insomnia, dream-disturbed sleeping, irritability, poor sitting and standing tolerance, soreness in the waist and in the knee joints, finger numbness and muscle spasms, along with tightness in the upper and lower extremities.

Acupuncture Treatment of Local Symptoms

(1) Neck pain: Depending on the specific location of pain, there a variety of acupuncture points that can be used.

(2) Shoulder pain

(3) Headache

(4) Temporal mandibular joint (TMJ):  If a patient complains of discomfort or pain around thetemporomandibular joint or jaw.

(5) Dizziness (Vertigo)

(6) Back pain (lower back or upper back)

What next?

 If you have been in a recent auto accident and think that you might have been injured or still have questions, then call your Maitland Chiropractor today 407-629-5333.  Dr. Bolick is board certified in Acupuncture.  Don’t delay, the longer you wait the more difficult your injuries can be to treat.  Call 407-629-5333 today.  We offer many options from mainstream chiropractic & rehab to both needle and non-needle acupuncture treatment options.

References

1. 1.     InjuryResources.com
2. 2.     Rabl V, et al, he effect of Standardized Acupuncture Program in the Aftercare of Accident Patients, Unfallchirugie, 1983, 9(6):308
3. 3.     Hertz H, et al, Treatment of Whiplash Injuries of the Cervical Spine with Acupuncture, Aktuelle Traumatol 1983, 13(4):151
4. 4.    Fattori B, et al, Acupuncture Treatment of Whiplash Injury, Int Tinnitus, 2004:10 (2), p.156-160

The whiplash mechanism, which is often taken lightly, usually causes serious pathology, such as disc herniation, bleeding and tearing of tissue; that can be permanent conditions. In many cases, whiplash can be caused from a single vehicle, no damage, accident. If you have been in a recent car accident or have auto injury questions, then call your Orlando chiropractor today 407-629-5333.  Pain relief from whiplash type injuries is usually easier to manage the sooner treatment begins; call today 407-629-5333.  Post accident headaches should be promptly evaluated.

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 As an example, if a 22-year-old body builder and a 90-year-old man that is  4’2” and riddled with arthritis are both in the same accident, who will be hurt more, the person with no arthritis or the person with a significant amount of arthritis? The answer is, the 90-year-old man with a significant amount of arthritis.

 Rao et al. (2005) 2) Ehara et al. (2001) 3) Kaale et al. (2005)  4) Regenbogen et al. (1986) all conclude in their research that pre-existing arthritic degeneration causes more bodily injury than a person with no arthritis.  Beyond the research, common sense dictates the same.

 If you have been in a recent car accident or have auto injury questions, then call your Winter Park chiropractor today 407-629-5333.  Pain relief from whiplash type injuries is usually easier to manage the sooner treatment begins; call today 407-629-5333.

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Acupuncture has its roots from China. In fact, authorities agree the science is between 5,000 and 7,000 years old. Its use spread throughout ancient Egypt, the Middle East, the Roman Empire and later into Western Europe as merchants and missionaries to China told of the amazing discoveries the people of the Orient had developed. Acupuncture did not become known widely in the U.S. until 1971 when diplomatic relations between China and America were relaxed.

Acupuncture may appear mysterious at first, because its primary notoriety is the utilization of needles placed in the skin at various locations to relieve pain or affect a body part.

How is Acupuncture Delivered?

Acupuncture is a principle, not a technique. Therefore, a practitioner may stimulate an Acupoint in a manner other than using a needle, just as there are many different strokes used in swimming.

Stimulation of one or a combination of key “Acupoints” on the body may restore harmony to the affected area. “Acupoints” can be stimulated by needles, laser, electronic probe or by pressure massage.

It is said “More people have benefited from Acupuncture over the course of fifty centuries than the combined total of all other healing sciences, both ancient and modern.”

Is Acupuncture Only Done By Needle?

The goal of Acupuncture is to restore normalcy to the body’s energy balance by using a combination of Acupoints located along the twelve meridians. This can be accomplished by a variety of means; the needle is just one possible method.

Many people assume that inserting a needle into the skin would be painful since most of us can relate to being stuck with a pin or having a medical injection by syringe. However, four Acupuncture needles can easily be inserted into the hollow tube of a common hypodermic needle. Because of the extreme thinness of the needle, most people compare the sensations to “less than a mosquito bite.”

Needles obviously have their place in clinical practice, but many modern physicians certified in Acupuncture and licensed Acupuncturists are employing electronic and laser stimulation to the Acupoint with equal effectiveness as the needle. Both of these procedures are painless and are quickly becoming standard worldwide.

Is Acupuncture Accepted by the Medical Community?

Medical research continues in the U.S. and around the world to attempt to explain in western scientific terms what the ancient Chinese seventy centuries earlier described. Today, many theories have been postulated as to why Acupuncture is so effective in pain control. However, as more discoveries are made, more research is indicated.  Many medical doctors perform Acupuncture personally or refer their patients out to receive Acupuncture treatment for a wide variety of conditions.

How Many Treatments Will I Need?

The number of treatments varies with different conditions and individuals. Chronic (long standing) problems generally require more treatment than acute (recent onset) ones. Some patients notice an immediate improvement after the first treatment, whereas others many not notice any effect until the seventh or eighth visit. It’s been shown that a certain percentage of patients receive maximum benefit up to three months following a course of therapy.

Why Should I Call For an Appointment?

Dr. Channing Bolick, D.C. received his Fellowship in Acupuncture on January 30, 1999 from the International Academy of Medical Acupuncture and has obtained hundreds of hours in post graduate training in Acupuncture in the years to follow.   Dr. Bolick is Board Certified in Acupuncture and utilizes both needle and non-needle techniques such as laser, electronic and acu-pressure.   Dr. Bolick commonly utilities Electro Meridian Imaging or EMI (developed in 1982 and based on the earlier Ryodoraku examination developed in 1951 by Dr. Yoshio Nakatani M.D., Ph.D.).  The typical Western minded patient exhibits much more confidence in this contemporary electronic computer enhanced EMI style of examination over the ancient pulse and tongue diagnosis methods. Electro Meridian Imaging (EMI) allows the patient to take home a printed copy of their graphic interpretation as well as diagnostic criteria. In addition, it can be a more objective tool for measuring patient progress and help the physician scientifically measure the imbalances in the 12 meridians.   Call Dr. Bolick for an appointment today 407-629-5333.

Conditions Treated With Acupuncture

The following is a list of conditions which the World Health Organization determined may respond to acupuncture:

  Upper Respiratory Tract    

  •   Acute sinusitis   

  •   Acute rhinitis   

  •   Common Cold   

  •   Acute tonsillitis 

   Respiratory System    

  •   Acute bronchitis   

  •   Bronchial asthma (most effective in children and in patients without complicating diseases) 

   Disorders of the Eye    

  •   Acute conjunctivitis   

  •   Central retinitis   

  •   Myopia (in children)   

  •   Cataract (without complications) 

   Disorders of the Mouth    

  •   Toothache, post-extraction pain   

  •   Gingivitis

 •   Acute and chronic pharyngitis 

  Gastro-intestinal Disorders    

  •   Spasms of esophagus and cardia  (junction of esophagus with the stomach) 

  •   Hiccough   

  •   Gastroptosis   (abnormal downward displacement of the stomach)

  •   Acute and chronic gastritis   

  •   Gastric (stomach)hyperacidity   

  •   Chronic duodenal ulcer (pain relief)   

  •   Acute duodenal ulcer (without complications)   

  •   Acute and chronic colitis   

  •   Acute bacillary dysentery   

  •   Constipation   

  •   Diarrhea   

  •   Paralytic ileus 

  Neurological and Musculoskeletal Disorders    

  •   Headache and migraine   

  •   Trigeminal neuralgia   

  •   Facial palsy (early stage, i.e., within three to six months)   

  •   Pareses  (slight or partial paralysis) following a stroke   

  •   Peripheral neuropathies   

  •   Sequelae of poliomyelitis (early stage, i.e., within six months)   

  •   Meniere’s disease   

  •   Neurogenic bladder dysfunction   

  •   Nocturnal enuresis   

  •   Intercostal neuralgia   

  •   Cervicobrachial syndrome   

  •   “Frozen shoulder,” “tennis elbow”   

  •   Sciatica   

  •   Low back pain   

  •   Osteoarthritis 

 Some common conditions treated by Acupuncture include:

  Chronic pain   

  •   neck and back pain   

  •   migraine headaches

  Acute injury-related pain   

  •   sprains   

  •   strains

  Gastrointestinal problems   

  •   indigestion   

  •   ulcers   

  •   constipation   

  •   diarrhea

  Cardiovascular conditions   

  •   high and low blood pressure

  Genitourinary problems   

  •   menstrual irregularity   

  •   infertility   

  •   impotence

  Muscle and nerve conditions   

  •   paralysis   

  •   deafness

  Addictive Behaviors   

  •   substance abuse   

  •   overeating   

  •   drug dependence   

  •   smoking

  Surgery   

  •   anesthesia

 Call Dr. Bolick for an appointment today 407-629-5333.