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Many people experience headache pain, and tension headaches are a frequent problem in our busy world. Postural problems and stress are common causes of tension headache pain, and ones that Gadsden Family Chiropractic and the personnel here in our Gadsden, AL chiropractic office have a lot of experience in treating.

Research Supports Chiropractic Eases Tension Headaches

The scientific literature shows our findings: A 2016 study from Spain treated a group of 76 patients with chronic tension headaches. The participants were divided into four treatment groups: 19 patients were treated with suboccipital inhibition (the therapist presses on the tight tissues at the top of the spine); 19 with chiropractic adjustments; 19 with both adjustments and suboccipital inhibition; and 19 received no treatment.

The researchers discovered that the spinal adjustments were beneficial at relieving pain, and that the best results were found when spinal adjustments were coupled with the suboccipital inhibition.

When we get run down, the nerves and tissues in the neck can be disrupted, leading to pain. Chiropractic works by removing these strains and restoring the normal nerve function to the tissues.

We're Here to Help Clients Find Help From Tension Headaches

If you live in Gadsden, AL and suffer from any kind of headache, we're here to help you get relief. Call Gadsden Family Chiropractic today at (256) 543-3033 for an appointment or more information.

Reference

Espi-Lopez GV, Rodriguez-Blanco C, Oliva-Pascual-Vaca A, et al. Do manual therapy techniques have a positive effect on quality of life in people with tension-type headache? A randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Physical Rehabilitation Medicine 2016; February 29.

Chiropractic is based on the principle of enabling your body to naturally heal through spinal adjustments and lifestyle changes that promote wellness. For Gadsden Family Chiropractic, this involves working hard to reestablish your body's normal performance to prevent the need for medications or surgical treatments. We find that many of our Gadsden, AL patients are relieved to find a natural answer for their health conditions.

One benefit of chiropractic is that it helps people minimize or even eliminate the use of narcotics. Prescriptions are commonly supplied to individuals who have back pain. This is such a serious crisis that the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) issued a press release stating that opioid (painkiller) dangers overshadow the benefits when prescribed for back pain.

Some of the most common narcotics, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, include hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet), morphine, and codeine. Statistics offered by the AAN cite the fact that roughly 50% of the people taking these drugs for a period of three months are still on them five years later. This can further complicate the problem of back pain and healing, especially if an opiate dependency occurs.

Compare that to chiropractic which involves natural healing and the benefits are crystal clear. While a drug might be helpful at temporarily relieving the symptoms of a health issue, it's not a solution to the problem. A drug won't mend your injured back; it will only conceal the pain.

Gadsden Family Chiropractic will first examine you to get to the origin of your back pain and then work with you to solve the spinal interference -- without the need for risky medications.

If you're ready for relief, naturally, give our Gadsden, AL office a call at (256) 543-3033 to make an appointment with Gadsden Family Chiropractic.

References

• Risk of opioids outweigh benefits for headache, low back pain, other conditions. American Academy of Neurology;September 29, 2014.
• What are opioids? National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/prescription-drugs/opioids/what-are-opioids

Back Pain is a common symptom after an auto collision, and it's something that Gadsden Family Chiropractic sees frequently in our Gadsden, AL office. Let's look at the root cause of back pain after a car accident and see how your chiropractor can help.

During a rear-end car crash, your car and car seat are quickly accelerated forward against your torso. Since car seats don't perfectly align with the curve of your spine, the seat can put inconsistent pressure on your lower back. This can cause some of your spinal vertebrae to move in one direction while an adjacent vertebrae might move in another direction. This differential movement can sprain or strain the ligaments that hold your spine together. This type of injury can cause chronic back pain if not treated right away. Thankfully, chiropractic is one of the most effective ways to treat back pain.

If you've been hurt in a car crash and you're struggling with back pain, Gadsden Family Chiropractic is here to help. First, we'll do a careful evaluation to determine the root cause of your pain, and then decide how to restore your body's natural functioning. Ready to make an appointment? Give us a call at (256) 543-3033 and we'll get you back on the road to health.

When playing sports that require a lot of lower body movement, like football, soccer, and basketball, it's common to sustain some type of injury to your hips or legs. Between pulled hamstrings, sprained ankles, knee injuries, and more, many athletes have found themselves out of commission. Gadsden Family Chiropractic has seen all of these problems in our Gadsden, AL patients. The good news is, chiropractic care can help prevent some of these injuries from developing and research proves it.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps With Sports Injuries & Recovery

Gadsden Family Chiropractic keeps current with all of the recent scientific research, and in a report published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, researchers from Macquarie University in Australia studied 59 semi-elite Australian Rules football players. Roughly one-half were placed in a control group and the others were put in a therapy group that received sports chiropractic care at regular intervals. During the first six weeks, this meant getting care once per week. The following three months consisted of an adjustment every two weeks before reducing those to one visit monthly for the final three months of the study.

The authors noted that there was a "significant" decrease in the number of leg strains the players received in the treatment group when compared to the control. In addition, they noticed that the subjects who engaged in chiropractic also had fewer weeks of missed practice and games as a result of non-contact knee injuries. This led them to determine that sports chiropractic treatment should be added to "the current best practice management."

Every major sports team in the US and the US Olympic Team has chiropractors on staff for their players, because they know that chiropractic really works. If you live near our office in Gadsden, AL and would like to see if Gadsden Family Chiropractic can help you boost your performance or reduce sports injuries, give our office a call today at (256) 543-3033 for an appointment.

Gadsden Family Chiropractic Can Help Patients Find Relief From Sports Injuries and Recover Faster

If you're suffering from severe pain, Gadsden Family Chiropractic and our staff are here to help you heal. Give our Gadsden, AL office a call today at (256) 543-3033 for an appointment today.

Bibliographic Reference

Hoskins W, Pollard H. The effect of a sports chiropractic manual therapy intervention on the prevention of back pain, hamstring and lower limb injuries in semi-elite Australian rules footballers: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2010;11(64).

We work with many back pain patients in our Gadsden, AL chiropractic office, and Gadsden Family Chiropractic and our staff uses a variety of techniques to help get you out of pain and restore your spine's normal, healthy function. We find spinal decompression to be an effective approach.

Understanding Spinal Decompression Therapy

To help you better understand spinal decompression therapy, think of the discs in your spine like small balloons filled with jello. When you compress them (which occurs due to normal living, sustaining an injury, or other medical conditions), they can protrude, placing pressure on the nerves in your spine. This affects your brain's ability to communicate with tissues in the rest of your body.

If the force on the discs becomes too high, the discs can herniate or bulge. This reduces the cushion between your vertebrae and can cause pain. The purpose of spinal decompression therapy is to reduce this pressure to help increase your body's function and also reduce your level of discomfort.

Can Spinal Decompression Therapy Help Me?

Spinal decompression therapy relieves disc pressure through the use of a specially designed table that gently elongates your spinal column through slow and controlled movements. This decreases the pressure placed on your discs. Some studies show an increase in disc height by as much as 1.3 millimeters after just six weeks of spinal decompression therapy.

If you're wondering if spinal decompression therapy could help you feel and perform better, simply call our Gadsden, AL office and schedule an appointment with Gadsden Family Chiropractic today. Your optimal health is our number one priority!

Resources

Apfel CC, Cakmakkaya OS, Richmond C, et al. Restoration of disk height through non-surgical spinal decompression is associated with decreased discogenic low back pain: a retrospective cohort study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2010;11(155). doi:10.1186/1471-2474-11-155

In our Gadsden, AL practice, it's common for us to see patients struggling with sciatic nerve pain, and Gadsden Family Chiropractic has helped many of them recover with chiropractic. What makes chiropractic care so helpful to those who suffer with sciatica? First, it shortens their recovery time and a Norwegian medical study confirms it.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps With Sciatica Pain

In the article, which took place in a Norwegian hospital's orthopedic department, the authors looked at 44 patients who presented with abrupt low back pain that was diagnosed as acute sciatica. The participants were all treated by a chiropractor, with the mean follow-up being two years after treatment.

The researchers found that all but two patients went back to their jobs after receiving chiropractic adjustments, which is a 95% success rate. What's more, the average length of time that the patients spent off work "was reduced by two thirds as compared with that associated with conventional medical treatment."

Considering that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 170,450 days of work were missed in 2013 due to employees dealing with back or spine-related issues, that is nearly 112,500 work days that could potentially be recovered each and every year solely by receiving chiropractic care. Not only would that increase productivity, but it would also reduce costs to businesses and employees from lost work.

We Can Help Patients Find Relief From Sciatica

If you live in Gadsden, AL and you suffer from sciatica pain, Gadsden Family Chiropractic is here to assist. Give us a call at (256) 543-3033 and we'll work with you to find the root cause of your sciatic pain and get you back on the road to health.

Orlin JR, Didriksen A. Results of chiropractic treatment of lumbopelvic fixation in 44 patients admitted to an orthopedic department. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2007;30(2):135-139.

Headache and neck pain are common problems that affect millions of men and women around the world. If you are dealing with this type of problem, you're not alone. The good news is that chiropractic care is the best way to not only treat these common problems, but also help prevent future episodes.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps With Neck Pain and Headaches

For many years, people with neck and headache pain in Gadsden, AL have been helped by the chiropractic adjustments of Gadsden Family Chiropractic. Our success is backed up by a recent review done in Canada that found that non-invasive, non-drug solutions are the best choice for neck and headache pain.

The study looked at 15 studies from 1990 to 2015 and found that conservative treatment comprised of chiropractic adjustments, exercises, and stretches was recommended before turning to drugs or more invasive procedures.

Past scientific studies have shown that chiropractic is effective and safe for neck pain and many other health conditions.

We Can Help Clients Find Relief From Neck Pain and Headaches

If you're suffering from neck pain or headaches, Gadsden Family Chiropractic and our staff are here to help you heal. Give our Gadsden, AL office a call today at (256) 543-3033 for an appointment today.

Reference

Varatharajan S, Ferguson B, Chrobak K, et al. Are non-invasive interventions effective for the management of headaches associated with neck pain? An update of the Bone and Joint Decade Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration. European Spine Journal 2016; February 6:1-29.

There are many different kinds of headache, but one of the most common types is known as "cervicogenic headache," or headaches that originate in your neck.

Gadsden Family Chiropractic sees a lot of people in our Gadsden, AL office who are struggling with frequent headaches. Thankfully, chiropractic can often help, potentially reducing these types of headaches by 50%, and research confirms it.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps With Cervicogenic Headaches

A study was conducted involving 80 participants who reported experiencing at least five cervicogenic headaches during the prior three months. The objective was to see how effective chiropractic care was for this type of head pain, as well as to ascertain the number of treatment sessions required to achieve a positive effect.

The individuals were split into four separate groups, so that each group was similar in age, gender, number of cervicogenic headaches, and their intensity. Of the four groups, two engaged in chiropractic treatments and two received light massage. Furthermore, one group assigned to each treatment received eight sessions and the other group received twice that amount.

Each person was assessed based on head pain, neck pain, and disability prior to the study and 12 and 24 weeks after treatment was complete. The researchers found that those who received chiropractic as opposed to massage reported fewer headaches at the conclusion of the study. Furthermore, improvements were maintained when checked six months after treatment ended.

Additionally, participants who were taking medications for their headaches were able to lower their intake after completing the study. Those who received chiropractic had lower drug usage 24 weeks post-study.

We Can Help Clients Find Comfort From Head Pain

Gadsden Family Chiropractic has helped many people who were suffering from headaches in our Gadsden, AL office. Call us today at (256) 543-3033 for more information or for an appointment.

Reference

Haas M, Spegman A, Peterson D, Aickin M, Vavrek D. Dose response and efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic cervicogenic headache: a pilot randomized controlled trial. The Spine Journal 2010; 10: 117-128.

Gadsden Family Chiropractic sees many patients weekly in our busy Gadsden, AL chiropractic office who are looking for relief from the pain and suffering they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the medical literature confirms that chiropractic is an effective way to treat herniated disc problems.

Don't Suffer! Gadsden Family Chiropractic and Chiropractic Care Helps With Disc Herniation

One particular research study involved 27 people, 8 male and 19 female, who had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirming a disc herniation in either their neck or lower back. The individuals reported that they were experiencing pain, limited range of motion, and sensory issues bad enough to keep them off work.

During the course of the research study, the individuals were treated using one of two common chiropractic methods: traction for herniated discs in the cervical area or flexion distraction for the men and women who had herniation issues in the lumbar area.

Each person was treated four or five times per week for the first two weeks, then three times weekly, and then as needed for the rest of the study. Depending on the severity of the disc herniation, treatment varied anywhere from six weeks to six months, with MRIs being carried out at various stages to identify what impact, if any, the chiropractic care was having in regard to the disc herniation.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps With Back Pain and Herniated Disc

The investigators reported that 80 percent of the patients obtained a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced pain and a reduction in other issues, such as numbness. Furthermore, 77 percent of these men and women also showed MRI evidence that their disc herniation was either reduced or resolved completely. This resulted in 78 percent of the study participants being able to return to their place of work and led the researchers to conclude that chiropractic care is both "safe and helpful" for disc herniations.

If you have a herniated disc and suffer from chronic back pain and are near Gadsden Family Chiropractic in Gadsden, AL, contact our office today to see what chiropractic can do for you!

Reference
BenEliyahu, DJ. Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical follow-up: study of 27 patients receiving chiropractic care for cervical and lumbar disc herniations. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1996;19(9):597-606.

In our Gadsden, AL office, we see a large number of patients who are suffering from back pain, and a few of these folks have been informed they might need surgery to recover. Thankfully, Gadsden Family Chiropractic has helped many people get pain relief without the need for any type of surgery. The scientific literature confirms the results we see in our practice. One study published in the medical journal Spine found that seeing a chiropractor as your first step in dealing with your back issues may actually keep you off of the operating table.

In this study, medical researchers from Dartmouth analyzed statistics from about 1,900 workers from the state of Washington who first saw either a surgeon or a chiropractic doctor for their back-related issues. They then examined three years' worth of follow-up medical data to ascertain whether the patients wound up having back surgery in an attempt to treat the issue.

What the researchers found was that about 43% of the individuals who first saw a surgeon for their back problems ended up in surgery in that 3-year time span, whereas only 1.5 percent of those who first consulted with a chiropractor had the same fate. The authors wrote:

"Even after controlling for injury severity and other measures, workers with an initial visit for the injury to a surgeon had almost nine times the odds of receiving lumbar spine surgery compared to those seeing primary care providers, whereas workers whose first visit was to a chiropractor had significantly lower odds of surgery."

These are impressive findings. Consulting with a chiropractor drastically decreases your odds of having back surgery, plus the chiropractic patients in this scientific study "had lower odds of chronic work disability" and they also had fewer expensive MRI tests.

Let's also keep in mind this important point: this study was performed by orthopedic surgeons from Dartmouth College, and printed in the world's most prestigious medical journal on spinal injury.

Surgery: The Last Resort

Any surgical procedure has risks, but a serious problem linked to spinal surgery is that there is a very high rate of failure. In an important review in the European Spine Journal, researchers wrote:

"Failed back surgery is a problem that has become sufficiently widespread to even warrant its own special conferences, with recent reviews reporting failure rates ranging from 5 to 50%."

The experts in this same study concluded:

"It is extremely difficult to identify unequivocal predictor factors that can be used to accurately predict the outcome of surgery."

As a chiropractor, Gadsden Family Chiropractic is convinced that surgery should be the absolute last resort for treating back pain. Chiropractic care works to restore your spine to its normal function--without high-risk surgery or drugs--and many studies have confirmed the efficacy of chiropractic for back pain.

If you live in Gadsden, AL and you need relief for your back pain, give our practice a call today at (256) 543-3033 for a consultation or an appointment. We'll help get you back on the road to a pain-free life!

Studies

• Keeney BJ, Fulton-Kehoe D, Turner JA, Wickizer TM, Chan KC, Franklin GM. Early predictors of lumbar spine surgery after occupational back injury: results from a prospective study of workers in Washington State. Spine 2013;38(11):953-964.
• Mannion AF, Elfering A. Predictors of surgical outcome and their assessment. European Spine Journal 2006;15(Suppl 1):S93-S108.