Unfortunately, most doctors do not have specific training when it comes to automobile collision related injuries. It is not just regular medical doctors that miss this problem, but also most radiologists are not even looking for this hidden injury. The amount force experienced in an auto collision is unique in that it produces a condition that is also unique to the body. I’ve personally seen time and time again that the injury goes unnoticed and not worked up appropriately. This can have lifelong health repercussions and legal repercussions when this problem is not uncovered.
This is why it is very important for your well being to utilize specific car accident doctors that have been trained in dealing with these unique injuries. I’ve also seen doctors believe that the patient is faking their injuries because nothing is showing up on standard imaging studies. Unfortunately, this happens all too often because doctors are not accustomed to looking for Spinal Ligament damage.
The spine is held together by about a dozen different ligaments organized in a complex fashion which give rise to the spine’s stability. When one of these ligaments have been disrupted, the spine loses some of its integrity. The muscles often try and compensate by becoming very tight, which ultimately gives rise to myofascial pain syndromes that can be stubborn to treat. It’s often understood that when a patient is injured in a car crash, that the person has sustained a strain and a sprain, one of the most common diagnoses given. This begs the question of what is exactly sprained and strained.
Our diagnosis codes don’t even reflect the exact location of the sprain. This is very problematic because if the doctor doesn’t know where the exact sprain has occurred, how can one decide on which therapy to use or which site to target the therapy.
The whole idea of a spinal ligament being sprained is not new, but it is one of the most commonly overlooked conditions because there are many factors that go into trying to find these lesions. This is where the team approach in a multidisciplinary setting surpasses non-integrated clinics. There are also other factors of why these types of injuries are going unnoticed, which you can read more about in our blog.
Author: Dr. Trent Artichoker
Denver Chiropractic, LLC
3890 Federal Blvd Unit 1
Denver, CO 80211
303-455-2225
Do you often wake up in the mornings with neck or back pain and stiffness? Do you constantly fluff, poke, prod and flip your pillow to help find the most comfortable position to sleep? If you have ever woken up with a sore, stiff, or painful neck, shoulder, or back, you may be suffering from improper sleep. Did you ever think that the cause if the lump of feathers that you try to lay your head on every night? How long have you had that particular pillow and how do you know if it is the right fit for your neck?
You weren’t born with a pillow under your head
After all, you weren’t born with a pillow under your head and for the first years of your life you slept soundly without one. You lay there swaddled in your crib asleep on your back, on a cushy surface for sure, but without the propped up, forward or laterally flexed neck position that a pillow often forces you into. We all grow accustomed to our necks being in certain positions and are constantly searching for the one pillow to make the best fit.
The thought process behind the modern pillow is intended to help us in our sleep and help us feel comfortable. However, the majority of individuals are searching for that support in fluffy, thick, overly large pillows, that have been created to mimic the pillows that evolved from wealth and style and not with a conscious effort to work with our anatomy to cradle our head and neck in a neutral position.
The thick pillow is not so bad if you are a side sleeper but if you sleep on your back then a thick fluffy pillow is basically the antagonist of restful sleep and a healthy spine. This is due to these ‘gigantic mounds of fluff’ pushing our head into various positions of flexion and lateral flexion, basically breaking the healthy neutral position that our head should be in to keep our neck muscles relaxed and happy.
Which way of sleeping is best?
The general consensus is that the best position to sleep in is on your back with your head held in a neutral position. In this position, a small amount of support of the neck is acceptable to help keep the normal curve of the cervical spine, with a minimal amount of cushioned support for the skull. Remember, in this sleeping position the plane of the face should be running horizontal or parallel to the ceiling. Here is where our standard pillow fails in its role as a sleep aide. It is generally too large and thick to properly cradle the head and neck without causing major forward bending at the cervical spine eventually resulting in a military or straightened cervical curve.
The second best position is on our side. In this position the pillow should be the thickness of your shoulder with enough firmness from your pillow to support the head and neck strongly in a neutral position, but with enough cushion that your arm isn’t a preferable option. In this sleeping position, your head should be neutral. You may find that your pillow is too large or too small to accommodate a completely neutral head and neck position.
What should you do with your old pillow?
After replacing your pillow with a more accurately sized one, you can recycle your old fluffy pillow by placing it between your legs in order to keep your hips and thighs in a neutral position similar to what they would be if you were standing up.
If you sleep on your stomach, then you should be actively working on sleeping on your side or on your back. Nearly any pillow in this position forces your head to be placed in intensely rotated positions, and pushes your spine into unnatural, potentially detrimental curvatures.
If you are a back sleeper who after reading this post, pulled your fluffy hunk of a pillow out from under your head and attempted to lower your head and neck to the bed behind you, only to find that there appears to be an infinite distance between your head and your bedding, then your neck is probably in need of some retraining. Our suggestion is to slowly and incrementally lower your head over the course of several months to a year. Try changing the height an inch at a time, making no immediate drastic changes, until your neck sits comfortably in a neutral position.
Author: Dr. Brandon Siegmund is a chiropractor in Houston, Texas. You can read more about Dr. Siegmund by clicking here for his bio page.
From the Atkins, Paleo, Vegan to Mediterranean diets there is so much information and opinion out there regarding the best diets. How could you possibly make an informed decision with all that background noise? Some important points to consider when embarking on a new eating plan or lifestyle change include:
• We are all different, therefore how can it be possible that one solution for someone could be the right one for everyone?
• While individual differences need to be accounted for there still remains certain principles that apply to majority of us
• You should not view any change in eating habits as a ‘diet’ but rather an overhaul in your entire lifestyle to assist you in achieving greater longevity.
Australian Chiropractor, Dr. James Allen of Vitality Chiropractic Australia explains that “food can be an enormous contributing factor to your wellbeing and therefore must be taken seriously.” General education regarding food groups is very important. Dr. James lists grains, dairy, sugars and certain oils as the major food sources to be wary of. Given Chiropractors are primary health care experts we should be assessing patients for nutritional imbalances.
Do you show signs that the food you consume isn’t agreeing with your body? Potential signs may include generally being unwell, changes in mood, energy, concentration, bodily aches and pain, bloating, constipation and more.
Improve your eating starting now by formulating a lifestyle approach. How you move, eat and think, underpinned by an optimally functioning and adapting nerve system via Chiropractic care ensures your greatest opportunity to realize your human potential.
Author: James Allen
Applications of Dry Needling
Unlike acupuncture, which seems to treat everything under the sun from fertility issues to anxiety. Dry Needling is very particular in its applications. The main application is to treat trigger points. A trigger point is described as a particular point being nodular or taut and being irritable, especially with pressure. Pain is usually the central component of a myofascial trigger point and create referred pa. in, numbness, tingling, or all of the above. The trigger point can cause severe problems, enough for a person to go to the emergency room. If your lucky, you’ll find yourself in a chiropractic clinic that offers Dry Needling, as I’ve found it to be one of the most effect tools to help get rid of trigger points. This also begs the question of how does dry needling work?
When applied, the technique is very quick and to the point. The chiropractor will initially complete a thorough exam that includes an assessment of your biomechanics (how well your joints move), common orthopedic tests, neurological tests, consultation of your past and present medical history, and a soft tissue exam. Your chiropractor should explain what he/she found and detail a plan of how to get you better. This typically involves a multi-modal approach. That is using a combination of manual therapies, such as chiropractic adjustments, active release techniques, graston technique, cold laser therapy, massage, and Dry Needling.
Once you and your chiropractor agree that this technique is of benefit to your recovery, you will have to expose the area that will be dry needled. As a chiropractor in Denver, I mostly treat neck and back pain. The vast majority of these patients get dry needling in the hips and the shoulder area, which helps take tension off of the spine. Once the skin is exposed, the area is cleaned with alcohol, and the practitioner with gloved hands palpates for the trigger point. The needle is inserted into the trigger point and then piston like action is performed with the needle to elicit the latent twitch response. The twitch response is important as this is releasing the trigger point. The needle is withdrawn after 10-20 seconds and the process starts over with needling satellite trigger points. Patients often ask how does Dry Needling work?
How Does Dry Dry Needling Work?
The most commonly accepted theory revolves around the motor end plate of the motor neuron unit. This is the junction where the nerve that has exited the spine has attached to the muscle. This junction is dysfunctional and with trigger points, is an area of increased inflammation, and excitation. The synapse, the area where the nerve attaches, secretes a chemical to help contract the muscle. It is this process that becomes dysfunctional, and in a way, is left on to continuously stimulate the muscle to contract, and thus a trigger point is formed. The metal needle interferes with this motor unit. The nervous system work off of electrical impulses and thus the metal needle shorts this processes and helps to reset a motor neuron unit. It is similar to sticking a piece of metal into an electrical outlet that shorts out the system.
Dry Needling in Denver is typically performed by a chiropractor or a physical therapist. It can be very effective to help reduce tension and deactivate trigger points. Excessive tension is the hallmark of most musculoskeletal problems, and thus reducing tension can help restore function to a problematic or painful area.
Author: Dr. Trent Artichoker
Denver Chiropractic, LLC
3890 Federal Blvd Unit 1
Denver, CO 80211
303-455-2225
Auto Accident Injury Treatment
Not all auto accident injury treatment was created equal. I have found that the best approach utilizes multi disciplinary integrative treatment plans. This allows the best treatment options available from the variety of health care practitioners that treat whiplash accident injuries. Conversely, an approach that utilizes only one profession, such as chiropractic, massage, or anyone profession might not yield the best results for several reasons.
Going to your local family chiropractor for your whiplash accident may help temporarily, but ancillary services will help speed up your recovery and help prevent future aggravation of your injuries. Chiropractic is an excellent option to help realign the spine, but physical therapy will also keep the adjustments lasting longer. Massage therapy will help improve the circulation and help decrease excessive muscle tension that pulls the spine out of alignment. The medical doctor helps authorize the care so the insurance company pays as well as supervising treatment and provide any necessary referrals to specialists when needed.
In Denver we are seeing a huge jump in our population which is also congesting our roads. The increase in traffic is also causing an increase in whiplash accidents in Denver. These types of accidents can be very serious, and can produce significant injuries, such as concussions (mild traumatic brain injuries), facet syndrome, strains/sprains, which is what people with whiplash usually get in an accident.
Besides improved care with a multi disciplinary approach, your legal case also become better in terms of documentation. Improved documentation results in an increase in your case value, which means your rights are being protected. Utilizing one type of health provider will decrease your case value, this will decrease the funding needed for future medical expenses and may not help you recover all of your lost wages or any other economic damages.
Auto accident injury treatment in Denver provides the best outcomes with an integrative approach. Denver Chiropractic, LLC is an almost 4,000 square foot facility that houses chiropractic, massage, medical doctor (Dr. Lee Moorer), physician assistant, physical therapy, physical therapy assistant, acupuncture, and a rock solid team of assistants. If you are involved a whiplash accident or any other type of car accident in Denver, our team would to help you out. Call us 303-455-2225 to schedule a free consult for your auto accident injury treatment.
Author: Dr. Trent Artichoker
Denver Chiropractic, LLC
3890 Federal Blvd Unit 1
Denver, CO 80211
All automobile accidents are painful. Not only can there be expensive physical damage to your car, but there can also be serious injuries to the precious cargo inside your car – you and your passengers.
In the chaos following an accident, it’s not unusual for those involved to imagine that they feel just fine. The adrenaline racing through your body masks pain very effectively. Sometimes days or even weeks later, pain from injuries suffered in even what seemed to be an inconsequential accident can manifest itself in crippling ways. You may suddenly find that you cannot work, cannot play, and that the quality of your life has been seriously restricted. It is for this reason that you should quickly head to a chiropractor after an automobile accident.
In cases such as these, the passage of time can erode your rights to recover damages from the negligent driver. The tick-tock of passing time can be your worst enemy.
In the heat of the moment, we rarely think about future medical expenses, lost wages, pain, suffering, and the other cataclysmic impacts that may be visited upon you and your family as a result of someone else’s negligence. In order to protect yourself, it is essential that you visit a qualified chiropractor as soon after your accident as possible so that you can have a professional evaluation of your physical condition. If you wait until the painful evidence develops, you may be too late.
Of course, we hope you’re well. Too often, though, symptoms of whiplash, musculoskeletal trauma, or even internal injuries can develop after the fact – if you have not seen a chiropractor in a timely fashion or, worse, if you have been rushed into the settlement of your claim by an over-eager insurance adjustor, your right to recover these damages may already be gone.
Accidents happen – but, we know that lives can be forever altered as a consequence of someone else’s negligence. Thankfully, our system of justice works to protect the innocent, but it only works when you do your part. Protect yourself and your family. If you are involved in an automobile accident, get a chiropractic evaluation as soon as possible. Denver Chiropractic, LLC is your best bet, if you’re in the Denver area. And whatever else you do, don’t be badgered into settlement of your claim before you know how seriously the quality of your entire life might be diminished (–for that, check out TengeLaw.com who offers services in the Denver area as well.)
There is no surprise when it comes to peoples reactions when the topic of a chiropractor comes to the table. People loves us, hate us, and even tried to eradicate our profession (Wilk vs. American Medical Association). Unfortunately, most peoples vitriolic feelings stem from the long war on the chiropractic profession by the AMA. Fortunately, the profession has worked very hard in validating the beneficial effects of spinal manipulation and other related manual therapies for neck pain, back pain, headaches, car accident injuries, sports injuries, and other related musculoskeletal conditions. Regardless of the amount of research that does support our professions goals of helping people, there will always be naysayers. There are a multitude of reasons why people may not particularly like our profession, which I describe below.
- Expense. Some chiropractors can be very expensive and such services are out of reach for the common person. Today’s chiropractor can look very different than yesterday’s chiropractor and cracking backs ain’t all they do these days. Some of the most expensive chiropractors practice functional medicine, chiropractic neurology, and even soft tissue techniques like Active Release Techniques can be very pricey. In some clinics, 15 minutes of ART cost $99, or a functional medicine treatment plan may reach up to $10,000. Regardless of cost, putting a price on health can be difficult and the aforementioned fees pale in comparison to other providers fees in different health professions. Chiropractors spend an incredible amount of time and energy studying the most current health trends and even start health trends. The next time you question a chiropractors fee, you might want to question the cost of not using a chiropractor.
- Fear of the unknowing. Unanimously we are grouped together as bone crackers and this can scare the bejesus out of common folk. Everyone has seen the bad guy crack a poor dudes neck with a quick twist and instantly put him down. Keep in mind that we like to fix people and not break them, as that would be way bad for business. Some of my patients let me know right away that they are scared of getting adjusted. I understand the stigma and it comes from not knowing what to expect and fearing the worst out of the experience. If people want to fear the adjustment, they should whole heatedly fear the self adjustment. Seeing people wrenching on their own necks freaks me out! Stop it people, that is not normal! Chiropractors are like ninjas when it comes to adjusting the spine. The adjustment can be smooth, quick, and so gratifying you might wanna light up a cigarette afterwords.
- Myths. Once you go to a chiropractor, you always have to go. Chiropractors are quacks! Chiropractors are not real doctors. Chiropractic care is dangerous. There is no proof that chiropractic works. Adjustments hurt. They don’t call these myths for nothing as each one of these can be discussed further. There is a reason that chiropractic is standing the test of time, and it is because it works!
The chiropractic profession in today’s world is very diverse and can offer very high quality affordable health care. Researching Denver chiropractor reviews or pick your specific city plus chiropractor reviews can offer a large amount of real experience online reviews. Review sites such as Yelp, help validate honest reviews and can be very useful. I also wrote a blog article on how to pick the best chiropractor that may also help you decide.
Author: Dr. Trent Artichoker
Denver Chiropractic, LLC
3890 Federal Blvd Unit 1
Denver, CO 80211
303-455-2225
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