Lawrenceville, Ga Chiropractor - Back Pain!

Have You Lost Work Time Because of Your Back Pain?

“I can’t believe how much my low back hurts! I don’t know if I can go to work with it like this!” Does this sound familiar? Have you ever missed work because of low back pain? Well, if you have, you’re certainly not alone! In fact, over 80% of the general population seeks some type of health care provision at some point in life because of low back pain and many of those lose work time. Lost work time is often associated with not being able to tolerate certain positions such as prolonged sitting, standing, bending, twisting, reaching, or combinations of these. Sometimes, just getting to work is next to impossible as the car ride alone may intolerable! There is nothing more depressing than not being able to move due to the sharp knife-like feeling in the back every time you try to change positions.

However, it’s one thing to lose a day or two or even a week of work but what about those that can’t work for longer time periods, like several weeks or even months? This can become life altering as avoidance of moving for fear of that knife-like sensation in the back can quickly lead to muscle weakening, weight gain, lethargy, depression, and a host of other negative residuals. Many articles have been published in the past that tried to identify ways determine early on in the course of back treatment, who might be at greatest risk of not improving or becoming disabled. The term, “yellow flags” has been used to describe such factors and some success in identifying those prone to becoming disabled has been reported. In May 2009, another attempt to identify injured workers who were at risk for becoming disabled or, not being able to return to work for at least 3 months was published. Of the 346 injured workers that were followed for 6 months after the sick leave period began, 47% failed to return to work. There were five questions found to adequately screen those who were not able to return to work or were at greatest risk of becoming disabled. The 5 questions included:

1. Do you expect to return to work within 6 months?
2. How much does the pain interfere in your daily activities?
3. It is not advisable to be physically active?
4. Do you feel generally nervous?
5. Do you feel generally scared?

The good news is that chiropractic manages these types of acute back pain quicker and better than any other form of health care. This is reflected by the highest percentage of consumers seek chiropractic over any other form of alternative health care for back pain relief according to the May, 2009 issue of Consumer’s Report.

We strive to provide the highest quality care and follow evidence and “best practice” approaches at our clinic and look forward to helping our patients through difficult times like this.

If you suffer with Back Pain, Please give our office a call at 770-817-0833 for a FREE Consultation!!

http://www.drjamesroman.com/

Lawrenceville, Ga Chiropractor, Fibromyalgia!

Fibromyalgia Diet?

There has been much discussion about Fibromyalgia (FM) regarding the symptoms, various medications, exercise, and more, but there is not a lot of discussion about a very important daily activity – eating! It’s such a simple thing… so simple it seems to have been overlooked.

One FM diet suggests a 3:3:4 ratio for fats, carbs, and protein, respectively, and, to eat 6 small meals per day rather than 3 larger meals. The “don’t” list includes chocolate, carbonated beverages and alcohol. The “do” list mandates lots of water consumption – 8 glasses a day, or more.

Another approach called the Paleodiet (also known as the “Paleolithic diet,” “caveman diet,” “hunter-gatherer diet,” “Garden of Eden diet” and more) makes a lot of sense! Grains, beans, and potatoes, though full of energy (calories), are not edible in the raw state due to the many toxins that exist in them. About 10,000 years ago, it was discovered that heating/cooking these otherwise inedible foods (wheat, corn, barley, rice, sorghum, millet and oats) made them edible, thus marking the Neolithic or New Stone Age era. Though these foods are high in calories and can be stored longer, they are limited in their nutritional value, lead to glycemic spikes (high blood sugar), and can result in intestinal related conditions if under cooked or in those whose tolerance is less (immune deficiency).

The Paleodiet is based on our genetic code being limited to grass fed animal products and naturally grown products – fruits and vegetables. The basic “paleodiet” includes consumption of grass fed meat, fowl, fish, and the roots and fruits of many plants, including nuts. This approach eliminates grains (wheat, oats, barley, rye also know as glutens), or anything using flour. This includes breads, pasta, crackers, cookies, most baked products….a lot of what we frequently consume. Dairy products, sugar, and salt are included in the “don’t” list. The unique feature of the Paleodiet is that all major dietary components are covered – vitamins, fats, protein, fats, carbohydrates, antioxidants, phytosterols, and more. This is the only diet that is coded for our genes – our body utilizes and relies on these substances.

With this approach, there is no need to “detoxify” our systems or take a surplus of vitamins, though certain vitamins “insure” a nutritious environment for our bodies. These include magnesium and Vitamin D, both of which are difficult to obtain from the food we eat and, Co-Q10 (a strong anti-oxidant), and high levels of EPA/DHA (the active ingredients in fish oil).

The bottom line is there is a lot that can benefit FM from strictly a dietary approach and when coupled with exercise, adequate sleep, and stress reduction, FM sufferers benefits greatly! As a doctor of chiropractic, we will help guide you in these approaches if you, a family member or friend are struggling with fibromyalgia.

If you suffer with Chronic or Acute pain, please give our office a call at 770-817-0833 for a FREE Consultation!!

http://www.drjamesroman.com/

Lawrenceville, Ga Chiropractor, Neck Pain/Whiplash!

Whiplash –Important Points to Know!

What Is It? Whiplash is an injury to the soft tissues in the neck including ligaments, joint capsules, muscles and their tendons, and intervertebral disks. It can also involve the nervous system tissues in more severe cases, resulting in radiating arm pain.

How does it happen? During a car crash, most commonly a rear-end collision. The sudden jolt occurs so fast we cannot brace ourselves adequately and the head accelerates back and forth beyond the limits of the ligaments that hold our bones firmly together (often referred to as a “sprain”). Because of the significant range of motion of the neck, the weight of the head, and how is suspended on the neck, the neck is particularly vulnerable to this type of injury (more commonly worse in woman due to a more slender neck).

What are the symptoms? The primary symptom is neck or upper back pain that may develop immediately or be delayed days, weeks, and sometimes months. A partial list of possible symptoms (each injured person’s symptoms are different) include: muscles spasms, loss of movement, headache, dizziness, concentration &/or memory loss, difficulty swallowing, chewing &/or hoarseness, burning or tingling, shoulder/arm/hand radiating pain, and more.

How is it diagnosed? Even when symptoms do not seem significant, a health care provider can diagnose the condition by taking a careful history and performing a physical exam. X-rays showing a change in the curvature or contour of the neck, &/or MRI or CT scan to better assess the disk and nerve roots when pain radiates down an arm may also be indicated. When persistent concentration/memory loss is present, a consult by a neuropsychologist is helpful.

How is it treated? In most cases, non-surgical methods are usually appropriate. If you go to a medical doctor, typical approaches include a wait & watch approach and/or medications such as anti-inflammatory drugs, pain killers, &/or muscle relaxants. MD’s may refer the patient to physical therapy. When these methods fail, referral to a physiatrist may result in injection therapy (epidural steroid, facet injection, trigger point injections). Chiropractic care includes spinal manipulation, mobilization, soft tissue release techniques, exercise training, activity modification training, and physical therapy modality use (electrical stimulation, traction, ultrasound, low level laser therapy – LLLT, TENS unit). Care may also include a mix of provider approaches, when appropriate.

How can it be prevented? The degree of severity of whiplash can be decreased or maybe avoided completely with the following: the use of seatbelts (especially in high speed collisions), placing the headrest close to the head (<>

If you have any health problems that concern you, please give our office a call at 770-817-0833 for a FREE Consultation!!

http://www.drjamesroman.com/

Lawrenceville Chiropractor - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome!

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) – “Fact Sheet”


What is it? Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) occurs when a nerve on the palm side of the wrist is pinched. It is named after the area of the wrist from where the symptoms occur. The Carpal Tunnel is basically a horseshoe shape made from 8 small carpal bones and the ends of the horseshoe are connected with a ligament thus completing the “tunnel.”

What are the symptoms? CTS symptoms include pain from swelling of the tendons inside the CT. When the nerve pinch occurs, numbness, tingling, or a half asleep sensation into the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers occurs. This is often worse at night due to the wrist being bent when asleep. This often wakes the person and shaking/flicking the hand/fingers is needed to “wake them up.” Grip weakness is also associated with CTS such as difficulty opening jars.

What are the causes? Usually, over use from tasks including repetitive line work (meat/fish/poultry packing, cookie/food packing), typing, sewing, carpentry, waiting tables, and the like. Other “contributors” include hormone related conditions such as hypothyroid, dysmenorrhea, diabetes, and obesity. These fast/repetitive movements cause swelling of the tunnel’s contents (9 tendons and the median nerve) and the nerve is pushed into the ligament connecting the ends of the horseshoe/tunnel.

Who is at risk? Gender is a significant factor as women are 3x more likely to develop CTS than men as the CT may be smaller in woman. The dominant hand is often first affected and more severe. Hormone imbalances as described above also increase risk.

How is it diagnosed? The history of the symptoms as well as physical examination of the hands, arms, shoulders and neck can lead to the proper diagnosis. The exam consists of trying to reproduce the numbness into the fingers by pressing/holding over the CT and other areas where the nerve runs down the arm (including the neck where the nerve originates), tapping over the CT with a reflex hammer, bending and holding the wrists at the extreme endpoints of motion. Also, poking the skin with a sharp object and comparing the 2nd to 4th fingers to other parts of the hand and the opposite side commonly yields differences between the two sides. Questionnaires and hand diagrams completed by the patient are helpful and quantify the degree of severity. Tests used during the course of treatment help track improvements. More sophisticated testing includes an EMG (nerve conduction test) that tests the motor and sensory changes when the nerve is pinched.

How is it treated? Chiropractic approaches include manipulation of the wrist, hand, forearm, shoulder and neck, specifically addressing the areas of greatest restricted motion. Soft tissue therapy includes massage, active release, graston, trigger point, and a host of physical therapy modalities such as light/low level laser, IFC, ultrasound, microcurrent, and low frequency approaches. Exercise training to be repeated multiple times per day is very helpful. Wrist bracing especially at night is also a common treatment approach used by all health care providers. Nutritional counseling and supplementation is also very helpful.

How can it be prevented? Work station assessments, staying in shape (avoid obesity), taking “minibreaks” when doing repetitive work, and proper treatment for conditions like hypothyroid, diabetes, and other disorders associated with CTS.

If you have any health problems that concern you, Please give our office a call at 770-817-0833 for a FREE Consultation!!

http://www.drjamesroman.com/

Lawrenceville Chiropractor, Pain Specialist!

THANKSGIVING CAN FOOD DRIVE!!!

In our office we are having a can food drive to help the less fortunate have a good Thanksgiving! Come in and bring 5 cans of food and we will give you a $200.00 Gift Certificate, for the office, to give to a family member or friend. This is a way to help the people in the community as well as get your close ones out of pain for the Holidays!!

If you have any health problems that concern you, Please give our office a call at 770-817-0833 for a FREE Consultation!!

http://www.drjamesroman.com/

Lawrenceville Chiropractor, Neck Pain/Headaches!

Neck Pain, Headache, and the Jaw Joint

Neck pain and headaches can be very disabling and can significantly alter a person’s normal pattern of living. Simple things like reading the newspaper, cooking, driving a car, and/or looking down when feeding a baby, can become almost intolerable. Canceling plans for the day or saying “no” to vacations can be very disheartening and often occurs because of severe neck pain and/or headache making these activities simply, “no fun.” The cause of the headaches associated with neck pain and dysfunction is usually due to the compression caused by the tight neck muscles squeezing the upper three nerve roots in the neck region, resulting in radiating pain into the head. Frequently, light and noise sensitivity, as well as nausea, can accompany a severe headache, which only adds to the activity limitations associated with neck pain. In fact, there are many experts who feel most headaches, even migraines, stem from the neck or are at least are very closely related. Since neck pain affects approximately two thirds of the population at some point during their lifetime, it becomes clear that headaches, in the absence of neck pain, are quite uncommon.

Another interesting and lesser-known relationship is the jaw (frequently referred to as the TMJ) and its association with neck function, especially the upper cervical vertebrae, as well as headaches. The muscles that move the jaw/TMJ are largely innervated by the 5th cranial nerve, also called the trigeminal nerve. Several studies have found that when stimulating structures innervated by the trigeminal nerve, neck and/or jaw pain was created and vise versa. Similarly, patients with jaw problems (called temporomandibular dysfunction or, TMD) often report neck pain. When we open our mouth wide, head-neck extension always occurs followed by head-flexion when we close the jaw. Hence, the neck is always moving when we chew, yawn, talk, and clench our teeth. In fact, all of these every day activities result in jaw, head, neck motion extending from the base of the skull and first cervical vertebra (occiput-C1) and continues down through the entire cervical spine. This was investigated in a study where the relationship between neck symptoms, jaw function – specifically active mouth opening, and pressure pain sensitivity in a trigeminal nerve innervated region after a spinal manipulation was applied to the upper neck vertebrae. Here, 37 female patients with neck pain were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups (control and experimental) and, before and after treatment, exams of mouth opening and pressure pain levels were measured. The group receiving the upper neck manipulation showed a significant increase in active mouth opening motion as well as improved pressure pain tolerance compared to the control/non-manipulation group in a sample of woman with neck pain. This study is very important as many people suffer from neck pain, headaches and TMD. In order to properly treat these patients, one must focus on multiple regions, not just the neck area. It has been demonstrated when we bite down, there is a corresponding tightening of two important muscles in the neck and upper back region. Similarly, studies show relaxation of muscles in the neck, upper back and TMJ after spinal manipulation to the neck is applied. Injuries to the TMJ are common but often not pursued by patients as often they’ll say, “my jaw clicks and snaps but I don’t think about it much.”

If you, a friend, or a loved one are struggling with neck pain, headaches, or TMD/jaw pain, we will properly assess your condition and administer the appropriate care that is required. We also coordinate services with other health care providers when necessary. This recommendation may represent one of most significant acts of kindness you can give to those that you truly care about.

If you have any health problems that concern you, Please call our office at 770-817-0833 for a FREE Consultation!!
http://www.drjamesroman.com/

Chiropractor, Lawrenceville Chiropractic!

PATIENT OF THE MONTH!!!
This month's patient of the month is Robin Wright! Congratulations! Robin has gotten great results with natural Chiropractic Care and continues to improve her health. As usual, the patients of the month will receive either a FREE DINNER Gift Certificate or one Hour Massage from Spa Sydell. Watch for your name here in a coming month!

If you have any health problems that concern you, Please give our office a call at 770-817-0833 for a FREE Consultation!!

http://www.drjamesroman.com/

Lawrenceville Chiropractor, Low Back Pain!

What Makes This So Common?

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common types of pain involving the musculoskeletal system. LBP sufferers may sometimes miss work or be unable participate in desired activities, social outings, and the like. It can be so disabling that out of desperation, they visit the ER.

There are many causes of LBP. Some of the obvious include over lifting/carrying, performing a task for too long or with too many repetitions, and sitting or standing in one position for too long. However, frequently LBP seems to occur for no apparent reason, or at least none that can be clearly identified. One of the most basic causes of LBP is simply standing on two, rather than four legs. When comparing a 4-legged to a 2-legged subject, arthritis of the spine and disc degeneration occurs much earlier in those of us with two legs. This is due partially because 2/3rds of our weight is supported by the low back and pelvis. In addition, vertical loading occurs in the 2-legged subject whereas the load is distributed between four legs in a horizontal fashion in the 4-legged species. Other less obvious causes of LBP include physical characteristics such as flat feet (fallen arches), a short leg resulting in a tipped pelvis, carrying too much weight, being out of shape/weak muscles, as well as hereditary factors. Non-physical characteristics include diet, exercise participation, lifestyle, stress and other psychological conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorders, and others. Hence, treatment must address the entire person, not just the low back since often, several of the characteristics mentioned here are present and often participating in the cause for LBP.

Because many of these characteristics are not properly attended to, LBP tends to be recurrent, where multiple episodes come and go over time. In years past, health care providers would focus the majority of their attention on the physical characteristics of LBP and when treatment results was ineffective, the blame was placed on the psychological aspects for which little, if any, treatment was offered. However, over the last 20 years, the shift towards treating the whole person or, adopting the biopsychosocial model (bio- = physical, psycho- = mental, and social = how LBP is perceived and affects daily social interaction) has been emphasized as the appropriate approach when managing patients with low back pain. No longer should the psychological aspect be ignored but rather, identified and treated so that this significant barrier to recovery can be properly managed.

Regarding treatment, unless someone presents with a “red-flag” which, for LBP sufferers include cancer, fracture (especially unstable fractures), cauda equine syndrome (spinal cord pinching resulting in bowel / bladder control loss), or infection, immediate/emergent care is not required. A careful health history followed by appropriate tests can usually identify these “red flags.” Otherwise, surgery for LBP is not recommended until at least 4-6 weeks of treatment with non-surgical approaches are first utilized and, an identifiable “lesion” can be identified that clearly is causing the presenting complaints and clinical findings. Chiropractic has an obvious advantage over specialty care when considering non-surgical treatment of LBP. Both physical and emotional issues are identified and a “team” approach with other health care providers when required is ordered. Moreover, all the international guidelines published for treating LBP recommend spinal manipulation BEFORE most of the other non-surgical approaches are tried due to medication side-effects and, the successes reported in many studies where spinal manipulation is performed.

If you have any health problems that concern you, Please give our office a call at 770-817-0833 for a FREE Consultation!!

http://www.drjamesroman.com/

Lawrenceville Chiropractor Halloween Office Pictures!

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