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Physical therapy and rehabilitation help people from all age groups deal with general or sports injuries, medical conditions, or illnesses that restrict the ability of the patient to function and move. Rehabilitation takes a unique approach as it looks to solve the issue from its root cause. Rehabilitation means solving the basis of your pain. 

A customized physical therapy and rehabilitation program can help people return to their level of function before the injury or illness. Physiotherapists encourage lifestyle changes to help people avoid further injury and improve their well-being. Doctors who provide primary care frequently refer patients to a physical therapist or a physiotherapist at the first sign of a problem. Since physical therapy and rehabilitation are thought of as simple approaches to managing issues. If you think about what makes physical therapy and rehabilitation so important, this blog will help you know all about it. 

Benefits Of Physical Therapy And Rehabilitation

There are several benefits of physical therapy and rehabilitation. They are listed below.

Kill Or Reduce Pain 

Manual therapy techniques and medical exercises such as soft and joint tissue treatment or mobilization such as taping or electric manipulation can help restore joint or muscle functions and reduce pain. Such therapies also stop the pain from coming back. 

Improve Movability 

If you have a problem walking, moving, or standing, physical therapy can help no matter your age. Strengthening and stretching exercises can assist people in restoring their ability to move. Physical therapists can make you feel fit using crutches, canes, or other devices. By creating a customized plan for patients, therapists ensure that the patient can restore max movability and performance. 

Prevent Or Recover From A Sports Injury 

Physiotherapists know how different sports can lead to some specific types of injuries (such as distance runners frequently deal with stress fractures). Sports therapy and rehabilitation can help athletes and sports players recover from their injuries better. Physiotherapists can design suitable prevention exercises and schedules to guarantee your safe return to the sport. 

Avoid Surgery 

Surgery is needless if physical therapy can help you heal or kill pain caused by an injury. If your condition is serious and you do end up needing surgery, then pre-surgery physical therapy may benefit you a lot. If you are going through surgery stronger and in good shape, you will be able to recover quickly afterward in most cases. Also, avoiding surgery can help you save a lot of money.

Prevents Falls And Improves Balance 

You will get screened for fall risk when you start physical therapy. If you are at a high risk of falling, the physiotherapist will give exercises that safely challenge the balance to imitate real-life scenarios. A physiotherapist will also help you by employing exercises to enhance coordination and assisting devices to assist you with safer walking. When the balance-related problem results from a problem in the vestibular system, physiotherapists can perform specific operations that can speedily restore proper vestibular functioning and lessen or kill symptoms of vertigo and dizziness. 

Recover From A Stroke

It is usual to lose movement and function after a stroke. Physical therapy can assist patients in strengthening their weakened body parts. Physical therapy can also assist in improving stroke patients’ ability to move and shift around in bed so that they can feel free around their houses and lower the burden of care for bathing, toileting, dressing, and other basic daily routines. 

Manage Age-Related Problems 

As people age, they start to develop osteoporosis and arthritis or even need a joint replacement. Physical therapists are experts in assisting patients in recovering from joint replacement surgery and handling osteoporotic and arthritic causes. 

Manage Lung And Heart Diseases 

While people may complete their cardiac rehabilitation program after a stroke or procedure, they can still get physical therapy if their daily work is affected. For heart-related issues, physical therapy can enhance the quality of living through conditioning, breathing exercises, and strengthening and assisting people in clearing all the fluid in their lungs.

Promotes Tissue Repair

Numerous pain cases are a consequence of damaged tissues within the body. However, the tissues in the body are designed so that they can repair on their own, and physical therapy can assist in speeding up the process. The physical workouts part of rehabilitation programs can help promote the body’s healing process and tissue repair.

Strengthening 

One major goal of rehabilitation programs is to help get the patients stronger. Strengthening the muscles can seem like a huge challenge, but it helps prevent pain and speedily recover from injuries. Also, physical therapists help show people how to work out correctly to avoid the risk of causing any further injury or pain. 

Increase Flexibility 

You can improve your flexibility in more ways rather than just yoga. Rehabilitation exercises focus on making you more flexible. It helps their body to move more freely. 

Reduce Inflammation

Inflammation is one big cause of pain. It often appears in the form of swelling. You can still feel it without swelling. Physical therapy lowers it, which lowers pain. 

Scar Tissue 

Scar tissues can assemble after an injury, especially if you go through surgery. It becomes rigid and will lead to pain with each movement. The rehabilitation program works on spreading the scar tissues, which helps reduce them.

If you have suffered from or undergone any injury or surgery, you will understand the importance of being able to move freely. Rehabilitation and physical therapy can help patients get back to their normal lives in better conditions. Realign Spine can help patients get back to their normal selves with physiotherapy. Treat your sports injuries with the help of the best chiropractor and physical therapist and get back to an active lifestyle.

Read More: Posture Before And After A Chiropractic Adjustment

The range of motion in the spine’s thoracic area is important for our everyday activities and sports, such as playing golf, rowing, throwing, and tennis. Dysfunction of the thoracic spine area can play a major role in breathing problems and can be linked to postural problems in old age. There are several exercise for thoracic spine pain that can help people reduce the stiffness and pain in their spine. 

Read this blog to learn a couple of exercises that can help you release all the stiffness from your back and help you deal with your pain till you go and see a chiropractor or physiotherapist. 

What Is The Thoracic Spine? 

When referring to the thoracic spine, we speak about the middle of the back area that begins from T1-T12. It is the region where most people feel stiffness as the maximum number of activities we do daily are very anterior dominant. 

The issue with stiffness in this region is that it restricts the thoracic extension and the potential to move our arms up above our heads. In some instances, when the range is limited to this region, the body will select the path of least resistance and compensate it below or above the joints. 

It lowers the pain, improves function, or enhances physical performance, and paying attention to spinal mobility is essential. 

What Is The Importance Of Thoracic Mobility?

We know that the middle section of the back is known as the thoracic spine. It is important to understand why thoracic mobility is important for people. The thoracic spine naturally has less movement than other parts of the spine like the lower back or neck because it supports the ribcage. However, sedentary working and everyday habits often intensify the natural stiffness in the upper back area, causing neck and shoulder pain, stopping you from standing completely upright, or restricting breathing. 

So sustaining good flexibility in your thoracic region can help improve how you move and reduce the pain so that the other body parts don’t have to compensate. 

How To Enhance The Mobility And Loosen The Spine Using Exercises?

Like any postural rectification takes time, discipline, and consistency. A  combination of mobility exercises and soft tissue treatments from a good chiropractor can help fix this problem. The key regions that need to be focused on for the treatment are pec major, teres major, anterior delts, pec minor, and lats. 

Here are some of our favorite thoracic spine exercises that can help you stretch out, release your tight back muscles, and enhance your spinal mobility. 

Rolling The Upper Back Using A Foam Roller

To start this exercise, you should begin by placing the foam roller in-between your shoulder blades and connecting your fingers behind the head, followed by wrapping your elbows around the sides of your head so that your hands prop up your skull. Levitate your pelvis and use your feet to pull and press to roll your spine down and up on the roller in a comfortable range for nearly one minute. 

Camel/Cat

Sit on your knees and hands. Exhale outwards and curve your spine until you identify a stretch in your mid-back, inhale in, and let your spine arch the opposite way. While doing this exercise, try to keep your elbows as straight as possible. 

Book Opening

To begin this exercise, you need to be on your side with both arms stretched out together. Exhale a breath and turn around so that your ribcage faces the ceiling, letting you raise your arms and go along with the movement till you feel a pull in your chest. Put your knees on the floor. At the finish of the thoracic spine exercises, inhale a deep breath, and as you exhale out, turn back to your starting position again. Repeat this motion six to eight times on each side. 

Turn And Reach 

Stay in the same position as the camel /cat. As you breathe out, slip your right hand under your left hand and turn from your mid-torso area to reach through. Keep your elbow and left arm strong, straight, and tall. Breathe as you return to your original position and lift your elbow to twist the ribcage away from the supporting arm. Repeat the process six to eight times on both sides. While doing this, make sure to keep your movements controlled and slow. 

Side To Side Child Pose

After you have completed your camel/cat stretch, put your hands on one side of the mat and push your pelvis back down to touch your feet, and stretch through the side of your spine. Inhale a deep breath to increase the effect of the stretch and replicate it on the other side. Make sure that you do at least five reps on each slide. 

Medical Options For Thoracic Pain

The chiropractors are trained in providing manual treatments to patients suffering from spinal problems. They first examine the patients properly and then choose the most suitable option to provide you with the most benefit. 

• Trigger point therapy
• Stretches (neural tissue, fascia, muscle, joints)
• Active release techniques- A chiropractor decides where adherence is through touch; the chiropractor then treats the patient’s movement using manual techniques.
• Joint mobilization: A manual therapy technique containing a continuum of skilled passive motions to the joint complex that are put to use at different amplitudes and speeds; this may include a high velocity/ small-amplitude therapeutic motions (manipulation) to restore optimal function, motion, or to lessen the pain. 
• Joint manipulation: a passive, low amplitude, high-velocity thrust is applied to a joint complex within the anatomical limit. It is done to restore function, optimal motion, or/ and lower the pain. 

Do not wait for your pain to get serious. Visit a chiropractor whenever you feel a painful sensation in your thoracic area. We have the best chiropractors and physiotherapists who can help you diagnose and treat your thoracic pain from the root cause. Realign Spine is your one-stop solution for all your spine-related problems. 

Read Also: Physical Therapy And Rehabilitation Benefits

Often you may have heard chiropractors and doctors talk about subluxation lumbar spine, but do you know what that is? Suppose you don’t know what it is. In that case, we will tell you all about lumbar subluxation, the extensive categories that chiropractors use to describe it, its causes, symptoms, treatments, and diagnosis. 

In this detailed guide, we have given major factors about spinal lumbar spinal subluxation. Read the complete blog to know more about this health condition.

What Is A Lumbar Spinal Subluxation?

A lumbar spinal subluxation is the misalignment of the spine one upon the other. The misalignment or abnormal positioning of the spine can make you lose your ability to move because of the various pressure points on the spinal column. The reason behind this can be a certain part of your lifestyle or some traumatic event. For instance, if you have a bad posture, it will slowly and gradually shift your spine from its natural alignment position, especially in the soft tissue region of the vertebra. 

This problem can get increasingly worse over some time. If you were involved in an accident that directly caused damage to your back or neck, such as a car accident, fall, or any other traumatic instance that jolts your spine, this could kickstart the whole process. It can meddle with the natural healing process of the surrounding tendons, muscles, and other soft tissues. 

It is one of the reasons why people have lifelong problems with their neck or back once they harm it. Even the most common tasks can aggravate the surrounding tissues, leading to inflammation that presses on the spinal column. 

Four Categories Of Lumbar Subluxation

The lumbar subluxation has four broad categories that make this category a bit complex. Each category has many sub-categories, leading to a long diagnosis process. 

The First Category- Static Intersegmental Subluxation

This category of lumbar subluxation is where a chiropractor can detect the issue by checking along your spine to decide the spine’s mobility. It includes:

• Rotation abnormalities
• Lateral flexion abnormalities
• Extension abnormalities
• Retrolisthesis
• Altered interosseous spacing (either increased or decreased) 
• Osseous Foraminal encroachment
• Anterolisthesis
• Flexion abnormalities

The Second Category- Kinetic Intersegmental Subluxation

If you have this kind of lumbar subluxation, the chiropractor will be able to discover movement between the normal sections of the spinal column. There are three sub-categories of this type of subluxation, and they include:

• Hypermobility (the joints move way more than their usual range)
• Hypomobility (joints feel unmoving and rigid)
• Aberrant motion (contradicting motions) 

The Third Category- Sectional Subluxation

Under this category of lumbar subluxation, there are four sub-categories. The sectional subluxation takes place in one specific part of the spine. It could include a specific region of your spine listing or curve to one side. This includes:

• Decompensation of adaptational curves
• Scoliosis or/and curve alteration secondary to any structural asymmetries
• Abnormalities of motion (a part of your spine moves oddly)
• Scoliosis or/and curve alteration secondary to a muscle imbalance

The Fourth Category- Paravertebral Subluxation

This kind of lumbar subluxation straightforwardly affects the spinal muscles that run along the length of the spine, like tendons and ligaments. For instance:

• Sacroiliac subluxation (collapse of a joint in the pelvis region)
• Costotransverse  or costovertebral separation ( joints that link your ribs to your spine)

The Reason Behind The Occurrence Of Lumbar Subluxation

If the spine is put under a strong force to overpower the natural amount of resistance of the body’s ligaments, tendons, and muscles, your spine could easily get out of alignment. There are several causes of lumbar subluxation, but they can be defined under three wide categories:

Emotional Causes 

An individual’s emotions can play a huge role in their overall health, and being put under constant stress can negatively impact their physical health. Stress causes the muscles to tighten up continually, which increases the rate of a person having muscle spasms or fatigue. 

If your muscles feel fatigued, then there are chances that they can lose their ability to keep your spine in its place and aligned. Lumbar subluxation takes place when the muscles and tendons can’t keep the spine in an upright position. The muscles and tendons will slowly begin to allow your vertebrae to move one way or another. 

Physical Causes

Even though a sudden arrival of a lumbar subluxation is very rare, it can still happen. It is generally the result of some type of traumatic event that shocked the spine or caused any injury to tendons or muscles in your back. For instance, a car crash can result in a serious whiplash. It can result in tightness of muscles, back pain, and muscle spasms that can lead to misalignment of the spine. 

Repeated and constant trauma could also play a huge role in lumbar subluxation. For instance, if you carry a big bag on one shoulder daily or sit at your desk in a certain way while working. It could cause a gradual and slow shift in the spine’s natural alignment. 

Symptoms Of Lumbar Subluxation

It does not matter the kind of spinal subluxation you have; the symptoms are generally the same. You may go through or feel some of these symptoms; they can differ from one person to another based on their health and how developed the lumbar subluxation is. 

• Lack of coordination, dizziness, loss of balance
• Lower back pain
• Pain in the neck area
• Sleeping problems
• Digestive problems
• Headaches 
• Abnormal blood pressure
• Weakened lung function, including asthma 
• Fluid retention and swelling 
• Fertility and menstrual issues
• Disturbed immune function
• Low energy 
• TMJ
• Numbness and tingling in the feet and hands
• Pain in feet and legs, including sciatic nerve pain

Treatment Of Lumbar Subluxation

The treatment for your lumbar subluxation depends on your lifestyle and health factors and how serious your case is. Common treatment plans that can help you with these problems but are not limited to are:

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care centers its attention on the underlying reason for your symptom and works to tend to it. The chiropractors can perform several adjustments to help restore the spine’s natural alignment. They put pressure on some specific sections of the spine to help put them back into their original place. The chiropractors will also recommend participating in the rehabilitation program to help your back muscles stay strong. Cold or heat therapy can also assist in reducing the tenderness or pain you are experiencing. 

Diet Change  

Having a balanced diet can assist in reducing inflammation levels you are experiencing throughout the body, which will help your body work a lot better. It would help if you focused on keeping yourself hydrated, reducing the chances of spasms, cramping, and fatigue. You should also pay attention to cutting out ultra-refined food items from your diet that contain a lot of sugar and carbohydrates. 

Manual Therapy

Once you leave the chiropractor’s office, you may get assigned to do some work to help improve your posture and strengthen the muscles of your body. Massage therapy, active release techniques, and rolfing can assist you in removing some tension from your neck and back. It also helps figure out what you may be doing to worsen your condition, like stress or posture. 

Are you feeling any symptoms or feeling pain in your spinal area? Maybe you’ve gone through a traumatic experience that is causing different types of problems, and all of these problems are linked to your back or spine. Then it would be best if you go and immediately consult a doctor. At Realign Spine, we have a skilled chiropractor who is ready to answer all your queries, address any of your concerns, and give you the best possible treatment for your problem. Go ahead, and set up a consultation with us today.   

Read also: Thoracic Spine Exercises & Chiropractic Treatment To Ease The Pain

One of the most common kinds of pain-related problems people face in their everyday lives is fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a complicated and controversial problem to understand. It feels like an ever-lasting pain and problem to those with this condition. Therefore, people most often look for substitute treatment plans such as Fibromyalgia Chiropractic Treatment Techniques that can provide them with much-needed rest and relief. There are also herbal remedies, complementary treatments, traditional medicines, and mind-body practices. When such treatment plans are combined with conventional treatment plans, they can be extra beneficial in providing relief from discomfort and pain. 

What Does Fibromyalgia Mean?

Fibromyalgia is a medical condition described as musculoskeletal pain, bad mood, sleeplessness, memory, and fatigue. This problem enhances painful sensations, influencing how the brain processes pain signals. The signs that often accompany extensive pain often begin after an individual goes through infection, psychological stress, trauma, or surgery. Often, fibromyalgia symptoms gather over time without an event triggering the problem.

The problem is more common in women in comparison to men. Individuals with fibromyalgia also experience tension, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, temporomandibular joint disorders, depression, and anxiety. 

Since there is no cure for this problem as of now, there are several ways in which you can manage and alleviate the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Some people also choose to do workouts, stress reduction practices, and relaxations. 

General Symptoms Of Fibromyalgia 

The main symptom linked with fibromyalgia is the extensive and continuous dull sort of pain that stays for nearly three months or more. It is thought widespread because it can be felt both below and above the waist and on both body sides. Some other symptoms of fibromyalgia are as follows: 

Cognitive Problems

People who have fibromyalgia lose their ability to focus on work, pay attention to the tasks at hand, and concentrate on mental tasks. It is generally referred to as the “fibro fog.” 

Fatigue 

Another symptom that arrives with this problem is fatigue. Individuals who have fibromyalgia often feel sleepy and tired even after they just took an extensive nap or a good amount of sleep. There are also cases where an individual’s sleep can get disturbed because of restless leg syndrome, pain, other sleep disorders, or sleep apnea. 

Some other painful problems seem to co-exist with fibromyalgia, like several types of headaches, temporomandibular joint disorders, migraines, painful bladder syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, and interstitial cystitis. 

Alternative Treatments For Fibromyalgia 

People often suffer from symptoms of fibromyalgia that can be weakening or energy draining. Unfortunately, no one medication can cure this problem. Nevertheless, many medicines can assist you in managing the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Often, patients are recommended more than one medicine to help deal with their pain, boost energy, and improve sleep. The drugs can include anti-seizures, pain relievers, antidepressants, and others. All of the medicines have side effects on the individual ranging from mild to serious. Therefore, most patients prefer other alternatives for the treatment of fibromyalgia. 

Massage 

Massage lessens the requirement for medication, elevates the mood, and eases the pain of people who are suffering from fibromyalgia. It is one of the highest-rated therapy for people who have fibromyalgia. You can ask for different techniques, including stroking and pressing on the muscles to reduce tension and improve circulation and pain. 

Acupuncture 

The ancient acupuncture technique involves using thin needles on some specific points in your skin. Doing this triggers the release of the body’s natural endorphins responsible for lessening the pain. One sitting of acupuncture can improve your pain tolerance and reduce the symptoms for two weeks, 

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractor for fibromyalgia is becoming an increasingly popular alternative for fibromyalgia patients. Chiropractic care can assist in relieving the pressure points in your back, spine, neck, joints, and shoulders. It can also ease the pain in injuries and headaches. A chiropractor uses multiple gentle and measured pressure movements in specific places or quick thrusts to help realign the spine to its normal position. Adjustments in the musculoskeletal section can make your body function better.  

Read Also: A Detailed Guide On Lumbar Subluxation And Its Treatment

Ways In Which A Chiropractor Can Treat People With Fibromyalgia   

Chiropractors use several methods to address the patients’ problems and assist them in recovering from such painful conditions. 

Physical Therapy

Fibromyalgia can lead to excessive pain in people’s muscles that ultimately stop exercising or moving. If you stop moving a part of your body for a long time, you can lose muscle tone, aggravating the problem. 

Adjustments

Chiropractic adjustment assists in the realignment of the musculoskeletal system and mends the connection between the nervous system and the nerves that are present all over the body. It generally resets an individual’s nervous system so that your body and mind can process pain precisely. In most instances, fibromyalgia people suffer because the brain gets the wrong pain signals; therefore, the patients feel it all over their bodies. 

Recommended Nutritional Changes 

Nutrition plays an important role in the treatment of patients who have fibromyalgia. Adjusting your diet and getting proper nutrition will help alleviate the symptoms and pain and improve the condition. Often chiropractors will talk over potential nutritional and dietary changes. They may also recommend some necessary food items and supplements that work simultaneously with the treatment plan to pursue holistic wellness. 

Recommended Lifestyle Adjustment

Chiropractors will not only undertake therapies and adjustments to improve the condition of your body and pain, but they will also suggest some adjustments in your way of living to move ahead and towards your holistic healing. It may include additional physical exercises and activities, especially for patients who spend more time sitting and working at their desks. 

Chiropractic treatment and care have become the most important tool in helping individuals manage symptoms that are linked with fibromyalgia. Patients with fibromyalgia should remain committed to their scheduled sessions with the chiropractor. 

Realign Spine is the one-stop place for people experiencing discomfort and pain in their musculoskeletal system. They offer chiropractic services for patients who want to reduce fibromyalgia symptoms and pain. They also offer spinal care services, spinal correction, and more. Head over to the website and consult our specialist today.   

If you are experiencing a shooting pain that goes down from your lower back region to your leg, then there are high chances that you are suffering because of sciatica. In that instance, you can use a chiropractor for sciatica pain. The longest nerve in our body is sciatica; it goes from our buttocks down to our toes. You will feel a painful sensation in this nerve when you have problems like disc herniation, trigger point referral, piriformis syndrome, or trapped nerve. The symptoms of sciatica generally include the below-mentioned symptoms.

• A tingling or burning sensation going down the leg
• Constant pain on one side of the lower back region
• Leg pain that gets worse while sitting down
• Weakness, difficulty in moving, or numbness while moving the entire leg or foot
• An intolerable or acute pain that makes it difficult to stand up 

And you would get some relief from the pain that has made you recliner-bound once you visit a chiropractor. Sitting around will not make the symptoms of Sciatica any better; it is only making them worse. So, when hot packs and painkillers cannot reduce the pain, you should consider going to a chiropractor.   

A Chiropractor For Sciatica

If you are thinking about a solution or asking the question, can a chiropractor help with sciatica pain? Then the answer to your question is yes. A chiropractor can indeed help deal with sciatica pain. Chiropractors are a great place to begin your treatment process when you feel sciatica-like symptoms or shooting pains up your foot or leg and symptoms like tingling or numbness in the foot or weakness. 

A chiropractor is a trained individual that can identify the root cause of the problem, and you don’t require a referral to see a chiropractor. Treatment under a chiropractor is generally covered under most insurance plans, whether Medicare, private or Medicaid. Chiropractic care means treatment with no side effects or pain and is not expensive. Chiropractic treatment can naturally and gently ease the sciatica pain in your leg. There are different ways a chiropractor can help deal with sciatica pain:

Precise Diagnosis Of Sciatica

Chiropractic care is built on the basis that the restricted movement of the spine can result in reduced functioning and pain. If you are feeling sciatica pain, a chiropractor will thoroughly examine your medical history to recognize the cause of the pain. Chiropractic treatment can help you deal with your sciatica pain without using any invasive methods. It is a process that helps our body heal itself without using any drugs or non-surgical treatment.   

Chiropractic Massage Treatment

The chiropractic massage treatment is an intense procedure for reducing sciatica pain. Chiropractic massage can lead to deep muscle relaxation and the production of endorphins that work as natural painkillers in our bodies. A spa massage and chiropractic massage are different. Spa massages can help release tension and soreness from our bodies. In contrast, chiropractic massage leans more towards the side of healing and soothing sciatic pain from the body. Chiropractors are experts and know the whole musculoskeletal system of our body. They understand where and how to put pressure on our bodies to ensure our body’s healing process starts to kick in. 

Cold And Hot Treatment Methods

Switching between hot and cold therapy has been used by chiropractors to provide quick relief from sciatic pain. Heat can release tension in tight muscles and dull the pain. The cold part of the therapy is used to slow down the blood flow and help alleviate the symptoms such as inflammation. The chiropractor will decide which treatment is beneficial for you and how frequently to rotate between them. 

Ultrasound And Other Methods

Ultrasound is the mild heat produced by sound waves deep into our body’s tissues. This method can boost blood circulation (encouraging the healing process) and reduces swelling, cramping, pain, and muscle spasms. Other methods that a chiropractor can utilize to help treat patients with sciatica pain incorporate cold laser therapy, also referred to as low laser therapy. It increases healing by diminishing swelling, edema, irritation, and musculoskeletal pain. Additionally, chiropractors can use transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, known as TENS. It is a small battery-activated nerve-stimulating tool that helps boost endorphins, reduce pain, and relaxes muscle spasms. 

Chiropractic Adjustment  

A chiropractor can use spinal manipulation techniques to enable the herniated disc to rest back into its original position and take the strain off the sciatic nerve. The spinal adjustments can also free restricted spinal movement and reinstate the misaligned vertebral discs. The treatment ranges from a swift, high-velocity thrust to a fusion of tender pressure and minimal force. It allows the chiropractor to move the lower back vertebrae firmly to avoid pressing down on the sciatic nerve. This adjustment will reduce the pain and recover nerve signal mobility and flow. Moreover, a chiropractor for sciatica pain can put manipulations into use to reduce muscle spasms, which will provide long-term relief. 

Spinal Decompression    

Sometimes, the spinal discs can dry out on their own and become narrow, leading to spine compression and pinched nerves. As the name suggests, chiropractors can employ spinal decompression techniques to ease the compression on the nerves promoting sciatica pain. This method can comprise techniques that can elongate the spine and increase the space between the vertebrae. 

Chiropractic Workouts

Moving in certain ways can aggravate sciatica pain. However, based on the root source of the issue, a chiropractor will suggest exercises that stay away from worsening sciatic nerves and assist in freeing the pressure that happens because of tight and inflamed muscles. The exercises suggested by the chiropractor comprise stretching programs that you can perform right at home. You can also do yoga, as it is effective in alleviating sciatica pain. For example, the reclining pigeon position can loosen the pressure on the nerve, stretch the piriformis muscle in the body, and soothe irritations.

Lifestyle Alterations

A chiropractor will look and work into all aspects of your life. They might suggest a new manner to sit, lift, stand, and sleep to safeguard the positioning of the sciatic nerve. Such instructions will assist you in strengthening the back muscles to maintain the disc in its place. It is important because the healthier and fitter the back is, the less likely discs will slip from their place and put pressure on the sciatic nerve again. Thus, chiropractors can assist in easing sciatica pain both in the long and short term. 

Sciatic pain can feel immobilizing, and even though it is common, there is still no grounds for you to suffer through such pain. You can get relaxation by beginning a treatment program with the right diagnosis. The chiropractor at Realign Spine is well-trained and ready to give the relief you need, release the pressure, and reduce the sciatic pain so you can go back to living the best life. 

Read Also: Fibromyalgia Chiropractic Treatment Techniques: A Detailed Guide

Many of you might not have heard of the term ‘dead arm’ before. Have you ever felt numbness in your left arm? Or has your throwing speed been reduced? You might have developed a dead arm syndrome. In simple terms, dead arm syndrome is a condition in which your shoulders feel sharp, sudden, and paralyzing pain. Primarily it is caused by repeated movements that place stress on the joint. You might have noticed some of the famous baseball pitchers, volleyball, and tennis players have to take a rest and miss their crucial matches because they are having arm numbness and tingling in their right hand. They have a higher risk of developing dead arm syndrome.

If not treated early, the shoulder will become unstable and result in discomfort and pain in the affected area. Also, it will become quite hard to perform overhead motions, such as throwing a baseball or serving at a tennis court. People generally develop dead arm syndrome if they play these kinds of sports.

You may be wondering how arm numbness and dead arm syndrome are related to each other? Let’s find out. Left or right arm numbness and tingling is generally an abnormal condition in which you feel a lack of sensation in your arms. Also, it is one of the symptoms of dead arm syndrome. 

Shoulder Pain And Arm Numbness Symptoms

As we know, pain or weakness in the upper arm during a throwing movement is known as dead arm syndrome. It can occur either slowly or suddenly. Also, it may occur with a few symptoms or a combination of symptoms. The most common sign is feeling limpness, while you may observe other symptoms such as:

• Muscle rigidity
• Joint stiffness
• Reduction in throwing speed
• Unable to move your shoulder
• Tiredness in legs
• Inability to throw objects properly

Sometimes, you may feel some unusual symptoms that might indicate some life-threatening conditions. In such cases, you should get immediate help from your physician. Following are some of the life-threatening symptoms: 

• Right of left arm pain and numbness followed by a head, neck, or back injury
• Sudden loss of consciousness
• Difficulty in breathing properly
• Difficulty in walking
• Constantly feeling weak or dizzy
• Loss or change in eye-sight
• Slurred speech
• Paralysis

Causes Of Dead Arm Syndrome And Arm Numbness

Generally, dead arm syndrome is caused by repetitive movements, while arm numbness is caused by several diseases and disorders that restrict blood flow or cause injury to the nerves. Firstly, let’s study the causes of dead arm syndrome before going further to arm numbness. 

The bands of tissue that connect bones and support the joints are known as ligaments, and when you repeatedly move your hands in activities such as throwing, your ligament stretches. This also makes your ligament loose which results in shoulder instability. 

The ailment also occurs when your rotator cuff tendons (a group of muscles and tendons covering your upper arm bone) are injured. It helps to stabilize the shoulder and allow it to move with a full range of motion. Activities like repeated throwing put a lot of pressure on the rotator cuff tendons. 

Let’s move on to arm numbness. You may feel temporary arm numbness if you put prolonged pressure on your nerves due to fine motor activities such as drawing or sleeping in an incorrect position. 

It also occurs with severe circulatory and orthopedic conditions and ailments that cause damage to the nervous system. Furthermore, bilateral arm numbness is caused by several body-wide diseases such as multiple sclerosis, diabetes, or anemia. In contrast, unilateral arm numbness is caused by a broken bone, stroke, or a pinched nerve. 

How To Treat Dead Arm Syndrome And Arm Numbness?

Treatment of dead arm syndrome will improve the stability and strength of your shoulder. In contrast, treatment for arm numbness and tingling generally depends on the symptoms, and your doctor may resolve any underlying medical conditions in the first place. 

Treatment for dead arm syndrome generally includes:

• Focus on rest: It is essential to take frequent breaks and reduce your regular activities for a while. This will help you to prevent your symptoms from getting worse. 
• Use of ice: Applying ice may help you get some relief from pain, but this should not be done without the advice of a doctor. 
• Physical therapy: The role of a physical therapist is quite significant. They will help you know how to strengthen your muscles. 
• Anti-inflammatory medications: Anti-inflammatory medicines such as aspirin and ibuprofen would help you get rid of the pain for a certain amount of time. 
• Operation: If all the treatments mentioned above fail to work, surgery remains the last option. A surgeon would examine your disorder and help you repair ligaments & tendons in your shoulders. 

How Doctors At Realign Spine Can Help You?

RealignSpine is known to provide chiropractic and spine-related services at very affordable prices. Dr. Shaub, a former professional basketball team chiropractor, deals with several sports injuries such as dead arm, arm numbness, bursitis, hip and hamstring tightness, flat feet, text next, and many more. If you are looking for a reliable team of chiropractors who can treat your dead arm syndrome, you won’t find anything better than the team of Realign Spine.

Is Consulting A Chiropractor For Arm Numbness And Dead Arm Syndrome A Good Option?

First of all, let us find out who are chiropractors and how they are different from other doctors. Chiropractors are healthcare professionals who deal with the neuromusculoskeletal system’s disorders such as bones, nerves, tendons, ligaments, and muscles. Unlike surgeons, these experts help manage back and neck pain through the use of spinal adjustments. Furthermore, they focus on the ability of the body to self-heal through treatments such as nutrition and exercise. 

Now you must be googling the best chiropractor near me or how to fix a dead arm with the help of a chiropractor. If I am not wrong. Let us find out how a chiropractor helps with these disorders. 

A chiropractor would study the root cause of your ailment before determining the best course of treatment. For this, the doctor would start with a thorough examination; these can include:

• Orthopedic tests
• Neurological tests
• Muscle tests
• Range of motion tests

After examining the affected area, the doctor may ask you for X-Rays, and if the source of sensation is not clear, they may order an MRI or CT scan. The doctor may plan an effective treatment to eliminate sensation and restore nerve function. Generally, the traditional methods offered by a chiropractor provide immense relief. Furthermore, they may provide additional treatments such as spinal manipulation, deep-tissue massage, chiropractic adjustment, and many more if needed. These treatments may help reposition the spinal column bones, also known as vertebrae. They also help release pressure and get rid of toxins. 

Unlike other treatments, chiropractic treatment ameliorates circulation and relieves tension on neural tracts. Also, it helps in improving the overall wellness and health of the whole body. 

If you want to know more about dead arm syndrome and arm numbness, don’t forget to visit the Realign Spine website. 

When people hear lumbar disc herniation or protruding disc, they always get curious to know what exactly lumbar herniation disc means. An inflating disc injury is often a spine injury continuing to your spine’s intervertebral disc. A protruding disc can typically be termed as a slipped disc or a bulging disc. However, when the disc protrudes and is prominent enough for the disc core to come outside through the annulus, it is referred to as a herniated disc.

Now, that you know what disc herniation is, you will probably be itching to see the code for lumbar disc herniation.

M51. 26, billable ICD code, is used to define a diagnosis of another intervertebral disc displacement, the lumbar region. When we say a ‘billable code,’ it means we are saying a detailed enough code used to frame out a specific medical diagnosis.

What Causes A Lumbar Disc Herniation?

A lumbar herniation is a medical jargon used to refer to disc desiccation.  Now, let’s see what causes lumbar disc herniation ICD 10. For most sites, people with herniated disks cannot spot an event that stimulated it all. In simpler words, herniated discs aren’t typically caused by an accident or an event of significant stress on the body. Instead, disk displacement (long-term wear and tear) is the most prominent reason for disc herniation.

Who Has More Risk Of Developing A Herniated Disc?

Disc herniation can bring you a painful condition, but disc displacement takes place in selective people. Here is the list of people who are at risk to develop a herniated disc:

• Former or current professional athletes (most probably those with increased wear and tear on their spine)
• People who are 50+ 
• Adults with physical-involvement jobs (e.g., people who used to work in trades like construction)
• People who have an unhealthy lifestyle (for instance, poor diet/ nutrition, smokers, drug addicts, or have a history of drug abuse, and so on.)
• Adults with bad posture (people who slump, Work on the computer all day, and much more in the queue)

When You Need A Lumbar Discectomy Surgery 101

A lumbar discectomy surgery 101 is considered a “decompression” spinal surgery. A discectomy is sometimes called “herniated disc surgery.” If you are one of them who have a lumbar herniated disc (a fractured disc in your lower spine) and your doctor has advised for surgery, possibilities are you will be developing a lumbar discectomy. A lumbar discectomy includes taking out the ruptured part of your disc that is stroking against vertebrae/nerves in your lower spine. By eliminating this extreme pressure, you can spot the pain, numbness,  tingling, feelings of sciatica, so on that are causing you trouble.

A lumbar discectomy is performed to:

• Spot buttocks or leg pain triggered by nerve compression from a or herniated disc
• Provide treatment to leg numbness and weakness.
• Reduce and relieve pressure on the spinal cord or nerves.

Dr. Michael Shaub, an expert chiropractor in Jackson heights, quoted that “lumbar discectomy surgeries are among the most reliable and successful surgeries” to treat back pain. If you have a structural problem, like a lumbar herniated disc, your doctor can spot and better address the exact reason for pain and other symptoms.

What Does Discectomy Surgery Seem Like?

When it comes to discectomy surgery, the ruptured portion (nucleus pulposus) that is rubbing against your vertebrae and spine is removed. This means that your orthopedic spine specialist will require ingress to your lower spinal part in the middle of the procedure. This method is pretty simple and is generally done in an outpatient (immediate surgery) setting.

In the middle of an ongoing outpatient lumbar discectomy surgery, you may get a microdiscectomy (the minimally invasive version of the method) where the nucleus pulposus is eliminated with laser technology via a small 1-inch incision (a slit). With the help of fluoroscopic x-raying technique, the discectomy surgery is performed with such a small and fine incision and minimal muscle or tissue damage. This helps in a shorter, less painful, and easy recovery.

A percutaneous lumbar discectomy (also termed an endoscopic discectomy) eliminates a portion of the ruptured disc using suction or laser using a small cut and one or more tubes or probes. The medical slit for each tube is around one centimeter long. As it is less invasive, the pain reduces, and recovery should be pretty tolerable.

Why ICD 10 Code Is Used

The ICD 10 CM code (M51.16) can also be used to clarify conditions or terms like the addressing of herniation of intervertebral lumbar disc with sciatica, numbness or tingling of the lumbar spine, nucleus pulposus herniation, herniation of core pulposus of the lumbar intervertebral disc, lumbago with sciatica, lumbar disc prolapse with radiculopathy, and so on. The ICD 10 code is often used in orthopedics medical specialties to particularize clinical concepts such as thoracic, lumbosacral intervertebral disc disorders, and thoracolumbar.

Code History

• 2016 (successful 10/1/2015): New code (first year of non-draft ICD 10 CM)
• 2017 (effective 10/1/2016): No change
• 2018 (Successful 10/1/2017): No change
• 2019 (effective 10/1/2018): No change
• 2020 (influential 10/1/2019): No change
• 2021 (functional 10/1/2020): No change

MS-DRG Mapping

• DRG Group #551-552 – Medical back pain problems without MCC.
• DRG Group #551-552 – Medical back pain problems with MCC.

The GEM or General Equivalency Mapping crosswalk represents an estimated mapping between the ICD 10 CM M51.16 and ICD-9 code; it’s equivalent. The estimated mapping means there is no ideal match between the ICD-9 code and the ICD-10 code, and the mapped code is not an accurate depiction of the original code.

What Is Intervertebral Disc Displacement?

Lumbar disc herniation is a bone rupture of the annulus fibrosis (fibrocartilagenous material) that encompasses the intervertebral disc. This fracture involves removing the disc’s central part containing a gelatinous material termed the nucleus pulposus. Pressure due to the vertebrae above and below may be the reason for the nucleus pulposus to be forced outward, exerting pressure on a spinal nerve or cord and causing significant damage and pain to the spinal nerve. This situation most often occurs in the lumbar site and is also typically known as herniated nucleus pulposus, fractured intervertebral disc, prolapsed disk, or slipped disc.

The spinal portion consists of 26 vertebrae joined together and allow side bending, backward and forward bending, and rotation of the spine. Five different areas include the spinal column, such as the thoracic (chest) region, sacral, cervical (neck) region, lumbar (low back) region, and coccygeal (tailbone) site. The thoracic portion comprises 12 vertebrae, the cervical part includes seven vertebrae, and the lumbar site contains five vertebrae. Intervertebral discs sit between each adjoining vertebra. The sacrum consists of five merged vertebrae, which are connected to four merged vertebrae making the coccyx.

Can A Chiropractor Treat Lumbar Herniated Disc

In the case of a lumbar herniated disc, a spine chiropractor can help decrease the pain triggered by a herniated disc. Chiropractic treatment techniques for the lumbar herniated disc include spinal manipulation, physical therapy, and muscle-building exercises. Significantly, protruding disc chiropractors may not be able to accelerate the treatment process of a herniated disc, but they can teach you how to prevent exacerbating the condition.

Suppose you feel that you are developing a herniated disc in your lumbar spinal discs. In that case, you’ll likely require finding yourself a good herniated disc chiropractor who is potential enough to provide your body with the treatment needed to make you feel comfortable again. Dr. Michael Shaub is one of the highly experienced and licensed chiropractors in Jackson heights. He is a back and spine specialist, associated with RealignSpine, who provides its patients with highly effective and immediate treatments. If you are looking for a licensed expert chiropractor in Jackson heights, consider visiting RealignSpine and booking an appointment with Dr. Shaub.

With age, the working of our joints gets degraded, and we feel pain in different parts of our body, which acts as a hindrance. We cannot perform our tasks comfortably as the pain increases with time. Commonly, the pain occurs in joints; some even feel discomfort in their spine. Experts recommend a chiropractic treatment plan to treat such problems.

A chiropractic treatment plan will help you in every possible way to fix your spine alignment and provide relief to your joint pain. Are you unsure what this plan is? Don’t know how it can solve your problems? What benefits can it offer? These questions are common if you have never got to know a chiropractic treatment plan. 

We at Realign Spine offer the best chiropractic treatment plan for people suffering from joint and spine problems. We will explain what you need to know about chiropractic treatment before taking our services. 

Some Basic Terms Related To Chiropractic Treatment Plan

If you are experiencing issues or pain in your joints or spinal cord, chiropractic treatment will help you improve the condition. Here are some basic terms that are used in the chiropractic treatment plan. 

Chiropractic Treatment Or Adjustment

Chiropractic treatment is a process through which a professional chiropractor will use therapeutic methods to relieve different types of pain in muscles, joints, bones, etc. This treatment is also known as spinal manipulation or joint manipulation. The chiropractic adjustments provide treatment that supports traditional medical care as well.

Chiropractor

A chiropractor is a verified professional trained in treating multiple conditions affecting the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. They can treat your muscle, bone, joint pain, and dysfunction. 

The chiropractic treatment plan is commonly used to treat pain in the lower back, neck, muscle, and bone. A chiropractor can also treat musculoskeletal pain in your head, jaws, shoulders, elbows, wrist, hips, ankles, etc.

What Is The Job Of A Chiropractor

As we discussed earlier, a chiropractor can treat aches, pain, strains, and so on. If the cause of the problem is the musculoskeletal system, the chiropractor can provide you treatment with different methods without prescribing any medicines. 

The types of treatment a chiropractor can provide you are as follows:

• Adjustments: Realign the joints for a better motion and decrease pain
• Soft-tissue therapy: Release spasms and tension in the tissues to relax the tight muscles 
• Stretches and exercises: For fixing the joint stability and mobility
• Kinesio taping: Supporting the sprained joints and muscles for better healing
• Expert recommendation: Inquire about diet plans to keep the nutritional value stable and reduce inflammation

Who Can Opt For A Chiropractic Treatment Plan?

A chiropractic treatment plan can work for all ages, from kids to adults. The chiropractic treatment plan is very effective and popular among people aged 45 to 64. Bone density deficiency and spinal misalignment are very common in females compared to males. 

Before you sign up for a chiropractic treatment plan, get our Intro Special $99, which will provide you with different services such as bone structure examination. This “Intro Special $99” can really help you to know your conditions, and according to the examination, we can provide you with the best chiropractic treatment plan. 

Things Being Performed Before Chiropractic Treatment 

Before starting your chiropractic treatment plan, the chiropractor will study your medical history and, later on, will perform a physical exam. In case they find the need, they will order diagnostic imaging tests that can assist them in understanding your musculoskeletal system better. They can ask for X-rays, CT scan, or MRI scan for a complete understanding of your situation. After analyzing your symptoms and causes of your discomfort, the chiropractor will form a unique chiropractic treatment plan. This plan is directly dependent on your physical exam and the results of your scans. 

Things Being Performed During Chiropractic Treatment

As per your previous test result, your chiropractic treatment plan will have unique plans that your chiropractor will execute. 

This process will include lying your face down on a chiropractic table and lifting certain parts of your body, which will assist the chiropractor in gently forcing pressure on the specific parts of your body.

During the entire process, the chiropractor will utilize their hands and other small instruments responsible for applying fast and controlled pressure to the joints. They can even stretch your joints in a way that doesn’t come under the normal motion process. These methods’ main focus is to align the vertebrae in your spine so that they can attain their original position and release the unnecessary gases trapped in the joints.

What Strange Sounds Can You Hear During The Treatment?

In your chiropractic treatment plan, the experts use unique treatment methods during which you can hear popping or cracking sounds and sensations. The gases responsible for these sounds are oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. These gases get stuck in small spaces of your joints while you do your daily activities and create sound when you get released. You can experience the same sound as gas releasing during your chiropractic adjustment by cracking your knuckles. 

Things Being Performed After Chiropractic Adjustment 

Once your chiropractic treatment plan ends, you may feel some discomfort and soreness in your body. You can feel little pain in the area your chiropractor applies pressure to. These minor setbacks vanish after 24 hours, and you may not even face them if you visit your chiropractor regularly. 

Our verified chiropractors will ensure that you don’t find any difficulties after your treatment gets finished. They will suggest some exercises and diets which can significantly improve your condition. 

Is The Chiropractic Adjustment Painful?

You will be happy to know that the chiropractic treatment plan includes professionals who perform their tasks precisely while considering your situation. The amount of pain you will confront during your treatment is negligible. The pain you may feel will be equivalent to the after-workout pain. You may hear a lot of cracking and popping sounds, but that will not produce any pain in your body. 

How To Maximize Your Chiropractic Treatment? 

Having a chiropractic adjustment, you need to follow some steps in order to maximize its results. Here are some points mentioned which may be helpful in your case. 

Follow Your Chiropractic Treatment Plan

Without a doubt, if you want to maximize the results of chiropractic treatment, you need to follow your chiropractic treatment plan without fail. Chiropractors specially design this plan for your condition. That’s why we call them unique plans, as one plan may not work for a person who has the same problems but can be treated through different techniques. If you continue following your treatment plan, you will surely notice results, which can help you recover rapidly. 

Follow Your Chiropractor Prescribed Activities

A person looking for a faster recovery cannot ignore the advice of their chiropractor. You have to perform the homecare activities to maximize your treatment results. These exercises generally include stretching, strengthening, and postural exercises. These exercises recommendation is especially based on the type of treatment you have received from your chiropractor. 

In some cases, the chiropractor may also suggest cardiovascular fitness plans that consist of endurance-based exercises such as walking, running, cycling, etc. By following all the prescribed exercises recommended by your chiropractor, you can see improvements in your condition with time.  

Drink A Good Amount Of Water 

Drinking water can never go wrong. As it is a major source of directly consuming oxygen in our body, it assists in every type of problem our body faces. The experts recommend staying sufficiently hydrated when you go for a chiropractic appointment. Staying hydrated will help improve your chiropractic treatment experience while keeping your body healthy. When your body is hydrated, it can perform tasks like carrying nutrients, removing waste products, lubricating joints, maintaining the right body temperature, and helping the digestion process efficiently.             

After the chiropractic appointment, drinking a sufficient amount of water is really crucial. The reason for this is the water helps in eliminating the metabolic byproducts from your body that become active while the chiropractic treatment is in progress. Having a hydrated body surely helps you in maximizing your chiropractic treatment.

When To Stop Chiropractic Treatment?

After doing several visits to your chiropractic, there will be a time when you ponder about when to stop chiropractic treatment. Certain things can help you determine whether you can stop your chiropractic treatment or not. 

Your Conditions Get Worse Than Before

Once your chiropractic treatment gets over, noticing mild pain and discomfort is very common among individuals. This pain lasts 24-48 hours and will get less with the passing hours. But if you notice that the pain is not decreasing and worsens with time, stop your chiropractor immediately. Such cases may require the reevaluation of the treatment plan so that the patients don’t suffer more.

You Don’t Notice Any Improvement.

You can’t feel the results of the chiropractic treatments after an interval of 2 to 4 weeks. Experts suggest you immediately contact your chiropractor if you don’t feel any neck or spinal pain improvement. Contacting them will help your chiropractor to diagnose your problems and offer you suitable treatment methods. 

You Don’t Have Symptoms Anymore.

You can easily determine when to stop chiropractic treatment if you no longer feel any symptoms of pain and discomfort. Continue visiting your chiropractor if you are unsure of your conditions. But if you notice no or decreased pain with time, you can stop your chiropractic treatment immediately. 

In Conclusion

A chiropractic treatment plan is a perfect solution for solving all your issues related to the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system. It assists you in getting relief from all such pain and offers your body its original condition. 

If you are also willing to receive a chiropractic treatment plan, don’t forget to check our services at Realign Spine. We offer you the best plans at affordable prices that can satisfy all your needs. Don’t suffer from pain anymore and try our services for guaranteed results. 

Read Also: Chiropractor For Sciatica Pain: Do They Really Help In Healing?

Tendonitis might be a new term for some people, but many of you must have been aware that it is generally the irritation or inflammation of tendons. Now, what are tendons? Tendons are generally those thick fibrous cords that attach muscles to your bones. Now you may be wondering, can tendonitis spread to other joints?

This condition can occur in any of your tendons, be it shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees, or heels. Many people get confused between tendonitis, and tendinopathy as these terms are often used interchangeably. Several other names are given to the condition, such as jumper’s knee, pitcher’s shoulder, tennis elbow, swimmer’s shoulder, or golfer’s elbow.

Most cases of tendonitis are generally treated successfully with rest, and physical therapy, while medications are used to reduce the pain. However, if tendonitis becomes quite severe, it requires surgery.

Before jumping directly to questions such as what causes tendonitis? Or does tendonitis go away and come back?  Let us find out what are some signs and symptoms of this condition. 

Symptoms Of Tendonitis

A human body generally possesses more than 600 individual skeletal muscles, each one of them is attached to the skeleton by a flexible and robust tissue called the tendon. Without these tissues, humans will never be able to perform movements.

Once the tendons are inflamed after a sports injury or excess activities, it could turn out to be tendonitis. Let us find out some severe symptoms of tendonitis that no one should ever ignore. 

Pain Around The Elbow Region

If you start to notice pain near the elbow or forearm region, it might be a type of tendonitis known as lateral epicondylitis, also referred to as tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, or forearm tendonitis. In this condition, the elbow joints get micro-tears from overuse. You may feel pain, swelling, or may find gripping objects difficult.

Many people believe that athletes are affected mainly by lateral epicondylitis, but that is not true. If you perform repetitive movements, you may end up with a tennis elbow. Activities like painting, cooking, playing string instruments such as guitar may play a major role in developing this condition.

According to a recent study, 1-3% of United States citizens develop tennis elbow every year. The condition generally occurs more in office-goers who have jobs with repetitive motions. Some people believe that the chances of tendonitis getting worse with rest are pretty high, but that is not true; the pain settles down if you take an ample amount of rest. 

Unable To Lift The Arm Properly

If you are finding it difficult to lift your arm over your head, it could be because you have tendonitis in the rotator cuff. This condition is often caused by swimming and baseball. Shoulder tendonitis can also cause weakness in the arm, shoulder laxity, pain in the upper back region, and much more.  

Popping, Swollen Thumbs, And Wrists

Spending more time using a pen or pencil, carrying a baby, playing keyboard or piano may cause inflammation in your fingers and wrists. Pain at the base of the thumb or wrist could be Quervain’s tenosynovitis; this condition makes it quite hard to hold objects, while a sticking sensation can be felt while moving the thumb. A finger or upper-thumb joint pain could be a case of a trigger finger. The chances of getting these conditions increases as you age. Therefore, it is essential to seek medical attention before your symptoms get worse. 

Pain And Swelling In Joints

The joints, as mentioned above, are some of the common sites where tendonitis develops; you can also observe widespread tendonitis. The condition can also develop in several other joints and regions such as knees, hips, ankles, and many more.

If you have recently had an injury while playing or are involved in some sort of job that requires repetitive movements, carefully lookout for the following symptoms. 

• Continuous pain that increases while moving
• Swelling and redness
• Warm skin
• The appearance of a lump or nodule on the tendon
• A crackling sensation while moving

Causes Of Tendonitis

We all know sports injuries cause this condition, but the most common cause is a repetitive action. Tendons generally help you perform movements, and performing the same motion again and again may cause tendonitis.

It is always advised to perform proper techniques while playing a sport or performing some activity. Improper techniques could overburden the tendon and cause either type of tendonitis.

There are several other causes of tendonitis, such as aging, consumption of certain antibiotics such as Levaquin. There are a few diseases that cause tendon pain, such as diabetes, thyroid disorder, rheumatoid arthritis, and many more.

Athletes who play certain sports such as golf, bowling, tennis, basketball are more prone to getting the disease. Moreover, you also are at a higher risk if you perform repetitive movements, physical excretion, and overhead lifting.

Another rare cause of tendonitis is the infection caused by a cat or dog bite on the hand or finger. 

Complications Caused By Tendonitis

If tendon pain or inflammation is left untreated, it can cause severe damage to the affected area. Your disease could even develop into chronic tendonitis, a tendon rupture or the complete tear of the tendon, or tendinosis ( a severe condition that deteriorates the collagen or structural protein in the tendon).

Chronic tendonitis generally weakens and degenerates the tendon over a period of time. On the other hand, a ruptured tendon can lead to sharp pain, immobility, numbness, and swelling in the affected area. The condition is seen in the tendinosis stage; changes such as micro-tears, fraying, growth of abnormal blood vessels start to appear around the affected area. It can also cause sharp pain, immobility or restrictive movement, and a small tender nodule or lump. 

Prevention

The following suggestions may help you reduce the chances of getting tendonitis. 

• You should avoid those activities that put an excessive burden on your tendons, mainly for considerable periods. 
• If you notice that a specific type of activity is causing immense pain, try avoiding that. Cross-training can help you in such situations. Try running with lower-impact exercise. 
• There must be some issue with your existing techniques; try to rectify them. You can also consider the advice of professionals before starting a new sport or using new gym equipment. 
• Before performing any heavy activity or task, take enough time to stretch to maximize your joints’ range of motion. It is also said that the best time to stretch is generally after exercise. 
• To resist the load and pressure, try to strengthen your muscles. 

If you want to learn more about tendonitis, don’t forget to visit the Realign Spine. At Realign Spine, you will get the best chiropractic services at the most affordable prices. We deal with multiple problems such as sciatica, herniated disc, text neck, scoliosis, tendonitis, and many more.

Occurrence of an injury during work or while playing is common. Injuries can cause extreme pain if we don’t take precautions at the right time. If you also suffered an injury, visiting a professional who deals with pain and movements in the body is beneficial. But the question arises: chiropractor vs. physiotherapist, who should you visit?

As both of these are verified professionals who deal with such injuries, finding the right choice for you can be difficult. But worry not, as we at Realign Spine understand your concerns, and therefore, we will explain in-depth about chiropractor vs. physiotherapist and which one will be the right for you. Keep reading this blog as we will tell you the difference between chiropractors and physiotherapists. 

Chiropractor Vs. Physiotherapist: Similarities

Both have the same goals of reducing patients’ pain because of the injury and the stiffness inside the body. Hence they have some similarities between them, which we are mentioning below:

• Both utilize the non-invasive and non-surgical approach for dealing with the pain and discomfort inside an individual’s body.
• Both use small tools or hands to provide treatment to that specific location and condition.
• In some cases, they can treat some problems in almost a similar way.
• Both will provide a health management plan that the patients can follow after the treatment.
• Both will study your medical history, prescribe some tests, and examine your conditions.
• The chiropractor and physiotherapist are legalized health professionals with years of training and education. 

Chiropractor Vs. Physiotherapist: Differences

Although they have many similarities, chiropractors and physiotherapists have some key differences that make them unique.  

Let’s study the key differences both have from one another. 

• Physiotherapists’ main goal is to provide pain-free movement to an individual. Meanwhile, the main aim of a chiropractor is to offer pain relief and spinal alignment.
• Physiotherapists lookout for the whole functioning and movements of the body. Meanwhile, instead of focusing on each aspect, chiropractors aim for specific parts of the body such as the neck, back, joints, arms, legs, etc.
• Physical therapists assist an individual in performing stretches and exercises and provide treatments for increased mobility. On the other hand, Chiropractors offer adjustments and treatments and let your body heal itself.
• Physical therapists don’t need a special environment to perform their job, and even your home is good enough for performing their services. On the other hand, chiropractors must have some tools with specialized spaces for maximum efficiency. 

What’s The Role Of A Physical Therapist

A physiotherapist, also referred to as a PT, aims to make your body function and move freely without pain. PT helps you get in better shape and size. PT’s role is to maximize your body functioning so you can easily perform your daily activities. 

The physical therapist will examine you from top to bottom, teach you the best possible exercises and stretches for your current body condition and guide you on how you can stay healthy and energetic. 

The physiotherapy treatment consists of:

• assessment of pain, mobility, and stretchability of a person
• exercises and stretches for a stronger and better movement 
• Provide education regarding the right posture and how to avoid injury
• types of therapies such as heat and cold for reducing pain
• a structured plan for wellness
• treating wound
• treatments in ICU and emergency wards

To notice improvements, you may have to go through multiple sessions with a PT. If your case is severe, a long-term plan is also beneficial for better treatment and wellness.

Need For Physical Therapy

A physiotherapist is an amazing option for the treatment of wounds and injuries. If you met with an accident, injury, or underwent surgery that limited your movements, then physical therapy is better for you. Physiotherapy also treats every kind of pain that occurs due to movement. It is helpful even if you want to increase mobility and have a healthy, structured body.

What’s The Role Of A Chiropractor

Chiropractors are verified specialists who use hands-on methods to treat a person’s body pain and inflammation. They also possess doctorate degrees that prove their authenticity. 

The idea behind a chiropractor’s treatment is to allow your body to heal with the help of external force application either by hands or small specialized tools. Just like physical therapy, chiropractic treatment doesn’t promote the idea of medications and surgeries. It’s recommended that you try a chiropractic treatment before taking the help of medicines and surgeries. Chiropractic treatment helps all ages and works for many health conditions. They mainly focus on the musculoskeletal and nervous systems.

The chiropractic treatment consists of:

• analysis of symptoms based on test reports and physical exams. 
• Using different techniques and offering adjustments to the body to relieve pain and inflammation.
• Discuss different treatment recommendations for exercises that must be performed at home after the session.

Need For Chiropractic Adjustment

You may prefer the chiropractic adjustment over physical therapy if you suffer from back pain, neck pain, joint pain, and headaches.

Chiropractor Vs. Physiotherapist: Which Is Better For Treating Sciatica?

Although physical therapy and chiropractic may help treat sciatica, chiropractors are better at providing reliable treatments. Chiropractic treatment is the most helpful and fastest way to treat sciatica. The reason is the chiropractor follows various protocols for curing sciatica. The spinal adjustment is normally used to offer relief to the patient. And the treatment procedure may also depend on the conditions of the patient. 

Chiropractor Vs. Physiotherapist

When it comes to the final decision of chiropractor vs. physiotherapist, knowing which will be the best for your condition is beneficial. A chiropractor may be the right pick for your problem if you suffer back and neck pain. The chiropractor can analyze your situation quickly and give you treatments like spinal adjustment for fast recovery from pain. 

Although the physical therapist can also treat the spinal issues, the approach they take to provide you with the treatment can be slow and inefficient sometimes.

To Summarize

If your injury and pain are related to your neck or back, taking chiropractic treatment may be the appropriate choice. On the other hand, if you are facing problems with mobility, a physical therapist may be the correct choice. There are many things to consider when opting for either of these; thus, taking professional help is appreciated.

We at Realign Spine offer various kinds of chiropractic treatment and adjustments that can assist you in reducing your body pain. We have an Intro chiropractic service that helps us precisely analyze your conditions. After the procedure, we recommend the best treatments for your particular problem. Visit us to check our services thoroughly and make a wise decision.

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