Chiropractic For Sciatica?

The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest nerve in the body. If you’ve ever had sciatica, you know how painful and debilitating it can be. Sciatica is often characterized by pain radiating from the back into the buttocks and into the legs. Inflammation and irritation of the sciatic nerve can cause pain anywhere along the path of the nerve, which includes the low back, buttocks, the back of the legs and thighs, and in some cases it can be felt in the foot and ankle.

How does a nerve, like the sciatic nerve, become inflamed? Sciatica is often the result of cumulative damage. Years of bad posture, deconditioned muscles, and carrying “a few extra pounds” are all contributing factors to this horrible condition. Something as simple as bending over to tie your shoes can trigger an episode.

Let’s take a look at how the sciatic nerve is formed in your body. Like a large river created by smaller streams, five pairs of nerves exit the spine in the lower back to form two sciatic nerves (one in each leg). A bulging or herniated disc in the lumbar spine (low back) may press against the nerve roots that supply the sciatic nerve. The result is swelling, inflammation, and pain that is felt when coughing, sneezing, or with certain movements.

Spinal decay can be another culprit. Instability in the low back over time leads to the degeneration of not only the soft, pulpy disc, but also leads to the formation of arthritis and bone spurs. Bone spurs can intrude into the spaces normally reserved for the nerve and create the pain and inflammation associated with sciatica.

Sciatica often worsens with extended bed rest. Pain medications and muscle relaxers may relieve some symptoms, but they are unable to correct the nerve compression caused by spinal decay. Physical therapy addresses the soft tissues around the problem in an attempt to strengthen and stabilize the area, but can irritate the area from exercising unstable joints, and ignores the cause of the problem. Surgery often involves cutting away disc tissue or removing bone to make room for the nerve.

Chiropractic continues to be the best way to address the cause of sciatica. A recent study, done by the Committee on Research of the International Chiropractor’s Association, Parker Research Foundation, the Kale Network and Kale Research Center, found that with a chiropractic treatment plan: 85% of patients with sciatica showed results that were much improved, 9.4% were slightly improved, 5.1% remained the same, and 0.5% were worse.

Improving joint motion with a series of chiropractic adjustments has produced results for millions. “Before” and “after” images of the lower back often show improved disc height and spacing. Many patients report they can resume their lives and that their symptoms disappear without drugs or surgery. Chiropractic is the natural approach to relief and better health.

Don’t wait. Chiropractic care appears to have the most profound effect on sciatica when problems first occur. However, even in those who have tried to ignore this or have gone through the medical “runaround” can still get excellent results with chiropractic care. Chiropractic is the natural choice that should be made before submitting to dangerous and irreversible surgery.

Dr. Paul Early is a Chiropractor in Seattle in the Northgate area of Seattle, WA. More information can be found at his website at http://www.soundchiropractic.com

Chiropractor for TMJ?

It is estimated that 30% of the population suffer from TMJ dysfunction or from one of the many symptoms that a problem with the jaw can create. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is where the jaw bone joins the skull. Problems or dysfunction of this joint can result in jaw pain, jaw clicking, headaches, sinus problems and even loss of hearing! Many people suffer needlessly for years, seeking opinion after opinion, not knowing how to address this painful and problematic condition.

Jessie’s story started just that way. When she came to our office, she had been suffering with jaw pain and neck stiffness for many years. She told me it was terrible to wake up not knowing if her jaw would lock up and cause a migraine all day long again. You see, she had stopped taking the various pain killers her doctor had prescribed. They never really worked and she was tired of the years of “fogginess” her medications had caused.


What were her doctors missing? Why does the TMJ pose such a problem for so many? The causes of a TMJ dysfunction are almost always physical. What does that mean? Well, a comprehensive approach to TMJ must include a look at the tracking of the jaw, the muscles that act upon the jaw, the disc that helps the jaw glide against the skull, and the nerves that control the muscles of the jaw. Lifestyle changes are often in order as well.

What causes tracking disorders? One way is with direct trauma to the jaw, knocking it out of alignment and causing all kinds of trouble. Auto accidents, sports injuries, and blows to the face are common ways the jaw can be knocked out of alignment. Left untreated, the misaligned jaw can literally start to carve a new, misaligned path for itself.

An imbalance in the muscles that act on the jaw is another way to cause TMJ dysfunction. The jaw, like all joints in the body, is moved and stabilized by muscles. When these muscles aren’t functioning properly, the jaw will not move properly, and the joint will start a degenerative process that will not just go away. Arthritic changes and problems with the disc often result from such imbalances.

The most common, and often over-looked, cause of TMJ is a problem with the neck. When the top bones of the neck go out of alignment, they place pressure on the nerves that go to the head and face, causing problems such as: headaches, ringing in the ears, dizzy spells, sinus trouble, and TMJ.

The problem with Jessie’s jaw was a combination of all these things. She was treated with manipulation of her jaw, to help align it for proper tracking, myofascial release to the muscles that act on her jaw, relaxation techniques to help her stop clenching, a splint to help her relax her jaw at night, and most importantly, she was given chiropractic care to address the problems in her neck that were affecting her jaw.

Your chiropractor will take a health history, do an examination of the nerves that most commonly cause TMJ and examine your spine to see if those nerves are impinged by misaligned vertebrae. When indicated, spinal x-rays will be taken to see exactly where the spinal bones are misaligned and how to re-align the spine to correct the problem.

Chiropractic adjustments can correct the cause by re-aligning the vertebrae to their normal position with gentle exercises to strengthen to new and proper positioning. If you would like to leave the pain and the drugs behind, chiropractic offers a promising solution by dealing with the cause of TMJ.

By Dr. Paul Early, a Seattle Chiropractor at Sound Chiropractic Center.

Chiropractic for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Twenty-five years ago the most common on-the-job injury was a low back strain sprain. However, a shift in work habits and equipment has changed all that. Today it seems that everyone spends most of the workday tied to a computer. Even the plumber and other the other trades access work orders and complete paper work on finished jobs by typing away on a laptop. Enter the new most common on the job injury: tendonitis.

Tendonitis is an inflammation of a tendon and tendon sheath, most often due to over use. Frequently the cause is too many keystrokes with neck, shoulder and arm muscles locked in a rigid position. Since the tendon sheath is responsible for redirecting the pulling force of muscles around and through joints they are susceptible to wear. Over use depletes the natural lubricant and tendonitis can occur. The resultant symptoms are pain, weakness on muscle contraction, loss of co-ordination, numbness and tingling.

In the past, tennis elbow was the best known tendonitis condition, but today, with virtually everyone using a computer keyboard, carpal tunnel syndrome has taken over first place. What actually causes carpal tunnel syndrome?

The nine small bones that connect your forearms to your hands are called carpals. On the palm side of your hands there is a tunnel through the carpal bones that allows the transport of tendons and nerves. The ligaments that hold everything in place form the roof to this passage way and form the carpal tunnel. With overuse the tendon sheath swells, causes pressure on the adjacent nerves and carpal tunnel syndrome occurs.

Common carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms are pain, weakness and lack of co-ordination on grasping objects or attempting keystrokes. Numbness, tingling in the hands is also common and in severe cases wasting of the muscles of hand. In some cases surgery to release the pressure in the tunnel is required to alleviate symptoms.

However, the best experts estimate that 90% of carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis is incorrect. What happens instead is called double-crush syndrome. The nerves that are affected by carpal tunnel syndrome actually start in the neck and pass through the arms before they reach the carpal tunnel. In a vast majority of hand and wrist pain sufferers the damage is done before the nerves reach the carpal tunnel.

Here’s what actually happens: misalignment of the small neck bones called vertebra put pressure on the nerves that supply the arms and hands. That pressure in the neck can cause symptoms in any or every part of the arm. This is the first crush. The second crush in double-crush syndrome happens in the muscles of the forearm when adhesions form in the muscles of the forearm from holding a rigid tense position like the one required for typing.

Before undergoing drug therapy and surgery, check with your chiropractor to see if your neck and forearm are the source of your symptoms. Chiropractors can quickly and accurately assess the problem and frequently just a few chiropractic adjustments and some physical therapy can reduce or eliminate the symptoms.

By Noel G. Lloyd, DC of Sound Chiropractic Center of Northgate, Seattle, WA

Chiropractic and Whiplash

In the late 1800’s there were only two automobiles in the state of Indiana. Wouldn’t you know they would hit each other? That was perhaps the first auto accident in America. Since then there have been literally millions of injury auto accidents.

However, today cars can go 10 times faster than they did 125 years ago and there are millions more cars to run into. Enter the whiplash injury. When one car hits another the force of the impact accelerates not only the car it hits, but the car’s occupants as well. What can happen next is aptly described as a whiplash injury.

During this type of accident, the head (attached to the shoulders by the neck) stays motionless “in space” for just as long as it takes the neck to stretch to maximum extension. Then a violent forward whipping of the head, neck and upper back take place. Seen in slow motion, the injury may remind you of the cartoon character Road Runner. In his speedy departures his body leaves first, then his head is pulled after him by his neck. Road Runner’s neck stretches like a rubber band. However, when hit even at low speeds, we humans may suffer serious head, neck and upper back injury.

What actually happens is muscles, ligaments, discs and nerves, even the bones, can be torn in a whiplash injury. An examination may reveal muscles in spasm; inflamed and sprained joints and occasionally x-rays will show fractures from ligaments tearing parts of bone away.

However, the worst aspect of these injuries can be the long-term irritation and damage done to the delicate nerves at the base of the skull, the neck and upper back. Weakened and misaligned joints and scar tissue put pressure on nerves, cause pain and impair nerve function for a lifetime.

This can cause serious chronic headache and neck pain, plus radiating pain, numbness and or tingling into the shoulders, arms, hands and upper back. Untreated, the misaligned bones wear badly and degenerate.

What should you do if you think you have had a whiplash injury? The best approach is to see your chiropractor. He will take a health and accident history, do a physical examination of your neck and test for muscle and joint damage. When needed, x-rays will be taken to determine the extent of the injuries.

Of all the treatment options available, chiropractic care is both effective and safe. Gentle realignment of the spine, physical therapy and corrective exercises can affect a full symptomatic and structural recovery. But don’t delay treatment. Too many accident victims wait and suffer too long because some well meaning, but misinformed doctor has told them that the symptoms will go away by themselves.

In the mean time, adjust your headrest to the middle of your head, buckle your seatbelt and drive carefully. Dr. Noel Lloyd, Sound Chiropractic Center of Northgate, Seattle, WA

Should You See Sound Chiropractic For Your Tension Headache?

The most common pain in America is headache. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent on several dozen over the counter remedies, each one promising quick relief. But do they deliver? What actually causes headache pain and is there a cure for the cause? Let’s see why our heads hurt.

Most headaches are separated into one of several categories. For the purposes of this article we will consider the most common and most expensive: tension headache.

You already have a good idea how this one works: it’s a hectic day with too many things to do, deadlines to meet and what may feel like too many unreasonable demands – before you know it, you have a headache. For some it’s a mild ache at the base of the skull or forehead, but for others it can be blinding and debilitating pain. What’s actually gone wrong?

Let’s start with your head: it weighs 10 to 12 pounds and sits on top of a column spinal bones called vertebrae, muscles, ligaments, discs, blood vessels, nerves and other tissues covered with skin that form the neck. So far so good, but when under pressure we can tense up and tighten the muscles at the base of the skull, neck and shoulders. This causes poor biomechanics, restricted movement, the neck vertebrae are squeezed tighter together and pain ensues.

But why does your co-worker, who’s under twice the pressure you are, never get a headache? Tension alone won’t cause headache: the difference lies in what those tense muscles are attached to and cover. If the neck bones, called vertebrae, are even slightly misaligned, muscle tension can create painful nerve pressure.

Now we have emotional tension from the stress, tight muscles that restrict normal fluid motion of the neck bones, impaired movement and nerve pressure. It’s a perfect recipe for a tension headache.

If the vertebrae in the neck are aligned well, you can experience quite a lot of tension and not have it cause you any pain at all. You may be irritated and stressed out, but not in physical pain. Well that’s good for your pain-free co-worker, but how about you. You would like to quit living on what are for many, dangerous over the counter or prescription medication and take care of the cause of your headache. Then see your chiropractor.

Your chiropractor will take a health history, do an examination of the nerves that most commonly cause tension headache and examine your spine to see if those nerves are impinged by misaligned vertebrae. When indicated, spinal x-rays will be taken to see exactly where the spinal bones are misaligned and how to re-align the spine to correct the problem.

Chiropractic adjustments can correct the cause by re-aligning the vertebrae to their normal position with gentle exercises to strengthen to new and proper positioning. If you would like to leave the pain and the drugs behind, chiropractic offers a promising solution by dealing with the cause of tension headache.

Dr. Noel Lloyd, Sound Chiropractic Center of Northgate in Seattle, WA. Visit us at www.soundchiropractic.com for more information.

Now's Not The Time...

It happens mysteriously every year around this time. Good health becomes optional and time and money is now spent on Christmas. While it's perfectly logical that your resources move this time of year, now's not the time to totally neglect your health.

The weather's cold, the stress is high, we drink more, eat more, and have more obligations. Our health is under attack this time of year and it becomes even more critical to take good care of ourselves.

Avoid the trap and don't take a holiday from your health this season. Take some extra vitamins, slip in some extra glasses of water throughout the day, and maintain your chiropractic treatment schedule. These may seem like small things, but your body needs these things right now more than usual.

Now's not the time to stop maintaining your health. Start the new year healthy!

"No, you don't understand: I don't hurt anymore..."

Maybe I DID NOT understand. For over 37 years in chiropractic I've heard tons of people say they feel better many many times each week, but this was an unusual case. This dear lady had hurt for decades - almost 3 of them. She had pain on motion, pain while laying still, pain while sitting and standing. Her life was pain.

When we started her care plan I had told her that her road would be long, but we were blessed and inside of a few short weeks she was 80% pain free and inside of 2 months 99% pain free. On this particular day she didn't hurt at all. That's when she told me she didn't hurt anymore and, fearing I didn't grasp the importance of her recovery, said "No, you don't understand, I don't HURT anymore."

Over the next 2 minutes she told me about all the things that she was looking forward to doing now that she didn't hurt. As I listened I saw her tear up. Then I did understand. She shared the disappointments due to all the time spent feeling rotten