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Blog

What is a Pinched Nerve & How Can I Treat It Naturally?

7/24/2023

 
Nerves are soft tissues that run through our entire body. They provide sensation, and some even help with balance, movement, and body functions. When one becomes impaired, the result can be pretty painful. 

With proper at-home treatments and chiropractic care, you can heal your pinched nerve safely and effectively. 


This article details:
  • What a pinched nerve is
  • Symptoms of a pinched nerve
  • How you get pinched nerves
  • Natural remedies and chiropractic care to heal pinched nerves
  • And more


If you’re in pain, you should meet with your local chiropractor as soon as possible to get a comprehensive analysis of how your body is moving and functioning. If a pinched nerve is the cause of your discomfort, you’ll get a treatment plan based on your unique needs. 

To learn more about how you can help treat your pinched nerve, read on. 

What is a Pinched Nerve?A pinched nerve occurs when a spinal disc or the soft tissues surrounding the nerve (muscles, ligaments, tendons) put too much pressure upon a specific area of it. Because nerves are everywhere in the body, the condition can happen anywhere to anyone. 

The effects of a pinched nerve differ for different people and for different severities of the injury. 


Common symptoms of a pinched nerve include:
  • Pain ranging from dull to intense 
  • Weakness
  • Burning sensation
  • Tingling sensation
  • Numbness in the affected area
  • Loss of sensation in the affected area


These symptoms can make work, exercise, and socializing difficult, so it’s important to get effective care as soon as possible. Your chiropractor can help heal your injury and give you guidance to keep the condition from recurring. 


Common reasons and conditions associated with a pinched nerve include:
  • Poor posture and ergonomics
  • Sports injuries
  • Repetitive movement and overuse
  • Improper movement patterns
  • Wear and tear or aging
  • Weight gain or pregnancy 
  • Inflammation
  • Disc herniation
  • Sciatica 


Chiropractors understand how the spine and musculoskeletal system should function and support you, and they have the resources to get your body the safe, organic help it deserves. Combining their efforts with at-home solutions can get your relief fast. 

Ways to Safely Treat a Pinched Nerve While you should always seek medical care when injured, a few natural ways to find comfort at home will contribute to your healing process (chiropractor-approved, of course!).


At-home remedies to relieve pinch nerve pain include:
  • Apply ice to the affected area to reduce inflammation 
  • Get a lot of sleep and rest to allow the nerve time to heal
  • Pay attention to and correct your posture 
  • Design an ergonomic workspace 
  • Gently stretch the affected area
  • Massage over and around the affected area


These tips can help you find relief, but if anything you do worsens your pain, stop immediately and talk to your chiropractor. 


An experienced pinch nerve chiropractor can provide a wellness strategy that encourages the body to heal quickly and safely. 


Chiropractic solutions to heal a pinched nerve include:
  • Chiropractic adjustments 
  • Acupuncture 
  • Massage therapy
  • Guidance regarding movement, posture, and lifestyle  


In-clinic treatments and take-home insight are key to optimal recovery and lasting results.


Visit Our Portland Chiropractic Clinic for Pinched Nerve Treatment We believe you deserve to have a pain-free body that supports you. The best way to keep your body strong and safe is proactive care. 


Check out these tips to help you prevent pinched nerve pain:
  • Always maintain good posture
  • Ensure you use proper movement patterns and lifting techniques
  • Move regularly 
  • Incorporate strengthening and flexibility exercises into your daily routine
  • Stretch regularly
  • Limit repetitive activities 
  • Stay at a healthy weight 


However, in many cases, we ignore our bodies until we feel discomfort. We can help. 

Our team is ready to find what’s causing your pinched nerve and treat the injury. We never promote masking pain with medication, but want your body to truly heal so your pain and other symptoms are managed, giving you the long-lasting results you’re looking for. 

Book with us today! 

4 Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Sports Injuries

5/26/2023

 
Chiropractors understand the importance of physical activity. Exercise and sports play an important role in your overall health, well-being, and function. However, the repetitive use of targeted areas of the body can pay the price if not cared for. 

For those who lead an active lifestyle, injuries can occur within the musculoskeletal system (joints and soft tissues) and the spine. 

From overuse to improper cooldowns to poor lifting techniques to aggressive tackles, your injury can keep you from continuing your training or participating in your event. And you’ve likely devoted a lot of time preparing so you can achieve your goals. Your sports chiropractor can provide the support you need. 

Chiropractic care can help heal your sports injury and optimize your body so you can perform at your peak. This post gives four incredible benefits of working with a chiropractor after a sports injury. 

Sports Injuries a Chiropractor Can TreatThere are numerous kinds of sports that lead to numerous kinds of sports injuries. Since your goal is to safely compete, play, race, or whatever the objective is, you need to ensure you get the correct treatment. 

Your local sports chiropractor will find the cause of your pain so you get a successful healing strategy that works fast and responsibly. 


Common types of sports injuries and symptoms include:
  • Sprains and strains
  • Inflammation
  • Rotator cuff injury
  • Knee injury
  • Inflammation
  • Nerve impingement
  • Disc herniation
  • Low back pain
  • Neck pain or stiffness
  • Plantar fasciitis 


Working with a knowledgeable chiropractor on these injuries, you’ll get a reliable and fast-working treatment plan and several other benefits contributing to your performance. 

Benefits of Chiropractic for a Sports Injury Benefit 1: Effective HealingUnlike pain medication, which does nothing to heal the injury causing you pain, chiropractic finds the source of your discomfort to effectively reduce your symptoms by treating the condition. 

This is always best, but especially if you’re about to push your body to its limits (or have just done so). Most sportspeople rely on a healthy body before, during, and after an event because they need it to safely support them throughout the journey. 

From preparation to rehabilitation, a chiropractor can control discomforts by effectively healing your injury so you can confidently perform and recover the right way. 

Benefit 2: Improved Strength and Flexibility Your healing process relies on treating the injury as well as improving the body’s function so it can give its all. Chiropractic helps develop strength and advance flexibility, which is great for power, endurance, and unrestricted, comfortable movement patterns. 

With a strong body comes other benefits, such as reduced stiffness, enhanced posture, decreased risk of re-injury, and well-being in both the body and mind.

Benefit 3: Little to No Downtime Chiropractic isn’t just effective; it’s efficient. When sedentary for too long, strength and flexibility are diminished, and further injuries can arise, making recovery long and painful. 

Chiropractors use techniques that encourage activity and motion, which nurture safe healing by keeping the joints and muscles moving. 

Benefit 4: Improved PerformanceWhen we’re in pain, it’s hard to perform on any level, much less at our best. Getting the injury healed and restoring the body’s function and strength means it can support you and the demands you put on it. 


When the body is optimized, performance can increase due to many factors, including:
  • Better sleep quality and quantity
  • Improved comfort and movement 
  • Increased focus
  • Improved joint and tissue health
  • Overall balance 
  • Reduced stress and anxiety


Your chiropractor can help you reach your athletic goals by empowering your body to heal naturally and offering many other substantial benefits that can be a real game-changer. 

Visit Our SE Portland Chiropractic Clinic to Heal Your Sports Injury We know you don’t want pain to get in the way of your training or exercise routine. Our Portland sports chiropractic clinic will help you recover and thrive using safe, natural solutions that are trusted and relied upon worldwide. 


Chiropractic solutions we use to help heal sports injuries include:
  • Chiropractic adjustments
  • Soft tissue therapies 
  • Acupuncture  
  • Massage therapy 
  • Corrective exercises  
  • And more


You want your hard work to pay off, and we want to make sure it does. Our team will give you in-clinic treatments and take-home guidance on exercise, stretching, movement techniques, and more, so you can continue to give it your all. 

Book with us today, and let’s get you healed. The finish line is waiting. 
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Can a Chiropractor Treat Migraines?

4/5/2023

 
Migraines are a painful kind of headache that can last for excessive periods of time and completely ruin your day (or week). From distracting your focus, to disrupting your routine, to making getting out of bed a challenge, those who suffer from migraines want nothing more than for them to end.

Chiropractors understand the nature of migraines. They offer numerous natural chiropractic solutions that can manage migraines and help reduce their frequency and severity. 

In this article, we’re detailing the ins and outs of migraine headaches and how working with your local chiropractor may be just what you need to find comfort and get and keep your migraines under control. 

What is a Migraine? 
Migraine headaches are one of the most common kinds of headaches. While science has yet to confirm why we get them, we do know that they have numerous triggers that cause changes in blood circulation and inflammation around the brain, leading to pain. 

Migraines can last for hours or days, making them stressful, taxing, and, oftentimes, debilitating. 


Migraine symptoms include:
  • Varying degrees of pain: throbbing, intense, dull, aching
  • Pounding or pulsing in the head
  • Pain on one side of the head
  • Ocular (visual) instability 
  • Vomiting
  • Nausea
  • Extreme sensitivity to light, sound, and smell


These symptoms can occur for various reasons; common triggers include:
  • Harsh light or noise
  • Hormonal changes
  • Seasonal changes
  • Stress
  • Certain foods and drinks
  • Irregular sleep patterns
  • Dehydration 


For most, the onslaught of a migraine provides specific tells, warning the person that it’s coming on. 


Natural ways to help reduce pain once a migraine starts include:
  • Rest in a dark, quiet room
  • Drape a cold cloth on your forehead and the back of the neck (and a warm cloth on your hands)
  • Remove yourself from a stressful situation
  • Discontinue drinking alcohol if your headache is starting while currently drinking 
  • Drink water 
  • Sleep


These tips can help with your migraine; however, getting more long-lasting solutions can be of better benefit, nurturing a healthy, pain-free body by treating the condition, not the symptoms. 

Chiropractic to Reduce Migraines 
Chiropractors offer safe, non-invasive, organic solutions to migraines and other kinds of headaches. Migraines can be effectively managed by using treatments that help the body find balance, reduce inflammation, improve blood and oxygen circulation, and reduce mental stress. 


Common chiropractic solutions for migraines include:
  • Chiropractic adjustments ensure the joints are moving the way they should be
  • Soft tissue therapies alleviate imbalances in the nerves, muscles, tendons, and ligaments
  • Acupuncture helps energy move throughout the body, healing and restoring tissues and blood flow
  • Massage therapy promotes the safe healing of affected tissues and reduces stress, anxiety, and depression as relaxation is garnered
  • Exercise and stretching guidance based on the patient’s unique needs and goals will help keep the body safe, strong, and supportive
  • Lifestyle guidance to promote overall well-being and keep migraines at bay
  • And more


Focusing on the cause of your headache is imperative to implementing the right treatment strategy. Chiropractors rely on a comprehensive physical assessment of the body, never using pain-masking medications to end pain but rather putting a plan in place that treats the underlying injury.

Utilizing therapies that incorporate relaxation of the muscles, increased blood circulation, and stress relief, migraine headaches can be decreased in quantity and quality. 

In most cases, numerous chiropractic solutions will be combined with take-home insight, education, and exercises that complement one another for the fastest, safest recovery process. 

Visit Our Portland Migraine Chiropractor 
Your migraines have likely taken up a significant portion of your life. When suffering from these headaches, work, socializing, sleep, and physical activity all pay the price. Our experienced headache chiropractor is prepared to determine the cause of your migraines and design a wellness plan based around you and your needs. 

You don’t have to suffer from migraine pain; contact our team today, and let’s work together on a solution you feel confident with. You want to live your life comfortably and actively, and we want to ensure that happens. 
Migraines

What is Your SI Joint? We Explain!

3/13/2023

 
What is Your SI Joint? We Explain!

Have you ever suffered from pain in the lower back, hip, or tailbone and don’t know what to do about it? Here we will discuss what the SI joint is, how it can affect you, and what you can do about it. The SI joint is formed from two bones, the sacrum and the ilium bones. The sacrum sits at the bottom of your spine and is the center of your pelvis.
The ilium bone is on the outside of the sacrum. Where the ilium and sacrum meet on each side, create the the SI joints. A joint is where two bones come together and ligaments connect one bone to another. Each SI joint, the right and left, have multiple ligaments connecting them.

The ligaments at the top of the joint connect the ilium and sacrum to the lumbar spine. There are ligaments on both sides of the sacrum connecting it to each ilium. There are also large, broad ligaments connecting the top and bottom of the SI joint. The SI joint also has connections to the tendon of the hamstring muscles.

In addition to joints and ligaments, muscles connect to the bones via tendons. 

There are  multiple muscles that connect to and cross to the SI joint. Muscles contract and pull on the bones, which allow us to move our joints and bodies. The superficial muscles of the SI joint are the glute max, which has connections up to the sacrum and ilium. The thoracolumbar fascia connects to the center of the spine and the latissimus dorsi muscle underneath. We have vertical muscles along the spine, the erector spinae muscles, also known as the paraspinal muscles. Deep to those paraspinal muscles, there are the multifidus muscles connecting to the vertebrae in the back, as well as the sacrum deep to the glute max muscle. The piriformis connects the sacrum to the femur. The lateral, or outer, hamstring muscle is known as the biceps femoris, and its tendon originate from fibers of the ligament in the SI joint, the sacrotuberous ligament, as well as your “sit bone”. 

In addition to the muscles, we have superficial nerves that innovate the SI joint.

They provide sensory innervation such as pain, heat, and cold sensations. They start deep in the spine and branch out to become superficial, coming to the surface right at the level of the ilium and the SI joint, and then branch around the ilium to the side and the front of the hip. 

The SI joint functions to dissipate forces from the lower limbs to the trunk, storing energy in the ligaments and absorbing shock. The SI joint can absorb energy passing from the legs as it attempts to pass through to the torso, and can be a very common area for pain. 
How Your Lower Back Could Cause Your SI Joint Pain

The most common source of lower back pain originates from the sacroiliac joint (SI joint). Research shows that 15 to 30% of those with lower back pain have their pain in the region of the SI joint. This can be due to restrictions at the joint, injury to the ligaments, tendons, muscles, and superficial nerves. 
The superficial nerves that innervate the SI joint, have nerve endings, which where you experience the pain. Pressure or inflammation to the area near these nerve endings can cause pain in this region. Some examples in daily life might be sitting or driving for long periods of time, sleeping with your legs crossed, or applying constant tension to your lower back (either from repetitive movements or not enough movement). 

How We Assess SI Joint Issues in Our Office

All evaluations begin with observing the patient in the waiting room. We can learn something just by observing someone's behavior and posture while they are in the waiting room and how to ambulate into the treatment room. 
Once we get into the treatment room, we take the patient’s history, where we sit down and have a discussion about where the pain came from, what the pain feels like, what caused the pain, what makes the pain better or worse, and if it's limiting their daily life and their movements.

Once we have the history and an understanding of what's going on, we can start the physical examination. The exam usually starts with the patient performing specific active movements to assess if they can actually move that region of their body, or if it is limited due to the pain. 

Next, your doctor will perform orthopedic tests. We evaluate different structures to rule in what we think might be the cause of pain and rule out other types of pain that might mimic the same symptoms.

We do muscle tests to assess the strength of the muscle and to determine if the muscle is causing the pain. We can do nerve tension tests to assess the sensitivity of the peripheral nerves that travel through the body. We do skin rolling and pinching to assess if the superficial nerve endings are sensitive and causing pain. We also perform passive movements and mobilizations to assess if the joint and ligaments are the structures that are causing the pain. Once we are confident with our diagnosis and we know where the pain is coming from, we can move on to the treatment.



How We Treat SI Joint Pain With Chiropractic Care

Treatment will always depend on the results of the examination. If the exam shows that the joints or the ligaments are the cause of pain, treatment would likely involve adjusting or mobilizing. If the patient’s condition is overly tender or painful, mobilizing the joint would include gentle movements with some pressure to help provide movement to the joint. We can do mobilizations with pelvic blocks to prop the pelvis up to help it relax into that position. Another option is to use an adjusting tool called the activator to provide gentle adjustments. We  can also use the drop table to adjust as well as perform manual adjustments. 
If the exams show that the muscles are the cause of pain, we want to do manual therapy or myofascial work. Deep tissue fascial work involves deep pressure to reduce any densities in the tissue, which can be very painful but can be very effective. Instrument-assisted soft tissue work, scraping, or Graston involves a stainless steel tool to help promote local blood flow in the region and help reduce tightness in the muscle.

Superficial nerves are addressed if they are found to be the cause of pain. This treatment involves suction-type treatment. It can be through pinching the skin or cupping to help create more space between the different structures of the skin (the fascia and muscles) and promote local blood flow.

Once we have finished treatment in the office, we move on to discuss at-home care, which can be some of the most important parts of the treatment. At home care provides a way for the patient to have something to take home with them and do in between their visits as supportive care for their in-office treatment. Home exercises are meant to provide a pain-free way to move that area of the body.

Once the pain is decreased and the area is less tender, the exercises can increase in difficulty to help improve tissue tolerance. Improved tissue and load tolerance helps improve overall function and helps to reduce future injury. ​​​​

Should I Go to a Chiropractor After an Auto Accident?

1/27/2023

 
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Car accidents can cause significant damage to the body, but due to their traumatic nature, they can take a toll on other areas of life as well. Along with discomfort due to your collision, you may experience financial strain, missed work and social engagements, mental stress, and loss of property. 
Chiropractic care is a proven, safe, and natural way to support you in body and mind, helping you find pain relief, full function, and strength. Because they’re experienced in soft tissues and joints, working with a chiropractor after an auto accident can help ensure you properly restore your musculoskeletal system so you can get back to living in comfort and focusing on other matters. 

This post will go over the following:
  • Common injuries after a vehicle accident
  • Symptoms after a car accident
  • How chiropractic can heal your auto accident injury
  • Benefits of chiropractic after a car accident
  • And more

Let’s get to it..
​

Common Auto Accident Injuries and Symptoms 
Car accidents range in severity, as there are numerous factors that contribute to each. However, even seemingly insignificant collisions can create imbalances and dysfunctions in the soft tissues or joints. 
When undue pressure is put on areas that need to over-compensate for minor injuries, those areas are put at risk, so finding out exactly what’s going on inside your body after an accident is the responsible next step. 

Chiropractic solutions can treat several auto accident-related injuries and symptoms, including:
  • Disc herniation and other disc injuries
  • Joint injuries 
  • Sprains 
  • Strains
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Whiplash and neck pain
  • Headaches   
  • Low back pain (lumbar pain) and back pain
  • Arm and shoulder pain  
  • Loss of range of motion
  • And more

Don't wait to get medical attention if you’ve been involved in a car accident. Even if you have little to no pain, seek chiropractic guidance to learn whether your body was impacted; this can keep minor injuries from spreading or worsening. 
When you work with a chiropractor after an accident, you’re electing not to put your body through further trauma. Chiropractor services are safe and non-invasive, giving your body the gentle push it needs to self-heal. 

Chiropractic Services to Help After an Auto Accident 
Chiropractic techniques are effective, efficient, and holistic, supporting the body so it can restore and recover with limited downtime and without the need for aggressive surgeries and medications. 
We know you want to reduce your stress after an accident; chiropractic can help make that happen. 

Chiropractic methods that can aid in recovery and end the pain caused by a vehicle accident include: 
  • Chiropractic adjustments- a controlled manual thrust to the affected area will realign and balance the spine, joint, and soft tissues, providing full function, proper movement, and comfort
  • Acupuncture- with the insertion of thin needles over injured soft tissues, vital energy is distributed, creating balance and symmetry  
  • Massage therapy- nurturing the soft tissues through manual manipulation allows them to restore and heal as circulation, inflammation, and mental stress decrease 
  • And more 

Our SE Portland chiropractic clinic often offers several modalities in one treatment plan, promoting a safe and fast recovery. 

Benefits of Chiropractic Treatments for Your Auto Injury
Accidents are intense, even the little ones. They put our bodies (and minds) on edge and generate instability within our lives. Don’t let the after-effects of your car accident linger. Not when organic, fast, and reliable chiropractic care is here to guide you and heal you.
 
Not only can chiropractic end your pain, but it offers many other benefits as well, including: 
  • Improved motion 
  • Restored flexibility
  • Improved strength 
  • Reduced scar tissue
  • Increased circulation 
  • Reduced emotional and mental stress
  • Enhanced relaxation
  • Enhanced sleep quality
  • Improved productivity and focus
  • Heightened energy 
  • Restored quality of life

If your auto injury-related pain is currently dictating how you live, let us help. 

Visit Our SE Portland Chiropractic Clinic After Your Car Accident 
Your accident has taken up enough of your time and energy. Our team will design a treatment plan around your unique needs, goals, and abilities so you get the optimized care you deserve.  

Contact our clinic, and let’s get you booked, so you can start living pain-free today. 

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