Self Chiropractic?

Chiropractic is about correcting the "Vertebral Subluxation Complex" aka "subluxation". Subluxations involve spinal joints that have either misaligned or become restricted to the normal ranges of motion. This can cause pain, numbness, radicular pain, visceral problems, and a host of other symptoms. It might lead to arthritis and degeneration in the affected part of the spine if not corrected. But there are ways to keep your spine healthy and minimize the presence of subluxations.

If you have ever been treated at Agape Chiropractic, you may have noticed that we always recommend daily at home range of motion exercises. We do this because using your spinal range of motion properly and sufficiently is one way to keep your spine healthier and prevent subluxations. Sometimes when doing the exercises, you might hear some "cracks". Please don't confuse this with chiropractic. That is, you can not "adjust" yourself. The audible releases you hear might be beneficial in maintaining joint mobility. But you should not intentionally strive for audibles when doing your stretching exercises. If they happen, they happen. The exercises are simply intended to increase blood flow and keep the joints and muscles flexible. And quite frankly, if everyone did the proper spinal exercises every day, there would be a lot of chiropractors out of business because there would be less subluxations to correct.

But once the subluxation is present, just doing the exercises is usually not enough to correct the problem. That is why so many people have the same pains return in the same place as always. Have you ever known someone who chronically "throws their back out" or has chronic headaches? The pains seem to come and go and don't leave for good until the correction is made and then maintained with the proper exercises. Correcting the subluxation requires a chiropractic correction followed by supportive exercises to maintain the normal spinal function.

If you have been given exercises to do by your chiropractor, let this serve as a reminder of their benefits and an encouragement to press on. If you have not had your spine checked for subluxations and don't know what exercises to do, contact your local chiropractor today to schedule an appointment.

Sciatica

The condition manifests itself when the sciatic nerve is stretched, irritated, pinched, or impinged upon. The most common sites of nerve impingement are the vertebral foramen where the nerve exits the protection of the vertebrae in the low back and in the gluteal musculature where the piriformis muscle passes over the nerve. Symptoms may vary from sudden electric sensations (usually associated with a stretched nerve) to dull burning sensations and/or numbness. The symptoms are usually experienced in the gluteal region, posterior thigh and leg, and often include the foot. There may also be muscle weakness in the back of the thigh, in the leg, or foot. Often, only one side is affected. When both sides are affected, it is usually to varying degrees with one side much worse.

Temporary relief can often be obtained by flexing and abducting the affected side at the thigh and pointing the toes outward. This is accomplished by lying on the back with the foot of the affected leg propped up and slightly away from the body with the toes pointing outward. While standing, this can be accomplished by putting the foot of the affected leg on a low step stool slightly off to the side with the toes pointing outward.

About the Sciatic nerve

The sciatic nerve is the largest and thickest nerve in the body. It leaves the spinal column primarily between L4, 5, S1, 2, and 3. Near the knee, it splits into two large divisions, the tibial and common peroneal nerves.

Different Causes or Sciatica

If the cause of sciatica is a prolapse of the intervertebral disk, coughing or sneezing might dramatically increase the pain symptoms. Mal-alignment or mal-function of the vertebral joints may cause a change in the normal function of the nerve. Bony arthritic changes may affect the size of the opening where the nerve leaves the spine. This may "pinch" or irritate the nerve. A sprained or strained muscle or ligament, or a muscle spasm may affect the course of the nerve. A sudden trauma, such as an automobile accident, may damage tissues such as the vertebral joints. A cumulative trauma, such as repetitive motions that irritate the area or long hours of sitting can affect the surrounding tissues of the nerve and hinder normal nerve function. Rarely, an abnormal growth or condition along the course of the nerve may interfere with its normal function causing the syndrome.

Treatments for Sciatica

Treatments for sciatica range from conservative chiropractic adjustments to surgery. The goal in treating the condition is to remove the interference and normalize nerve transmission.

Chiropractic adjustments align the bones of the spine and improves joint function. This often normalizes the surrounding tissues and removes nerve interference. Chiropractic adjustments may help even in the presence of bony arthritic spurs or herniated discs. Low back traction or massage of the lumbar, gluteal, and posterior thigh musculature may produce results.

As a more aggressive approach, the orthopedic surgeon may choose to remove the offending tissues. There is a host of intermediate treatments that treat the symptoms rather than the cause. If inflammation is the cause, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are often used. While this may help, the cause of the inflammation will likely need to be addressed to prevent a recurrence of the inflammation and the syndrome. If muscle relaxants benefit, the cause of the muscle spasms may need to be addressed. Otherwise, when the drugs wear off, the symptoms are likely to return. Over the counter pain relievers may also provide some temporary relief, however, they do not treat the cause and may have side effects. Ice packs on the low back where the nerves exit the spine often provide relief. Ice packs should not be used more than 1 time in an hour for a maximum of 15 minutes at a time. Ice packs, however, will not address the cause, but rather, simply treat the symptoms. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (T.E.N.S.) may provide relief of pain (though not treat the cause). If the cause is an abscess, infection, tumor, or blood clot, medical treatment is needed.

Alternative Sciatica Treatments

Alternative sciatic treatments include acupuncture and acupressure.

The information presented is not intended to replace sound chiropractic or medical treatment.

Agape Chiropractic
500 S. Cypress Road #4
Pompano Beach, FL 33060
(954) 545-9750

9/2000

Some of the effects of spinal misalignments (subluxations) are listed.  Chiropractic care is for correction of vertebral subluxations.

Subluxation

The picture demonstrates a sick spinal nerve.  It is circled.  This is the result of a subluxation.  In this case, the nerves above and below are unaffected.

subluxation (sub''luk-sa'shun) - Any vertebrae which has lost its proper juxta-position with the bone above, below, or both, which impinges on a nerve and interferes with mental impulses.  That is, a spinal misalignment or malfunction that doesn't allow your body's communication system to work properly.

For the technically inclined:
There are several components of a subluxation.  They include:

• spinal kinesiopathology - (ki-ne"se-o-pah-thol'o-je) bone misalignment and joint malfunction such as in hyper or hypo-mobility.
• neuropathophysiology - (nu"ro-path"o-fiz"e-ol'o-je) nerve malfunction and nerve pathological changes resulting from the nerve being stretched, pinched, impinged upon, or irritated.
• myopathology - (mi-o-pah-thol'o-je) dis-ease of the muscles, seen as muscle spasms, contractures, atrophy, and/or weakness.  This can cause a change in the makeup of the muscle by replacing healthy contractile tissue with fibrotic and less elastic tissue.
• histopathology - (his'to-pah-thol'o-je) changes of the involved soft tissues of the vertebral subluxation complex including discs, ligaments, blood supply and lymph supply.
• pathophysiology - (path"o-fiz"e-ol'o-je) cummulative degenerative arthritic changes that occur to the soft tissues and bones of the involved vertebrae.

These terms are used to describe the changes that take place with the involved tissues of the vertebral subluxation complex.  Pathophysiology also occurs at the innervated tissue level.  The malfunctioning nerves will result in less than normal function in the tissues they innervate.  This means that a subluxation can cause an organ to work less than 100% and become sick.  For a list of some of the effects of subluxations, please see the Chart.