What Conditions Does Chiropractic Help?
Gallup Poll Shows Chiropractic Works
It should come as no surprise to you that chiropractic care is viewed as being one of the best treatments for back and neck pain. However, as we will see in the study below, chiropractic care is still under utilized in our country. Chiropractors have a very...
Backpacks and Back Pain
The kids are officially back to school. There is a change in the stress and strain that our children undergo as they return to school carrying all those books home in their heavy backpacks. There are three essential key factors: Backpacks should be 10% of the...
My Back “Popped” and now I have Back Pain
We all have a friend or family member that has had this happen to them. So what is going on in there and what type of treatment should you seek? The best immediate relief is doing something to decrease the inflammation. Ice and anti-inflammatory medications like...
Concussions and Neck Injury
Balance problems or dizziness Being bothered by light or noise Confusion Double or blurry vision Difficulty remembering or paying attention Feeling sluggish, hazy, foggy, or groggy Feeling irritable, more emotional, or “down” Headaches Nausea or vomiting Slowed...
What is a Disc Herniation?
A disc herniation or a "slipped disc" are both technically incorrect terms. Buckle up for a wild ride into the world of disc issues as we know it. A little caveat, we base disc "herniations" on an unweighted position since MRI's are still done in a laying position....
Neck Pain in the Morning?
We are finally starting to enjoy the beautiful fall weather in our Kalamazoo and Portage areas. The days are nice and warm and the nights are getting cooler, which means perfect sleeping weather. Who doesn't love to have the windows open and the ceiling fan on at...
What Shouldn’t I Do When My Back Hurts?
I don't like to limit patients on what they can do. Isn't the whole purpose of taking care of your back pain so you can do what you enjoy? If you wanted to be limited, you would be sitting around taking vicodin. Of course, every patient and every condition is...
Chiropractic is a Manual Medicine
Patients often get confused why they don't feel better after getting adjusted just a few times. There are a few analogies that I make to help explain what I do. Hopefully it helps you understand a little better, what chiropractic is and it works. If you had...
How Much Does Chiropractic Cost?
Chiropractic care is covered by all major insurances, including Medicare and Medicaid. There are a few insurances out there that have no chiropractic benefits, even with the commercial insurances (BCBS, UHC, Aetna, Priority are examples of what we call commercial...
If I Feel Better Do I Have to Come Back?
I just had a patient ask me this question. I think a better way to pose the question is "If I feel better should I come back?" This is often a big issue with people. Once you go to a chiropractor you are always going to have to go back. Or some people even confuse...
What is the Source of your Back Pain?
This will be a fun anatomy lesson for all you kids out there. Your spine is made up of 24 movable segments, or vertebra. This does not include your hips and tailbone (ilium and sacrum are the correct anatomical terms). Each of these bones can become subluxated or...
New to Chiropractic? What to Expect.
I totally understand when I have new patients that are unsure or scared on their first visit. When you have never been adjusted (this is what chiropractors call "cracking" your back, although there is more to it than that, read on) it can be a little daunting, but...
New Chiropractic Scope of Practice
This is a little late in letting the general public know, but there are some significant changes on the insurance side of things starting August 1st, 2015. For the past 3 years chiropractors have been able to incorporate electric stimulation therapy, ultrasound...
Studies Show-Chiropractic Works
A couple of times a year the Michigan Association of Chiropractors includes recent studies showing the efficacy of chiropractic care. This is an important part of our profession because up until about 10 years ago there were no studies being performed on chiropractic...
Do You Have Normal Back Pain?
Let's cut right to the chase on this topic. There is no such thing as "normal" back pain. Pain is a symptom, a warning light of sorts, that tells you something is wrong. Do you have normal eye pain, normal pain with urination, normal ringing in your ears, or normal...
Time to Take Care of Athletes
We are officially half way through summer and the sports camps are in full swing. Sending the athletes onto the fields and courts means they need to be keeping their bodies, and spines, in tip-top shape. Every professional sports team has a team chiropractor. Even...
Pregnancy and Chiropractic
There is no disputing the fact that pregnancy can be very uncomfortable. Morning sickness, swollen feet, back aches, and hormonal swings can make nine months seem more like nine years. Chiropractic care has been shown to be an effective treatment for some of the...
Muscle Spasm and Subluxations
We have all experienced that "kink" or "knot" pain in our upper back or shoulder blades. We feel a sharp stabbing or burning pain in these areas. You may even try to talk your spouse into rubbing your shoulders to find some relief. So, what is really going on in...
Sitting and Car Rides Cause Back and Neck Pain
It is time for the joys of a summer vacation! Packing up the family and heading out of town for a few days of rest and recovery can be just what the doctor ordered -- until you sit in the car for a while and realize, "my back and neck are starting to hurt." It seems...
Chiropractors Have a lot of Education
Chiropractors are some of the most highly educated doctors on your team. From the graphic below you can see that chiropractors spend 4,822 hours in the classroom during chiropractic school. This doesn't include the previous hours of education we acquire while...
When is Chiropractic Right for You?
Well for starters I will talk about why chiropractic care is right for you when you are in pain. Wellness care is another topic, and covered in other blogs, and I'm sure again in the future. But for now, let's talk about your pain and when it is the right time to...