Our chiropractors can help you recover from a variety of conditions, including the following:
Auto Accident Recovery
If you have been injured in a car accident, Oregon law may enable you to receive treatment under personal injury protection coverage. This may include acupuncture, chiropractic, and/or doctor-referred massage. Most MVA injuries involve muscular or ligamentous sprains or strains which respond very well to a combination of all three therapies. Appropriate care for these injuries will promote a speedy recovery and limit time off work and loss of income. Our practitioners are well versed in injury treatment techniques, and look forward to working with you on your path to recovery.
Work Injuries
When an employee is injured at work, they are entitled to care and treatment benefits under workers’ compensation insurance. Many work injuries involve the spine, and an employee may find that chiropractic care is helpful in treating work-related injuries. The insurance carrier is obligated to pay for all costs of treatment that can be demonstrated as directly related to your work injury. Chiropractic care has been proven to be relatively quick and cost-efficient in terms of returning an injured employee to work.
Sports Injuries
Our chiropractors treat a variety of sports injuries and can be an excellent resource to support your training and athletic goals. Most athletes sustain injuries at some point in their endeavors and sometimes do not know whom to turn to for effective injury treatment. Our chiropractors address the underlying problem, going beyond ice and Advil to improve musculoskeletal function and its associated neurology. You may discover you perform better with good alignment and find performance enhancement with regular adjustments and chiropractic care.
Trauma
Trauma induced injuries can result from falls, motor vehicle accidents, blows to the head or other body region, emotions, or any other stressor that tax the central nervous system. These injuries can take time to heal from and may respond best to combinations of therapies.
Disc Herniations
Disc herniations are quite common and result when the disc tissue between the vertebrae weaken, leading to either a bulge in the disc, or a herniation (where disc material “leaks” out). Pressure on nerves can result from disc herniations, leading to nerve pain, loss of muscle function, and general weakness. Recovery from a disc herniation varies greatly, but healing time may be reduced with treatment. Your chiropractor can help with treatment and facilitate a treatment plan that may collaborate with other health care professionals for imaging or further consult.
Acute and Chronic Neck Pain
Neck pain is a very common complaint treated by chiropractors. The neck is susceptible to misalignment and decreased function. Misalignment can originate from the neck itself, or from compensation due to misalignments elsewhere in the body. Misalignment in the neck can cause neck pain and lead to further problems including headaches, TMJ pain, arthritis, thoracic outlet and even disc herniations The neck is particularly susceptible following motor vehicle accidents. Oregon law has provisions so that patients can see any chiropractor following a motor vehicle accident.
Headaches
Headaches have a variety of causes. The most common trigger of headaches is likely from tension resulting from poor posture or stress. These headaches can vary in intensity, frequency and presentation. Migraine headaches can be more debilitating, and have a variety of causes. Chronic stress, environmental toxins, lights, food allergies, nutritional deficiencies, and hormonal imbalances are all common causes for migraines. Your chiropractor may be helpful in reducing symptoms and addressing the underlying cause of the headaches.
Back Pain
Back pain has many causes. The most common cause for back pain is musculoskeletal in origin. Chiropractic can help by addressing both the soft tissue component of the injury, as well as any underlying structural misalignments. Many low back injuries are caused by chronically poor posture, long hours of sitting or standing, muscle imbalances and weaknesses, and repetitive sprain/strain.
TMJ
TMJ pain is a condition that is increasingly being treated by chiropractic care. Chronic stress is a main contributor to TMJ pain, as is direct trauma or prolonged or invasive dental work. TMJ pain can exacerbate neck and shoulder pain, as well as headaches. TMJ dysfunction can also lead to degeneration of the disc protecting the joint.
Hip Pain
Hip pain is common problem that can be caused by many things including arthritis, muscle strains, bursitis, and tendonitis or referred low back pain. Chiropractors are experts at diagnosing the underlying problem and appropriately treating the cause. Treatment often includes stretching, strengthening, nutritional therapy and manual manipulation.
Frozen Shoulder
Frozen shoulder is also known as adhesive capsulitis. Frozen shoulder is a condition in which the patient is unable to move the shoulder. Inflammation is the cause of this condition but the cause of the inflammation is not always understood. Trauma, surgery, diabetes or an autoimmune disease may all lead to inflammation of the tissues that surround the shoulder, rendering it immovable. Patients may initially complain of pain in the shoulder which causes them to stop moving the area. This lack of motion allows adhesions to form in the muscles and ligaments surrounding the shoulder joint, so even if the pain is gone the patient can no longer perform tasks such as reaching over their head. This condition may be permanent or may spontaneously resolve in 9-12 months. Treatment involves moving the shoulder as much as possible along with aggressive soft tissue treatment to break up adhesions. The exercises must be done daily to avoid relapse.
Numbness and Tingling
The feelings of numbness and ‘pins and needles’ may occur almost anywhere in the body but are most commonly experienced in the arms and legs. The feeling of numbness is usually found in an area that is being served by a compromised nerve. The nerve may be experiencing pressure from a tight muscle which is squeezing it, or even from a person’s tight belt that is digging into the nerve. The nerve may also be compressed by a disc protrusion in the spine or from inflammation of tissues that surround the nerve. Numbness and tingling can also be due to compromised blood flow to an area. Similar factors can lead to a loss of blood flow including inflammation, muscle spasm and tight fitting clothes. Certain health conditions may also lead to issues with blood flow including diabetes and heart disease. Please consult your primary care physician if you notice a change in color or temperature or experience severe pain in your extremities.
Carpal Tunnel
True carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by inflammation in the area of the carpal tunnel, which is right where your hand joins your arm. The carpal tunnel is formed by a row of carpal (wrist) bones on one side and a strong piece of fascia on the other. The Median nerve passes through the tunnel and supplies the first three fingers of the hand. When there is inflammation in the carpal tunnel there is pressure placed on the nerve, making the hand feel numb or giving the sensation of ‘pins and needles’. The patient will complain of these sensations in at least one of the first three fingers on the hand (thumb, pointer/index, middle). Numbness/tingling that is felt in all five fingers or in the ring and pinky finger only may indicate compression of a nerve in a location other than the carpal tunnel.
Elbow Pain
The two most common elbow injuries are Tennis Elbow and Golfer’s Elbow. Tennis Elbow, more accurately called Lateral Epicondylitis, occurs when the muscles on the back of the forearm are overworked and pain develops on the outside of the elbow. The constant work of these muscles leads to micro-tears of the muscle’s tendon where it attaches to the bone causing inflammation and possible shooting pain down the arm to the wrist. Golfer’s elbow, properly called Medial Epicondylitis, is very similar to Tennis Elbow but it occurs on the inside of the elbow and is due to over use of the muscles on the inside of the forearm. These injuries are common in racquet sports but also occur in people who spend a lot of time at a keyboard and also in hairdressers who are constantly twisting a brush and blowdryer. Everyday tasks such as twisting a doorknob, opening a jar or even shaking hands can become very painful.
If these conditions are detected early then there is a great chance for full recovery. Home treatment with rest, ice and gentle stretching can be effective in the initial stages. At North Portland Wellness Center, the Chiropractors have been successful in treating Lateral and Medial Epicondylitis with the use of Graston Instruments with improvement noted in 1-3 treatments. Acupuncture is also used to decrease the pain and inflammation associated with these conditions.
Bursitis
Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursae. A bursa (plural bursae) is a small fluid-filled sac lined by synovial membrane. It provides a cushion between bones and tendons and/or muscles around a joint. This helps to reduce friction between the bones and allows free movement. Pain results when the bursae are inflamed. Treatment involves finding the cause of the inflammation-often times biomechanical disturbances in muscles and joints, addressing the disturbance by adjusting and assessing the patients diet and lifestyle to reduce any further irritation.
Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a common syndrome in which people experience long-term muscular, connective tissue pain and tender points. Sometimes Fibromyalgia is also linked to fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, depression, and anxiety. Treatment often includes diet and nutritional therapy, exercise, and exploring different methods for reducing stress. Chiropractic management of Fibromyalgia has been shown effective in reducing symptoms through the use of manual manipulation, movement therapy and increased body awareness.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis is inflammation of the fascia (thick tissue) on the bottom of the foot. This fascia stretches from the ball of the foot to the bottom of the heel and creates the arch of the foot. When the fascia becomes inflamed there will be redness and swelling on the bottom of the foot and it may be very painful to walk. Some risk factors for plantar fasciitis include foot arch problems (both flat feet and high arches), obesity, repetitive loading on the feet from long-distance running, especially running downhill or on uneven surfaces, sudden weight gain, tight Achilles tendon (the tendon connecting the calf muscles to the heel) or improperly fitting shoes.
Knee and Foot Injuries
The knees and feet are particularly susceptible to injury when the hips and/or back are out of alignment. Alignment of your spine is a good starting point when you have foot or knee problems. Beyond that, our chiropractor can treat the feet and knees directly with adjustments, muscle stimulation, ultrasound, graston, massage, kinesiotape, and/or other modalities your chiropractor determines would be appropriate. In addition, our chiropractors can give you good advice for improving your overall foot health.
This condition may be treated at home with ice and rest. The chiropractors at North Portland Wellness Center, have been successful in treating Plantar Fasciitis with the use of Graston Instruments with improvement noted in 2-6 treatments. Acupuncture is also used to decrease the pain and inflammation associated with this condition.
Stress Management
Stress is a leading cause of deteriorating health in the United States. Chronic stress can lead to heart conditions, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, general aches and pains, autoimmune disorders, and many other progressive conditions. When your spine is out of alignment, there is additional postural stress and likely emotional holding patterns increasing the stress response in your body. By improving spinal alignment, the body has an increased ability to rest with parasympathetic activation, rather than always operating from the sympathetic or stress causing nervous system in the body. In addition, our chiropractors can give you advice on stress management and helping identify triggers in your life that are increasing the stress response in your body.
