We are able to help with many conditions in Brantford. Some of the more common conditions that we work with are back pain, neck pain, headaches, temporomandibular dysfunction and shoulder pain. The explanation below will give you a better understanding of each of these conditions.
Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most common conditions treated in Canada and unfortunately Brantford is no different. Four out of five Canadians will experience at least one episode of back pain in their lives. Back pain can be characterized by a wide range of symptoms. Quite often patients will present with pain, muscle tension and stiffness. Sometimes patients can also experience pain in the legs and feet that can be accompanied by a burning or tingling sensation travelling down the legs.
When symptoms of back pain appear immediately usually this is due to trauma or improper lifting. Other times back pain can appear gradually from degenerative changes, such as a disc bulge or degenerative disc disease. A disc bulge occurs when the cushion between vertebra bulges and puts pressure on a spinal nerve, this can be very painful and can cause pain all the way down your leg. When this type of pain radiates down your leg it is often referred to as sciatica. On the other hand, Degenerative Disc Disease occurs when the disc wears down and becomes thinner, as a result it will decreases the space between the vertebra and consequently puts pressure on your spinal nerves. Both disc bulges and degenerative disc disease can be extremely painful, I have seen patients who cannot even walk or stand due to the severe pressure on their spinal nerves. Chiropractic has been very successful at improving conditions such as these, if you are experiencing back pain or any of these symptoms I strongly recommend you be examined by a chiropractor.
Neck pain
Your neck is made up of vertebra, discs, muscles and ligaments. Together they are responsible for the stability of your neck as well as to providing communication between your brain, spinal nerves and spinal cord. The nerves in your neck control your head, neck, shoulders, arms and hands. In the event of Injury, overuse or even poor posture, it can put pressure on the nerves in your neck. When this happens not only can it cause pain in your neck but it also can affect your shoulders, arms and even your hands.
Neck pain symptoms can sometimes vary but quite often patients will present with a stiff neck that makes it difficult to turn their head. Tender and tense muscles are often present and sometimes there can be a sharp pain that is in one specific area. In more severe cases there can be a pain or numbness and tingling radiating down from the neck to the shoulders, arms or hands. Chiropractic has been very successful in treating neck pain, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms I strongly recommend you be examined by a chiropractor.
Headaches
If you suffer from headaches you know how annoying and frustrating they can be. Headaches can significantly affect your quality of life and impact your ability to carry out your daily routine. A headache can occur in any part of your head, front, back, left, right, both sides or even one specific location. They typically occur as a throbbing pain that may be sharp or dull in nature. They can appear gradually throughout the day or they can come on spontaneously, some last for several days and others last less than an hour in duration.
Most people do not realize that the majority of headaches come from our neck. When the spinal nerves in your neck get irritated they cause the muscles in your head and neck to tighten which causes tension headaches. In more serious cases this same process will cause migraine headaches. Tension and migraine headaches are the two most common types of headaches. Tension headaches usually begin slowly and there is often a feeling of a band across the head causing a tight pressure, the pain is usually dull and often feels like the head is very heavy. On the other hand, migraine headaches usually occur on one side only and tend to be more specific in location. They often consist of a pulsing, throbbing ache and they are also known to cause blurred vision, light headedness, nausea and severe sensitivity to light. A migraine headache can last for a few hours to 2-3 days in duration. Chiropractic has been very successful in treating headaches, if you are experiencing any of these symptoms I strongly recommend you be examined by a chiropractor.
Shoulder Pain
Your shoulder has a wide range of motion which makes it a very complex joint. When it is injured it affects your ability to move freely and can cause you a great deal of pain. The shoulder is a ball and socket joint and it is comprised of three bones. The Scapula (shoulder Blade), Clavicle (collar bone) and the humerus (upper arm bone).
If you have had shoulder pain you have probably heard of the rotator cuff. In most shoulder problems there is usually an issue with one or more of the rotator cuff muscles particularly the infraspinatus. Usually due to repetitive overuse motions, a trigger point or knot will develop in the infraspinatus which will significantly decrease the range of motion of your shoulder and cause quite a lot of pain. With chiropractic treatment the muscle fibers of the infraspinatus can realign which will increase the range of motion of the shoulder and significantly decrease your shoulder pain. If you are experiencing shoulder pain, I strongly recommend you be examined by a chiropractor.
TMJ
If you put your fingers in front of your ears and open your mouth slowly you will feel your Temporomandibular (TMJ) joint opening and closing. This joint which is known as your jaw is very important because it is responsible for the action of chewing our food.
When this joint gets misaligned it creates pressure in your jaw which can make it painful to open and close your mouth or even to chew your food. You may also notice a clicking or popping of your jaw, these symptoms are known as TMJ Syndrome or TMJ Dysfunction. TMJ Dysfunction can be a result of trauma to the head or jaw and even a misalignment in the vertebra in your neck can affect your jaw and cause dysfunction of your TMJ.
IF you have ever had TMJ issues you know that it can cause significant jaw pain and it can even cause headaches, ear aches and neck pain. Chiropractic has been very successful at treating TMJ, the combination of adjusting your spine and TMJ can relieve pressure and realign your TMJ for normal function. If are experiencing any of these symptoms I strongly suggest you be examined by a chiropractor.
