Disc Centers of America - Scottsdale

11/20/2025

proper economics to enhance nonsurgical, spinal decompression treatment
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10/18/2025

03/22/2025

12/09/2024

Cauda Equina Syndrome

Cauda Equina Syndrome (CES) is a rare but serious condition that occurs when the nerves at the base of the spine are compressed. This can cause a variety of symptoms, including:
-Severe low back pain
-Numbness and weakness in the legs, buttocks, and perineum (pelvic floor region)
-Weakness of bowel and/or bladder control causing incontinence

Spine Doctors are trained to identify and diagnose CES. They may also be able to provide non-surgical treatment options, such as spinal decompression, to help reduce pain and improve nerve function.

Schedule a consultation today: www.ScottsdaleDecompression.com

12/09/2024

Baker's Cyst and Knee Pain

A Baker's cyst is a fluid-filled sac that forms behind the knee. It is often caused by an injury or condition that affects the knee joint, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or a torn meniscus. Baker's cysts can cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in the knee. In some cases, the cyst may rupture, causing pain and swelling in the calf.

Doctors will likely recommend nonsurgical treatments, such as rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, may also help to relieve pain and inflammation. In some cases, doctors may recommend cortisone injections to help reduce inflammation. For those that want to avoid these treatments, chiropractic care can help.

So, what can chiropractors do for the patient with a Baker’s cyst? Chiropractic management includes both passive and active care approaches that focus on the knee joint and surrounding soft tissues to help reduce pain and swelling and improve function, as well as home exercise instruction to maintain the health of the knee joint.

Here are some tips to help prevent Baker's cysts:

-Maintain a healthy weight.
-Exercise regularly.
-Wear supportive shoes.
-Avoid activities that put stress on the knees

12/09/2024

Greater Access to Chiropractic Reduces Low Back Pain Costs

Low back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide. It affects more than 80% of people at some point in their lives, and costs the U.S. healthcare system an estimated $100 billion each year.

While there are many different treatments for low back pain, chiropractic care is one of the most effective and affordable options. A recent study found that people who received chiropractic care for low back pain had significantly lower healthcare costs than those who received other types of treatment.

Chiropractic care is a safe and effective way to relieve low back pain. It involves the use of spinal adjustments to help restore alignment and function to the spine. This can help to reduce pain, inflammation, and muscle spasms.

Here are some additional benefits of chiropractic care for low back pain:

-Reduces the need for surgery
-Reduces the use of opioids
-Improves quality of life
-Increases productivity
-Reduces absenteeism from work

Learn More by visiting: www.ScottsdaleDecompression.com

12/09/2024

Vertebral Compression Fracture Management and Prevention
Compression fractures (CFs) of the spinal vertebrae can occur in two main varieties: acute and chronic. Acute CFs can occur at any age and can be quite serious, especially if the bony fragments displace into the spinal canal where the spinal cord in located. These most often represent unstable fractures and must be evaluated immediately to ensure that neurological loss is minimized or avoided. But what about the more common chronic type of compression fracture?

Studies show that our bones are most dense when we are about 30 years old. As we enter middle and older age, the bones can weaken, which is a state called osteopenia. The weakened vertebrae can accumulate small cracks, which can compromise their integrity, resulting in a chronic spinal compression fracture. A December 2020 study concluded that surgery is typically only advised when the fracture is unstable or there is neurological loss, a severe collapse, or intense pain—which may only occur in roughly 15-35% of chronic compression fracture cases.

For the majority of chronic spinal compression fracture patients, a multi-modal team approach to care is advised. A 2018 systematic review of published research on the management of spinal compression fracture recommends an initial non-invasive treatment approach that includes rest, analgesics, orthoses (braces), and early mobilization—a therapy performed by doctors of chiropractic. Once the acute pain subsides, specific exercises should be incorporated into the treatment plan—something chiropractors are trained to provide instruction for.

However, most would like to prevent this condition in the first place, and there are steps that can be taken to reduce ones’ risk. According to Harvard Health and WebMD, the following steps can help maintain healthy, strong bones: consume adequate amounts of vitamin D and calcium (supplements and diet rich in dairy, spinach, broccoli, dried beans, salmon, etc.); avoid carbonated beverages; don’t smoke; don’t drink excessive amounts of alcohol; avoid the prolonged use of medications that can weaken bones, if possible (talk to your medical doctor); and perform weight bearing aerobic and strength training exercises. A bone density scan—the most common being a DEXA-scan—is also recommended, especially for postmenopausal women, adults over 65 years of age, middle-aged adults with a history of fracture, and individuals with a family history of osteoporosis.

12/09/2024

Pelvic Floor and Low Back Pain

This condition, known as pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD), most commonly affects women (95% of PFD patients are female) with advancing age and a history of multiple childbirths. Many women have PFD but often do not complain about it due to embarrassment or “just accepting it as part of having babies” or “just part of aging.” However, the condition can be addressed so that its effect on quality of life is reduced, and a doctor of chiropractic may play a role in management. Learn More by visiting - www.ScottsdaleDecompression.com

12/09/2024

Traction for Low Back Pain
A group of researchers tackled the job of developing a clinical guideline to identify patients with lumbar disk herniation (LDH) that would most likely benefit from mechanical lumbar traction (MLT). Doctors applied MLT on over 100 LDH patients over the course of two weeks and measured the benefits using history and physical examination as well as various questionnaires that measure pain intensity, function, and psychological parameters. The research team defined “responders” as those who improved at least 50% over the initial, baseline evaluation.
Of the 103 participants, 24 were responders (23.3%), and from this group, the researchers used the following five features to establish clinical prediction rules: 1) limited lumbar extension (backward bending) movement; 2) low-level fear-avoidance beliefs regarding work; 3) no segmental hypomobility in the lumbar spine; 4) short duration of symptoms; and 5) sudden onset of symptoms. For those who had at least three of five of these predictors, the probability of pain and function improvement rose from 23.3% to 48.7% compared to those with fewer predictors. The authors concluded that healthcare providers can use these five predictors to help select patients with LDH who might benefit from applying lumbar traction.
A 2020 study reported that combining spinal manipulation and mobilization with traction produced better outcomes than traction alone. Doctors of chiropractic offer a multi-modal treatment approach to patient with LDH, of which traction may be included in the management plan. These non-surgical options frequently work very well, and guidelines recommend utilizing non-surgical care options before considering surgery. Schedule a free consultation today: www.ScottsdaleDecompression.com

12/09/2024

Stabilization Exercises for Low Back Pain

Low back pain (LBP) is extremely common and will affect at least 80% of us at least once during our lifetime, with many experiencing recurring or prolonged chronic episodes. While chiropractors often utilize manual therapies—like spinal manipulation—to manage low back pain, he or she may also recommend spinal stabilization exercises as part of the treatment process.
Studies have shown that patients with low back pain often have weakness in their core muscles. In particular, certain important deep involuntary muscles like the fine rotators of the spine called the lumbar multifidus can become deactivated and out of sync or coordination with other core muscles like the transverse abdominus and gluteus maximus during normal movement patterns. This loss of lumbar spine support increases stress and load on the spine, which can lead to injury and/or poor treatment responses.
Core stabilization exercises are intended to help reactivate normal muscle function, which increases spinal stability, promotes neuromotor control in the lumbopelvic region, and induces inter-segmental stiffness to prevent shear forces that lead to injury and/or poor recovery and chronic low back pain.
Examples of core stabilization exercises include the plank, the side plank, the bird dog, and the bridge, as well as movements that incorporate a stability ball. Based on your particular case, your doctor of chiropractic can provide recommendations on which exercises to focus on.
So, just how good are core stabilization exercises in the management of chronic low back pain? A 2021 systematic review found that core stabilization exercises benefit patients with both short-term and long-term low back pain more than other exercise approaches like general strength and stretch training, treadmill walking, and use of various training devices. Additionally, core stabilization exercises work even better to reduce pain and disability and improve the strength and function of the core muscles when combined with other treatment approaches like spinal manipulation, mobilization, and myofascial release technique—forms of treatment that are performed by doctors of chiropractic.

12/09/2024

What is Occipital Neuralgia?

Occipital neuralgia (OccN) is a somewhat rare form of headache that affects about 3 in 100,000 people a year. How is OccN different than other forms of headache and what treatment approach might a doctor of chiropractic take to manage the condition?
This type of headache is characterized by a sharp, shooting pain that radiates into the back of the head, and it’s often felt at the top of the head or above an ear, depending on which of the three occipital nerves are irritated (C1-3). Additional symptoms may include aching, burning, or throbbing that may be only on one side of the head or both. If the trigeminal nerve is also affected, the patient may feel pain in the orbit or behind the eye. Patients may also report light sensitivity, scalp tenderness, and pain when moving the neck.
Occipital neuralgia is a secondary form of headache, which means it has a known cause. In the case of OccN, the underlying cause can be neck or head trauma, neck muscle tension, neck osteoarthritis, neck tumors, cervical disk disease, infection, gout, diabetes, and/or blood vessel inflammation the irritates the occipital nerves that exit out of the upper neck or cervical spine and run into the scalp.
During the chiropractic examination, your doctor of chiropractic will be on the lookout for red flags or non-musculoskeletal causes, like suspected infection or a tumor, that would be reason to refer you to the emergency room or your medical physician. If necessary, diagnostics like x-ray or more advanced imaging may be utilized to provide a clear picture of the cause of injury to formulate a treatment plan.
A literature review published in 2020 recommended that initial care for OccN should be a conservative approach that’s focused on alleviated muscle tension and postural improvement—common goals embraced by most, if not all, chiropractors.
A chiropractic treatment plan for OccN would likely include manual therapies, like spinal decompression therapy, complemented by modalities, at-home exercises targeting the cervical muscles, nutrition advice, and other forms of self-care, like heat/ice. Learn more by visiting: www.ScottsdaleDecompression.com

12/09/2024

Hip Pain and Runners

Doctors of chiropractic are well versed in managing many common conditions that affect the hip, as well as conditions in the low back, sacrum, buttocks, pelvis, and lower extremities that can contribute to or co-occur with hip pain. For runners, as with most patients, one of the primary goals of treatment is to reduce pain and restore function so that they can resume their normal activities as quickly as possible. Send us a message on messenger or schedule a free consultation by visiting: www.ScottsdaleDecompression.com