Physical Medicine Group

08/08/2024

Don't hesitate to call us for an appointment with one of our experienced chiropractors @(630)510-1837

08/05/2024

Chiropractic Is Great for Kids

Many parents of children with chronic-health conditions struggle to help their child manage ongoing pain and symptoms. They also worry about the potential effects certain medical treatments and drugs can have on their child's health. That could be why more parents are now seeking natural treatment options like chiropractic.

In a recent study, chiropractic was one of the most commonly-used alternative therapies for children with chronic-health problems.

The study included more than 900 parents of children being treated at cardiology, gastroenterology, neurology, oncology, and respiratory clinics in Canada. Parents were asked about their child's use of alternative therapies and products.

Nearly half of parents said their child used an alternative therapy in addition to receiving conventional treatments. Almost 10% of parents said they'd pursue complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) prior to conventional treatments, and 5% said they used alternative medicine in place of traditional care.

Of the two hospitals included in the survey, at one hospital, 71% of children had received CAM therapies, while 42% had used CAM therapies at the other. The most common CAM therapies were massage, chiropractic, relaxation, and aromatherapy.

Several parents also said their child took multivitamins and minerals and had used herbal supplements and homeopathic remedies in the past. However, parents did not always communicate with primary-care physicians about their child's use of herbal supplements and minerals, which had some observers worried.

Herbal and dietary supplements can change how the body reacts to certain drugs, warned Dr. Josephine Briggs, director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, who commented on the issue in recent article from The Huffington Post. She encouraged patients to talk with physicians about their herbal and dietary supplement use, and reminded physicians to take the time to ask.

The study suggests that the use of CAM therapies like chiropractic among children is on the rise. Studies show that chiropractic care is a safe, effective treatment for children with musculoskeletal complai

08/01/2024

89% of Office Workers Have Musculoskeletal Pain

If you spend your days in an office, you're probably familiar with the aches and pain that come with long hours of computer work. A new study showed that up to 89% of office workers suffer from some sort of musculoskeletal pain; whether that be in the neck, back, shoulders, wrists, or knees.

Although this pain can start as a dull ache at work, if left unaddressed, it may develop into a repetitive motion injury or other serious disorder. Seeking early treatment can reduce your risk for developing these conditions. Studies suggest that chiropractic care can relieve and prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, back pain, and neck disorders associated with working.

Work-related Pain Study

To estimate the prevalence of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions in office workers, researchers surveyed 91 employees who worked at a university office setting. The employees rated their pain and responded to questionnaires on job satisfaction and health.

Neck pain was the most common complaint, affecting 69.2% of workers. Lower back pain was the second most common (58.2%), followed by knee problems (41.8%), shoulder concerns (35.2%) and pain in the upper back (34%). People with MSK complaints were also more likely to be dissatisfied with their jobs. Wrist, shoulder, and low-back pain were most the significant predictors of poor job satisfaction.

Other recent research has shown that stressed, over-worked employees have an increased likelihood of suffering from back pain, headache, and shoulder problems.Stress of course isn't the only thing causing musculoskeletal pain. Poor posture, unhealthy work stations, and previous musculoskeletal injuries can exacerbate the risks associated with repetitive motions or long hours hunching over a computer.

Doctors of chiropractic can create treatment plans that address the multifaceted nature of work-related pain. Not only do chiropractors work to correct dysfunctions in the joints and spine, they'll also help you identify appropriate preventive measures through posture correction, ergonomic training, and exercise therapy. Some studies suggests that chiropractic adjustments may also improve your body'

07/27/2024

Have a healthy and relaxing weekend 😎 call us @ our Villa Park location Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday to book your appointment (630)501-1837

07/22/2024

Magnesium Supplements Ease Back Pain
Adding more rice, seeds, and oats to your diet just might make a difference in your back-pain treatment. That's because new research shows that magnesium commonly found in those foods may reduce back pain.

Researchers from Egypt tested the effects of magnesium supplementation in 80 patients with back pain. Throughout the study, all the patients continued their normal treatment which included physical therapy, pain medication, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants.Half of patients received magnesium supplementation delivered through an IV for two weeks, followed by four weeks of taking magnesium capsules. The other half of patients were given placebo IVs and capsules.

After four weeks, the magnesium patients had significantly better improvements compared to the placebo group. By the six month follow-up visit, their average pain intensity had decreased from a 7.5 on a scale of 10 to a 4.7. This reduced pain was accompanied by better range of motion in the spine. The researchers concluded that magnesium IV followed by four weeks of oral magnesium supplements can reduce pain and improve lumbar spine mobility in back-pain patients.

Recent research also suggests that magnesium can reduce symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia. Patients with fibromyalgia, back pain, and other musculoskeletal conditions frequently experience central sensitization. This process occurs when the central nervous system is overstimulated, causing widespread pain and additional symptoms. Current research suggests that magnesium may block a key receptor involved in central sensitization, which could explain why the patients taking magnesium had better treatment outcomes.

Although more studies are needed, the findings suggest that magnesium supplements could play a role in successfully treating back pain.

Reference

Yousef AA and Al-deeb AE. A double-blinded randomised controlled study of the value of sequential intravenous and oral magnesium therapy in patients with chronic low back pain with a neuropathic component. Anaesthesia 2013;68(3):260-6. doi: 10.1111/anae.12107.

Chiropractic Care, combined with sound nutritional choices & adequate exercise can have a profound e

07/22/2024

Chiropractic Offers Holistic Approach to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Many patients with chronic carpal tunnel syndrome are told they need surgery to relieve the pain. While surgical interventions aim to relieve pressure on the irritated median nerve, the treatment may be too narrow in scope for some patients. Case in point: nearly a third of patients who receive surgery for carpal tunnel report a return in symptoms within two years of surgery.1

Recent research suggests there's more to carpal tunnel than wrist and arm pain: CTS could be related to problems in the neck.

A recent study from Journal of Orthopaedic and Physical Therapy assessed the cervical range of motion in 71 women with carpal tunnel syndrome. Compared to women without CTS, women with carpal tunnel had significantly restricted range of motion. The greater the pain intensity women experienced, the less able they were to perform lateral flexion away from the affected side. There were no major difference among women with minimal, moderate, or severe CTS.

This study confirms what chiropractors have known for years: that wrist pain can often be related to problems in the cervical spine. In fact, the cervical spine may be the source of wrist and arm pain for patients with cervical radiculopathy. That's why chiropractors use a more holistic approach to treating carpal tunnel syndrome, one that involves relieving irritation of the median nerve in addition to addressing any underlying concerns in the neck. Chiropractors can draw on a combination of spinal adjustments, trigger point therapy, exercises, and advice on ways to prevent overuse injuries.

Research shows that this holistic approach is successful for many patients with carpal tunnel. A 2010 study found that trigger point therapy administered by chiropractors resulted in 67% improvement in symptoms.2

In another study published earlier, CTS patients who received soft tissue mobilization and other chiropractic treatments had significantly reduced hand pain intensity after just a week of treatment. They also showed signs of reduced pain sensitivity in certain joints of the cervical spine.3

Case studies also suggest that chiropractic can be effective f

07/16/2024

Chiropractic Patients Find More Relief from Headaches

Reducing Headaches
According to a recent study, patients treated with chiropractic adjustments experienced a 50% reduction in the number of cervicogenic headaches they experienced.

What Are Cervicogenic Headaches?
Cervicogenic headaches are non-throbbing, steady headaches felt at the back of the head, with pain extending downwards through the neck and between the shoulder blades. Some patients also experience dizziness. Such headaches are caused by dysfunction in the cervical spine (the portion of the spine located in the neck).

Research Studies
Previous studies showed that chiropractic treatments can alleviate both the pain and disability resulting from cervicogenic headaches. This study showed that chiropractic treatments can also reduce the frequency of such headaches.

The research involved 80 people with chronic cervicogenic headaches. Patients received either light massage or chiropractic adjustments. Within each group, half received high doses of the treatment, while the other patients received lower doses. The light massage treatments involved several minutes of gentle neck and shoulder massage, while the chiropractic treatments consisted of high-velocity, low-amplitude adjustments of the upper back and neck.

Improvements with Chiropractic
Patients who received chiropractic treatments improved substantially more than those receiving massage. On average, chiropractic patients saw their headaches cut in half. At the conclusion of the study, chiropractic patients required one-third less pain medication than at the start, and reported a 50% reduction in symptoms.

The researchers found no major differences between patients receiving 8 chiropractic treatments and those who received 16 treatments. Those who received more treatments did have slightly more improvements in terms of neck disability. More research is needed to determine the optimum number of chiropractic treatments, but the researchers have concluded that chiropractic adjustments are an effective method of treating cervicogenic headaches. Research shows that chiropractic can also relieve migraine headaches.

Haas M, Spegman A, Peterson D, A

07/15/2024

07/15/2024

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