Cocoa Beach Chiropractic Orthopedist

We all know what it’s like to have neck pain—whether it’s after a long drive, pinching the phone between the head and shoulder, star-gazing, or from talking to someone who is seated off to the side. There are many causes of neck pain, but the question of the month is, how do chiropractic adjustments help neck pain? Let’s take a look! Chiropractic, when broken down into its fundamental Greek derivatives, means “hand” (cheir) and “action” (praxis). The technique most often associated with chiropractic is spinal manipulation where a “high velocity, low amplitude” thrust  is applied to specific vertebrae in the spine, which does several things:  1) It restores mobility in an area with restricted movement;  2) It stimulates the sensory “neuroreceptors” in joint capsules, which has a muscle relaxing reflex effect;  3) It can affect surrounding neurological structures in certain parts of the spine such as the parasympathetic (cranial & sacral ...

Between 80% and 90% of the general population will experience an episode of lower back pain (LBP) at least once during their lives. When it affects the young to middle-aged, we often use the term “non-specific LBP” to describe the condition. The geriatric population suffers from the “aging effects” of the spine—things like degenerative joint disease, degenerative disk disease, and spinal stenosis. Fractures caused by osteoporosis can also result in back pain. The “good news” is that there are rare times when your doctor must consider a serious cause of LBP. That’s why he or she will ask about or check the following during your initial consultation:  1) Have you had bowel or bladder control problems? (This is to make sure a patient doesn’t have “cauda equina syndrome”—a very severely pinched nerve.)  2) Take a patient’s temperature and ask about any recent urinary or respiratory tract infections to rule out spinal infections.  3) To rule out cancer...

Even though whiplash or whiplash associated disorders (WAD) is very common, it remains poorly understood. Recent studies report that up to 60% of people may still have pain six months after their injury. Why is that? Investigations have shown there are changes in the muscle and muscle function in the neck and shoulder regions in chronic WAD patients. Symptoms often include balance problems as well as increased sensitivity to a variety of stimuli including pressure, light vibration, and temperature. Interestingly, this hypersensitivity not only occurs in the injured area, but also in areas away from the neck such as the front of the lower leg or the shin bone. This can only be explained by some type of neurobiological processing of pain within the central nervous system, which includes the spinal cord and brain. It’s not surprising that when pain continues for lengthy time frames, people with these symptoms may also experience psychological distress. The confusing thing...

It’s easy to focus on the knee when it hurts, but is the pain truly arising from the knee? There are many studies that link knee pain to problems with the lower back, hips, ankles, and feet. This month, let’s focus on the role the foot and ankle play in preserving knee health! Because we are all bipeds—we walk on two legs—EVERYTHING from the ground up affects the rest of the body. The first “link” of this “kinetic chain” is our feet, and the last link is the head. If any of the links are altered lower down in the kinetic chain, it will affect the links that follow—usually in a negative way! For example, a flat foot and/or pronated ankle (where the foot and ankle rolls inward) can create a “knocked knee” effect. The next time you’re in the mall or grocery store, look at people from behind and watch how many roll their ankle(s) inwards when they walk. This is especially noticeable among those wearing shorts and flip flops. It’s estimated that 80% of us are over-...

Chiropractic methods are traditionally sought after for pain relief for neuromusculoskeletal conditions or from pain arising from the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. But in the tradition of chiropractic, the WHOLE PERSON is cared for, not just a select region of pain. For example, when a low back pain patient first comes to the office, their history form includes detailed information about their overall health, not just their chief complaint (eg. “low back pain”). A thorough case history form will ask about past accident history, past hospitalizations, current medication list, family and social histories, occupational history, habit history, and a review of all the body’s systems (cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, EENT, genitourinary, skin, digestive, blood/lymphatic, and more). Doctors of chiropractic treat the WHOLE person so when obesity is present in a patients, they see treating it as part of the healing process. Granted, the main focus is usually given...

Technically, the hip is the ball-and-socket joint between the long bone of the thigh and the pelvis; but more often than not, many people will point to a number of different places on their back or pelvis and say, “My hip is killing me” when it’s not really “the hip” at all! Hip pain can be located in the front (groin area), the side, the back, or in the buttocks. The “classic sign” of hip pain is reproduced most consistently when you try to cross your legs—put your ankle on the far end of the thigh and then push down on your knee. This may feel tight and cause pain in the groin area. For many people, hip pain is also reproduced when they cross their legs and then pull their knee towards the opposite shoulder. The hip is a VERY strong joint due to the deep receiving cup of the pelvis and the round ball that fits nicely into it. Because it’s a freely moving joint, there is a joint capsule. The capsule is lined with tissue that produces an oily substance that lubricates ...

Is there a “normal” or “best posture” out there? If so, what is it? Posture is largely inherited; however, there are also environmental, social, and other forces that can affect posture. Some say “good posture” is the position that places the least amount of strain on the body, particularly the muscles and ligaments that hold the body together. A common cause of poor posture is called forward head carriage (FHC), where the head sits forward of the shoulders, placing a greater strain on the back of the neck and upper back to hold the head upright. Looking at the spine from the side, the opening of the ear should line up with the shoulder, hip, and ankle. There have been studies that suggest every inch (2.54 cm) of FHC increases muscle strain in neck and upper back by 10 pounds (4.5 kg). That means a 5 inch (~12.7 cm) FHC adds an extra 50 pounds (~22.7 kg) of strain on the neck and upper back to hold the head upright. So what can we do to improve our posture? First, stay a...