Cocoa Beach Chiropractic Orthopedist

During its 100-year history in America, chiropractic has gained steady acceptance for easing a wide array of physical ailments. The American Chiropractic Association describes chiropractic as a form of health care that focuses on musculoskeletal and nervous systems disorders and numerous studies support their assessment.  Chiropractic is common in sports medicine and many trainers will encourage it before, during, and after any physical performance. Let’s take a look at a few examples of how chiropractic has benefited the sports world. 1. Solid Body Maintenance in Professional Football It’s no secret that professional football is a beast of a game and injuries are frequent. Even if football players avoid serious injury, it’s a sure bet that stiffness and soreness are just par for the course. In a 2002 survey, thirty-one percent of football teams in the National Football League reported having a chiropractor on staff. Athletes reported using chiropractic care...

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) belongs to a group of disorders called “entrapment neuropathies” and as the name implies, it is caused by the trapping of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel of the wrist. There are MANY ways to treat CTS, with some of the most effective focused on reducing inflammation. Inflammation (from the Latin inflammatio) is commonly referred to as “swelling” and is a sequence of biological responses to harmful stimuli that include pathogens such as bacteria and viruses, damaged cells, and other irritants. It is a protective response to something abnormal that has occurred and involves our immune cells, blood supply, and more. Inflammation helps to eliminate the cause of cell injury, clean up necrotic or dead cells from area, and initiate the tissue repair process. The hallmarks of inflammation include heat, redness, swelling, pain, and loss of function. With CTS, inflammation can arise from multiple causes. One common cause is from the rapid, repetiti...

Did you know that between 50% of all pregnant women suffer from back pain? There are MANY reasons why back pain becomes an issue for women during their pregnancy. The first and most obvious reason is the displaced weight gain of 25-35 pounds (on average) resulting in pain in both the upper quarter (often from the increase in breast volume and weight) and lower quarter (from the growing baby). As the baby develops, an expectant mother’s center of gravity moves forward causing her to sway back, which can overload the lower region of the spine. The women most at risk for pregnancy-related back pain include those who are overweight prior to their pregnancy, those who perform physically strenuous work, and those with a history of  back pain . Another factor that can increase a woman’s risk for back pain during pregnancy is water retention. Not only does retaining water increase the load the body must carry, placing added stress on the musculoskeletal system, but water retention...

The hip is a very unique joint. The depth of the socket, the strength of the muscles and ligaments surrounding it, and the way it functions in weight bearing activities is unlike any other joint in the body. The focus this month is on the relationship between the hip and the rest of the body. The hip joint is a synovial joint, meaning it moves freely. It is a ball-and-socket joint that is made up of the femoral head (the “ball”) and the acetabulum (the “socket”). The ball is largely contained within the cup or socket, though there are genetic and cultural differences with regards to the depth and shape of the hip joint in any one individual. The relationship between the hip and the surrounding joints is intimate in that each joint affects the next. For instance, ankle pronation—or the inward rolling of the foot and ankle—results in a knocked knee, which can then shift the hip outwards. The pelvis then drops down on that side, the tailbone or sacrum becomes unleveled or sl...

Something that not a lot of people address is- Sleeping with TMJ.  When someone has a TMD, the joint that connects their lower and upper jaw is dysfunctional, resulting in facial pain and other discomforts. At night, that tension in the muscles can make it hard to find a pain-free position, and the attempt to create one can be frustrating and upsetting. We want to help you get the most out of your sleep, and you deserve restful nights without pain. Here are some ways you can manage TMJ symptoms for a better night of sleep. The No. 1 Position Strain on the face, head, jaw or neck can make your TMD sleep struggle even harder. Chances are, if you wake up hurting, the position you’ve been using isn’t the best call. The No. 1 recommended sleeping position for TMD sufferers is on the back. Why? It puts no pressure on the jaw, supports the neck and shoulders, and you’re less likely to grind your teeth—a symptom many TMD sufferers exhibit. (Bonus! This is also the optimal sleep p...

Millions of people are injured in car crashes each year in the US, and many of these “minor” collisions result in long-term symptoms and disability. In fact, research shows that a significant number of people have pain from a crash even 10-15 years later. Chiropractic is one of the best ways to treat and heal from these types of injuries. Chiropractic works by restoring the normal function of your spine, allowing the tissues to heal and become pain-free. If you’ve been in a car crash, here’s how chiropractic can help you: 1. Chiropractic Reduces Inflammation During an auto collision, the ligaments and muscles that make up your spine can be stretched or experience micro-tears. X-rays or MRI scans usually aren’t sophisticated enough to diagnose these kinds of injuries, but this tissue damage causes the area to become inflamed. Many times, an auto injury patient won’t feel much discomfort immediately after the crash, but t...