Weekly Updates
Manual Therapies Plus Stabilization Exercises for Chronic Neck Pain
Among a group of 58 patients with chronic neck pain and mobility deficits in the upper cervical spine, researchers found that the combination of spinal manipulative therapy, mobilization therapy, and stabilization exercises targeting the upper cervical spine led to improvements in pain and range of motion that were not observed in participants in a stabilization…
Read MoreRecommendations for Acute Cervical Radiculopathy
An expert panel concluded that because the risk-benefit ratio for surgery is less favorable for cervical radiculopathy, conservative treatment options (like chiropractic care) should be the initial treatment approach for the condition. The panel recommends patient education, spinal manipulative therapy, and foraminal opening exercises in the acute stage; individualized physical activity including supervised motor control,…
Read MoreMobilization and Exercise for Shoulder Pain
Among a group of 23 patients with shoulder pain lasting longer than six weeks, those treated with a combination of glenohumeral mobilization with movement and shoulder exercises—an approach often used by doctors of chiropractic—experienced meaningful improvements in shoulder pain, disability, and range of motion within one month. Journal of Manual and Manipulative Therapeutics, February 2022…
Read MoreProlonged Sitting at Work Affects the Spine
Assessments of office workers revealed that at the end of an eight-hour workday, participants had experienced a significant reduction in both standing and sitting height, along with an increase in spinal pain. The findings highlight the importance of breaking up prolonged sitting time with frequent breaks to stretch or walk. International Journal of Occupational Safety…
Read MoreDizziness and Chronic Neck Pain
Among a group of 133 patients under treatment for chronic neck pain, 43% reported concurrent dizziness. Additionally, those with both neck pain and dizziness were more likely to experience more intense neck pain and disability, along with lower scores on quality of life assessments. Doctors of chiropractic are skilled in the management of both neck…
Read MoreNeck Pain and Migraines
A systematic review found that migraine headache patients are three times more likely than individuals without a history of headache to have neck pain (77% vs. 23.5%). Past research suggests that addressing cervical spine issues in patients with migraines—with chiropractic care, for example—may reduce headache frequency and intensity. Cephalagia, February 2022 Health Alert: Steroid Medications…
Read MoreSpinal Mobilization & Postural Exercises Reduce Headaches
Among a group of 72 cervicogenic headache patients, researchers observed that a four-week intervention that included posture corrective exercises and spinal mobilization therapy led to significant improvements in headache intensity, neck pain, and neck disability. Furthermore, the patients continued to report such benefits at a follow-up visit four weeks after the conclusion of care. Doctors…
Read MoreDegenerative Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Linked to Knee and Hip Arthritis
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a debilitating condition associated with the degeneration of the spine, which can have a wide range of symptoms including back pain, leg pain, numbness and tingling in the legs, and reduced physical function. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of ten studies found that lumbar spinal stenosis can often co-occur with…
Read MoreNon-Operative Treatments for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis with Claudication
Neurogenic claudication is the medical term used to describe the symptom of pain induced by walking, and it is caused by damage to the neurological system as a result of spinal stenosis. A recent literature review found that a multimodal treatment approach that includes manual therapy, exercises, and patient education is an effective non-surgical treatment…
Read MoreDoes Spinal Manipulation Affect Brain Function?
Individuals with chronic low back pain are known to exhibit abnormal brain function in areas of the brain associated with regulating emotions and pain, as well as processing cognitive tasks involving memory formation. In a recent experiment, researchers observed that patients with chronic low back pain experienced improved function in these areas of the brain…
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