Musculoskeletal Mimics of Lumbosacral Radiculopathy

radicular

If a patient experiences pain that radiates into the leg, there are a number of potential causes beyond a disk herniation at the L5 of S1 level. Mimics of lumbosacral radiculopathy include piriformis syndrome, exertional compartment syndrome, and plantar fasciitis. Healthcare providers, including doctors of chiropractic, are trained in differential diagnosis to distinguish a particular…

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Back Pain Has Less Impact on People Who Exercise

fitness

Among a group of 991 low back pain patients, researchers observed that those who engaged in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week—in line with current fitness guidelines—had less intense pain and a lower risk for activity limitations. European Spine Journal, May 2024 Obesity Raises Infection Risk New research suggests that for…

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Monthly Pain Update – September 2024

aquatic exercise

Aquatic Exercise for Low Back Pain   Deconditioned and tight muscles are often observed in patients with chronic low back pain and must be addressed for the patient to achieve a satisfactory outcome. Research on physical activity to manage chronic low back pain typically involves land-based exercises—like brisk walks or cycling, for example—but what about…

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Managing Tennis Elbow

tennis elbow

For patients with lateral elbow tendinopathy, more commonly known as tennis elbow, a recent study found that a multimodal approach that included addressing trigger points in the forearm muscles, extremity manipulation, cervical spinal manipulation, and physiotherapy resulted in better outcomes with respect to elbow pain, pain intensity, function, and disability than physiotherapy alone. Such a…

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Mid-Back Pain?

lower back pain

In a recent experiment that included 100 patients with mid-back pain, those who received eight treatments that included a combination of thoracic spinal manipulative therapy and therapeutic  exercises experienced better outcomes than participants in a therapeutic exercise-only group. Doctors of chiropractic often utilize a multimodal treatment approach when managing mid-back pain that includes manipulative therapy…

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Many Chiropractic Patients May Have Already Tried Surgery

back surgery

Using data from a 110-million patient network in the United States, researchers report that 10.8% of patients who received chiropractic spinal manipulation had at least one prior spine surgery. Cureus, April 2023. Hazardous Seaweed on Course to Florida’s Coast Scientists report that a floating mass of sargassum seaweed is on course for Florida’s coastline, which…

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Alcohol May Speed Alzheimer’s Progression

alcohol

In a recent study, researchers observed that mice at elevated risk for Alzheimer’s disease experienced faster increases in brain atrophy and amyloid plaque build-up if they consumed the human equivalent of 1-2 alcoholic drinks a day for about ten years. The findings suggest that alcohol consumption may be a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s, though…

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Managing Non-Specific Chronic Neck Pain

migraine neck

A systematic review and meta-analysis of data from 119 studies concluded that a combination of active and/or passive non-pharmacological interventions—such as those provided by a doctor of chiropractic—is an effective approach for the management of non-specific chronic neck pain. Journal of Physical Therapy, October 2022 Why Children May Learn Quicker Than Grownups Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)…

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Neck Disorder May Worsen Jaw Pain and Function

jaw pain

Examinations of temporomandibular (TMD) patients revealed that those with restricted cervical range of motion experienced more severe TMDrelated pain and disability than TMD patients with normal cervical range of motion. The findings suggest that dysfunction in the cervical spine may play a role in TMD and treatment to restore normal motion in the neck—such as…

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Effective Treatment for Cervicogenic Dizziness

neck stretch

A systematic review that included 13 studies found that the combination of manual therapies and specific exercises is an effective approach for managing dizziness that originates from dysfunction in the cervical spine. Doctors of chiropractic often use manual therapies like spinal manipulation and mobilization in combination with exercises in the management of musculoskeletal disorders of…

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