Cyclists: Now that summer is upon us and the chilly winds of winter are gone for at least a few months, more people are taking their fitness and recreational activities outside. Cycling is popular activity that fits both bills. It is a great way to unwind and enjoy the great outdoors, but it is also an excellent form of exercise.
Cyclists
Chiropractic provides excellent benefits for the cycler, whether you hit the trails on the weekend, incorporate cycling as part of your fitness regimen, or commute to work on your bike every day.
Relief from Pain
Faster Healing from Injuries
Better Muscle Tone and Balance
Improved Range of Motion
Enriched Cycling Biomechanics
In short, chiropractic can help make you a better cyclist and help you get the most out of your cycling. It will help keep your body aligned and balanced physically, but it also treats the whole body.
That means that your chiropractor will also make nutritional recommendations and even recommend various supplements if necessary. This will give your energy a boost and improve your performance, while helping you stay healthy and fit. This is how chiropractic helps you have more stamina and endurance.
Chiropractic For Cycling Injuries
As with any type of physical activity, there is always a chance that injuries will occur. Chiropractic helps keep your body balanced and improves your flexibility. This, in turn, decreases your chance for injury.
However, if you are injured, chiropractic can help you recover and heal much faster. You start with a healthy, balanced body through regular chiropractic care, and that helps you bounce back faster if you sustain an injury.
Chiropractic care can also be used to treat injuries. Cycling can cause pain and injury in the ligaments, muscles, knees, ankles, hips, hands, wrists, feet, neck, back, and shoulders.
Regular adjustments can help decrease the likelihood of pain in these areas, but sometimes the soreness can creep in anyway. When that happens, chiropractic treatments have been shown to be very effective in treating pain without pain medication and associated harmful side effects.
Spinal alignment is one of the most common chiropractic techniques, but it goes much farther than that. Adjustments to the legs and feet can help with ankle, knee, hip, and foot pain. Adjustments to the arms and shoulders can help relieve pain in those areas. Special attention to the joints help keep them flexible and functioning as they should.
Chiropractic Allows The Body�s Natural Ability To Heal
Chiropractic is completely natural and does not rely on invasive treatments or surgeries. It does not use medications of any kind. It uses nutrition and supplements that rely on the body�s natural ability to heal. It simply realigns the body so that the neural pathways are unobstructed. This allows blood flow to be more efficient and reach the organs much easier.
Chiropractic involves gentle spinal manipulations that realign the body and restore movement in the joints as well as muscle trigger points and soft tissue. It may include electrical muscular current therapies, massage, cold laser therapy, ultrasonic waves, and other therapies in addition to the spinal manipulations.
A chiropractic patient may be advised to rest, ice an area, elevate it, or be given specific exercises to work that area. Chiropractic is not a rote therapy as many traditional medical practices tend to be. It adjusts to each patient, taking into account their unique lifestyle, activity level, nutritional needs, and other elements that influence that particular patient�s healing process.
Chiropractic sees each patient as individual and treat them as such. This is what makes it such an effective treatment for cyclists. The benefits it offers them can not only keep them pain free and participating in their activity; it can also make them better at it.
Injury Medical Clinic: Back Pain Care & Treatments
Chiropractic Benefits: If you have ever had a migraine before then you know that it is much more than a simple headache. The symptoms of a migraine can be debilitating, lasting hours and even days. According to the Migraine Research Foundation, it is the eighth most disabling disease in the world. It is estimated that 38 million people in the United States alone suffer from migraine headaches. That�s around one in every ten people.
According to the Migraine Research Foundation, migraine headaches are extremely difficult to treat and even more difficult to control. This is mainly due to the fact that doctors still don�t know exactly what causes it. This leaves it undiagnosed in many patients and often terribly under treated in those with a diagnosis.
The best many doctors seem to be able to do is prescribe pain medication that has undesirable side effects in an effort to manage the symptoms. However, chiropractic has been shown in several studies to not only effectively manage the pain of migraines, it also helps stop and prevent them.
Anatomy Of A Migraine Headache
There are two types of migraines, those with an aura and those without an aura. An aura can appear up to an hour before the onset of a migraine. It is a warning sign that usually presents as a disturbance that is either visual or olfactory. The person may see flashes of light or smell particular odors before the headache begins. About one in six migraines are preceded by an aura.
Once the migraine itself begins, the pain is typically on one side of the head, although this is not always the case. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to noise, sensitivity to light, and sensitivity to smell. Some patients experience an inability to concentrate, hot or cold flashes, stiffness in neck or shoulders, slurred speech, loss of coordination, and in rare cases, loss of consciousness.
The migraine can last several minutes, hours, or even days. Afterwards the patient may feel fatigued or washed out. They may be unable to concentrate and either lethargic or extremely energetic.
Studies Show: Chiropractic As A Migraine Treatment
There have been several clinical studies on chiropractic as a treatment for migraine headaches. The results of one study reported that 22 percent of patients who received chiropractic treatment for their migraines reported that their attacks were reduced by more than 90 percent. Additionally, 49 percent reported that the intensity of their migraines was significantly reduced.
Another study randomly assigned people with migraine headaches several different treatments. One group was given Elavil, a daily medication, another group was given chiropractic treatment and a third group received a combination of the two treatments. The results showed that chiropractic was as effective in reducing migraines as the medication and it had fewer side effects. Other studies have also found that chiropractic is as effective as medication for the treatment and prevention of migraine or tension headaches.
Chiropractic Benefits For Migraines Headaches
Spinal adjustments are very effective as a treatment for migraines. The whole body approach of chiropractic also utilizes dietary recommendations, including foods to avoid, as well as lifestyle changes.
The patient may be counseled on managing stress, advised to engage in exercise, and given supplements. The treatments may be used to reduce the pain and severity of a migraine once it begins or it can be used to prevent migraines and reduce their frequency.
Chiropractic benefits everyone and is a safer treatment with fewer side effects than�prescription medications. Chiropractic is quickly becoming the treatment of choice for many migraine sufferers. As the studies show, it works! So if you or a loved one suffer from migraines, give us a call. Our Doctor of Chiropractic is here to help!
Ataxia is a medical term used to describe a lack of muscle control or coordination of voluntary movements, including everyday physical activities like walking or picking up objects. Often referred to as a symptoms of an underlying health issue, ataxia can affect various movements, causing difficulties with speech patterns and language, eye movement and even swallowing.
Persistent ataxia generally results from damage to the part of the brain which controls muscle coordination, known as the cerebellum. Many causes and conditions can lead to ataxia, such as alcohol abuse, certain drugs and/or medications, stroke, tumors, cerebral palsy, brain degeneration and multiple sclerosis. Inherited faulty genes have also been associated to lead to ataxia.
Diagnosis and treatment for ataxia depends largely on the cause and/or condition. Adaptive devices, including walkers or canes, can help patients with ataxia maintain their independence. Chiropractic care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy and regular aerobic stretches and exercises can also help improve the symptoms associated with this health issue.
Symptoms of Ataxia
Ataxia is a health issue which can develop gradually over time or it can come on unexpectedly. As a symptom of a number of neurological disorders, ataxia may ultimately lead to:
Poor coordination
Unsteady walk along with a tendency to stumble
Difficulty with fine motor tasks, such as eating, writing or buttoning a shirt
Changes in speech
Involuntary back-and-forth eye movements, known as nystagmus
Difficulty swallowing
When to Visit a Doctor
In the instance that a patient is not aware of whether they may have an underlying health issue that causes ataxia, such as multiple sclerosis, it’s essential to visit a doctor immediately if the patient:
Loses equilibrium
Loses muscle coordination at a hand, leg or arm
Has difficulty walking
Slurs their speech
Has trouble swallowing
Causes of Ataxia
Damage, degeneration or loss of neural cells in the section of the brain which controls muscle coordination, or the cerebellum, often results in ataxia. The cerebellum is made up of two pingpong-ball-sized parts of folded tissue located at the base of the brain close to the brainstem. The right side of the cerebellum controls coordination over the right side of the body; the left side of the cerebellum controls coordination on the left side of the body. Diseases that damage the spinal cord and peripheral nerves which connect the cerebellum to the muscles can also lead to ataxia. Ataxia causes include:
Head trauma. Damage to the brain or spinal cord due to a blow to the head, such as in the case of an automobile accident, can cause acute cerebellar ataxia, which comes on unexpectedly.
Stroke. After the blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted or severely reduced, depriving brain tissue of nutrients and oxygen, brain cells die.
Cerebral palsy. This can be a general term for a group of disorders brought on by damage to a child’s brain during early development, before, during or shortly after birth, which affects the child’s ability to coordinate body movements.
Autoimmune diseases. Multiple sclerosis, sarcoidosis, celiac disease and other autoimmune conditions can cause ataxia.
Infections. Ataxia may be an uncommon complication of chickenpox and other viral ailments. It may manifest in the healing phases of the infection and can last for days or weeks. Generally, the ataxia resolves over time.
Paraneoplastic syndromes. These are rare, degenerative health issues triggered by the body’s own immune system’s reaction to a cancerous tumor, referred to as neoplasm, most frequently from lung, ovarian, breast or lymphatic cancer. Ataxia can appear months or years before the cancer is even diagnosed.
Tumors. A growth on the brain, cancerous, or malignant, or noncancerous, or benign, can also harm the cerebellum, leading to ataxia.
Toxic reaction. Ataxia is a possible side effect of certain drugs and/or medications, particularly barbiturates, like phenobarbital; sedatives, like benzodiazepines; as well as some kinds of chemotherapy. These are important to diagnose because the effects are usually reversible. Also, some drugs and/or medications can cause problems with age, which means a person may need to reduce their dose or discontinue its use. Alcohol and drug intoxication; heavy metal poisoning, such as from mercury or lead; and solvent poisoning, like from paint thinner, can also cause ataxia.
Vitamin E, vitamin B-12 or thiamine deficiency. Not getting enough of these nutrients, due to the inability to absorb them enough, alcohol misuse or other reasons, may also ultimately lead to ataxia.
For a number of adults that develop sporadic ataxia, no particular cause is found. Sporadic ataxia can take lots of forms, including multiple system atrophy, a progressive and degenerative disease.
Dr. Alex Jimenez’s Insights
The cerebellum is the region of the brain which is in charge of controlling movement in the body. Electrical signals are transmitted from the brain through the spinal cord and into the peripheral nerves to stimulate a muscle to contract and initiate movement. Sensory nerves also gather data from the environment regarding position and proprioception. When one or more of these pathway components experiences a problem, it can subsequently lead to ataxia. Ataxia is a medical term utilized to describe the lack of muscle coordination when a voluntary movement is attempted. It can make any motion which requires muscles to function a challenge, from walking to picking up an object, even swallowing. Diagnosis and treatment can help manage and improve the symptoms associated with ataxia.
Diagnosis of Ataxia
If an individual has developed symptoms of ataxia, a healthcare professional may perform a diagnosis in order to look for a treatable cause. Besides running a physical examination and a neurological examination, including assessing a patient’s memory and concentration, vision, hearing, balance, coordination, and reflexes, your doctor might request lab tests, including:
Imaging studies. A CT scan or MRI of a patient’s brain might help determine possible causes of ataxia. An MRI can sometimes reveal shrinkage of the cerebellum and other brain structures in people with ataxia. It might also demonstrate other findings that are treatable, such as a blood clot or benign tumor, which may be pressing on the cerebellum.
Lumbar puncture (spinal tap). A needle is inserted into the lower spine, or the lumbar spine, between two lumbar bones, or vertebrae, to remove a sample of cerebrospinal fluid. The fluid, which surrounds and protects the brain and spinal cord, is transported to a laboratory for testing.
Genetic testing. A healthcare professional might recommend genetic testing to determine whether a child has the gene mutation which causes hereditary ataxia. Gene tests are available for many but not all of the hereditary ataxias.
Furthermore, diagnosing ataxia may depend on which system is affected. For instance,�if the health issue lies in the vestibular system, the patient will experience dizziness, possibly having vertigo or nystagmus. They may also be unable to walk in a straight line and when walking, they will tend to veer to one side. If the health issue lies in the cerebellar system, cerebellar gaits present with a wide-base and generally involves staggering and titubation. Patient will also have difficulty doing the Rhomberg�s test with their eyes open or closed, because they cannot stand with their feet together, as described below.
Testing the Vestibular System
Testing the vestibular system to determine the diagnosis of ataxia can include the Fakuda Stepping Test and the Rhomberg Test. The�Fakuda Stepping Test is performed by having the patient march in place with their eyes closed and their arms raised to 90 degrees in front of them. If they rotate more than 30 degrees, the test is considered to be positive. It’s important to note that the patient will rotate toward the side of the vestibular dysfunction. The Rhomberg Test will confirm a diagnosis of ataxia if the patient sways a different direction every time their eyes are closed, as this may indicate vestibular dysfunction.
Testing the Cerebellar System
Testing the cerebellar system to determine the diagnosis of ataxia can include the piano-playing test and the hand-patting test as well as the finger-to-nose test. The piano-playing test and hand-patting test both assess for dysdiadochokinesia. Also in both tests, the patient will have more difficulty moving the limb on the side of cerebellar dysfunction. With the finger-to-nose test, the patient may be hyper/hypo metric in movement and intention tremor may be reveled.
Joint Position Sense
In patients with changes to their joint position sense, conscious proprioception may be diminished, especially in elderly patients and patients with neuropathy. Patients with joint position sense losses often rely on visual information to help compensate. When visual input is removed or diminished, these patient�s have exaggerated ataxia.
Motor Strength and Coordination
If the patient has reduced frontal lobe control, they may end up with an apraxia of gait, where they have difficult with the volitional control of movement. Extrapyramidal disorders, such as Parkinson disease, result in the inability to control motor coordination. Pelvic girdle muscle weakness due to a myopathy in this instance will produce an abnormal gait pattern.
There’s no specific treatment for ataxia. In some cases, treating the underlying health issue often resolves the ataxia, such as quitting the use of drugs and/or medications that cause it. In other cases, such as ataxia that results from chickenpox or other viral infection, it’s likely to resolve on its own. A healthcare professional might recommend treatment to manage symptoms, such as pain, fatigue or nausea, or they may recommend the use of adaptive devices or therapies to help with ataxia. Chiropractic care is a safe and effective, alternative treatment option which focuses on the treatment of a variety of injuries and/or conditions associated with the musculoskeletal and nervous system. A chiropractor commonly uses spinal adjustments and manual manipulations to correct any spinal misalignment, or subluxation, which may be causing a patient’s symptoms. In addition, a doctor of chiropractic, or chiropractor, may also recommend a series of appropriate lifestyle modifications, including nutritional advice and exercise plans, in order to restore a patient’s strength, mobility and flexibility. Chiropractic care together with the proper fitness routine can help speed up the patient’s recovery process.
Adaptive Devices
Ataxia brought on by conditions like multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy might not be curable. In that circumstance, a healthcare professional might have the ability to recommend adaptive devices. These can include:
Hiking sticks or walkers for walking
Modified utensils for eating
Communication aids for speaking
Other therapies
A patient with ataxia might benefit from particular therapies, including: physical therapy to help improve coordination and enhance mobility; occupational treatment to help with daily living activities, such as eating on their own; and speech therapy to improve speech as well as aid with swallowing.
Coping and Support
The challenges a person face when living with ataxia or with a child with the condition might make the patient feel lonely or it may contribute to depression and anxiety. Talking to a counselor or therapist may help. Or perhaps the patient may find encouragement and understanding in a support group, possibly for ataxia or for their specific underlying condition, such as cancer or multiple sclerosis.
Although support groups aren’t for everyone, they may be good sources of advice. Group members often know about the newest treatments and tend to share their own experiences. If you’re interested, your healthcare professional may be able to recommend a group in your area. The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic as well as to spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Curated by Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Sciatica
Sciatica is medically referred to as a collection of symptoms, rather than a single injury and/or condition. Symptoms of sciatic nerve pain, or sciatica, can vary in frequency and intensity, however, it is most commonly described as a sudden, sharp (knife-like) or electrical pain that radiates from the low back down the buttocks, hips, thighs and legs into the foot. Other symptoms of sciatica may include, tingling or burning sensations, numbness and weakness along the length of the sciatic nerve. Sciatica most frequently affects individuals between the ages of 30 and 50 years. It may often develop as a result of the degeneration of the spine due to age, however, the compression and irritation of the sciatic nerve caused by a bulging or herniated disc, among other spinal health issues, may also cause sciatic nerve pain.
Alfonso J. Ramirez, now retired, found follow-up treatment with Dr. Alex Jimenez for his neck pain. Mr. Ramirez experienced chronic pain and headaches, but after receiving chiropractic care, he found relief from his symptoms. Since then, Alfonso Ramirez has continued to maintain the alignment of his spine with Dr. Jimenez. Mr. Ramirez is grateful for the chiropractic care he’s received for his neck pain and for his shoulder and knee pain. Alfonso J. Ramirez recommends Dr. Alex Jimenez as the non-surgical choice for neck pain.
Chiropractic Care Neck Pain Treatment
Neck pain (or cervical Gia) is a frequent problem, together with two-thirds of the population experience neck pain at any time in their lives. Neck pain, although felt in the neck, can be brought on by many other spinal issues. Neck pain may arise because of muscular tightness in both the neck and upper back, or pinching of the nerves emanating from the cervical vertebrae. Joint disruption in the neck also creates pain, as does joint disruption in the top back. Neck pain affects about 5 percent of the global population as of 2010.
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Kids: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by impulsivity and hyperactivity over a period of more than six months. Symptoms are usually noted and the condition can be diagnosed in children younger than 7 years of age.
It impacts kids socially and academically. According to the CDC, around 10 percent of children in the United States, age 5 to 17 years, has been diagnosed with ADHD. It is usually treated with medications that can have very serious, even frightening side effects. Chiropractic care has been proven to be an effective treatment for ADHD in children.
The Truth About ADHD Medication
The increasing prevalence of ADHD has led to the development of several drugs that are intended to treat the symptom�s conditions. Ritalin has long been the standard for treating ADHD. This drug is a schedule II controlled substance and its effects are frighteningly similar to cocaine and amphetamines.
What�s more, it has been linked to certain cardiac related conditions in young children. Adderall, another ADHD drug is very popular on the street and students in high school and college illegally sell it and use it. Emergency room visits due to Ritalin intoxication has been steadily increasing and is at the same level as ER visits that involve cocaine. Both Ritalin and Adderall, as well as many other ADHD drugs, are highly addictive and commonly abused.
Chiropractic For Kids Diagnosed With ADHD
Chiropractic care does not necessarily �treat� ADHD, but it does have very positive effects on children who have been diagnosed with the condition. There have been several studies that support how chiropractic helps ADHD. It is a safe, natural treatment for the condition and helps treating the symptoms. It goes far beyond treating back pain and neck problems. The adjustments can help a great deal.
The chiropractor will find subluxations in the spine and address them. Regular adjustments can help with more efficient and effective nerve flow. If the child has a spinal misalignment that could be the cause of the behavioral issues. Another popular theory is that an imbalance in the child�s muscle tone creates the brain activity to be out of balance. Adjusting the child�s spine restores balance to the brain and body.
Chiropractic also offers a whole body approach to wellness and that can help ADHD symptoms as well. The child may be exposed to a variety of sound and light frequencies as part of their therapy. The doctor may also recommend certain dietary changes and exercises. In many cases, eliminating certain foods from a child�s diet can cause many ADHD symptoms to subside or even disappear completely.
A chiropractor may have specific lifestyle changes:
Find out if the child as any allergies and address them
Eliminate additives, food dyes, preservatives, and sugar from the child�s diet
Avoid any stimulants like nicotine, alcohol, and certain medications while pregnant
Use unprocessed, natural foods and avoid all herbicides and pesticides
Avoid stress while pregnant; take time to relax
These changes can make a significant difference in the child�s behavior.
There is also an upper cervical technique that chiropractors use to realign the bones in the spine and skull. It is believed that when these bones are out of alignment it puts pressure on certain areas of the brain, resulting in the behavior issues. This treatment has a very good response rate in kids who have been diagnosed with ADHD.
Chiropractic care is a viable alternative to some of the more undesirable treatments for ADHD. It is easier on the child and healthier as well as safer. It will help them perform better in school and have better behavior at home. More parents are opting for chiropractic care instead of harmful drugs. It is a child�s best chance.
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, is a mechanical issue in the inner ear. It occurs when some of the calcium carbonate crystals (otoconia) that are normally embedded in gel at the utricle become dislodged and migrate to at least one of those 3 fluid-filled semicircular canals, where they are not supposed to be. When enough of these particles accumulate in one of the canals they interfere with the normal fluid motion that these canals utilize to sense head motion, causing the inner ear to send false signals to the mind.
Fluid in the semi-circular canals doesn’t normally react to gravity. However, the crystals do proceed with gravity, thereby shifting the fluid when it normally would be still. When the fluid moves, nerve endings in the canal are eager and send a message to the brain the mind is moving, even though it is not. This false information doesn’t match what another ear is sensing, together with what the eyes are seeing, or with what the joints and muscles are doing, and also this mismatched information is perceived by the brain as a turning sensation, or vertigo, which generally lasts less than one minute. Between vertigo spells some people today feel symptom-free, while some feel a mild sense of imbalance or disequilibrium.
A healthcare professional will execute a collection of tests and evaluations in order to properly diagnose the individual’s BPPV. Regular medical imaging (e.g. an MRI) is not helpful in diagnosing BPPV, because it doesn’t show the crystals which have moved to the semi-circular canals. But when someone with BPPV has their own head moved into a position that produces the dislodged crystals move within a tube, the error signals cause the eyes to move in a very specific pattern, called”nystagmus”.
The nystagmus will possess distinct characteristics that let a trained practitioner to identify which ear the crystals that are displaced are in, and then canal(s) they have moved into. Tests such as the Dix-Hallpike or Roll Tests involve moving the head into specific orientations, allowing gravity to move the dislodged crystals and activate the vertigo while the professional watches for the tell-tale eye movements, or nystagmus.�To execute the Dix-Hallpike test, a healthcare professional will ask the patient to sit on the test table with their legs stretched out. They will then turn the head 45 degrees to one side, which contrasts the right posterior semicircular canal with the sagittal plane of the body, then they are going to allow the patient to lie back quickly, while the eyes are open, so that their head hangs slightly over the edge of the desk.
When the health care provider has finished the diagnosis, then they can perform the appropriate treatment maneuver. The maneuvers make use of gravity to guide the crystals back to the room where they are supposed to be via a very specific series of head movements, commonly referred to as Repositioning Maneuvers. Repositioning maneuvers are highly effective in treating BPPV, inexpensive, and easy to apply.
Dr. Alex Jimenez’s Insights
While the use of surgical interventions as well as that of drugs and/or medications are occasionally recommended to relieve the symptoms associated with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, they do not treat the underlying health issue. Repositioning maneuvers, like the ones demonstrated below, are considered to be safe yet effective treatment options for BPPV. There is good evidence to support the treatment of BPPV with the Epley maneuver. Although less amounts of research studies have been conducted on other repositioning maneuvers, outcome measures of a variety of patients with BPPV have benefitted from the other treatment options for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
Considering that the therapeutic efficacy among maneuvers for every canal is comparable, the option of treatment is generally predicated on clinician preference, complexity of their maneuvers themselves, therapy response to certain maneuvers, as well as musculoskeletal considerations, such as arthritic changes and range of motion of the cervical spine. Below, many repositioning maneuvers are demonstrated, for instance, deep mind hanging maneuver, the Lempert (BBQ) maneuver and the Epley maneuver.
The deep head hanging maneuver is a repositioning maneuver which is used for one of the least common places where BPPV occurs, the superior semi-circular canal, amounting to only about 2 percent of most benign paroxysmal positional vertigo instances. However, the advantage of deep head hanging maneuvers is that they may be effectively performed without knowledge of the side involved. It consists of three steps with four position changes at intervals of approximately 30 seconds.
The deep head hanging maneuver is performed with the patient at the long-sitting position, while the head is brought to a minimum of 30� below the horizontal with the head straight up. When the nystagmus induced by this measure is finished, the head is brought up rapidly to touch the chest while the patient remains supine, and after 30 seconds, the individual has been brought back to a seated position with head flexion maintained. Finally, the patient will be brought back to a neutral head position.
The Lempert maneuver, also referred to as the Barbeque maneuver or the Roll maneuver, is a repositioning maneuver commonly utilized to help treat canilithiasis of the horizontal and lateral canal. It might occur as a complication of posterior canal BPPV treatment repositioning maneuvers. The side with the most notable horizontal nystagmus is assumed to be the affected side.
To perform the Lempert maneuver, the patient should lie supine on the exam table, using the affected ear facing down. Afterward, the healthcare professional will quickly turn the head 90� towards the unaffected side, facing up, waiting 15-20 minutes between each head turn. The medical professional will subsequently turn the head 90� so the affected ear is currently facing up. The next step includes having the individual tuck their arms to their torso, in order to allow the doctor to roll the patient to a more moderate position with their head down. The individual must be turned on their side since the physician rolls their head 90� (returning them to their original position, with the affected ear facing down ). At length, the medical professional should place the patient so that they are face up and bring them into a sitting posture.
Treatment with the Lempert maneuver is efficient approximately 75% of the moment, however, the effectiveness can vary from individual to individual. It is important to keep in mind that longer periods of time between head turns may provoke nausea. This sort of repositioning maneuver shouldn’t be done on patients in which it isn’t safe to move their mind, including in the case of cervical spine injuries.
Epley Maneuver for BPPV
The most common repositioning maneuver for the treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, is known as the Epley maneuver. The Epley maneuver, occasionally referred to as the canalith repositioning maneuver, is a process which involves a series of head movements, normally performed by a healthcare professional who’s experienced and qualified in the treatment of vestibular disorders, so as to relieve the symptoms associated with BPPV, including dizziness.
The Epley maneuver is performed by placing the patient’s mind at an angle in where gravity can help alleviate the symptoms. Tilting the mind can move the crystals out of the semicircular canals of the inner ear. This means that they will quit displacing the fluid, relieving the dizziness and nausea they may have been causing. In this manner, the Epley maneuver alleviates the symptoms of BPPV. But, it may have to be repeated more than once, as occasionally, some head movements can once again displace the small crystals of the internal ear, once they had been repositions after the first treatment.
Research studies have shown that the Epley maneuver is a safe and effective treatment for the specific vertigo disorder, offering both long-term and immediate relief. The Epley maneuver, named after Dr. John Epley, has been named the canalith repositioning maneuver because it helps to reposition the small crystals at a person’s inner ear, which might be causing the sensation of dizziness.
Repositioning these tiny crystals called otoconia helps to ease BPPV symptoms.�There are two types of BPPV: one where the loose crystals can move freely in the fluid of the canal (canalithiasis), and, more rarely, one where the crystals are thought to be �hung up� on the bundle of nerves that sense the fluid movement (cupulolithiasis).�It is important to make this distinction, as each repositioning maneuver may affect each variant differently. The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic as well as to spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Curated by Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Sciatica
Sciatica is medically referred to as a collection of symptoms, rather than a single injury and/or condition. Symptoms of sciatic nerve pain, or sciatica, can vary in frequency and intensity, however, it is most commonly described as a sudden, sharp (knife-like) or electrical pain that radiates from the low back down the buttocks, hips, thighs and legs into the foot. Other symptoms of sciatica may include, tingling or burning sensations, numbness and weakness along the length of the sciatic nerve. Sciatica most frequently affects individuals between the ages of 30 and 50 years. It may often develop as a result of the degeneration of the spine due to age, however, the compression and irritation of the sciatic nerve caused by a bulging or herniated disc, among other spinal health issues, may also cause sciatic nerve pain.
Ankle pain and injury are not issues reserved solely for athletes. In the United States, more than 25,000 people deal with ankle sprains or pain every day. Studies show that somewhere around 40 percent of ankle sprains are not treated correctly or are misdiagnosed, which leads to disability or chronic ankle pain.
When the ankle does not function properly, it can affect the entire body. The muscles on either side of the leg or even under the foot can become sore or painful. This can lead to loss of mobility, an uneven gait, and hip and back pain.
Anatomy Of The Ankle
Three bones connect to the joint that is the ankle. The lower ends of the tibia (shinbone) and the fibula (lower leg small bone) meet to form a socket that the talus (ankle bone) sits in.
The bottom of the talus rests on the calcaneus (heel bone). There is about an inch-thick lining of somewhat soft cartilage in the joint, which provides shock absorption for carrying body weight, but it is tough and durable so that, provided there is no injury, it will last for a lifetime.
The bones are held together by ligaments and the muscles are attached to the bones by tendons. When there is an injury, it can impact the bone, muscles, tendons and ligaments.
Treatment For Ankle Injury & Pain
The typical treatment for pain, such as with a sprain, is R.I.C.E., which is rest, ice, compression and elevation. A somewhat newer treatment approach replaces the R with an M, meaning that instead of rest, movement is required instead.
However, it is important that the movement is done safely and carefully. Certain types of ankle injuries can be exacerbated by movement so it should be approached with care.
Other types of traditional treatment include varying methods of pain control from ibuprofen to opioids. Severe injuries, such as a torn ligament, may require surgery. When a patient experiences pain, an x-ray is often used to see if there is an injury and to determine the extent of that injury. Sometimes, though an x-ray is not able to see the injury. In such cases, an MRI may be used.
Chiropractic For Ankle Pain
Chiropractic is very effective for treating foot and ankle pain. The chiropractor will begin by assessing the patient�s source of pain and determine what is causing it. They may use x-rays, MRI, CT scan, and other types of diagnostic tools to help them select the best course or treatment.
When an injury is new and the area is inflamed and tender, the course of treatment may include ultrasound, iontophoresis and whirlpool baths. This is in addition to rest, ice, compression and elevation. As it heals, the inflammation subsides and it becomes more stable, chiropractic adjustments to the foot may be introduced.
Chiropractic can help reduce pain without prescription medication and the associated side effects. This alone is often a great draw for many patients. However, there are other benefits that chiropractic can provide for ankle pain.
Regular chiropractic treatment can help strengthen the ankle and increase its stability while increasing mobility and flexibility. Often nerves and soft tissue can become damaged. Chiropractic treatments done on a consistent basis facilitates blood flow, which speeds healing and reduces the chance of injury. It also uses a whole body approach so that the patient can get recommendation on diet and lifestyle changes, such as losing weight or exercising.
Chiropractic care is a very effective therapy for treating ankle pain and injury. It is non-invasive and a natural approach to healing that allows the body to heal itself.
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