Common Chiropractic Treatments

ADHD

Restlessness, inattentiveness, trouble concentrating in school or other controlled environments, inability to control impulsive thoughts or behaviors, being easily distracted by noise and activity, and an inability to be still (always moving hands, arms, feet, legs) are common symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.  Chiropractic treatment has proven effective for this syndrome.

The spine houses the body's major nerves and is therefore in control of nerve functions. Nerves travel all over our bodies and affect many different neurological functions. Since ADHD presents itself as a neurological disorder, it falls within the realm of treatment by a chiropractor. Chiropractic adjustments can help your child and has been shown to improve concentration, impulsiveness, and over activeness.

However, all treatments performed by a chiropractor are best when accompanied by the commitment to a lifestyle change. It is recommended that those suffering from ADHD rely heavily on a diet of naturally grown, organic foods devoid of sugar and artificial sweetener. Combining this diet with chiropractic care has been shown to help children who suffer from ADHD.

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Allergies

Congestion, runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, sneezing.  Most of us recognize these as symptoms of common allergies to dust, juniper, and other pollens in northern New Mexico.  Our bodies react this way as an unfortunately natural response to these allergens.  Our immune system (which is responsible for the reaction to certain allergens) is directly related to our nervous system. Determination of spinal dysfunction, and its subsequent correction with chiroractic adjustments, can exert a positive enough effect on the nervous system such that it can help our immune system better deal with its allergic reactions.  Dr. Perlstein can also inform about the numerous natural and homeopathic medicines that help with local allergies.

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Asthma

An increase in the number of people being diagnosed with asthma may be attributed, in part, to increased pollution in the atmosphere. Furthermore, because houses are now sealed so tightly, an inadequate air filtration system can trap irritants in the air inside a house. However, since all people do not suffer from asthma, it can also be attributed to the body's irregular response to these irritants.

Research shows a link between the spinal column, the nervous system, and the respiratory system. Because of the relationship between these systems, patients afflicted with asthma receiving chiropractic care have reported improved breathing. In a recent study, 45% of participants with asthma saw a decrease in the number of asthma attacks after seeking chiropractic care.

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Auto Accidents

Auto accidents, no matter how small, can cause serious damage to your spine. Even those who do not report injury or pain at the time of the accident can experience muscle pain or joint dysfunction later on.  The most common injury to your body from an auto accident is sprain and strain of ligaments and muscles.  These are usually thought to resolve on their own, but usually do not.  This is because these soft tissues are attached to joints, which are injured either from the direct affect of the injury to the soft tissues, or to injury to the joints themselves.  Chiropractors are trained to detect these often subtle injuries that slip under the radar of medical physicians.  Getting those affected joints back to proper functioning is very important, otherwise, that can lead to problems later on.  Chiropractic corrects these dysfunctions in your spine and in your soft tissues, even if you do not know they are there. If you have recently been in an auto accident, consult a chiropractor whether you are experiencing pain or not.

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Back Pain

One of the most common reasons people seek out chiropractic care is for back pain. Many people relieve their back pain by taking pain medication. However, this may only mask the symptoms. Treating the cause of the pain is the best way to relieve it. The pain is often caused when the spine isn't moving correctly, or the discs between the vertebrae have been damaged, as well as other structural problems. All of these things can be corrected with chiropractic adjustments to the lower back.

In Western medicine, treating back pain goes something like this: rest (which can prolong the pain) medicate (which can help you ignore it, possibly making it worse), treat it with therapy (which may not be enough) and perform surgery (a drastic, and not always foolproof, measure). A chiropractor can determine what may be causing your back pain, which could be a number of things, most commonly spinal dysfunction/immobility.  This can cause the patient to not only have back pain, but may also affect other parts of the body, since the spinal cord is linked to all functions in the body. A visit to the chiropractor can help relieve the pain in your back possibly in as little as one adjustment.

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Bedwetting

While most children are fully toilet trained by age 5, some children experience a lack of bladder control during the night. This causes them shame, embarrassment, and can ostracize them from their peers. However, chiropractic can help.

In the pediatric spine, there are 5 separate bones at the base of the spine that will fuse together later in life.  Dysfunction of any or all of these sacral bones, whose nerves affect bladder function, may cause bedwetting. This dysfunction can be corrected by a chiropractor, which may eliminate bedwetting completely.

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Carpal Tunnel

The wrist houses a kind of "tunnel" through which nerves run up to the hand and fingers. Sometimes, this tunnel can become compressed, or irritation to the nerves from a dysfunctional wrist bone can create painful pressure on the nerves. This is known as carpal tunnel syndrome.  It can result in numbness and tingling in the wrist and/or fingers, and an inability to use the wrist, hand, and fingers due to pain and weakness.  Carpal Tunnel Syndrome may also be part of something called "Double Crush Syndrome", which is from problems in the wrist coupled with nerve interference in the neck and upper back.  A chiropractor is best utilized to address both issues and successful intervention can be accomplished by introducing chiropractic adjustments to both areas.

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Colic

Colic is defined as inconsolable crying for more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week, and for more than 3 weeks. Colic affects 10-20% of infants. Colicky infants are more likely to be victims of abuse or shaken baby syndrome. Colic is frustrating for parents (and baby too), but it is also treatable.

While there is no known cause of colic, dietary changes and activity changes may certainly help. Try eliminating certain vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage from your diet. Also stay away from chocolate, spicy foods, and nuts. Take your baby out for a ride around the block in his or her stroller.

Nothing has been shown to be more effective in treating colic than chiropractic care. In a study of colicky babies who seek chiropractic care for treatment, 94% showed an improvement. Sometimes, a very light tap could be all it takes to adjust your baby's spine and relieve their stress and yours.  Dr. Perlstein has treated many babies with colic successfully over the past 30 years.  He would be happy to help your baby become colic-free.

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Ear Infections

Pain in the ears (babies often tug at their ears when they are in pain), fever, drainage of thick liquid, trouble sleeping and/or hearing can be signs of an ear infection.  While ear infections commonly afflict children, adults can get them as well. Either way, chiropractic can be an effective treatment for ear infections. Ear infections occur when natural drainage of mucus in the middle ear becomes blocked. When this happens, the middle ear becomes a haven for bacteria and viruses. While antibiotics treat the symptoms of an ear infection, they often leave the cause untouched. Children (and adults) prone to ear infections may need chiropractic adjustment to their upper spine where the nerves are that travel to the ears and surrounding area. Chiropractic adjustments can clear up an ear infection, as well as prevent further infections from occurring.

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Fibromyalgia

The simplest explanation of fibromyalgia is widespread pain. This can include fatigue, anxiety, depression, trouble concentrating, headaches, morning stiffness, irritable bowel syndrome, tenderness, swelling, painful menstrual cramps, deep muscle aches, and more.  While many people with fibromyalgia feel too fatigued to exercise, it can help. Even starting small will lead to increased energy and decreased pain. Water-based exercises and slower paced movements such as tai-chi have been shown to help, and are also very low-impact.

Chiropractic treatment can also help.  Studies have shown that fibromyalgia is related to abnormalities of blood flow to the brain, thereby causing the brain to interpret pain in various places throughout the body. Chiropractic adjustments that can relieve tension in the spinal joints and in the spinal cord can help normalize blood flow to the brain. With chiropractic adjustments, those suffering from fibromyalgia can find relief and start to lead normal lives again.  Also effective are natural injections into the painful areas to relieve pain directly.  Consult with Dr. Perlstein about this and other techniques for relieving fibromyalgia pain.

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Headaches

Most people experience headaches from time to time.  Headaches can happen if you are dehydrated, ill, or your general wellness is decreased. They can also be caused by dysfunction in the spine, usually the upper spine, but can also be caused by a problem in the lower spine.  In this case,  the upper spine shifts to compensate, throwing off the balance of the head, causing frequent headaches.  While headaches are common, they are not normal. You don't have to live with them. Consult with Dr. Perlstein for an assessment to determine the cause of your headaches.  Quite often, chiropractic adjustments are completely effective in eliminating them.

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Pinched Nerve

For those who have experienced a pinched nerve, you know the pain can be excruciating and can also radiate to other places in the body. Large nerves that branch off from the spinal cord go through nerve openings. When misalignment blocks these nerve openings, the functions of these nerves can be impeded since the brain sends all commands through the spinal cord.

A "pinched nerve" feeling can occur due to one of two things: a compressed lesion, which is the actual pinching of a nerve, or a facilitative lesion, which is the stretching, twisting, or chafing of the nerve root. The facilitative lesion is more common, and the soft nerve tissue rubbing on the hard bone can be quite painful.

Adjustments, which are done by a chiropractor after a thorough examination, give your spine the little nudge it needs to function properly again. When your spine functions properly, the pressure on the pinched nerve will be relieved.

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PMS

PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, affects millions of women. At times, the symptoms women experience can be debilitating.  Common symptoms are:  fatigue, menstrual cramps, mood swings, and bloating.
While no official study has been done, experience suggests that dysfunction in the lumbar spine may have a negative effect on the female reproductive organs. Chiropractic adjustments may relieve pressure on the nerves that control those organs, thereby relieving PMS symptoms

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Pregnancy

Chiropractic can be beneficial during all stages of pregnancy, including pre-conception and post conception.

If you're planning to get pregnant,  pre-conception adjustments can prepare the spine for the journey to come. It can keep the spine balanced and ready to carry the weight that it will soon hold.

During pregnancy, there is a great deal of extra pressure on the spine and the muscles surrounding it. There are ways to safely adjust and balance your spine during pregnancy to help your body adjust to the changes that are being made.  When done properly and safely, chiropractic adjustments can be given to women all the way up to term.  Often, women rely on chiropractic for balancing and alignment just prior to giving birth, which is known to help reduce the risk of complications during labor.  After birth, chiropractic can be beneficial to both baby and mother.

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Sciatica

The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body. It originates in the spinal cord and runs through the buttocks and down into the back of the legs. Sometimes, an injury can occur, which may not be severe or even noticeable, that will cause the discs between the vertebrae to bulge. This creates crowding and pressure on the sciatic nerve, which then radiates pain and/or numbness down the back of one or both legs. Due to the size of the nerve, this is extremely painful and can make walking, sitting, standing, and lying down painful.

A consultation and thorough examination can help a chiropractor determine where the source of the issue is and how to help it.  Chiropractic adjustments have proven to be quite effective in eliminating sciatic pain.

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Scoliosis

Scoliosis is the unusual sideways curvature of the spine. This can occur at different degrees, but there are three different kinds of scoliosis: congenital (genetic predisposition), habitual (caused by habits and behavioral routines), and idiopathic (other unknown causes).

Scoliosis can cause pain and discomfort in the spine. In some cases, scoliosis may not be completely reversible, but posture and curvature can be improved through a series of chiropractic adjustments. If these adjustments are started during childhood, muscles can be trained to support the spine differently.

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"Slipped Disc"

In between each vertebra is a disc made of cartilage and water that allows the space for the nerves to exit the spinal column, as well as one vertebra to move around on the one above and below. From injury, these discs can become traumatized and "slip," causing a great deal of pain.

The term "slipped disc" conjures an image of a whole disc actually sitting slightly out of its place in between 2 vertebrae. However, a slipped disc is actually a bulging, protruding, wedged, or herniated disc.
Slipped discs can occur from improper lifting, bending, turning, etc. Remember, if you are lifting something off the ground, the safest way to do so is to bend at the knees and lift with your legs; never bend at the waist to lift something from the ground.

Chiropractic can, after thorough examination, help correct the slipped disc and restore it and the surrounding spine to proper function, as well as eliminate the pain.

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Stress

Everyone has stress in their life. Between careers, families, school, and everything else we do, we're bound to get stressed about all that we have going on in our lives.

Many people tend to carry stress in the muscles surrounding their spines. Tightness in the muscles can cause abnormal tension on the joints that they are attached to, causing the joints to become dysfunctional, which puts abnormal pressure on the nerves. As you may have already learned, spinal dysfunction can cause a large variety of problems. If you have a great deal of stress in your life, and are having health issues, a chiropractor will probably be able to help a great deal by reducing those tensions through chiropractic adjustments.

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Whiplash

Whiplash occurs when the head is snapped forward or backward very quickly. This is what usually happens in an auto accident. Even minor fender-benders can cause whiplash, because the impact of one vehicle into another moves parts of the occupants, such as necks and backs,  violently enough to cause injury.  You might not even know you have whiplash. Some people don't experience pain until as much as a week after their accident. Neck pain, headache, and even pain in the arms and hands can occur.  When you are brought to the emergency room for evaluation, the doctors there are looking for internal injuries and broken bones and, if you don't have those, your sprain and strain injuries are generally dismissed as ones that will resolve on their own.  Because of the connection between the soft tissues and the joints, a chiropractic evaluation is the most appropriate evaluation to have following an auto accident, in addition to an emergency room evaluation, if appropriate.  Chiropractic treatment is highly necessary to manage the spine and soft tissues so that the healing process can proceed without complication.

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Osteoporosis

Unfortunately, there aren't many symptoms of osteoporosis. Many people are unaware that they have it until they have an x-ray done, usually in conjunction with a broken bone. Osteoporosis is the weakening of the bones. Bones become porous, much like swiss cheese.  Symptoms are usually a function of the deterioration of the spine and its affects on the soft tissues.

Osteoporosis is not reversible, but it is preventable to an extent. A diet rich in calcium can keep bones strong through adulthood. Women are at a greater risk for osteoporosis, so they in particular should try to decrease other risk factors. Along with higher calcium intake, regular exercise and not smoking can help decrease the chances of osteoporosis.

Chiropractic treatment can help by increasing mobility and maintaining alignment of the spine, thereby allowing the soft tissues that are affected to function in a more relaxed state.

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Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage between the bones becomes worn down or wears away completely, resulting in misshapen bones that no longer move freely, and a chronic, painful inflammation of the joints. This is not reversible, but the pain associated with it is treatable.  A chiropractor can help by utilizing chiropractic adjustments to keep the joints mobilized, as well as introducing exercises that strengthen the muscles around the joints, which allows the joints to be supported and to function better.  For some, the additionl of natural injection treatments as practiced at this office help significantly to reduce and/or eliminate pain in osteoarthritic joints.

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Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis occurs when mild trauma happens in the foot, such as wearing shoes with improper foot support (such as in the arch), standing for long periods of time, obesity, and other causes. The tendons in the heel are compromised and cause pain.

Traditional western medicine will treat the pain with medication to reduce pain and inflammation; they may even suggest surgery. Chiropractic offers a more natural and less invasive range of treatment options. Chiropractic evaluation may detect subtle foot bone misalignments, which can be the cause or contribute to the cause of plantar fascitis, treatable with chiropractic adjustments.  In addition, ultrasound treatment, a very deeply penetrating sound wave heat, as well as natural injection techniques, can significantly relieve the pain.

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General Wellness

Wellness is the state of being and feeling fit and healthy.  It is also the ability of our immune system to effectively fend off toxic influences that cause many of our common illnesses.  Wellness is not a state of perfect health, because there really is no such thing, but it is a state to aspire to.  In addition to a healthy diet, aerobic and strength training exercises at least 3 times a week, and a positive attitude towards life, regular chiropractic adjustments help regulate the nervous system, which in turn regulates our immune system and its direct influence on our health.  Those who elect to receive regular chiropractic adjustments appropriate to their condition, whether weekly or monthly, or twice a year, report fewer illnesses and more energy to live a fulfilling, satisfying life.

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