Month: May 2023

Memorial Day–Remember and Honor. From the Pittsburgh North Hills chiropractic office of Dr. James J Schofield.

Chiropractors are healthcare practitioners that utilize a holistic approach to health care. As a practicing chiropractor of 39 years, I examine a person beyond focusing solely on the symptoms or a specific area of discomfort. This allows me to address the root cause of the problem to bring about relief of a patient’s particular pain. This article will discuss why it is important to evaluate the whole person, versus a narrow, specialist focus.

Let’s discuss several different pain conditions as examples. Each of the patients, in these cases, had a specific area of pain. The specialist they had gone to were unable to help them with their conditions.

Example one, is a patient who recently came to me with shoulder pain. A specialist had given her a steroid injection into the shoulder which helped for a few days but following that the baseline pain returned. I expanded the exam and found that she had misalignments of the spinal bones of the neck and upper back. Misalignments and improper movement of the spinal bones are commonly associated with shoulder pain complaints. By utilizing spinal manipulation and exercises for the shoulder we were able to bring about complete shoulder pain relief.

A second example Is of a patient who was suffering from almost constant tension headaches. She was seeing a neurologist who prescribed a handful of different medications to combat her headache pain. The intensity of her headaches was improved, but the meds left her drowsy, and made it difficult for her to concentrate at work. Our chiropractic examination included a holistic inspection of the spinal bones of her upper neck. When this area is misaligned, it causes pinched nerves and irritated spinal joints of the area. This can be a significant contributory cause of tension headaches. When the patient received chiropractic spinal adjustments to correct misalignments of the upper spinal bones of her neck, the frequency and intensity of her headaches diminished almost completely. This provided more than temporary relief as it addressed the root cause of the problem to bring about headache pain relief.

Our third example is of a patient who was experiencing pain in her left buttock and hip area. She had seen an orthopedic specialist who diagnosed arthritis of her hip and treated her with a steroid hip injection and physical therapy to strengthen muscles in the area. After a month of care, she had the same hip pain she had started with. Chiropractic inspection revealed a misaligned pelvic joint called the sacroiliac joint. When the sacroiliac joint is misaligned, it causes a patient to carry the weight of the hips unevenly. The hip that carries more weight becomes irritated and painful. By providing chiropractic manipulations to realign the pelvis the patient’s imbalance was improved, and the weight borne by her painful hip was alleviated, allowing her hip to heal and become pain-free.

By conducting expanded, whole person assessments, chiropractors gain a deeper understanding of patient’s overall health to bring about natural, practical, lasting, pain relief.

Visit here to learn more about McKnight Road neck and back pain relief. See this site for information about a neck and lower back pain relief chiropractor near me.

Hip pain can significantly impact one’s quality of life, limiting mobility and causing discomfort during daily activities. While traditional medical approaches often focus on medication or surgery, chiropractic care offers a holistic and non-invasive alternative. This article will explore how chiropractic care can effectively address hip pain, providing relief, improving functionality, and enhancing overall well-being.

Chiropractic care emphasizes proper alignment and mobility of the spine, pelvis, and surrounding joints, which play a crucial role in hip function. The hip is a ball and socket joint, formed by the upper thigh bone (ball) and the pelvis (socket). The hip joint is closely associated to the entire pelvic structure. Misalignments of the lower spine and pelvis can lead to a person carrying more weight on one leg, leading to increased stress on that hip joint. This causes long-term degeneration of the hip joint which can cause ongoing pain. By employing hands-on adjustments and manipulations, chiropractors aim to restore proper pelvic alignment, relieving pressure on the hip joint. These adjustments can also enhance joint mobility, allowing for smoother movement of the hip joint and bring hip pain relief.

Hip pain usually stems from long term mechanical misalignment stress, causing degeneration and osteoarthritis. Chiropractors conduct thorough evaluations to identify the root cause of the pain, considering factors like posture, gait, and muscle imbalances. This comprehensive approach enables them to tailor treatment plans specific to each patient’s needs. Chiropractic care may include not only manual adjustments but also rehabilitative exercises, stretches, and lifestyle modifications to address the underlying issues contributing to hip pain. By targeting the source of the problem rather than just managing symptoms, chiropractic care offers a more sustainable and long-term solution.

Chiropractors also often integrate complementary therapies to enhance the effectiveness of hip pain treatment. These may include modalities such as pressure point therapy to relieve trigger points of excessively tight muscles, electrical stimulation and the proper use of cold packs which promote healing, reduce inflammation, and alleviate pain. Such integrative approaches contribute to the comprehensive nature of chiropractic care, ensuring patients receive a well-rounded multimodal treatment plan to achieve hip pain relief.

Chiropractic care provides a holistic and non-invasive approach to address hip pain. By focusing on alignment, joint mobility, and individualized treatment plans, chiropractors effectively alleviate hip pain, improve functionality, and enhance the overall well-being of patients suffering from hip discomfort.

Visit here for safe chiropractic hip pain relief near me. Find a McKnight Road chiropractor near me.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY! From the Pittsburgh North Hills chiropractic office of Dr. James J Schofield.

The opioid crisis has become a public health emergency, with millions of Americans suffering from addiction to prescription painkillers and heroin. This crisis has led to an increase in overdose deaths, and has put a strain on healthcare systems and communities across the country. One potential solution to this crisis is chiropractic care, which can provide effective lower back and neck pain relief without the need for prescription drugs.

Chiropractic care is a form of alternative medicine that focuses on the relationship between the spine and the nervous system. Chiropractors use a variety of techniques, including spinal adjustments and manipulations, to improve the alignment of the spine and reduce spinal pain. By improving the function of the nervous system, chiropractic care can provide relief for a wide range of conditions, including chronic neck and back pain.

One of the key benefits of chiropractic care is that it can provide spinal pain relief without the need for prescription drugs. Opioid painkillers are highly addictive, and can have serious side effects, including respiratory depression and overdose. By contrast, chiropractic care is non-invasive and drug-free, making it a safer alternative for patients who are struggling with back and neck pain.

In addition to providing pain relief, chiropractic care can also address the underlying causes of chronic pain. Many patients who suffer from chronic pain have underlying issues with their posture or spinal alignment, which can exacerbate their pain. By improving spinal alignment and reducing nerve irritation, chiropractic care can help patients address these underlying issues and reduce their spinal pain over the long-term.

Chiropractic care can also help patients reduce their dependence on prescription painkillers. Many patients who suffer from chronic pain rely on prescription drugs to manage their symptoms, but this can lead to addiction and other negative side effects. By providing effective low bac and neck pain relief without the need for drugs, chiropractic care can help patients reduce their reliance on prescription painkillers and improve their overall health and well-being.

Overall, chiropractic care can play an important role in addressing the opioid crisis by providing a safe and effective alternative to prescription painkillers. By improving spinal alignment, reducing nerve irritation, and addressing the underlying causes of chronic spinal pain, chiropractors can help patients manage their neck and back pain without the risks associated with prescription drugs. With more awareness of the benefits of chiropractic care, we can work towards reducing the number of opioid prescriptions and overdose deaths in our communities.

Visit here to learn more about McKnight Road neck and back pain relief. See this site for information about a neck and lower back pain relief chiropractor near me.

Chiropractic care focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal disorders, particularly those related to the spine. While it is most commonly associated with back and neck pain, chiropractic care can also be effective in treating other types of pain, including shoulder pain. In this article, we will explore how chiropractic care can help relieve shoulder pain.

Shoulder pain can be caused by a number of factors, including injury, overuse, and poor posture. Overuse injuries can occur in athletes who engage in repetitive overhead motions, such as swimming, tennis, and baseball. Poor posture can also cause shoulder pain, as slouching can cause create tension in the muscles of the shoulder and neck.

There is an association between shoulder pain and mechanical problems of the spinal areas of the neck and upper back. If there is a misalignment of the spinal bones of the neck and upper back, it can cause irritation to the joints of the spine and pinch nerves, contributing to shoulder pain.

A chiropractor will examine and evaluate the entire shoulder girdle, including the shoulder blade bone, which is called the scapula, and where the rib bones form joints with the breastbone. The scapula at the back of the shoulder, and the rib joints in the front of the shoulder, should move freely and not be locked up or fixated. Neck and upper back spinal alignment will also be assessed.

A chiropractor will then develop a treatment plan that addresses the root cause of the problem. This may include adjustments to the spine, as misalignments in the spine can put pressure on nerves that travel to the shoulder and arm. By realigning the spine, chiropractors can relieve pressure on these nerves and reduce pain and inflammation in the shoulder. Gentle, effective manipulation to the shoulder joint and scapula may also be performed.

In addition to spinal adjustments, chiropractors may use other techniques to relieve shoulder pain, such as trigger point therapy, stretching, and exercise therapy. Trigger point therapy can help to loosen tight muscles in the shoulder and neck. This technique can gently help to release scar tissue and adhesions in the muscle, which can contribute to pain and limited range of motion. Stretching can improve range of motion and flexibility. Exercise therapy can also be effective in strengthening the muscles of the shoulder and preventing future injuries.

While chiropractic care can be effective in treating shoulder pain, it is important to note that every patient is unique. It is also important to work with a qualified and experienced chiropractor who can develop a personalized treatment plan that addresses your specific needs and goals.

Chiropractic care can be an effective form of treatment for shoulder pain. By addressing the underlying cause of the pain and using a combination of spinal adjustments, extremity manipulation, trigger point therapy, stretching, and exercise therapy, chiropractors can help to relieve pain and improve function in the shoulder. If you are experiencing shoulder pain, consider consulting with a chiropractor to explore your treatment options.

Visit here to learn more about shoulder pain relief.  See this site for information about a pain relief chiropractor near me.