When a person first presents themselves for care, I listen to their description of the problem, and I help them give me the clues to solve their individual riddle. Where does it hurt? What time of day does it hurt? Which activities or movements reproduce the pain?
For instance, a person may first describe their right hand hurting all the time. With questioning, I learn that the left hand hurts also, just not as much as the right hand. And there has been no trauma to either hand, but it all started after a fall on the ice last winter*. Suddenly, I focus on the neck. Had the pain been in only one hand, I would focus on the hand. But knowing that both hands are involved, and that it occurred after a fall, the most likely cause of the pain is not in the hands but in an area common to both hands: The brachial plexus of nerves to the hands that exits the spine in the neck. Had the cause of hand pain been in the person’s wrist, I would have considered ultrasound, myofascial release, and adjusting of the wrist. However, when history and examination point to the neck, adjusting the neck and/or home traction will likely be the quickest route to relief for that person.
Let’s say the person describes pain in the hand, and upon questioning also remembers that they have pain in the upper arm, and that the hand pain is mostly when they have their hand up in the air, like when brushing hair or doing overhead work. This is a wholly different scenario from the previous instance of hand pain. Now I focus on possible Thoracic Outlet Syndrome or myofascial pain from one of the shoulder muscles. Physical examination helps to pinpoint the exact area causing the pain, and helps me choose between myofascial release or adjusting the clavicle or scapula.
And what of the person who hurts all over? In that case, perhaps nutrition will be the key. A manganese deficiency weakens ligaments in the whole body. Treatment can be as simple as a better trace mineral supplement than what the person is already taking. Nutrition often helps long standing cases of aches or pains in various parts of the body.
Another nutrition example: A patient had longstanding mid-back pain, mostly on the right side. Chiropractic adjustment gave only temporary relief. Ultrasound was not useful. Massage and myofascial release gave only slight temporary relief. Exercise and posture improvement did nothing. Changing mattresses did not help. In fact, over time the pain had spread towards the neck and become more persistent. This pain was cured in less than one week with Collinsonia Root, an herbal supplement that improves liver function. And the pain never returned! I know, because that’s my personal story.
When the patient’s history and exam point toward chiropractic adjustment as the best choice of care, I am still faced with “What to do When?”, since I use 6 different adjusting techniques. A person who is freshly injured, and can’t turn their head without pain, will respond most favorably to a technique that doesn’t involve turning the head. I know that sounds simple. Because it is simple! For that person, I will choose Activator or another low force technique. Same for a person with known or suspected osteoporosis. A low force technique gives them the benefit of a chiropractic adjustment without the risk of harm to brittle bones. And then I will talk to them about nutrition, of course!
Another person may not have much pain after a few adjustments, but there is a stiff spot when they turn their head, or on observation I see that the patient turns the head easily to the right, but has to lift the chin to turn the head to the left. That person may respond well to a classic chiropractic adjustment, the kind everyone thinks of when they think of chiropractic, with light traction and a short, quick corrective thrust delivered by hand.
So you see, there are many options in treatment to be considered. And there are a few people who aren’t candidates for my care at all! In those cases, I help them find the right kind of doctor to treat their immediate needs.
Talk to me and together we will find the best treatment route for you: 941 962 7785
*I know I won’t be seeing many injuries from falls on ice here in Florida, but it is still a good example
