Recent Posts

There are many different kinds of headache, but one of the most common types is known as "cervicogenic headache," or those that start in your neck.

Dr. Green sees a lot of people in our Estero, Bonita Springs office who are struggling with frequent, reoccurring headaches. Thankfully, chiropractic adjustments can often help, potentially reducing these types of headaches by 50 percent, and research confirms it.

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps With Cervicogenic Headaches

A study was conducted involving 80 participants who reported experiencing at least five cervicogenic headaches during the prior three months. The objective was to see how effective chiropractic care was for this type of head pain, as well as to ascertain the number of treatment sessions necessary to achieve a positive effect.

The subjects were split into four separate groups, so that each group was similar in age, gender, number of cervicogenic headaches, and their intensity. Of the four groups, two engaged in chiropractic treatments and two received light massage. Furthermore, one group assigned to each treatment received eight sessions and the other patients received twice that amount.

Each person was assessed based on head pain, neck pain, and disability prior to the study and 12 and 24 weeks after treatment was complete. The researchers found that those who received chiropractic as opposed to massage reported fewer headaches at the conclusion of the study. Furthermore, improvements were maintained when checked six months after treatment ended.

Additionally, participants who were taking medications for their headaches were able to lower their intake after completing the study. Those who received chiropractic had lower medication usage 24 weeks post-study.

We Can Help Patients Find Comfort From Head Pain

Dr. Green has helped many people who were suffering from headaches in our Estero, Bonita Springs office. Call us today at (239) 495-1166 for more information or for an appointment.

Reference

Haas M, Spegman A, Peterson D, Aickin M, Vavrek D. Dose response and efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic cervicogenic headache: a pilot randomized controlled trial. The Spine Journal 2010; 10: 117-128.

Dr. Green sees many people weekly in our busy Estero, Bonita Springs chiropractic office who are searching for relief from the pain and agony they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the scientific literature verifies that chiropractic is an effective way to treat herniated disc problems.

Don't Suffer! Dr. Green and Chiropractic Care Helps With Disc Herniation

One particular research study involved 27 people, 8 male and 19 female, who had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirming a disc herniation in either their neck or lower back. The people documented that they were experiencing pain, limited range of motion, and sensory problems bad enough to keep them off work.

Over the course of the research period, the participants were managed using one of two common chiropractic practices: traction for herniated discs in the cervical area or flexion distraction for the patients who had herniation issues in the low back.

Each individual was treated four or five times per week for the first two weeks, then three times weekly, and then as needed for the remainder of the study. Depending on the seriousness of the disc herniation, treatment ranged anywhere from six weeks to six months, with MRIs being conducted at a variety of stages to identify what impact, if any, the chiropractic care was having in regard to the disc herniation.

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps With Back Pain and Herniated Disc

The authors discovered that 80 percent of the participants obtained a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced pain and a reduction in other symptoms, such as numbness. Additionally, 77 percent of these individuals also showed MRI evidence that their disc herniation was either reduced or resolved completely. This resulted in 78 percent of the study participants being able to return to their place of work and led the researchers to conclude that chiropractic care is both "safe and helpful" for disc herniations.

If you have a herniated disc and suffer from chronic back pain and are near Dr. Green in Estero, Bonita Springs, contact our office today to see what chiropractic can do for you!

Reference
BenEliyahu, DJ. Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical follow-up: study of 27 patients receiving chiropractic care for cervical and lumbar disc herniations. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1996;19(9):597-606.

In our Estero, Bonita Springs office, we see a lot of people who are suffering from back pain, and a few of these folks have been informed they might need surgery to recover. Fortunately, Dr. Green has helped many people get relief without the need for any type of surgical procedure. The scientific research agrees with the success we see in our practice. One research study published in the journal Spine found that consulting with a chiropractor as your first step in overcoming with your back issues may literally keep you off of the operating table.

In this scientific study, medical professionals from Dartmouth reviewed statistics from about 1,900 workers from the state of Washington who first saw either an orthopedic surgeon or a chiropractor for their low back issues. They then looked at three years' worth of follow-up medical data to ascertain whether the patients wound up having back surgery in an attempt to treat the problem.

What the researchers found was that about 43% of the men and women who first consulted with a surgeon for their back pain ended up in surgery in that 3-year time frame, whereas only 1.5 percent of those who first consulted with a chiropractor had the same fate. The authors wrote:

"Even after controlling for injury severity and other measures, workers with an initial visit for the injury to a surgeon had almost nine times the odds of receiving lumbar spine surgery compared to those seeing primary care providers, whereas workers whose first visit was to a chiropractor had significantly lower odds of surgery."

These are remarkable outcomes. Consulting with a chiropractor significantly decreases your odds of getting back surgery, plus the chiropractic patients in this study "had lower odds of chronic work disability" and they also had fewer expensive MRI tests.

Let's also keep in mind this important detail: this study was carried out by orthopedic surgeons from Dartmouth College, and published in the world's most distinguished medical journal on spinal injury.

The Risks of Surgery

Any surgery has risks, but a serious downside associated with spinal surgery is that there's a very high rate of failure. In an important analysis in the European Spine Journal, researchers wrote:

"Failed back surgery is a problem that has become sufficiently widespread to even warrant its own special conferences, with recent reviews reporting failure rates ranging from 5 to 50%."

The experts in this same study concluded:

"It is extremely difficult to identify unequivocal predictor factors that can be used to accurately predict the outcome of surgery."

As a chiropractor, Dr. Green is convinced that surgery should be the absolute last resort for treating back pain. Chiropractic works to restore your spine to its normal function--without the need of high-risk surgery or drugs--and many scientific studies have confirmed the usefulness of chiropractic for back pain.

If you live in Estero, Bonita Springs and you need relief for your back pain, give our office a call today at (239) 495-1166 for a consultation or an appointment. We'll help get you back on the road to a pain-free life!

Studies

• Keeney BJ, Fulton-Kehoe D, Turner JA, Wickizer TM, Chan KC, Franklin GM. Early predictors of lumbar spine surgery after occupational back injury: results from a prospective study of workers in Washington State. Spine 2013;38(11):953-964.
• Mannion AF, Elfering A. Predictors of surgical outcome and their assessment. European Spine Journal 2006;15(Suppl 1):S93-S108.
  

Shoulder Pain is a common symptom after an auto injury, and it's something that Dr. Green sees often in our Estero, Bonita Springs office. Chiropractic can be very helpful for shoulder pain symptoms after a crash. Let's see what causes shoulder pain and why chiropractic works.

There are at least two ways that you can develop shoulder pain after a crash: by direct trauma to the shoulder or by radiating pain from the neck.

Direct trauma can be caused by hitting your shoulder on a hard surface in the car during the impact, or can occur if you have a tight grip on the steering wheel during a rear end crash. With this type of trauma, you'll often be aware of the pain shortly after the wreck.

More frequently, Dr. Green finds that shoulder or arm pain doesn't immediately appear after a crash, but starts a few days or weeks after the injury. This type of shoulder pain actually starts in the cervical spine. Injured ligaments or muscles in your neck can pinch nerves in your neck, causing numbness, tingling, or soreness in your shoulder, elbow, or wrist.

We've treated many types of shoulder problems in our Estero, Bonita Springs office. This process involves chiropractic adjustments to restore your spine's natural flexibility and exercises that strengthen your neck and shoulder.

You don't have to suffer from shoulder pain. Dr. Green is conveniently located in Estero, Bonita Springs to help you recover, whether you've been in an auto collision or not. Dr. Green will first determine what's causing your pain and then work to restore your body to its natural functioning. Give our office a call today at (239) 495-1166 to make an appointment.

Asthma is a significant worry for many people in Estero, Bonita Springs and for a society as a whole, since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that this problem currently affects almost 19 million adults and 7 million children in the US. A full-blown asthma attack likely means a emergency room visit. Thankfully, Dr. Green has helped many folks in Estero, Bonita Springs get relief from asthma symptoms.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps With Asthma

The medical literature verifies what we see in our practice. For example, a paper published in Clinical and Experimental Allergy assessed 31 adult asthma patients after getting four weeks of chiropractic treatments. The researchers reported that the patients who received chiropractic adjustments had a 34% decrease in asthma symptoms.

The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics printed another asthma-based study, except this one involved children. In this paper, the 36 kids ranged from 6 to 17 years in age and their asthma was regarded as either mild or moderate in severity.

After 12 weeks of chiropractic, as a whole, the children reported a higher quality of life and a lower level of severity. As a bonus, they also reported that they relied less on their bronchodilator and these positive effects lasted one year after chiropractic care was complete.

We Can Help Clients Find Comfort From Asthma

So, whether you're 7 or 70, if you have asthma attacks, be sure to contact Dr. Green in Estero, Bonita Springs and schedule an appointment today. We'll do what we can to help you breathe easier!

References

• Asthma. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Bronfort G et al. (2001, July-August). Chronic pediatric asthma and spinal manipulation: a prospective clinical series and randomized clinical pilot study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics;24(6):369-77
• Nielsen N et al. (1995, January). Chronic asthma and chiropractic spinal manipulation: a randomized clinical trial. Clinical and Experimental Allergy;25(1):80-8

We care for a large number of patients in our Estero, Bonita Springs clinic, and Dr. Green has helped many people manage a wide array of health challenges. In spite of this, the primary concern that seems to stop many women and men from seeking care is whether or not chiropractic care is safe. Fortunately, according to three separate studies (out of many on the issue), the answer to this concern is a resounding: "Yes! Chiropractic is safe!"

Chiropractic is Safe, According to Australian Study

The first research paper(1) was published in Spine and involved 183 adults between the ages of 20 and 85. Each individual was affected by some kind of back pain, and half of the individuals received real chiropractic care whereas the remaining patients were given two sham chiropractic treatments. Information was gathered after each real or fake adjustment to identify if any unpleasant side effects occurred as a result of the actual chiropractic adjustments.

Researchers found that none of the patients documented any significant unfavorable side effects at all after getting one or two sessions of chiropractic care. Some individuals did report that they got a headache (just 9% of people) or muscle stiffness (37%) post-treatment, but the effects were not serious.

Nationwide Survey Confirms that Chiropractic Care is Safe

The next article(2), also released in the prestigious journal, Spine, was conducted in an effort to establish the safety of chiropractic care. The test group was much larger as it involved just under 20,000 individuals. Each participant received chiropractic adjustments of the neck, with over 50,000 total adjustments for all patients.

Once again, the investigators discovered no serious adverse side effects. The experts calculated the risk of total side effects to be approximately six out of every 10,000 consultations or every 100,000 treatment sessions. Plus, just as with the first study, some individuals did report non-serious, milder, side effects such as dizziness (less than 2%) or a headache (4 out of every 100), and this prompted the researchers to conclude that "the risk of a serious adverse event, immediately or up to 7 days after treatment, was low to very low."

Chiropractic Care Is Safe for Children

The third research paper(3) is different from the first two pieces of research, as it focuses on the safety of chiropractic care for children. In this article, the authors analyzed data reported by both chiropractors and parents involving 816 children who participated in 7,173 chiropractic treatment sessions.

Out of 5,438 chiropractic visits made for the young ones, chiropractors answering the survey documented only three cases where there were adverse reactions. When parents were surveyed, they indicated only two adverse side effects out of 1,735 visits. Furthermore, both chiropractors and parents reported "a high rate of improvement with respect to the children's presenting complaints."

Based on studies like these, chiropractic care has been deemed safe and effective for everyone. To learn what chiropractic can do for you, call our Estero, Bonita Springs clinic and make an appointment today at (239) 495-1166.

References

1. Walker BF, Hebert JJ, Stomski NJ, Clarke BR, Bowden RS, Losco B, French SD. Outcomes of usual chiropractic. The OUCH randomized controlled trial of adverse events. Spine 2013;38(20):1723-9.
2. Thiel HW1, Bolton JE, Docherty S, Portlock JC. Safety of chiropractic manipulation of the cervical spine: a prospective national survey. Spine 2007;32(21):2375-8.
3. Alcantara J, Ohm J, Kunz D. The safety and effectiveness of pediatric chiropractic: a survey of chiropractors and parents in a practice-based research network. Explore NY 2009;5(5): 290-5.

When you're trying to support your family, take care of your home, and pay all of your bills on time, every day at your job counts. Work injuries can be a huge problem for many folks, and we see many of these types of injuries in our Estero, Bonita Springs office. Dr. Green appreciates your situation and is here to help.

The advantages of chiropractic for work injuries are well-documented. A 2013 survey involving over 600 adults who were suffering with either back or neck pain found that the people who didn't see a chiropractor missed work at twice the rate of those who were seeing a chiropractor.

So, why don't more people use Chiropractic Care?

According to the participants in this study, two of the primary reasons were that they thought they needed a referral for chiropractic care (which is typically no longer true) and they overestimated the costs associated with chiropractic treatment sessions by almost 70 percent.

The fact is, chiropractic patients actually spend less on care than medical patients, plus they are less likely to use drugs for their symptoms.

Dr. Green Can Help Clients Find Comfort From Chronic Pain

If you live in Estero, Bonita Springs and you've been injured at work, we can help. Give our office a call today at (239) 495-1166 for an appointment.

References

"Thousands of Minnesotans with Back and Neck Pain Don't Seek Treatment." (2013, June 12). ChiroCare.

Because trauma to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is frequently rather painful, we do our best to help our Estero, Bonita Springs patients find relief as quickly and effectively as possible. In fact, Dr. Green will tell you that the research shows just how much chiropractic care can help ease pain in the TMJ.

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps With TMJ Pain and Discomfort

For example, one study published in Physiotherapy Theory and Practice included 15 patients with jaw pain who were treated with neck adjustments, middle-back adjustments, and trigger point therapy via dry needling. Patients were examined prior to these methods and at two weeks and two months post-treatment. They reported positive results such as reduced discomfort, greater jaw mobility, and lower disability at both follow-ups.

Another group of researchers carried out an analysis of almost 800 studies involving manual and manipulative therapy for conditions such as TMJ and revealed similar results. The group concluded that there is a "fair...level of evidence" that chiropractic care can help ease discomfort associated with TMJ and other upper extremity disorders.

This is great news since the causes of TMJ are largely unknown. While trauma to the jaw area can cause pain symptoms, there are other causes to consider as well, such as grinding teeth, arthritis, and clenching of the jaw due to stress.

Dr. Green Can Help People Find Comfort From TMJ Pain

No matter what is making your jaw hurt, call Dr. Green today and schedule an appointment to come into our Estero, Bonita Springs practice. We'll do our best to help you smile pain-free!

References

• Gonzalez-Iglesias J et al. (2013, November). Mobilization with movement, thoracic spine manipulation, and dry needling for the management of temporomandibular disorder: a prospective case series. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice;29(8):586-95
• Brantingham J et al. (2013, March-April). Manipulative and multimodal therapy for upper extremity and temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics;36(3):143-201
• Oral Care. WebMD. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/temporomandibular-disorders-tmd on November 2, 2015

We see a lot of sports injuries in our Estero, Bonita Springs clinic, and Dr. Green is usually able to help these athletes. Stanford Children’s Hospital states that more than 3.5 million children aged 14 and younger are injured each year while playing sports. Add that to the almost 2 million adults hurt each year while taking part in sports-related activities, according to statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and you can begin to see the necessity of preventing these types of widespread injuries. One approach to possible achieve that goal, as stated in a study published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, is to engage in regular chiropractic treatments.

In Australian Rules football, hamstring and other leg traumas are commonplace, often sidelining the players and affecting their team's odds of winning. One particular study was conducted using 59 semi-elite Australian Rules footballers to see if chiropractic could reduce these injuries and help keep them playing.

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps in Treating Sports Injuries

For this study particularly, every one of the participants was given medical treatment. Additionally, half of them also were given chiropractic sessions at the rate of 1 treatment per week for the first six weeks, biweekly treatments for the following three months, and one treatment per month for the remaining three months of the study. The remaining half had no chiropractic intervention at all and were used as the control group to determine the benefits of chiropractic.

After 24 matches, researchers noticed a lessened number of lower limb muscle strains in the group that had been given chiropractic care. Furthermore, that same group also missed fewer matches connected to non-contact knee injuries. This lead the researchers to come to the conclusion that chiropractic should be made an addition to sports training programs to dramatically lessen the quantity of leg injuries.

Dr. Green Can Help People Find Relief From Sports Injuries & Help You Recover Faster

If you or your child plays sports and you would like to make sure greater time is dedicated on the field as opposed to on the sidelines, call our Estero, Bonita Springs office at (239) 495-1166 and make an appointment today. We will do our best to keep you in the game!

References

• Hoskins, W, & Pollard, H. (2010, April 8). The effect of a sports chiropractic manual therapy intervention on the prevention of back pain, hamstring and lower limb injuries in semi-elite Australian Rules footballers: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 11(64), doi:10.1186/1471-2474-11-64
• Misra, A. (2014, March 17). Common sports injuries: Incidence and average charges. Department of Health & Human Services.
• Stanford Children’s Hospital. (n.d.). Sports injury statistics.

Dr. Green sees many back pain patients in our busy Estero, Bonita Springs chiropractic office. Many of our patients have some type of spinal condition that is causing them pain and discomfort. Fortunately, Dr. Green has found that spinal decompression therapy is a great way to help these people.

What is Spinal Decompression and How Can it Help Me?

Non-surgical spinal decompression is a treatment method that takes all of the positive benefits that one normally gets from chiropractic adjustments, traction, physiotherapy, exercise therapy, and myofascial release and combines them all into one.

The goal of decompression is to keep you away from the surgeon's knife, and that is precisely what it's accomplished for a number of folks, as it has a reported 85% success rate.

Some of the problems spinal decompression helps with include generalized back pain, sciatica, herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, compression fractures, and joint pain.

Spinal decompression works by reversing the influences of wear, tear, and the force of gravity that compresses the intervertebral discs in your spine. The video below demonstrates how it works to decrease stress on your back and helps eliminate pain and disability.

Dr. Green Can Help Patients Find Relief From Chronic Back Pain

If you live in Estero, Bonita Springs and you're suffering with back problems, spinal decompression treatment might be the fix. Call Dr. Green today at (239) 495-1166 for a consultation or appointment.