Chiropractic Care and the ‘Cold’ Laser Excellent for Fibromyalgia

Do you feel like every drop of energy is drained from your body and most days you just hurt all over? Does going to the bathroom feel like a ten-mile hike? Even after numerous tests with your doctor, do they say, “we can’t find anything wrong?”

You are not alone.  Six million Americans suffer from the effects of fibromyalgia.  But the sad fact is most of them have been told they’re crazy, lazy, or just depressed. This condition can range from annoying to all but disabling.  Mostly women suffer from fibromyalgia. No one knows what causes it and why more women than men suffer from it. No one knows why the number of sufferers is growing.

Fibromyalgia is often called the invisible disease.  You look fine on the surface, but underneath you’re often exhausted and in excruciating pain. Maybe your doctor doesn’t even think fibromyalgia is a real disease, but you know it is.  You suffer with it every day.

The medical profession is at a loss when confronted with fibromyalgia. Medications only mask the symptoms and give temporary relief at best. Because of the limitations of the medical approach, MDs approach fibromyalgia treatment using a combination of therapies: medication, physical therapy, counseling and support groups, which have had limited success.

Over the past twenty-eight years I’ve used gentle treatments to help many fibromyalgia patients feel better and live healthier, more joyful lives. I’ve made it my mission in practice to help those suffering with chronic pain like you. Chiropractic care, and a specifically targeted procedure using the LazrPulsr® laser, are very effective in reducing the symptoms of fibromyalgia.  No one should have to suffer the way you do.  Why not begin feeling better today?

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Ice versus Heat -- Part 3

Having listed all the negatives, let me now surprise you by agreeing that heat can also help the healing process.  Heat increases flexibility, has some effect on circulation, and just feels good by reducing the pain!  This occurs because the pain nerves are overloaded by heat stimulation and become fatigued, thus temporarily reducing the amount of pain stimuli being transmitted to the brain.  Unfortunately, when used alone, heat’s detriment of reduced blood flow outweighs the benefits.

Maximum advantage is obtained by utilizing both together with the following schedule:  Ice 15 minutes, Nothing (no ice or heat) 30 minutes, Moist heat 15 minutes, Nothing 30 minutes (this is an excellent time for light stretching exercises), and Ice 15 minutes.  As you can see, this is a one-hour and forty-five-minute commitment, and should be followed by at least one hour of nothing before repeating the cycle.  Most people find this schedule too tedious and opt for only one approach.  As I tell my patients, “If you are only going to do one, then ice is the one to do.”

Moist heat penetrates three to four times deeper into the body than dry heat – a heating pad may feel good but serves little additional purpose beyond that.  In our microwave society moist heat is easily obtained:  dampen a washcloth and pop it into the microwave on high (please be careful and start with short time periods until you determine the correct amount of seconds for maximum benefit, and then test it with your fingertips so that you won’t scald your back). A hot tub/spa, or hot shower, is also very effective.

Cryotherapy can be achieved in various ways. Ice in a bag will be sufficient although the amount of direct contact surface varies greatly with the size and shape of the ice chunks. Some people prefer frozen vegetables such as corn or peas, although they quickly refreeze into one solid mass which is of minimal benefit. A more efficient and convenient method utilizes the gel-packs which can be purchased at most pharmacies in various sizes and shapes. These should be stored in the freezer between uses and will not freeze solid.  The best and most difficult (and therefore not generally recommended) is an ice bath of the affected area.

Ice and heat can be critical components in getting out of pain and returning to a healthy state as quickly as possible.  They can make your chiropractic treatments more comfortable and more efficient.  The wisest thing to do when you start feeling pain is to apply the ice pack and then call our office.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Ice versus Heat -- Part 2

Ice, however, decreases the swelling in damaged tissues, allowing the blood to flow in a less restricted manner.  Additionally, because the area becomes cold enough to concern the body, it will actually shunt more blood through the injured area in an attempt to warm it up again, thus providing an excess of the oxygen and nutrients which, in turn, allows the body to perform the highest quality healing possible.  Also, ice provides other benefits which include pain reduction due to the numbing effect, and muscle relaxation as the area warms after the ice is removed.

The area in which I part company with current schools of thought on cryotherapy is in the length of time for which it is beneficial.  I have read that application of cold is only necessary for anywhere from three days to two weeks following injury, depending on the source.  My personal experience indicates that this is incorrect.  I believe that ice continues to have value for as long as the pain and discomfort persists – my patients report continued observable improvement long beyond the two-week limit.  I can only explain this with the possibility that the body interprets the pain as continuing injury and responds by maintaining the swelling, internally, even if no longer visible externally.

For ice only:  15-20 minutes on and 45 minutes off before repeating.  As you may have already deduced, whether ice or heat, the benefit comes after it is removed and the body attempts to restore itself to correct temperature.  At least 15 minutes is necessary to trigger the full effect, but anything beyond 20 minutes is a waste of time.  I do have some patients who choose to leave the ice on until it melts, or even fall asleep with it on, because of the lack of pain while it is numb (I don’t see a problem with this as long as you don’t get frostbite).

BTW Icy Hot®, Biofreeze®, etc. are better than nothing when you can’t use ice, but they don’t replace ice.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Ice versus Heat -- Part 1

One of the questions I ask every new patient, and most existing patients over and over again, is “Have you put ice or heat on it?”  The most frequent answers are “No,” and “Heat.”

The opinion I am going to share with you is based on 28 years of personal observation and patient feedback.  It does not necessarily correlate with anything you will hear from any other healthcare provider in any field.  In fact, I have had rather pointed discussions with two of my friends on this topic, and we have agreed to disagree.  Ice is best.

Let me elaborate.  First of all, I understand that there are an extremely small number of health conditions where the application of cryotherapy (ice) will make the problem worse.  However, the odds against this happening are so great that there is virtually NO risk in trying the ice first.  Second, I recognize that occasionally the patient is experiencing muscle spasms that are increased by the cold – again, extremely rare (I have had less than 20 patients over the years that have reported an increase in muscle spasms).

The purpose of cryotherapy is to increase the blood flow in the injured area.  Cells need oxygen and nutrients in order to repair themselves properly, and these are carried in the blood.  The body’s reaction to injury is swelling, which blocks the blood flow to that area.  Don’t misunderstand:  your arm will not fall off because the blood flow has been cut off by swelling, but the flow will be restricted, and the supply of oxygen and nutrients may be inadequate for the cells to heal properly.  This can lead to a low-quality of scar tissue instead of healing, and in some instances, almost no healing whatsoever.

Heat is touted to increase circulation because the body is trying to cool the overheated area by transferring the heat to other surfaces where it can be removed.  Unfortunately, the heat also increases the swelling, usually resulting in a net decrease in blood flow.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

The Chiropractic Showman

Dr. Bartlett Joshua Palmer, son of Dr. D.D. Palmer, was born September 10, 1882 and with a name like that, chose to follow his father’s example and be known by his initials.  B.J. Palmer was similar to his father in other ways, and became a very charismatic spokesman for the new healing art of chiropractic.

When D.D. Palmer performed the world’s first chiropractic adjustment on Harvey Lillard, B.J., aged 13, was an observer.  He later became a chiropractor himself and took over running the Palmer School of Chiropractic.

Chiropractic’s early years were tempestuous – the medical profession, jealous of successful competition, accused and jailed many chiropractors throughout the country on charges of practicing medicine without a license.  Dr. B.J. Palmer would testify on their behalf that the last thing a chiropractor wanted to do was to practice medicine, and would demonstrate that there was no similarity at all between medical and chiropractic treatments.  He was able to get most of the charges dismissed.

B.J. recognized the value of new technologies, integrating the neurocalometer and the x-ray machine into the school curriculum as they became commercially available.  Each summer, on his family’s three-month vacation, he would travel the Orient, especially India, purchasing spines and skeletons to be shipped back to the school, creating one of the finest osteological collections of any healthcare school in the country.

He also recognized the need for research documenting the validity of chiropractic care and organized a research project at the college which spanned more than two decades and provided a solid foundation for future projects.

Dr. Palmer loved the circus and would provide the empty lot next to the college for them in exchange for the privilege of leading the circus parade, and free and unfettered access to the circus grounds any time of the day or night.  He had his own steam calliope, and there is a story, not entirely apocryphal, of his performing a chiropractic adjustment on one of the elephants when it was sick (the elephant got better).  His collection of edged weapons was reputed to be one of the finest in the world.

B.J. Palmer dedicated his life to the expansion of chiropractic care.  Everywhere he went he was constantly telling people how their bodies could heal themselves without the need for drugs or surgery.  He was what the chiropractic profession needed then – the Chiropractic Showman.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

Bone Cracker – You Got My Goat!

If you ever want to annoy a chiropractor, call him a bone cracker.  Most of us have learned to mask the emotion, but we still ruffle a bit anyway.  As you have read in a previous posting, chiropractic adjustments are as gentle and precise as the patient’s body will allow.  I spent four years learning how to NOT crack or break bones!

As a matter of fact, frequently a properly delivered adjustment will make no discernible noise whatsoever.  I usually feel the bone drop away from my hand, but I still always check the vertebral positioning afterward, noise or not, to be sure that it is indeed where it needs to be.  Interestingly, moving joints through their normal range of motion often elicits various noises, generally without altering the relative bone positions at all.  Joint noise is a poor indicator of chiropractic success.

So what makes the noise when it does occur?  As indicated above, the majority of noises are joint-related.  I am aware of three different effects resulting from manipulating a joint which create an audible response.

First is the simple contact between bone surfaces which occurs during any movement.  Healthy joint surfaces have a china-like quality which clink and click when forced against each other.  Many times, either through design, or wear and tear, the cartilage pad is thin enough to allow this contact.

Second is the movement of ligaments and tendons that are a part of the joint.  These structures are normally seated in grooves within the bone which act similarly to a pulley.  Occasionally the ligaments and tendons will ride up onto the sides of these grooves, and then suddenly snap back down into position, delivering a twanging sensation.

Finally, there is nitrogen gas dissolved in the fluid which serves as a lubricant in many of our joints.  This gas is what causes a dangerous condition for deep divers known as “the bends”.  When pressure on this fluid is suddenly decreased, whether by a lessening of water pressure or the separation of the joint surfaces during delivery of an adjustment, this nitrogen gas begins to bubble out of the liquid (think loosening of the cap on a bottle of soda).  With an adjustment, this pressure decrease is extremely brief and immediately restored, forcing the gas back into solution.  The crackling sound produced by this rapid bubbling contributes to the joint noises we may hear.

At Val Vista Chiropractic, noisy or not, we will always deliver the best adjustment possible.  We want you to be out of pain and achieving your full health potential.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

The First Chiropractic Adjustment

In 1895 Dr. Daniel David Palmer, known by his initials – D. D., had his magnetic healing office on the top floor of a four-story professional building in Davenport, IA, on the banks of the Mississippi river.  Well-educated for his time – he had graduated high school and attended some college – Dr. Palmer had been successful in several businesses before entering the healing arts and moving to Davenport.

Harvey Lillard, a janitor where Dr. Palmer had his office, had been so deaf for 17 years that he could not hear the racket of a wagon on the street or the ticking of a watch.  When Dr. Palmer asked what had caused his deafness he replied that while exerting himself in a cramped, stooping position, he felt something give way in his back, and he immediately became deaf.

D. D. palpated (felt with his finger tips) Harvey’s spine and discovered a vertebra (spinal segment) out of its normal position.  He reasoned that if the vertebra was replaced, the man’s hearing should be restored.  Dr. Palmer persuaded Mr. Lillard to allow him to attempt to return the segment to its correct location by pushing on it with his hands.

Using the various processes (bony protrusions) on the vertebra as levers, Dr. Palmer pushed on the spine and “racked” the segment into the correct position.  Soon, thereafter, Harvey was able to hear as before.  Although the improvement only lasted a few months, it still provided proof that something about the spine’s misalignment had caused the hearing loss.

D. D.’s research through the medical texts of the time led him to the conclusion that something about the spinal bones being out of place had affected the spinal cord and the nerves leaving at that level, causing an irritation, and a malfunction of the structures supplied by those nerves, leading to Harvey’s deafness.  There was nothing “accidental” about his discovery – he expected that replacing the vertebrae would remove the nerve irritation, causing the ears to function again, and so it proved to be.

Dr. D. D. Palmer was the first chiropractor.  He introduced a new healing art and organized the first chiropractic college.  His legacy is continued today here at Val Vista Chiropractic.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

I Go to an Osteopath – Isn’t He the Same as a Chiropractor?

Chiropractic is not manipulation as an osteopath or physical therapist might do.  These approaches utilize a technique called long-lever manipulation.  Their purpose is to rattle and loosen as many joints as possible with the expectation that freer movement will equal less pain and stiffness.  To manipulate the spine they place a person on their side, grab a shoulder and knee, and wrench them in opposite directions as far and as hard as they can.

(As a side note:  Osteopathy, as introduced by Dr. A. T. Still, had a much more sound philosophical basis, and it is my understanding that a true osteopathic treatment took one hour to complete, and they got marvelous results.  I am not aware of that level of osteopathy being taught or practiced anywhere today.)

Chiropractic philosophy teaches that when vertebrae are not aligned correctly, a number of different mechanisms occur which have been grouped together under the heading of ‘nerve irritation/interference’.  Using the technique called short-lever manipulation, chiropractors attempt to move the vertebrae back to their correct positions, and accomplish this with the minimum force necessary, and disturbing the surrounding vertebrae as little as possible.  We call this treatment an ‘adjustment’ because of this difference.

Most people who have experienced both types of treatments and have had the differences explained, recognize that they are indeed two different methods.  Unfortunately, not all chiropractic colleges teach this philosophy and technique, and not all those who call themselves chiropractors actually provide chiropractic care.  Therefore it is important, if you want the benefits chiropractic can provide, to find someone who abides by chiropractic principles.

In our office we achieve marvelous results with our patients in all areas of pain relief and health care because we are removing nerve interference, allowing the nervous system to function better, and the body is then able to heal itself.  Call us today, and see if chiropractic might be the answer to your problem.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic

So, What’s Got Your Blood Pressure Up Today?

Everyone has blood pressure. It is necessary to send your blood through your miles and miles of blood vessels bringing oxygen and nutrition throughout your body. Every time your heart beats it pumps blood through your arteries and the force of this “push” is called blood pressure. Without blood pressure you couldn’t live.

There is no “just right” blood pressure; 120 over 80 is just an average. Like the idle of a car, some people run a little high, others a little low. Blood pressure also fluctuates based on the time of day, exercise, age, sex, emotional makeup, drug and alcohol use, emotional stress and many other factors.

The cause of elevated blood pressure in most people is unknown and is referred to as ‘essential,’ ‘idiopathic’ or ‘primary’ hypertension. In some cases there is a specific cause, often kidney disease or medication use (such as ibuprofen and other drugs).

Most MDs attempt to lower blood pressure with prescription drugs. While there is some logic to that approach, the deeper questions of 'What is causing the blood pressure to rise?,' 'Is high blood pressure serving a purpose?' and 'Are we just treating symptoms?' are usually not addressed.

Blood pressure medications can cause rash, hives, sensitivity to light, joint aches, confusion, impotence, weakness, dizziness, lack of energy, numbness in the extremities, depression, anger, moodiness, muscle spasms and other symptoms. That may be why many people are investigating non-drug approaches.

For over a century chiropractic care has been a drug-free blessing to millions of people who thought they would have to face a life of medication. Chiropractic journals have often described the blood pressure normalizing effects that gentle, painless chiropractic spinal adjustments have on individuals.

One of the best things you can do for your blood pressure, as well as the rest of your body, is to see a doctor of chiropractic. Doctors of chiropractic perform spinal adjustments to correct vertebral subluxations or spinal nerve stress which upset body balance and nerve health. When your body is operating properly your blood pressure, like all other bodily functions, will be right for you.

Getting rid of your pain,

Dr. Steven Ray, Chiropractor

Val Vista Chiropractic