Neck Pain | Rook Torres

May 04 0

Chiropractic Care…Safe and Cost Effective and…

Posted by Rook Torres

“Ever since I was in my early teens, I’ve had muscle and joint problems that would come and go but never put me down where I couldn’t function. I was very active and played basketball, tennis, and ran in track but over the last 10 years I’ve avoided a lot of activity due to my problems. Now, after having a couple of children and gaining some weight, I notice more frequent and intense back problems and I’m getting quite concerned over the changes that have been taking place and afraid to do things. I talked about this with my family and friends and some have recommended chiropractic, some recommend physical therapy, others suggest medication and one even suggested shots! Quite frankly, I’m totally confused as to what to do!”

This scenario may sound familiar to many people.

The choice of health care provision is a personal one, often influenced by those around you – family, friends, teachers, and more!

It seems like everyone is an “expert” with different opinions and their advice, often conflicting, can lead to confusion about what is best for you.

There are many ways to approach back trouble, regardless of the diagnosis or condition.

First, all health care providers are biased in that they naturally focus on their specialty. If you choose to consult with a surgeon, s/he will look at your condition from a surgical perspective. Various surgical options may be discussed, tests are usually recommended and the process begins.

When consulting with a family physician, the typical approach is pharmaceutical or drugs such as anti-inflammatory medications (Advil, Nuprin, Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Aleve, Tylenol, etc.), heat or ice, activity modifications (possibly rest or mild/moderate activity), and possibly referral for chiropractic or physical therapy.

In reviewing the various guidelines, it is recommended to start with the least invasive, safest, most cost effective approaches first.

Unless “red flags” like cancer, fracture, infection or progressive severe neurological losses are present, surgery is not a logical initial approach.

Chiropractic has been recommended as a first or initial choice as it has been found to be safe, highly satisfying, non-invasive, and cost effective.

The typical approach includes a thorough history, an examination that includes an analysis of posture, motion, function and includes the whole body.

For example, if one leg is short, the pelvis will tilt and spine is often crooked. That needs to be corrected for both long and short term results.

If the feet pronate and the arches are flat, the effects on gait/walking on the ankle, knee, hip and back can lead to trouble or perpetuate current problems.

Deconditioning or, being out of shape is an important aspect included in the chiropractic management process.

If these methods fail to bring about satisfying results, referral for more invasive approaches will be considered.

May 04 0

What Type of Doctor Should You See In Boise For Back Pain?

Posted by Rook Torres

Have you ever considered who is the best in Boise suited to treat back pain?

Since there are so many treatment options available today, it is quite challenging to make this decision without a little help.

To facilitate, a study looking at this very question compared the effectiveness between medical and chiropractic intervention.

Over a 4-year time frame, 2780 patients were followed with questionnaires. Low Back Pain patients were treated using conventional approaches by both MDs (Medical Doctors) and DCs (Doctors of Chiropractic).

Chiropractic treatments included spinal manipulation, physical therapy, an exercise plan, and self-care education.

Medical therapies included prescription drugs, an exercise plan, self-care advice and about 25% of the patients received physical therapy.

The study focused on present pain severity and functional disability (activity interference) measured by questionnaires mailed to the patients.

It was reported that chiropractic was favored over medical treatment in the following areas:

Pain relief in the first 12 months (more evident in the chronic patients)
When LBP pain radiated below the knee (more evident in the chronic patients)
Chronic LBP patients with no leg pain (during the first 3 months)

Similar trends favoring chiropractic were seen for disability but were of smaller magnitude.

All patient groups saw significant improvement in both pain and disability over the four year study period.

Acute patients saw the greatest degree of improvement with many achieving symptom relief after 3 months of care.

This study also found early intervention reduced chronic pain and, at year 3, those acute LBP patients who received early intervention reported fewer days of LBP than those who waited longer for treatment.

While both MDs and DCs treatment approaches helped, it’s quite clear from the information reported that chiropractic should be utilized first.

These findings support the importance of early intervention by chiropractic physicians and make the most sense for those of you struggling with the question of who to see for your LBP.

May 04 0

NFL Great Says, “Chiropractic Was The Key To Keeping Me In The Game.”

Posted by Rook Torres

If the greatest player in the history of the National Football League said, “Chiropractic was the key to keeping me in the game,” do you think Chiropractic care could help you with your back pain and other aches and pains?

Well, that’s exactly what happened.

Jerry Rice, who on November 4, 2010 was named the greatest player in NFL history by NFL Network’s NFL Films production The Top 100: NFL’s Greatest Players, said:

“I believe in Chiropractic and I know that it works.

“You probably know about my long and successful career in football. I’m flattered by the testimonials to my durability.

“Football is a very rough and vigorous sport. Many of the pass patterns in a game either long or short require a maximum effort.

“I took some vicious hits from players nearing twice my size. Thankfully, I had the durability to withstand these tackles – or I never would have succeeded or lasted for as long as I did.

“Chiropractic was the key to keeping me in the game.

“My first experience with Chiropractic care was right before the 49ers were to play the Bengals in Super Bowl 23. A couple of our players were injured and a Chiropractor turned things around.

“I quickly became a believer and ever since, I have had the benefit of Chiropractic care.

“Dancing with the Stars was every bit as exhausting and challenging – though not nearly as brutal as football – it required many hours of practice… I had aches and pains that I never had before. Again, Chiropractic made the difference and kept me dancing and in the competition.”

The average NFL career is extremely short… lasting only 2-4 years. Injury prematurely ends many young player’s hopes and dreams. Jerry Rice played an astounding 20 years in the NFL.

If Chiropractic can help Jerry Rice play for 20 years in the NFL… just imagine what it can do for you.

If you would like to see Jerry speak about the benefits of Chiropractic… go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CAsGNlQEnI.

No one would claim celebrities have all the answers. However, it would seem that with all the options celebrity affords them, the fact they seek chiropractic care to meet their healthcare needs says something about the value of chiropractic for optimum health!

Apr 19 0

Chiropractic for Professional Athletes and Boise Weekend Warriors Alike!

Posted by Rook Torres

Chiropractic Care Keeps Minnesota Twins Pitchers Kyle Gibson and Trevor May on Top of Their Game. But they’re not the only ones of course. It’s well known that nearly all professional football, hockey, baseball and basketball teams have chiropractors on staff. You’ve heard many pro golfers and olympians talk about how chiropractic care has kept their performance level high and their injury rates down.

And that’s just it…optimal performance is the most important thing to many people, but when your body is pushed to the limit like professional athletes day in and day out, it’s easier to see weaknesses in performance. Remember, these guys are worth millions of dollars and they have the best doctors on the planet helping them with injury care. They don’t need chiropractors for that. The role of the chiropractor is to keep these athletes performing at the highest level.

So whether your game is gardening on the Boise bench, chasing your kids around a North End park, biking on the Boise Greenbelt, or running a local business down at Saturday Market, chiropractic care will ensure you’re on the top of your game all year long.

Mar 22 0

8 Reasons Why Chiropractic is the Best Boise Treatment for Auto Injuries

Posted by Rook Torres

You can see from my recent posts that this is already true, however, here is some great information I found from national whiplash expert Michael Melton that furthers the point. You can get these great benefits from chiropractic care right here in Boise.

1. Chiropractic Reduces Inflammation

During a car accident, the ligaments and muscles in your spine can experience micro-tears. X-rays or MRI scans usually aren’t sophisticated enough to diagnose these kinds of injuries, but this tissue damage causes the area to become inflamed. Many times, people don’t feel much discomfort immediately after a crash, but they wake up the next morning to a stiff and painful neck. This is caused by the body’s inflammation response to these micro-lesions.

A 2010 study found that chiropractic adjustments actually helps the body release anti-inflammatory Interleukin 6 (IL-6), an important substance created by your body that’s used to help heal acute injuries.

2. Chiropractic Restores Motion

Another problem with inflammation is that the tissues become immobile, which can slow healing to the area. Ligaments of the spine don’t get many nutrients or blood supply normally, and this becomes even more difficult when inflamed and injured.

During a chiropractic adjustment, the joints of your spine are mobilized, which helps increase blood flow and healing nutrients to the area.

3. Chiropractic Reduces Scar Tissue

Your body heals injuries by creating scar tissue. Scar tissue in an injured area is made up of the same kind of cells as the original tissue, but it’s laid down rapidly and randomly as a temporary “patch” on top of the damaged area.

If you get scar tissue in a large muscle, it can be uncomfortable for a while until you stretch it out, but it most likely won’t cause any long-term problems. Scar tissue in the ligaments of your neck or back, however, can be much more debilitating, since we can’t stretch it out ourselves. Your chiropractor focuses the adjustments on these specific vertebral joints that are fixated, effectively stretching them and breaking up the scar tissue in the joint.

4. Chiropractic Relieves Localized Pain

Over the last 20 years, countless studies have demonstrated that chiropractic adjustments are a safe and effective way to reduce pain. In fact, a 2013 study found that 94% of patients experienced neck pain relief with manipulation!

5. Chiropractic Reduces Pain in Your Whole Body

Many auto injury patients develop more widespread pain after a crash, especially if the original injury wasn’t treated promptly. A 2014 study reported that people who received a chiropractic adjustment had increased levels of pain-reducing hormones in their bloodstream.

6. Chiropractic Relieves Stress

A car crash is a very stressful life event, especially if you’re in pain. When your body is exposed to trauma, it goes into a flight or fight response, which can result in anxiety, depression, and stress. A 2011 study used PET scans to look at the brains of people who received chiropractic adjustments for neck pain. They found that those patients had reduced brain activity in the parts of the brain responsible for pain processing and stress reactions. They also had significantly lower levels of cortisol, indicating reduced stress. Participants also reported lower pain scores and a better quality of life after treatment. Reducing your overall level of stress is important, because, left untreated, stress can also slow recovery time and increase your risk of developing chronic pain.

7. Chiropractic Works!

In 2015, an Ontario, Canada government group agreed that spinal manipulation, combined with staying active and continuing to work, are the most important factors in recovering quickly from car crash injuries.

8. Early Chiropractic Care Prevents Chronic Pain

Research from 2000 and 2003 found that auto injury patients who got early treatment focused on mobilizing the injured area recovered faster and had fewer residual symptoms from the crash. Chiropractic does this: a chiropractic adjustment gets the joints in your spine moving the way they’re supposed to, helping to prevent chronic pain.

If you’ve been injured in a car crash, you don’t have to suffer from chronic pain. Chiropractic is a great way to help your body heal from all kinds of injuries.

Mar 08 0

Resolution of Fatigue, Malaise & Depression

Posted by Rook Torres

Here is another great example of how chiropractic care helps in many ways that you may not have thought of. The reason is simple and overlooked by many in healthcare. The central nervous system controls all function in the body. That’s ALL FUNCTION. Every cell, every tissue, every organ, every system, every muscle, every signal, and every chemical reaction. Got it? Everything! So what if your nervous system malfunctions, or can’t get signals through to the body properly? What if your body can’t receive the signals even if they’re sent by the brain properly? You see, there are many ways this miscommunication can happen, ultimately leading to malfunction in the body and some sort of breakdown. If it goes on long enough could it even cause death? You bet!

Chiropractic was specifically developed to find nerve disturbances called subluxations which interfere with nerve communication and eventually lead to declining health and malfunction in the body. Chiropractic adjustments remove subluxation and allow your body to heal, communicate and function as intended, allowing you to be the best you can be!

Read this article and think about the possibilities:

Resolution of Fatigue, Malaise & Depression in a 30 Year Old Male Following Subluxation-Based Chiropractic Care Utilizing Gonstead Technique: A Case Study

Brian Berg, D.C.

Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research ~ February 29, 2016 ~ Pages 10-20

Abstract

Objective: This case study describes the effects of subluxation-based chiropractic care on the management of a 30-year-old male with fatigue, malaise and depression.

Clinical Features: A 30-year-old white married male presented with the chief complaint of general tiredness, fatigue, loss of energy and depression. The patient history also revealed complaints of occasional headaches and acid reflux.

Interventions and Outcomes: Over an eight-month period of time, the patient received specific intersegmental chiropractic care via the Gonstead Technique for reduction of vertebral subluxation. 46 total adjustive procedures were administered over 22 office visits. SF-36 general health survey was utilized to document patient progress at two-month intervals. Data analysis demonstrated significant improvement particularly in the areas of General Health, Mental Health, and Mental Component Summary, correlating with subjective patient reporting.

Conclusion: This case study demonstrates the efficacy of subluxation-based chiropractic care for the management of fatigue and malaise in a single patient. Following eight months of care via the Gonstead Technique, the patient’s symptoms of fatigue and malaise were reduced, and objective health measures via the SF-36 noted marked improvement in multiple areas.

Jun 22 0

Car Accident Injury (Part III of III): Long-Term Health Affects of Whiplash

Posted by Rook Torres

Perhaps the most scary thing about a common car accident injury, whiplash, is that it can cause serious negative long-term health affects. A study recently published out of Canada looked at data correlating a history of neck injury from motor vehicle crashes with chronic neck pain. This list of health problems is terrifying and should absolutely change your actions when it comes to treating yourself and those you love after a car accident.

The study is entitled Long-Term Consequences of Whiplash: Allergy; Breathing, Digestive and Cardiovascular Disorders; Hypertension and Low Back Pain. Just the title alone nearly says it all. The authors inquired about neck pain, headache, and depression as well.

One of the most important aspects of this study was the association of various health problems with history of neck injury from car accidents. The authors looked at allergies, breathing disorders, hypertension, cardiovascular disorders, digestive disorders, and low back pain. They found higher incidence in all categories except hypertension; in many cases, the reported complaints were close to twice that seen in those with no history of neck injury.

Unfortunately, the authors did not inquire about thyroid or other endocrine disorders. In previous studies there has been found a possible link between thyroid disease and neck injury, as documented in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. In that study, a possible link between hypothyroidism and exposure to whiplash trauma was made.

The bottom line here is if you have had neck trauma, and don’t seek proper neurological and spinal care for recovery and healing, your chances of many undesirable health problems can increase by 200 percent! That’s a risk I’m nobody needs to take when there’s expert care that’s so easy to access.

Remember, there are tons of car accidents so they’re widely studied and highly scrutinized. People are followed and the health affects widely studied.

You don’t need a referral to see a chiropractor. So scheduling an appointment at my office is easy and fast! The chiropractic care I provide is detailed, and as safe as any other treatment in healthcare (as proven by nearly the lowest malpractice insurance rates in all of healthcare among professionals).

When you come to my Boise office you get a detailed spinal motion and neurological exam designed to find the affects of whiplash.

Did you know that X-ray is the standard diagnostic test for car accident injury across all of healthcare? We have on site X-ray, so your results are fast and you save tons of time not having to go elsewhere to have proper diagnostic testing.

After a detailed exam and diagnostic tests you get to see your own X-rays and get an explanation of exactly what the problem is and what it will take to help you heal. I even give you an accurate estimate of how long it will take to recover and what the process will look and feel like. Costs usually aren’t a problem because insurance can cover most or all of the expense. If not, we’ll work with you. Due to my extensive experience and intricate analysis system that tells me exactly what treatment you need at that moment visits in my office are extremely thorough and fast, really fast! So you don’t have to interrupt your day and worry about how you can fit it all in.

Give my office a call or email right now! Now that you know how much your future health depends on it, and how easy it is, there’s no reason not to.

Feb 10 0

Car Accident Injuries (Part II of III): Low Impact Accidents and Children

Posted by Rook Torres

Can you be injured, seriously or otherwise, in an accident where speeds are under 10 miles per hour? For some perspective, people can run 10 mph with ease, with a top speed of around 25 mph for elite sprinters. So, can a 10 mph car accident really injure you? From 1994 to 1999 the Florida Dept. of Highway Safety recorded over 333,000 low-speed crashes (under 10 mph not involving bicycles or pedestrians reported by law enforcement agencies), and over 280,000 injuries. If that doesn’t surprise you then this will shock you: In all of those crashes the FDHS also recorded 1910 fatalities in those accidents. Those numbers apply directly to Boise people!

What’s really scary is how long pain can last after a seemingly gentle accident. One study found that 60% of the people had neck pain lasting longer than 3 months after injury. Another study performed by Folksam Research in Stockholm, Sweden found that velocity and long-term neck injury consequences do not correlate. This was confirmed by the Spine Research Institute of San Diego and the Center for Research into Automotive Safety and Health, Spring Valley, California.

Crash tests indicate a change of vehicle velocity of 2.5 mph may produce occupant symptoms. Vehicle damage may not occur until 8.7 mph. Occupant soft tissue and joint injuries resulting from low speed vehicle collisions respond positively to joint stimulation and alignment. That’s exactly what chiropractic care does!

What does this mean for you? If you’re in a car accident, no matter how gentle it seems to be or how injured you think you are, get checked out to see if you’ll benefit from some treatment. Left untreated these minor sprains, whiplash, and spinal joint injuries become huge problems! I’ve treated thousands of car accident victims over the last 15 years, many of them decades after the crash who are now experiencing sever pain, arthritis and degeneration which could all have been prevented by getting care immediately after the accident.

This is no different for children. Even more important to get them checked out and treated if necessary. They have years of development ahead of them that can, and will, be negatively affected by untreated damage from a car accident. If it takes a few days to get over the soreness from an accident for a child or an adult then you’ve got to get proper care to ensure your long-term health and developmental health of a child.

Why chiropractic vs. any other form of treatment? It’s simple. Chiropractic care is the only form of spinal treatment that focuses on what really matters: health and safety of the spinal cord and nerves, and healthy spinal movement (biomechanincs). Other forms of treatment may manipulate the joints or work on the muscles only which chiropractic care often includes. Only chiropractic uses specific analysis to determine if there is nerve pressure and then adjusts the spine to improve nerve function. This is the core difference between a chiropractic adjustment and any manipulation.

I use specific and high tech analysis, like x-ray, nerve reflex testing, digital range of motion, etc., to determine how much damage the accident caused, where the damage is and exactly the course of care you’ll need to feel better and prevent long term suffering years down the road. Don’t wait, it’s never too late to slow or stop damage from progressing!

Feb 10 0

Car Accident Injury in Boise (Part I of III): Neck Injury and Whiplash

Posted by Rook Torres

When is the last time you were in a car accident in Boise or anywhere? The fear, the rush, the relief…and OH, the stress!!! The stress that goes on for weeks or months after. What a huge inconvenience! After all that, that’s the good news! Ultimately what matters is that everyone is safe. If you were injured, you know exactly what I mean.

What you may not know is that car accident injuries are studied extensively by medical and insurance industries. Injuries related to car accidents have very specific protocols and rehabilitation needs. This is very important for you to understand and why I’m putting together this 3 part series on car accident injuries for you.

Part I will teach you about neck injury and whiplash and what to expect and watch out for. Part II will discuss, low impact collisions and children. Finally, Part III will long term damage and disease. For your benefit, all the parts will discuss the importance of proper care, my clinical experience, and the best ways you can avoid serious long-term health problems related to the injuries.

Neck Injury and Whiplash

The neck injury commonly known as whiplash has been studied extensively due to the nature of how severe and diverse the long-term affects can be. Whiplash is actually a series of multiple ligament sprains and muscle strains in the neck. These tissues are actually designed to stretch and tear under extreme conditions to save the spinal cord from damage. If they’re damaged that means they did their job and saved you from a life threatening spinal cord injury!

Ligament sprains, or whiplash, in the spine follow the same American Medical Association healing guidelines as any other joint ligament. Healing time is typically 6-12 weeks if unimpeded and stressed. Healing can take longer due to the moving parts of the spine and isn’t easily braced to limit motion. Spinal alignment and motion, or biomechanics, is critical to protecting the spinal cord and preserving the life of the spinal bones. Bad biomechanics in the spine leads to arthritis, bone spurs, disc decay and eventually joint fusion, any of which could require surgery and years of suffering. These conditions develop slowly over decades.

When the joints heal and ligaments tighten back up, think how critical it is that the alignment and biomechanics are as perfect as possible! This is where chiropractic care becomes critical. No other specialty helps ensure proper spinal biomechanics, nerve protection, reduce pain and speed healing time like chiropractic. An experienced chiropractor will follow established protocols, perform expert diagnostic testing and create a care plan that gets you back to pre injury status as soon as possible.

After 15 years I’ve taken care of thousands of people with whiplash in Boise. I specialize in care of the neck to ensure fast, complete healing, and perform a very thorough intake, including functional testing, neurological diagnostics and x-ray. Matter of fact I regularly receive requests from other doctors to help with difficult neck cases. I deliver gentle care you can trust with the best technology. I even have attorney’s and surgeons who refer patients to me for this very reason.

If you’ve been in a car accident call my office right away. I have had literally thousands of patients who never got proper treatment after an accident come to me for care decades later with horrible decay, disc degeneration and bone fusions that could have all been easily prevented by proper care immediately after the accident.

Jan 28 0

Some People in Boise Get Back Pain or Sickness, Other Don’t: Your GAP is Why

Posted by Rook Torres

Why is it that some people get sick or back pain while others don’t? Ever notice that some people get colds every winter, or some kids miss school a lot while others never do? Some people blow out their back every few months, others don’t. This is all related to an individual’s General Adaptive Potential.

Some of Chiropractic’s 33 principles focus on a concept known as “The Limitations of Matter”. This refers to the conditions necessary for a living system to survive or thrive. Living like us! I guess an extreme example of this would be that even a very healthy person would die if they were left naked outside in sub-zero temperatures for long enough. There is a limit to what we can adapt to. This is the “Limitation of Matter.”

In life, the experience isn’t usually so extreme. We all experience some degree of negative stress. These stresses usually aren’t so overwhelming that they result in instant death. Many times the negative stress adds up and reduces our experience and expression of life, thus our health, causing us back pain or sickness.

The good news is, you can improve your GAP and thereby increase the ability of your body to manage negative stress. Chiropractic care is simply one of the best ways to accomplish resolving back and neck pain and improve overall health.

The beautiful thing is that your body is more than a machine—it has life that flows through it, it can re-create itself! And that is exactly what we want to partner with you in doing through chiropractic care with me at my office.

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