Conditions We Specialize in Treating
Back Pain
Any kind of back pain is a sign that something isn’t right. While some people silence the symptoms temporarily with a pain relief drug or a needle. This is essentially ignoring the signal. This is merely removing a battery in a smoke detector to make it quiet. It doesn’t solve the problem.
With lower back pain, drugs can help silence your body’s alarm, but it overlooks the cause of your pain. There are two common causes.
The nerve rich facet joints on the back side of each spinal bone are a typical cause of back pain. The pain can be a sign these interlocking fingers are not moving as they should. The discs between your spinal bones can be involved as well. Trauma can cause the soft, pulpy material in the middle to bulge. This puts pressure on nearby nerves.
So what choices do you have for back pain or low back pain?
Rauch Chiropractic has helped many people with safe and natural chiropractic treatment and care. However, other choices include ignoring the problem, drugs, surgery, and regular visits to see pain management doctors without ever addressing the symptoms.
The chiropractic approach can help your spinal function much better. Restoring the way your spine works, discs and soft tissues can heal and nerve involvement can be reduced, easing your pain and better stability is likely to return. Whether you have back pain or pinched nerves in your back, we can help.
If you don’t have a chiropractor, we would welcome your questions and be happy to assist you to optimal health. Call us today for all your back pain needs.
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Neck Pain
Your neck and shoulders work very hard all day. Even the smallest deviation in the relationships of the seven bones of your neck can cause neck pain and reduced head and neck mobility. Your neck happens to be one of the most nerve-rich areas of your spine. Problems here can cause problems throughout your entire body.
Minor and Major Neck Issues
Generally, we see two different types of neck pain patients. Minor neck and shoulder pain involves feelings of discomfort, stiffness or soreness. If these symptoms last for more than a day, occur frequently or were preceded by an car accident or some type of injury, we consider it major.
Neck Pain & Stress
Physical, emotional and chemical stress can all affect the frequency and severity of your neck pain. For a lot of us, the neck and shoulders are the weakest link in the chain, so to speak, so stress shows up here the most.
Often, emotional stress is a big overlooked culprit. Ever hear of something being a real pain in the neck? Fear, anger or frustration can trigger the tightening of our neck muscles without our even being aware of it. In time, chronic muscle spasms can set in which can lead to headaches. Over-the-counter pain relievers might dull the neck pain, but it ignores the underlying cause of your problem!
Consult Rauch Chiropractic
We see this sort of thing on a regular basis. Chiropractic care has a solid history of producing excellent results with people suffering from neck pain. And we do it naturally, so there are no expensive drugs or surgery.
At Rauch Chiropractic and Rehab we specialize in reducing interference to the nervous system in the neck. Many of our patients find that chiropractic care gives them relief from both minor and major neck and shoulder soreness and stiffness. Call our office or email Dr. Rauch with your questions. Schedule a no-obligation consultation and find out if could relieve your neck pain with chiropractic care.
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Headaches & Migraines
While headaches & migraines are common, they are not the norm. The primary goal for chiropractic is to find and reduce the cause of your migraines. The drug culture of today’s society is the most common approach to dealing with headaches, such as pain relievers. We prefer a more natural approach and figure out what is causing the problem, as opposed to using drugs to mask the problem.
A hidden cause of migraines & headaches
One common cause of headaches is when spinal bones in the neck are not supporting your head properly. You may not even notice a reduced ability to turn your head. However, these subluxations affect nerves, muscles, and even the blood supply that goes to your head. Rauch Chiropractic does a thorough exam of all our headache and migraine patients and looks for subluxation patterns that may be causing these headaches. If you have subluxations you are likely to helped from chiroproactic. Contact our office today if you are having problems with migraines and/or headaches and we will examine you to look for subluxations and find the root of the problem.
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Shoulder Pain
Chiropractors are trained professionals who use their skills and knowledge to treat individuals who may be experiencing pain in certain areas of their body whether it be the neck, back, legs, etc. In this section, how chiropractors treat shoulder pain will be looked at and discussed in detail.
What causes shoulder pain?
First and foremost, it’s important to know what exactly causes shoulder pain in the first place. Shoulder pain can be a result of various things such as frequent computer/handheld device use, sleeping positions, or carrying heavy loads for an extended period of time over one’s shoulder.
How is shoulder pain treated?
Moving forward, if a patient complains of shoulder pain, the first thing any chiropractor will do is examine practically all parts of the body ranging from the wrist to the spine because it is possible that shoulder pain may be the direct result of an injury to another part of the body. Furthermore, the chiropractor will also most likely take a look at various muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the affected area or body that may also be the reason behind shoulder pain. They make also look to see if the bones in the shoulder area is damaged and if bone spurs or arthritis is present. This is usually done with the help of x-rays, MRI’s, and EMG’s.
A chiropractor may also do several other things besides examining the affected area and body such as adjust the spine or shoulder itself (both being performed as gentle as possible) and if the problem is identified and diagnosed, will prescribe the patient one or several treatments, exercises, or practices such as applying heat or ice to the affected area, ultrasound, stretching/physiotherapy or if the pain is really severe, direct you to an orthopedist.
Lastly, another form of treatment is spinal decompression therapy which is a procedure that gently stretches the spine and helps alleviate pressure in certain areas, including the shoulders, while also increasing the amount of water, oxygen, and other fluids traveling throughout the affected area (in this case including the shoulders) which will allow it to heal properly and reduce the amount of pain.
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Knee Pain
Knee pain is a very commonly treated ailment. Your knees bear a lot of wear and tear every day. Trauma to your knees comes from a lot of sources. With chronic or acute knee problems, chiropractic evaluations can be very helpful in diagnosis and treatment with your conditions.
The patella (knee cap) and the knee joint (meniscus) can both be problematic. Over use from repetitive activities such as running can inflame your knee or give you swelling or other pain. Left untreated, knee aggravations can lead to arthritis.
Proper knee alignment is key to improving your situation and this is where chiropractic measures can help. Joint manipulation as well as stretching and strengthening exercises all can help to improve your condition. Obviously proper shoes and other measures can be put in place for runners.
If you have any knee problems, Rauch Chiropractic can give you an examination to determine possible solutions to your knee pain. Give our office a call and tell us about your knee pain and we will work with you to get you back to being pain free.
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Leg Pain
Leg pain and numbness or tingling is oftentimes the result of either nerve pressure or sometimes compromised blood flow someplace between your low back and your feet. If you have a pinched nerve, it will usually give you a shooting pain right down the leg. It kind of feels like pain wraps over your leg.
When blood flow is compromised to the leg it will give more of a tingling sensation or numbness to your leg or whole foot. These symptoms in your legs and feet can be alleviated by a change in position.
Causes of Leg Pain
Nerve pressure or blood flow compromises usually are because of one of the following:
- Peripheral entrapment (pressure on the nerve or blood vessels away from the spine)
- Foraminal encroachment (narrowing of the holes where the nerves exit the spine)
- Bulging or herniated disc
Leg pain and tingling sensations or numbness can be very serious and should be treated as soon as possible. Permanent damage can result from leaving it untreated. Dr. Rauch has extensive knowledge in treating leg conditions. The benefit to having proper leg pain treatment is faster pain relief, reduction in other symptoms and a lowered risk of chronic symptoms that last a lifetime. Call our office for a leg pain exam today.
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Hip Pain
Hip pain can be a problem with your hip join directly or it could be the result of a referred pain from a problem somewhere else in your body. This just means pain that originates in your back and travels along a nerve. Pain resulting from your hip joint can be from inflammation from some kind of injury, arthritis, or infections.
Hip Pain: Acute & Chronic
Hip pain can be acute which is usually accident related or it can be chronic, typically arthritis related. For an acute hip pain, the first treatment goal is to reduce the swelling and then restore the mobility and get back to proper functions of the hip joint and leg. For chronic hip pain relief, you need to determine what caused the hip joint to become symptomatic and eliminate that cause, and then do some rehabilitation on the hip joint.
Dr. Rauch specializes in determining if your hip pain is coming from a pinched nerve in your back or directly from your hip joint. He also specializes in restoring your hip to a pain free environment by proper diagnosis and treatments using chiropractic techniques designed to restore your hip to normal function. Call our office for more information about hip pain.
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Hand Pain Numbness
Hand pain is something a lot of people get, especially those with office jobs. Using a mouse and keyboard all day can be tough on the hands.
What Causes Hand Pain?
Did you know that the muscles in your forearms actually control your hands? When hand pain is in your hands, one of the best therapies is massage therapy on your forearms as those are the muscles working so hard when typing and clicking.
Inflammation of the hands and wrists can originate from other activities such as heavy lifting, accidents, or continuous use over long periods of time. Arthritis can even be the cause of these pains. Fingertips that are tingling or numb could indicate a pinched nerve in the spine or carpal tunnel syndrome. Untreated if you continue with the activity causing the pain, your condition can get worse.
The sooner you get treatment the better and drugs and surgery are not required to feel better fast. Dr. Rauch has been treating hand pain for many years. Contact our office today for an exam if you are having hand pain or wrist pain.
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Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a central nervous system disorder and is thought to be caused by neurobiological abnormalities which produce physiological pain and cognitive impairments as well as neuro-psychological symptomatology.
Chiropractors have had a lot of success with Fibromyalgia patients. If you have symptoms of fibromyalgia we encourage you to call our office and come in to learn more about chiropractic solutions instead of drugs and surgery. If your pain is primarily in your neck, be sure to visit our section about neck pain.
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Car Accident Injuries
If you are in a car accident, you might think it is not a big deal, especially if there is little damage to your car. However, research shows that small little fender benders and broken tail light accidents have caused major problems for peoples’ bodies. If you go to the emergency room, you might be given a clean bill of health since nothing is broken and you may get some medicine to help with some pain.
Three things to look at though are soft tissue injuries, spinal biomechanics and rehabilitation strategies. Having an expert in these is crucial if you have been in a car accident and want to ensure there is no underlying damage to your tissues. You may not always have lower back pain or any other types of pain immediately following an accident.
Contact Rauch Chiropractic for more information about being evaluated after having been in a auto accident or fender bender.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel is a band of ligaments & small bones located in your wrist. Some very painful symptoms result when your nerves get compressed by a collapse of the nerve tunnel.
Carpal Tunnel & The Spine
Many people are quite surprised to learn the cause of their wrist problems could be from functional changes to one or more joints in their neck, shoulder, elbow or wrist. Subluxations in the upper spine could very well compromise the workings of any structure between it and the tip of your smallest finger. This is often called a double crush syndrome.
Carpal Tunnel & Chiropractic Care
Regular chiropractic care is far less painful and a whole lot less expensive than drugs and surgery to alleviate the symptoms of carpal tunnel. The side effects are non existent with chiropractic treatments. We have had numerous success stories in treating carpal tunnel syndrome and encourage you to call us if you are suffering from carpal tunnel pains, fibromyalgia, or any other pains.
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Scoliosis
We’ve all heard of scoliosis and probably known someone who had it – an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine. And you probably know about the braces and surgery necessary for severe cases of scoliosis.
Scoliosis can be treated with chiropractic adjustments if caught early enough. Aside from obvious visual signs, get things like leg pain, back pain, and uneven shoe wear checked out by chiropractic professional. Chiropractic care can prevent scoliosis by delivering mobility to the spine which in turn allows muscles to retrain and can cause posture to improve.
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Bursitis
Bursitis is a painful medical condition in which the bursae – small fluid-filled sacs near tendons, bones, and muscles – become inflamed.
Hips, shoulders, and elbows are the primary locations of bursitis. Some people experience them on their knees, toes, and heels as well. Joints that are continuously moved are common places bursitis is found.
Causes of Bursitis
The continuous movement of joints and the attached muscles can trigger the formation of bursae in the area. Some of the examples of specific causes are:
- Repeated throwing or carrying of a heavy object
- Bending at the elbow for long durations
- Professions like cleaning and laying carpets involve repeated movements that can result in bursitis
There are certain risk factors that increase the chances of having bursitis
- Chances of it increase with age
- Work and hobbies that consist of continuous hand movement go with risk of joints being affected; some examples are painting, tile work, and playing different musical instruments
- Arthritis, diabetes, and gout increase the risk of the condition developing
Chiropractic Assistance with Bursitis
Rauch Chiropractic offers treatment that can help in managing and alleviating the inflammation and pain associated with the problem. We provide assistance through reliable methods involving medication-free treatments. Bursitis can be treated successfully with chiropractic, thereby achieving improvement holistic way that resonates with the body, and that focuses on causes instead of symptoms, and that lasts.
We implement the most effective techniques in chiropractic to treat bursitis. We use safe, chiropractic adjustments to increase the hindered movement of the joints and spine. This facilitates healthy functioning of the joints leading to alleviation of discomfort and improvement of the situation that caused the bursitis in the first place.
Whiplash Injuries
So you are waiting at a red light and hear the sound of screeching tires… Then you hear the loudness of metal hitting metal and your car is suddenly pushed ahead!
Indeed, you are being rear-ended…
In a matter of a split second, your whole body gets pushed against your sear. Your head, isolated from your neck, delays in its reaction. Your body changes directions in a whim, moving as far as the seatbelt allows. Your head gets snapped back immediately. You just can’t prevent it from happening. Even the slightest of fender benders can result in a whiplash symptom. It could take a few days to feel your new whiplash injury. Possibly it could be a month or even longer to feel it.
So what do you do now? Get to Rauch Chiropractic & Massage for an examination! Proper healing can be promoted by specific spinal adjustments. This can help restore your body’s proper motion and position of the spinal bones.
Sciatica
The sciatic nerve runs from the low back down through the backs of the legs, and sciatica is the condition of pain in a hamstring, or both hamstrings. Inflamed discs apply pressure on this nerve, and when left untreated sciatica and leg pain is often the result. Medicine will not fix a bulging disc, but chiropractic care often does! Sciatica often worsens if you stand or sit a lot, and jerky movements as simple as sneezes can even become quite uncomfortable. Joint mobility is the key, and a consultation will tell us what the next steps should be.
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Upper Back Pain
We have had great success with treating upper back pain. With this type of pain, you generally have either chiropractic care, which is an alternative to drugs and surgery, or you have these options:
1. You can Ignore it (Spinal problems could worsen.)
2. Bed rest (Could prolong the problem.)
3. Therapy (Stresses malfunctioning joints.)
4. Medicine (Numbs the body for a period of time.)
5. Surgery (The most serious and last resort.)
With chiropractic care, you have no bad side effects, and we have a tremendous track record of treating upper back pain and shoulder pain problems. Call our office today to learn more about how we can treat your upper back pain problems and get you back to your optimal wellness level.
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Stress
Not all stress is necessarily bad… A 30 minute gym workout for someone reasonably fit in their mid 20s is good right? However, someone who is 75 years old and not working out regularly might be a bad situation.
Physical Stress
Repetitive motions like falling asleep with your neck twisted and being in a car accident and gettingwhiplash are examples of physical stress. Slipping and falling are also physical stressers to your body.
Mental Stress
Ever been really stressed out at work, grieved the loss of a friend or family member? Frustrating situations at work or at home also can lead to emotional stress.
Chemical Stress
The amount of environment toxins assault us every day. From preservatives in our food, drugs, tobacco, beer, and numerous other environmental factors contribute to your body’s chemical stress overload. This will likely affect your muscle tone as well as well-being.
While it is almost impossible to eliminate all stress, chiropractic care may better help you adapt and accommodate it.
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Bed Wetting & the Chiropractic Connection
Some children have had great success with bed wetting problems after having had chiropractic care. Parents who are looking for a drug free, non invasive approach to bed wetting are happy to know a solutions exists! Chiropractic care can help the nerves that control your urinary system’s organs. A better functioning urinary system and the problem is in many cases gone. Taking stress away from the nerves allows your organs of the urinary system to work better.
Should Your Child Visit a Chiropractor for Bed Wetting?
While it may not seem like the most conventional treatment, and is certainly not one of the well known alternative therapies for bed wetting, chiropractors get amazing results with their non-invasive and holistic approach to bed wetting. Many kids have completely solved their problem with chiropractic care. Pediatric chiropractic is certainly a great alternative to try if you wish to go the holistic route and do not want to use drugs or surgery. Give our office a call today for more information about chiropractic and bed wetting.
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Allergies
Chiropractic care does not necessarily treat allergies. So why do so many people talk about improved allergies after receiving chiropractic care?
Nope…It is not the Pollen
There are a lot of signs of allergic reactions. Running nose, eyes that become itchy, a skin rash, sneezing, asthma reactions….Even more serious things such as vomiting or restricted air passageways… All this from a couple of peanuts, sitting where a cat has been, or small amounts of pollen in the air! Your body inappropriately perceives the allergen as some sort of a threat. If everyone reacted to these common substances, we could fix the blame squarely on the peanuts, the pollen count, the shellfish, etc. But not everyone reacts to these, so what is it then?
Inappropriate Threat
Your nervous system orchestrates your glands, respiratory, and immune systems and all your bodily systems. An inappropriate action can set off your reactions to allergens. While these systems in your body help you adapt to your environment, sometimes it perceives a threat and reacts. It all depends on your bucket of adaptability.
How filled is your “adaptation bucket?”
We were all born with the ability to withstand or adapt to stress. If we’re not able to deal with things we eat or breathe, or come into contact with it might be that our margin to adapt (or bucket) is full already. Every stress you encounter, no matter how small or big, helps to fill this bucket. So when your bucket gets full, then you are more likely to be overtaken by an allergy. In other words, you’ve lost my ability to adapt because your margin is used up.
Nervous System – How does Chiropractic Relate?
So we do not look to treat allergies, but rather how to restore your ability to adapt to all types of allergens and reduce the disturbances they cause to your body. Call us about your specific allergy problem and we would be happy to explore your problem.
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Asthma
While chiropractic is not a cure for asthma, many people who suffer from asthma report a big improvement after receiving chiropractic care. A lot of research shows a correlation between the spinal column, nervous system, and your respiratory system. This is why many people have mentioned improved breathing after regular care. Drugs can temporarily reduce symptoms but never address the underlying nerve disturbance.
Asthma is rising throughout America at a fast rate. Many think it has a combination of causes, including the environmental chemicals we are exposed to. Research has cited everything from our fascination with killing all germs, antibiotics, and super air tight insulated homes as possible causes. If these were the only factors, all children in the same house would have the same asthma problems equally right?
The Chiropractic Connection to Asthma
The diaphragm is the primary muscle used for breathing. Nerves that control every breath you take leave your brain and exit the spinal cord in the mid-neck area (C3, C4 and C5). Spinal problems in this general area can have a big affect on the nerve supply to your diaphragm. Reducing subluxations in the spine may help get back proper nervous system control of your lungs and improved function can begin. While more research is needed, I encourage you to find Out More. While we can’t make any promises, you may find great relief with conservative chiropractic treatment and improved overall wellness. Call us with any questions you have.
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Slipped Discs
When a disc bulges, herniates, wedges, or protrudes, we sometimes refer to it as a slipped disc. A disc is a piece of cartilage that connects two vertebrae together and gives room for nerves to exit the spine. A slipped disc occurs from accidents, falls, improper lifting, etc. Chiropractic care helps restore normal movement and remove painful nerve pressure, assisting in many problems that fall into the category of slipped disc.
Contact Dr. Rauch’s office if you have a pinched nerve or a slipped disc, or any type of discomfort.
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Pregnancy
Pregnancy places additional stress on Mom’s hips and spine, and there’s never a more important time to have the biomechanics, nervous system, and wellness in general in good order. Chiropractic helps the body’s strength and nervous system messaging to help the mother carry the pregnancy. And the last thing we want during this important time is pinched nerves, lower back pain, or hip pain. More than ever we desire more natural approaches to health. A healthy spine and joints better equips the mother for fewer interventions during the birth. The birth process can place stresses on a baby’s spine. In fact, a subluxation in the baby’s spine can be a cause of breast feeding problems. And don’t worry, our adjustments are safe and comfortable for a child, as well as a pregnant mother.
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PMS
Most women experience some form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and for many the symptoms are severe. The lumbar area, or low back, of the spine – if it’s not healthy – can retard messaging to the hormonal systems, and such disruption can result in some of the major PMS symptoms: heavy bleeding and cramping, missing periods, and reduced fertility.
The body is more likely to work the way it’s supposed to if the spine, which houses some 85% of the nervous system, is healthy. Chiropractic has helped many women with spinal distortions see an improvement in their reproductive health. If you, or someone you love, is put out of commission every month from premenstrual syndrome, let’s take a look to see if we can make her spine healthier to improve not just the symptoms, but even the cause!
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Pinched Nerves
Pinched nerves are a result of the spinal bones shifting out of their normal position. There are 24 spinal bones, and a nerve root exits each one on both its right and left side. These nerve roots branch out through openings to communicate with different organs, tissues, and other parts of the body. These openings must be unobstructed for the brain to control the body.
When a spinal bone is malpositioned, it can obstruct an opening, causing nerve irritation – the nerve is compressed, stretched, twisted, or chafed. When this happens, communication between the brain and the body is compromised. The spinal bones are not going to move themselves; they require precise nudges, and that’s what we’re here for! Treating pinched nerves and restoring the integrity of the nervous system can be the best solution to so many health problems, from neck pain to asthma, from whiplash injuries to bed wetting, and from headaches & migraines to ADHD!
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Back Pain
Any kind of back pain is a sign that something isn’t right. While some people silence the symptoms temporarily with a pain relief drug or a needle. This is essentially ignoring the signal. This is merely removing a battery in a smoke detector to make it quiet. It doesn’t solve the problem.
With lower back pain, drugs can help silence your body’s alarm, but it overlooks the cause of your pain. There are two common causes.
The nerve rich facet joints on the back side of each spinal bone are a typical cause of back pain. The pain can be a sign these interlocking fingers are not moving as they should. The discs between your spinal bones can be involved as well. Trauma can cause the soft, pulpy material in the middle to bulge. This puts pressure on nearby nerves.
So what choices do you have for back pain or low back pain?
Rauch Chiropractic has helped many people with safe and natural chiropractic treatment and care. However, other choices include ignoring the problem, drugs, surgery, and regular visits to see pain management doctors without ever addressing the symptoms.
The chiropractic approach can help your spinal function much better. Restoring the way your spine works, discs and soft tissues can heal and nerve involvement can be reduced, easing your pain and better stability is likely to return. Whether you have back pain or pinched nerves in your back, we can help.
If you don’t have a chiropractor, we would welcome your questions and be happy to assist you to optimal health. Call us today for all your back pain needs.
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Neck Pain
Your neck and shoulders work very hard all day. Even the smallest deviation in the relationships of the seven bones of your neck can cause neck pain and reduced head and neck mobility. Your neck happens to be one of the most nerve-rich areas of your spine. Problems here can cause problems throughout your entire body.
Minor and Major Neck Issues
Generally, we see two different types of neck pain patients. Minor neck and shoulder pain involves feelings of discomfort, stiffness or soreness. If these symptoms last for more than a day, occur frequently or were preceded by an car accident or some type of injury, we consider it major.
Neck Pain & Stress
Physical, emotional and chemical stress can all affect the frequency and severity of your neck pain. For a lot of us, the neck and shoulders are the weakest link in the chain, so to speak, so stress shows up here the most.
Often, emotional stress is a big overlooked culprit. Ever hear of something being a real pain in the neck? Fear, anger or frustration can trigger the tightening of our neck muscles without our even being aware of it. In time, chronic muscle spasms can set in which can lead to headaches. Over-the-counter pain relievers might dull the neck pain, but it ignores the underlying cause of your problem!
Consult Rauch Chiropractic
We see this sort of thing on a regular basis. Chiropractic care has a solid history of producing excellent results with people suffering from neck pain. And we do it naturally, so there are no expensive drugs or surgery.
At Rauch Chiropractic and Rehab we specialize in reducing interference to the nervous system in the neck. Many of our patients find that chiropractic care gives them relief from both minor and major neck and shoulder soreness and stiffness. Call our office or email Dr. Rauch with your questions. Schedule a no-obligation consultation and find out if could relieve your neck pain with chiropractic care.
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Shoulder Pain
Chiropractors are trained professionals who use their skills and knowledge to treat individuals who may be experiencing pain in certain areas of their body whether it be the neck, back, legs, etc. In this section, how chiropractors treat shoulder pain will be looked at and discussed in detail.
What causes shoulder pain?
First and foremost, it’s important to know what exactly causes shoulder pain in the first place. Shoulder pain can be a result of various things such as frequent computer/handheld device use, sleeping positions, or carrying heavy loads for an extended period of time over one’s shoulder.
How is shoulder pain treated?
Moving forward, if a patient complains of shoulder pain, the first thing any chiropractor will do is examine practically all parts of the body ranging from the wrist to the spine because it is possible that shoulder pain may be the direct result of an injury to another part of the body. Furthermore, the chiropractor will also most likely take a look at various muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the affected area or body that may also be the reason behind shoulder pain. They make also look to see if the bones in the shoulder area is damaged and if bone spurs or arthritis is present. This is usually done with the help of x-rays, MRI’s, and EMG’s.
A chiropractor may also do several other things besides examining the affected area and body such as adjust the spine or shoulder itself (both being performed as gentle as possible) and if the problem is identified and diagnosed, will prescribe the patient one or several treatments, exercises, or practices such as applying heat or ice to the affected area, ultrasound, stretching/physiotherapy or if the pain is really severe, direct you to an orthopedist.
Lastly, another form of treatment is spinal decompression therapy which is a procedure that gently stretches the spine and helps alleviate pressure in certain areas, including the shoulders, while also increasing the amount of water, oxygen, and other fluids traveling throughout the affected area (in this case including the shoulders) which will allow it to heal properly and reduce the amount of pain.
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Knee Pain
Knee pain is a very commonly treated ailment. Your knees bear a lot of wear and tear every day. Trauma to your knees comes from a lot of sources. With chronic or acute knee problems, chiropractic evaluations can be very helpful in diagnosis and treatment with your conditions.
The patella (knee cap) and the knee joint (meniscus) can both be problematic. Over use from repetitive activities such as running can inflame your knee or give you swelling or other pain. Left untreated, knee aggravations can lead to arthritis.
Proper knee alignment is key to improving your situation and this is where chiropractic measures can help. Joint manipulation as well as stretching and strengthening exercises all can help to improve your condition. Obviously proper shoes and other measures can be put in place for runners.
If you have any knee problems, Rauch Chiropractic can give you an examination to determine possible solutions to your knee pain. Give our office a call and tell us about your knee pain and we will work with you to get you back to being pain free.
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Leg Pain
Leg pain and numbness or tingling is oftentimes the result of either nerve pressure or sometimes compromised blood flow someplace between your low back and your feet. If you have a pinched nerve, it will usually give you a shooting pain right down the leg. It kind of feels like pain wraps over your leg.
When blood flow is compromised to the leg it will give more of a tingling sensation or numbness to your leg or whole foot. These symptoms in your legs and feet can be alleviated by a change in position.
Causes of Leg Pain
Nerve pressure or blood flow compromises usually are because of one of the following:
- Peripheral entrapment (pressure on the nerve or blood vessels away from the spine)
- Foraminal encroachment (narrowing of the holes where the nerves exit the spine)
- Bulging or herniated disc
Leg pain and tingling sensations or numbness can be very serious and should be treated as soon as possible. Permanent damage can result from leaving it untreated. Dr. Rauch has extensive knowledge in treating leg conditions. The benefit to having proper leg pain treatment is faster pain relief, reduction in other symptoms and a lowered risk of chronic symptoms that last a lifetime. Call our office for a leg pain exam today.
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Hip Pain
Hip pain can be a problem with your hip join directly or it could be the result of a referred pain from a problem somewhere else in your body. This just means pain that originates in your back and travels along a nerve. Pain resulting from your hip joint can be from inflammation from some kind of injury, arthritis, or infections.
Hip Pain: Acute & Chronic
Hip pain can be acute which is usually accident related or it can be chronic, typically arthritis related. For an acute hip pain, the first treatment goal is to reduce the swelling and then restore the mobility and get back to proper functions of the hip joint and leg. For chronic hip pain relief, you need to determine what caused the hip joint to become symptomatic and eliminate that cause, and then do some rehabilitation on the hip joint.
Dr. Rauch specializes in determining if your hip pain is coming from a pinched nerve in your back or directly from your hip joint. He also specializes in restoring your hip to a pain free environment by proper diagnosis and treatments using chiropractic techniques designed to restore your hip to normal function. Call our office for more information about hip pain.
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Hand Pain Numbness
Hand pain is something a lot of people get, especially those with office jobs. Using a mouse and keyboard all day can be tough on the hands.
What Causes Hand Pain?
Did you know that the muscles in your forearms actually control your hands? When hand pain is in your hands, one of the best therapies is massage therapy on your forearms as those are the muscles working so hard when typing and clicking.
Inflammation of the hands and wrists can originate from other activities such as heavy lifting, accidents, or continuous use over long periods of time. Arthritis can even be the cause of these pains. Fingertips that are tingling or numb could indicate a pinched nerve in the spine or carpal tunnel syndrome. Untreated if you continue with the activity causing the pain, your condition can get worse.
The sooner you get treatment the better and drugs and surgery are not required to feel better fast. Dr. Rauch has been treating hand pain for many years. Contact our office today for an exam if you are having hand pain or wrist pain.
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Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a central nervous system disorder and is thought to be caused by neurobiological abnormalities which produce physiological pain and cognitive impairments as well as neuro-psychological symptomatology.
Chiropractors have had a lot of success with Fibromyalgia patients. If you have symptoms of fibromyalgia we encourage you to call our office and come in to learn more about chiropractic solutions instead of drugs and surgery. If your pain is primarily in your neck, be sure to visit our section about neck pain.
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Headaches & Migraines
While headaches & migraines are common, they are not the norm. The primary goal for chiropractic is to find and reduce the cause of your migraines. The drug culture of today’s society is the most common approach to dealing with headaches, such as pain relievers. We prefer a more natural approach and figure out what is causing the problem, as opposed to using drugs to mask the problem.
A hidden cause of migraines & headaches
One common cause of headaches is when spinal bones in the neck are not supporting your head properly. You may not even notice a reduced ability to turn your head. However, these subluxations affect nerves, muscles, and even the blood supply that goes to your head. Rauch Chiropractic does a thorough exam of all our headache and migraine patients and looks for subluxation patterns that may be causing these headaches. If you have subluxations you are likely to helped from chiroproactic. Contact our office today if you are having problems with migraines and/or headaches and we will examine you to look for subluxations and find the root of the problem.
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Car Accident Injuries
If you are in a car accident, you might think it is not a big deal, especially if there is little damage to your car. However, research shows that small little fender benders and broken tail light accidents have caused major problems for peoples’ bodies. If you go to the emergency room, you might be given a clean bill of health since nothing is broken and you may get some medicine to help with some pain.
Three things to look at though are soft tissue injuries, spinal biomechanics and rehabilitation strategies. Having an expert in these is crucial if you have been in a car accident and want to ensure there is no underlying damage to your tissues. You may not always have lower back pain or any other types of pain immediately following an accident.
Contact Rauch Chiropractic for more information about being evaluated after having been in a auto accident or fender bender.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel is a band of ligaments & small bones located in your wrist. Some very painful symptoms result when your nerves get compressed by a collapse of the nerve tunnel.
Carpal Tunnel & The Spine
Many people are quite surprised to learn the cause of their wrist problems could be from functional changes to one or more joints in their neck, shoulder, elbow or wrist. Subluxations in the upper spine could very well compromise the workings of any structure between it and the tip of your smallest finger. This is often called a double crush syndrome.
Carpal Tunnel & Chiropractic Care
Regular chiropractic care is far less painful and a whole lot less expensive than drugs and surgery to alleviate the symptoms of carpal tunnel. The side effects are non existent with chiropractic treatments. We have had numerous success stories in treating carpal tunnel syndrome and encourage you to call us if you are suffering from carpal tunnel pains, fibromyalgia, or any other pains.
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Scoliosis
We’ve all heard of scoliosis and probably known someone who had it – an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine. And you probably know about the braces and surgery necessary for severe cases of scoliosis.
Scoliosis can be treated with chiropractic adjustments if caught early enough. Aside from obvious visual signs, get things like leg pain, back pain, and uneven shoe wear checked out by chiropractic professional. Chiropractic care can prevent scoliosis by delivering mobility to the spine which in turn allows muscles to retrain and can cause posture to improve.
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Whiplash Injuries
So you are waiting at a red light and hear the sound of screeching tires… Then you hear the loudness of metal hitting metal and your car is suddenly pushed ahead!
Indeed, you are being rear-ended…
In a matter of a split second, your whole body gets pushed against your sear. Your head, isolated from your neck, delays in its reaction. Your body changes directions in a whim, moving as far as the seatbelt allows. Your head gets snapped back immediately. You just can’t prevent it from happening. Even the slightest of fender benders can result in a whiplash symptom. It could take a few days to feel your new whiplash injury. Possibly it could be a month or even longer to feel it.
So what do you do now? Get to Rauch Chiropractic & Massage for an examination! Proper healing can be promoted by specific spinal adjustments. This can help restore your body’s proper motion and position of the spinal bones.
Sciatica
The sciatic nerve runs from the low back down through the backs of the legs, and sciatica is the condition of pain in a hamstring, or both hamstrings. Inflamed discs apply pressure on this nerve, and when left untreated sciatica and leg pain is often the result. Medicine will not fix a bulging disc, but chiropractic care often does! Sciatica often worsens if you stand or sit a lot, and jerky movements as simple as sneezes can even become quite uncomfortable. Joint mobility is the key, and a consultation will tell us what the next steps should be.
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Upper Back Pain
We have had great success with treating upper back pain. With this type of pain, you generally have either chiropractic care, which is an alternative to drugs and surgery, or you have these options:
1. You can Ignore it (Spinal problems could worsen.)
2. Bed rest (Could prolong the problem.)
3. Therapy (Stresses malfunctioning joints.)
4. Medicine (Numbs the body for a period of time.)
5. Surgery (The most serious and last resort.)
With chiropractic care, you have no bad side effects, and we have a tremendous track record of treating upper back pain and shoulder pain problems. Call our office today to learn more about how we can treat your upper back pain problems and get you back to your optimal wellness level.
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Stress
Not all stress is necessarily bad… A 30 minute gym workout for someone reasonably fit in their mid 20s is good right? However, someone who is 75 years old and not working out regularly might be a bad situation.
Physical Stress
Repetitive motions like falling asleep with your neck twisted and being in a car accident and gettingwhiplash are examples of physical stress. Slipping and falling are also physical stressers to your body.
Mental Stress
Ever been really stressed out at work, grieved the loss of a friend or family member? Frustrating situations at work or at home also can lead to emotional stress.
Chemical Stress
The amount of environment toxins assault us every day. From preservatives in our food, drugs, tobacco, beer, and numerous other environmental factors contribute to your body’s chemical stress overload. This will likely affect your muscle tone as well as well-being.
While it is almost impossible to eliminate all stress, chiropractic care may better help you adapt and accommodate it.
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Bed Wetting & the Chiropractic Connection
Some children have had great success with bed wetting problems after having had chiropractic care. Parents who are looking for a drug free, non invasive approach to bed wetting are happy to know a solutions exists! Chiropractic care can help the nerves that control your urinary system’s organs. A better functioning urinary system and the problem is in many cases gone. Taking stress away from the nerves allows your organs of the urinary system to work better.
Should Your Child Visit a Chiropractor for Bed Wetting?
While it may not seem like the most conventional treatment, and is certainly not one of the well known alternative therapies for bed wetting, chiropractors get amazing results with their non-invasive and holistic approach to bed wetting. Many kids have completely solved their problem with chiropractic care. Pediatric chiropractic is certainly a great alternative to try if you wish to go the holistic route and do not want to use drugs or surgery. Give our office a call today for more information about chiropractic and bed wetting.
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Allergies
Chiropractic care does not necessarily treat allergies. So why do so many people talk about improved allergies after receiving chiropractic care?
Nope…It is not the Pollen
There are a lot of signs of allergic reactions. Running nose, eyes that become itchy, a skin rash, sneezing, asthma reactions….Even more serious things such as vomiting or restricted air passageways… All this from a couple of peanuts, sitting where a cat has been, or small amounts of pollen in the air! Your body inappropriately perceives the allergen as some sort of a threat. If everyone reacted to these common substances, we could fix the blame squarely on the peanuts, the pollen count, the shellfish, etc. But not everyone reacts to these, so what is it then?
Inappropriate Threat
Your nervous system orchestrates your glands, respiratory, and immune systems and all your bodily systems. An inappropriate action can set off your reactions to allergens. While these systems in your body help you adapt to your environment, sometimes it perceives a threat and reacts. It all depends on your bucket of adaptability.
How filled is your “adaptation bucket?”
We were all born with the ability to withstand or adapt to stress. If we’re not able to deal with things we eat or breathe, or come into contact with it might be that our margin to adapt (or bucket) is full already. Every stress you encounter, no matter how small or big, helps to fill this bucket. So when your bucket gets full, then you are more likely to be overtaken by an allergy. In other words, you’ve lost my ability to adapt because your margin is used up.
Nervous System – How does Chiropractic Relate?
So we do not look to treat allergies, but rather how to restore your ability to adapt to all types of allergens and reduce the disturbances they cause to your body. Call us about your specific allergy problem and we would be happy to explore your problem.
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Asthma
While chiropractic is not a cure for asthma, many people who suffer from asthma report a big improvement after receiving chiropractic care. A lot of research shows a correlation between the spinal column, nervous system, and your respiratory system. This is why many people have mentioned improved breathing after regular care. Drugs can temporarily reduce symptoms but never address the underlying nerve disturbance.
Asthma is rising throughout America at a fast rate. Many think it has a combination of causes, including the environmental chemicals we are exposed to. Research has cited everything from our fascination with killing all germs, antibiotics, and super air tight insulated homes as possible causes. If these were the only factors, all children in the same house would have the same asthma problems equally right?
The Chiropractic Connection to Asthma
The diaphragm is the primary muscle used for breathing. Nerves that control every breath you take leave your brain and exit the spinal cord in the mid-neck area (C3, C4 and C5). Spinal problems in this general area can have a big affect on the nerve supply to your diaphragm. Reducing subluxations in the spine may help get back proper nervous system control of your lungs and improved function can begin. While more research is needed, I encourage you to find Out More. While we can’t make any promises, you may find great relief with conservative chiropractic treatment and improved overall wellness. Call us with any questions you have.
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Slipped Discs
When a disc bulges, herniates, wedges, or protrudes, we sometimes refer to it as a slipped disc. A disc is a piece of cartilage that connects two vertebrae together and gives room for nerves to exit the spine. A slipped disc occurs from accidents, falls, improper lifting, etc. Chiropractic care helps restore normal movement and remove painful nerve pressure, assisting in many problems that fall into the category of slipped disc.
Contact Dr. Rauch’s office if you have a pinched nerve or a slipped disc, or any type of discomfort.
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Pregnancy
Pregnancy places additional stress on Mom’s hips and spine, and there’s never a more important time to have the biomechanics, nervous system, and wellness in general in good order. Chiropractic helps the body’s strength and nervous system messaging to help the mother carry the pregnancy. And the last thing we want during this important time is pinched nerves, lower back pain, or hip pain. More than ever we desire more natural approaches to health. A healthy spine and joints better equips the mother for fewer interventions during the birth. The birth process can place stresses on a baby’s spine. In fact, a subluxation in the baby’s spine can be a cause of breast feeding problems. And don’t worry, our adjustments are safe and comfortable for a child, as well as a pregnant mother.
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PMS
Most women experience some form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and for many the symptoms are severe. The lumbar area, or low back, of the spine – if it’s not healthy – can retard messaging to the hormonal systems, and such disruption can result in some of the major PMS symptoms: heavy bleeding and cramping, missing periods, and reduced fertility.
The body is more likely to work the way it’s supposed to if the spine, which houses some 85% of the nervous system, is healthy. Chiropractic has helped many women with spinal distortions see an improvement in their reproductive health. If you, or someone you love, is put out of commission every month from premenstrual syndrome, let’s take a look to see if we can make her spine healthier to improve not just the symptoms, but even the cause!
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Pinched Nerves
Pinched nerves are a result of the spinal bones shifting out of their normal position. There are 24 spinal bones, and a nerve root exits each one on both its right and left side. These nerve roots branch out through openings to communicate with different organs, tissues, and other parts of the body. These openings must be unobstructed for the brain to control the body.
When a spinal bone is malpositioned, it can obstruct an opening, causing nerve irritation – the nerve is compressed, stretched, twisted, or chafed. When this happens, communication between the brain and the body is compromised. The spinal bones are not going to move themselves; they require precise nudges, and that’s what we’re here for! Treating pinched nerves and restoring the integrity of the nervous system can be the best solution to so many health problems, from neck pain to asthma, from whiplash injuries to bed wetting, and from headaches & migraines to ADHD!
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