You’re probably familiar with the ultrasounds doctors use to diagnose pregnancy. But what may surprise you is that chiropractors can use ultrasound to treat muscle and joint pain in a method called chiropractic ultrasound therapy. This new form of therapy can provide relief to people suffering from chronic muscle and joint pain without using drugs or equally painful procedures!
What Is Chiropractic Ultrasound Therapy?
Ultrasound uses sound waves to treat medical problems by stimulating blood flow. The increased blood flow helps speed your body’s natural healing processes to reduce inflammation, break down scar tissue, and relax your muscles.
Ultrasound is emitted continuously or through pulses, each with its own effect. Continuous sound emission, also called thermal ultrasound, penetrates the skin to the soft tissue beneath for chronic pain relief. Pulses, also called mechanical therapy, are used on non-chronic conditions like recent, non-permanent injuries.
Chiropractors employ ultrasonic therapy to ease back and joint pain as part of a holistic treatment plan. Other parts of an ultrasound treatment plan may include techniques such as chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, massage, stretching, and heat therapy. Therapeutic ultrasound helps support the work of these treatment modalities to help your body heal as fast as possible.
How Does Ultrasound Therapy Work?
Ultrasound therapy uses a wand-shaped applicator with a specialized gel either applied to it or the treatment area. The chiropractor uses the ultrasound machine to disperse the high-frequency sound waves evenly as they move it around in small circles. These sound waves will cause a vibration in the area, which may lead to a tingling or warm sensation — the result of your tissues being warmed by the sound waves. This mild side effect proves that the therapy works and your blood flows better to the tissue.
Ultrasound Therapy Can Treat a Variety of Conditions!
Ultrasound therapy can support the treatment of a wide range of injuries and conditions. One group of conditions ultrasound therapy is effective against are bone and joint illnesses, such as:
Osteoarthritis
Bursitis
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Ultrasound therapy has also been proven effective against muscles, tendons, and connective tissue inflammation. Conditions that inflame your muscles and tissues include:
Tendonitis
Scar tissue
Sprains and strains
Myofascial pain
While ultrasound therapy can help treat many of these conditions, it does not necessarily cure them. Ultrasound therapy is not effective on all forms of chronic pain. Instead, it can help reduce pain and support your chiropractor’s other treatment methods.
Will Therapeutic Ultrasound Therapy Work for Me?
Ultrasound therapy is a quick, painless, and effective treatment for many conditions. In particular, ultrasound therapy is great for people suffering from chronic pain and irritation. When used in conjunction with other treatment methods, ultrasound therapy has been proven to be effective and may offer a surprising amount of relief. If you suffer from chronic pain, talk to your healthcare professional to evaluate whether ultrasound therapy could be helpful for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ultrasound Therapy
Chiropractic ultrasound therapy is a relatively new treatment modality. Because of its novelty, it is only natural to have questions about it. Here are some answers to commonly asked questions about ultrasound therapy to dispel any uncertainties about this treatment modality.
Can Ultrasound Therapy Alleviate Symptoms of Tendinitis?
Tendinitis is a muscle tendon inflammation that can cause pain and limit motion. Since tendinitis is a form of inflammation, ultrasound therapy is effective against it! Ultrasound has been shown to effectively increase blood supply to the tendon, reducing pain and inflammation. When combined with chiropractic adjustments, this treatment modality can alleviate painful symptoms and restore a normal range of motion.
Despite its thickness, ultrasound waves can penetrate the skin on the feet to reach the inflamed connective tissue and tendons. This approach allows ultrasound therapy to effectively decrease inflammation and pain caused by plantar fasciitis.
Is Ultrasound Therapy Safe?
Ultrasound therapy is a low-risk form of therapy. According to the FDA, ultrasound therapy is a safe process so long as you receive your treatment from a licensed professional. It is also painless unless used in an area already in pain.
Ultrasound therapy is usually avoided for patients with blood clots, malignant tumors, acute infections, and vascular abnormalities due to the risk of complications.
How Often Should You Do Ultrasound Therapy?
Ultrasound therapy is generally safe at nearly any frequency. There is no upper limit on how often ultrasound therapy should be used, but normally, you should only receive treatment once per day. If you do not notice improvement after 3-4 sessions, experts recommend that you reevaluate or seek other treatment methods.
Start Your Ultrasound Therapy at Bergen Chiropractic!
Back or neck pain, burning sensation, and tingling caused by nerve damage are not symptoms to be overlooked. They disturb your comfort while trying to relax from your hard work and keep you awake when you try to sleep — they are always around when you try to enjoy yourself.
Patients seeking to relieve symptoms are often scared by complex surgical interventions. Is spinal decompression therapy the answer they’ve been searching for?
What Is Spinal Decompression Therapy?
Spinal decompression therapy is a non-surgical procedure that relieves pain stemming from nerve degeneration. It takes the pressure off the spinal cord or adjacent pinched nerve roots by using an advanced decompression table.
Spinal decompression patients start to experience back pain due to the slippage of spinal disks — protective disks sitting between your vertebrae — caused by various factors, such as:
Genetics
Aging
Strenuous physical activity
Trauma
Bulging or herniated discs cause spinal compression (i.e., spinal stenosis), which leads to undesired nerve pressure in need of relief. Alleviating this condition has been challenging and risky for decades, but chiropractors developed an innovative, safe, and natural approach to nerve pain long-term relief — spinal decompression treatment!
Spinal decompression consists of decompressing the spinal canal by creating negative pressure inside the damaged disk. This approach brings two major benefits:
Spinal decompression therapy helps pull back leaked material from herniated or bulging discs back to its place.
Reducing spinal muscle strain and nerve pressure makes way for an unimpeded blood flow, bringing an abundance of nutrient-rich fluids to the damaged area.
How Is Spinal Decompression Performed?
Non-surgical spinal decompression is performed on a spinal decompression table, where patients lie down clothed and face upwards. This spinal decompression table comprises two parts that can move independently and create precise, gentle movements. After patients make themselves at home, our chiropractor, Dr. Gregory Doerr, will choose the most suited program considering their diagnosed condition and needs, as well as how well they’ve responded to previous spinal decompression sessions.
Patients don’t have to fear muscle guarding, a phenomenon naturally occurring during manual spinal decompression techniques. A spinal decompression table uses sensors to prevent triggering guarding mechanisms and assures a gradual, gentle treatment with better efficiency.
Medical Issues Treatable With Spinal Decompression Therapy
Spinal decompression therapy has been used for treating various conditions due to its advancing programs. Spinal decompression treatment is mainly used to relieve pain caused by pinched or damaged nerves. Patients can feel nerve-induced pain in different areas, depending on the specific affected region of the spine. Spinal decompression efficiently alleviates pain in different regions:
The neck and lumbar regions
The thoracic region
The pain or tingling felt across the arms or legs
Most patients that come to us for spinal decompression treatment deal with one of these conditions:
Bulging discs
Herniated discs
Degenerative discs
Burning sensation descending from the lower back to the hips (sciatica)
Pinched nerves (most often experienced in terms of a burning or tingling sensation)
Spinal stenosis
Frequently Asked Questions About Spinal Decompression
In the case of both non-invasive, gentle procedures and surgical, invasive ones, responsible patients only undertake a treatment after asking themselves some questions. So, our chiropractic team, led by Dr. Gregory Doerr, has set out to answer some common questions regarding spinal decompression therapy.
Am I a Candidate for Spinal Decompression Therapy?
Spinal decompression therapy is an efficient, pain-relieving approach for patients dealing with neck pain, chronic back pain, sciatica, and burning and tingling sensations in various body areas.
Patients who should not start spinal decompression therapy are:
Pregnant women
Patients with osteoporosis
Patients who’ve gone through spinal fusion
Patients with spinal implants, such as artificial disks
Patients with broken vertebrae
Patients with a spinal tumor
Patients with a spinal infection
What Is the Correct Spinal Decompression Protocol?
The correct spinal decompression protocol depends on your specific symptoms. During a preliminary consultation, our team of chiropractors will determine if you are a good candidate for spinal decompression and how the treatment should be adapted to your specific condition. This initial examination focuses on the patient’s health history and often requires an X-ray or MRI scan.
If you’ve been selected as one of the many patients suited for spinal decompression therapy, you might wonder: what’s the protocol, and how does it begin?
At the beginning of the spinal decompression session, patients are strapped into the technologically advanced table using a pelvic harness. Then, depending on the problem area, the table’s lower or upper part will gently move, making the patient’s back stretch little by little.
How Long Does Spinal Decompression Therapy Take?
A non-surgical spinal decompression usually lasts 30-45 minutes, during which the patient is relaxed and experiences a pain-relieving sensation.
How Often Should You Do Spinal Decompression?
The spinal decompression treatment plan should consider the patient’s symptoms and diagnosis. What is right for one person might not be suitable for everyone. You may require a different number of spinal decompression sessions. Some patients require 20 to 28 treatment sessions over 5 to 7 weeks. Depending on the number of sessions your treatment plan aims for, we advise you to have a spinal decompression 3-5 times a week until you reach your goals.
When Will I See the Results?
Spinal decompression therapy has been effective for over 75% of treated patients. Pain relief does not always occur instantaneously, but most patients report significant improvements regarding pain management and alleviation after a couple of sessions. They bear witness to the benefits of spinal decompression, whose healing virtue grows more and more as you approach your treatment plan goal!
Spinal Decompression for Pregnant Women
During pregnancy, a woman’s body undergoes many changes affecting her comfort. For example, many women experience back pain or a mild discomfort at one point or another during their pregnancy. Although spinal decompression is not recommended for pregnant women, some chiropractic alternatives may come in handy!
Start Your Spinal Decompression Therapy at Bergen Chiropractic!
More people are becoming aware of the dangers of opioids for pain management, as they have been under intense scrutiny. As a result, musculoskeletal and joint patients are now looking for safer and more sustainable ways to relieve pain. Cold laser therapy is emerging as a leading alternative, especially for chronic pain patients. As a nonpharmacological pain control method, cold laser therapy carries no risk of substance misuse, allowing patients with chronic pain to manage their symptoms safely.
Laser cold therapy uses low-level lasers (i.e., lasers that do not impart heat) to trigger a reaction in your cells that promotes healing. Cold laser treatments are fast (lasting at most a few minutes), painless, and noninvasive.
Join us as we explore how cold laser therapy is helping patients with diverse conditions and ailments reliably manage pain.
What Is Cold Laser Therapy?
Cold laser therapy, or low-level laser therapy, is a type of light therapy that uses non-thermal photons (hence the word “cold”) to trigger biochemical responses from cells that invoke healing.
In 1967, at the Semmelweis Medical University in Hungary, a physician named Endre Mester was experimenting with laser therapy technology to treat cancerous tumors in rats. Mester inadvertently created a low-level laser that was not powerful enough to target the rats’ tumors; however, he found that the laser could promote healing and increase hair growth in the targeted area. He had just discovered a low-level light therapy with broad applications!
Low-level lasers excite cells, modulating their intracellular metabolism and causing chemical changes. The production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a molecule that stores and transports energy for cells, is increased, protective and growth genes are activated, and enzymes involved in protein synthesis are initialized.
These biological processes lead to numerous benefits, allowing the body to:
Reduce inflammation
Improve blood flow
Repair injure tissues
Relieve pain
Mitigate autoimmune responses
What Does Cold Laser Therapy Treat?
Cold laser therapy treats various musculoskeletal issues that cause acute or chronic pain. The ability of cold therapy to cause cell-level chemical reactions makes it appropriate in diverse settings.
The use of cold laser therapy has been shown to benefit patients suffering with:
Tentative research into the use of cold laser therapy for severe illnesses is also underway, with applications in brain injuries, spinal injuries, and degenerative diseases being considered.
Is Cold Laser Therapy FDA-Approved?
In 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a low-level laser device for pain reduction. FDA research clearance into low-level laser therapy dates back to 2002, after a study showed the efficacy of low-level laser treatments in treating the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
According to a review published in The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, 32 different home-use cold therapy devices were cleared by the FDA as of January 2020. With this many home-use devices given the FDA stamp of approval, it is clear that professionally administered cold laser therapy is exceptionally safe.
What Are the Benefits of Cold Laser Therapy?
Cold laser therapy holds several advantages over other forms of pain management. Firstly, cold laser treatments are entirely non-invasive. The procedure does not cause any damage to the skin of patients, and it is entirely painless. Additionally, each treatment session is remarkably fast. Low-level lasers are pulsed into the treatment area for no longer than a couple of minutes.
Cold laser therapy can also be cost-effective compared to its alternatives. A study published in the Oral Oncology journal found that low-level laser therapy reduced morbidity in head and neck cancer patients and was considerably more cost-effective than the placebo.
Lastly, cold laser therapy is a fantastic alternative for those who suffer from a substance use disorder (SUD). Since the treatment is non-psychoactive and doesn’t produce a “high,” there is no scope for abuse. Low-level laser therapy has even been successfully trialed as a supplementary treatment for alcohol addiction.
Cold Laser Treatment Pros and Cons
Like any treatment option, cold laser therapy has its pros and cons. Some of the cons of cold lasers include high precision requirements (if the settings are not optimal, the effects can be greatly diminished), varied results, and the unpredictability of home-administered cold laser therapy. The last point can be mitigated by receiving treatment from a trained medical professional. Cost concerns can also factor into the decision to use cold laser therapy, as multiple sessions are often required to achieve the desired results.
Despite the cons, the outstanding benefits of cold laser therapy make it a viable option for patients who need to manage their pain fast, comfortably, and painlessly, with no recovery time needed.
How Does Dr. Doerr Combine Laser Therapy With Chiropractic Care?
Cold laser therapy augments the musculoskeletal benefits of chiropractic care by encouraging healing, repairing damaged cells, reducing inflammation, and mitigating musculoskeletal pain. Cold laser therapy also improves the joint health of our patients, compounding the effect of chiropractic treatment.
How Much Does Cold Laser Therapy Cost?
Cold laser therapy sessions can cost up to $200, but service providers often give more favorable pricing for bulk packages. This is an ideal solution for cold laser therapy since multiple sessions are required for optimal results.
Check your insurance policy to see if cold laser therapy is covered. If you are not covered for this treatment, contact Bergen Chiropractic to discuss your personalized therapeutic regimen.
Start Your Cold Laser Treatment at Bergen Chiropractic!
Picture this scene: you’re going about your usual day-to-day activities. Suddenly, you experience pain creeping in on you in your back or lower body. You take some pain medication before bed, hoping the discomfort will subside by the morning.
However, when you wake up, the pain is worse, and other symptoms have reared their head — tightness in your back, restricted movement, and the ominous sensation of nerve pain. Before you know it, you’re in the worst back pain you’ve ever experienced.
While these symptoms (and their timing) may vary from case to case, many of you will recognize that this describes a dreaded ordeal — enduring a bulging disc!
A bulging disc is a common injury caused by the wearing down of rubbery and malleable tissue located between the vertebrae in your spinal column. This tissue, known as an intervertebral disc, can deteriorate as we age. Also known as spinal discs, these intervertebral discs prevent our vertebrae from grinding against each other, facilitate greater movement and flexibility, and act as shock absorbers.
Due to the painful symptoms of bulging discs, many patients are eager to quickly and reliably nip this problem in the bud. Chiropractic treatment for bulging discs is the leading option for those who want a safe, cost-effective solution with minimal recovery time.
Join us as we dive into bulging discs, their causes, remedies, and why chiropractic care is the preferred treatment method for many.
What Is a Bulging Disc?
Healthy intervertebral discs are crucial to the integrity and proper functioning of the spinal column. These structures assist with movement, shock absorption, and load distribution throughout the entire spine.
Spinal discs comprise two layers — the annulus fibrosus and the nucleus pulposus. The former is a collagenous tough outer layer that protects the latter, which has a higher water concentration. As we age, these discs become dry, causing the nucleus pulposus to protrude beyond the annulus fibrosus. The result is a bulging disc. The protuberant disc can push toward the spinal canal, which houses the spinal cord, and even impinge on a spinal nerve.
Associated pain (in other areas, such as the shoulder blade)
Impaired bowel or bladder function
If the spinal canal is stressed for a prolonged period, one’s spinal cord runs the risk of nerve damage.
Disc bulges can also be caused by sports injuries, the patient’s medical history, and genetic conditions such as spinal misalignment. A common exercise-related cause of a bulging disc is the improper lifting of weights.
Are Bulging and Herniated Discs the Same?
The terms “bulging disc,” “herniated disc,” and “slipped disc” are often used interchangeably. However, there are distinctions you need to consider, at least between bulging discs and herniated discs.
Herniated discs are typified by a breakage in the outer layer of the spinal disc, while in a bulging disc, the inner layer intrudes into the space of the outer layer without causing a breakage. As such, a herniated disc is considerably more painful than a bulging disc.
How Common Are Bulging Discs?
According to an analysis of diagnostic codes from Norwegian public hospitals between 1999-2013, the incident rate of bulging or herniated discs ranged between 5-20 cases per 1,000 adult diagnoses per year. The analysis also uncovered that patients suffering from bulging or herniated discs are most likely between 30 and 50, with men predominantly affected.
What Bulging Disc Symptoms Should I Look Out For?
The symptoms of a bulging disc are diverse since the adverse effects depend on which part of the spinal canal, and subsequently the spinal cord, is impacted. Back pain is one of the most common and severe symptoms of a bulging or herniated disc.
Disc herniations cause similar symptoms to a bulging disc, but the symptoms associated with a disc herniation are often more severe. A herniated disc can cause debilitating back pain and, in severe cases, even paralysis.
How Do We Diagnose Bulging Discs?
Various methods are available to medical practitioners for diagnosing and assessing the severity of bulging and herniated discs.
A physical exam, in the form of a neurological examination, can help identify the location of the impacted disc and the severity of some symptoms, including weakness, slowed reactions, and numbness. Another physical exam diagnostic method is a straight leg raise test, which measures a patient’s reaction to having their extended leg raised.
A CT or MRI scan can also diagnose a herniated disc, but enduring such a scan can be highly uncomfortable for affected patients.
Can a Bulging Disc Heal Itself?
According to Dr. Allan Levi, Professor of Neurosurgery at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine, most herniated disc cases will resolve themselves without profound, long-lasting implications for the affected individual. In these situations, undertaking pain management through anti-inflammatory medications may be enough to allow patients to return to their routines.
Patients can supplement anti-inflammatory medications with steroid medication in the form of an epidural injection. However, such an injection bears risks such as anxiety, insomnia, increased pain, and even nerve damage.
Sometimes, if a bulging disc is left untreated, it can turn into a herniated disc. While this is often innocuous, severe symptoms are not unheard of. As such, non-invasive and non-surgical treatment options can be a prudent investment for future health and prosperity.
Is Chiropractic Care Good for Bulging Disc?
Since the vast majority of bulging and herniated disc cases are troublesome but not seriously threatening, these conditions are ideal candidates for conservative treatment.
A chiropractic fix for a bulging disc avoids the complications, expense, and discomfort of invasive treatments such as spinal injections, spinal fusion, chronic medication, and other surgeries and procedures.
How Will Chiropractic Treatment Options Fix My Bulging Disc?
As a manual therapy for bulging discs, chiropractic treatment relaxes muscles and releases tension, enabling pain relief and improving mobility.
Moreover, the recovery time and process for chiropractic treatment are minimal compared to invasive treatment options.
Since a chiropractic fix is non-surgical, patients can also expect significant cost savings in treating their bulging or herniated discs.
What’s the Average Recovery Time for a Bulging Disc?
A case study of a 38-year-old male patient with lumbar disc herniation found that he achieved biomechanical stability after 15 weeks of chiropractic treatment.
Additionally, a study of 20 disc herniation patients aged between 20 and 50 showed that spinal manipulation significantly reduced pain after five sessions.
A chiropractic fix addresses bulging and herniated discs in a manner that allows patients to remain engaged in their daily routine with few disruptions.
What Bulging Disc Exercises Can Speed Up My Recovery?
Patients suffering from a bulging or herniated disc can perform exercises (approved by a medical practitioner) to help relieve pain, increase mobility, and alleviate other symptoms.
We recommend the following exercises to speed up your bulging disc recovery process:
Spinal decompression: Hanging while holding a raised bar stretches out your vertebrae and relieves your spinal discs of any pressure.
Neck extension: Laying your body down on a bed so that your neck and head are not supported by it allows you to extend your neck in a controlled manner, improving your bulging disc symptoms.
Planking: Planking strengthens your core muscles and encourages spinal stability, thereby increasing your resiliency to back injuries in the future by improving your overall strength.
Please note that a medical professional should approve these exercises beforehand. If any pain is experienced during these exercises, stop doing them immediately.
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