Author: Andre Broussard, D.C.
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Chiropractic Care of Children
Chiropractic techniques are not limited to any particular group. We see patients of all ages, sizes, genders, ethnicities, and so on. So, is the care of children “different” than chiropractic care applied to adults? If so, how? There are studies that review the treatment of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions such as low back pain, non-MSK conditions…
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Whiplash “Basics”
Whiplash is a non-medical term typically describing what happens to the head and neck when a person is struck from behind in a motor vehicle collision. Let’s look at some basic facts about whiplash: Before cars, trains were the main source of whiplash and was called “railroad spine.” Better terms for whiplash injuries include “cervical…
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Fibromyalgia Diagnosis: A Breakthrough!
Confirming the diagnosis of fibromyalgia (FM) is challenging, as there are no blood tests to verify accuracy of the diagnosis like so many other disorders. However, blood tests are needed when FM is suspected to “rule in/out” something else that may be mimicking FM symptoms. Also, FM is often associated with other disorders that are…
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Carpal Tunnel Treatment Options
The goal of any treatment approach for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is to return the patient to normal. That means addressing all OTHER health related conditions that can cause CTS such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, birth control pill use, pregnancy, rheumatoid arthritis (and many of the other related arthritic-like disorders), as well as double or multiple…
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Low Back Pain: Surgery vs. Chiropractic?
Low back pain (LBP) is the second most common cause of disability in the United States (US) and a very common reason for lost days at work with an estimated 149 million days of work lost per year. The total cost associated with this is astronomical at between $100-200 billion/yr, of which 2/3rds are due…
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CTS “Facts”
WHAT is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)? CTS occurs when pressure is applied to the median nerve which travels from the neck, through the shoulder, upper arm, elbow, forearm, and through the carpal tunnel where the “pinch” is located. The median nerve innervates most of the palm of the hand, the thumb, the index finger, middle…
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Low Back Pain and Obesity
Low back pain (LBP) is a VERY COMMON PROBLEM! Here are some facts about LBP: 1) At ANY given time, 31 million Americans experience LBP; 2) LBP is the single leading cause of disability worldwide; 3) 50% of ALL working Americans admit to having LBP symptoms each year; 4) LBP is the #1 reason for…
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CTS Self-Diagnosis – Is That Possible?
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is technically a “pinched nerve” in the wrist (carpal tunnel) that results in numbness, tingling and later, weakness in the distribution of the median nerve (thumb, index, 3rd, and half of the 4th finger). There is a limited amount of space within the carpal tunnel. In addition to the median nerve,…
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Fibromyalgia and Sleep Interference
Fibromyalgia (FM) affects the entire body, which makes the diagnosis challenging! A VERY common issue with patients struggling with FM includes problems related to sleep. This goes beyond the number of hours one “tries to sleep” but rather the quality of sleep and feeling “restored” in the morning. That is, quality is more important than…
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Neck Pain – Where Is It Coming From?
Neck pain can arise from a number of different tissues in the neck. Quite often, pain is generated from the small joints in the back of the vertebra (called facets). Pain can also arise from disk related conditions where the liquid-like center part of the disk works its way out through cracks and tears in…