Author: Andre Broussard, D.C.
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What Are Cervicogenic Headaches?
Headaches are a very common problem that can have multiple causes ranging from stress to trauma. To make matters worse, there are MANY different types of headaches. One such type is the “cervicogenic headache” (others include migraines, cluster headaches, etc.). The main distinction between the symptoms associated with cervicogenic headaches and those associated with migraine…
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Whiplash and Chiropractic Management
Whiplash injuries occur as the result of a sudden acceleration followed by deceleration, and the degree of injury is dependent on many factors. Some of these include: the size of the vehicle, the conditions of the road, the angle of the seat back, the “springiness” of the seat back, the position of the head rest,…
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Do Epidural Steroid Injections Help Sciatica?
This study from the Annals of Internal Medicine concluded that eipdural steroid injections offer only short-term relief of leg pain for patients with sciatica, and they raised questions about the clinical utility of this procedure. ~ Dr. Broussard Ann Intern Med. 2012 Dec 18;157(12):865-77. Epidural corticosteroid injections in the management of sciatica: a systematic review and…
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Common Whiplash Myths – Part 2
Last month, we began discussing common myths about whiplash injuries, and this month, we will continue on that course. Remember, the amount of injury that occurs in an acceleration/deceleration injury is dependant on many factors, some of which include gender (females>males), body type (tall slender = worse), the amount of vehicular damage (less is sometimes…
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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – Natural Treatment Options
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a condition characterized by pain, numbness and/or tingling in the hand. This includes the palm and the 2nd, 3rd, and half of the 4th finger, usually sparing the thumb. Another indication of CTS is weakness in grip strength such as difficulty opening a jar to even holding a coffee cup.…
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How Does Chiropractic Help Headaches?
Headaches are one of the most common reasons people seek chiropractic care. Many patients with headaches benefit significantly from adjustments made to the upper cervical region. So, the question is, how does adjusting the neck help headaches? To help answer this question, let’s look at a study that was recently published that examined this exact…
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Fibromyalgia and Food
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a disorder that affects everyone a little differently. Therefore, promoting a one diet approach for every FM patient doesn’t make a lot of sense. However, according to Ginevra Liptan, MD, medical director of the Frida Center for FM in Portland, OR, it is clear that what is included in a diet vs.…
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Is It My Neck or Thoracic Outlet Syndrome?
Neck pain can arise from many different sources, and the patient’s clinical presentation can be quite similar making it a challenge to diagnose. One of those related, and sometimes co-existing conditions, is called thoracic outlet syndrome, or TOS. Let’s first discuss the anatomy of the neck and the thoracic outlet so we all have a…
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Carpal Tunnel Syndrome – Prevention Tactics
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is a very common problem that is often associated with work related activities. Our focus this month is on how to prevent CTS. Of course, if you already have CTS, read this Health Update to learn preventative measures that also work while you receive treatment for CTS. The concept is to…
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Fibromyalgia “101”
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a disorder that includes widespread musculoskeletal pain along with fatigue, sleep disturbance, memory changes, mood changes and more. Studies show that FM amplifies or increases painful sensations by changing the way the brain processes pain signals. FM is NOT a psychological disorder that only people with a troubled past or present acquire.…