Shoulder, Arm, and Hand PainWritten by Dr. Michael L. Johnson
Problems with neck, shoulder and arm are often called different things by patients: neuritis; bursitis; neuralgia; rheumatism; frozen shoulder; fibrositis; sprained, strained or sore muscles, or “poor circulation.” Some people may blame their shoulder (or other joint) problems on “old age” even though their other shoulder, which doesn’t have any problems, is just as old. The brain “talks” with rest of your body through a vast telecommunications system made up of nerves. Nerves come out of your brain in a large bundle called spinal cord and travel down your back inside spinal column. As nerves from your brain travel down your spinal cord, they first have to pass through holes (foramina) between spinal bones (vertebrae). Some nerves go straight to their point of destination, but some first mix with other nerves to form complicated nerve networks that anatomists call a nerve plexus. The brachial plexus is made up of nerves which come out of middle and lower neck and upper back. After they interconnect to form brachial plexus, they branch off to supply different areas, especially shoulder, arms, elbows, wrists, hands, and fingers. The most common form of brachial
| | Low Back PainWritten by Dr. Michael L. Johnson
About 85 percent of population will experience disabling low back pain at least once during their lives! That’s almost all of us. The problem is so bad that at any one time, according to one researcher, 6.8% of U.S. adult population is suffering from an episode of back pain lasting more than two weeks. That’s a lot of bad backs. The estimated cost of this problem in U.S. is over $50 billion a year. The standard medical approach to back pain varies depending on severity of condition. Muscle relaxers, painkillers, rest and physical therapy such as traction, diathermy, ultrasound, hot packs and cold packs are sometimes used. This approach has not been found very helpful, however. If problem doesn’t improve or worsens, then surgery may be performed. The medical approach is at times necessary - even back surgery has a place. But according to some studies, most spinal surgery for acute lower back problems should be rarely performed. Many people who have had back surgery report a recurrence of their symptoms within a year or two of operation and may return to operating table. In some cases surgery makes no difference whatsoever. As a Board Certified Chiropractic Neurologist, I take a different approach to treatment and prevention of back pain. After a thorough neurological examination, I determine which part of nervous system is not functioning properly. In many back pain patients, I find a high mesencephalic output.
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