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Many people experience headache pain, and tension headaches are a common problem in our busy world. Postural problems and stress are common sources of tension headache, and ones that Dr. Messerschmidt and the team here in our Juneau, AK chiropractic office have a lot of experience in treating.

Research Shows Chiropractic Eases Tension Headaches

The scientific literature confirms our results: A 2016 study from Spain managed a group of 76 men and women with chronic tension headaches. The participants were divided into four treatment groups: 19 patients were treated with suboccipital inhibition (the therapist presses on the tight tissues at the top of the spine); 19 with chiropractic adjustments; 19 with both adjustments and suboccipital inhibition; and 19 received no treatment.

The authors found that the spinal adjustments were helpful at relieving pain, and that the best results were found when spinal adjustments were coupled with the suboccipital inhibition.

When we get stressed, the nerves and tissues in the neck can be disrupted, resulting in pain. Chiropractic works by removing these stresses and restoring the normal nerve function to the area.

We're Here to Help Clients Find Help From Tension Headaches

If you live in Juneau, AK and are suffering from any kind of headache, we're here to help you get relief. Call Dr. Messerschmidt today at (907) 789-1344 for an appointment or more information.

Source

Espi-Lopez GV, Rodriguez-Blanco C, Oliva-Pascual-Vaca A, et al. Do manual therapy techniques have a positive effect on quality of life in people with tension-type headache? A randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Physical Rehabilitation Medicine 2016; February 29.

Chiropractic is based on the concept of aiding your body to heal naturally through spinal adjustments and lifestyle changes that promote wellness. For Dr. Messerschmidt, this involves working to restore your body's normal functioning to prevent the need for drugs or surgery. We find that many of our Juneau, AK patients are pleased to find a natural answer for their health conditions.

One benefit of chiropractic is that it helps people minimize or eliminate the use of drug treatments. Prescription medications are oftentimes issued to individuals who have back problems. This is such a significant concern that the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) issued a press release stating that opioid (painkiller) risks overshadow the advantages when prescribed for back pain.

Some of the most popular narcotics, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, include hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet), morphine, and codeine. Figures supplied by the AAN cite the fact that roughly half of the patients taking these types of substances for a period of three months are still dependent on them five years down the road. This can further complicate the problem of back pain and recovery, especially if an narcotic addiction occurs.

Compare that to chiropractic care which features natural healing and the advantages are crystal clear. While a pill might be useful at temporarily relieving the symptoms of a health condition, it's not a solution to the problem. Drugs don't fix your injured spine; it will only cover up the pain.

Dr. Messerschmidt will first examine you to get to the origin of your back pain and then work with you to solve the problem -- without the need for risky drugs.

If you're ready for relief of your pain, naturally, give our Juneau, AK office a call at (907) 789-1344 to make an appointment with Dr. Messerschmidt.

References

• Risk of opioids outweigh benefits for headache, low back pain, other conditions. American Academy of Neurology;September 29, 2014.
• What are opioids? National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/prescription-drugs/opioids/what-are-opioids

Headache is a common condition after a car crash, and it's something that Dr. Messerschmidt sees often in our Juneau, AK office. Why is headache such a common problem after an auto injury? How can your chiropractor help you recover?

There are many different kinds of headache. Headache that's caused by a car crash, though, typically starts as tension or strain in the muscles of the cervical spine. In a wreck, the neck muscles can be torn, which results in inflammation and soreness. These kinds of headache can be felt in different places, including the back of the head or even the forehead.

Another common cause of pain after a crash that we see in our Juneau, AK office is cervicogenic headache, or headaches that start in injured ligaments of the neck. Ligament injury is very common after a crash, and it's important to get care for this type of problem to protect against the creation of scar tissue.

Chiropractic is an excellent way to treat headaches, including those brought about by car crashes. Dr. Messerschmidt can help reduce the swelling and strain in your neck, which will help alleviate the headache pain.

You don't have to suffer from headache. Dr. Messerschmidt is conveniently located in Juneau, AK to help you heal, whether you've been in an auto collision or not. The first step is to get an accurate diagnosis to determine what's causing your symptoms and then we will determine an appropriate treatment strategy. Call us today at (907) 789-1344 if you have questions or would like to make an appointment.

There are many different kinds of headache, but one of the most common types is known as "cervicogenic headache," or headaches that originate in your neck.

Dr. Messerschmidt sees a lot of patients in our Juneau, AK office who are struggling with frequent headaches. Luckily, chiropractic adjustments can often help, potentially reducing these types of headaches by 50%, and research confirms it.

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps With Cervicogenic Headaches

A study was conducted involving 80 participants who reported experiencing at least five cervicogenic headaches during the prior three months. The goal was to see how effective chiropractic was for this type of head pain, as well as to determine the number of treatment sessions necessary to achieve a positive effect.

The individuals were divided into four separate groups, so that each group was similar in age, gender, number of cervicogenic headaches, and their intensity. Of the four groups, two engaged in chiropractic treatments and two received light massage. Furthermore, one group assigned to each treatment received eight sessions and the other patients received twice that amount.

Each patient was assessed based on head pain, neck pain, and disability prior to the study and 12 and 24 weeks after treatment was complete. The researchers found that those who received chiropractic as opposed to massage reported fewer headaches at the conclusion of the study. Furthermore, improvements were maintained when checked six months after treatment ended.

Furthermore, participants who were taking medications for their headaches were able to lower their intake after completing the study. Those who received chiropractic had lower medication usage 24 weeks post-study.

We Can Help People Find Relief From Head Pain

Dr. Messerschmidt has helped many patients who were suffering from headaches in our Juneau, AK office. Call us today at (907) 789-1344 for more information or for an appointment.

Reference

Haas M, Spegman A, Peterson D, Aickin M, Vavrek D. Dose response and efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic cervicogenic headache: a pilot randomized controlled trial. The Spine Journal 2010; 10: 117-128.

Dr. Messerschmidt sees many people weekly in our busy Juneau, AK chiropractic office who are looking for relief from the pain and distress they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the medical research verifies that chiropractic care is a successful way to treat herniated disc pain.

Don't Suffer! Dr. Messerschmidt and Chiropractic Care Helps With Disc Herniation

One particular research study involved 27 people, 8 male and 19 female, who had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirming a disc herniation in either their neck or lower back. The people documented that they were experiencing pain, reduced range of motion, and sensory issues bad enough to keep them off work.

During the course of the research study, the participants were managed using one of two common chiropractic practices: traction for herniated discs in the cervical area or flexion distraction for the patients who had herniation issues in the lumbar area.

Each individual was treated four or five times per week for the first two weeks, then three times weekly, and then as needed for the rest of the study. Depending on the severity of the disc herniation, treatment ranged anywhere from six weeks to six months, with MRIs being conducted at a variety of stages to identify what impact, if any, the chiropractic care was having in regard to the disc herniation.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps With Back Pain and Herniated Disc

The researchers discovered that 80 percent of the participants obtained a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced pain and a reduction in other symptoms, such as numbness. Additionally, 77 percent of these men and women also showed MRI evidence that their disc herniation was either reduced or resolved completely. This resulted in 78 percent of the study participants being able to return to their place of work and led the authors to conclude that chiropractic adjustments is both "safe and helpful" for disc herniations.

If you have a herniated disc and suffer from chronic back pain and are near Dr. Messerschmidt in Juneau, AK, contact our office today to see what chiropractic can do for you!

Reference
BenEliyahu, DJ. Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical follow-up: study of 27 patients receiving chiropractic care for cervical and lumbar disc herniations. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1996;19(9):597-606.

In our Juneau, AK office, we see plenty of people who are suffering from back pain, and a few of these folks have been told they might need surgery to recover. Fortunately, Dr. Messerschmidt has helped many people get pain relief without the need for any type of surgical procedure. The scientific research agrees with the success we see in our practice. One medical study published in the journal Spine found that seeing a chiropractor as your first move in dealing with your back issues may literally keep you off of the operating table.

In this research study, medical professionals from Dartmouth analyzed statistics from 1,885 workers from the state of Washington who first saw either an orthopedic surgeon or a chiropractic doctor for their back-related issues. They then looked at three years' worth of follow-up medical data to find out whether the individuals wound up having back surgery in an attempt to correct the problem.

What the authors found was that about 43% of the people who first saw a surgeon for their back problems ended up in surgery in that 3-year time frame, whereas only 1.5 percent of those who first saw a chiropractor had the same fate. The authors wrote:

"Even after controlling for injury severity and other measures, workers with an initial visit for the injury to a surgeon had almost nine times the odds of receiving lumbar spine surgery compared to those seeing primary care providers, whereas workers whose first visit was to a chiropractor had significantly lower odds of surgery."

These are remarkable outcomes. Consulting with a chiropractor significantly reduces your odds of having back surgery, plus the chiropractic patients in this study "had lower odds of chronic work disability" and they also had fewer expensive MRI tests.

Let's also take note this important detail: this study was carried out by orthopedic surgeons from Dartmouth College, and published in the world's most distinguished medical journal on spinal injuries.

Why You Should Avoid Surgery

Any surgical procedure has risks, but a serious downside linked to spinal surgery is that there's a very high rate of failure. In an important analysis in the European Spine Journal, researchers wrote:

"Failed back surgery is a problem that has become sufficiently widespread to even warrant its own special conferences, with recent reviews reporting failure rates ranging from 5 to 50%."

The authors of this same study concluded:

"It is extremely difficult to identify unequivocal predictor factors that can be used to accurately predict the outcome of surgery."

As a chiropractor, Dr. Messerschmidt believes that surgery should be the absolute last choice for treating back pain. Chiropractic works to restore your spine to its normal function--without the need of risky surgery or drugs--and many studies have established the usefulness of chiropractic for back pain.

If you live in Juneau, AK and you need care for your back pain, give our practice a call today at (907) 789-1344 for a consultation or an appointment. We'll help get you back on the road to a pain-free life!

Studies

• Keeney BJ, Fulton-Kehoe D, Turner JA, Wickizer TM, Chan KC, Franklin GM. Early predictors of lumbar spine surgery after occupational back injury: results from a prospective study of workers in Washington State. Spine 2013;38(11):953-964.
• Mannion AF, Elfering A. Predictors of surgical outcome and their assessment. European Spine Journal 2006;15(Suppl 1):S93-S108.
  

We treat many auto injury cases in in our Juneau, AK office, and a widespread symptom we see in our patients is thoracic outlet syndrome. Chiropractic is an excellent way to treat thoracic outlet syndrome. Let's look at how thoracic outlet syndrome is caused by a crash and how Dr. Messerschmidt can help you.

The thoracic outlet is a bundle of nerves and blood vessels that pass through your neck and shoulder to your arm. These nerves and blood vessels don't have a lot of room, so they pass underneath and through the strong bands of muscles that support your head.

In a collision, these muscles can be stretched and strained. If injured, the muscles become inflamed and sore, and they can develop scar tissue which restricts movement and puts pressure on the tissues of the thoracic outlet. Pressure on the nerves can cause tingling or pins and needles in the shoulder, elbow and even the wrist. Pressure on the blood vessels can also cause problems in the arm.

Juneau, AK Thoracic Outlet Treatment

Chiropractic can be an effective way to treat thoracic outlet syndrome, as Dr. Messerschmidt will help improve mobility in your spine and restore normal nerve function in your neck and shoulder.

If you've been hurt in a car crash and you're suffering from thoracic outlet syndrome, Dr. Messerschmidt is here to help. First, we'll do a careful evaluation to figure out the root cause of your problem, and then decide how to restore your body's natural functioning. Ready to make an appointment? Give us a call at (907) 789-1344 and we'll get you back on the road to health.

If you are suffering from back pain after an auto collision, don't despair. Dr. Messerschmidt sees this type of condition frequently in our Juneau, AK office. The key to recovering from back pain caused by a crash is to understand the root cause of the problem and how chiropractic care can help.

During a rear-end motor vehicle accident, your car and car seat are rapidly accelerated forward against your body. Since car seats don't perfectly align with the curve of your spine, the seat can put uneven pressure on your lower back. This can cause some of your spinal vertebrae to move in one direction while an adjacent vertebrae might move in another direction. This differential motion can sprain or strain the tissues that hold your spine together. This type of injury can cause chronic back pain if not treated right away. Thankfully, chiropractic is one of the most effective ways to treat back pain.

Dr. Messerschmidt is here in Juneau, AK to help you recover from back pain. We've been helping patients since 1983 and we can probably help you, too. Dr. Messerschmidt will first determine what's causing your pain and then work to restore your body to its natural functioning. Give our office a call today at (907) 789-1344 to make an appointment.

When performing sports activities that demand a lot of lower body movement, like football, soccer, and basketball, it's common to sustain some type of injury to your hips or legs. Between pulled hamstrings, sprained ankles, knee injuries, and more, many athletes have found themselves sidelined. Dr. Messerschmidt has seen all of these problems in our Juneau, AK patients. The good news is, chiropractic care can help prevent some of these injuries from developing and research proves it.

Dr. Messerschmidt keeps current with all of the recent scientific research, and in a paper published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, researchers from Macquarie University in Australia studied 59 semi-elite Australian Rules football players. Roughly half were placed in a control group and the other half were put in a therapy group that received sports chiropractic care at regular intervals. During the first six weeks, this meant engaging in care once per week. The following three months consisted of an adjustment every two weeks before decreasing those to one visit monthly for the final three months of the study.

Researchers noted that there was a "significant" decrease in the number of leg strains the players received in the treatment group when compared to the control. Furthermore, they observed that the subjects who engaged in chiropractic also had fewer weeks of missed practice and games as a result of non-contact knee injuries. This led them to conclude that sports chiropractic treatment should be added to "the current best practice management."

Every major sports team in the United States and the US Olympic Team has chiropractors on staff for their athletes, because they know that chiropractic works. If you live near our practice in Juneau, AK and would like to see if Dr. Messerschmidt can help you boost your performance or reduce sports injuries, give our office a call today at (907) 789-1344 for an appointment.

Study Information

Hoskins W, Pollard H. The effect of a sports chiropractic manual therapy intervention on the prevention of back pain, hamstring and lower limb injuries in semi-elite Australian rules footballers: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2010;11(64).

We work with many back pain patients in our Juneau, AK chiropractic office, and Dr. Messerschmidt and our staff uses an assortment of techniques to help get you out of pain and restore your spine's normal, healthy function. We find spinal decompression to be a highly effective approach.

Understanding Spinal Decompression Therapy

To help you better understand spinal decompression therapy, think of the discs in your spine like small balloons filled with gelatin. When you squeeze them (which occurs due to normal living, sustaining an injury, or other medical conditions), they can protrude, placing pressure on the nerves in your spinal column. This affects your brain's ability to communicate with tissues in the rest of your body.

If the pressure on the discs becomes too high, the discs can herniate or protrude. This reduces the cushioning between your vertebrae and can cause pain. The objective of spinal decompression therapy is to alleviate this pressure to help improve your body's function and also reduce your level of pain.

Can Spinal Decompression Therapy Help Me?

Spinal decompression therapy relieves disc pressure through the use of a specially designed table that carefully elongates your spinal column through slow and controlled movements. This decreases the pressure placed on your discs. Some studies show an increase in disc height by as much as 1.3 millimeters after just six weeks of this treatment.

If you're wondering if spinal decompression therapy could help you feel and function better, simply call our Juneau, AK office and schedule an appointment with Dr. Messerschmidt today. Your optimal health is our number one goal!

Resources

Apfel CC, Cakmakkaya OS, Richmond C, et al. Restoration of disk height through non-surgical spinal decompression is associated with decreased discogenic low back pain: a retrospective cohort study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2010;11(155). doi:10.1186/1471-2474-11-155