Recent Posts

We see a lot of patients with back pain in our Juneau, AK office, and Dr. Messerschmidt finds that many cases of back pain originate in the sacroiliac (SI) joint. Investigation shows that around 25% of all back pain originates in the SI joint, and now fresh research ratifies what we have noticed in our clinic: chiropractic is an effective approach to treating this problem.

Research Proves Chiropractic Treatment Helps Increase Movement in the SI Joint

In the study published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, thirty-two women with sacroiliac joint dysfunction were split into two groups and asked to engage in one of two treatment therapies. one group was given a chiropractic adjustment only at the sacroiliac joint, and the alternate group was given an adjustment to the sacroiliac joint as well as the lumbar spine.

Researchers found greater improvements in both pain and movement immediately following treatment, two days later, and 30 days after for the group who underwent high-velocity low-amplitude manipulation to both the sacroiliac joint and the lumbar spine. This asserts that chiropractic treatment administered in these two areas offers both short term and lasting results for sacroiliac joint pain sufferers—even after just a single treatment round.

Therefore, if you are having trouble with sacroiliac joint pain, or cope with back and leg pain and are ready to see if your sacroiliac joint is the root, a visit to our Juneau, AK office may be the first—and best—step towards feeling better. Give our office a call today at (907) 789-1344.

Kamali F, Shokri E. The effect of two manipulative therapy techniques and their outcome in patients with sacroiliac joint syndrome. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 2012;16(1):29-35.

Over 2 million people are hurt each year in auto accidents in the U.S. While most people are able to recover from their injuries fairly easily, too many people are left to deal with chronic pain and impairment. We see many of these patients here in our Juneau, AK office. Fortunately, Dr. Messerschmidt is here to help you heal from your auto injury.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps Prevent Chronic Pain After an Auto Accident

The science confirms what we see in our office: A British study was conducted on 28 people diagnosed with chronic whiplash syndrome. Each participant received chiropractic treatment and 93 percent of them experienced improvements following their adjustments, even though 43 percent of whiplash sufferers overall usually never find relief. This confirms that chiropractic care is a great way to avoid long-term pain after a crash.

It's important to remember that research has also found that putting off care after a car crash can adversely affect recovery time, so getting in to see Dr. Messerschmidt as soon as possible is key to having a quicker recovery.

We Can Help Patients Find Relief From Pain After a Car Collision

Dr. Messerschmidt has helped many auto injury patients, and we're here to help you, too. Call our Juneau, AK office today for more information or an appointment.

Sources

• Association for Safe International Road Travel. Retrieved from http://asirt.org/initiatives/informing-road-users/road-safety-facts/road-crash-statistics
• Dies S & Strapp J. (1992, September). Chiropractic treatment of patients in motor vehicle accidents: a statistical analysis. The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, 36(3), 139-145.
• Woodward M et al. (1996, November). Chiropractic treatment of chronic 'whiplash' injuries. Injury, 27(9), 643-645.

Although some people are still skeptical about chiropractic, even the American Medical Association (AMA) suggests that adjustments should be tried prior to surgical treatment--the one option that should be a last resort.

Dr. Messerschmidt has seen many back pain patients in our Juneau, AK office who have been in pain for years and who are afraid that they might need an operation for their back pain. Dr. Messerschmidt has had great success in helping patients recover and avoid risky back surgery, and the science backs up our experience.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps You Avoid Risky Surgery

Recently, in a study conducted on about 2,000 Washington State employees who suffered from a back injury while at work, more than 42% who saw a surgeon first following their injury found themselves having back surgery within three years. That compares to just 1.5% of the individuals who first sought treatment with chiropractic, proving that this natural approach is very effective at keeping you out of the operating room.

Dr. Messerschmidt Can Help Clients Find Relief From Back Pain Without Surgery

There are alternatives to risky medical procedures. Chiropractic is a proven effective and safe way to improve the function of your spine, which is the root cause of back pain. Dr. Messerschmidt has helped many patients in Juneau, AK recover. Give our office a call today at (907) 789-1344 for an appointment.

Reference

Goodman DM, Burke AE, Livingston. Low Back Pain. The Journal of the American Medical Association 2013;309(16);1738.

Keeney BJ, Fulton-Kehoe D, Turner JA, et al. 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.

Approximately 2.3 million people are hurt each year in motor vehicle collisions in the U.S. While some people are able to recover from their injuries relatively easily, many folks are left to deal with chronic pain and impairment. We see many of these patients here in our Juneau, AK office. Thankfully, Dr. Messerschmidt is here to help you heal from your auto injury.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps Prevent Chronic Pain After an Auto Accident

The science confirms what we see in our office: A British study was carried out on 28 people diagnosed with chronic whiplash pain. Each participant received chiropractic care and 93 percent of them found relief following their adjustments, even though 43 percent of whiplash sufferers overall usually never find relief. This confirms that chiropractic care is a great way to avoid chronic pain after an auto injury.

It's important to note that research has also found that putting off care after a car crash can negatively affect recovery time, so getting in to see Dr. Messerschmidt as soon as possible is key to having a speedier recovery.

We Can Help People Find Relief From Pain After a Car Accident

Dr. Messerschmidt has helped many auto injury sufferers, and we're here to help you, too. Call our Juneau, AK office today for more information or an appointment.

Resources

• Association for Safe International Road Travel. Retrieved from http://asirt.org/initiatives/informing-road-users/road-safety-facts/road-crash-statistics
• Dies S & Strapp J. (1992, September). Chiropractic treatment of patients in motor vehicle accidents: a statistical analysis. The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, 36(3), 139-145.
• Woodward M et al. (1996, November). Chiropractic treatment of chronic 'whiplash' injuries. Injury, 27(9), 643-645.

We know how difficult persistent headache pain can be. Dr. Messerschmidt and our staff have worked with many men and women in our Juneau, AK chiropractic office, and we've had great success in helping patients reduce their headache pain.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps With Cervicogenic Headaches

A 2016 research paper confirms what we see in our practice. In this study, the authors started with 110 people who were suffering from headache pain that originated in the cervical spine. 58 of these patients were given a series of neck adjustments; 52 were given some stretches and exercises. The treatment period for both groups was four weeks.

The study found that the patients who received cervical and thoracic spinal adjustments "experienced significantly greater reductions in headache intensity, disability, headache frequency, headache duration, and medication intake as compared to the group that received mobilization and exercise."

The study also found that these results were maintained at the three-month follow-up exam.

Chiropractic is a safe and effective way to treat headache, back pain, neck pain, and many other health conditions. If you're tired of suffering, give Dr. Messerschmidt a call today at our Juneau, AK office at (907) 789-1344. We're here to help get you relief.

Reference

Dunning JR, Butts R, Mourad F, Young I, et al. Upper cervical and upper thoracic manipulation versus mobilization and exercise in patients with cervicogenic headache: a multi-center randomized clinical trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2016;17(1):64.

Don't Choose Drugs for Back Pain

In our Juneau, AK practice, Dr. Messerschmidt has helped many patients recover from back problems. If you are struggling with back pain, you've probably been tempted to take drugs to decrease the discomfort. You should know that research indicates that chiropractic care is usually a better approach than drugs when it comes to alleviating this common type of pain.

In a 2013 report published in the journal Spine researchers included 101 individuals who had suffered back pain for more than two days. Each person was then assigned to one of three groups. The first group, which was made up of 37 patients, received chiropractic care and a placebo of the non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac. The second group of 38 participants received fake chiropractic treatments and the actual drug. The third group of 25 subjects acted as the control as those individuals received sham chiropractic and also received the placebo, thus having no real care whatsoever.

Both of the groups that received some type of actual treatment, whether through chiropractic or the medication, fared better than the control group who had no actual care. However, when the two active groups were compared to each other, the patients who received chiropractic care had results that were "significantly better" than those who took the medications.

Chiropractic: Natural Healing

Because chiropractic care is non-invasive and doesn't use drugs, it helps promote healing without adverse effects. For example, anti-inflammatory drugs can result in ulcers, heart problems, and other serious health issues. Plus, the benefits of chiropractic care last longer as it's purpose designed to resolve the source of the problem, not just treat the symptoms.

If you're ready to get help for your back pain naturally, then chiropractic is for you. Schedule an appointment in our Juneau, AK office with Dr. Messerschmidt today at (907) 789-1344. We'll help improve your back problems in a healthy way!

References

von Heymann WJ, Schloemer P, Timm J, Muehlbauer B. Spinal high-velocity low amplitude manipulation in acute nonspecific low back pain: a double-blind randomized controlled trial in comparison with diclofenac and placebo. Spine 2013;38(7):540-548.

If you are dealing with neck pain after an auto injury, don't despair. Dr. Messerschmidt sees this type of condition frequently in our Juneau, AK office. Let's look at the root cause of neck pain after an auto injury and see how your chiropractor can help.

Even in a collision, your head is rapidly thrown back and forth, so it's not surprising that neck pain is the most common symptom from this type of injury. During even a low speed wreck, your head is exposed to very rapid acceleration. In such accidents, a head that normally weighs about 10 pounds can instantly weigh 80 or more pounds. This force exerts a serious strain on the tissues of the neck. The bones of your spine are held together with strong bands of tissue called ligaments, and these ligaments provide stability for your neck. These ligaments can be sprained during a collision, just as your ankle ligaments can be sprained. A sprain means that the ligament is stretched or torn.

When you experience a sprained ligament, the damaged tissues gets inflamed and tender, and that's what takes place after a car crash. Your chiropractor helps by increasing movement in the injured area, which helps the ligaments heal and helps decrease scar tissue.

Dr. Messerschmidt is here in Juneau, AK to help you recover from neck pain. We've been helping patients since 1983 and we can probably help you, too. The first step is to get an accurate diagnosis to determine what's causing your pain and then we will determine an appropriate treatment plan of action. Ready to make an appointment? Give us a call at (907) 789-1344 and we'll get you back on the road to health.

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.