Areas of Focus
Headaches
Headaches affect almost everyone at some point and they can present themselves in many different ways. The majority of recurrent headaches are of two types: tension (cervicogenic) headaches and migraine headaches. A third, less common type is called a cluster headache - a cousin to the migraine.
Stress may be a headache trigger, but certain foods, odors, menstrual periods, and changes in weather are among many factors that may also trigger headaches.
Back Pain
Eighty percent of people suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. It is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor's office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections. In fact, it is estimated that low back pain affects more than half of the adult population each year.
Neck Pain
The degree of flexibility of the neck, coupled with the fact that it has the least amount of muscular stabilization and it has to support and move your 14 - 16 pound head, means that the neck is very susceptible to injury. Most neck pain is caused by a combination of factors, including injury, poor posture, chiropractic subluxations, stress, and in some instances, disc problems.
When most people become stressed, they unconsciously contract their back and neck muscles. This ‘muscle guarding’ is a survival response designed to guard against injury, but in today’s world this action still occurs whenever we become emotionally stressed, and needs to be relieved using excercise and deep breathing techniques.
Whiplash
By far, the most common injury to the neck is a whiplash injury. Caused by a sudden movement of the head (such as an automobile accident), either falling backwards, forward, or sideways, results in the damage to the supporting muscles, ligaments and other connective tissues in the neck and upper back.
Leg Pain / Sciatica
Sciatica is actually a sign that you have an underlying problem putting pressure on a nerve in your lower back. The most common cause of this nerve compression is a bulging or herniated lumbar disc. Sciatic pain is commonly relieved through a combination of stretches, deep tissue massage of the piriformis muscle and chiropractic care.
Sports Injuries
The primary focus of the chiropractor treating sports injuries is on the spine and surrounding joints that are susceptible to the body contact, fast starts and stops and positioning of the athlete that place unusual strain on the structural system.
Disc Injuries
A herniated spinal disc is a displaced fragment of the center part or nucleus of the disc that is pushed through a tear in the outer layer or annulus of the disc. This condition most commonly affects people between the ages of 30 and 40.
Soft Tissue Injuries
A soft tissue injury is the result of a sprain, strain or bruise to a muscle tendon or ligament. The majority of claims from automobile accidents and injury complaints from athletes relate to soft-tissue problems.
ICBC / WCB
You might be eligible for ICBC coverage after a motor vehicle accident. And WCB will pay for claims to workers who suffer injuries performing work-related activities.
The two most effective ways you can reduce the physical effects of stress on your own are to increase your activity level – exercise – and by deep breathing exercises. When you decrease the physical effects of stress, you can substantially reduce the amount of tightness and pain in your upper back and neck.