Let’s talk about shoulder pain. Many people think of chiropractors only in the context of back pain, neck pain, and headaches because we have reams of research that prove that we do very well with these things. But it’s much less well known by the general population that chiropractors can be very effective at treating shoulders. CAUSES OF SHOULDER PAIN When we discuss shoulder pain, understand that, much like back pain, there are a lot of different causes. Your shoulder pain may not be like any of the types we will cover here. It is essential to get a correct diagnosis from your medical doctor, chiropractor, and physical therapist before you begin any treatment programs. The shoulder is a complex collection of joints, muscles, and connective tissues designed to have extra range of motion compared to our hips, but...
If you’ve been to other medical office visits before, some of this might sound very common sense, BUT many of our patients come into our office wondering what to expect. So, we wanted to share a little bit about what happens during your visit so you have a better understanding of what will happen before you get to the Nightlight Chiropractic office in downtown Orlando. The first thing you should expect is to know the cost. This is actually very different than many doctor’s office visits but we feel it’s very important to understand the financial impact of your care before we begin anything. Most often the front office staff will verify your insurance before you come in or occasionally use our web portals with many insurance providers to look up the cost for your care while you are filling out paperwork....
Would it surprise you to know that 1 in 20 Americans has a headache EVERY DAY? Does that sound like you or someone you know? For the majority of the rest of us, headaches range from occasional to frequent, but nearly everyone experiences headaches at some point. When I finished chiropractic school in 2006, there was relatively little research on chiropractic care for most types of headaches. Chiropractors knew that we could help, but we just didn’t have the research or the mechanism of action to explain why adjusting a patient’s neck could help with their headaches. Well, the research has caught up, so let’s cover HOW it works. All headaches come from the same area of your brain called the trigeminocervical nucleus, which is actually located in the upper part of your neck rather than your head. A...
1. Pain in the bottom of your heel? If you Google it, you’ll probably come up with plantar fasciitis, but chances are good that you actually have plantar fasciosis and can fix it yourself in about two weeks. All you need is a toe spacer. If you wear it 24/7 (except when in the shower) for two weeks, it will create better blood flow to your heel and may even save you a costly trip to the podiatrist. 2. Ankle pain when running? Have you heard of “lace-locking” your shoes? This will keep your heels snug and secure without crushing your toes. Don’t cinch down too tight though as your ankle needs some room to move while you run. 3. Looking for the perfect breakfast? For more than 100 years, the answer has been eggs. Two hard-boiled eggs have...
Primary care medical doctors often refer their patients who have been suffering from upper back and shoulder pain to us. Many of those patients describe their symptom as “pain under my shoulder blade.” Doctors who are trained to analyze musculoskeletal complaints will refer these cases they label “rib fixation.” What that means is the inflammation of the muscles and nerves in the area where the joint, which connects the rib to the spine, is not moving properly. This condition can transfer pain into the arm if it begins to affect the group of nerves that transition nerves from the neck to the arm (the brachial plexus). So how does a rib fixation occur and what can be done to fix it? Rib head fixations happen when there is abnormal biomechanical stress put onto the upper back (thoracic spine) and...
Do you wake up every morning with excruciating pain in the bottom of your foot? If so, then you are among the nearly 10% of people who will experience heel pain at some point in their lives. Our Orlando staff regularly treats patients with musculoskeletal conditions and one of the most common diagnoses we see for foot conditions is plantar fasciitis. Though this may be a term you’ve heard before, it’s important to understand the differences between fasciitis and a similar-sounding condition called fasciosis which has a dramatically different treatment. Plantar fasciitis (pronounced: fa-SITE-iss) The plantar fascia is the web-like structural ligament connecting the heel to the bones near the ball of the foot and toes. This ligament or tissue provides structural support to the arch of the foot and is prone to injury with overuse and decreased circulation....