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What Are the Main Reasons to Get Spinal Manipulation Therapy?

You’re sitting at your desk, hours into a work marathon, and you feel that all-too-familiar ache in your back and neck. Or maybe you’re a weekend warrior who’s pushed a bit too hard on the field, now grappling with stiffness and discomfort. Spinal manipulation therapy can help. This treatment increasingly sought after not just for pain relief but for a spectrum of health benefits. Let’s take a closer look at why this therapy is becoming a trusted treatment for so many.

Treating Chronic Back and Neck Pain

Consider the countless people who spend hours hunched over computers. For them, back and neck pain is often a constant companion. Spinal manipulation therapy offers relief without the need for pain medication. It’s about realigning that weary spine, easing the ache that creeps up after long hours in front of a screen.

Boosting Physical Function

Spinal manipulation therapy is giving athletes a true competitive edge. It can improve joint mobility, increase flexibility, and enhance overall function. It’s like giving the body a tune-up for optimum performance and, importantly, reducing the risk of future injuries.

Relieving Chronic Headaches

Anyone who’s ever been plagued by chronic headaches knows how debilitating they can be. Spinal manipulation can help, especially for people whose headaches stem from neck issues. Many patients report a much-needed break from the relentless throb of headaches after spinal manipulation therapy.

Correcting Poor Posture

Poor posture is common, but spinal manipulation therapy helps realign things, particularly targeting those neck and upper back issues that arise from too much screen time. Regular sessions can straighten out that slouch, leading to less pain and, in turn, a better mood.

Reducing Stress

There’s an unexpected bonus to spinal manipulation therapy—stress relief. Many people experience significant mental relaxation after spinal manipulation therapy’s physical release of tight muscles and joints. Imagine walking out of a session feeling lighter, both physically and mentally.

Supporting the Body’s Innate Healing Abilities

Spinal manipulation therapy isn’t just a band-aid solution. It enhances the body’s natural healing abilities. By improving nerve function through spinal health, it supports the body’s own systems, paving the way for overall wellness.

Discover the Transformative Benefits of Spinal Manipulation Therapy at Impact Medical Group of Sarasota

Spinal manipulation isn’t just a pain-relief technique—it’s a path to holistic health. Ready to unlock the full benefits of this revolutionary treatment? Contact Impact Medical Group of Sarasota today at (941) 722-8103 to schedule your free medical evaluation!

What Are the Most Common Foot Injuries Caused by Motorcycle Accidents?

Imagine a regular weekend ride turning into a visit to the emergency room—that’s what happened to a seasoned motorcycle rider who was involved in an unfortunate accident. It was a sharp reminder that while motorcycles offer a sense of freedom, they also pose risks, especially to the body’s unsung heroes—the feet. Foot injuries from a motorcycle accident can range from minor to major. Here are some of the most common.

1. Fractures

The most frequent injury motorcyclists encounter is fractures. In a crash, feet can become trapped or crushed, leading to broken bones. These injuries range from simple, needing only a cast, to complex fractures requiring surgery. They’re a harsh reminder of the dangers bikers face.

2. Sprains and Strains

Motorcycle accidents often cause the foot to twist or turn unnaturally, leading to sprains and strains. These injuries, involving ligaments and muscles, can be quite severe and demand careful treatment. They’re deceptive, often seeming less serious than they are.

3. Dislocations

In accidents, the intense force can displace foot bones. Dislocations are not only painful but can lead to long-term problems like arthritis if not properly managed. Immediate medical care is essential to realign and stabilize the affected bones.

4. Lacerations and Abrasions

Contact with the road can cause cuts and scrapes. While they may appear minor, these injuries can become serious if infected. Protective gear helps, but these injuries remain common in motorcycle accidents.

5. Crush Injuries

When a motorcycle falls, it can pin the rider’s foot, resulting in crush injuries. These are severe and can have lasting effects, including the risk of amputation in extreme cases.

6. Tendon Damage

Tendons in the foot can be damaged during a motorcycle crash, often leading to pain and limited mobility. These injuries require careful assessment and treatment to ensure proper healing and prevent long-term dysfunction.

7. Nerve Damage

Nerve damage in the foot can result from trauma during an accident. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to weakness, affecting the rider’s ability to walk or ride again. Nerve injuries can be subtle and may not manifest immediately, which is why it’s so important to get a thorough medical examination immediately after an accident.

Hurt in a Motorcycle Accident? Seek Medical Attention Immediately

From fractures to crush injuries, these foot injuries are a real risk for motorcyclists. Prompt medical attention is crucial, even for injuries that seem minor. Impact Medical Group of St. Petersburg is your partner in recovery. Call us today at (727) 722-8103 to schedule your free medical evaluation.

What Are The Best Non-Surgical Treatments For Back Pain?

Back pain can be debilitating, and is considered chronic if it lasts three months or longer. Whether caused by an accident or from a chronic degenerative condition, dealing with back pain can be frustrating.

While surgery can be an option to combat back pain, at our care clinic at Impact Medical Sun City Center, we like to take a more holistic, natural approach to treating pain. Follow us as we explore some of our favorite non-surgical treatments for back pain. Don’t give up hope, there is a treatment that can help!

Common Causes of Back Pain

Back pain can be caused by a muscle strain, overuse, or an accident. We consider it chronic when it lasts for 3 months or more.

The most common causes include:

• Spinal arthritis: Caused by the gradual thinning of the cartilage of the spine.
• Spinal stenosis: The narrowing of the spinal canal that can cause nerve pain.
• Myofascial pain syndrome: Causes muscle pain without a clear cause.
• Herniated or bulging discs
• Obesity
• Osteoporosis

If you have back pain, you should not feel pressured to undergo surgery, as they are often invasive and can have painful side effects. We like to think of it as a last resort after other options have been exhausted.

Non-Surgical Treatment for Back Pain

We like to suggest these medication-free treatments and modalities as the first step in treating chronic back pain:

Physical Therapy

Improving your posture, strength, and flexibility through targeted stretches, movement, and core-building exercises can help reduce back pain.

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractors use hands-on manipulation to properly align the body’s musculoskeletal structure, generally the spine. This enables the body to heal itself without surgery or painkillers.

Chiropractic treatments can relieve pain in the muscles, joints, bones, and connective tissues in the body.

Manual Therapy

Hand pressure can help reduce tension, relieve joint pain, and help ease any inflammation that you may have from an injury or chronic pain.

Water Therapy

Water creates the optimal environment to perform exercises and stretches that can help improve your flexibility, balance, and strength.

The buoyancy of water helps relieve the pressure the body feels on land, thus allowing the pressure in between vertebrae to ease which leads to lasting relief when back on land.

Lifestyle Changes

By following an active lifestyle and eating a healthy diet, patients can prevent some of the back pain that is caused by obesity which often puts pressure on the spine and its discs.

Also, avoiding smoking is key to preventing back pain and leading a healthy lifestyle.

Osteopathic Manipulation

Gentle pressure, stretching, and specially applied resistance can relieve joint discomfort and improve overall blood flow and therefore muscle balance.

Injections

Nerve blocks and trigger point injections can be greatly beneficial for chronic back pain. These procedures work best when the source of back pain is known, but they are not generally intended as a long-term solution for treating back pain.

Epidural injections involve steroids administered into the epidural space which surrounds the spinal cord. A fluoroscopy, which is a live x-ray, guides the epidural needle into the correct area. By relieving the inflammation surrounding a compressed nerve root, these injections provide temporary pain relief.

The overall goal is to control pain which allows patients to take part in physical and other manual therapies.

Alternative Treatments

Acupuncture, biofeedback therapy, electrical nerve stimulation, and other alternative treatments can also be beneficial for chronic back pain, especially when used in conjunction with the above therapies.

Get Relief from Back Pain Today

This year, say goodbye to chronic back pain with the help of our team at Impact Medical Sun City Center. With treatments ranging from chiropractic and manual therapy to pain management injections, and physical therapy, we can design a treatment plan specifically for your unique needs.

Let this year be the year you put back pain in the rearview. Contact us at Impact Medical Sun City Center to schedule a consultation today at (813) 938-5195!

Does A Pain Management Doctor Really Differ From A Regular Physician?

You may have never heard of a pain management doctor, but they have an integral role in helping people heal. Simply, pain management doctors are professionals who specialize in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of pain and are often board-certified in a specific modality such as sports injury, chronic pain, or cancer.

Our team at Impact Medical Zephyrhills explains how pain management doctors differ from primary care physicians (PCPs) and discusses what conditions they often treat.

Pain Management: An Overview

Most pain management doctors see patients who are suffering from chronic pain. Sometimes it can be hard to pinpoint where the pain originates from, and this is where a pain management doctor can be greatly beneficial as they can help target and treat the source.

Most often, pain management doctors treat pain in the:

• Low back
• Knee
• Head
• Hip
• Neck

They commonly work hand in hand with patients who are suffering from:

• Arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Migraines
• Sciatica

So, now that we’ve discussed an overview of what pain management doctors treat, let’s discuss what exactly they do that differs from regular physicians.

What Do Pain Management Doctors Do?

Let’s consider back pain as an example. You may have been experiencing back pain for several years and are finally at your wit’s end because you haven’t been able to find relief. A pain management doctor can help diagnose the cause of the pain and any underlying conditions that may be exacerbating it.

Back pain could be caused by poor posture, a herniated disc, or arthritis among many other things. If you haven’t had luck pinpointing exactly what is causing your pain, a pain management doctor could be the answer!

Once they have diagnosed your pain, they can find a therapy that will work best for you including:

• Chiropractic care
• Weight loss
• Manual therapy
• Physical therapy
• Exercise
• Pain injections
• And more

If none of these methods are effective, surgery is usually the last resort.

Benefits of Pain Management

While primary care physicians are knowledgeable about many health conditions, they do not have the time or same level of training on specific conditions that specialists in pain management have.

The main benefits include:

• Access to specialty equipment and treatment options that are targeted toward treating different types of pain
• Highly personalized care that treats the cause, not the symptoms
• Up-to-date research and innovation in chronic pain
• The use of several treatment modalities that work together fosters pain relief

You generally won’t experience these at your primary care physician’s office, which is why they often refer patients to us for help.

Contact Impact Medical Zephyrhills

Living with chronic pain is something that you don’t have to put up with anymore. Why not wave goodbye to your pain and visit our team at Impact Medical Zephyrhills? We have a wide range of professionals, including manual therapists, chiropractors, physical therapists, and primary care physicians, all under one roof to help you manage your pain.

Don’t wait. Let this year be the year you get help for your chronic pain. Schedule a pain management consultation by calling Impact Medical Zephyrhills today at (813) 706-5156!