Family Care in Oxnard

Chiropractors diagnose and treat many different spinal and extremity disorders that cause musculoskeletal, joint, or nerve pain. Similar to other types of doctors, a chiropractor performs a physical and neurological examination as part of his or her process of making an accurate diagnosis. X-rays, MRI or CT scan studies, and electrodiagnostic studies (EMG/NCV) may be ordered to confirm your diagnosis. Read to learn more about how Oxnard chiropractors can help your entire family!

What is Family Care in Oxnard?

The following highlights several spine-related and injury-induced problems that are commonly presented at a chiropractor’s office.

• Back Sprains: and strains are experienced by approximately three out of four adults. Sprains are caused when ligaments—the tough bands of tissue that hold bones together—become overstretched or torn. Strains involve a muscle and/or a tendon. Either one can occur when you lift too much weight, play a strenuous sport, or even bend or twist improperly during work or regular activities during the day. The pain may be aching, burning, stabbing, tingling, sharp, or dull.
• Cervicogenic Headaches: are caused by referred neck pain. The pain from this type of headache is usually felt at the back of the head, in the temples, and/or behind the eyes. A cervicogenic headache may be mistaken for migraines or cluster headaches.
• Coccydynia: is pain that develops in the spine’s tailbone. Some people who fall down or who ride a bike for a long time may develop coccydynia, which can get worse when sitting. Sometimes the pain begins without any known cause. Interestingly, I have found that this condition more often affects females, probably due to subtleties of the pelvic and sacral anatomy.
• Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD): is usually associated with aging. As you become older, your intervertebral discs - the pillow-like cushions between your vertebrae - can degenerate or break down due to years of strain, overuse, or misuse. The discs may lose flexibility, elasticity, and shock absorption. They also become thinner as they dehydrate.
• Herniated Disc: usually occurs in the neck or low back. A herniated disc can cause pain when the outer ring (annulus) or interior matter (nucleus pulposus) presses on the spinal cord or a nearby nerve root.
• Myofascial Pain: is a chronic pain disorder where pressure on sensitive points in your muscles - called trigger points - can cause deep, aching pain in seemingly unrelated parts of your body. This is known as referred pain. Sometimes myofascial pain feels like a “knot” in your muscle and occurs after a muscle is used repeated, injury, or improper ergonomics (sitting, for example).
• Piriformis Syndrome: may occur when the piriformis muscle (a narrow muscle located in the buttocks) compresses or irritates the sciatic nerve. Symptoms may be called sciatica and may include pain and/or sensations (tingling, numbness) that travel down through the buttock(s) and into one or both legs.
• Sciatica: may occur when the sciatic nerve or a branch of the sciatic nerve is compressed or becomes irritated. The hallmark of sciatica is moderate to severe pain that travels below the knee of one leg. Some people with sciatica describe the pain as sharp, shooting, or similar to an electric shock.
• Short Leg: or leg length discrepancy is also known as limb length discrepancy (one leg is shorter than the other). It can be caused by different types of structural (eg, birth defect) or postural problems (eg, pelvic rotation or tilt).
• Spondylosis: or spinal osteoarthritis may affect the spine’s facet joints or other bones. This type of arthritis is often associated with aging.
• Whiplash: is a hyperflexion/hyperextension injury commonly occurring when a motor vehicle is rear-ended. The neck and head are “whipped” suddenly and quickly forward (hyperflexion) and backward (hyperextension), which may lead to severe neck sprain and/or strain.
• Sports Injuries: from “weekend warriors” or true athletes, active individuals will often respond very positively to chiropractic care, physiotherapy, and other treatment.
• Ergonomic Injuries: typically arise from prolonged sitting in a fixed position in front of your computer. I strongly recommend a simple egg timer set for 45 minutes to an hour; when it dings, stand, stretch for at least 5 minutes, look out the window and let your eyes relax, then go back to work!

Could Chiropractic Care SAVE Your Family Money?

How can we have the most brutally expensive health care system in the world but have such dismal results? This sounds weird to you, right? How can spending money on chiropractic care actually save you money? Even though it seems contradictory, it’s an important concept that every family should pay attention to in today’s reality of soaring health care costs, insurance premiums, and a volatile economy.

The statistics of America’s healthcare show two trends

First: the money we spend on health care AND health insurance (premiums, deductibles, copays, etc.) has absolutely skyrocketed. We now spend an average of nearly $10,000 out of pocket per person on health care expenses: nearly 1 out of every 5 dollars we make.

Second: despite the money we spend on health care expenses, our health as a nation has plummeted. Even though we’re 1st when it comes to spending money on care, we rank 37th in overall health status, 39th for infant mortality, and 36th overall for life expectancy. Not exactly what you’d call “getting our money’s worth.”

I’d like to share a different health care path with you today. A 2007 study done in Illinois found that people who used a Doctor of Chiropractic as their initial portal of entry into the healthcare system had these results:

• 60.2% less in-hospital admissions
• 59.0% less hospital days
• 62.0% less outpatient surgeries and procedures
• 85% less pharmaceutical costs

*JMPT 2007 (May); 30 (4): 263–269

Obviously, you don’t go to your chiropractor for your hepatitis, pneumonia, upper respiratory infections, etc. but for appropriate musculoskeletal conditions. Which, make up a very large percentage of all primary doctors’ visits. I’m recommending for your neck pain, back pain, headaches, etc., come see me first. If I have any doubts whatsoever of your diagnosis, I will immediately refer you back to your primary medical physician or another appropriate doctor!