What's Up Doc?

Health Update: Low Back Pain

2008-10-16T19:21:00.000-05:00

Alternative to Back Surgery?

A recent large-scale study from Great Britain has results that’ll make you wonder whether back surgery is always necessary (Bhattacharyya M. Does the risks and benefits of spinal manipulation in patients with low back pain as a nonsurgical approach translate into better outcomes in routine clinical care: a prospective observational cohort study. J Bone Joint Surg 2008;90B:Suppl.492.). One hundred two patients were followed while they waited to see a spinal surgeon. The patients had disk herniations confirmed by MRI and had sciatic/leg pain. They had also previously tried 4 weeks of medications (non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), which had provided no benefit.

While they waited to see the spinal surgeon, they were referred for manipulations provided by experienced chiropractors. The adjustments were given five days per week. A few patients had some transient increase in pain and there were three treatment failures (out of 102). Overall the results were very encouraging with patients moved off of the surgery wait-list.

But how is this possible? The disks are the hard cartilage separating each vertebra in your lower back. When this ligament sprains it can bulge onto a nearby nerve, causing back pain or pain down your leg. Precise adjustments use the bones as levers to affect the alignment of these vertebrae and the movement of the joints in the lumbar spine. If alignment is improved, then there is better posture and distribution of loads. When the mobility is more symmetrical, this also may prevent unequal loading of the soft tissues. Helping these mechanical aspects to heal can be enough to lessen your pain and help you to regain your quality of life. In some cases, it seems it may even keep you from a potentially unnecessary back operation.

Based on the results of the study, anyone without need of emergency surgery should try chiropractic care before having an elective operation for a disk or sciatica/leg pain disorder. Emergency problems would be symptoms like bowel and bladder dysfunction and numbness over the tailbone or hips. Most patients do not fit into the emergency-surgery camp.

We receive dozens of referrals from Physicians that understand the importance of this and at my offices, we specialize in catering to patients that fall within this category. It is often a sign of the most current / best educated Orthopedic Spinal Surgeons and Neurosurgeons that refer patients to us first in order to restore proper function, decrease inflammation and reduce pain. (Hence, Chiropractic Care and Progressive Rehab) They know and I know, if someone needs surgery they will receive it at the appropriate time. But isn’t it nice to get those who do not need surgery better quickly, with non-surgical methods. After all, the credible spine surgeons that I work with do not EVER want to do surgery on the people that do not need it. Why? Because the outcome will be poor and the post-surgical complaints will be tremendous.

Go to www.Spine-Health.com to learn more about this. If you would like to schedule a complimentary consultation to discuss your complex back problem, or you want a second opinion before trying surgery, just call. The staff is available at 732-797-1771 or 609-569-1040 to make an appointment so that we can discuss your individual health concerns.

YOU MAYBE A CANDIDATE FOR RELIEF!

FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL 732-797-1771 or 609-569-1040

What's Up Doc?

2008-10-07T20:37:00.001-05:00

Health Update: Whiplash

2008-08-25T21:57:00.001-05:00

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Health Update: Whiplash

Can Whiplash Hurt Your Shoulder?

It's probably more common than you think. Whiplash injuries, especially serious ones, are notorious for causing pain and disability beyond the neck. Whiplash is considered a full body disorder and symptoms can range from pain to dizziness, headache and fatigue. Depending on the type of collision and restraints, other body parts may be injured as well. One study (Abbassian A, Giddins GE. Subacromial Impingement in patients with whiplash injury to the cervical spine. J Orthopedic Surgery 2008;3:25.) looked at shoulder complaints in individuals who had suffered a whiplash type of trauma. Out of 220 patients with whiplash, 26% had shoulder symptoms and 5% had what is known as an impingement syndrome.

Referred pain from the neck and nerve injury to the muscles that stabilize the shoulder can give rise to an impingement syndrome. Also, direct trauma from the pressure supplied by a seatbelt during a frontal impact can cause fracturing of cartilage and sprain of the surrounding ligaments. The pointy top of the shoulder is the acromium and some impingements (binding and compression) can affect the tendons of the rotator cuff or other soft tissues just under this bone. Sometimes a bursa (fluid filled sac) can swell during the night causing pain.

Because most patients with whiplash who have shoulder pain are thought to have referred pain from the neck, an impingement syndrome may be overlooked. This can delay treatment, resulting in prolonged disability, pain, and chronicity.

An MRI may be needed to fully diagnose the problem and confirm the lesion. Sometimes the labrum, cartilage surrounding the bone, can break away causing significant pain. There may be inflammation surrounding the different tendons as they are caught between the shoulder bone and the soft tissues. Most shoulder injuries can be conservatively treated and rarely require surgery.

Chiropractors are trained to differentiate between neck and shoulder problems and provide specific treatments to each area. Sometimes, an adjustment may be needed to align the shoulder joint or neck. In other cases the shoulder can be helped by specific exercises for the rotator cuff muscles. The important part of this issue is first getting the problem properly diagnosed! If you don't know what is causing the pain, it is nearly impossible to have a specific, effective solution.

If you would like to schedule a complimentary consultation to address your health concerns, just call one of the girls at 732-797-1771 or 609-569-1040 to make an appointment. We may be able to help you, and if not, we will refer you to a qualified Orthopedic Surgeon that will.

YOU MAYBE A CANDIDATE FOR DRUG FREE RELIEF!

FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL 732-797-1771 or 609-569-1040.

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NEW JERSEY SUPREME COURT BRINGS RELEIF TO CHIROPRACTIC PATIENTS

2008-07-09T14:19:00.003-05:00

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Trenton, NJ; June 18, 2008 – The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled today that it is once again within the chiropractic practice to diagnose, adjust and treat extraspinal joints, such as upper and lower limbs, as long as there is a nexus to the spine.

In April 2007, a New Jersey appellate court ruled in the malpractice case Bedford v. Riello that adjusting extraspinal joints exceeded the state's chiropractic scope of practice. "The ruling by the appellate court contradicted the long-standing position of the New Jersey State Board of Chiropractic Examiners, which has operated under the regulation that allows chiropractors to treat articulations of the spine and related structures," said Dr. Steve Clarke, President of the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors (ANJC).

This decision made New Jersey the only state in the country to prohibit performing extraspinal adjustments.

With the assistance of the ANJC, the appellate decision was appealed to the New Jersey Supreme Court. During the appeal process, licensed chiropractors in the State of New Jersey had to halt adjusting articulations of the extraspinal joints which negatively impacted hundreds of thousands of patients immediately.

Dr. Sigmund Miller, Executive Director of the ANJC, added, "today's Supreme Court ruling brings relief to many thousands of patients who have previously benefited from extraspinal adjustments, and who were deprived of the continuation of their treatment by the decision in the Bedford v. Riello case. This ruling permits highly skilled and trained chiropractors to be able to once again perform these procedures so patients can experience the kind of improved quality of life they've come to expect from receiving chiropractic care."

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Health Update: Low Back Pain

2008-05-21T15:17:00.001-05:00

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Health Update: Low Back Pain

Low Back Pain and Excessive Weight

Two things that are epidemic in the U.S. are low back pain and obesity (being overweight). The two go hand-in-hand and while excessive weight may not be the only cause of your pain, it does makes matters worse by aggravating your pain through increased loading the disks of the low back. In addition, most people with low back pain or who are excessively heavy are also very inactive.

The first step is to perform movements that don't increase pain. For most people, walking can still be done. If your back hurts when you walk or you are so heavy, that walking causes your knees to ache, then you may need to start by walking in a pool. The important thing is to get moving because weight-loss will be helped if you can burn more calories. Walking will also improve the strength of your low back muscles, which may lessen your pain, making exercise more possible.

Over the years, the gradual increase in our waist size just sort of creeps up on us. When our back begins to give way, we then realize what a barrier being overweight has become. It is very common complaint in my practice and not something we joke about. Most other doctors look at the weight as being the problem for what causes the back pain, not the other way around. If someone with back pain could exercise, they would…but when they cannot, they must seek help.

Getting rid of your excessive weight is a simple formula of burning more calories than you consume. But, losing weight is not easy. Your genes will tell you to consume more because eating less than you need in a given day is not life sustaining. If you ate 500 less calories than you need each day, after a year or so, you'd be down to 80 or 90 pounds (depending on where you began) and eventually you would die. This is what you are up against when you're losing weight. The body tells you “don't do this” and gives you the craving to eat what you need. Despite this self-preservation mechanism, losing weight is possible and getting down to a proper weight is doable. For some people, psychological issues may be more at play. Do you eat to cover up or distract you from pain or anxiety? Are you really hungry, or has eating become a way to compensate for something more painful or difficult to confront?

To get you back on track we offer complimentary consultations to see if what we have to offer in restoring your health will be a good fit in meeting your needs. Getting you back to health and losing weight are long-term processes that will require considerable effort and partnership on your part. To schedule a complimentary consultation with a doctor of chiropractic, just call the office in Toms River at 732-797-1771 or in Northfield at 609-569-1040 to make an appointment.

YOU MAYBE A CANDIDATE FOR DRUG FREE RELIEF!

FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL US TODAY

Low Back Pain and Subluxation

2008-02-07T06:26:00.001-05:00

Subluxation means a vertebral joint of the spine is out of its normal position. It's the same as a sprain because the ligaments are stretched when this occurs. But how does a joint get out of its normal position? Usually, the culprit is some sort of trauma but not necessarily at the level of a high fall or a major car accident (although these trauma do cause problems).
Many times, the spine is injured because it is more vulnerable in awkward positions, such as when we bend forward and add a little twist to a lift. Perhaps it's putting a baby seat into the back seat, or pulling weeds in the garden.
For many patients, it's life's trips and tumbles as a child that set the stage for a problem years later. We can all remember how we thought our spines were once invincible. The reality is something much less. Those jumps from the rooftop did have a consequence.

That small sprain of the ligaments did just enough to make the joints function abnormally. Over time the muscles adapt and our movements become less even. Then some twenty years later, a simple sneeze or less throws our back out. Some patients get back pain when they are under work stress or have to sit for long periods of time.

The important thing is to get subluxations reduced or corrected. The adjustments we perform at the clinic are meant to align the spine and make the movements of spine symmetrical from side to side. This tends to reduce the tensions on ligaments and muscles, and most importantly, makes you feel better.
When your spine moves normally, you may have less pain when you exercise or move the spine in a stressful way. We can't make the ligaments perfect, there will always be scar tissue, but we can optimize your life and improve its quality. For many, just working without constant pain can be a real lifesaver. Many patients find their moods improve and they cannot wait to return to the sports or hobbies they once did. This is true wellness, healing not just the body but also the mind. Being in chronic pain is not much fun. While drugs can help many people and get them out of excruciating pain, they do have their limitations. Chiropractic can be a drug-free and natural alternative for health.

If you'd like to schedule a complimentary consultation, just call us in Toms River at 732-797-1771 or in Northfield at 609-569-1040 to schedule an appointment.

Health Update: Fibromyalgia

2008-01-09T22:18:00.001-05:00

Health Update: Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia and Chiropractic?

Because fibromyalgia patients
are often at their wits ends when it comes to finding solutions to their
problem, they are often reluctant to consider options that seem far-fetched,
such as chiropractic. Why is that? My guess is it's because they've not read a
good explanation how treating joint injuries can result in decreased muscle
pain. After all, fibromyalgia pains are more in the muscles rather than the
joints.

Chiropractic care involves adjustment
to joints to help restore mobility and alignment of these structures. But how
is this connected to muscles? Simple, when joints and ligaments are sprained
and not moving correctly, this then results in adaptation to this instability.
The muscles may spasm, become tight, and develop knots such as trigger points.
Muscle function is based on good joint function. If there is an imbalance in
muscle strength, this will then affect the joints and vice versa. So although
chiropractic care is more aimed at joint function, it will have indirect
effects on the muscular movement, which are often impaired in fibromyalgia
cases. Most authorities now agree that a multifaceted approach is needed in
fibromyalgia cases. In addition to addressing joint and nerve function, the
chiropractor can also address the soft tissues through direct treatment such as
massage or trigger point therapy. But more is typically needed and research has
shown the instituting an aerobic and resistance training program can help the
symptoms of fibromyalgia. You may also need to address dietary issues and eat
more foods that promote healing and decrease inflammation. Some patients will
also need supervised weight-loss to get back to the activities they once
enjoyed.

By looking at the muscles,
joints, weight, diet and exercise, we believe you're taking the most holistic
and natural approach to addressing this problem. Some may want to take the
drug/pharmaceutical approach, but this will not be best for everyone. If you've
been down that road already, and have not had lasting results, you may wish to
consider alternatives. Getting healthy can be hard work and it may seem
hopeless at this point, but please don't give up. There are a lot of options
for care.

Just call Melissa in Toms
River at 732-797-1771 or Kerri/Stacy in Northfield at 609-569-1040 and discover
the approach we offer here in our office. We can schedule you for a
complimentary no obligation consultation to find out if our comprehensive
program may be right for you.

Health Update: Whiplash and Your Ligaments

2007-12-09T13:39:00.000-05:00

Whiplash and Your Ligaments

Most people who get a whiplash-like injury think it is caused by a problem in their muscles. It's easy to see this why this may be the case since muscle pain following car accidents is so common. Deep pain and even spasm can occur after severe trauma resulting in daily pain and even headaches. Since our 10-12 pound head is attached to our necks, by muscles that go into the shoulder region, whiplash can feel like a muscle pull and taking muscle relaxants seems a reasonable approach.

Although tears of muscles fibers do occur in whiplash, these can heal rather quickly due to the rich blood supply. The ligaments such as disks hold the joints of the neck together keeping the nerves from being pressed upon and stretched. These are the structures that are critically injured during whiplash. The muscles that contract to protect the joints from moving too much are generally less of a problem than when the ligaments are injured. A recent study (BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2006;21:103) showed that after whiplash, the strength of the neck ligaments is further reduced. This means that you are more susceptible to getting injured if you previously suffered a trauma.

To detect ligament injuries you can look at MRIs immediately after the trauma. In many cases they can show small tears or the inflammation and swelling that goes with tears of these important structures.

You can also have stress x-rays taken in the positions of forward and backward bending. These types of x-rays can show which ligaments have been traumatized and are allowing the bones of the neck to move too much. When this increased motion is severe, this is called instability. Some newer MRI machines can scan in different positions so that the tears and their motion effects are seen with one test. Some people may find the MRI scanner to be a bit restrictive or claustrophobic. X-rays are usually the most practical and least costly choice.

A thorough examination is needed following whiplash, including these stress x-rays. Neurological tests are also required to see if your nerves have been injured. Our office is always available to consult with you about your health concerns. Just call Dr. Rizzo at 609-569-1040 or 732-797-1771 to schedule an appointment. A proper care plan begins with an accurate diagnosis. It's important to know about the condition of your ligaments after a whiplash, it's not just a pulled muscle.

Health Update: Headaches

2007-11-08T08:06:00.001-05:00

Headaches are letting you know.....

.....that there is a problem. Our bodies often let us know there is something not quite right, but are we listening? Too often in life, with hectic day to day schedules, getting the kids to school and so on, we cannot be troubled by these little warning signs. So we often just take a pill to mask the pain and get on with our lives. But is this the best way to react to a warning, a signal?

If the smoke alarm shrilled in your home, what would you do? I hope you would get out as quickly as possible and call 911. Would you say to yourself, "maybe it will go away?" I hope not. And if there were a fire, would stopping the alarm help a raging inferno? Most likely this will help things very little.

What if the alarm started to give little beeps (letting you know to change the battery). Would you change it with a fresh one or just remove it from the device?

I think most homeowners know the answers to these simple questions. And you would think that we would give the same correct concern when are bodies give us warning signals.

Unfortunately we often pay more attention to warning signs from our homes and automobiles (like that little clicking sound), than the most important house of all-our bodies.

When your neck muscles ache, this is a signal. When you turn your head and hear clicking sounds, this is another signal. And when a headache occurs, the signal is getting louder and louder. But are we listening?

It's better to think of these signals as just that, signals- not the actual problem. So when you take a drug to stop the signal, rarely is the actual problem being addressed.

So how are your signals and alarms?

Do you seem to take medications on a weekly or daily basis? A headache pill here and there is rarely an issue. But incorporating pain pills as part of your daily diet may be a health concern. They are not considered one of the five basic food groups. Side effects from these types of medications are rare, but the risks do increase with long-term use. Do you go through a small bottle each month?

If you have a health concern or want to know what are the best approaches for tackling this difficult problem and need to schedule an appointment for a consultation, call 732-797-1771 or 609-569-1040.

Congratulations to our iPod winners!

2007-10-08T15:07:00.000-05:00

Whiplash and Treatment Delay: Does it Matter?

2007-10-08T15:06:00.000-05:00

Health Update: Whiplash

Whiplash and Treatment Delay: Does it Matter?

When a person is involved in a car accident, the two inevitable questions come up: 1. Should I see a doctor? 2. Will my insurance pay for the consultation? In ALL cases, the answer is yes! But why is this important?

A collision between two vehicles imparts a considerable amount of force on the body and spine. Even in low speed collisions, the forces add up to several times the force of gravity. So what does this mean? It means your body generally cannot resist such large forces without being injured. These injuries may be minor, such as a muscle strain or more substantial, involving stretching of the disks and ligaments of the spine.

Will these injuries always cause pain right after the collision? Only if there is severe damage to tissues will you experience immediate pain after a collision. In fact, having instant severe pain is a good indicator that you suffered a severe trauma. But most low speed collisions do not produce this type of instantaneous and intense pain. Instead, the person may feel "shaken up" or a little stiff. Unfortunately many patients interpret this stiffness as nothing more than a simple muscle strain and do not seek medical or chiropractic attention. Up to two weeks can go by before you start to feel the effects of a whiplash injury. This is why it is important to see a doctor immediately to see if things are truly ok following an accident.

Only a doctor can examine your spine, pressing on different structures and seeing if your movements are fluid, pain-free and symmetrical. You will find it difficult to do this type of examination on yourself. In addition, x-rays may be needed to see the posture and alignment of your cervical spine. If you had radiating pain or symptoms of a brain injury, then an MRI may also be needed to see the soft tissues that x-rays cannot detect.

Without these types of important examinations it is hard to say if you've been injured significantly following an accident. Treatment delay, if you have been injured, will not help to get you back to health quickly. In fact, if you limited your activities and neck movements, this could impair your function down the road. Simply taking over the counter pain medications to restore the alignment of your spine will not be enough.

If you have a health concern or want to know what are the best approaches for tackling this difficult problem and need to schedule an appointment for a consultation, call 732-797-1771 for Toms River or 609-569-1040 in Northfield.

Health Update: Low Back Pain

2007-08-09T19:07:00.000-05:00

Low Back Pain: Getting Back Your Balance

Our sense of balance comes from a few different areas of the body. The inner ear gives us input on the position of our head and whether we are moving. This is combined with input from the eyes, which gives similar information. Most people think this is where it ends, but the spine is also integral to maintaining proper balance.

Tiny nerve endings in the spinal column send information about position and movement up the spinal cord, and into our brains where it is integrated with information from the ears and eyes. A person can become imbalanced through disease in any of these areas: eyes, ears, and spine. Inner ear infections, but also head and neck trauma can dislodge tiny particles in the inner ear that give us balance feedback. The spine can also be primarily injured through traumas to ligaments and muscles. In addition to neck trauma, patients with low back trauma can also have their balance affected.

Patients with chronic low back pain tend to have more sway to their posture, which means there is less margin for error if one trips or misses a step. There is also reduced response time, which is needed for unexpected events. Part of the rehabilitation of chronic low back pain involves getting back the sense of balance if it has been affected.

You may find when your postural muscles are strengthened, back pain is reduced. Even more important than this, strengthened postural muscles can help prevent falls, which occur more frequently when your sense of balance is affected by disease.

Can you stand on one leg for five seconds or twenty? Have you fallen or had a few near misses in the past month? Have you broken a bone due to a fall?

We can diagnose why you may be suffering from balance problems and low back pain. A home exercise and balance program can be prescribed to make sure your spinal muscles and joints give proper input into the brain. You'll probably start by standing on one leg, if you can do that, and then progress slowly through more challenging postures, such as bending your knee, or moving one leg around. It's important that a doctor evaluate you before commencing with balance treatments. You do not want to fall during your exercises.

If you have a health concern or want to know what are the best approaches for tackling this difficult problem and need to schedule an appointment for a consultation, call 732-797-1771 or 609-569-1040. We have offices in Toms River and Northfield, with available hours that will fit in with your busy schedule.

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INFLAMMATORY BREAST CANCER (IBC)

2007-08-09T19:04:00.000-05:00

Dear Practice Members, Friends and Colleagues,

As most of you know, my emails are humorous or an opportunity for me to complain about something. This is not one of those. This is something serious!

I wanted to take a moment and update you on a topic that is very important and often not well understood. It is vital that people, especially women, are aware of this form of cancer. Inflammatory Breast Cancer.

As you know, this is not my subspecialty. As a chiropractic physician, I refer out all conditions that are not in my area of specialization. However many friends and practice members will ask me non- chiropractic questions, and I welcome those questions because often I am the only Doctor that they are comfortable to speak with. Regarding this topic, education is key.

A patient once came to me after a car accident. Her chest was bruised and very tender from the impact of the collision, the airbag, the seatbelt, etc... Upon inspection, something did not look right. When I asked some additional questions, she told me the breast had been swollen for a few weeks prior to the accident, was very sore and tender to the touch. Now, the pain was nearly unbearable. She denied any lumps and had reported that she had gotten a mammogram two months prior. I recommended that she see her OB/Gyn at once, and I was later told that she had stage three breast cancer. She has since died.

At that time, I had only heard of this condition in a classroom. My knowledge of cancer such as these were limited. But if I knew very little of something like this, most people may not know about this at all. Recently, a friend reminded me of the importance of this condition. I would like to educate you about this, as it is a silent killer.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer is a dreadful condition that is near and dear to me. In my short career, several patients have had this form of cancer and each one missed the symptoms of the condition thinking that it was an infection. Please read more about this and look at the enclosed links to learn more about something that is a hidden killer of so many.

What is Inflammatory Breast Cancer?

INFLAMMATORY BREAST CANCER (IBC) is an advanced and accelerated form of breast cancer usually not detected by mammograms or ultrasounds. Inflammatory breast cancer requires immediate aggressive treatment with chemotherapy prior to surgery and is treated differently than more common types of breast cancer. "African Americans have a higher incidence of IBC than do Caucasians and other ethnic groups (10.1%, 6.2%, and 5.1%, respectively)." source

If you have additional questions about this or need recommendations, please don't hesitate to speak with me about this topic next time you are in the office.

Dr. Barry Rizzo
www.doctorrizzo.com

Athletes and Heat Stroke - by Dr Rizzo

2007-07-02T08:51:00.000-05:00

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Athletes notoriously ignore warnings about this.

Why?

Because many athletes train and push themselves year round. They have trained in the hot weather before. Part of their training is a pounding heart and heavy breathing.

They’ve “been there, done that” and survived.

Right?

That’s exactly what put them at the most risk. We have all heard about football players dying during summer camp workouts. There is a difference between a “pounding heart” and a safe aerobic heart rate. There is also a difference between breathing hard and gasping. Experts warn: In extreme conditions, progressing into heat stroke can be a matter of minutes. The quickly developing symptoms can include: dry skin, high body temperature (above 105), rapid pulse, lethargy, disorientation, delirium, and coma.

That’s why heat stroke is often fatal – even with rapid first aid or medical care to reduce the body’s burning, fever-like temperature as quickly as possible.

Once Again…the remedy…….. WATER!

Besides knowing your risk factors, limiting strenuous activity and spending time in air conditioned rooms, drinking enough water is extremely valuable. As the temperature rises, so should the amount you drink. But do not rely on thirst. Experts warn thirst is not a good indicator of the amount of water you need. When sweating heavily, healthy adults need to drink 16 to 32 ounces of cool (not cold) fluids each hour.

For more information about this topic, please do not hesitate to speak with us. We are here to help.
For more information please visit http://www.doctorrizzo.com

The Silent Whiplash

2007-06-06T13:21:00.000-05:00

Health Update From Doctorrizzo.com: Whiplash

If you've watched small kids tumble and play, it can seem pretty rough to an adult. As we age, we know that balancing on our heads or whipping our necks around can only cause trouble. Most adults understand this point but seem to think children are more immune to problems for some reason. But is this plausible? Are kids really injury-proof? Not likely and recent research shows that degeneration of the spinal disks can occur at a much earlier age than previously thought. MRI studies of child athletes show this to be the case.

So what happens when a kid takes a whollup to the head, or slips and falls onto the kitchen floor? Besides a blow to the head, the neck can and does get injured from these types of forces. Because of a child's age, the pain may only last a few days but a silent problem can develop. A small sprain to the ligaments of the neck that hold the vertebrae in their proper position can only be diagnosed through x-ray. But most kids don't get films taken. When the pain goes away we think the actual problem has gone away too.

Over time, the improper alignment and disrupted motion can lead to degeneration arthritis. This, in turn, will lead to stiffness and interfere with our quality of life.

So can a whiplash be a silent injury? Most likely yes, but over time it will eventually rear its ugly head. Then, when we finally visit a doctor, we are told of disk degeneration and we really don't know why this is the case. Is it old age? Well, the disks that are not degenerated are the same age as the disks that are a problem. So it really can't be an old age problem. Maybe it's an older discovery, but the problem existed long before. These minor tumbles and whiplashes we experience in our youth do have lasting consequences.

My name is Dr. Barry Rizzo and my specialty is spinal problems, and correcting them when they happen. X-rays are often needed to detect silent alignment problems of the neck caused by falls and whipping motions. By addressing seemingly silent problems early, I believe you will have the best chance for avoiding pain and lack of function down the road. Please call for an appointment for yourself or your child, so that a comprehensive assessment can be made.

YOU MAYBE A CANDIDATE FOR DRUG FREE RELIEF!
FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION CALL 732-797-1771 or 609-569-1040.
For more information please visit http://www.doctorrizzo.com