Chiropractor Knoxville Nathan Leavitt DC

Almost everyone will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives.  Back pain can be acute or chronic and is often caused by poor posture and wear and tear on the spine.  It may also be caused from accidents or disease.  People who are more likely to suffer from back pain include pregnant women, smokers and people that lift heavy items on a regular basis.  According to recent studies, chiropractic treatments are the most effective way to improve the quality of life for individuals suffering from chronic back pain.  A 2003 American Medical Association publication, the Journal of the Spine, reported that chiropractic care was five times more effective than treatment using Celebrex or Vioxx.

Back pain is the most common reason for a person to see a chiropractor.  Low back pain is the most common type of back pain for a visit to the chiropractor.  Low back pain is often accompanied by sciatica.  This is a condition where the longest nerve in the body or sciatic nerve becomes irritated or inflamed causing pain, numbness or tingling down the leg.  The symptoms often stem from irritation of the root of the sciatic nerve which is in the low back.  Chiropractic spinal adjustments help to take stress off the spinal discs and nerves to relieve low back pain and sciatica and restore normal function.

Many people also seek chiropractic treatment for upper back pain.  This is basically pain that people feel in the thoracic spine or the area above the low back.  Upper back pain is often caused by misaligned spinal bones in this region.  Chiropractic treatment is effective in helping to realign misaligned spinal bones and removing nerve irritation which commonly triggers the pain in this area.

Scoliosis is another cause of back pain which is an abnormal curvature of the spine.  Scoliosis affects about two percent of the population.  Scoliosis can result in abnormal pressure on the delicate nerves and discs between the spinal bones which will result in pain and dysfunction of the body.  Chiropractors help to relieve this stress through chiropractic adjustments.

As chiropractors perform spinal adjustments to relieve back pain, people also report significant improvement in mobility of their back and spine.  Chiropractic care can help an individual to avoid bed rest for back pain which has shown to cause further injury to the back.  Chiropractic can also help to avoid back surgery and medication which can both be risky with harmful side effects.  Some of the side effects from medication include fatigue, depression, gastrointestinal injury and decreased bone mass.

-Nathan Leavitt DC

Chiropractor Knoxville TN

Fibromyalgia is a syndrome that manifests itself through various symptoms.  The symptoms can differ from individual to individual.   The disorder is diagnosed through a process of elimination when there are no other explanations for the symptoms.   To diagnose an individual with fibromyalgia, the individual must have widespread pain throughout the body that is continuous for at least three months duration.  The person must also have at least 11 of 18 tender points. Tender points are designated spots in various locations in the body that are painful with approximately 9 pounds of pressure.  This is enough pressure to make the nail bed of the finger whiten when the pressure is applied.

Fibromyalgia is a complex disorder for which there is no known permanent cure.  Chiropractic treatment has helped many people suffering from fibromyalgia to have a significant reduction in symptoms and live a better quality of life.  Research has suggested that the symptoms of fibromyalgia are brought on by a disorder of the nervous system.

Fibromyalgia sufferers have abnormalities in chemical compounds or neurotransmitters that transmit nerve impulses causing the nerves to become hypersensitive.  The hypersensitivity of the nerves makes them more likely to experience pain than others as pain signals are carried to the brain through the nerves.

Chiropractic is based on the theory that the health and function of the body is controlled by the nervous system.  Because of chiropractor’s expertise in working with the nervous system, they are well managed to help with this disorder.  The symptoms of fibromyalgia often affect the entire body in various different ways.  Chiropractors take a holistic approach which looks at the body as a whole and supports the body’s natural ability to heal itself.  Chiropractic can help to avoid other invasive treatment which often have harmful side effects including unnecessary surgeries.

On the initial visit, the chiropractic physician will perform a complete health history and a physical evaluation.  The chiropractor will check the person’s spinal alignment.  Abnormal spinal alignment is a common reason for irritation of the nervous system which can cause hypersensitivity of the nerves  and trigger the symptoms of fibromyalgia.  The chiropractor will also palpate the muscles and soft tissue and check the 18 tender points.

To help with the symptoms of fibromyalgia, the chiropractor may perform adjustments to the spine to help remove nerve irritation and relax tight muscles.  Chiropractic adjustments are performed using the hands and consist of a quick thrust to the affected area of the spine.  Many people suffering from the symptoms of fibromyalgia report an immediate reduction of symptoms following a chiropractic adjustment.  Pain symptoms that are felt in various parts of the body, not just the spine, often diminish or disappear completely.  Other common problems of fibromyalgia such as disrupted sleep, fatigue and depression often disappear as well.

We appreciate your confidence and trust in us.  If you or a loved one are suffering from fibromyalgia, please call us today.

-Nathan Leavitt DC

Chiropractors Knoxville TN

Chiropractic is an effective non-surgical option for the treatment of disc problems.  You may have heard of the term slipped disc, bulging disc or herniated disc.  The term slipped disc has become popular, although it is misnamed since the discs don’t really slip.  There is a disc between each of the vertebrae of the spine.   The discs are attached to the vertebra above and below.   The discs are like cushions that act as shock absorbers and help to distribute the compressive forces on our spine.  They prevent the bones of the spine from rubbing against each other.

Imagine if you were jumping up and down and didn’t have any cushions or discs to support the stack of bones in your spine.  Without the discs, your spine wouldn’t function or last very long.  The discs consist of an annulus fibrosus or outer layer and the nucleus pulposus which is a soft, gelatinous center.  When cracks occur in the outer layer, the gelatinous center part can push out.  There are several factors that can lead to this herniation of the disc.  Poor posture or being overweight can cause abnormal pressure on the disc.  It may also be the result of trauma to the disc for such as in an auto accident.

The problem may start off small and gradually get worse over time.  Symptoms may not be felt until years later from when the problem first started.  When the symptoms begin you may feel a sharp pain in your back when you sneeze or bend over to pick something up.  The discs of the spine need water to be healthy and function properly.  As we age, the discs become less hydrated which can cause the discs to lose their normal height.  The discs can become hard and brittle and become more vulnerable to cracks and tears in the outer layer of the discs.

Chiropractors are well trained to handle disc problems of the spine.  Chiropractors will perform a detailed evaluation of the entire spine.  The spine functions as a whole and mechanical problems in one area of the spine can affect another area of the spine.   They will also look for misaligned spinal bones which can result in disc problems.

It is similar to the alignment of a car.  When a car is misaligned, it can cause abnormal wearing out of the tires.  When the bones of the spine are misaligned, the motion of the joints of the spine will be abnormal.  The bones will no longer glide correctly and cause abnormal pressure on the discs as you move.  When the bones are out of alignment the spinal joints become fixated and the body can no longer get water and nutrients to the disc.  The discs rely on a pumping action created by movement to draw fluid and nutrients into the disc and to pump toxins out.

To treat a herniated disc or other disc problems, your chiropractor will develop a specialized treatment plan that will include spinal manipulation and other techniques to help restore motion and alignment to the spinal joints.  This will help take pressure of the discs and help them to function normally again.  Many people seek chiropractic care for disc problems.  Chiropractic is natural and supports the body’s ability to heal itself.  Many people get effective relief of disc problems through chiropractic.

-Nathan Leavitt DC

Chiropractors Knoxville TN

Bursitis is basically inflammation of a bursa which is a fluid filled sac that provides smooth motion between two uneven surfaces.  There are various bursas located around the hip, but by far the one that is injured the most is the trochanteric bursa.  This bursa rests between the bony prominence of the outside of the hip or greater trochanter and the tendon that passes over this bone.  When this sac becomes inflamed, it becomes irritated each time the tendon moves over the bone.  This can be quite painful and make walking or other activities that require use of the legs difficult.

The bursa is injured in a few different ways.  It may occur through direct trauma to the bursa, such as a fall on the outer hip, or through repetitive friction from the overlying tendons and muscles, such as when running.   Biomechanical abnormalities such as a misaligned hip joint or other joints can also result in abnormal pressure on the bursa and surrounding soft tissue.  If the foot is turned out or pronated it can result in bursitis of the hip because the pronated foot causes the knee to fall inward and increases the angle of the hip.  This causes abnormal pressure on the soft tissues that surround the bursa resulting in inflammation of the bursa.

Trochanteric bursitis is often noticed during activities such as running, climbing up the stairs or getting up from the seated position.  Being overweight can result in increased stress on the bursa.  The pain will often gradually get worse over time.  The pain will usually increase when you push on the outside of the hip.  The pain may also radiate down the outside of the thigh, especially if the iliotibial band or IT band is involved.

Hip pain is often assumed to be arthritis, but is often not the case.  It is often due to injury or irritation of the soft tissue surrounding the hip such as the bursa.  Injury of the soft tissue may be caused from trauma or chronic, repetitive strain from activities like golfing, lifting, bending or running.    Poor posture, misaligned bones of the pelvis or spine, altered foot bio-mechanics and nerve irritation can also play a role in the bursa becoming inflamed.  If treatment doesn’t work, one or more of these factors may not have been properly addressed.

In the case of hip bursitis, the tendon , muscle and bursa overlying the hip bone may be affected.  In addition to the bursa becoming inflamed, the tendon or surrounding muscles can also become inflamed and the muscles may go into spasm.  Scarring and adhesion may also develop.  These problems can prevent the smooth movement of the iliotibial band or IT band tendons resulting in further friction and irritation of the tissues.

The root cause of the problem may be from a misaligned pelvis or poor foot mechanics of the feet.  These problems at the foot or pelvis lead to functional changes at the hip causing more strain on the soft tissues surrounding the hip including the bursa.

Applying ice over the area of the bursa can help to decrease inflammation.  Rest is also important to allow healing of soft tissue and preventing re-injury.  If you are a runner you should only run on flat, even surfaces to avoid unnecessary pressure on the bursa.  Orthotics can help prevent the feet from turning out or becoming pronated.

Chiropractors offer a variety of treatment options to help with bursitis of the hip.  Chiropractors are able to treat many sources of the problem where other methods have failed.  Chiropractic adjustments can help correct alignment of the hip, pelvis or feet to help restore proper motion and take pressure off of the soft tissue and bursa.  Chiropractors can help heal soft tissue with therapy modalities.  They can also recommend stretches and exercises to help with tight muscles and scar tissue that can attribute to the problem.

We understand that you have various healthcare options.  We appreciate your confidence in us.  If you or someone you know if suffering from hip pain, call us for an appointment today.

-Nathan Leavitt DC

Chiropractors Knoxville TN

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or CTS can be difficult to avoid especially if you have a job where you are typing at the computer frequently.   It is also common for those who have jobs that require repetitive movement of the fingers, hands and wrists.  People with thyroid disease, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis are also more likely to develop CTS.  However, efforts should be made to prevent the disease as it can seriously impact your ability to perform your job or activities of daily life.

The first step to avoid CTS is to make sure that your work environment is set up to minimize strain on your wrists.  Your posture and position of the keyboard are crucial.  When using the keyboard, your shoulders should be relaxed and your arms, wrists and hands should extend out to approximately 90 degrees from your upper arms.  If your hands are lower or higher than this when you type, it may be difficult to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome.

You should sit as close to the desk as possible to remain comfortable.  You should avoid slouching and keep your head upright over your shoulders.  You should also use a lumbar support in the small of your back. This will help to maintain the normal curves that should exist in the spine.   Your knees and hips should be at 90 degrees with your feet flat on the floor.  Work that you need to type should be easy to read and you should avoid hunching over to copy the work.  Using a stand to rest the papers can help.

Many people have difficulty avoiding carpal tunnel syndrome because their wrists rest below the keyboard.  This causes them to angle their hands up when they type.  This puts strain on the wrist and can result in inflammation in the carpal tunnel.  Using a wrist rest below the hands can help to prevent this.  Another problem is typing on a keyboard where the keys have a high resistance.  This can cause a person to have to apply more pressure to type and also cause strain.  Adjusting the keyboard tension can make it easier to type with less force.

Typists can also help to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome by performing wrist exercises and warming up the wrists before typing.  There are several exercises that you can do, one of the simplest is shaking the hands out or making a fist with each hand for about 10 seconds.  These exercises require only a short amount of time but can make a big difference.

Taking breaks is also important.  During these breaks, it is important to rest both the eyes and the wrists.  Walking away from the computer and keyboard is a good idea.  It is ideal to break and stretch every half hour.  There are software programs that you can add to your computer that will remind you to take a break every so often while you are working.

If you or a loved one is suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, we can help.  Call us for an appointment today.

-Nathan Leavitt

Chiropractors Knoxville TN

Many people experience back pain while driving.  The pain can be very severe for some people.  There are things that you can do to help reduce and prevent back pain while driving.  It is important to adjust the seat properly.  It is generally better to move the seat closer to the steering wheel to allow you to sit in a more upright position.  You should sit as close to the steering wheel as possible without becoming uncomfortable.   This will help to prevent slouching and bending forward which can lead to back problems.

It will also help prevent straining to reach the pedals.  You should rest your feet lightly on the pedals.  The shoulders should be relaxed with the elbows bent comfortably while gripping the wheel.  The headrest should be positioned just behind the back of the head.  Many car seats come equipped with a lumbar support.  This should be positioned in the small of the back.  When you are driving, you should feel the support in the small of the back.  If you do not have this support, you can attach a lumbar support to the seat or use a pillow or rolled up towel to support the back.

The vibrations of a moving car can be stressful to the spine.  It is important to keep the shock absorbers of the car in good repair to help prevent spinal problems.  It is helpful to stop driving every few hours and get out and walk around and stretch for a couple minutes.  If you feel a backache come on while driving, you should pull off the road as quick as possible and get out and move around.  This can help to prevent the pain from becoming worse.

The seat should be adjusted to an angle of about 100 degrees to sit properly.  If your car has cruise control, you should use it as often as possible.  This will allow you to put both feet on the floor to distribute your weight more evenly.

Bring ice with you.  Ice can help reduce inflammation as you drive.  Inflammation often exacerbates back pain.  You can purchase disposable or portable ice packs to make it easier.  It may also help to alternate heat and ice every 20 minutes.  Some car seats have a built in heater that will heat the seat up.  Heat can help to reduce muscle spasms.

How you hold the wheel can also help reduce back pain.  Keeping the hands positioned at 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock has found to be the most effective.  This will allow you to rest your arms on the armrests, which can help minimize pain, especially in the upper back.  These are simple tips that can be very effective in preventing and reducing back pain.

-Nathan Leavitt DC

Chiropractors Knoxville TN

There are multiple causes for pain in the hip.  One of the most common causes is referred pain from the low back.  Osteoarthritis of the hip may also occur which mainly affects elderly people.  Previous injury or trauma to the hip predisposes the hip to osteoarthritic changes.  Osteoarthritis of the hip is more likely to occur with a family history of the disease or if you are obese.  The extra  weight puts more stress on the hips.

The signs and symptoms of hip pain or osteoarthritis of the hip may vary.  It may initially start off with mild discomfort in the groin, buttocks or thigh.  Your hip joints might feel stiff in the morning when you wake up.  The pain over the hip joint may gradually increase over time.  It is also common to have referred pain down the front of the thigh or to the knee joint.  In fact, the hip may be overlooked as the cause of the problem when there is pain over the knee.  The pain will usually get worse with weight bearing activities such as walking or standing for prolonged periods of time.

There may also be a loss of muscle strength of the muscles around the hip or leg and a loss of motion of the joint itself.  This is often noticed while a person is walking or jogging.  It also becomes difficult to squat down to tie your shoes or pick something up.  Rest will usually relieve the pain, but this is not always the case, especially if there is a lot of inflammation and arthritic changes in the joint.  Using a cane or walking stick can help provide support when walking.

There is little evidence that the deterioration of the hip joint that occurs with osteoarthritis can be reversed.  However,  chiropractic treatment can help to relieve the pain and slow the progression of the disease.  Chiropractic treatment can help to restore motion in the joint and may help to avoid or prevent surgery of the hip.

Chiropractors perform a detailed evaluation of the hip using standard orthopedic, neurological and muscle testing to correctly diagnose the condition.  It is also important to include an exam of the back and leg to rule out any other causes of the hip pain.  X-rays are also helpful to provide a clear picture of the hip joint and see arthritic changes and the severity of the problem.

Chiropractic treatments work to help reduce inflammation of the hip joint, improve motion, reduce muscle tightness or spasms, restore normal alignment and strengthen weak muscles.  The treatment will involve stretching and massage techniques to help relax the muscles.  The chiropractor will perform  manipulation to help restore motion and proper alignment of the joint.  The chiropractor may also perform physiotherapy modalities to help decrease inflammation and reduce muscle spasms.  They may also recommend glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM which is a supplement commonly used to support healthy cartilage of the joints.

We appreciate your trust and confidence in us.  If you or a loved one are suffering from hip pain, call us today for an appointment.

-Nathan Leavitt DC

Knoxville Chiropractic

A person is standing at work and feels pain in their leg.  It feels like a shooting pain.  The pain comes and goes, but seems to be getting worse as time goes on.  The person can’t quit pin point the location of the pain when they touch their leg.  The person also notices that their leg feels numb in certain areas.  These are the characteristics of someone with sciatica.

Sciatica is characterized by pain, numbness or weakness in the hip, buttocks, leg or foot.  The pain and numbness often occur in the thigh, calf or foot.  It is also common to have accompanied pain in the lower back.  The pain is often described as dull, aching or shooting.  The pain or numbness may be felt all the way down into the legs or into the toes.  The pain may last for several days or only a few hours at a time.  In severe cases, it can cause damage to nerves and result in deterioration of the muscles of the leg or foot or even affect bladder control.

The sciatic nerve is the longest and largest nerve in the body.  It begins in the spine and travels near the pelvis and down each leg.  It may be as wide as your thumb.  Each sciatic nerve has branches that travel into the thigh,calf, knee, ankle and foot.  Sciatica occurs when the nerve is inflamed, irritated or compressed.  This may occur at different points along its path.

Sciatica most commonly occurs from a misaligned lower spine that causes irritation of the root of the sciatic nerve.  This causes pressure on the sciatic nerve and can result in severe pain.  If the pelvis is out of its normal alignment, it can cause stress on the gluteal muscles which will cause pressure on the sciatic nerve as it passes through the buttocks.  Sciatica is often not the result of a specific injury or trauma.  It is more likely to occur over time from improper posture such as when standing, sitting, running, walking or even sleeping.  Improper lifting, bending or twisting may also bring on the symptoms of sciatica.

Chiropractic is effective in helping to reduce the pain from sciatica and getting to the root cause of the problem.  Chiropractic treatment helps to restore proper alignment of the lumbar spine or pelvis to remove irritation of the sciatic nerve.  Many people wait until the pain is unbearable before contacting the chiropractor.  Waiting can result in permanent damage of the sciatic nerve.  A chiropractor will perform a complete history and exam to determine the cause and severity of the problem.

We appreciate your trust and confidence in us.  If you or a loved one is suffering from sciatica, call us for an appointment today.

-Nathan Leavitt DC

Knoxville Chiropractic

Bedwetting or enuresis is an often misunderstood condition that often begins after a child reaches five years of age.  Bedwetting is often blamed on poor habits, small bladder capacity or improper sleeping patterns.   One common cause that is often overlooked is categorized as bladder innervation disorder.  This is the area where a Chiropractic Physician can effectively help the suffering child.  Chiropractic studies have demonstrated that bedwetting conditions have been resolved through chiropractic treatments that help to restore proper nerve innervation.

Chiropractic is often used when several other methods of treatment have been tried and failed.  Bedwetting or enuresis is just one of the many reasons that parents bring their children to the chiropractor.  It is normal for children to wet the bed for the first few years of life before gaining control of their bladder.  By the age of four or five years of age, most children should have proper control of the bladder.

Primary enuresis is when a child has never been able to establish proper control from age five and on.  Secondary enuresis is the diagnosis of the condition when the child has previously had control, but then lapses back to having problems.  In many cases, bed wetting is considered unfortunate and no outside treatment is used.  The parents often resort to waiting until the child grows out of it.

Chiropractic has been found effective in helping the bed-wetter by correcting misaligned bones in the area of the spine or sacrum.  Understanding the anatomy and physiology of the spine, sacrum and bladder can provide understanding of how chiropractic treatment can be so effective.

Emptying of the bladder is controlled by the trigone and detrusor muscles.  The nerve supply to these muscles is through the sacral parasympathetic nerves from S2 to S4.  These nerves have association to the sacrum.  Bladder function is also controlled by the urogenital diaphragm which gets its nerve supply from the L2 spinal nerve.  This nerve has association to the lumbar spine.  Chiropractors have been successful in helping bedwetting by adjusting the bones of the lumbar spine or sacrum to remove nerve interference  that is related to the condition.

The sacrum consists of separate segments that don’t completely fuse into a single bone until you are in your 20’s.  Misalignment of these segments can result in nerve irritation and loss of function.  This loss of function can result in problems with the bladder and result in bed wetting.  The sacrum and spine are subject to repeated trauma from childhood falls and when learning to walk.  This trauma of the spine or sacrum may be the reason why bedwetting stops after chiropractic adjustments.  The chiropractor restores normal function and alignment of the bones that were misplaced in the early falls.

We appreciate your trust and confidence in us.  If you or a loved one is suffering from Enuresis, call us for an appointment today.

-Nathan Leavitt DC

Knoxville Chiropractic

While back pain may be brought on by a specific injury or trauma, this is often not the case.   When back pain comes on, we often try to correlate it to one particular event that occurred recently or in our past.  What we over look is that back pain can be brought on slowly over time and gradually gets worse.

Episodes of back pain are rarely brought on by a specific injury or trauma.   You may have noticed when you cough, bend over to pick something up, stand at the sink or get out of bed that your back feels different than it did before.  You might feel twinges in your back that weren’t there before.  You may feel pain over a few days or weeks and then the pain goes away on its own.  You may feel better for a while but then have it come on again in the same place as it was before.

This is often because of joint sprain that occurs gradually over time.  The ligaments around the spine undergo small micro traumas that occur over the years.  These may occur with improper lifting, poor posture or falls.  Over time the ligaments become stretched causing the joints and vertebrae to become misplaced.  This in turn irritates the delicate nerves in and around the spine.

When the ligaments are injured from the micro traumas the repair mechanism creates scar tissue.  The scar tissue is less elastic than it was before.  This makes the joint vulnerable to re-injury and reduces the normal motion of the spine.  Chiropractors are trained to detect these problems when performing an evaluation.  They check for abnormal motion of the spine using palpation and perform X-rays to look for misaligned vertebrae.

Chiropractors perform specific hands on adjustments of the spine to help correct misaligned vertebrae, reduce nerve irritation and restore normal motion to the joints of the spine.  When these problems are left uncorrected, they can lead to premature degeneration of the spine which leads to arthritis.  When these problems remain, a simple task like bending over to pick up a pencil can cause back pain.  Even the act of a simple sneeze may cause pain.

In this state, people often feel off balance because the spine is not symmetrical.  Many people report feeling much better following chiropractic treatment.  They feel more balanced and report being able to move, bend, sit, stand, walk and sleep with less pain.  They report having an improved quality of life and are able to do the things they enjoy without the pain.

We realize that you have many options to choose from for your health.  We greatly appreciate your confidence and trust in us.  Please call us today for an appointment.

-Nathan Leavitt DC

Knoxville Chiropractic