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Category: Chiropractic

IRC Clinic - Whiplash - Richardson Chiropractor
By Dr. Arash Payrovan Chiropractic, Headaches, Neck Pain, Personal Injury, Whiplash

Facts about Whiplash

Facts about Whiplash

The term “whiplash” usually brings to mind neck pain, headaches and/or a stiff neck. However, there are other symptoms associated with whiplash that we don’t usually think of, such as ringing in the ears or, tinnitus. In the absence of whiplash, there are many people who experience an occasional ringing or sound of some sort in their ears. The ringing may seem to keep time with the heartbeat or, in cadence with breathing and is more common over the age of 40, and more common in men. The sound can be a buzzing, ringing, roaring, hissing or high pitched noise that usually lasts only seconds or minutes at the most. So, think of those times when you’ve noticed tinnitus and ask yourself, “…how would that affect me if that noise never stopped or lasted for hours?”

Before we discuss the association of tinnitus with whiplash, let’s review some facts discovered about tinnitus. There are two primary types of tinnitus: Pulsatile and nonpulsatile. Pulsatile tinnitus is often caused by sounds created either by blood flow problems in the face or neck, muscle movements near the ear, or changes in the ear canal. The non-pulsatile tinnitus is usually caused by nerve problems involving hearing in one or both ears. The later is sometimes described as a sound coming from inside the head. The most common cause of tinnitus is from hearing loss that occurs from aging – technically called presbycusis. However, it can also occur from living or working in a loud environment. Tinnitus can occur with many types of hearing loss and can be a symptom of almost any ear disorder. Other common causes include earwax buildup, certain medication side effects (aspirin, antibiotics), too much caffeine or alcohol intake, ear infections – which can lead to rupture of the eardrum, dental problems, TMJ or jaw problems, following surgery or radiation therapy to the head or neck, a rapid change in environmental pressure (airplane rides, elevators, scuba diving), severe weight loss from malnutrition or dieting, bicycle riding with the neck extended for lengthy time-frames, high blood pressure, nerve conditions (MS, migraine headache), as well as other conditions such as acoustic neuroma, anemia, labyrinthitis, Meniere’s disease, otosclerosis and thyroid disease. The good news is that most of the time, tinnitus comes and goes and does not require treatment. When tinnitus is associated with other symptoms, does not get better or go away, or is in only one ear, it is wise to consult with us. Spinal manipulation and other chiropractic treatment approaches are often VERY helpful in resolving tinnitus with the benefits of avoiding the need for medications, all of which carry secondary side effects. Chiropractic approaches are also highly effective when tinnitus is accompanied by dizziness or vertigo, usually requiring treatment applied to the upper neck area.

So, how does whiplash cause tinnitus? There are primary as well as secondary causes that can give rise to tinnitus after whiplash. After looking at the long list of causes above, direct trauma to the head such as hitting the side window, the back of the seat, the steering wheel, mirror and/or windshield makes obvious sense. Secondary causes often involve the TMJ or jaw which is commonly injured in whiplash. By itself, TMJ can cause ear pain, tinnitus, vertigo (dizziness), hearing loss, and headaches. Because many nerves that innervate the neck and head arise from the neck as well as from the cranial nerves, spinal manipulation of the neck as well as certain cranial manipulations can have a dramatic benefit in the treatment of whiplash induced tinnitus.

We realize you have a choice in where you choose your health-care services.  If you, a friend or family member requires care for whiplash, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future

 

IRC Clinic - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Plano Chiropractor
By Dr. Arash Payrovan Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Chiropractic, Fibromyalgia, Personal Injury, Wrist Pain

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Prevention

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Prevention

People who spend a lot of time performing activities that require a high level of force, repetition, or use vibrating tools are at risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Other activities such as driving, playing musical instruments, knitting, using a sander, screw drivers, air wrenches, waitress work, or assembling small parts are also associated with increased CTS risk. The good news: there are ways we can reduce the risk of developing CTS. Some of these include the following:

  1. Stay Healthy: There are many conditions that contribute to the onset and/or make CTS worse. Exercise, maintain a healthy weight (Body Mass Index – BMI – of 25 or less), stop smoking (or better yet, never start), take your thyroid medication (if indicated), keep your blood sugar normal (obesity leads to diabetes which often worsens CTS), and do your carpal tunnel exercises multiple times a day.
  2. Ergonomics: Use “ergonomic” principles when arranging your workstation such as sitting properly at your home and work computers. The placement of your desk, the computer monitor, the keyboard (consider a convex keyboard rather than the flat type), the mouse (and type of mouse – the track ball mouse requires no arm movement, only the thumb), paperwork space and location. The type of chair and its height are also very important. Avoid desks that have sharp edges as they can compress the forearms and pinch the CTS nerve.
  3. Posture: The position in which you sit is important! Sit in an upright position, head/chin tucked in, feet on the floor or on a box, elbows resting on adjustable arms of the chair bent about 90 degrees, and keep your wrists fairly straight/neutral. Avoid slouching, reaching out with the elbows less than 90 degrees, head shifted forwards and shoulders rounded and feet not positioned under you. When you talk on the phone, STRONGLY consider a headset! Pinching the phone between your shoulder and ear with your head bent sideways for any length of time is a ticket to disaster for developing CTS and/or other types of cumulative trauma disorders (pinched nerves in the neck, shoulder tendonitis/bursitis, elbow tendonitis and more).
  4. Plan your activities: Pay careful attention to your daily routine for activities that may increase your risk of developing or perpetuating CTS. For example, these activities can increase your chance of developing or worsening CTS: playing a musical instrument, knitting, carpentry, playing video or computer games for hours, working on cars, operating vibrating tools, using forceful gripping such as spray bottles, using a crutch, cane, wheelchair, engaging in certain sports such as long-distance cycling that load the arm and hand, skiing – waterskiing requires a firm grip on the handle and snow skiing requires firm gripping on the ski pole.
  5. Sleep: It is impossible to control the position we put our hands/wrists in at night. Therefore, it is essential to wear wrist splints so we avoid bending the wrists in our sleep. Many of us curl up in a ball and tuck or bend the wrists and hands under our chin. In a “normal” wrist, the pressure inside the carpal tunnel DOUBLES when we bend our wrists! If we have CTS, the pressure goes up exponentially or, 6-8 times because of the increased pressure that’s there already because of the CTS. Use a pillow that is designed for you, we’ll help you with that!
  6. Take a break! It’s important to pace yourself if your work or play includes fast, repetitive activities. It’s easy to get lost into what you’re doing so a timer to remind you that an hour has gone by and to take a break is a wise purchase.  There are computer programs that flash on your screen, “Time to stretch!” Some of these may include the actual exercise so you don’t forget what to do. If not, talk to us about what exercises are good to do either at the workstation and/or at home for CTS.
            We realize you have a choice in who you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs.  If you, a friend or family member require care for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), we would be honored to render our services.