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Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. works with many sciatica patients here in our Alexandria, KY office, and many of these patients were nervous that they might need surgery to alleviate their pain. The latest research shows that a large number of people don't require surgery for this widespread problem, and that chiropractic is more beneficial at clearing up sciatic nerve pain.

A popular surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, physicians looked at 80 individuals with sciatica who were referred for this operation.

Forty patients were then randomly placed in one of two groups. The first group received surgical microdiscectomy and the second group was given chiropractic care.

Both groups got better; however, no apparent difference in results was reported one year post-treatment between either group. Additionally, roughly 60 percent of the participating patients who could not find pain relief from any other treatment approach "benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."

Put another way, chiropractic delivered the same positive benefits as surgery without needing to endure the greater amounts of surgery-based pain or suffer through extended recovery times often associated with that particular treatment choice. Additionally, you also don't run the risks affiliated with surgical microdiscectomy, such as nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.

Surgery should be the last option for sciatica pain. If you live in Alexandria, KY and you're being affected by back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. a call today at (859) 448-0056. We'll help pinpoint the origin of your pain and work hard to get you relief.

References

• McMorland, G et al. Manipulation or microdiskectomy for sciatica? A prospective randomized clinical study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2010;33(8):576-584.
• Solberg TK, Nygaard OP, Sjaavik K, Hofoss D, Ingebrigtsen T. The risk of "getting worse" after lumbar microdiscectomy. European Spine Journal 2005;14(1):49-54.
  

While many women automatically assume that back pain and pregnancy go hand in hand, they are often pleasantly surprised when they discover that this is not necessarily the case. In fact, chiropractic can often help reduce persistant back pain for pregnant women by as much as 85 percent.

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps With Back Pain and Pregnancy

Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. has helped many pregnant women with back pain in our Alexandria, KY office.

A research study published in Chiropractic & Manual Therapies involved 115 women who were pregnant (most of which were in their third trimester) and presented with pain in their lower back region, pelvic area, or both. Data was gathered prior to the study, as well as one week, one month, three months, and one year after treatment commenced. At each follow-up, the participants were asked to rate their level of pain based on a 7-point scale to determine whether it was better, worse, or stayed the same. The results?

More than half reported that their pain was better after one week of chiropractic treatment. After one month, that amount jumped up to 70 percent, climbing even more to 85 percent showing improvement at the three month mark. Positive effects were still reported at six months post-treatment, which was generally after childbirth, and continued to the final data collection one year after treatment commenced.

There are also many additional benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy. Not only does it effectively ease back pain, but it does it in a completely natural and non-invasive way. This means that you don't have to worry about taking any medications or undergoing any type of treatment that could potentially harm your unborn child.

Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. Can Help People Find Relief From Back Pain During Pregnancy

Furthermore, it makes your time spent carrying your baby more pleasant. When you're not sidetracked with aches and pains, you can enjoy the experience even more as you prepare your home and your life for all of the fun and exciting changes that lie ahead.

We're here in Alexandria, KY to help you have a healthy, pain-free pregnancy. Give us a call today at (859) 448-0056 to make an appointment.

Peterson CK, Muhlemann D, & Humphreys BK. Outcomes of pregnant patients with low back pain undergoing chiropractic treatment: a prospective cohort study with short term, medium term and 1 year follow-up. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies 2014;22(15):doi:10.1186/2045-709X-22-15.

According to The American Academy of Pain Medicine, more people in the US suffer with chronic pain than diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer combined. On top of that, neck pain is the third most reported type of pain, beat out only by lower back pain and headaches.

Not surprisingly, a lot of patients come to our Alexandria, KY office seeking neck pain treatment, and Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. has helped many of them find relief. This is a smart decision, as some research indicates that over 90% of neck pain patients improve with chiropractic.

Studies Confirm Chiropractic Works

A report published in The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy included 64 people who were suffering with neck problems. Approximately half were placed in an experimental group and the other half were assigned to a comparison group. Both were given chiropractic adjustments of the neck as well as a home exercise plan, while the experimental group also received adjustments of the thoracic spine.

Data was collected before treatment began and one week after the adjustments. Researchers found that 94 percent of the experimental group reported "significantly greater improvements" in regard to pain and disability in their neck symptoms. Just 35% of the patients who received neck adjustments showed the same level of improvement, illustrating that evaluating the entire spinal column is an important part of restoring the body's normal function.

Yet another study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 participants between the ages of 18 and 60 who were suffering with neck pain. Each individual was randomly assigned to one of two groups--thoracic spine thrust manipulation or non-thrust manipulation--with follow-up exams occurring two and four days after the treatments.

The investigators found that the study patients who received the thrust manipulations (the same manipulations that offered such positive results in the first study) "experienced greater reductions in disability" than the group that received the non-thrust manipulations. Their pain was lower as well, which shows that this type of approach offers many benefits.

Chiropractic Even Offers Benefits After Failed Neck Surgery

Another study found the same sort of positive results after thoracic adjustments in a patient who had a failed neck surgical treatment. This particular case involved a 46-year-old woman who had recently had neck surgery but still experienced neck pain, headaches, pain in her elbow, and muscle fatigue.

The woman reported reduced pain in her neck and reduced headache intensity, immediately after the first chiropractic adjustments. After six weeks of care, which involved chiropractic, exercise, and patient education, the patient still placed her pain at a zero on a scale of 1 to 10. Her neck disability reduced as well, with a rating score that represented that it was a "great deal better."

It is studies like these that demonstrate the effectiveness of chiropractic techniques, even if you've already attempted neck surgery that didn't provide relief. So, if you are dealing with neck problems and would like to find a solution that has a high success rate, try chiropractic. It may just be the help you're looking for.

Our office is in Alexandria, KY and Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. can help you recover from neck pain. Give us a call today at (859) 448-0056.

References

• AAPM facts and figures on pain. The American Academy of Pain Medicine.
• Masaracchio M, Cleland JA, Hellman M, Hagins M. Short-term combined effects of thoracic spine thrust manipulation and cervical spine nonthrust manipulation in individuals with mechanical neck pain: a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy 2013;43(3):118-127.
• Cleland JA, Glynn P, Whitman JM, Eberhart SL, MacDonald C, Childs JD. Short-term effects of thrust versus nonthrust mobilization/manipulation directed at the thoracic spine in patients with neck pain: a randomized clinical trial. Physical Therapy 2007;87(4):431-440.
• Salvatori R, Rowe RH, Osborne R, Beneciuk JM. Use of thoracic spine thrust manipulation for neck pain and headache in a patient following multiple-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a case report. The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy 2014;44(6):440-449.
  

Massage has been used for millennia as a natural pain relief solution. We use massage therapy in our Alexandria, KY office, as it works great in conjunction with the chiropractic care that Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. provides. Massage does much more than just feel good. It also offers many positive effects as well. Some are physical and others are psychological, and here are medically documented benefits:

• Pain reduction (back, neck, shoulder, legs, arm, and headache pain)
• Improved range of motion and flexibility
• Better circulation
• Greater immune system function
• Enhanced sports performance
• Reduced depression and anxiety
• Increased levels of energy
• Decreased levels of fatigue
• Improved sleep
• Easier labor and delivery for expecting mothers
• Fewer stretch marks
• Less scar tissue

We Can Help Clients Find Comfort From Neck Pain and Headaches with Massage Therapy

Advantages such as these have been found to be especially helpful for individuals who suffer with chronic conditions such as arthritis and asthma. Massage therapy has also proven advantageous for burn injury patients, people with higher than healthy blood pressure, and women who suffer from premenstrual syndrome. Even preterm infants have shown benefits with massage therapy as they have increased levels of weight gain.

To learn more about the massage therapy services we offer in Alexandria, KY, give our office a call today at (859) 448-0056.

Knee pain is a frequent issue for people in our Alexandria, KY chiropractic office, and Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. has happily provided many of these people relief. This is mostly because chiropractic care has been found to help with many types of knee pain.

For example, some individuals encounter pain in and around the knee area due to osteoarthritis. Research has demonstrated that this condition responds very well to chiropractic--and rather quickly, too. In fact, one paper published in The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association found that people with osteoarthritis in their knees felt significant pain relief and enhanced function after just two weeks of chiropractic care.

If your knee pain is caused by a medial meniscus sprain, chiropractic could likely help with that as well. One case reported that integrating chiropractic with soft tissue treatment, rest, ice, and compression on the affected knee helped lower the intensity of the pain.

Clearly, sometimes a knee replacement surgery is necessary in order to fix the issue, and if that's the case, chiropractic can also help improve the outcome. How?

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps With Knee Injuries

Research has found that patients with low back pain frequently have less positive results after knee surgery. So, dealing with your back pain through chiropractic before having a total knee arthroplasty can help with your post-surgery healing.

No matter what your knee issue, Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. can likely help. Call our Alexandria, KY practice today and find out what we can do for you!

Sources

• Pollard H et al. (2008, December). The effect of a manual therapy knee protocol on osteoarthritic knee pain: a randomised controlled trial. The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association;52(4):229-42
  Boyle J et al. (2014, March). Influence of low back pain on total knee arthroplasty outcome. Knee;21(2):410-4
• Jarosz B & Ames R. (2010, December). Chiropractic management of a medial meniscus tear in a patient with tibiofemoral degeneration: a case report. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine;9(4):200-8

We see a large number of folks with headaches in our Alexandria, KY office, and Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. has been able to help many of them. Indeed, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that 50 percent of all adults deal with some type of headache condition, so this certainly isn’t a surprise. One of the most prevalent varieties of headaches which our patients have problems with is cervicogenic headache which, fortunately, chiropractic can generally help.

What is a Cervicogenic Headache?

A cervicogenic headache is one that starts from a problem in the cervical spine. It might be attributable to a condition with either the spine itself (in particular, the vertebrae, joints, or discs), or it might be caused by a problem in the muscles and tendons of your neck. This problem in your spine leads to constriction or aggravation of the spinal nerves, which can bring about headache pain.

How can you recognize if the headache you are enduring is a cervicogenic headache? Apart from being given a diagnosis from a healthcare expert, a common symptom of cervicogenic headaches is tenderness or discomfort in your neck. This is sometimes combined with pain in the back of your head or between your shoulder blades.

Chiropractic to the Rescue

Since cervicogenic headaches will not subside until whatever problem is inducing them is remedied, it is essential to get treatment as opposed to just trying to "wait it out." Chiropractic care is an excellent approach, and one that provides a considerable amount of headache pain relief.

In one study circulated in Chiropractic & Osteopathy, experts looked at 80 people who had repeated cervicogenic headaches. Half of them received chiropractic care and the other 50% underwent light massage therapy. Each participant was examined 12 and 24 weeks after the procedures and it was found that chiropractic offered the best effects.

Specifically, this study uncovered that chiropractic adjustments offered patients more significant pain relief and reduced the frequency of headaches that occurred. In addition to that, it also minimized the disability that resulted from these painful headaches.

To find out what Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. can do for you and your headache pain, call our office today. We'll do our best to get you the pain relief you need!

References

• Haas M, Schneider M, Vavrek D. Illustrating risk difference and number needed to treat from a randomized controlled trial of spinal manipulation for cervicogenic headache. Chiropractic & Osteopathy 2010 18(9).
• World Health Organization. (2012, October). Headache disorders. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs277/en/

We see many patients in our Alexandria, KY office with ankle sprains but Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. has had a lot of success helping them recover more quickly. Why are ankle sprains so common and how can chiropractic care help?

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), approximately 25,000 people in the US sprain their ankles daily. As a matter of fact, these injuries make up almost half of all sports injuries, causing people to spend time away from the activities they enjoy most.

Like any injury, there are many causes of ankle sprains. The most frequent is inversion, or when the ankle rolls inward. This injury can occur due to one forceful movement, or it can develop over time, and exercises that increase the risk for this type of ankle sprain include running and jumping. You're also at risk if you have past ankle injuries, poor posture or balance, weak muscles, and reduced range of motion.

How Can Chiropractic Treatments and Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. Help?

A report printed in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics set out to identify chiropractic's role when it comes to ankle sprain recovery. The authors enrolled 33 people between the ages of 18 and 45 who had a history of ankle inversion sprains, who were reporting tenderness and/or pain, and had not re-injured the ankle in the previous six weeks.

Eighteen of the participants were assigned to participate in rehabilitation and the remaining 15 individuals received chiropractic in addition to rehab. Each person had five full weeks of treatments, with the rehab group receiving therapies seven days a week and the rehab plus chiropractic group receiving care six out of the seven days.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps With Ankle Sprains

Researchers found that the people who had both rehab and chiropractic fared the best at the 4-week mark when it came to pain and joint restriction. Also, no bad effects were reported, showing that this treatment option is safe.

If you're near our location in Alexandria, KY and you're suffering from an ankle injury, give us a call. We'll do what we can to keep you up and running... literally!

References

• American College of Sports Medicine. (n.d.). Ankle sprains and the athlete. Retrieved from https://www.acsm.org/docs/current-comments/anklesprainstemp.pdf
• Lubbe, D et al. (2015, January). Manipulative therapy and rehabilitation for recurrent ankle sprain with functional instability: a short-term, assessor-blind, parallel-group randomized trial. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 38(1), 22-34, doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2014.10.001

If you suffer with fibromyalgia, you are not alone, as Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. sees many patients with this particular condition in our Alexandria, KY chiropractic office. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that roughly two percent of all adults in the United States have fibromyalgia. Thankfully, chiropractic is one treatment option that can provide positive results.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps Fibromyalgia

In a medical study released in mid-2015, 215 women and men with fibromyalgia were assessed based on factors ranging from pain to quality of sleep to the levels of depression symptoms or anxiety they felt. Then they were divided into two groups with one group receiving a multi-modal therapy plan for three months and the second group receiving the same approach with the addition of chiropractic adjustments (specifically, to the upper neck tissues) for the same length of time.

The subjects who received chiropractic care in addition to the multi-modal treatment approach reported greater benefits in all areas (pain, sleep, depression, and anxiety) at 12 weeks post-treatment when compared to the study patients who received multi-modal treatment without chiropractic. Furthermore, those positive outcomes were long-lasting as the subjects reported continued improvement one full year later.

Fibromyalgia can greatly decrease your quality of life, both psychologically and physically. If you're suffering from fibromyalgia, we might be able to help.

You don't have to suffer! To find out what Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. can do for your fibromyalgia pain, call our Alexandria, KY chiropractic office today.

Research

• Fibromyalgia. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/fibromyalgia.htm on November 2, 2015.
• Moustafa I & Diab A. (2015, July). The addition of upper cervical manipulative therapy in the treatment of patients with fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial. Rheumatology International;35(7):1163-74.

Regrettably, many of our Alexandria, KY patients are familiar with the pain caused by a herniated disc all too well. Fortunately, Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. has helped many people with disc pain, and a number of medical studies have verified that chiropractic care can help patients recover from this kind of problem.

Research on Chiropractic and Disc Herniations

In one report, specialists from Switzerland selected 148 patients who were coping with pain in their low back and legs due to a herniated disc (which was confirmed through magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI). Each person then received chiropractic adjustments that focused on the area of his or her disc problem.

Data was obtained after the preliminary treatment session at set intervals--namely, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year--to ascertain what type of short-term and long-term effects, if any, chiropractic offers when it comes to treating this particular problem. Among the information obtained was the person's self-reported changes in both low back and leg pain.

Investigators found that, as a whole, the patients reported "significant improvement" for both types of pain every time the results were collected. In fact, over 90% of the patients reported that their pain "improved" within the first three months, with 88% still citing improvement one year after their first treatment session.

Even those patients who were defined as "chronic" still claimed an improvement in pain at a rate of 89% one year beyond when treatment first began. This is the same positive effect that was found in the following case study.

Disc Herniation and Chiropractic: A Case Study

In this paper, a 26-year-old man had presented with disc herniation symptoms such as pain in the low back, left leg, and left groin area, along with left foot drop and muscle weakness. He had endured these problems for more than two years after sustaining an athletic injury, and his disc herniation was confirmed via MRI.

After receiving chiropractic, "The patient responded favorably and his multi-symptom complex resolved within 90 days of treatment." In addition, the patient was still experiencing relief one year after the chiropractic intervention.

Studies like these show how helpful chiropractic can be when it comes to alleviating herniated disc pain and relieving the symptoms they cause. So, if you are suffering from back ache caused by a herniated disc and want to find some relief, chiropractic might be an effective solution.

Don't suffer from chronic herniated disc pain. Give our Alexandria, KY office a call today at (859) 448-0056 for a consultation or appointment.

References

• Leemann S, Peterson CK, Schmid C, Anklin B, Humphreys BK. Outcomes of acute and chronic patients with magnetic resonance imaging-confirmed symptomatic lumbar disc herniations receiving high-velocity, low-amplitude, spinal manipulative therapy: a prospective observational cohort study with one-year follow-up. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2014;37(3):155-163.
• Polkinghorn BS, Colloca CJ. Treatment of symptomatic lumbar disc herniation using activator methods chiropractic technique. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1998;21(3):187-196.
  

Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. sees a lot of people troubled with carpal tunnel syndrome in our busy Alexandria, KY chiropractic office. While some people think that the origin of this wrist-related pain is muscular, it's really a syndrome that arises from the nerves--and not just the nerves in your hands.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Recent research published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy assessed 71 women between the ages of 35 and 59 who were diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. Upon studying the subjects' neck range of motion, the authors found that the women had less cervical mobility when compared to a healthy control group.

Furthermore, it was also found that the level of the women's reported carpal tunnel discomfort was related to the lateral flexion of the cervical spine. In other words, the less mobility in the neck, the greater the level of pain.

This study is very important, as you can't successfully treat a problem until you fully understand its cause. By recognizing that the root of carpal tunnel issues is in the neck, this means that natural approaches like chiropractic can often restore normal function, reducing the need for risky surgical procedures.

If you suffer with carpal tunnel pain, call our Alexandria, KY office and ask how Dr. Michael Wagner D.C. can help you get relief!

Resources

De-la-Llave-Rincon A et al. (2011, May). Women with carpal tunnel syndrome show restricted cervical range of motion. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy;41(5):305-10.
Simon H. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. University of Maryland Medical Center. Updated May 6, 2012. Retrieved from https://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/carpal-tunnel-syndrome on November 2, 2015.