QuestionI have had upper back issues for a year and finally went to a chiropractor. He said my rib is out in my spine. He has been popping it back in to place and it gives much relief. I can't live this way, relying on it having to be popped back in to place 2 to 3 times a week. I would like to have the problem fixed for life. Is there a solution? Thanks, Gina
AnswerBack pain, subluxated rib, misaligned rib, luxated rib, staten island back pain, staten island kinesio tape, staten island kinesiotaping
Hello Gina,
I am sorry to hear of your Back Pain. As part of their problem, many times my Staten Island Back Pain patients also have a rib head involvement.
".....I have had upper back issues for a year and finally went to a chiropractor....."- you had back pain for a year ! ? ! , and 'FINALLY' went to the Chiropractor,,, why wait so long?
Your condition has had a full year to deteriorate, degenerate, progressively alter the joint, ligaments, cartilage, tendons and muscle conform to an incorrect alignment, an incorrect movement pattern. It will certainly take time to correct, given the head-start that the problem has had. Please, do not take offense, I am not scolding you, but these questions are open to the public and MANY PEOPLE wait until a problem has a strong hold before going to the Doctor of Chiropractic, or other disciplines as well.
".....He said my rib is out in my spine....."- this is a common complaint, a common finding in the chiropractic office. Because the rib has been moving improperly, out of proper position for so long, the structures nearby may also be affected. The vertebrae associated with the rib may also be subluxated (more on that later). The Doctor should certainly adjust the rib, and also adjust the related structures if found to be associated, causing, or caused by this dysfunction.
AFTER the adjustment, I think a supportive technique- such as kinesiotaping should be applied.
Perhaps you wore braces as a youngster. You know it took years to move the bones known as teeth into proper position, you know it may take years of wearing a retainer- to train those bones (the teeth) to maintain their proper position. In your case- the adjustment (moving the subluxated rib head back into proper alignment to allow proper motion) is the brace, and the kinesio tape would be the retainer (holding the correction until the body retrains itself).
I would recommend finding a sports injury doctor of chiropractic, many of us utilize this kinesio tape in our offices. Kinesio taping was invented by a DC and I have been using it many years now. The different types of Chiropractic Doctors: see- http://www.acatoday.org/pdf/ApprovedChiropracticSpecialtyPrograms.pdf
"....He has been popping it back in to place and it gives much relief....."- encouraging, but the Doctor has to train that correction to stay put. Supportive kinesio tape should be utilized.
"....I can't live this way, relying on it having to be popped back in to place 2 to 3 times a week. I would like to have the problem fixed for life. Is there a solution? ...."- I think we have a solution for you- read my entire answer, I think it will direct you appropriately.
Americans want things QUICK, fast, easy. That 'trait' is why we utilize so many drugs- drugs that cover up problems , but that relieve symptoms. I have an informational handout that I give to my Staten Island Back Pain patients- you may find some of this info helpful:
PAIN
Pain is a 憆ed light on the dashboard?
Pain is your body telling you that something is wrong.
That RED LIGHT on the dashboard of your car-
-- do you ignore it until the car breaks down,
or do you get it checked and correct the problem?
Pain,
pain in your body-
-- do you ignore it until your body breaks down,
or do you get it checked and correct the problem?
Pain,
do you cover up the pain by taking a painkiller?
Take a painkiller,
mask the pain,
and allow a problem to progress in your body?
NOTICE ON PAIN RELIEVERS:
Label changes ORDERED by FDA; the FDA announced proposed label changes for OTC over-the-counter pain relievers to include the potential for stomach bleeding and liver damage (FDA news 206- 207; 12-9-06) ;
The American Heart Association issued a scientific statement recommending medical doctors change the way they prescribe OTC pain relievers from a first choice to an alternate of recommending non-pharmacologic treatment (AHA statement 2-26-07).
NSAID Acceleration of ARTHRITIS; an important side effect of Aspirin and other NSAIDS is that it will inhibit cartilage repair and accelerate cartilage destruction ( Journal of Rheumatology, 1982; 9: 3- 5 ). Many times people take NSAIDS for the pain of Arthritis, not realizing these drugs may make the underlying condition worse. These medications cover up the pain, and cause the problem to worsen.
Pain can often be the result of the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
Vertebral Subluxation ( 慥SC?, 憇ubluxation? )
Vertebral Subluxation is actually a quite common condition. Doctors of Chiropractic look for pathological conditions which may require referral to other specialties, and also look for 慡ubluxation? Other disciplines look for pathology, but overlook the importance of alignment and movement in the spine which affects our nervous system (the master control system- ALL health disciplines learn this). VSC- 慡ubluxation??can be the cause of many symptoms and conditions.
Only a Doctor of Chiropractic will evaluate and treat for VSC, as well as other pathology.
The course of VSC is highly variable. Some patients with VSC literally cannot walk, yet other patients with similar test findings may be able to run marathons or lift heavy weights. Some patients immediately develop symptoms related to the VSC, some patients take years to develop symptoms. Some people suffer for only a few days with pain and symptoms, some people suffer for months. Some people recover in days, some take months or years, depending upon severity of the condition.
A subluxation interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system (the master system which controls and coordinates all function within the body) and may cause various other conditions, symptoms and problems.
The Vertebral Subluxation Complex describes what happens when spinal bones lose their normal movement patterns and position. When subluxated, joints are in a stressed, vulnerable, compromised condition. Subluxation may cause Arthritis, Disk Herniation, or aggravate such conditions.
Vertebral Subluxation cannot be corrected through chemicals (medicine), stretching, yoga, vitamins or physical therapy alone. Subluxation- a neuro/skeletal/muscular- mechanical- problem requires a mechanical correction- - - a manipulation, best performed with the chiropractic adjustment.
Dr. Victor E. Dolan, Doctor of Chiropractic; Diplomate, American Chiropractic Board of Sport Physicians; Diplomate, American Academy of Pain Management; Certified Clinical Nutritionist (IAACN); FIRST Chief of Chiropractic in a Hospital in New York State (DHSI); As Seen in PREVENTION Magazine
You have concerns about seeing th doctor often for the corrective adjustment, perhaps this information may be helpful to you:
Why so many treatment visits ?,
Why so many different therapies ??
Many people do not come to the Doctor of Chiropractic first.
Many people take an over the counter medication (OTC) (covers up the pain, does not treat the cause of the pain), see a medical doctor for a prescription medication (covers up the pain, does not treat the cause of the pain, stronger then OTC drugs, increased possibility of side effects and complications), or just wait and hope the pain goes away.
Then, after the pain continues, FINALLY they go to the Doctor of Chiropractic. Studies show that while Chiropractic is often the last Doctor people will go see, they expect immediate results- i.e.; a couple of weeks of treatments are expected to cure the problem. It is a paradox that people WAIT to go to the Doctor of Chiropractic, but expect immediate results, on conditions that have been building for months or years; yet when they go to a medical doctor- they accept invasive surgeries and/ or a long treatment protocol of physical therapy- weeks, often months.
Spinal pain, like many other conditions, often builds for years and years until the pain becomes strong enough to send someone for treatment. It is well known that heart conditions build for years and years, yet in 40% of cases, the first pain someone feels with their heart,,,, is the last pain someone feels with their heart (a fatal heart attack in 慳symptomatic?patients). Sad that they waited for pain to be a gauge of health. Pain is the LAST thing that comes in a problem, and often the FIRST symptom to go away. If there is a problem, isn抰 it better to treat BEFORE the pain, or if pain has started, isn抰 it better to take care of the problem, prevent future pain and progression of the condition?
Why so many treatment visits to start?,
Well the problem, the condition, has momentum on it抯 side. Irritation, inflammation and damage has taken place and then the pain comes. Pain is the last thing that comes in the condition, and Pain is the first thing that disappears during treatment; but the underlying irritation, inflammation and damage has to be repaired. Initial treatment schedules, depending upon the severity of the complaint could be as often as twice per day, or once per day for two- three weeks, followed by a gradual reduction in treatment visits. This is similar to surgery! When a patient has an invasive surgery, often there is followup rehab treatment of daily, then every other day, then weekly visits for a prolonged period (i.e.; shoulders- up to a year of treatment AFTER invasive surgery).
Chiropractic works with your body.
Chiropractic helps your body to heal itself. Chiropractic restores Homeostasis, balance in the body. Chiropractic corrects the Vertebral Subluxation Complex. You cannot be 慼ealthy?if you have a Subluxation. You MAY feel it, with a pain, stiffness, or a 慿ink?in your neck/ back. You may NOT even feel it- just as people often do not feel the cavity growing in their tooth,,,, until it hits the nerve; or you may not feel it at all, like people do not feel high blood pressure or diabetes until AFTER damage has been done!! The vertebral subluxation complex can be the underlying cause of many healthcare problems. A subluxation interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system (the master system which controls and coordinates all function within the body) and may cause various other conditions, symptoms and problems.
This (Subluxation) is a serious condition identified by its five parts: Spinal Kinesiopathology, Neuropathophysiology, Myopathology,
Histopathology, Pathophysiology. Chiropractic corrects this 憇ilent?condition, works WITH your body, and like other health approaches requires a certain treatment regimen and a period of TIME.
Dr. Victor E. Dolan, Doctor of Chiropractic; Diplomat, American Chiropractic Board of Sport Physicians; Diplomat, American Academy of Pain Management; Certified Clinical Nutritionist (IAACN); FIRST Chief of Chiropractic in a Hospital in New York State (DHSI); As Seen in PREVENTION Magazine
After a relatively initial intense treatment visit schedule, progression to fewr treatments, fewer therapies usually occurs- very similar to many other disciplines. Again, another descriptive handout sheet utilized in my staten Island Chiropractic office:
Treatment Regimen
Why do I need to have treatment __________________ ? ! ??
( TWICE A DAY, EVERY DAY, 3- 4x/week, 2- 3x/week, 1- 2x/week ) Depending upon your specific condition, your specific case, you may need to be seen many times in a short period. If your condition is severe, complicated, particularly painful; you may need close, frequent attention. Similar to medicine, usually the more severe the case the more often medicine is taken with larger doses. The Doctor of Chiropractic works with hands and therapy in person to accomplish the goal, the MD can treat 憀ong distance?via medicine without actually seeing the patient for treatment.
Why do I need to have treatment for (weeks, months, years!?! ) ?
Again, the Doctor using chiropractic techniques needs to get 慼ands on?in person. An MD can treat a patient without actually physically seeing the patient every day through medicine; i.e.: 搮Here are 60 pills, take one a day every day, and I will see you in two months厰. The dentist can say- 搮here, wear these braces 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for the next two- three years. I will see you every two weeks, but I抣l be treating you every day, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day for the next few years厰 .
People can wear braces and retainers for YEARS. It can take YEARS to move the bones (known as teeth) into their proper position. It can take years and years, and thousands of dollars ! But, those teeth (bones) have to be properly aligned to have a nice smile. BUT you do not have to keep wearing the brace or retainer, you can take the brace off any time,,,, and let the teeth go back to their misaligned positions (habit).
Some people with certain conditions have to take a medicine every day, seven days a week, 365 days a year; 搮..for the rest of their life??. Sometimes someone can have a damaged heart, lung, liver, kidney, pancreas; and they have to take a medicine, sometimes a FEW medicines, every day, sometimes for years, sometimes 搮for the rest of their life厰 . Similarly, a damaged neck or back, a damaged spine, a damaged nervous system can sometimes use treatment ?..for the rest of their life厰 .
Most people who go to the Doctor of Chiropractic feel a difference in their pain in as little as two or three weeks. Instead of taking years (like braces and the teeth) to make changes, the dynamic spine can start to feel better very quickly. To maintain the proper position and movement of the vertebrae (bones) it can take a continued regimen of care (of course not as frequent as the initial schedule, but to maintain gains, maintenance has to be performed). BUT you do not have to keep up with treatment, you can stop any time you want,,,, and let the vertebrae go back to their misaligned positions (habit).
It is a joke amongst Chiropractors that the DC is a magician- first Chiropractic makes the pain disappear, and then the patient disappears as well !!, BUT- pain is the last thing that comes in a problem, and the first thing that disappears under treatment,,,, but the disappearance of pain does NOT mean correction of the underlying health problem.
Dr. Victor E. Dolan, Doctor of Chiropractic; Diplomat, American Chiropractic Board of Sport Physicians; Diplomat, American Academy of Pain Management; Certified Clinical Nutritionist (IAACN); FIRST Chief of Chiropractic in a Hospital in New York State (DHSI); As Seen in PREVENTION Magazine
Finally, I have recommended stabilizing and supporting the injured area with kinesio tape. My office gives this information to my Staten Island Kinesio Tape patients:
I have been using kinesio taping in my office over five years. Very different from regular white athletic strapping tape, I was one of the early sports docs utilizing this approach. .
.
Fun to see the articles on kinesio taping at the Olympics, here is one: .
Watching Olympian Kerri Walsh compete in beach volleyball last week, many viewers were wondering the same thing: what is that black thing on her shoulder?
A tattoo? A bizarre fashion statement? No. Ms. Walsh was sporting a new type of athletic tape called Kinesio, touted by doctors as a better way to relieve pain and promote healing of injured muscles.
The appearance of Kinesio on the well-toned Ms. Walsh ?she even wore it while meeting President Bush ?has spurred international interest in the little-known brand. In black, pink, blue and beige, the tape has been spotted on a number of other Olympians, including the shoulder of U.S. water polo player Lauren Wenger and the elbows of Canadian Greco Roman wrestler Ari Taub. Members of Spain抯 basketball team and Jamaica抯 track team are wearing it.
Traditionally, white athletic tapes are wrapped around gauze to form a stiff bandage that immobilizes a joint or muscle. By comparison, the 100-percent cotton Kinesio tape is said to be modeled on the thickness and elasticity of real skin.
The flexible tape is applied to the skin in specific patterns, depending on the injury, a technique designed to create support and guide injured muscles and joints without limiting the athlete抯 range of motion.
揟his tape moves with the body, so the biomechanics are still there,'?said John Jarvis, director of Kinesio USA.
Both the tape and the new wrapping technique have spread mostly by word-of-mouth among athletes, doctors and trainers who swear by it. Cycling great Lance Armstrong reportedly dedicates a page to the tape in his latest book. Recently soccer superstar David Beckham traded jerseys after a game and was spotted with pink Kinesio tape on his back.
Some limited data suggest it may be effective. In July, the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Therapy published a study of 42 people with shoulder injuries. Half of them were treated with Kinesio tape applied in a pattern designed to support the injured muscle. The other half were given a 搒ham?treatment in which two strips of tape were simply pressed across the arm. The study was conducted by physical therapists at Winn Army Community Hospital in Fort Stewart, Ga., who didn抰 receive funding from the tape company (important: OBJECTIVE study,,, rather than drug research PAID for by drug companies?.). Notably, the study participants who received the real therapeutic tape treatment reported an immediate improvement in pain.
Last year, Research in Sports Medicine published a study from San Jose State University showing that in 30 healthy test subjects, use of the tape along the lower trunk area appeared to increase the range of motion.
Kinesio claims that in addition to supporting injured muscles and joints, the new taping method helps relieve pain by lifting the skin, allowing blood to flow more freely to the injured area. The tape is also widely used in pediatric physical therapy for muscle disorders like cerebral palsy.
Given Kinesio抯 high profile at the Olympics, it seems likely that we will be seeing more and more of it. Mr. Jarvis said the tape already is used by many professional basketball, baseball and football teams.
Want to treat yourself, your team, your athletes -- . like a USA Olympian? .
What Does Kinesio Taping Do?
Kinesio Taping gives support and stability to your joints and muscles without affecting circulation and range of motion. It is also used for Preventive Maintenance, Edema, and Pain Management
Kinesio Taping was invented by a Doctor of Chiropractic, and is utilized- especially by SPORTS Chiropractors throughout the world. Kinesio Taping helps the body heal naturally, can be used preventatively, as treatment, in rehab, during competition, or as a 憈ake home?treatment applied by the Chiropractor (medical doctors give drugs, chiropractic doctors give tape) .
Kinesio Taping is a technique based on the body's own natural healing process. This Kinesio Taping exhibits its efficacy through the activation of neurological and circulatory systems. This method basically stems from the science of Kinesiology, hence the name "Kinesio". Muscles are not only attributed to the movements of the body but also control the circulation of venous and lymph flows, body temperature, etc. Therefore, the failure of the muscles to function properly induces various kinds of symptoms.
Consequently, so much attention was given to the importance of muscle function that the idea of treating the muscles in order to activate the body's own healing process came about. Using an elastic tape, it was discovered that muscles and other tissues could be helped by outside assistance. Employment of Kinesio Taping creates a totally new approach to treating nerves, muscles, and organs. The first application of Kinesio Taping was for a patient with articular disorders.
For the first 10 years, chiropractors, acupuncturists and other medical practitioners were the main users of Kinesio Taping. Soon thereafter, Kinesio Taping was used by the Japanese Olympic volleyball players and word quickly spread to other athletes. Today, Kinesio Taping is accepted by medical practitioners and athletes in Japan, United States, Europe, South America and other Asian countries.
The Kinesio Taping Method is applied over muscles to reduce pain and inflammation, relax overused tired muscles, and to support muscles in movement on a 24hr/day basis. It is non-restrictive type of taping which allows for full range of motion.
In contrast, traditional sports' taping is wrapped around a joint strictly for stabilization and support during a sporting event obstructing the flow of bodily fluids... an UNDESIRABLE side-effect.
Kinesio Tape is used for anything from headaches to foot problems and everything in between. Examples include: muscular facilitation or inhibition in pediatric patients, carpal tunnel syndrome, lower back strain/pain (subluxations, herniated disc), knee conditions, shoulder conditions, hamstring, groin injury, rotator cuff injury, whiplash, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, patella tracking, pre and post surgical edema, ankle sprains, athletic preventative injury method, and as a support method.
Dr. Victor E. Dolan, Doctor of Chiropractic; Diplomat, American Chiropractic Board of Sport Physicians; Diplomat, American Academy of Pain Management; Certified Clinical Nutritionist (IAACN); FIRST Chief of Chiropractic in a Hospital in New York State (DHSI); As Seen in PREVENTION Magazine
I hope the above information helps you.
My recommendations- get adjusted= good, now support the adjustment= kinesio taping, perhaps you need a sports certified doctor. Check out the chiropractic doctors at www.ACBSP.com
If you need further information, please, do not hesitate to RE-contact me here at your panel of experts! http://www.allexperts.com/ep/965-100794/Chiropractors/Victor-Dolan-DC-DACBSP.htm your Staten Island Chiropractic expert !!!
Thank you for this good question.
I wish you good luck in returning to good health- naturally!
Dr. Victor Dolan, DC
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