Back Pain
Since back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide, it is vital to know how to prevent the cause of back pain. By maintaining a healthy diet and weight, remaining active and avoiding prolonged inactivity or bed rest are all important ways to avoid back pain. Before doing exercises or any physical activity, it is recommended to warm up and/or stretch.
Neck Pain
The neck, also called the cervical spine, begins at the base of the skull and contains seven small vertebrae. The cervical spine supports the full weight of your head which is on average about 12 pounds. While the cervical spine can move your head in nearly every direction, this flexibility makes the neck very susceptible to pain and injury.
Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain is a very common condition and affects almost half of the U.S. Most patients feel some sort of pain, limited range of motion, an inability to engage in activities of daily living (ADL) or something more serious as a permanent disability.
Headaches/ Migraines
Nine out of ten Americans say that they suffer from headaches. Some of these people experience headaches frequently. Some experience constant headaches that are very painful. These can even make a person nauseous. Ninety-five percent of headaches are tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused from a disease, but from something in your body that is not sitting correctly.
Head Injury / Concussion Rehabilitation
In the United States, every 15 seconds a child suffers a head injury and roughly 90% are a (mTBI) mild traumatic brain injury (concussion), and in general within the U.S. the cost is nearly 77 billion dollars. Kids also incur most of the mild traumatic brain injuries in the United States and it is difficult to determine if the head injury has caused a concussion because they don’t have the ability to explain things as well as adults.
Neuropathy
Neuropathy is a medical condition caused by damaged nerve cells and often associated with autoimmune diseases, infections, diabetes, tumors, or hereditary conditions. Peripheral neuropathy currently affects over 20 million people in the United States with symptoms ranging from tingling or burning pain and nausea to muscle spasms, difficulty moving your arms or legs, or atrophy.
Knee Pain
Knee pain is increasingly becoming a more common problem in society. It is a complaint we see frequently. The most common complaint associated with knee pain is considered the normal “wear and tear.” Another ailment that affects the knee is osteoarthritis. The symptoms and progression of osteoarthritis and knee pain can be reduced through our individualized approach to chiropractic care.
Spinal & Postural Screenings
A straight spine is important for proper body movement and healthy organ function. The onset of significant spinal conditions generally occurs between the ages of 10 and 14 in adolescent development.
Screening of the spine may provide an opportunity to identify problems that might impact student health. For this reason, many schools facilitate this screening as part of a health physical, and at-risk students are highly encouraged to be rechecked yearly. Posture screening may generally include assessment for scoliosis (side to side curve), kyphosis (round back) and lordosis (sway back).
Vestibular Rehab
Vestibular rehabilitation is an exercise-based program to improve balance and reduce dizziness-related problems.
What causes dizziness?
Each year, more than 10 million patients visit a physician due to dizziness. Dizziness can occur at any age, but it is the most common complaint of patients over the age of 75.
Dizziness is generally not serious but is often a sign of a mechanical problem. Dizziness can be due to an inner ear disorder, neck dysfunction, certain medications, or it can be due to a more serious problem such as a brain or a heart problem.
• Feelings of unsteadiness
• Swimming feeling in the head
• Lightheadedness
• Feelings of passing out
• Sensations that either you or your environment is moving
• Spinning, tilting or the sensation of being pushed
• Floating
What is Vestibular Rehabilitation?
Vestibular rehabilitation is an exercise-based program to improve balance and reduce problems related to dizziness.
These feelings or sensations can occur when you are standing still, lying down or changing positions. The symptoms can be constant or episodic in nature, lasting seconds, minutes, hours or days.
Common Symptoms that can be helped with vestibular rehabilitation therapy include:
• Dizziness or blurry vision with head movements
• Neck tightness, stiffness and/or pain
• Imbalance or the need to hold onto objects while walking or turning
• Headaches
• Frequent falls
• Generalized “dizziness, wooziness and foggy head” feelings
• Vertigo/spinning
At your appointment, we will evaluate your symptoms and medical history. Your assessment will include all or part of the following areas:
• Complete Neurological evaluation
• Inner ear exam
• Eye exam
• Heart and Lungs exam
• Balance assessment including a Computerized Axial Posturography exam
• Gait analysis
• Visual stability Video Oculography exam
• Mobility exam
• Neck exam
Sports Injuries
Despite doing everything right — stretching beforehand, wearing the proper equipment, or engaging in the appropriate training — sports-related injuries happen to the best of us. Whether you were playing in a championship tournament or weekend pickup game, the most important thing to know when playing sports on any level is that if you get hurt, stop playing immediately as continuing to play can cause more harm than good.
From the slightest sprain to a major dislocation, sports injuries are serious and almost always require medical diagnosis and treatment. The most common sports injuries include:
- Knee injuries
- Fractures and dislocations
- Shin splints
- Strains and sprains
- Swollen muscles
- Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow
- Joint injuries
- Rotator cuff and shoulder injuries
The first step in treating your injury is receiving a medical diagnosis from an experienced professional like our chiropractor. The treatment and prognosis of your sports injury vary on the severity of your pain and the extent of the injury itself, and usually starts with rest, ice, compression and elevation of the affected area. Other treatments that may be recommended by our chiropractor at Masula Chiropractic include chiropractic care, pain relievers or other medications, physical therapy and rehabilitation, or even surgery.
If you are suffering from a sports-related injury, call us today at (530) 342-6441 to request your appointment at Masula Chiropractic with our chiropractor.
Functional Neurology
Chico Chiropractic Neurologist, Dr. Larry E. Masula, welcomes all of his neighbors to stop by and discover how he and his clinic staff can aid in the rehabilitation of Concussion patients, Post stroke patients, patients with Back pain, Herniated discs, Neck pain, Shoulder pain, and Vertigo.
Functional neuroscience rehabilitation may be a new concept to you. As a functional neurologist, we use the brain’s ability to change based on proper fuel and activation in the form of environmental, emotional, and physical stimuli. As a Diplomate with the American Chiropractic Neurology Board, we have an extensive knowledge of neuroscience and the nervous system which enables us to find avenues to activate the brain and create long-term positive changes.
This concept is called NEUROPLASTICITY.
With this background we specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of Vestibular Disorders, Concussion, and certain Neurological conditions without drugs or surgery.