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What causes radiating pain, tingling, pins and needles in the arm or leg?

 

   Unlike the sudden “zing” and tingling sensation you get in your little finger when you crack your funny bone,   if you have a pain, weakness, or numbness, tingling, pins and needles in your hand, this is a problem.  It could be a problem in your neck, a disc problem or possibly a problem right in your wrist.  And, if you have pain in your buttocks, hip, groin or down your leg that doesn't go away or it’s always there when you sit, stand or cough - This could be the result of a bulging disc or it may be due to a swollen sacro-iliac joint ligament.

                            These are serious problems that require treatment.

How does this happen and what does it all mean? How bad is the situation?

Pressure on a nerve is never a good thing, but how serious it is actually depends a lot on where the nerve pressure is coming from.

The problem with radiating pain is that different problems can cause the same symptoms. Sacro-iliac problems can masquerade as disc problems, and carpal tunnel problems can be from a problem in the wrist or in the neck.  Proper treatment depends on knowing what you’re treating.

It takes some knowledge of the right questions to ask and the right tests to perform to tell what is causing the symptoms…You, obviously wouldn’t want to have low back disc surgery when the sciatica is caused by a sacro-iliac problem, and you also wouldn’t want to have your wrist operated on when your carpal tunnel problem is in your neck. 

How do I find out what is causing my radiating pain?

When you go to your chiropractor or other doctor with the complaint of radiating pain in the leg or the hand you will be asked a series of questions and then tested to determine if your pain is due to a disc injury or other problem. 

One pain-free, easy and inexpensive test that we perform is a Nerve Conduction Velocity Test. This is a very accurate test that shows exactly where the nerve pressure is coming from and following this test you will know whether or not your radiating pain is coming from a bulging disc or a simpler problem that requires a different treatment.

If you or someone you know is experiencing radiating arm, hand or leg pain you will benefit from this test and you will know for sure what is causing your pain. Then your doctor will be able to decide the best kind of care for that problem.

For more information please feel free to call us at 845-297-6688 or email us at dchealth99@aol.com

 

 

 

  

  

 

 

 

  

 

When Do Most Back Injuries Occur?

It’s not just how you do it but when you are most likely to hurt your back...

You are more likely to injure your back when it is weak, unstable and unable to adapt to the forces you are subjecting it to. 

 You can injure your back doing nothing at all, but simply sitting for prolonged periods of time with poor posture and not getting up and changing position.

 You have a good chance of hurting your back when you are bending and lifting.

 You have a better chance of injuring your back if you bend and twist or turn at the same time.

 You also have a good chance of injuring your back when you are rushing and skipping steps in your process.

 Back injuries are likely to occur in the first half hour after returning to work, in the beginning of the shift or after a break.

 And the majority of those injuries occur within the first two minutes after standing up,  following a period of time sitting or lying down.    

You can make it stronger, more stable and more able to adapt to the forces of everyday living by avoiding bending and lifting, avoiding bending and twisting,... slow down and think about what you are doing, returning to work more slowly after a break and letting your muscles warm up before loading them. Regular chiropractic care is a key ingredient in stabilizing, strengthening and, in a way, immunizing you against your back failing you.

Strong healthy backs rarely fail and seldom hurt.

For more information how this can help you, feel free to email your questions to dchealth99@aol.com or call 845-297-6688

Why Does My Back Pain Keep Returning?

Sometimes, you can have a back problem that just seems to defy fixing and no matter what you do... it keeps coming back again, anyway.

Well there may be a good reason after all.

It may sound like a no-brainer, but the pain will continue to return as long as you keep doing the things that cause your pain.

 It is easy to confuse the issues but the pain is not the problem. The problem is the imbalances, asymmetries and the resulting stuck or jammed joints that cannot move the way they’re supposed to move.

   A BIG point to remember is that it is “stuck” joints that causes most back pain.

 So, the real question to ask is “why do I continue to have these imbalances, asymmetries and stuck joints that don’t move the way they’re supposed to move?”      

 There are many reasons but here are 5 reasons that you can do something about yourself:

1   One big reason is sedentary postures that destabilize joints, weaken muscles and ligaments, and destroys symmetry and balance. This includes the way one sits at work, when watching TV, or in the car, and even the way one lays in bed at night, just to name a few. All prevent normal movement of the joints of the spine.

2   Another reason your back pain will continue to return over and over again despite care is lack of conditioning. If you are out of shape and de-conditioned due to the lack of exercise and a sedentary life, your back will continue to have problems. All of those muscles on your legs, back and abdomen have an important job to do:

                             They support your spine, if they're up to it 

3   Being over-weight creates a ten times increased risk of not only having back pain, but also hip and knee pain. If you are over-weight and out of shape, it interferes with balance and symmetry.

4   Smoking weakens your back and prolongs your back problem because nicotine destroys collagen fibers. Collagen is what your ligaments, tendons and muscles are made of.

5  Taking pain medications may effectively stop your pain but most of the best pain meds interrupt and often prevent proper tendon, ligament and muscle healing.

 These are all things that can cause a back problem and …make one continue.

As the old expression goes... If you keep doing the same thing, you're going to keep getting the same result...

Our job is not simply to “fix” your back but to fix you too so it stays fixed. Please call our office and we will be happy to help you in any of these areas that may be giving you difficulty. We have developed very good programs to help you recondition your back, get yourself into better physical condition, lose weight and we also have a technique to help you stop smoking.

For help or questions regarding this please call 845-297-6688