Have you been dealing with sleep disorders, emotional distress, and fatigue more than usual lately? Are you unable to identify what’s causing your low mood and discomfort? Fibromyalgia — or abnormal pain perception processing — might be to blame.
Fibromyalgia is a common condition characterized by widespread pain and discomfort, so common that 4 million Americans (2% of the adult population) live with it every day. Pain sensitivity is more acute in fibromyalgia patients, hence its easily recognizable symptoms. The causes of fibromyalgia are not yet fully understood, which is why there’s no straightforward way to address this condition.
Fortunately, a personalized treatment plan consisting of chiropractic care and physical therapy will effectively manage your fibromyalgia pain in a noninvasive manner!
What Is Fibromyalgia?
Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that affects the way our brains process pain signals. Patients dealing with this disorder report amplified pain sensations, either locally or throughout the body. Its prevalence affects women more than other patients.
Constant pain is the symptom most often associated with fibromyalgia. Patients report chronic pain for months on end. The symptoms are widespread, affecting multiple body areas simultaneously.
Aside from the elevated pain levels, fibromyalgia patients report fatigue even after long nights of sleep (often disrupted by discomfort and sleep disorders) and cognitive issues — they are often unable to focus or pay attention (i.e., “fibro fog“).
The challenge posed by fibromyalgia centers around diagnosis — at the moment, science hasn’t developed a surefire way (e.g., specific laboratory or imaging tests) for this painful condition. You can only observe your symptoms and bring them to your physician’s attention. They will probably check your joints to rule out other conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis or systemic lupus erythematosus.
Does Chiropractic Care Help With Fibromyalgia Pain?
The absence of a cure doesn’t mean patients who suffer from fibromyalgia cannot manage their pain. It’s all about finding the right treatment method.
The pain symptoms associated with fibromyalgia are more acute in the spine. Because this condition diminishes muscle tone and natural flexibility, the spine eventually experiences a loss of movement. Consequently, muscle tightness and pain will pervade your spinal area, exacerbating your discomfort.
Chiropractic Adjustments Are Key to a Healthy Spine!
Constant spinal manipulation and movement — that’s the word of order for fibromyalgia patients. Here is where chiropractic treatment, in the shape of chiropractic adjustments, becomes critical. This non-invasive treatment method strengthens the link between nerves throughout the body and the central nervous system, helping the brain process pain more accurately. The result: less stress on the spine and fewer inaccurate pain signals!
What Are the Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Patients With Fibromyalgia Pain?
#1: Stimulating the Body’s Natural Healing Process
Although lacking a solid cure, fibromyalgia can easily be managed through noninvasive treatment options. That is why most physicians recommend chiropractic adjustments as an effective alternative to conventional treatments!
During each chiropractic adjustment session, your chiropractor will stimulate your body’s circulatory system, helping it release more endorphins and neurotransmitters. This approach will assist the brain’s nerve impulses in processing pain signals accordingly, therefore alleviating pain and increasing pain tolerance.
#2: Provides Chronic Pain Relief
The way fibromyalgia patients experience pain is the most challenging aspect of this disorder. The constant pain will affect patients throughout the whole body for days, weeks, or months at a time. What they need is a treatment option capable of restoring overall health and promoting the body’s self-healing capabilities.
That is the purpose of chiropractic care — to implement adjustments and soft tissue work not just for improving spine health but toward healing the whole body by minimizing painful pressure points! As a result, you will notice an amelioration of your body wellness with each chiropractic treatment session!
#3: Increased Range of Motion
Muscle tone loss and stiff joints are common symptoms of fibromyalgia; because of the pain and discomfort caused by this condition, morning stiffness, tender points, and reduced range of motion become common occurrences for fibromyalgia patients.
Chiropractic treatments alleviate muscle and joint stiffness without medications (e.g., muscle relaxers). It might take multiple treatment sessions to see results, but the outcome is definitely worth the wait — recovering your range of motion and feeling like yourself again!
#4: Improved Sleep Quality
The modern human being is going through life at a faster and faster pace; no wonder why a good night’s sleep can be the difference between success and failure. Patients with fibromyalgia, unfortunately, rarely afford the luxury of soothing sleep. Their lack of rest is often followed by fatigue and irritability.
Chiropractic care attends to the stiff joints and tender points chipping away at your precious rest time, helping you enjoy a deeper sleep and restoring your sleep quality!
#5: Patient Empowerment
Chiropractic treatments take one further step toward whole-body wellness than other treatments: they empower patients on their recovery journey! Unfortunately, chronic pain conditions often call for various treatment options, which can overburden the patient with stress, depression, and a lack of control over the situation.
Working with a chiropractor takes the patient’s concerns into account and enlists their help toward achieving pain management. With every treatment session, you will notice a gradual reduction in pain and discomfort, leaving you optimistic and excited for the upcoming treatment session!
How Can I Complement My Chiropractic Treatment for Fibromyalgia?
Chiropractic adjustments are but the first yet solid step in your pain mitigation process. Chiropractic care approaches fibromyalgia pain holistically — the entire body must work as one to achieve pain relief. Here is where our lifestyle adjustment recommendations come into play!
How To Improve Your Lifestyle
The core lifestyle changes for fibromyalgia patients center around constant movement. Sedentary lifestyles are fibromyalgia’s strongest ally, which is why you must add simple exercises to your daily routine. Nothing too fanciful — even taking frequent walks during a long day at the office is a valuable tool toward recovery. If unsure how to proceed, approach your chiropractor for physical therapy tips. It’s better to kick the sedentary habit than to rely on pain medications!
Next, you’ll have to pay closer attention to nutrition. Diets play a valuable role during fibromyalgia recovery by handling both the physiological and psychological aspects of this condition. That is why your chiropractor will recommend a handful of dietary changes — nothing drastic, but enough to help your body recover faster!
It’s Time To Relieve Your Fibromyalgia Pain at Bergen Chiropractic!
At theBergen Chiropractic and Sports Rehabilitation Center, our chiropractic team, led by Dr. Gregory Doerr, follows the highest and most professional medical standards to provide superior chiropractic help. Our mission is to provide unparalleled patient care and services in a comfortable healing atmosphere.Access our contact form or call us at (201) 945-4075 to learn more about our chiropractic services! Our chiropractic offices at532 Anderson Avenue, Cliffside Park, NJ 07010, and62 Summit Ave, Hackensack, NJ 07601, are ready to welcome you as we proudly serve New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, PA, and Baltimore, MD, areas. Also, feel free to access ourblog,Facebook, and Instagram pages for more information on chiropractic treatments!
More and more Americans entrust their chronic pain relief to the hands of chiropractors! Around 35 million chiropractic visits are scheduled every year, with over 1 million chiropractic adjustments performed every day across the country. A significant percentage of patients are thrilled with the results of chiropractic care, so there’s no surprise that the chiropractic industry surged to $19.5 billion annually!
One of the first things patients concern themselves with before their initial consultation is the price of chiropractor visits. The answer varies from one chiropractor to another: credentials, location, and even the patient’s lifestyle will determine the cost of chiropractic care. However, we want to help our patients gauge their costs before entering our offices, so here’s a breakdown of the average consultation costs at Bergen Chiropractic!
What Factors Influence the Price of Chiropractic Care?
The three factors with a stronger say in the cost of chiropractor services are location, credentials, and the patient’s lifestyle.
The Location of the Chiropractic Clinic
The cost of a chiropractic visit varies according to the clinic’s location. For example, the lowest patient fees are in the Midwest, at around $60 per session. The prices slightly increase in the South, where patients can expect a $70 fee per visit. The highest fees in the country revolve around $100 per visit. New patients will have to consider an extra expense since the initial consultation also includes an overall health consultation.
The Chiropractor’s Credentials
No two chiropractors are created equal, so it’s only normal that providers who boast the most prestigious certifications and years of experience are entitled to charge more.
All licensed chiropractors must undergo rigorous education and training to receive their undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. The entire process takes years of dedication and studying to complete. However, every chiropractor who follows this educational ladder is prepared to offer the best chiropractic care to their patients!
Four years of chiropractic training, including two years of studying basic sciences. This preliminary step ends with completing the National Boards, Part 1.
Two years of training in clinical sciences, followed by the successful completion of the National Boards, Part 2.
The completion of the National Boards, Part 3, for chiropractors who intend to dive deeper into physiological therapeutics.
The completion of the National Boards, Part 4.
Aside from these mandatory certifications, expert chiropractors undergo specialized training for specific branches of chiropractic care. For example, sports chiropractors take Graston Technique, Active Release Techniques, Kinesiotaping, and Dry needling courses to further their training. This training is always rewarding for chiropractors, whose achievements (e.g., reviews, awards, an established reputation) serve as solid proof of their expertise.
The Patient’s Lifestyle
Finally, it is the patient’s lifestyle that will determine the chiropractic treatment cost. For example, certain professions, such as athletes or people engaged in physical labor, are more likely to require chiropractic care in the future. Likewise, patients who undergo chiropractic treatment without following the chiropractor’s instructions will probably book extra treatment sessions.
What Is Included in the Cost of a Chiropractic Visit?
Most chiropractic sessions begin with an assessment of the patient’s health, followed by putting together a treatment plan. The chiropractor will then use various techniques to relieve pain (e.g., through chiropractic adjustments). The severity of the patient’s symptoms will determine the length and number of necessary chiropractic sessions.
Does Insurance Cover Chiropractic Care?
The vast majority of insurance plans cover chiropractic care (e.g., Cigna and Medicare). However, insurance coverage depends on various factors, such as location and type of chiropractic coverage (e.g., deductible and copayments). Certain chiropractic treatment plans do require out-of-pocket expenses, so we recommend you speak with your insurance provider before your first chiropractic session. If costs are an issue, you’ll be happy to hear that many chiropractic clinics offer payment plans to help their patients!
Here at Bergen Chiropractic, we want to help our patients get the care they need by accepting insurance and offering payment plan opportunities!
How Much Does Bergen Chiropractic Charge for a Consultation?
Dr. Gregory Doerr and his team of expert chiropractors want to ensure that your primary focus is treatment, not payment. That is why the total cost of chiropractic sessions (based on your health insurance and treatment plan) can be covered through reasonable payment plans at our office! Patients without insurance can expect a $175 fee for the initial visit (including an overall health consultation) and $66 for every follow-up treatment session. So, be ready to see your pain symptoms improve as your treatment progresses and your costs go down!
Start Your Chiropractic Treatment at Bergen Chiropractic!
Chronic pain is running rampant among the adult American population. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in five US adults was struggling with chronic pain in 2016, whereas 8% of them were dealing with a high-impact version of it (i.e., lasting longer than three months and causing major activity restrictions). So there’s no surprise that more and more patients are seeking effective pain management approaches every year!
Patients dealing with chronic muscle pain have various avenues toward pain relief. One of the most popular and effective of these treatments — and the one we focus on here at Bergen Chiropractic — is chiropractic care. Although enough on its own to achieve pain relief, chiropractic adjustments can be combined with other options in a superior treatment plan. That is why today’s article will teach you all about massage therapy and how this pain management approach can boost your chiropractic treatment!
What Is Massage Therapy?
Massage therapy is a technique designed to address the pain signals located in the patient’s muscles and soft tissues. The massage therapist uses their hands, as well as specific oils and lotions, to release tense muscles and improve blood flow to the affected area. Each massage treatment encourages the body to eliminate toxins and rediscover its health through a noninvasive approach.
Although they most often prefer a hands-on approach, massage therapists can employ various other tools and techniques for managing pain, such as cupping and electronic acupuncture.
Massage therapy delivers various benefits to the patient’s health, such as:
Increase blood flow
Promote relaxation by releasing built-up anxiety
Promote healing in a holistic way
Relieve muscle pain and tension
Chiropractic vs. Massage Therapy: Similarities and Differences
Chiropractic treatment and massage therapy boast certain similarities and differences that make them uniquely suitable for a combined treatment. Both chiropractors and massage therapists primarily use their hands to provide pain relief to their patients in a non-invasive manner. Furthermore, both approaches focus on encouraging healthier alignment with immediate results!
Although they share a common ground in goals and treatment approaches, massage treatment and chiropractic adjustments do exhibit certain differences. First, chiropractors can further their medical investigations on a patient through diagnoses, X-rays, or blood work, whereas massage therapists cannot. Second, chiropractic treatment addresses issues related to the musculoskeletal and nervous systems, whereas massage therapists focus on relieving built-up tension. In a nutshell, chiropractic relieves the pain, whereas a massage releases all the stress that’s trapped inside your body!
Should I See a Chiropractor or a Massage Therapist?
The choice of seeing a chiropractor vs. a massage therapist mainly depends upon your pain relief goals. If, for example, you’re dealing with musculoskeletal system issues, seeing a chiropractor is the way to go. If, on the other hand, you want to focus primarily on stress and tension relief, then go for a licensed massage therapist! Remember that both treatment options help relieve pain, but in different ways.
Can Massage Therapy and Chiropractic Care Be Combined?
The differences between chiropractic care and massage therapy do not exclude one another. In fact, they may help boost your health even more when provided simultaneously! As chiropractors work to undo spinal misalignments, disc degeneration, or a pinched nerve, massage therapy gives your body the extra boost required to complete the healing process. Recovering from an injury takes its toll on the patient’s mental and physical health, which is why massage therapy helps alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression. It’s all about holistically healing the body, and a combination of chiropractic adjustments and regular massages will help get the job done!
Enjoy the Best Chiropractic Services at Bergen Chiropractic!
Many American adults are “painfully” familiar with the concept of daily aches and pains. Whether stemming from an injury or a chronic illness, pain is a consistent part of our daily lives, so much so that, in 2015 alone, more than 126 million US adults reported pain signals during a three-month period. Out of this alarming number, 20% fell under the category of intense or chronic pain!
Pain relief is the obvious next step toward enhancing our quality of life, but how do we go about achieving it? For many of us, the prospect of an invasive treatment (e.g., surgery) is deterring enough to learn how to live with the pain. But surgical procedures are not the sole avenue toward pain relief!
Over the past years, noninvasive treatments have gained enough momentum to be considered solid alternatives to traditional pain relief therapies. Here at Bergen Chiropractic, our dedication to chiropractic care has helped many patients better their overall health! But is there a way to take the efficacy of chiropractic care even further? Today’s article will discuss a potential addition to our pain relief approach — acupuncture!
What Is an Acupuncture Treatment?
Acupuncture is an age-old approach to dealing with pain by unlocking the body’s energy levels. This traditional Chinese treatment observes the energy flow traveling through the body’s meridians, called qi. As long as theflow of qi remains unimpeded, the body is free from daily aches and pains. Throw any hitch in the system, however, and all sorts of pain might spring up.
Acupuncture works toward reestablishing an adequate flow of qi. The acupuncturist inserts very thin needles into the body’s meridians to unblock stuck energy and achieve wellness. These acupuncture needles typically remain inserted in the body for 10-30-minute sessions, during which the immune system has enough time to respond. Acupuncture treatments cause little to no discomfort, allowing you to relax and find your inner peace.
What Are the Benefits of Acupuncture?
Aside from stimulating the body’s natural flow of energy, acupuncture treatments benefit the patient’s healing process on multiple levels. First, it boosts the body’s natural painkillers, relieving pain and helping you cut down on pain management medication. Second, it stimulates the muscles, nerves, and connective tissue, allowing you to feel healthier and full of life. Third, it assists the body in addressing various ailments, such as:
Arthritis
Digestive issues
Low back pain
Menopausal symptoms
Migraines
Muscle tension
Neck pain
Pain from sports injuries
Respiratory issues
Is Acupuncture the Same As Dry Needling?
Although similar in name and based on similar approaches, acupuncture and dry needling remain two separate pain relief therapies. Their first main difference lies in their treatment principles: acupuncture stems from traditional Chinese medicine, whereas dry needling observes the body’s neurophysiological principles. Second, acupuncture interacts with nerve endings, whereas dry needling releases muscle tension by activating trigger point pain. Third, acupuncture treatments cover a more comprehensive range of pain types than dry needling. And last but not least, acupuncture enjoys a more established position in the medical industry, whereas dry needling has yet to become a solid treatment option.
How Do Chiropractic and Acupuncture Differ?
Same as with dry needling, acupuncture is significantly different from chiropractic care. Aside from finding common ground in their noninvasive approach, acupuncture and chiropractic exhibit certain differences that complement one another.
For example, chiropractic patients seek to manage and relieve pain — whether it be neck or back pain — whereas acupuncture deals with conditions (e.g., infertility) and lifestyle issues (e.g., weight gain, smoking, etc.). Therefore, a treatment plan comprising both chiropractic and acupuncture can simultaneously provide pain relief and set patients on a clear track toward a healthy lifestyle.
Another difference between the two treatment modalities lies in their results. Chiropractic is arguably quicker in benefiting your health (e.g., better posture, less pain), whereas acupuncture might take several treatment sessions for the same efficacy.
What Conditions Do Chiropractic and Acupuncture Treat?
Chronic conditions (e.g., diabetes, hypertension, and allergies)
Chronic low back pain
Headaches and migraines
Insomnia
Menopausal symptoms
Neck pain
Sciatica
Shoulder pain
How Does Combining Chiropractic and Acupuncture Lead To Better Health?
The secret to a dual chiropractic acupuncture treatment lies in how these two approaches complement each other toward achieving noninvasive pain relief. Chiropractic care encourages the central nervous system — e.g., through spinal adjustments — to promote healing, while acupuncture needles reestablish a healthy energy flow throughout the body. You might think of acupuncture as a way of removing any roadblocks that impede chiropractic care from relieving pain! Faster healing times and more balanced health are but a few of the benefits of acupuncture and chiropractic!
Learn About the Wonders of Chiropractic Treatment at Bergen Chiropractic!
Hip pain is more widespread than anyone could imagine. Close to 10 million Americans have been diagnosed with hip osteoarthritis, and a 2010 article published in the Osteoarthritis and Cartilage Journal found that 1 in 4 people runs the risk of developing symptomatic hip osteoarthritis in their lifetime. So, chances are, you’re already feeling the discomfort caused by pain in the hips; stair climbing and even the simple act of walking might be burdensome for you!
This hip pain that’s been bugging you for a while now might indicate the onset of hip tendonitis!
What Is Hip Flexor Tendonitis?
Hip flexor tendonitis is defined by the irritation of the hip flexor muscles, an amalgam of different tissue surrounding your hips. Under normal circumstances, the hip flexors help smooth out different types of motion, such as raising your knees toward your trunk while bending your hip and stabilizing the body while lifting the trunk from a supine position.
The hip — the body’s largest ball-and-socket joint — keeps the body stable while ensuring the movement of the upper leg. However, the consistent load transfer between the upper and lower bodies, particularly when practicing sports, puts substantial pressure on the hip flexor tendons. This constant pressure, especially in the case of athletes, will irritate the hip flexor muscles, leading to pain and discomfort.
The degree of hip pain experienced by a patient with hip tendonitis varies. While some patients can still perform basic acts such as walking, running, and stair climbing, for others, even sitting up is cumbersome.
The 3 Grades of Hip Tendonitis
Hip tendonitis manifests itself through a hip flexor strain (i.e., a tear localized in the hip muscles). The pain resulting from a hip flexor strain is generally categorized into three grades:
Grade I tear: the damage is restricted mainly to a small number of muscle fibers.
Grade II tear: the patient experiences multiple damaged tissues and a moderate loss of function in the hip flexor muscles.
Grade II tear: the patient experiences a complete rupture of the hip muscle(s). Limping is the telltale sign of a severe tear, for which orthopedic surgery is sometimes required.
What Causes This Condition?
The primary cause of hip tendonitis is an overload on a hip muscle, e.g.:
The adductor longus
The gluteus maximus
The hamstring muscles
The rectus femoris
The sartorius
The tensor fascia lata
When too much pressure is exerted on any of these muscles, the iliopsoas (i.e., the primary hip flexor muscle) jumps to the rescue to stabilize the hip joint. From there on, the hip tendonitis symptoms are only one step away. Athletes such as cyclists, dancers, and runners (whose activities depend on repetitive hip flexion movements) often report hip flexor strains.
What Are the Hip Flexor Tendonitis Symptoms?
The most common symptom of hip tendonitis is hip flexor pain, whether acute or chronic. Patients will experience pain and muscle spasms at the front of the hip or in the groin. Over time, the discomfort will make it harder for patients to walk, climb stairs, or lift their knees toward the chest. The pain will also alter the patient’s gait and cause limping.
How Is Hip Tendonitis Diagnosed?
Seeing a specialist is imperative for diagnosing hip tendonitis. First, your physician will review your medical history and conduct a complete physical exam. After reviewing your symptoms of hip tendonitis, the physician will employ X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to zero in on a precise diagnosis and rule out other sources of hip and groin pain, such as fractures and sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction. Other tests, such as an electromyography (EMG), will detect any nerve compression.
Chiropractic Care for Hip Tendonitis
Noninvasive recovery from hip tendon pain calls for rest, relaxation, and physical therapy. It is imperative that you cut your muscles and tendons some slack to recover from the additional pressure. Putting ice packs on the hip — 10-15 minutes up to 4 times per day — will mitigate the discomfort and inhibit inflammation. Your physician will prescribe pain relievers (e.g., ibuprofen) to help you overcome any bouts of elevated pain and discomfort.
Once you’re past the preliminary stage of your recovery, it’s time to switch to physical activity. Exercises such as hip flexor stretches, pelvic tilts, standing butt squeezes, and scissors will expedite your recovery and get you back into shape!
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