What to Expect from an Adjustment

At Central Virginia Chiropractic Center, our staff specializes in gentle, non-cracking chiropractic treatments, because you don’t need to twist and pop your joints to achieve outstanding relief from pain and injury. Chiropractic adjustments are only one of our many services Dr. Darlene Holland, D.C. offers to patients.

A chiropractic adjustment or spinal manipulation as it is sometimes referred to is the minor movement of vertebrae in the spine. The objective of this movement is to realign vertebrae that have moved out of place for a number of reasons ranging from the strain that occurs during normal daily activity to serious trauma from a car accident. Chiropractic adjustments have the ability to restore movement to areas that have “locked up” and are suffering from nerve pain. When Dr. Darlene Holland, D.C. performs an adjustment, it can help coax the muscles surrounding stiff joints to relax, which is important to restoring your overall ability to move efficiently.

If you have questions or concerns regarding chiropractic care, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at the practice, visit www.centralvachiro.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Darlene Holland, D.C. of Central Virginia Chiropractic Center, Inc. in Lynchburg, VA, call 434-237-0413.

Osteoporosis in Older Men

In the past, we at the Central Virginia Chiropractic Center have discussed the role of osteoporosis in causing backaches and dysfunction. In order to keep our patients informed of the latest developments in our field, we wanted to pass along news of a study which found that osteoporosis often goes unrecognized as the cause of back pain in older men.

Osteoporosis is mostly found in older women and is linked to their hormonal changes. However, the disease is not uncommon in men, and failure to recognize it prevents patients from getting proper care or taking preventive measures. The new study found that only 28 out of 197 men with vertebral stress fractures were diagnosed by their physicians, but the vast majority of men with stress fractures complained of pain.

There are several factors which put people at risk for osteoporosis, including deficiencies of calcium and sunlight. Smoking, use of alcohol, and excessive aerobic exercise also increase the risk. We can treat pain associated with osteoporosis through measures such as massage and electric muscle stimulation, but the high rate of undetected stress fractures demonstrates the importance of maintaining regular check-ups.

Dr. Darlene Holland operates Central Virginia Chiropractic Center, Inc. at 7327 Timberlake Rd, Lynchburg, Virginia, 24502. To schedule an appointment, visit Central Virginia Chiropractic or call 434-237-0413.

 

Introduction to Osteoarthritis

One of the most common sources of back pain we treat at the Central Virginia Chiropractic Center in Lynchburg is osteoarthritis. While most people are aware that arthritis is a disorder that causes joints to swell, they may not know the specifics of osteoarthritis, which is why we want to provide an introduction.

Osteoarthritis is caused by mechanical damage to joints in the back. This is different from rheumatoid arthritis, which is an immune system disorder in which the body attacks itself. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage which separates the facet joints of the spine gets worn away or misshapen, causing parts of the spine to rub against each other. This causes inflammation, which leads to muscle spasms and pain.

People with osteoarthritis report it tends to be worse after long periods of inactivity, such as sleeping or sitting still at or desk or while watching a movie. It also gets worse during periods of low atmospheric pressure such as before precipitation; this is caused by swelling. Osteoarthritis has a high correlation with degenerative disc disease, which in some cases is believed to be the cause of it due to a degenerated disc’s reduced ability to absorb shocks.

Our office offers lots of ways of treating osteoarthritis, including adjustments, electric muscle stimulation, and therapeutic exercise to prevent stiffness. However, the process of diagnosing osteoarthritis requires other possible causes of back pain to be eliminated, which is why we’ll need patients to undergo tests and provide as complete a medical history as possible.

Dr. Darlene Holland operates Central Virginia Chiropractic Center, Inc. at 7327 Timberlake Rd, Lynchburg, Virginia, 24502. To schedule an appointment, visit Central Virginia Chiropractic or call 434-237-0413.