Herniated disc. Slipped disc. Bulging disk. Pinched nerve. You may have heard all these terms to describe severe pain felt in the back. The fact is the worst of the bunch is the herniated disc. Our chiropractor in San Antonio TX may be able to help.

The discs are structures that rest comfortably between your vertebrae, like gel-filled cushions or shock absorbers. A disc can herniate through a tear in the supportive ligaments surrounding one of the discs. This can be caused by:

• Sudden injury
• Constant stress
• Improper lifting or twisting of the spinal column

Once the disc ruptures (or herniates), the disc material (somewhat like a jelly) swells and exerts pressure on the spinal nerves, resulting in pain. In the worst-case scenario, the material can push all the way out from between your vertebrae and press on the nerves that branch off the spinal cord.

Your San Antonio TX chiropractor will first assess your pain to determine your course of care. First, it is important to determine if your reflexes are intact and communicating.

Second, your chiropractor will see if there is any loss of muscle strength and check if you have full sensory communication along numerous nerve pathways.

These important orthopedic and neurological exams can help your chiropractor determine which course of action to take next.

A herniated disc is a serious injury. If at any time your chiropractor feels that a spinal surgeon is needed, you will be referred. Your chiropractor will check your posture and may order an X-ray or MRI (if necessary) to help with the diagnostic process.

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Will San Antonio TX Chiropractic care help your herniated disc?

Chiropractors do not pop a disc back in place using force, nor can a few quick treatments "fix" your herniated disc. With gentle and usually painless adjustment techniques, over time a disc can be repaired.

In 2006, a study was published in the prestigious scientific journal “Spine.” It showed excellent results for chiropractic manipulation in the treatment of disc injuries and sciatica. Go with the experts at Barrows Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic and get the help you need.

If you are ever unlucky enough to be injured in a car accident, you may experience a strain on your neck muscles and the surrounding soft tissue. The feeling is called whiplash and it can limit your neck movement severely.

When a vehicle is hit from the rear (or the side), the force can cause a sharp movement to your head and neck. It’s important not to ignore whiplash-type injuries and to see your San Antonio TX chiropractor as soon as possible. Fast and careful treatment is the best defense against whiplash.

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Whiplash symptoms in San Antonio TX

Symptoms can be felt instantly or take days or weeks to manifest. They can include:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Loss of mobility in the neck and or shoulders
• Upper back pain

Whiplash is the common term used to describe any neck injuries from sudden impact. Your head is thrown to the side or backward violently and vertebrae, discs, muscles, and ligaments can all be damaged.

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The importance of your headrest

The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and Consumer Reports have seen great improvements in the efficacy of headrests to prevent whiplash-related injuries in a crash, however, the IIHS also rated nearly half of all headrests as poor for cars on the road before 2006. To increase your chances of not getting whiplash to follow these rules:

• Your headrest should reach at least as high as the top of your ears
• Your headrest should be no more than four inches (10 cms) from the back of your head

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Other causes of whiplash

It’s not just car accidents that can cause the nasty effects of whiplash though; falling downstairs, being aggressively tackled while playing football, or being body checked hard into the boards in hockey could also leave you with a case of whiplash. Some comfort can be taken in the fact that most whiplash injuries are not serious and will heal fully with proper care.

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A healthy neck is your best defense

Chiropractors are first and foremost primary caregivers who specialize in spinal health. Your neck muscles, tendons, and bones fall under your San Antonio TX chiropractor’s area of expertise. Trust your chiropractor and talk about your care with them. Many people suffering from whiplash can heal quickly and be back to their daily routines in no time. Follow your chiropractor’s recommendations and treatments, and it's likely you’ll have a stronger neck and better posture that will enable you to withstand injury and bounce back quicker if you ever become injured again.

Feel free to contact our team at Barrows Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic with any questions you have.

If you are suffering from back or neck pain after even the most minor of car accidents (or even if you feel no pain at all) it is entirely possible you have sustained whiplash. Without a thorough assessment from a San Antonio TX chiropractor, whiplash can lead to a lifetime of debilitating chronic pain.

Knocking or “whipping” the spine out of alignment can strain the neck muscles and cause intense pain and discomfort. Painkillers are a stopgap measure in controlling pain; it is important to get to the cause of the condition.

Chiropractors relieve the underlying spinal (or whiplash) injury by relieving pressure on your tendons, nerves, and muscles. This alignment of the spine, coupled with corrective exercises, helps heal even serious damage to your musculoskeletal system.

Following trauma, your body naturally tries to immobilize the injured area. Protective spasms can help to immobilize damaged joints and muscles. This is a normal, healthy reaction; however, if the function is not restored within 4-8 weeks, scar tissue can form and can make full recovery extremely difficult.

Chiropractors know that a multi-faceted care program is best for you and can help you get better sooner.

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Chiropractic Adjustments in San Antonio TX

Chiropractic adjustments return joints to an aligned and proper position and can also reduce pressure on “pinched” nerves.

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Ice and Medications

Ice and anti-inflammatory medications such as Advil or Motrin can offer short-term relief, but often do not address the source of your pain. Ice and medication can aid in pain relief, but should not be seen as a fix-all.

Stay the course with your San Antonio TX chiropractor at Barrows Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic today. Build a tailored care plan together as soon as you can after your fender bender or a major crash. It's likely you’ll heal faster and with far less discomfort.

Poor posture is something that affects a large portion of the population and causes a host of different physical ailments. Even though it is up to us, and we have total control over whether we maintain good posture or not, most of us choose to slouch, slump, hunch, or lean. Poor posture can end up causing a lot of pain and discomfort, but it can also be improved by San Antonio TX chiropractors.

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Why Is It So Difficult to Maintain Good Posture?

Maintaining good posture is challenging. It is much easier to let your shoulders hunch forward and your pelvis slouch back than to keep your shoulders back and keep the natural curve in your lower spine intact. Some people have structural causes of poor posture that are no fault of their own, but most have what is known as positional causes for poor posture. These include:

• Bad postural habits resulting from general laziness.
• Excessive weight.
• General weakness in the midsection.
• Muscle imbalance or spasm.
• Pain in areas of the body that prevent proper posture.
• Self-esteem issues that cause you to slouch.
• Degenerative conditions prevent correct posture.
• Over-reliance on support from a non-ergonomic chair.

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Consequences of Poor Posture

One of the main consequences of consistent poor posture is pain. Your body craves balance and when you regularly place undue stress on your pelvis, back, neck, knees, shoulders, and hips you’re going to become out of balance. Over time you may develop chronic pain conditions that you may attribute to getting older or some other condition when in truth they are from your habit of poor posture.

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Get an Expert Analysis in San Antonio TX

Chiropractic doctors have the ability to analyze your posture to determine what is at the root of the problem. Some of the things your chiropractor will look for include:

• Height variance across your shoulders.
• A forward tilt in the pelvis.
• Alignment in your knees.
• Stance variations like turning one or both feet outward.
• Changes in your normal gait.
• An increase in your spinal curvature.

Once the underlying causes of your posture issues are determined, a chiropractor can create a treatment program and help you correct the problem. Along with spinal adjustments, you may be given instruction on how to sit properly, stand and walk properly, and work properly as it relates to posture.

Your chiropractic treatment will help, but it is only half the battle. You will also need to be more conscious of your posture in your daily activities and correct the bad habits you’ve created over the years. It‘s a challenging task, but one you can master with regular practice.

Contact our chiropractic team at Barrows Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic in San Antonio TX today for help.

If you’ve ever been in a major (or minor) car accident, you know that it can be a traumatizing and life-changing experience. Even accidents at low speed that cause minimal injury (or none that can be detected at the time) can be potentially harmful. An injury to your neck or spine can be masked by adrenaline and stress. In short, you may be injured and not know it yet. Contact our team at our San Antonio TX chiropractic office for more information.

The first 72 hours after a car accident are critical and a common injury like whiplash can go undetected for hours, days, or even weeks. You may have whiplash if you are suffering from any of these symptoms:

• Blurred vision
• Headaches
• Neck pain
• Dizziness
• Shoulder pain
• Reduced range of motion in the neck
• Arm pain
• Neck stiffness
• Lower back pain

To reduce future pain or discomfort, whiplash should be evaluated within 72 hours by a San Antonio TX chiropractor.

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Bear in mind these 5 facts about car accidents and San Antonio TX chiropractic care:

1. Just because your car is not damaged does not mean you’re not. Bumpers take a lot of the force of a slow moving impact, but not all. The force has to travel somewhere and it travels through you. If in doubt always consult a San Antonio chiropractor first.

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2. Seat belts prevent you from being thrown against the steering wheel and from being thrown out of the car. You are, however, thrown against the belt. Shoulder injuries and whiplash are common symptoms and should be addressed by a qualified chiropractor.

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3. Pain can take up to 10 days to show up after the most minor of car accidents. In particular, injuries to muscles, ligaments, and tendons can take weeks to manifest.

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4. Even minor accident-related injuries can take up to 3 months of regular chiropractic treatment to show tangible and lasting relief from pain.

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5. When you are in a car accident you are often jarred forward unexpectedly, making your head and neck especially vulnerable. After a car accident, it is always advisable to see your doctor as soon as possible.

For more information contact our team at Barrows Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic today.

Chiropractic care is a viable solution for many different health issues. Whether you have a bulging disc in your back, debilitating back pain, or you suffer from severe headaches several times per week, seeing a chiropractor can help. The key is to find the right chiropractor for your personality and lifestyle. Here are some reasons why you should choose our chiropractic clinic in San Antonio TX.

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Experienced Practitioners in San Antonio TX

All chiropractors must complete extensive educational requirements before being able to apply their trade, but the added value of experience is often underrated. Just knowing that your chiropractor has seen hundreds or even thousands of patients with your condition provides peace of mind that you may not have otherwise. Feel free to ask about the depth of our experience at Barrows Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic during your initial consultation.

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Searching for the Cause

Conventional medical treatment spends a lot of time covering up symptoms with pain medication and then repeating those methods when the symptoms inevitably return. When you choose chiropractic care, our team will focus on what is causing your aches, pains, and loss of mobility. The pain you feel is not the problem; it is the result of the problem. If you have severe headache pain that is being caused by the vertebrae in your neck is misaligned, fixing those vertebrae can remove the headache symptom permanently rather than temporarily.

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Different Therapies for Different People

Everyone has different body types, personalities, genetic predispositions, histories, and lifestyles. Treating every patient the same is never the best way to see positive results on a consistent basis. When you seek out chiropractic care at Barrows Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic you’ll receive customized care plans that deal with your specific situation. The care protocol and duration may vary from someone else who appears to have the same problem as you, but it is designed to treat you as an individual.

It’s also important to note that you, as the patient, always have ultimate control over your own care. You’ll be given suggestions and recommendations, but the choice to continue is always yours. You’ll be treated with respect and courtesy, and you’ll always be made to feel at home. Chiropractic care is about caring for the whole person with non-invasive and drug-free techniques, and we will always communicate openly about your condition and how you are responding to care.

Have you ever heard of a slipped disc? It’s a misnomer. Discs never “slip”, but they can bulge. When they do a San Antonio TX chiropractor may be able to help.

Intervertebral disc disorders are referred to as "contained" or "non-contained." A bulging disc is considered a contained disc disorder.

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What is a bulging disc?

A bulging disc is actually the tough outer layer of cartilage in between your vertebrae that have not fully broken open - think of squeezing a balloon filled with hair gel. The disc may protrude into the spinal canal without pain or breaking open, instead, a small bubble pops out but remains attached to the disc.

Discs are exactly the right size to fit between your vertebrae so when a disc bulges, it extends outside the space it should normally occupy and can push into nerves in your spinal column.

Bulging is considered part of the normal aging process of the disc making bulging discs an extremely common spinal injury. A bulging disc can stay relatively pain-free and undetected until you twist the wrong way, lift the wrong object, sneeze, or cough. A bulging disc can cause excruciating pain, lead to a diminished range of motion, and can in some cases cause organ dysfunction.

The good news is that even an acute disc bulge can heal itself over time and your chiropractor can likely help the healing process happen more efficiently.

Here are 3 steps you can follow to ease the pain of a bulging disc:

1. Develop a relationship with your San Antonio TX chiropractor

There are many bulging disc treatments; talk to your chiropractor and ask questions about your MRI or X-ray. Everyone is different and a good chiropractor can help you find the correct wellness path and will not close off any avenue to get you well.

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2. Improve your posture

Reduce or eliminate bending, lifting, twisting, and even sitting for too long. Sleep on your back with your knees propped up, or on your side with a pillow between your legs. These simple adjustments will ease the stress on the disc in question.

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3. Strengthen your core

Your abdominal muscles and leg muscles all support your back. Modified yoga or Pilates routines that eliminate twisting, stooping or bending can help heal your bulging disc or help to prevent further damage.

Contact our team at Barrows Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic today if you are suffering from this problem. We look forward to hearing from you.

Chiropractic care at our San Antonio TX chiropractic clinic can diagnose and treat problems that affect the nerves, muscles, bones, and joints of your body. At a basic level, a chiropractor will gently adjust your spine. At a deeper level, chiropractors are doing much more than just adjusting the spine.

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Visiting a San Antonio TX chiropractor for back pain

After your initial visit and consultation, your chiropractor in San Antonio TX will have a good idea of what your treatment plan is going to consist of. During your second visit, you’ll probably be asked to lie on a table and receive the first of your gentle adjustments.

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How many treatments will you need?

San Antonio TX chiropractic treatments can range from days to several weeks depending on the severity of your condition or the results you want to achieve. Chiropractic care can also be a lifelong choice to keep you on a path of well-being and solid core strength.

Many professional athletes continue to see a chiropractor even when there is no acute pain, as regular adjustments can keep you aligned and in peak form. Chiropractors in San Antonio TX are not just there when it really hurts; they can be in your corner frequently, keeping your body’s systems communicating at a high level and keeping muscle and bone deterioration at bay.

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What causes back pain?

The back is a complex structure of bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles. Damage to any of the structures can lead to back pain. Back pain has a long list of causes and we are all likely to suffer at some point in our lives from poor posture, obesity, or psychological stress. Each of these can lead to back pain.

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Some tips to prevent back pain

• Maintain a healthy diet and weight
• Stretch and exercise (ask your San Antonio TX chiropractor what is safe)
• Maintain proper posture at work
• Wear low heeled shoes

While this is not an exhaustive list of tips, it’s a good starting point on the road to optimum back health. Contact our Barrows Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic team for more information.

There are many causes of headaches, and many types, but the most common headache treated by San Antonio TX chiropractors is called the cervicogenic headache, typically brought on by poor posture or stress.

San Antonio TX chiropractic care with gentle corrections, massage therapy, diet change, and postural advice is extremely effective in treating this kind of headache.

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Diagnosis in San Antonio TX

The American Chiropractic Association suggests that your San Antonio TX chiropractor ask you to complete a headache diary consisting of:

• Day and time of the headache
• Headache location
• What the headache feels like
• What you were doing when the headache began
• How long does the headache last
• What makes it feel better or worse

Over 150 diagnostic headache categories have been scientifically established. The most common types of headaches are:

Tension Headaches

These are sometimes referred to as chronic daily headaches. Tension headaches are caused by muscle contractions and cause mild to moderate pain. Tension headaches come and go over a period of time.

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Migraines

Inflamed blood vessels and arteries literally squeeze around your brain until it hurts. You may feel nausea, increased blood pressure, and sensitivity to bright light or noise. One of the best treatments for migraines is chiropractic care.

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Cluster headaches

The least common (but most severe) headache is often described as located behind the eye region. Cluster headaches can occur one to three times per day during a “cluster” period, which may last two weeks and extend as long as three months. To further complicate matters, a cluster headache may go into remission for months or years only to recur later down the line.

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Organic headaches

Finally, organic headaches are the result of abnormalities in the brain and can lead to serious consequences. Only 5% of headaches are organic. It is incredibly important to go to your nearest hospital immediately if you feel:

• Sudden, sharp, severe pain
• Sudden lack of balance or falling
• Confusion
• Seizures or difficulty speaking

No one ever plans to get injured, but injuries can happen at the spur of the moment and without warning. It doesn’t matter if you’re an athlete, a schoolteacher, a retired grandparent, or a young child, injuries are just part of life. Some of them are relatively minor and some are severe, but most need the proper treatment if you’re going to make a complete recovery. Injuries respond particularly well to chiropractic care from our San Antonio TX chiropractic office for a number of reasons.

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Common Types of Chronic Injuries in San Antonio TX

Chronic injuries that require chiropractic care generally come from one of a handful of places. They may be work-related, the result of auto accidents, injuries from sports, or wear and tear injuries from daily life.

Here is a little more detail about each one:

• Work Injuries – Injuries suffered at work can cover a wide range of both acute and chronic conditions, but two that chiropractors treat on a regular basis are back issues caused by excessive sitting and carpal tunnel syndrome. Both of these injuries respond well to chiropractic treatment and enable you to get back to work without missing much time.
• Auto Accidents – One of the main injuries suffered in auto accidents is whiplash, where the head “whips” back and then forward in a violent motion. This has the potential to cause a great deal of pain and suffering, but the ability of chiropractic treatment to heal soft tissue injuries makes it effective for whiplash and other spinal injuries caused by car accidents.
• Sports Injuries – It’s hard to find an athlete that hasn’t suffered a serious injury, or at least smaller, nagging injuries that affect performance. Many sports-related injuries consist of soft tissue trauma like sprains and strains which is why chiropractic treatment is effective. Chiropractors can also help sports injuries in the early stages when swelling and pain are the main issues.
• Wear and Tear Injuries - Injuries to the neck and back caused by everyday wear and tear are becoming more and more common as the population ages. Years of improper lifting, poor posture, stress, and the force of gravity damage discs, strain muscles and alter the natural curve of your spine. Chiropractors in San Antonio TX are a great solution to keep your body moving well into your golden years.

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Helping with Causes and Not Symptoms

At its core, chiropractic treatment addresses the underlying cause of your pain which is why it is so effective at dealing with injuries. No matter what type of injury it is, once the cause of the pain or loss of motion is treated the symptoms no longer exist. Chiropractic also places less stress on the body than having to undergo surgery or taking pain medications with negative side effects. The entire profession is designed to bring your body back to balance.

At Barrows Chiropractic & Wellness Clinic in San Antonio TX we are happy to answer any questions that you have. We look forward to being a part of your health care team.