Dr. Ryan James Hanson, D.C.

Hi and congratulations on your pregnancy! :)

Yes, Chiropractors can absolutely help with pregnancy related back pain. It is a very common condition that I see in my office. There are even some Chiropractors that specialize in pregnancy related care and that is the only type of patient they see. So get yourself to a good Chiropractor and get out of pain.

Sincerely,
Dr. Ryan Hanson DC

Hi 28 and Pregnant,

Chiropractors can definitely help with sciatica during pregnancy. It’s a common complaint we work with. Get in to your Chiropractor and get some relief.

Congratulations on your pregnancy!
Dr. Hanson

Yes, Chiropractors definitely can help with muscle knots. That is a common condition that comes into our offices.

Absolutely! Your Chiropractor will be able to let you know why you are having your back pain and assuming it’s not something requiring a specialist referral, ( tumor, fracture, etc.) they will help you get out of pain and stabilize the area so the problem will not return.

Absolutely, chiropractic can help with herniated disks. Your Chiropractor will perform a thorough evaluation as well as review your existing imaging and records to determine if your case is a candidate for chiropractic care or not. I personally have helped many patients with 10 and 11mm disk bulges to avoid the need for surgery and return to an active pain-free life. I also worked with another chiropractor that had a professional NFL player as a patient who was suffering from a 13mm disk herniation that was going to end his career and through chiropractic care he avoided surgery and was able to play an additional 3 seasons.

Hi, you can wear just about anything for your appointment. Just don’t wear anything too tight or that can be accidentally too revealing.

I work in a business area near the beach so i see problems with tight fitted shirts, both on men and women, and skirts or dresses that are on the shorter side. If you wear tight shirts just bring a t shirt with you to change into and if you wear dresses or skirts just bring a pair of workout shorts with you and put them on under your dress/skirt in the bathroom when you get to the office.

But don’t worry. In 20 years I have never not been able to treat someone properly because of what they are wearing. :)

Dr. H.

Absolutely! Chronic neck pain lasting more than 6 months is definitely a chiropractic problem. Any chiropractor could help you out. Just be sure that the chiropractor does a thorough exam and takes X-rays of at least the area of complaint which would be a minimum of 2 X-rays, one from the front and one from the side. Watch out for the offices that will say you can come in and get an adjustment without an evaluation. I would not trust my neck to an office like that. Necks can degenerate pretty fast, significant changes can be seen on X-ray in less than a year, and don't typically produce symptoms until the damage is significant. You want to see if this is a more recent, 6 month, problem or the presenting symptoms of a degenerative condition that has been going on for the past 10 years. I see this all the time in patients your age as this is a common situation and complaint I see in patients 26-35. But whatever is found the chiropractor would be able to help you to correct your problem.

Dr. Hanson

Hi,

Thank you for asking about kids. I hear this question all the time. And the answer is YES. Absolutely. I have a friend who is a chiropractor in Northern California that has an exclusively pediatric practice. We also have patients of the week and month and our current patient is a 12-year-old girl that had a fairly severe scoliosis and unexplained constant diarrhea and headaches. She is 3 months into her correction and the scoliosis is 80 percent improved and the diarrhea and headaches have completely disappeared. It is actually good to correct postural problems while patients are young. They respond to care much more quickly than adults and can then grow with proper posture resulting in better spinal health for their lifetime. All chiropractors have been trained to work with patients of all ages, children and infants included. In my experience, not all chiropractors work with infants and toddlers as they don't see them very often while others like myself treat them all the time. I always recommend calling the office and talking with the front office staff. You should get a good idea quickly if that is the right office for you.

If you are in a more populated area, you can also search for chiropractors with a pediatrics diplomat. There are chiropractic clinics that specialize in pre/post pregnancy, infant care, and pediatric care. But don't worry about bringing him to a chiropractor. You should have a great experience.

Dr. Hanson

YES. Chiropractic care can help with a fussy baby. The fussiness is due to the baby being uncomfortable. It could be a digestive problem, Gerd, reflux, inner ear pressure, functional pain and various other possibilities. But chiropractors are able to help with all of those concerns safely and easily. I do it all the time in my practice. A good chiropractor should be able to evaluate your little one and then explain how they can help depending on what is causing the fussiness. Small children typically respond extremely well to chiropractic care much faster and with less overall treatment than older kids or adults. The youngest infant I have seen in my office has been 8 days old. I actually just saw him again last week at 13yrs old now, but this time from a soccer injury. I treat infants and children all the time and love to do so. Not all chiropractors treat children regularly as some specialize in sports care or geriatric patients and their offices are set up to handle those types of patients, so I would ask the reception when you call if their doctor works with children and infants. Most of us do. You should get a quick idea if that is the right place for you. You can also look at ICPA4KIDS.ORG, which is the international chiropractic pediatric association. They have a listing of certified pediatric chiropractors that you can search for in your area if you are having difficulty locating someone. There are chiropractic practices that treat nothing but infants and children and also can offer specialized care for soon to be and new moms. And don't worry, you and your baby will be thankful you brought her to see a chiropractor.
I wish you the best with your little girl.

Dr. Hanson

Hi, I actually have had the fortunate chance to work with many children that have been diagnosed with ADHD in my practice. The literature suggests that ADHD is a sensory deficit disorder. The brain sends out a certain amount of nerve energy to the body and that information returns to the brain to be processed. In children with ADHD there is a problem with how this sensory information is perceived or received by the brain. This is why a lot of people, doctors and therapists, use pressure therapy, exercise, and massage to help improve the symptoms of the person suffering with ADHD. They are trying to stimulate more nerve impulses heading back to the brain. This sensory deficit is also why the children tend to be over active. The brain is trying to send out more information so it gets back the amount of nerve energy it's expecting. The ADHD drugs given to the patients artificially create this increase of activity within the brain so the patients behavior will calm down.

As a chiropractor, we are looking to see where there is interference in the nervous system and how this interference is affecting the nerve communication in someone's body. This interference can create problems such as numbness, pain, organ dysfunction and more as the nervous system controls the healthy function of every cell, tissue, organ and system in our body. For people suffering from ADHD, I will evaluate the patient's entire body and nervous system to look for areas that could be affecting the communication between the body and the brain. Chiropractic is designed to look for, identify and remove this interference.

My goal for a patient with ADHD is to remove any interference so that more of the normal nerve information is actually making it back to the brain. Unfortunately, as we are dealing with a central nervous system problem with brain involvement, it's not as easy as to say just remove the interference in the body and every patient will be cured. The reality is that we don't know for sure if the treatment will help that specific patient. I'd say that in my practice, I would see a significant favorable result in more than 80% of the patients I treated where ADHD was a concern. Of the 80% that did have improvement, it varied by patient on the level of improvement. Some patients still had some symptoms of ADHD, but their behavior, concentration, and focus would improve. Other patients had the symptoms completely disappear. The amount of improvement ultimately depends on the patient's own body and root cause of their ADHD.

In my practice, when I have an ADHD patient, I will perform an initial evaluation to check if there could be areas of their body causing nerve interference. Based on my evaluation and history, if I feel like I could help, I will have the patient come in for a short course of treatment, typically 2 times a week for 4 weeks. (This is just a general suggestion and varies based on the actual patient's condition). But this initial course of treatment is to see how the patient responds to care. I'm looking to see if there are any changes in the patients behavior or symptoms. If there is no change or mild change then I discuss with the patient/parent on whether to stop treatment, refer the patient to another specialist or modify the treatment for a second trial. If there is a favorable response then we will have the patient continue with their treatment to correct and stabilize their problems.

Sorry for the long post, but I hope this helps.

As a side note on finding a chiropractor to help you out, I'd ask the front office when you call if that chiropractor works with children and then ask if they work with ADHD. You should get an answer that will make you feel comfortable going there, if any red flags pop up then call someone else. Chiropractors are like any doctor. Some specialize in children, some in sports injuries, some focus on disk conditions, etc. I work in a family practice that is used to seeing children and our clinic is designed to be kid friendly. Make sure you are going to a doctor that is used to treating children and ideally has experience working with ADHD.

I wish you the best,

Dr. Ryan Hanson, DC

Hi,

Chiropractors can definitely help with chronic low back pain. It's a very common complaint that we see. The chiropractor you see will take a complete history of his complaint, perform a thorough exam, and either take or review X-rays of his back. The chiropractor will then determine if chiropractic care is the best course for your husband and will explain what is causing his symptoms and the recommended course of treatment. They will also refer him to an appropriate provider should something more serious be suspected. Fortunately, low back problems can usually be handled and corrected easily with chiropractic care.

Dr. Hanson

Hi,

I’m assuming by hunched you are referring to your upper back and neck being stuck forward. I would consult with a chiropractor for an evaluation as this is a common complaint people have. Many times, it’s something postural that can be corrected with special exercises and work on the soft tissues. It can also be that the joints of the spine are locked in a flexed position. A chiropractor can help with that as well. It is also possible that some of the bodies of the vertebrae have collapsed. That is not really correctable as it is a spinal compression fracture usually related to osteoporosis as the front of the vertebrae collapses as it is the weakest part and that turns the bones into a wedge shape instead of being more square. There are a few other causes as well that are less common.

But, a chiropractor can easily determine what is causing your concern with a simple exam and just a couple X-rays of the area. Once the cause is determined, the chiropractor should offer you treatment recommendations to correct the problem or suggest a referral to another specialist if needed. Just do not wait too long before seeking an evaluation. These problems tend to worsen over time and also become more permanent and harder to treat. The sooner you act, the better your prognosis will be. :)

I hope this helps,

Dr. Ryan Hanson

Hi,

Chiropractors do not prescribe medications. Though many do use homeopathic, natural or herbal products for inflammation or pain control. It just depends on the specific Chiropractor as to what they recommend. With back pain many causes are mechanical causes which Chiropractors can actually correct. If your problem is not one that is appropriate for Chiropractic Treatment then they will refer you to the appropriate provider. But in any case, the Chiropractor is looking to address the CAUSE of your pain. The pain management doctors are interested in pain and symptom control. They will prescribe medications to mask the symptoms for you with anything from oral meds, injections to epidurals. But they are not addressing the cause of your symptoms, just the presentation of what symptoms you have. I would suggest seeing a good Chiropractor first to evaluate your Back Pain and then if your case warrants further pain control or specialist referral then the Chiropractor can help you get to the appropriate provider.

I can tell you though that in the 19 years of my practicing, I have had to refer out only a very small percentage of my patients for other specialist treatment, especially with back pain. Most causes can be successfully handled by a qualified Chiropractor.

I wish you the best,

Dr. Ryan Hanson, DC

The more common sources of calf pain could be dehydration, which leads to calf cramping that would produce painful stretching, or a simple deficiency in potassium or magnesium. Beyond that would require an exam to determine the cause. I would recommend seeing a provider for an evaluation though. Calf pain is also a sign of blood clots in the legs which can be life threatening. This should be ruled out to be safe.

Dr. Hanson

Of course :) It is safe to adjust a pregnant patient all the way through the pregnancy. I will adjust my patients up to the day they deliver. This is a very common complaint that I see in my practice. Just make sure the doctor you go to is experienced in working with pregnant patients. When you call the office to make an appointment just ask the receptionist if the doctor treats pregnant patients. Their answer should let you know immediately if you have chosen the right chiropractor.

This is a common complaint when people begin a new activity. This should be evaluated by a physician/chiropractor to accurately diagnose the cause of your pain. But, most commonly this comes about by parts of your body that are not working properly due to prior injuries, bad posture, repetitive strain, etc. When you start being active or doing new activities the abnormal function causes stress in other areas and you can get the symptoms you are feeling. If this is the case then your chiropractor would prescribe a course of adjustments to restore the normal function and give you some exercises to help stabilize the area so the problem does not return. This should be a simple problem that any Chiropractor could help you with.

For the pain, a Chiropractor should be able to help resolve the pain for you. As always, get an evaluation by a physician/chiropractor to properly diagnose your condition. Based on the cause and time line its likely that you had a mild strain and typically a joint in the body tries to protect itself by using the soft tissues, like muscles, to limit movement like a natural splint. But now this crates a situation where things are not mechanically moving correctly and repetitive strain symptoms will start to show up. Getting this area evaluated and correcting the function will stop your current symptoms and help prevent future problems in that area.

Sciatica is a very common problem that finds its way into chiropractic offices. There is a rare situation where is is coming from the disks in the lower back and then the bulge or other problems there would need to be dealt with. But I see this extremely rarely, like once every 4-5 years. And I see 10-20 new patients a week and a few of those every week are coming in for sciatica. The most common cause is Piriformis Syndrome second to a dysfunctional SI Joint in the pelvis. When the SI joint gets irritated the body tries to stop its function to protect the joint. The glutes get tight and the piriformis muscle spasms to help limit movement of the SI Joint. The Piriformis is a deep muscle connecting from the lower sacrum to the top of your femur. This muscle literally compresses the large sciatic nerve against the pelvis causing the symptoms you are feeling.

This is why meds, massage, exercise, injections, etc. for sciatica rarely offer any sort of lasting relief. The problem with the SI Joint, which is the root cause, never gets dealt with.

Because your problem is stemming from a functional problem. (we are assuming you do not have a disk injury or other pathology) The yoga may actually aggravate it. BUT... For my patients who come in where I am working to restore the normal function of the SI joint with adjustments in the office. I ALWAYS recommend Yoga in conjunction with the Chiropractic treatment for sciatica. The Chiropractic gets things moving properly again and fixes the problem with the SI joint. Then the Yoga works to strengthen, stretch and stabilize the area to prevent the problem from coming back.

This depends on what is causing your sciatica. If you have been diagnosed with a disk injury that is correlating with the sciatic symptoms you are having, then most likely it will. Decompression is very effective at helping to minimize the size and severity of the bulge that is pressing on the nerve tissue. Now keep in mind, you have an injured disk and it will always be prone to further damage resulting in return of your sciatica. But the same stands true for other treatment options as well. So for disk related sciatica, you should get lasting relief unless the disk injury recurs. Which it most likely will not if you exercise and work on core stability and take care of your back. :)

To put this in focus, I see 10-20 new patients a week. Every week a few of those patients are presenting with sciatica. Out of all of those, maybe 1 every couple months is a disk problem. All the rest are stemming from an SI joint problem in the pelvis.

Now, if your sciatica is coming from Piriformis Syndrome secondary to a Subluxated SI-Joint then it will be temporary. Long story short. Something irritated your SI-Joint, the joint between your tailbone and your pelvic bone, so your body is spasming muscles to act as a splint to protect the SI Joint. One of those muscles, the piriformis which connects from your tailbone to the top of your leg and sits deep in your glutes, will spasm pressing the sciatic nerve against the pelvis causing your sciatica. The decompression can help release some tension and pressure which gives some relief as the muscle relaxes a bit. But as soon as you stop treatment and get back to life its just a matter of time before the muscles get tighter again and the sciatica returns. In this case you would need a course of chiropractic treatment to restore the normal function to the SI-Joint to correct the problem. And if this IS your problem, don't stop treatment too early! I see that way too often. These tend to be chronic problems surrounded by the largest most powerful muscles in our body that are always moving. The muscle memory is strongly ingrained. You don't need a lot of treatment and symptoms tend to resolve fairly fast which is why people tend to stop treatment based on how they FEEL. BUT you NEED to continue treatment the better part of a year to resolve it. After the short course of more frequent adjustments to get the function back you need to maintain at around every 2 weeks, so 2 times a month, to make sure you keep the proper function of the pelvis so the brain can relearn how to move the muscles properly to control the joint and how you move. Think of it like it's the retainer you wear after your braces come off. Your brain has to relearn how to control the movement with walking, running, standing, sitting, and anything else you do. SI Joint dysfunction is a common problem and comes about for many reasons, falls, sitting on bad chairs, improper sleeping position, stress playing sports and the list goes on. So not only are we treating this current problem we need to mitigate the continued irritations that are happening during the treatment and stabilization time. Chiropractic care is very good at handling sciatica if done properly.

The reason I'm spending the time to try and explain why and why not you would use decompression treatment for sciatica is for what I see out in the profession. For disk injuries decompression is a great treatment. Whether its inversion, manual decompression in the doctors office (what I do in my office), or teched out mechanical decompression. They all work well for this problem. But there are some very expensive mechanical decompression tables out there marketed to doctors complete with staff training and marketing materials to get the patients in and signed up for treatment. I see offices, not all of them, but some, where now that they are trying to pay the lease on that $90,000 piece of equipment, everyone who walks into their office is now a candidate for decompression therapy. I see this treatment over utilized on patients very often where this is really not the best treatment for them.


So for the right problem decompression can be very helpful and produce lasting results. Used for the wrong problem it most likely will be a temporary solution.

I would recommend getting into a qualified doctor and having an exam to properly diagnose what is causing your pain. If it has been going on for 5 months now, any source of pain coming from muscle strain or sprain would have resolved by now. I'd suggest seeing a Chiropractor first as we deal with the spine and injuries related to your neck on a daily basis. Seeing a general practice MD would most likely result in symptom meds and a referral to another specialist which would delay your diagnosis, treatment and relief. But, seeing anyone is better than letting it go and potentially getting worse.

Dr. Hanson