Dr. Roger D. Soard, D.C.

Certainly seeing a chiropractor could benefit you with knee pain that had already been diagnosed to have arthritic changes in it. Most people acquire degenerative arthritic changes in their joints as they get older. That alone should not stop you from seeing if something more could improve the way the knee feels. Usually, there can be other accompanying issues
involved. Joint fixations receiving manipulation could help mobilize various other tissues and other adjacent bones which could greatly assist a condition to improve. Mobility can help reduce pain when it is appropriate. Nutritional changes can also add to improve the outcome of a painful knee. Give your chiropractor a try. It might do wonders!
Thanks for asking.

There should never be any side effects from seeing a chiropractor. Chiropractors are trained to assess and apply appropriate treatment for children as well as elderly who need more gentle care. Participation in various sports activities can leave unwanted side effects, such as lifting too much weight being lifted in workouts. Trained supervision is important for a school to consider in their athletic departments. Caution should be stressed with good supervised observation is needed to protect students from injury.

Certainly you may take your son to a chiropractor. An examination to find the reason for your child's chronic back pain is the first step. There are many reasons for unrelenting back pain and seeing a chiropractor is a very good choice to start with. Thank you for asking.

Preferably a chiropractor with athletic and sports training would be a good choice. Ask friends about a good chiropractor they have had good experience with.

Poor posture can be due to poor habits. It may also be due to an inherited body structure that retraining habits will not overcome. It really takes some investigation to figure out what will help a child's posture. Finding a health practitioner who spends the time to assess the childs condition and situation is really important. Chiropractic treatment alone likely is not going to be the full answer. It will take some time with any health provider to work with the parents and a willing and motivated child to make good contributions for a postural problem.

Typically the use of the word "consultation" is used in the medical world to describe when a doctor or patient wants the opinion or an evaluation from a second practitioner who does not expect to take control of a case.

Chiropractors have typically used the phrase "free consultation" as a method of advertising to the the patient. A consultation by a chiropractor really should not be used as a way to lure to pull in patients.

I have tried to avoid the use of it in that way. Many times I just refuse to charge a patient a patient for a scheduled visit when I think that they should be see by another specialist.

Lastly, a consultation is not required from another provided in order for a patient to see a chiropractor. Chiropractors are considered an open port of entry which means a chiropractor does not need to receive a referral from another doctor. It is possible that some insurance companies or even the V.A. will require that a medical practitioner make a referral in order to cover the reimbursement.

Hope that answers your question without confusing the issue. Bottom line, don't hesitate to see a chiropractor.

There are too many reasons to know without seeing you basically. It could be your pillow. Could be your activities, maybe a change in your diet. You need to see a chiropractor who is curious to investigate along with a good examination, etc. Don't give up. Get in to see a chiropractor. You will probably feel better afterward.

Too many variables. Your chiropractor should be able to tell how you are responding to treatment after a couple visits. The forecast should not be ongoing into infinity!

Certainly you should visit your chiropractor when your back has been hurt, whether from a sports accident or everyday life events. If chiropractic treatment is not applicable, the chiropractor should direct you to an appropriate specialist.

Certainly a patient can get chiropractic treatment for the purpose of maintaining good health. Noteworthy though, insurance coverage usually does not cover treatment for preventative treatment. Insurance generally requires that a chiropractor conclude a diagnosis for a condition that will improve when chiropractic treatment is prescribed for a condition that treatment will improve over a reasonable time period. The way in which you described stiff muscles and joints, which is common to most anyone, probably would not merit a diagnosis that would be recognized by an insurance company. Outside of qualifying for insurance reimbursement, you certainly may choose to go to a chiropractor to loosen yourself up. Enjoy being 25, the years will likely bring a different story.

Sciatica can be caused by different sets of problems. If a chiropractor examined you and concluded that adjustments would improve the sciatic nerve pain, I would say that a couple weeks of treatment would be ample to see if your pain was improved by the treatment. From that point, too many variables can affect the time to hopefully resolve your sciatic condition if it was still persisting.

Most everyone needs to be drinking more water. It is rare that a person adequately moves water through their body. It is needed for a multitude of physiological reasons. If you don't intake liquid, your body conserves and essentially the body system gets overwhelmed with toxicity from your body's operational systems. Now to the question about why you body needs water after a chiropractic treatment. It's something easy for a massage therapist or chiropractor to say to you, but I simply think that is all it is about. Something to say at best that sounds good. They could say keep breathing, but that would be too obvious. I could certainly be proved wrong, so show me the evidence or some good substantial research on it. Anyway keep on drinking more water, whether you get an adjustment or not. You probably just need to.

Quite a good question. I treated someone today like many other days with this condition. The foundation of your back is supported by you pelvis and the platform of your sacrum. Upon this the lowest lumbar vertebrae rests. These two mechanisms are medically referenced as the sacroiliac and the lumbosacral areas of the the spine. They are mechanisms because they move or should move and should be balanced in their movement like other areas of the back as well. The spinal nerves between the the lumbar vertebrae and the sacrum is usually the L5 nerve root, one on each side of the last vertebrae. Shy of a severe disc herniation, the L5 nerve roots can really be disturbed by a sacraliliac joint that is not moving or a lumbosacral area that is pressured or stuck. These areas are naturally designed to be mobile and be able to move as a person moves around. If they are not doing well, a good chiropractor can check them and get them moving like they need to be. Why? The L5 nerves go down to the hips at one of their many pit stops on the way. In the beginning, it aches in the hip, then later it goes further down the leg. So the hip is usually a milder condition, the longer the L5 nerve is disturbed, it will keep traveling down along its course of pit stops to talk to the leg as it worsens. A chiropractor is a practical doctor to go to start an examination and figuring what can be done for the condition.

Of course, as you are not my patient and I do not know your history and condition, I can not speak about what you should do. In general, many times I encourage a patient to take a walk on level ground which works the low back muscles. Pay attention to how you feel of course, during and after walking. That's kind of like putting your toes in the swimming pool before swimming a full lap in the pool, i.e. test the water and see how you do with some activity.

You mentioned a work out which to me means you are probably involved in a fitness goal. Low back's can be easily strained again with heavy weight lifting so be aware.

Tune in and listen to your body as you push forward to feel better!

Keep a smile,
Dr. Roger

Stenosis means there is narrowing in your spine. The narrowing of course limits the free space that the spinal root or cord has around it. Usually stenosis comes with time as our bodies age and sustain abuse in areas we can not see.

When you feel the results of stenosis, it usually has involved some swelling due to irritation and abrasion causing your nerves to be unhappy. Depending on your condition, it's a possibility that a chiropractor could carefully move the spinal segments enough to provide some relief for awhile, but it could also stir things up too.

A chiropractor should review your films and do an examination, reviewing your situation and then only proceed with care. Gentle manipulation could be helpful, but may only carry relief for a limited time before your back gets unhappy again.

Keep a smile going,
Dr. Roger