As trauma to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is often rather painful, we do our best to help our Memphis patients find relief as quickly and effectively as possible. In fact, Dr. Amodeo will tell you that the medical literature shows just how much your chiropractor can help ease pain in the jaw.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps With TMJ Pain and Discomfort

For example, a study published in Physiotherapy Theory and Practice included 15 people with TMJ pain who were managed with neck adjustments, middle-back adjustments, and trigger point therapy via dry needling. Subjects were evaluated prior to these methods and at 15 days and two months post-treatment. The authors reported positive results such as reduced discomfort, greater jaw movement, and lower impairment at both follow-ups.

Another group of researchers carried out a review of almost 800 studies involving manual and manipulative therapy for disorders such as TMJ and revealed similar findings. The authors concluded that there is a "fair...level of evidence" that chiropractic care can help ease symptoms associated with jaw pain and other upper extremity disorders.

This is great news since the origins of TMJ are largely unknown. While trauma to the jaw or neck can cause pain symptoms, there are other causes to consider as well, such as grinding teeth, arthritis, and clenching of the jaw due to stress.

Dr. Amodeo Can Help People Find Relief From TMJ Pain

No matter what is making your jaw hurt, call Dr. Amodeo now and schedule an appointment to come into our Memphis practice. We'll do our best to help you smile pain-free!

References

• Gonzalez-Iglesias J et al. (2013, November). Mobilization with movement, thoracic spine manipulation, and dry needling for the management of temporomandibular disorder: a prospective case series. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice;29(8):586-95
• Brantingham J et al. (2013, March-April). Manipulative and multimodal therapy for upper extremity and temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics;36(3):143-201
• Oral Care. WebMD. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/temporomandibular-disorders-tmd on November 2, 2015

We see a lot of sports injuries in our Memphis clinic, and Dr. Amodeo is usually able to help these athletes. Stanford Children’s Hospital states that over 3.5 million children of the ages 14 and younger are hurt each year while playing sports. Add that to the close to 2 million adults hurt each year while taking part in sports-related activities, according to statistics collected by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and you can begin to see the necessity of preventing these sorts of widespread injuries. One approach to potentially realize that goal, as reported by a study published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, is to engage in routine chiropractic care.

In Australian Rules football, hamstring and other leg traumas are commonplace, frequently sidelining the players and impacting their team's likelihood of securing a win. One particular study was conducted using 59 semi-elite Australian Rules footballers to see whether chiropractic could cut down on these injuries and help keep them playing.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps in Treating Sports Injuries

For this study in particular, every one of the players received medical treatment. In addition, half of them also received chiropractic sessions at the rate of one session each week for the first six weeks, biweekly sessions for the following three months, and one session a month for the last 3 months of the study. The remaining group had no chiropractic intervention at all and acted as the control group to assess the benefits of chiropractic.

After twenty-four matches, researchers noticed a lessened amount of lower limb muscle strains in the group that had received chiropractic care. Furthermore, that very group also missed fewer matches connected to non-contact knee injuries. This lead the researchers to conclude that chiropractic should be made an addition to sports training programs to effectively reduce the number of leg injuries.

Dr. Amodeo Can Help Patients Find Relief From Sports Injuries & Help You Recover Faster

If you or your child plays sports and you want to ensure more time is spent on the field versus on the sidelines, call our Memphis office at (901) 757-8311 and schedule an appointment today. We will do our best to keep you in the game!

References

• Hoskins, W, & Pollard, H. (2010, April 8). The effect of a sports chiropractic manual therapy intervention on the prevention of back pain, hamstring and lower limb injuries in semi-elite Australian Rules footballers: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 11(64), doi:10.1186/1471-2474-11-64
• Misra, A. (2014, March 17). Common sports injuries: Incidence and average charges. Department of Health & Human Services.
• Stanford Children’s Hospital. (n.d.). Sports injury statistics.

According to research, approximately 2-5 percent of the population will experience painful conditions like frozen shoulder syndrome at some point in their lives. That makes shoulder-related pain a common occurrence and one that Dr. Amodeo sees in our Memphis practice on a regular basis.

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps With Shoulder Pain

In general, this condition is more common for people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, and it tends to affect women more frequently than men. While ice, heat, and gentle stretches can often times help alleviate the pain, so too can chiropractic adjustments.

For instance, a study released in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine looked at 50 people with frozen shoulder who received chiropractic care. The duration of care varied from 11 days to 51 days, with 28 days being the average.

The researchers found that almost all of the study participants fared very well with chiropractic care. Here are the results:

8 of the subjects reported 50-75 percent improvement
25 indicated improvement ranging from 75- 90 percent
1 participant had complete resolution of their frozen shoulder pain

Only one of the original 50 reported an improvement of 50 percent or less, so studies like this demonstrate just how beneficial chiropractic care can be when it comes to decreasing shoulder pain and improving quality of life.

We Can Help People Find Comfort From Shoulder Pain

Let Dr. Amodeo help you ease your suffering by contacting our Memphis office and scheduling your appointment today.

Resources

Murphy F et al. (2012, December). Chiropractic management of frozen shoulder syndrome using a novel technique: a retrospective case series of 50 patients. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine;11(4):267-272

Dr. Amodeo works with many sciatica patients here in our Memphis office, and quite a few of these individuals were concerned that they might require surgery to treat their pain. The most recent research shows that many people don't need surgery for this widespread issue, and that chiropractic is more successful at clearing up sciatic nerve pain.

A typical surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, specialists examined 80 women and men with sciatica who were referred for this procedure.

Forty patients were then randomly sorted into one of two groups. The first group was to receive surgical microdiscectomy and the second group was given chiropractic care.

Both groups got better; however, no noticeable difference in outcome was recorded one year post-treatment between either group. In addition, about sixty percent of the participating patients who could not find pain relief from any other treatment approach "benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."

Put another way, chiropractic delivered the same positive benefits as surgery without having to undergo the increased amounts of surgery-based pain or suffer through extended recovery times often associated with that specific treatment option. Additionally, you also don't run the risks affiliated with surgical microdiscectomy, which includes nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.

Surgery ought to be the last option for sciatica pain. If you live in Memphis and you're being affected by back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Amodeo a call today at (901) 757-8311. We'll help pinpoint the source of your pain and work hard to get you relief.

References

• McMorland, G et al. Manipulation or microdiskectomy for sciatica? A prospective randomized clinical study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2010;33(8):576-584.
• Solberg TK, Nygaard OP, Sjaavik K, Hofoss D, Ingebrigtsen T. The risk of "getting worse" after lumbar microdiscectomy. European Spine Journal 2005;14(1):49-54.
  

While many women automatically assume that back pain and pregnancy go hand in hand, they are often pleasantly surprised when they discover that this is not necessarily the case. In fact, chiropractic care can often help reduce persistant back pain for pregnant women by as much as 85%.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps With Back Pain and Pregnancy

Dr. Amodeo has helped many pregnant women with back pain in our Memphis office.

A research study published in Chiropractic & Manual Therapies involved 115 women who were pregnant (most of which were in their third trimester) and reported pain in their low back, pelvic area, or both. Data was gathered prior to the study, as well as one week, one month, three months, and one year after treatment commenced. At each follow-up, the participants were asked to rate their level of pain based on a 7-point scale to determine whether it was better, worse, or stayed the same. The results?

More than half reported that their pain was better after one week of chiropractic treatment. After one month, that amount jumped up to 70 percent, climbing even more to 85 percent showing improvement at the three month mark. Improvement was still reported at six months post-treatment, which was generally after childbirth, and continued to the final data collection one year after treatment commenced.

There are also many additional benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy. Not only does it efficiently relieve back pain, but it does it in a completely natural and non-invasive way. This means that you don't have to worry about taking any drugs or undergoing any type of treatment that could potentially harm your unborn child.

Dr. Amodeo Can Help Clients Find Comfort From Back Pain During Pregnancy

Furthermore, it makes your time spent carrying your baby more pleasant. When you're not distracted with aches and pains, you can enjoy the experience even more as you prepare your home and your life for all of the fun and exciting changes that lie ahead.

You don't have to suffer from back pain during pregnancy. We're here in Memphis to help with natural chiropractic care. Give us a call today at (901) 757-8311 to make an appointment.

Peterson CK, Muhlemann D, & Humphreys BK. Outcomes of pregnant patients with low back pain undergoing chiropractic treatment: a prospective cohort study with short term, medium term and 1 year follow-up. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies 2014;22(15):doi:10.1186/2045-709X-22-15.

According to The American Academy of Pain Medicine, more people in the US suffer with chronic pain than diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer combined. In addition, neck pain is the third most reported type of pain, beat out only by lower back pain and headaches.

As a result, many people come to our Memphis office seeking neck pain care, and Dr. Amodeo has helped many of them find relief. This is a smart decision, as some studies have shown that over 90 percent of neck pain patients benefit from chiropractic care.

Studies Confirm Chiropractic's Positive Effects

A report published in The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy involved 64 men and women who were suffering with neck pain. Around half were placed in an experimental group and the other half were designated to a comparison group. Both received chiropractic adjustments of the neck as well as a home exercise plan, whereas the experimental group also received adjustments of the thoracic spine.

Information was gathered before treatment began and one week post-treatment. The authors found that 94 percent of the experimental group claimed "significantly greater improvements" in regard to pain and disability in their neck symptoms. Just 35% of the individuals who received neck adjustments showed the same level of improvement, showing that thinking about the entire spine is an important part of restoring the body's normal function.

Yet another study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 adults who were suffering with neck pain. Each person was randomly assigned to one of two groups--thoracic spine thrust manipulation or non-thrust manipulation--with examinations occurring two and four days after the treatments.

Researchers found that the study patients who received the thrust manipulations (the same adjustments that offered such positive results in the first study) "experienced greater reductions in disability" than the patients who received the non-thrust adjustments. Their pain was lower as well, which shows that this type of technique offers many benefits.

Help After Failed Neck Surgery

Another study found the same kind of positive results after thoracic adjustments in a woman who had a failed neck surgical procedure. This specific case involved a 46-year-old woman who had recently had neck surgery but still experienced neck pain, headaches, pain in her elbow, and muscle fatigue.

The patient reported reduced pain in her neck and reduced headache intensity, right after the first chiropractic adjustments. After six weeks of care, which involved chiropractic, exercise, and patient education, the patient still placed her pain at a zero on a scale of 1 to 10. Her neck disability reduced as well, with a rating score that represented that it was a "great deal better."

It is studies like these that prove the effectiveness of chiropractic adjustments, even if you've already attempted neck surgery that didn't provide relief. So, if you are suffering with neck pain and would like to find a solution that has a high success rate, try chiropractic. It may just be the relief you're looking for.

We're located in Memphis and Dr. Amodeo can help you recover from neck pain. Give us a call today at (901) 757-8311.

References

• AAPM facts and figures on pain. The American Academy of Pain Medicine.
• Masaracchio M, Cleland JA, Hellman M, Hagins M. Short-term combined effects of thoracic spine thrust manipulation and cervical spine nonthrust manipulation in individuals with mechanical neck pain: a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy 2013;43(3):118-127.
• Cleland JA, Glynn P, Whitman JM, Eberhart SL, MacDonald C, Childs JD. Short-term effects of thrust versus nonthrust mobilization/manipulation directed at the thoracic spine in patients with neck pain: a randomized clinical trial. Physical Therapy 2007;87(4):431-440.
• Salvatori R, Rowe RH, Osborne R, Beneciuk JM. Use of thoracic spine thrust manipulation for neck pain and headache in a patient following multiple-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a case report. The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy 2014;44(6):440-449.
  

With the Migraine Research Foundation reporting that migraines affect 38 million adults and children in the U.S. (more than asthma and diabetes put together), it's not surprising that Dr. Amodeo treats a lot of headache patients in our Memphis office. Although some people try to relieve migraine pain with drugs, chiropractic care is a terrific, all-natural alternative that often provides positive results.

Research Supports Chiropractic Care Helps With Migraines

For example, one report published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics involved 127 patients ranging in age from 10 to 70-years-old who struggled with frequent (at least monthly) migraines. Each subject engaged in up to 16 chiropractic sessions. The subjects noted that their headache frequency, duration, and disability two months before the study began, during the duration of the sessions (which was two months), and two months post-treatment.

What the authors discovered is that chiropractic reduced the frequency, duration, and disability of the migraine headaches when compared with the control subjects who didn't receive chiropractic. Furthermore, this allowed them to take less medication for the pain, offering them an all-natural answer for a chronic problem.

Another article found that a combination of chiropractic and neck massage reduced migraine headaches almost 68%.

If you have migraine headaches and are looking for help, call Dr. Amodeo today and request an appointment in our Memphis chiropractic office. We'll do what we can to help you become pain-free!

References

Migraine Fact Sheet. Migraine Research Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.migraineresearchfoundation.org/fact-sheet.html on November 2, 2015
Noudeh Y et al. (2012). Reduction of current migraine headache pain following neck massage and spinal manipulation. International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork;5(1):5-13
Tuchin P et al. (2000, February). A randomized controlled trial of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for migraine. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics;23(2):91-5

Knee pain is a common issue for patients in our Memphis chiropractic practice, and Dr. Amodeo has happily provided many of these folks relief. This is mostly because chiropractic care has been found to help with many types of knee pain.

For example, some individuals experience pain in and around the knee area due to degenerative arthritis. Research has confirmed that this condition responds very well to chiropractic--and rather quickly, too. In fact, one article published in The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association found that individuals with osteoarthritis in their knees felt significant pain relief and improved function after just two weeks of chiropractic care.

If your knee pain is as a result of a medial meniscus tear, chiropractic could likely help with that as well. One case reported that combining chiropractic with soft tissue therapy, rest, ice, and compression on the affected knee helped lower the intensity of the pain.

Of course, sometimes a knee replacement surgery is necessary in order to rectify the issue, and if that's the case, chiropractic care can also help improve the outcome. How?

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps With Knee Pain

Medical research has shown that people with low back pain often have less positive results after knee surgery. Thus, dealing with your back pain through chiropractic before having a total knee arthroplasty can assist with your post-surgery healing.

No matter what your knee issue, Dr. Amodeo can likely help. Call our Memphis office today and find out what we can do for you!

References

• Pollard H et al. (2008, December). The effect of a manual therapy knee protocol on osteoarthritic knee pain: a randomised controlled trial. The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association;52(4):229-42
  Boyle J et al. (2014, March). Influence of low back pain on total knee arthroplasty outcome. Knee;21(2):410-4
• Jarosz B & Ames R. (2010, December). Chiropractic management of a medial meniscus tear in a patient with tibiofemoral degeneration: a case report. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine;9(4):200-8

We see a great number of folks with headaches in our Memphis office, and Dr. Amodeo has been able to provide relief for many of them. Of course, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that half of all adults have difficulty with some type of headache problem, so this really isn’t shocking. One of the most frequent varieties of headaches which our patients suffer from is cervicogenic headache which, happily, chiropractic can often help.

Cervicogenic Headaches Explained

A cervicogenic headache is one that comes from an issue in the cervical spine. It might be a result of an issue with either the spine itself (primarily, the vertebrae, joints, or discs), or it could be brought on by a problem in the muscles and tendons of your neck. This dysfunction in your spine leads to constriction or aggravation of the spinal nerves, which can bring about headache pain.

How do you recognize if the headache you are suffering from is a cervicogenic headache? Apart from getting a diagnosis from a healthcare expert, a typical symptom of cervicogenic headaches is tenderness or discomfort in your neck. This is occasionally combined with pain in the back of your head or between your shoulder blades.

Chiropractic to the Rescue

Considering cervicogenic headaches will not go away until whatever problem is causing them is remedied, it is crucial to receive treatment instead of just trying to "wait it out." Chiropractic care is an excellent solution, and one that can provide a considerable amount of headache pain relief.

In one study printed in Chiropractic & Osteopathy, experts followed 80 people who had repeated cervicogenic headaches. One-half received chiropractic care and the other 50% underwent light massage therapy. Each participant was assessed 12 and 24 weeks after the treatment and it was found that chiropractic offered the best effects.

Specifically, this study revealed that chiropractic adjustments gave patients greater pain relief and reduced the frequency of headaches that occurred. Furthermore, it also lessened the disability that resulted from these painful headaches.

To find out what Dr. Amodeo can do for you and your headache pain, call us today. We'll do our best to get you the pain relief you deserve!

References

• Haas M, Schneider M, Vavrek D. Illustrating risk difference and number needed to treat from a randomized controlled trial of spinal manipulation for cervicogenic headache. Chiropractic & Osteopathy 2010 18(9).
• World Health Organization. (2012, October). Headache disorders. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs277/en/

We see quite a few patients in our Memphis office with ankle sprains but Dr. Amodeo has had a lot of success helping them recover more quickly. Why are ankle sprains so common and how can chiropractic help?

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), an estimated 25,000 men and women in the US sprain their ankles daily. In fact, these injuries make up nearly half of all sports injuries, causing people to spend time away from the activities they enjoy most.

Like any injury, there are many causes of ankle sprains. The most common is inversion, or when the ankle rolls inward. This injury can occur due to one forceful movement, or it can develop over time, and exercises that increase the risk for this type of ankle sprain include running and jumping. You're also at risk if you have previous ankle injuries, poor posture or balance, weak muscles, and reduced range of motion.

How Can Chiropractic Treatments and Dr. Amodeo Help?

A study printed in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics set out to discover chiropractic's role when it comes to ankle sprain recovery. The authors recruited 33 individuals between the ages of 18 and 45 who had a history of ankle inversion sprains, who were experiencing tenderness and/or pain, and had not re-injured the area in the previous six weeks.

18 of the subjects were assigned to participate in rehabilitation and the remaining 15 people received chiropractic adjustments in addition to rehab. Each person had five full weeks of treatments, with the rehab group receiving therapy seven days a week and the rehabilitation plus chiropractic group receiving treatment six out of the seven days.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps With Ankle Sprains

Researchers found that the people who had both rehabilitation and chiropractic fared the best at the 4-week mark when it came to pain and joint restriction. Furthermore, no undesirable effects were reported, showing that this treatment option is safe.

If you're near our location in Memphis and you're recovering from an ankle injury, give us a call. We'll do what we can to keep you up and running... literally!

Articles

• American College of Sports Medicine. (n.d.). Ankle sprains and the athlete. Retrieved from https://www.acsm.org/docs/current-comments/anklesprainstemp.pdf
• Lubbe, D et al. (2015, January). Manipulative therapy and rehabilitation for recurrent ankle sprain with functional instability: a short-term, assessor-blind, parallel-group randomized trial. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 38(1), 22-34, doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2014.10.001