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Many people suffer with headache pain, and tension headaches are a frequent problem in our busy lives. Postural problems and stress are common causes of tension headache, and ones that Dr. Amodeo and the staff here in our Memphis chiropractic office have a lot of experience in treating.

Research Proves Chiropractic Eases Tension Headaches

The scientific literature confirms our findings: A 2016 study from Spain treated a group of 76 men and women with chronic tension headaches. The participants were divided into four treatment groups: 19 patients were treated with suboccipital inhibition (the doctor presses on the tight tissues at the top of the spine); 19 with chiropractic adjustments; 19 with both adjustments and suboccipital inhibition; and 19 received no treatment.

The authors discovered that the spinal adjustments were beneficial at relieving pain, and that the best results were found when adjustments were combined with the suboccipital inhibition.

When we get run down, the nerves and tissues in the neck can be disrupted, leading to pain. Chiropractic works by eliminating these stresses and restoring the normal nerve function to the area.

We're Here to Help Patients Find Help From Tension Headaches

If you live in Memphis and are dealing with any kind of headache, we're here to help you get relief. Call Dr. Amodeo today at (901) 757-8311 for an appointment or more information.

Source

Espi-Lopez GV, Rodriguez-Blanco C, Oliva-Pascual-Vaca A, et al. Do manual therapy techniques have a positive effect on quality of life in people with tension-type headache? A randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Physical Rehabilitation Medicine 2016; February 29.

Chiropractic is based on the concept of allowing your body to naturally heal through spinal adjustments and lifestyle changes that stimulate overall health. For Dr. Amodeo, this means working to restore your body's healthy functioning to prevent the need for drugs or surgical treatments. We notice that most of our Memphis patients are happy to find a natural solution for their health problems.

One advantage of chiropractic is that it helps people reduce or even eliminate the use of drugs. Medications are oftentimes supplied to people who have back pain. This is such a significant concern that the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) issued a report stating that opioid (painkiller) risks outweigh the benefits when prescribed for back pain.

Some of the most common opiates, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, include hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet), morphine, and codeine. Figures offered by the AAN cite the fact that approximately half of the patients taking these types of substances for a period of three months are still dependent on them five years down the road. This can further complicate the issue of back pain and healing, particularly if an narcotic addiction arises.

Compare that to chiropractic which incorporates natural healing and the advantages are clear. While a drug might be helpful at temporarily relieving the discomfort of a health problem, it's not a long-term solution to the problem. Drugs don't mend your damaged back; it will only conceal the pain.

Dr. Amodeo will first examine you to get to the root of your back problems and then work with you to eliminate the problem -- without any risky drugs.

If you're ready for relief of your pain, naturally, give our Memphis office a call at (901) 757-8311 to make an appointment with Dr. Amodeo.

References

• Risk of opioids outweigh benefits for headache, low back pain, other conditions. American Academy of Neurology;September 29, 2014.
• What are opioids? National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/prescription-drugs/opioids/what-are-opioids

We manage many auto injury cases in in our Memphis office, and a common symptom we see in our patients is thoracic outlet syndrome. Why is thoracic outlet syndrome such a common problem after an auto collision? How can your chiropractor help you heal?

The thoracic outlet is a bundle of nerves and blood vessels that pass through your neck and shoulder to your arm. These nerves and blood vessels don't have a lot of space, so they pass underneath and between the strong bands of muscles that support your head.

In a crash, these muscles can be stretched and strained. If damaged, the muscles become inflamed and tender, and they can develop scar tissue which limits motion and puts pressure on the tissues of the thoracic outlet. Pressure on the nerves can cause tingling or numbness in the shoulder, elbow and even the wrist. Pressure on the blood vessels can also cause problems in the arm.

Memphis Thoracic Outlet Treatment

Chiropractic can be an effective way to treat thoracic outlet syndrome, as Dr. Amodeo will help improve mobility in your spine and restore normal nerve function in your neck and shoulder.

You don't have to suffer from thoracic outlet syndrome. Dr. Amodeo is conveniently located in Memphis to help you get better, whether you've been in an auto collision or not. First, we'll do a careful evaluation to establish the root cause of your problem, and then decide how to restore your body's natural functioning. Give our office a call today at (901) 757-8311 to make an appointment.

When playing sports activities that require a lot of lower body movement, like football, soccer, and basketball, it's common to suffer some type of injury to your hips or legs. Between pulled hamstrings, sprained ankles, knee injuries, and more, many players have found themselves sidelined. Dr. Amodeo has seen all of these problems in our Memphis patients. Fortunately, chiropractic adjustments can help prevent some of these injuries from developing and research proves it.

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps With Sports Injuries & Recovery

Dr. Amodeo keeps up-to-date with all of the latest scientific research, and in a paper published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, researchers from Macquarie University in Australia studied 59 semi-elite Australian Rules football players. Roughly one-half were placed in a control group and the other half were put in a therapy group that received sports chiropractic care at regular intervals. During the first six weeks, this meant getting care once a week. The following three months consisted of an adjustment every two weeks before decreasing those to one visit monthly for the final three months of the study.

The authors noted that there was a "significant" decrease in the number of leg strains the players received in the treatment group when compared to the control. Furthermore, they noticed that the subjects who received chiropractic also had fewer weeks of missed practice and games as a result of non-contact knee injuries. This led them to determine that sports chiropractic intervention should be added to "the current best practice management."

Every major sports organization in the United States and the US Olympic Team has chiropractors on staff for their athletes, because they know that chiropractic really works. If you live near our office in Memphis and would like to see if Dr. Amodeo can help you boost your performance or reduce sports injuries, give our office a call today at (901) 757-8311 for an appointment.

Dr. Amodeo Can Help People Find Comfort From Sports Injuries and Recover Faster

If you're troubled with severe pain, Dr. Amodeo and our staff are here to help you heal. Give our Memphis office a call today at (901) 757-8311 for an appointment today.

Original Study

Hoskins W, Pollard H. 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 2010;11(64).

In our Memphis office, it isn't unusual for us to see people struggling with sciatic nerve pain, and Dr. Amodeo has helped many of them improve with chiropractic. What makes chiropractic so useful to those who suffer with this condition? For starters, it reduces their time of recovery and a Norwegian medical study confirms it.

In the report, which took place in a Norwegian hospital's orthopedic division, researchers looked at 44 patients who reported abrupt low back pain that was identified as acute sciatica. The individuals were all treated by a chiropractor, with the average follow-up being two years after treatment.

The authors found that all but two patients returned to work after receiving chiropractic care, which is a 95% success rate. Furthermore, the average amount of time that the patients spent off work "was reduced by two thirds as compared with that associated with conventional medical treatment."

Considering that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 170,450 days of work were lost in 2013 due to employees dealing with back or spine-related issues, that is almost 112,500 work days that could potentially be recovered each and every year solely by receiving chiropractic care. Not only would that increase productivity, but it could also decrease costs to businesses and workers from lost work.

If you live in Memphis and you suffer from sciatic pain, Dr. Amodeo is here to assist. Give us a call at (901) 757-8311 and we'll work with you to find the root cause of your sciatica and get you back on the road to health.

Orlin JR, Didriksen A. Results of chiropractic treatment of lumbopelvic fixation in 44 patients admitted to an orthopedic department. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2007;30(2):135-139.

Neck and headache pain are common problems that affect millions of people around the world. If you are dealing with this type of issue, you're not alone. The good news is that chiropractic is a great way to not only treat these common problems, but also help avoid future episodes.

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps With Neck Pain and Headaches

For many years, patients with neck and headache pain in Memphis have been helped by the chiropractic adjustments of Dr. Amodeo. Our experience is supported by a recent review done in Canada that found that non-invasive, non-drug treatments are the best choice for neck and headache pain.

The study looked at 15 studies from 1990 to 2015 and found that conservative treatment comprised of chiropractic adjustments, exercises, and stretches was suggested before turning to drugs or more invasive treatments.

Past studies have shown that chiropractic is effective and safe for neck pain and many other health conditions.

We Can Help People Find Relief From Neck Pain and Headaches

If you're suffering with neck pain or headaches, Dr. Amodeo and our staff are here to help you feel better. Give our Memphis office a call today at (901) 757-8311 for an appointment today.

Reference

Varatharajan S, Ferguson B, Chrobak K, et al. Are non-invasive interventions effective for the management of headaches associated with neck pain? An update of the Bone and Joint Decade Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration. European Spine Journal 2016; February 6:1-29.

Neck and headache pain are common problems that affect millions of men and women around the world. If you suffer from this type of issue, you're not alone. The good news is that chiropractic care is a great way to not only treat these common issues, but also help prevent future episodes.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps With Neck Pain and Headaches

For many years, people with neck and headache pain in Memphis have been helped by the chiropractic adjustments of Dr. Amodeo. Our experience is supported by a recent review done in Canada that found that non-surgical, non-drug treatments are the best choice for neck and headache pain.

The study looked at 15 studies from 1990 to 2015 and found that conservative treatment comprised of chiropractic adjustments, exercises, and stretches was suggested before resorting to drugs or more invasive treatments.

Previous studies have shown that chiropractic is effective and safe for neck pain and many other health conditions.

We Can Help Patients Find Comfort From Neck Pain and Headaches

If you're troubled with neck pain or headaches, Dr. Amodeo and our staff are here to help you recover. Give our Memphis office a call today at (901) 757-8311 for an appointment today.

Reference

Varatharajan S, Ferguson B, Chrobak K, et al. Are non-invasive interventions effective for the management of headaches associated with neck pain? An update of the Bone and Joint Decade Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration. European Spine Journal 2016; February 6:1-29.

There are many different kinds of headache, but one of the most common types is known as "cervicogenic headache," or those that originate in your neck.

Dr. Amodeo sees a lot of patients in our Memphis office who are struggling with recurring headaches. Fortunately, chiropractic adjustments can often help, potentially reducing these types of headaches by 50%, and research confirms it.

A study was conducted involving 80 participants who reported experiencing at least five cervicogenic headaches during the prior three months. The goal was to discover how effective chiropractic care was for this type of head pain, as well as to ascertain the number of treatment sessions required to achieve a positive effect.

The individuals were split into four separate groups, so that each group was similar in age, gender, number of cervicogenic headaches, and their intensity. Of the four groups, two engaged in chiropractic treatments and two received light massage. Furthermore, one group assigned to each treatment received eight sessions and the other group received double that amount.

Each patient was assessed based on head pain, neck pain, and disability prior to the study and 12 and 24 weeks after treatment was complete. The authors found that those who received chiropractic as opposed to massage reported fewer headaches at the conclusion of the study. Furthermore, improvements were maintained when checked six months after treatment ended.

Furthermore, patients who were taking medications for their headaches were able to lower their intake after completing the study. Those who received chiropractic adjustments had lower medication usage 24 weeks post-study.

Dr. Amodeo has helped many people who were suffering from headaches in our Memphis office. Call us today at (901) 757-8311 for more information or for an appointment.

Haas M, Spegman A, Peterson D, Aickin M, Vavrek D. Dose response and efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic cervicogenic headache: a pilot randomized controlled trial. The Spine Journal 2010; 10: 117-128.

Dr. Amodeo sees many people weekly in our busy Memphis chiropractic office who are looking for relief from the pain and agony they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the scientific literature verifies that chiropractic care is a successful way to treat herniated disc pain.

Don't Suffer! Dr. Amodeo and Chiropractic Care Helps With Disc Herniation

One particular study involved 27 people, 8 male and 19 female, who had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirming a disc herniation in either their neck or lower back. The people reported that they were experiencing pain, limited range of motion, and sensory issues bad enough to keep them off work.

During the course of the research period, the subjects were managed using one of two common chiropractic practices: traction for herniated discs in the cervical area or flexion distraction for the men and women who had herniation issues in the low back.

Each individual was treated four or five times per week for the first two weeks, then three times each week, and then as needed for the remainder of the study. Depending on the seriousness of the disc herniation, therapy varied anywhere from six weeks to six months, with MRIs being performed at various stages to determine what effect, if any, the chiropractic care was having in regard to the disc herniation.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps With Back Pain and Herniated Disc

The researchers discovered that 80 percent of the participants obtained a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced pain and a reduction in other issues, such as numbness. Additionally, 77 percent of these individuals also showed MRI evidence that their disc herniation was either reduced or resolved completely. This resulted in 78 percent of the study participants being able to return to their place of work and led the researchers to conclude that chiropractic care is both "safe and helpful" for disc herniations.

If you have a herniated disc and suffer from chronic back pain and are near Dr. Amodeo in Memphis, contact our office today to see what chiropractic can do for you!

Reference
BenEliyahu, DJ. Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical follow-up: study of 27 patients receiving chiropractic care for cervical and lumbar disc herniations. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1996;19(9):597-606.

In our Memphis office, we see many patients who are suffering from back pain, and some of these people have been told they might need surgery to recover. Fortunately, Dr. Amodeo has helped many people get relief without the need for any type of surgery. The scientific literature agrees with the results we see in our practice. One research study published in the medical journal Spine found that consulting with a chiropractor as your first step in overcoming with your back issues may literally keep you out of the operating room.

In this report, medical researchers from Dartmouth analyzed data from 1,885 workers from Washington state who first saw either an orthopedic surgeon or a chiropractor for their back pain issues. They then examined three years' worth of follow-up medical data to find out whether the patients ended up having back surgery in an attempt to correct the issue.

What the authors found was that about 43% of the people who first consulted with a surgeon for their back pain ended up with surgery in that 3-year time span, whereas only 1.5 percent of those who first consulted with a chiropractor had the same fate. The authors wrote:

"Even after controlling for injury severity and other measures, workers with an initial visit for the injury to a surgeon had almost nine times the odds of receiving lumbar spine surgery compared to those seeing primary care providers, whereas workers whose first visit was to a chiropractor had significantly lower odds of surgery."

These are remarkable outcomes. Consulting with a chiropractor dramatically reduces your odds of having back surgery, plus the chiropractic patients in this study "had lower odds of chronic work disability" and they also had fewer expensive MRI tests.

Let's also consider this important point: this study was performed by orthopedic surgeons from Dartmouth College, and published in the world's most influential medical journal on spinal injury.

Why You Should Avoid Surgery

Any surgery has risks, but a major downside linked to spinal surgery is that there's a very high rate of failure. In an important review in the European Spine Journal, researchers wrote:

"Failed back surgery is a problem that has become sufficiently widespread to even warrant its own special conferences, with recent reviews reporting failure rates ranging from 5 to 50%."

The authors of this same study concluded:

"It is extremely difficult to identify unequivocal predictor factors that can be used to accurately predict the outcome of surgery."

As a chiropractor, Dr. Amodeo believes that surgery should be the absolute last choice for treating back pain. Chiropractic works to restore your spine to its normal function--without risky surgery or drugs--and many research studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of chiropractic for back pain.

If you live in Memphis and you need care for your back pain, give our office a call today at (901) 757-8311 for a consultation or an appointment. We'll help get you back on the road to a pain-free life!

Studies

• Keeney BJ, Fulton-Kehoe D, Turner JA, Wickizer TM, Chan KC, Franklin GM. Early predictors of lumbar spine surgery after occupational back injury: results from a prospective study of workers in Washington State. Spine 2013;38(11):953-964.
• Mannion AF, Elfering A. Predictors of surgical outcome and their assessment. European Spine Journal 2006;15(Suppl 1):S93-S108.