Tag Archives: spine

Chiropractic and Carpal Tunnel

I’d like to share an amazing success story with you that involves chiropractic and carpal tunnel. I had a patient, let’s call her Sue. She came to our office with carpal tunnel symtoms. She had surgery 6 months ago for her carpal tunnel. Sue said the surgery gave her about 6 months of relief, but now the same exact symptoms she was having before her surgery were back again. Sue was frustrated. She had this surgery and is essentially back to where she was day 1. During our consult together I asked her how her neck feels. She responded with “my neck hurts all the time, but it’s my hands that concern me because they are numb.” I continued to ask some basic history questions. I learned that no doctor had ever looked at or examined her neck in the past. This is important because there are certain levels in your neck that send nerves down into your hands and arms. Before opting to have a surgery, ensure that all possible causes of carpal tunnel have been investigated.

We started the exam with looking at Sue’s neck. I examined the area by feeling the muscles, the spinal alignment and motion, and various orthopedic tests. Their was a lot of muscles tightness, spinal restrictions, forward head posture and signs of nerve impingement. The icing on the cake was the neck X-rays we took. The X-rays showed degeneration at the C4-C6 levels. This is the exact area the nerves leave the spine and travel down into the arm and hand. I explained all this to Sue and asked her if she was ready to start healing and feeling better. Of course she was ready! She had been suffering with this for too long.

Chiropractic Treament

We began treatment right away. Our visits together initially consisted of chiropractic adjustments and some muscle work. As Sue’s neck started to feel better and have less tension, we started working on posture correction as well. Within 3 visits she started noticing relief and improvements. Her neck feeling better, she had less numbness and tingling in her hands and more strength in her hands. She stated she was having less headaches and more energy which I didn’t even know were issues to begin with! (Please tell your chiropractor about all your symptoms!)

10 visits into Sue’s chiropractic treatment and she was feeling so much better. She was feeling better than she could have imagined. I’m excited to see her continual progress and at the end of her treatment plan we will take some updated X-rays to see the changes her spine has undergone. Not only do I want to know she is feeling better, I want to see that we made physical changes to her spinal structure, so we know it’s a long-term correction and not just a band-aid fix.

Do You Have Carpal Tunnel

Have you been diagnosed with carpal tunnel? Have you been told that you need to have a surgery? Chiropractic and carpal tunnel can be a life changer for you. I urge you to schedule an appointment with a chiropractor. In my office we will do a full history, examination and X-rays of necessary. If I cannot help you, I will help to point you in the right direction of someone who can. Stories like Sue’s are not uncommon in my office. My goal is to help people avoid unnecessary medications and surgeries. Give us a call or request an appointment online, I’d love to help you!

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

Chiropractic Travel Tips

Chiropractic Travel Tips

Who doesn’t love to travel? Spring break is upon us and many people will be hitting the road and the air to travel to fun family destinations. Travel can be tricky if you are suffering from back or neck pain. Even if you are feeling good, travel can make you feel tight, achy and sore. Here are some Chiropractic Travel Tips to help you feel great once you arrive at your destination.

Move

You have to move your body! Lack of movement can create tension and pain. If you are driving make sure to get out of the car and move every time you stop. Drink a lot of water while driving because this will force you to stop often for potty breaks. If you are flying the advice is the same, get up and walk to the bathroom at least once an hour.

You can also move without getting up. Perform circles with your feet, head and neck and shoulders while sitting. Any movement is better than no movement. Fidgeting can also be a helpful habit while traveling because fidgeting will help to keep movement built into the time you are spending sitting.

Relax

Travel can be stressful. Any extra stress leads to more tension and pain. Try and stay relaxed during your travels to help alleviate any extra tension. I personally like to meditate while I am flying or the passenger in a car on a road trip. This helps me to stay mentally at ease which helps my body to stay at ease.

Once You Arrive

The first thing you should do once you arrive and settle in to your hotel is stretch. Particularly the areas to focus on are the thoracic spine (middle back), hips and shoulders. These are the areas of the body that get tight after long periods of sitting. While sitting these areas are in a flexed or rounded position which creates tightness and lack of motion. Spend 5-10 minutes loosening these areas up and you will be much happier and ready to enjoy your vacation to the fullest!

Yours in Health,

Dr. Steven Bourdage DC

Chicago Chiropractor Talks Vitamins

Chicago Chiropractor Talks Vitamins

Check out the video below hear “Chicago Chiropractor Talks Vitamins”

Continue reading

Chicago Chiropractor Talks Stretching

Chicago Chiropractor Talks Stretching

May 5, 2016

Stretch for Flexibility

Stretch for Flexibility

 

 

 

Stretching is an often overlooked aspect of health, but yet it so important. There is a lot of misguided information when it comes to stretching. In this blog I want to explain why it is important to stretch and explain the proper timing and method to get the most bang for your buck while stretching.

Continue reading

Spinal Health and Height

Spinal Health and Height

April 21, 2016

Astronaut Scott Kelly returned to Earth recently after being in space for a year! One of the headline grabbing topics when he returned was that he gained 2 inches in height during his time away! How incredible is that? You may wondering what that has to do with chiropractic? Let’s talk about it: Continue reading

Back Surgery May Backfire

Back Surgery May Backfire

March 31, 2016

This was the title of a recent article that came out on NBC news. You can view the article here: Back Surgery

Most people who have a back surgery end up needing a second one later on, and in many cases even after 2 surgeries these people are in just as much pain, if not more than before. Continue reading

Shoulder Pain in Chicago

Shoulder Pain in Chicago

In the past two weeks there has been a lot of people suffering from shoulder pain in Chicago. The reason I know is because, as a chiropractor, there has been a huge influx of patients with shoulder pain coming into my office. Let’s discuss this further. Continue reading

Why Do Chiropractors Take X-rays

Why Do Chiropractors Take X-rays

Have you ever wondered “Why do chiropractors take X-rays?” Or, have you considered going to see a chiropractor, but are worried because your chiropractor may recommend X-rays? Some people feel X-rays may not be needed for their case. Let’s discuss these concerns. Continue reading

Neck Pain Relief

Neck Pain Relief

Neck Pain Relief

Neck Pain Relief

Neck pain relief is becoming more and more important here in Chicago. The reason being is we are under more stress than ever. We are spending more time than ever in front of computers, mobile devices and other electronics and this plays a major role in why people are having neck pain and seeking neck pain relief. Continue reading

Restoring Your Posture With Chiropractic

Restoring Your Posture With Chiropractic

I’d like to share a success story with you that occurred with one of our patients here in the office. It is very often that I am asked if “Restoring your posture with chiropractic is possible or not?” This particular case will demonstrate that not only does chiropractic restore your posture, it can change your life! Continue reading