Can a Chiropractor Help with Sciatica?

Did you know that pain in your leg or even your foot can be linked directly to your back? Many times, this discomfort is classified as sciatica. More than 40% of people will experience this common condition. While it can resolve independently, non-invasive treatment options like chiropractic care ensure complete resolution and help prevent recurrence.

Keep reading to learn the symptoms, causes, and how chiropractic care can ease your sciatic nerve pain quickly and effectively.

What is Sciatica?

Sciatica describes the pain you experience from a pinched sciatic nerve. It represents a symptom of an underlying problem, not a condition. The sciatic is the thickest and longest nerve in the body, starting in the lower back, traveling through the hips and buttocks, and finally spanning down the back of each leg. It is responsible for sitting, standing, and other sensations.

While the sciatic nerve ends just below the knee, it branches into smaller nerves affecting the legs, feet, and toes. This connection is responsible for the radiating or shooting pain you feel in seemingly unrelated areas.

Sciatica Symptoms

Sciatica pain can occur anywhere along the body’s largest nerve pathway. Most often, it only impacts one side of the body. The sciatica symptoms can vary by case. For example, some sciatica patients may feel constant pain, while others deal with intermittent episodes. The discomfort can come on suddenly or grow gradually.

If you are dealing with sciatica, you may feel mild to severe symptoms, including:

• Numbness
• Muscle weakness in the legs
• Burning
• Deep aching
• Tingling or pins-and-needles sensation
• Shooting pain, like an electric shock
• Lower back pain

These symptoms may worsen after coughing, sneezing, or sitting for long periods, as it compresses the spine and can irritate the sciatic nerve. If your symptoms become severe or chronic, it is necessary to seek treatment. Left untreated, you may experience permanent nerve damage, which can cause a loss of feeling or an inability to control your bowels or bladder.

What Causes Sciatica?

Sciatica can be tied directly to irritation, inflammation, pinching, or nerve compression.

More than 90% of cases of sciatic nerve pain stem from herniated disc. Spinal discs are comprised of cartilage that cushions the vertebrae. Certain situations can cause these discs to spill or bulge out of place, where they put pressure on the nerve.

Herniated disks may also signal degenerative disc disease. As you age, the discs can lose fluid and thin out, bringing the vertebrae closer together and compressing the surrounding nerve.

You are more likely to experience sciatic pain if you are:

• Older– Natural wear and tear on the spinal column increases the chance of bulging or herniated discs.
• Overweight– The extra weight can put stress on your discs.
• An active laborer– Lifting heavy objects and excessive twisting can cause nerve compression.
• Sedentary worker– Sitting for prolonged periods can irritate the nerve roots, as with office workers and long-distance drivers.
• Osteoarthritis– This common condition can cause bone spurs. Like herniated discs, the overgrowth of vertebral bones can press on the sciatic nerve and cause pain.
• Diabetic– Poor glucose regulation can cause nerve damage.
• Injured– Injuries along the spine may lead to inflammation or irritation that impacts the sciatic nerve.

Other situations, like stress, poor posture, and activity levels, can cause muscle fibers and their surrounding structures to contract. Over time, a trigger point or “knot” can form, which may pinch the sciatic nerve.

Piriformis syndrome can also irritate the sciatic nerve and cause similar pain, such as numbness and tingling from the lower back down through the feet. However, this condition results from muscle spasms in the small piriformis muscle located in the buttocks, so it is not technically a cause of sciatica.

Chiropractic Treatment of Sciatica

Chiropractic care is considered a safe and effective treatment option for sciatica. It can actually provide adequate relief for multiple forms of back pain. Your chiropractor works to fix misalignments in the spine, also known as subluxations. This process removes pressure from the spinal cord and increases your mobility, allowing you to return to the activities you enjoy pain free.

Your chiropractor can treat sciatica in a few ways:

• Spinal adjustment– Chiropractic adjustments help restore proper alignment in the affected area and the whole spine. This therapy physically releases any nerve compression and encourages optimal nervous system function.
• Spinal Decompression– Your chiropractor will use a traction table or another motorized device to stretch your spine. This process creates a vacuum effect in the spinal column to retract bulging or herniated discs that affect the sciatic nerve.
• Myofascial release– This physical therapy involves sustained pressure on the trigger points pinching your nerves. This action helps relax contracted muscles for instant pain relief.
• Electrical muscle stimulation– This treatment option sends gentle, non-painful shocks to the affected area, which helps in two ways: releasing feel-good endorphins and blocking painful nerve signals.

During your initial appointment, your sciatica chiropractor will conduct a physical examination and discuss your medical history to determine the best treatment option.

They will also build a custom schedule to treat your sciatica symptoms over multiple visits. While you may feel pain relief after the first appointment, it can take about four chiropractic appointments to resolve your sciatica symptoms completely.

Your treatment plan may also include at-home exercises, cold-hot compress, massage therapy, and lifestyle adjustments to prevent recurrent symptoms.

6 Benefits of Chiropractic Adjustments

Your chiropractor uses spinal manipulation and other techniques to care for the whole body, not just the affected area, so you’ll experience several additional benefits:

1. Reduced Inflammation

Chiropractic techniques can help significantly reduce swelling and inflammation in problem areas. Evidence suggests that it helps lower the production of the neuropeptides and cytokines that regulate the immune response. These elements can exacerbate the immune response, causing ongoing swelling and irritation.

Spinal adjustments can encourage blood flow to the affected site to promote healing.

2. Pain Relief

Back pain is the third most common reason for doctor visits each year. Regular chiropractic care can treat this pain and even prevent its occurrence in the first place. It helps ease tensions and misalignments within soft and hard tissues that can cause discomfort.

Additional therapies, like the Graston technique and shockwave therapy, can even restart the healing process on old injuries and uncomfortable pockets of scar tissue. It can successfully address neck pain, chronic pain, and other problems with near-immediate results. Many patients report feeling better as soon as the first visit.

3. Easier Pregnancies

About 50-80% of pregnant women deal with low back pain and sciatica symptoms. These problems often result from the added weight in the midsection. Pregnancy hormones also cause ligaments to loosen and stretch.

Chiropractic adjustments balance the pelvis, which may make labor shorter and easier. Improving posture can also offer instant relief for expectant mothers. Continuing your routine after delivery can even assist with recovery, ease pain from strange positioning during breastfeeding, and rebalance hormones.

4. Improved Posture

Spinal misalignments, especially when caused by sitting, can worsen sciatica symptoms. Even if you visit a chiropractor once to improve your posture, your body will likely return to its initial state of misalignments and discomfort.

Regular visits can train your spine to remain in its optimal position and help you hold onto your spinal adjustments longer. When your spinal cord and joints are aligned, you experience greater overall health. Unobstructed, your brain can communicate adequately with the rest of your body.

5. Affordable Treatment

Chiropractic treatment is much more affordable than traditional medical visits. More insurance companies are even starting to cover these services. If your insurance does not cover your treatment, you can use your FSA and HSA to pay for any out-of-pocket expenses. The Total Body Chiropractic staff will work to maximize your treatment plan according to your budget.

Not to mention, the treatment duration is typically shorter than more conventional methods. While you may have multiple weekly visits initially, you will shift to a bi-monthly maintenance schedule after your sciatica symptoms have greatly improved.

6. Reduces Reliance on Medication

Those with chronic pain often receive prescriptions to manage their pain. These medications can become addictive and simply mask the pain. On the other hand, chiropractic care addresses the root cause of your pain and initiates the healing process.

Book Your Appointment Today!

The chiropractors at Total Body Chiropractic & Acupuncture in Bend are fully equipped to treat your sciatica—no matter the cause. We will work together to build a custom in-office and at-home treatment plan that not only resolves your lower back pain but also boosts your overall health and wellness. After all, aligning your spine is the key to feeling your best! Schedule your appointment today.

How Often Should You See a Chiropractor?

Did you know over 1 million people around the U.S. receive a chiropractic adjustment each day? It’s all thanks to the range of benefits associated with this physical therapy, from chronic pain relief to general mood and wellness boosts. Although you may experience temporary relief during your initial visit, it takes regular adjustments to feel the full range of long-lasting benefits from chiropractic care.

Continue reading to learn how a chiropractor can help your situation and how many chiropractic sessions you need to reap the benefits.

9 Reasons to See a Chiropractor

Chiropractic care has the potential to impact every system in your body. This is because the central nervous system, which controls the entire body, runs through the spine. This connection means spinal manipulation during chiropractic sessions can ease several seemingly unrelated issues. You may consider seeing a chiropractor for one of these reasons:

1. Acute or Chronic Pain

Back pain is the most common reason patients visit the chiropractor. During a study published in 2018, 750 participants underwent either 12 chiropractic treatments or standard care. After six weeks, researchers found that the chiropractic patients experienced less lower back pain, higher levels of satisfaction, and decreased reliance on medication.

More than lower back pain, chiropractic care can help ease neck pain from text neck — a condition stemming from staring at phones. Your chiropractor helps get to the root of the problem rather than mask the symptoms with temporary relief. They can pinpoint and address areas of inflammation, muscle tension, and joint pain.

Chiropractic care can also offer pain relief from car accidents and poor posture. By restoring proper alignment, you can experience continued comfort on a regular basis.

2. Headaches and Migraines

Headaches often stem from structural problems in the neck and shoulders. Chiropractic adjustments can help with the severity and frequency of attacks.

3. Improves Digestion

The central nervous system sends signals to the digestive system to facilitate the process. Misalignments in the spine can impact this communication. Likewise, subluxations in certain vertebrae can even lead to gas and other digestive discomforts.

4. Boost Athletic Performance

Even the best players in the league use chiropractic care to improve their game. In fact, 31% of NFL teams have a chiropractor on staff to deal with sports-related chronic pain, injuries, and headaches.

5. Better Sleep

Chiropractic care may improve the duration and quality of your sleep. This therapy reduces pain that keeps you up at night and rebalances dopamine and serotonin to help insomnia. Adjustments also increase blood flow, encouraging you to get to sleep faster and help you sleep longer.

6. Pregnancy

During this stage of life, pregnant women deal with several changes, including widening hips and a lower back adjustment. These changes can lead to headaches, back pain, and general discomfort. Regular chiropractic care throughout pregnancy can provide relief, balance hormones, improve sleep, and even make labor easier for pregnant women.

7. Treat Sciatica

The sciatic nerve represents the longest nerve in the body, running from the lower back through the butt and hips all the way down to the feet. When the nerve becomes compressed by surrounding vertebrae or inflammation, it can cause sharp pain and muscle spasms throughout the lower extremities. Your chiropractor can help resolve the inflammation and remove any pressure on the nerve.

8. Immune Boost

When your body functions and communicates properly, it can more quickly resolve illness. Evidence suggests that those who receive regular chiropractic care have 200% greater immunity than those who don’t.

9. Injuries

Your chiropractor can help treat new and old injuries. That’s why chiropractic patients often seek treatment for soft tissue injuries such as whiplash after car accidents. Soft tissue therapy can help break up old scar tissue, which can restart the healing process. This form of physical therapy can also send more blood and healing agents to the affected area to encourage faster and more complete resolution.

Regular chiropractic adjustments can also assist with conditions like vertigo and stress-related high blood pressure. Plus, each adjustment boosts overall health and encourages physical and mental relaxation that improves your mood, eases anxiety, and soothes muscle tension.

Initial Consultation for New Patients

Before scheduling your chiropractic consultation, you’ll want to make sure your chiropractic clinic accepts your insurance. You’ll also want to verify that your chiropractor has all the necessary credentials and experience with any of your anticipated conditions. When you arrive, you will be greeted by trained staff and given new client paperwork.

Your initial visit will take about an hour, but this time frame can vary. The rest of your chiropractic appointment will proceed in the following format:

1. Discuss Concerns and Goals

Your chiropractor will ask about the location of your pain, any other symptoms, and how long you’ve been experiencing them. They will also need to know your occupation, daily activities, and other lifestyle habits. This conversation helps your chiropractor understand what’s happening and determine the best course of action tailored to your needs.

You should come prepared with your health goals. Are you just hoping for relief, or do you want to see drastic improvements in your function?

It’s also important to have the specifics of your medical history:

• Prescriptions
• Diagnosis
• Detailed family history, including illnesses and conditions
• Other relevant medical histories that reveal acute causes, like car accidents, or chronic causes

2. Physical examination

Your chiropractor will have you complete a series of movements and tasks to test muscle strength, nerve flow, resistance, and more. You may undergo one or more of these physical examinations:

• Walking Exam — You will walk back and forth across the room. During this process, the chiropractor will assess your gait to determine if there are any issues in your spine, legs, or pelvis.
• Flexibility Exam — Completing different stretches, movements, and bends can test flexibility and range of motion.
• Leg Measurements — While lying on your stomach, the chiropractor will bend your legs upwards to examine the length of your legs. If one leg is shorter than the other, it signals alignment issues in the pelvis.
• Straight Leg Raise — As you lie down, your chiropractor will have you lift a leg straight in the air while keeping your knee straight. This action reveals any complications in the sciatic nerve or leg muscles.
• Muscle Strength Test — Your chiropractor will have you press against them in various ways to test muscle strength or weakness.
• Medical Exams — After these physical examinations, your chiropractor may want to see more. They may order blood work, X-rays to view bones, or an MRI for soft tissue, like discs, torn muscles, or nerve compression.

3. Diagnosis

After a thorough physical examination, your chiropractor will offer a diagnosis and determine whether your condition will respond to chiropractic care. Fractures, tumors, or infections will require a referral to a separate specialist as they do not respond to this form of treatment.

4. Building a Treatment Plan

During your first chiropractic visit, your chiropractor will build a specialized treatment plan that outlines in-office care, at-home exercises, instructions to prevent severe injury, and a guide to healthy living and eating. All these techniques will support your care and boost your results.

Keep in mind that you may or may not receive a chiropractic adjustment during your initial consultation, depending on your diagnosis.

How Chiropractic Treatment Can Help

Chiropractors use several treatment methods to help heal the body and fix dysfunction within the musculoskeletal system. Through spinal manipulation, massage therapy, spinal decompression, and acupuncture, your therapist can help treat your pain in several ways:

• Restores Proper Alignment – Spinal adjustments ensure that your body can communicate adequately, boosting overall function.
• Removes Pressure Off of Nerves – Misaligned vertebrae can compress spinal nerves, leading to radiating pain and dysfunction. Chiropractic care relieves this pressure.
• Rebalances Hormones – When your brain cannot communicate with your body due to misalignments in the spine, it also impacts hormone function. Spinal manipulation can influence the release of mood-boosting hormones and reduce the stress hormone cortisol in the blood.
• Relaxes Muscle Tension – Pinched nerves, poor posture, inflammation, and misalignments can all cause painful muscle spasms and tension throughout the body. Your chiropractor may suggest massage therapy to soothe muscles and promote relaxation.

How Often Should You See a Chiropractor?

Your chiropractor will determine the best schedule to improve your condition. If you’ve just started seeing a chiropractor, it is common to have one or two chiropractic sessions per week. The reason for these frequent appointments is that your body is used to a certain position, so it will quickly revert back to the state of discomfort due to muscle memory. Regular visits help retrain your body to stay in proper alignment.

After your symptoms resolve, you can scale back to a maintenance care schedule with monthly or bi-weekly chiropractic visits. Maintenance adjustments prevent your body from getting too far out of tune.

Generally, the ideal chiropractic appointment schedule follows this cadence:

• For Intense Pain or New Injuries: frequent appointments; 2 or more visits per week
• For Chronic Medical Conditions or Acute Issues: weekly maintenance care
• For Overall Health: monthly maintenance care

You can also schedule a chiropractic session whenever you feel pain. It is about listening to your body and reacting accordingly.

The best way to determine how chiropractic care can help you is to schedule an appointment. At Bend Total Body, we offer several treatment options to provide swift relief. We will work with you to get your condition under control and maintain the results so you can live a more comfortable life.

How Do Chiropractors Know Where to Adjust?

If you’ve ever experienced joint or muscle pain, a friend may have suggested seeing a chiropractor. These healthcare professionals provide targeted treatment to the nervous and musculoskeletal systems to restore proper function and ease symptoms throughout the entire body. From headaches and hormonal imbalances to back and neck pain, an experienced chiropractor knows where to adjust your body for swift and long-lasting treatment. Continue reading to learn how these medical professionals determine the right treatment plan for you.

Why Go to the Chiropractor?

According to the American Chiropractic Association, more than 35 million people in the United States, including adults and children, receive chiropractic treatment annually. While back pain comprises a large majority of visits, you may also find a chiropractor helpful in several situations. This is because the spine supports the whole body both structurally and neurologically. It houses much of the central nervous system, which provides a communication pathway between the brain and the entire body. A misalignment in the spine can put pressure on the spinal nerves and reduce the body’s ability to function. In the same way, these subluxations or misalignments can impact your ability to twist, bend, and carry out basic movements comfortably.

Rather than simply treating the symptoms, your chiropractor will get to the root of the problem to reduce the chance of recurrence. This alternative medicine is rarely associated with side effects, making it an excellent, low-risk option for patients.

Here are three common reasons you may consider seeing a chiropractor:

Acute or Chronic Pain

More than 46% of chiropractor visits are due to lower back pain, making it the most common reason to seek treatment. Several conditions can cause chronic pain in the neck and back, including:

• Degenerative disc disease
• Herniated discs
• Sciatica
• Arthritis
• Poor posture
• Text neck
• Scoliosis

Lifestyle factors like sleeping in the wrong position or working at a desk can also contribute to acute discomfort. These situations can irritate the spinal nerves and inflame soft tissues, causing radiating pain. A licensed chiropractor uses spinal manipulation to restore proper alignment of the vertebrae and remove pressure on spinal nerves. This chiropractic technique provides instant pain relief that continues feeling better as the inflammation resolves. A 2019 study found that this manual manipulation stops the formation of inflammation-causing neuropeptides, which furthers your results.

Car Crashes and Other Injuries

Chiropractic care is a clear treatment route after full-body trauma caused by car accidents. Even minor collisions can lead to hidden injuries that cause complications throughout the body. Whiplash, a severe sprain or strain in the cervical spine, is common in most patients and can result in upper back and arm pain. Keep in mind that an adrenaline rush may mask your pain, so it is always a good idea to visit a chiropractor in the days following your car crash.

Sports injuries from repetitive movements, like tennis elbow and runner’s knee, may also benefit from this form of physical therapy. Athletes who have sustained more severe injuries seek chiropractic treatment during the healing process and continue regular care afterward for improved performance.

Manual manipulation increases blood flow and healing agents to the affected area to boost healing. At Total Body Chiropractic & Acupuncture, we also offer services that break up scar tissue from old injuries and restart the healing process to ensure total and complete resolution.

General Wellness

Chiropractic care fits seamlessly into a full-body wellness pain to keep you functioning at your best. An adjustment may provide improvements in these areas:

• Sleep—Your body uses your downtime to repair the body. Poor sleep quality can affect your body’s ability to heal itself, impact your mood, and make you more susceptible to illness. Chiropractic care improves sleep by lowering the stress hormone cortisol, easing pain, and balancing your serotonin and dopamine, which are proven to help with insomnia.
• Digestion—Misalignments in the spine can impact communication to the digestive system. The chiropractic manipulation techniques during your adjustment can also physically stimulate movement in the digestive organs to boost regularity.
• Immune boost—Your nervous system and immune system work hand in hand to keep you feeling well. Chiropractic care improves communication between these systems for swift resolution and boosts the production of healing agents to help you fight off pathogens. It can also reduce stress levels, lowering your susceptibility to illness.
• Stress—Chronic stress can affect everything from sleep to focus. Stress has been linked to several conditions, so controlling it is essential to feeling well. Fortunately, many patients report feeling more relaxed after their visits. This alternative medicine also rebalances stress hormones to improve feelings of anxiety.

Chiropractic care is a highly individualized treatment plan, so you may experience even more targeted benefits that boost your quality of life. At Total Body Chiropractic & Acupuncture, we are equipped to treat a number of conditions.

How Do Chiropractors Know Where to Adjust?

The medical professionals at Total Body use a range of chiropractic techniques to find the proper places to adjust. During your first visit, you will undergo various examinations:

Symptoms and Medical Analysis

Your chiropractor will ask for your complete medical history, including injuries, surgeries, and other complaints. Providing honest and thorough answers is crucial to receiving the best possible treatment. Knowing your symptoms can help your licensed chiropractor find connections and underlying causes of your problems.

These medical professionals may recommend x-rays and other imaging to pinpoint inflammation and other ailments before providing treatment.

Motion Palpation

When you think of chiropractic adjustments, you likely think of palpation. This action describes the use of light of deep touch to identify painful places and misalignments. Your chiropractor will test your response to varying pressure and manipulation to find these trouble spots. They typically work across three distinct planes of motion:

1. Frontal—Front to back
2. Traverse—Upper and lower body or top and bottom
3. Sagittal—Left and right sides

During this assessment, they want to see how pain hinders movement in these three directions. They use two forms of palpation: static and motion. With static palpation techniques, you will remain still while they feel for dips, prominent misalignments of vertebrae, and muscle spasms. During motion palpation, you will complete basic movements while the healthcare professional feels how the vertebrae move, flex, and glide. If movement is poor or restricted, it indicates dysfunction.

Gait and Posture Evaluation

Your licensed chiropractor will also evaluate your gait (the pattern of walking and movement) and posture (your position while sitting or standing). This physical exam offers insight into your musculoskeletal system and its ability to adapt to strains and stressors. Your chiropractor may ask you to walk, sit, squat, lean, stand, and run to assess these factors.

Range of Motion

If your complaint has impacted your mobility and flexibility, your chiropractor will ask you to complete certain movements to assess your range of motion. These movements help them pinpoint the areas affected the most and see the extent of your joint function.

Next Steps: Chiropractic Treatment

After a complete evaluation, your chiropractor will begin treatment. You will undergo manual manipulation in several positions, ranging from face down, face up, and on each side. Your chiropractor may also use small tools to loosen muscles and provide more targeted results.

Although you may hear a cracking sound known as joint cavitation and feel varying pressure levels, chiropractic adjustments are not painful. Chiropractic adjustments work by stretching joints beyond their normal range of motion. This action causes gas bubbles to form within the synovial fluid, and when the pressure is reduced, it results in the pop or cracks associated with this spinal manipulation.

Your chiropractic treatment plan may also include other forms of physical therapy, including acupuncture and at-home exercises, depending on your condition.

How to Find a Chiropractor You Can Trust?

It is important to research and find a licensed chiropractor you can trust in Bend. You should look for these characteristics when making your decision:

• Credentials—Credentials are vital when it comes to chiropractic care. Your chosen medical professional should have received their Doctor of Chiropractic degree from an accredited institution. This licensure ensures they have the training, skills, and experience to provide the best treatment. Sites like healthgrade.com can give you a snapshot of this information and any history of malpractice or disciplinary action.
• Experience—If you are seeking treatment for a specific condition, you should try to find a chiropractor with ample experience in the particular procedure. More experience means better outcomes for you. Inquire about how many patients they’ve treated with the condition, their successes, and any complications or risks.
• Great referrals and reviews—Ask the people you trust most for their chiropractor referrals. Your primary care physician, physical therapists, and even family and friends can provide recommendations. Website reviews offers insight into experiences with ease of scheduling, wait times, friendliness, and more.
• Comfortability—You should always feel comfortable asking healthcare professionals questions about the process. During your first visit, come with any questions you have and take note of their willingness to respond and provide in-depth answers.
• Insurance Compatibility—Chiropractic care is an ongoing process, so affordability should factor into your decision. Finding a chiropractor who takes your insurance can help reduce your out-of-pocket costs and make regular care more attainable for you.

At Total Body Chiropractic & Acupuncture in Bend, we take pride in our licensed and experienced chiropractors. Our chiropractors have been practicing for over 20 years and deliver excellent results. We are always happy to answer any questions and ease your worries about chiropractic care. Schedule your initial appointment with us today and get on the path to a healthy, pain-free life.

Can a Chiropractor Help with Vertigo?

There are few feelings quite as unsettling as a dizzy spell. If you get them frequently or for long periods, the sensation of the world spinning in circles can leave you anxious about when the next episode will occur. Nearly 40% of Americans will experience at least one vertigo attack throughout their life. If you’re one of them, it’s important to know how to handle it when the time comes.

Finding long-lasting, effective treatment for your vertigo is a crucial part of living a comfortable, stress-free life. At Total Body, we know that chiropractic care can be part of the solution. Continue reading to learn about the different forms of vertigo and your treatment options, including chiropractic adjustment.

What is Vertigo?

Vertigo is the sensation of dizziness or the overall feeling of being unbalanced. This sensation can present itself in a couple of ways: you are spinning in circles, or your surroundings are moving even when you’re standing still. Some people describe vertigo as being similar to motion sickness. However, it is not the same sensation as lightheadedness.

For clarity, vertigo is not a disease. Instead, it is a symptom of a range of conditions. More specifically, this false sense of movement can indicate a problem in the inner ear, brain, or sensory nerve pathway.

Various internal and external stimuli can trigger an attack, from illness to movement. While you cannot prevent the initial onset, it is possible to manage the recurrence of the symptom.

Certain characteristics may increase your likelihood of experiencing symptoms of vertigo:

• Being 65 or older
• Pregnancy
• Frequent ear infections
• Being female

What are the Symptoms of Vertigo?

Your vertigo symptoms may vary by the type of condition you have and the cause of your dizzy spell. Generally, when a vertigo episode hits, you can experience varying common symptoms and sensations:

• Spinning sensation
• Tilting
• Swaying
• Feeling unbalanced
• Like you are being pulled to one direction

Depending on the condition that is causing your vertigo and its severity, you may also experience other non-motion related symptoms of vertigo:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Jerking or abnormal eye movements, typically from side to side
• Headache
• Sweating
• Ringing in the ears or hearing loss

These vertigo symptoms can last anywhere from a few seconds or minutes to a couple of hours. Your attacks may also come and go rapidly and randomly.

Different Types of Vertigo and Their Causes

There are several different types of vertigo, and each is connected to a different area of the body. Some carry distinct symptoms that you will want to address to ensure lasting comfort.

1. Peripheral Vertigo

This is the most common form of vertigo. It occurs when there is a malfunction in one or more structures in the inner ear. Typically, peripheral vertigo results from problems with the vestibular system, which is responsible for balance and spatial awareness.

Peripheral vertigo is an umbrella term for a few different forms of this inner ear problem. Your personal experience may fall into one of the following categories:

2. Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV)

BPPV is the most common form of peripheral vertigo. It affects one ear at a time, rather than both. However, the symptoms are still felt body wide.

This condition results from calcium crystal deposits, known as otoconia, located in the inner ear canals. In its ideal state, this debris should reside in the utricle and saccule space in the inner ear. However, situations like head trauma, inner ear disease (infectious or inflammatory), prolonged head position (as is the case in bed rest or dentist visits), or age-related deterioration can cause these calcium crystals to make their way to the semicircular ear canals.

When in this area, the crystals stimulate the small hairs that line the inner ear, which leads to short, frequent spells of vertigo symptoms when you move.

3. Meniere’s Disease

While we cannot pinpoint an exact cause of Meniere’s Disease, it is associated with fluid buildup in the inner ear. This condition can come on quickly and last up to 24 hours. During severe attacks, you may also experience nausea, vomiting, hearing loss, and ringing or fullness in the ears.

Dietary changes that influence body fluids can help manage symptoms of Meniere’s Disease. Your doctor may suggest limiting salt, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol. They may also prescribe a diuretic pill to regulate your fluid levels.

4. Vestibular Neuritis or Labyrinthitis

Vestibular neuritis, sometimes referred to as vestibular neuronitis or labyrinthitis, often has a sudden onset. Viral illnesses, such as the cold and flu, or bacterial infections, can be to blame for your condition. In cases of vertigo symptoms, the infection has spread to the vestibular nerve or labyrinth that controls balance and hearing. Outside of dizziness, you may have several other symptoms, including fever, headache, earache, nausea, and vomiting.

5. Otosclerosis

This form of hearing loss involves the middle ear. Abnormal bone growth causes three bones in this area to become stuck together. This action impacts hearing and can result in tinnitus and dizziness.

Antibiotics, blood pressure prescriptions, and pain medications may also lead to peripheral vertigo symptoms, although these may resolve once treatment has ended.

6. Central Vertigo

Central vertigo stems from problems with the central nervous system (CNS), primarily in the brain stem or cerebellum (back of the brain). These conditions may cause central vertigo:

• Blood vessel disease
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Stroke
• Tumors (cancerous or benign)
• Brain Injury
• Migraine
• Drugs, such as anticonvulsants, aspirin, and alcohol
• Seizures, although rare

Central vertigo symptoms can come and go without warning and may last a long time. The sensations feel more intense than peripheral vertigo attacks. You may not be able to focus your eyes or stop the abnormal movements for weeks to months during an episode. Some people find it difficult to walk or even stand without assistance much less continue daily habits.

7. Cervical Vertigo

Cervical vertigo, or cervicogenic dizziness, results from improperly moving joints in the cervical spine. You are more likely to develop this condition after a neck injury. Due to misalignments, your brain and spine cannot communicate properly, leading to misinformation about your body’s position in space. Addressing these misalignments can ease vertigo attacks as well as neck pain in most patients.

What Triggers Vertigo Attacks?

Recurring vertigo attacks are common if you have not addressed your underlying condition. However, certain triggers make it more likely to experience an episode.

Avoid these stimuli to prevent vertigo attacks:

• Bright lights
• Rapid head movements
• Looking up
• Bending over

If vertigo episodes are common, try to stand up slowly and sleep with your head propped up.

Boating and reading while in a moving vehicle are two common triggers of vertigo symptoms, more commonly classified as motion sickness. If you find yourself in these situations, try staring at a stationary object. Having a point of focus can help you maintain a sense of balance.

If you know you’ll be going on a cruise, ask your doctor for a scopolamine patch to prevent nausea and vomiting, common of motion sickness.

Treatment Options for Vertigo

1. Medications

Your doctor may prescribe you a range of medication to treat the cause of your vertigo and ease the accompanying symptoms. For example, if your vertigo symptoms stem from ear infections or other bacterial illness, antibiotics may help resolve your issue. Other common medications include:

• Antihistamines
• Prochlorperazine to relieve nausea
• Benzodiazepines for the physical symptoms of vertigo
• Betahistine for Meniere’s Disease — it can reduce pressure from fluid build-up in the inner ear.

2. Chiropractic Care

Thanks to its neurological connections, chiropractic manipulation and care presents an effective treatment option for many forms of vertigo. Not only can a manual adjustment boost communication between the brain and body, including ears, lymphatic, and immune systems, but it can also promote faster healing in the case of infection.

Chiropractic Treatment for Vertigo

Vertigo treatment also involves the following specific physical therapies that restore full-body balance:

1. Vestibular Rehabilitation

Vestibular rehabilitation is a form of physical therapy that can improve balance and coordination. This exercise-based program helps you work through different points of balance so you can compensate with unsteadiness from Meniere’s Disease.

2. Repositioning

For those with BPPV, the Epley Maneuver, also known as canalith repositioning, and Semont Maneuver provide effective treatment. During your visit, your chiropractor will rotate your head in three to four different positions in one-minute intervals to move debris out of the semicircular canals into the appropriate areas. This treatment takes about 15 minutes and offers an 80% success rate.

3. At-Home Exercises

If the maneuvers are not effective, your chiropractor may give you rigorous at-home Brandt-Daroff exercises. You will complete 3 sets of each exercise several times a day. Generally, 95% of cases resolve successfully with this treatment route. In certain patients, these exercises can cause more dizziness or nausea.

With the help of chiropractic care, symptoms typically improve gradually over weeks and even months in some cases. Regular adjustments can reduce the frequency and recurrence of attacks. Because chiropractic care takes a holistic approach, you may also experience reduced stress, better sleep, and improved posture as a bonus after your visit.

Don’t let vertigo throw your life off balance. The staff at Total Body is equipped to provide well-rounded care to ease the symptoms of vertigo, so choose Total Body as your chiropractic clinic for regular chiropractic care. Call our office today to set up your appointment and restore stillness to your world.

Can a Chiropractor Treat a Pinched Nerve?

Have you ever experienced shooting pain in your arms or legs? Or maybe an intense tingling in your hands and feet has woken you up out of your sleep. Well, you may have a pinched nerve. Not only does this condition lead to pain and discomfort, it can also impact your body’s ability to send the proper signals to vital systems. Fortunately, chiropractic services offer an affordable and near-immediate solution to ease your pain and restore regular function so that you can feel your best.

Continue reading to learn more about the symptoms and causes of pinched nerve and your available treatment options.

What is a pinched nerve?

A pinched nerve, also known as radiculopathy, occurs when too much pressure or force is applied to a nerve by surrounding tissues, including bones, cartilage, muscles, and tendons. Typically, the problem begins at the nerve root and radiates outward. Pinched nerves can occur in many places throughout the body, but mainly originate in the neck and upper or lower back.

The elbows and wrists are also common locations for pinched nerves due to repetitive use. Carpal tunnel syndrome is an example of a pinched nerve in the wrist. This condition is characterized by pain and numbness in the hands and fingers. Desk workers are highly susceptible to this form due to constant typing and hand positions.

Sciatica is also a form of radiculopathy that affects the sciatic nerve (the longest nerve in the body) and causes radiating pain through the hips, buttocks, and legs.

In the short-term, pinched nerves do not cause damage. Left untreated, they can become serious, leading to chronic pain. Worst case scenario, the fluid and swelling causes permanent, irreversible damage. Finding swift and appropriate treatment is vital for long-term comfort.

Pinched Nerve Symptoms

Pinched nerve symptoms are easy to spot. Depending on the location, you may experience symptoms in corresponding areas:

• If your pinched nerve is in your neck (the cervical spine), you might experience neck stiffness, and pain and numbness in the shoulder or arm.
• When the lumbar spine (lower back) is affected, you might feel radiating pain in your back and hips through your legs.
• A pinched nerve in the upper middle back can cause chest pain. If you are experiencing severe chest pain, you should call your doctor immediately, as it could indicate a more serious condition.

Regardless of location, you can still experience any combination of the following symptoms:

• Numbness
• Shooting pain in the arms or legs — often the first sign
• Decreased sensation in the affected area
• Sharp aching around the nerve
• Burning feeling radiating from the nerve
• Tingling, or pins and needles sensation
• Muscle weakness in the areas supplied by the nerves
• Neck pain
• Feeling that your limbs have “fallen asleep”

These symptoms can feel worse when you’re sleeping or just after waking up.

Pinched Nerve Causes

A pinched nerve can result from a variety of causes, from lifestyle habits to other chronic conditions. Determining the cause of your problem is key to finding a long-term solution and preventing recurrence.

Bone or cartilage is one of the most common pinched nerve causes. For instance, a herniated disc will slip out between the vertebrae in the spinal cord and press on the nerve root that corresponds to the leg. In other instances, swollen or tight muscles and tendons surrounding the nerve root can compress the nerves.

Other common causes of a pinched nerve include:

• Injuries, from sports, car accidents, etc.
• Rheumatoid arthritis, as the inflammation in the joints can compress the nerves.
• Hobbies or sports, mainly those that have repetitive movements, like tennis.
• Obesity puts more pressure on the nerve and swells pathways causing constriction
• Overuse or stress, especially in repetitive movements of the hand, wrist, or shoulder
• Bad posture or repeated strain from poor work ergonomics
• Prolonged bed rest can put pressure on nerves.

While anyone can have a pinched nerve, there are certain characteristics and factors that may make you more susceptible to them:

• Sex. Women have a greater susceptibility to carpal tunnel syndrome, or pinched nerves in the wrists.
• Age. Being over 50 increases your risk for pinched nerves, due to natural degeneration and the prevalence of arthritis among this demographic.
• Bone spurs. Bone spurs stiffen and narrow areas where nerves travel, causing a pinch. People with osteoarthritis are likely to develop bone spurs and, in turn, pinched nerves.
• Pregnancy. Water retention and weight gain during pregnancy swells neural pathways.
• Diabetes. High blood sugar damages the nerves over time.
• Active people. Lifting, twisting, or pulling motions can cause a herniated disc – one of the many causes of pinched nerves.

Ways to Treat a Pinched Nerve

Pinched nerves will often heal on their own in about four to six weeks with the right treatment. Like many injuries, rest is key for self-healing, as the body repairs itself during sleep. Avoiding movements that may irritate the nerve is another crucial step in pinched nerve treatment.

• NSAIDs – Over-the-counter medications, like ibuprofen, can reduce your pain and ease the swelling that may be contributing to the pinched nerve.
• Stretching or yoga – Gentle stretches and strengthening exercises can removing some of the pressure off the affected area. However, stretching too deeply can have the opposite effect and further irritate your nerve and worsen symptoms. If you feel your symptoms begin to worsen, stop the exercise completely.
• Splint, collar, or brace – You may be advised to wear a sprint, collar, or brace on the affected area to stabilize the area. It can prevent further aggravation, especially when sleeping. Hand or wrist splints are standard when treating carpal tunnel syndrome.
• Ice and Heat – Just like traditional injuries, this option reduces swelling and inflammation and boosts blood flow to the impacted nerves to encourage healing. Apply ice at 15-minute intervals about 3 times a day. Heat can be applied for up to an hour 3 times a day.
• Massage therapy – Massage therapy can reduce pain and stress in the affected areas. Gentle pressure relieves the surrounding muscle tension that may be contributing to your condition. Deep tissue massage should not be used as a treatment for pinched nerve pain as it can make symptoms worse.
• Spinal decompression therapy – A motorized traction therapy that changes the force and position of the spine. Through cycles of gentle stretching and relaxation, spinal decompression removes pressure off the nerves.

Your chiropractor may also suggest some lifestyle changes, such as using cushions and neck rests to support your posture when sitting. Updating your workspace with an ergonomic keyboard and mouse or using a standing desk may also reduce added pressure. Click here for more ways to update your desk area.

Doing regular low-impact exercise, like walking or swimming, can keep your body limber to prevent recurrence after your pinched nerve heals. Aim to complete about 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise every week.

Losing weight with the help of a nutritionist may also remove significant pressure from the nerves and boost your general health.

If your symptoms do not resolve after a few weeks or months of non-invasive treatment, your doctor may suggest surgery. In these cases, surgery may involve removing bone spurs or parts of herniated discs – or making more room for nerves to pass through certain areas depending on the location of your condition. Surgery acts as a last resort because of the side effects and possible complications.

Can a Chiropractor Treat a Pinched Nerve?

Yes! Chiropractors specialize in disorders in the musculoskeletal system, including pinched nerves. During your appointment, you and your chiropractor will discuss your lifestyle habits, symptoms, medical history, and other relevant information to determine the indirect cause of your problem.

From there, they will do a physical examination to pinpoint any misalignments that may be putting pressure on your nerves. Through a manual adjustment, your chiropractor restores proper alignment, and frees the trap nerve. This action can also relax surrounding muscles that might be compressing the nerve and reduces inflammation, which can also irritate nerves.

Neck and back pain are often a major indicator of a pinched nerve. Problems in these areas can radiate down to the hands or feet, making you extremely uncomfortable. Luckily, your Bend chiropractors specialize in treating neck pain.

Depending on the location of your pinched nerve and the frequency of your condition, your chiropractor will build a treatment plan including stretches you can do at home, lifestyle changes that can help, and a schedule of office visits. They may also suggest spinal decompression therapy or massage therapy in addition to your regular routine to keep your body moving as it should and prevent the muscle tightness and stress that often causes pinched nerves.

Chiropractic Services at Total Body Chiropractic, Massage, & Acupuncture

If you’re experiencing neck or back pain that you think may be due to a pinched nerve, you don’t have to live with it. Chiropractic treatment offers fast relief with complete healing. We combine the power of chiropractic with holistic treatment options, like massage and acupuncture, to help your body function at its highest and prevent future disruptions. Schedule your appointment today and let us help you get back to comfort.

8 Benefits of a Deep Tissue Massage

Massage is one of the most relaxing therapies available. More than that, it can act as a powerful tool for treating painful conditions and restoring balance within your body. Deep tissue massage is one popular technique used to ease chronic pain and heal injuries. This therapy also has several practical uses that can make life more comfortable. Continue reading to learn eight benefits of a deep tissue massage.

What is a deep tissue massage?

A deep tissue massage is a therapeutic technique that targets the inner layers of muscle and its surrounding connective tissue known as fascia. Using firm pressure and slow, deep strokes, your massage therapist works to break up scar tissue and release muscle adhesions, or knots. These knots are bands of rigid muscles that negatively impact your circulation and cause pain and inflammation.

Deep tissue can relieve the built-up tension from stress, exercise, and prolonged postural problems. It offers a prime solution for those dealing with:

• Chronic pain
• Muscle injuries
• Sports-related injuries
• Fatigued bodies from highly physical activities

This therapy begins with light strokes to warm up the muscles and then progresses to deep pressure along the muscle fibers. Deep tissue uses more pressure than other massages, like Swedish massage. While it can cause discomfort during your session, the pain should not feel unbearable. Be sure to communicate your needs with your Bend massage therapist so that they can adjust the pressure accordingly. In the days after your session, you may experience lingering soreness. This is completely normal. Using a heating pad or cold pack on the affected areas can provide relief.

Benefits of a Deep Tissue Massage

1. Relieves lower back pain

Lower back pain can have a myriad of causes, from normal aging and prolonged sitting to a lack of exercise or, conversely, heavy lifting. This condition can also stem from specific nerves, like the sciatic nerve, or major muscle groups that support this area, such as the quadratus lumborum and gluteus medius. Issues in these areas can make simple tasks like bending over or getting out of your car difficult.

Deep tissue massage releases tissues that may be causing pinched nerves, helping sciatica. These techniques also restore proper function in the areas that support your lower back.

A 2014 study found that deep tissue massage may provide a similar level of relief as common NSAIDs, like ibuprofen. Although massage therapy can be better for your body and more cost-efficient in the long run.

2. Lowers blood pressure

It’s no secret that stress and tension increase your blood pressure—and deep tissue massage addresses both. Deep tissue massage releases endorphins that relax blood vessels, allowing your body to more easily pump blood. These benefits combined with increased blood circulation after your session can all positively impact your readings.

A 2008 study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that massage can reduce diastolic, systolic, and mean arterial readings. It can even lower your heart rate by an average of 10 beats per minute.

3. Reduces muscle tension and pain

Tension occurs when your muscles stay in a contracted state and cannot relax. Over time, this tension can cause pain and reduce your range of motion. During a deep tissue massage, your Bend massage therapist will apply firm pressure on these trigger points, causing them to manually relax. This technique can reduce pain and restore movement.

If your discomfort stems from adhesions, or bundles of fibers that have grouped together due to tension, your therapist will break them up to increase flexibility and ease pain.

4. Lowers stress and anxiety

Stress is a normal part of life. When your body senses danger, it begins releasing more cortisol, a stress hormone that triggers your fight or flight. These levels should rise in moderate amounts during the day and level out at night. For people experiencing chronic stress, these cortisol levels remain high, which results in weight gain, sleeping troubles, and more.

Deep tissue massage not only lowers the levels of this stress hormone in your blood. It also counteracts its effects by releasing feel-good hormones, like oxytocin and serotonin. Oxytocin, your body’s “bonding hormone,” promotes positive moods and social interactions, while serotonin can encourage happiness and relaxation.

Not to mention, the simple act of taking 60 minutes for self-care can help you unwind mentally and physically. Massage therapy often promotes total-body relaxation with soothing music and aromatherapy. Even physical touch has been shown to reduce stress quickly and effectively.

5. Rehabilitates Athletic Injuries

Soreness and injuries are inevitable in most sports. That’s why massage therapy acts as an integral part of an athlete’s routine. Whether you have a student athlete or play league sports, this treatment option can provide countless benefits, including:

• Decreased muscle stiffness
• Increased range of motion
• Reduced swelling and inflammation
• Prevention of future injuries
• Better athletic performance

Deep tissue massage removes toxins and sends blood and key nutrients to injured areas to promote faster recovery and proper healing. It can even break up scar tissue and encourage your body to restart the healing process in older injuries.

Using massage therapy after hard sessions can delay the onset of soreness by clearing lactic acid build-up, a major cause of discomfort. The techniques also help with muscle fatigue to ensure your body performs at its best during every game.

Your massage therapist will use specific techniques for athletes, like stretching. This method aids tight, twisted muscles and discourages active and passive stiffness to increase your flexibility and range of motion.

6. Breaks up scar tissue

Scar tissue is a natural part of the body’s healing process. However, when this tissue forms improperly, it can become restrictive, painful, and stiff. Fortunately, scar tissue doesn’t have to be permanent—and it can even be remodeled to resemble healthy muscle tissue.

Deep tissue massage can break up scar tissue by increasing lymphatic circulation and drainage. If your scars are less than two years old, your therapist can break it down and help properly align the collagen cells and fibers. It can take time to break down scar tissue, so regular visits are necessary if this is your goal.

This therapy is also encouraged for post-surgical recovery as it can help the scars form correctly. For older problems, Bend Total Body also offers the Graston technique to break up difficult-to-treat scar tissue and old injuries.

7. Improves Arthritis Pain

Nearly 1 in 4 adults deals with arthritis in the muscles, joints, and tendons. This condition is characterized by pain, stiffness, and swelling in the affected joints. Deep tissue massage works in conjunction with your traditional treatment plan to deliver extended relief.

Massage therapy improves circulation to arthritic joints and decreases inflammation. This effect boosts your range of motion to keep you moving, breaking the cycle of stiffness and soreness that keeps you sedentary.

Many people also experience acute insomnia due to arthritic pain. By soothing your symptoms, massage therapy can encourage a better night’s rest.

8. Helps Labor and Delivery

Pregnancy, while a magical time in a woman’s life, can often result in some miserable symptoms. Fortunately, regular massage therapy during and after pregnancy can make this time more enjoyable.

Common benefits of pregnancy massage include:

• Increased circulation and blood oxygen, which benefits the baby
• Decreased pain in muscles and joints, especially the lower back
• Less muscle tension
• Stress and anxiety relief
• Reduced swelling
• Better sleep

Deep tissue massage therapy not only encourages physical and mental relaxation, but it also helps regulate key hormones. This therapy decreases levels of the stress hormone cortisol, while increasing feel-good hormones like serotonin and dopamine. So, expectant mothers leave their session feeling happier and more at ease.

Massage therapy can also help during labor. It’s thought that stimulating painful areas can encourage the brain to release its own pain-relieving endorphins. In other situations, massage techniques flood the body with pleasant sensations, blocking pain signals. Be sure to ask your therapist for at-home massage techniques that you can do when the time comes.

Regular massage throughout your pregnancy can result in less labor pain and shorter delivery times. Some mothers even feel less need for medication.

Always ensure that your massage therapist is thoroughly trained in pre-natal massage techniques. Some areas can induce labor or even cause complications, so they should not be stimulated during your session. For example, pregnancy can cause sluggish blood flow to the legs. However, your therapist should avoid deep tissue techniques here to prevent dislodging blood clots that could travel to vital organs.

Deep Tissue Massage at Total Body Chiropractic

If you’re dealing with ongoing discomfort that is impacting your quality of life, massage therapy can help. This treatment option offers a non-invasive and extremely relaxing way to address the root of your problems. You will experience a range of benefits during your session to help you feel your best on and off the table.

Are you new to massage therapy? We offer several types of massage options to help you work your way up to the intensity of deep tissue. Schedule your appointment and treat yourself to relaxation today!

Top Benefits of Acupuncture for Insomnia

Do you have trouble getting to and staying asleep each night? You’re not alone. Nearly 70 million Americans deal with a sleep disorder, most commonly insomnia. Short-term insomnia affects about 30% of the population, while long-lasting insomnia impacts about 10% of people. If you’re one of these people, it’s vital to find a solution for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Thanks to its increased popularity, many people wonder, “can acupuncture help insomnia?” Fortunately, natural solutions like acupuncture for insomnia offer a drug-free solution.

Continue reading to learn how this holistic therapy can improve your rest.

What is Acupuncture for Insomnia?

Acupuncture for insomnia is a drug-free solution for a better night’s rest. Unlike traditional prescriptions that cause daytime drowsiness, cognitive impairment, and dependence, acupuncture has very minimal side effects and is more readily available for your use.

Acupuncture for better sleep has been around for thousands of years as a part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is believed that your energy, qi (pronounced ‘chee’), runs along pathways throughout the body, known as meridians. When there are energy blockages in these pathways, you become susceptible to illness, pain, and other problems, like insomnia.

In western medicine, acupuncture for sleep is used as a neuromodulator that tones down the brain’s perception of certain sensory signals, like in instances of pain. By inserting hair-thin, sterilized needles into specified points, your acupuncturist also helps restore balance and promote proper functioning of the entire body. This process can stimulate the release of necessary hormones, decrease inflammation, and relax muscles, which helps you feel better all around.

A review of 46 trials that included 3811 patients even showed that acupuncture for sleep disorders increased both sleep quality and duration more than traditional techniques, like medicine and herbal remedies.

How Does Acupuncture for Insomnia Work?

At Total Body, we believe in treating your condition by addressing the root cause of your problem, whether that’s pain, stress, or another underlying factor. That’s why your appointment will begin with a discussion outlining your full medical history, daily lifestyle habits, diet, and sleep schedule. This information will help us determine what could be contributing to your insomnia.

From there, a skilled acupuncturist will insert about 5 to 20 needles in common acupuncture points for sleep, like the arms, legs, and feet. Once the needles are placed, you will lie still for about 30 minutes. This first session can last up to 90 minutes, while subsequent appointments will take anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes.

Generally, you will start with 2 to 3 sessions a week for about ten sessions if you experience temporary insomnia. If you deal with chronic insomnia, you may need ongoing treatment to ensure lasting success.

After a full round of acupuncture for sleep, we will reassess your condition to determine if you’re ready for a maintenance plan. An individualized treatment plan can involve your acupuncture sessions, along with additional therapies like chiropractic care and massage and daily activities that help you sleep better.

Five Acupuncture Points for Sleep

Specific acupuncture points correspond with various parts of the body — and some of the placements can feel seemingly unrelated to the area of treatment. However, there are five main acupuncture points for insomnia found in the arms, legs, and head that can help you sleep better:

1. HT7 (or Spirit Gate)

This acupuncture point for sleep is located at the crease on the inside of the wrist below the pinkie. Applying acupuncture to this area quiets the mind, which can help you get to sleep faster and reduce stress-related disturbances to provide greater quality rest.

2. SP6 (or Three Yin Intersection)

The SP6 is located on the inner leg above the ankle. To find it, locate the highest point of your ankle and then measure four finger-widths up. This acupuncture point for insomnia promotes relaxation to help improve your sleep. It can also help with menstrual cramps and other pelvic disorders.

Pregnant women should not access this pressure point, as it can induce labor.

3. LV3 (or Tai Chong)

The LV3 acupuncture point for sleep sits where the skin of the big toe and second toe connects. Stimulating this area helps ease insomnia, especially when related to stress, anxiety, or  an unknown cause.

4. An Mian

This acupuncture point literally translates to “peaceful sleep.” It is located behind the ears on either side of the neck, just beyond the bony protrusion. Using “an mian” not only encourages full-body relaxation but can also ease anxiety and headaches that often stop you from getting a good night’s sleep.

5. Yin Tang

This acupuncture point for sleep is one of the most well-known, and for a good reason. The “yin tang” reduces instances of insomnia, as well as restlessness and agitation, which can both hinder your sleep. Not to mention, this acupuncture point can also ease tension in the neck, shoulders, and face. This spot sits just at the center of the eyebrows above your nose.

The acupuncturists in Bend may also stimulate additional acupuncture points in the soles and heels of your feet to make you more grounded and induce sleep after your session. You can also practice acupressure at home to boost your results. Simply locate these acupuncture points for sleep and apply light pressure or massage in circular motions before going to bed.

Benefits of Acupuncture for Insomnia

At night, your body heals and repairs itself from the stressors of the day. So, quality sleep is necessary to feel your best mentally and physically. Whether you’re dealing with a temporary bout of insomnia or have always experienced this condition, acupuncture for sleep can increase the quality and duration of your slumber in these ways:

1. Lowers Stress and Anxiety

High levels of the stress hormone cortisol can impact your ability to get to sleep. It can also impact the quality of sleep, leaving you unrefreshed in the morning. Acupuncture resets your cortisol hormone levels to decrease stress. As mentioned earlier, certain points also help quiet the mind so that you can doze off without racing thoughts.

Plus, acupuncture also encourages your brain to release feel-good hormones, like serotonin, further reducing the stress that may keep you awake.

2. Stimulates and Balances Hormones

Acupuncture for insomnia stimulates the release of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin. Melatonin signals to your body that it’s time to wind down and head to bed. People with insomnia often experience imbalances where they don’t create enough of this hormone or don’t begin producing it early enough to get to bed on time. By increasing your levels with the help of acupuncture, you may benefit from a more regular sleep schedule.

3. Decreases Pain

Chronic pain is often linked to insomnia, as the discomfort makes it difficult to rest. Fortunately, pain relief is a common use for acupuncture. This treatment works to ease inflammation in affected joints and muscles to make you more comfortable as early as your first session.

4. Promotes Relaxation

Full-body relaxation is a surefire way to get to sleep. Acupuncture boosts this effect by reducing activity in your sympathetic nervous system — the area responsible for your flight-or-fight response. As this system shuts off, your heart rate begins to slow, blood pressure drops, and your body begins to relax.

Pairing your acupuncture session with a massage appointment can further amplify your results. Massage therapy carries many of the same benefits of acupuncture, including relaxation, stress relief, and pain relief. Some people even fall asleep on the table during their appointment.

5. Increases Blood Circulation

Acupuncture for better sleep improves blood circulation throughout the body, namely in sleep-inducing areas. With increased oxygen, your body is more likely to get to a relaxed state.

Additional Benefits of Acupuncture for Overall Health

Although we deliver targeted treatment through acupuncture for better sleep, you will also reap several other benefits that can improve your health overall.

Pain Relief

As mentioned earlier, pain relief is a common result of acupuncture. Whether you experience joint pain, muscle tension or soreness, or spasms, acupuncture offers a drug-free solution. It triggers the release of endorphins—natural pain-relieving chemicals produced by the body.

Anxiety Improvement

Because acupuncture for insomnia and anxiety works as a neuromodulator, it can influence your brain function. This helpful tool can stimulate the part of the mind that controls emotions like anxiety to help you feel more at ease. The increased serotonin and decreased cortisol after each session also help reduce anxious feelings.

Other Sleep Conditions

Insomnia might not be the only thing keeping you up at night. Sleep apnea is another common sleep disorder, affecting about 26% of people — and acupuncture can help! Acupuncture for sleep apnea prevents the upper respiratory muscles from collapsing to reduce the frequency and severity of the condition. It also reduces the chances of the tongue slipping back and blocking the airway during sleep.

Schedule Your Acupuncture Appointment Today

Are you ready to finally experience a deep, restful slumber? Acupuncture for better sleep may be the answer. The skilled acupuncturists at Total Body Chiropractic, Massage, & Acupuncture work with you to deliver the best results. Schedule your appointment today and start sleeping better tonight!

How Acupuncture Helps Reduce Arthritis Pain

Arthritis is one of the most common causes of physical disability, with over 27 million Americans dealing with some form of this condition. Finding a non-invasive, drug-free solution becomes extremely important for managing this ongoing condition without adverse side effects. Acupuncture for arthritis may answer the problem that so many people face. Continue reading to learn how this holistic service can help you get your life back.

What is Acupuncture for Arthritis?

Acupuncture has been around for thousands of years as an integral part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is believed that your energy, or qi (pronounced ‘chee’), runs along certain pathways, known as meridians, throughout the body. By inserting hair-thin needles in specific points, your acupuncturist in Bend removes any blockages that may be causing pain or illness.

When using acupuncture for pain, the acupuncture points may sit near the affected area or in a corresponding part of the body. Treatment is generally not painful, and many patients report feeling relief as early as their first appointment.

The 2019 American College of Rheumatology and Arthritis Foundation guidelines even list acupuncture as a recommended treatment option for osteoarthritis (OA), making it a prominent option in your ongoing quest for comfort.

Benefits of Acupuncture for Arthritis

Evidence shows that acupuncture for arthritis can significantly ease the discomfort associated with both OA and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). According to a study by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, patients experienced a 40% decrease in pain and increased joint mobility after 3.5 months of treatment.

A review of 43 RA studies showed that 1 to 3 sessions for four weeks could improve symptoms and even decrease the physical markers of the condition.

It’s important to know that acupuncture will not cure or reverse your arthritis. However, it can make your pain and symptoms more manageable daily. You should work with your primary care physician to find an appropriate balance in care.

Thanks to the anti-inflammatory effects of acupuncture for pain, you may experience these benefits:

• Reduced inflammation in the joints
• Decreased pain as the nerve fibers help block out pain signals
• Better circulation and blood flow
• Increased joint mobility
• Relaxed muscles
• Lower reliance on common prescriptions and opioids

You may also reap several other benefits that improve your quality of life, including:

• Stress relief thanks to the stimulation of endorphins and oxytocin, your body’s natural pain-relieving chemicals.
• Better sleep due to melatonin regulation.
• Greater sense of well-being because of a release of serotonin

How Many Acupuncture Sessions Do I Need for Arthritis?

During your first session, the acupuncturists in Bend will complete a full assessment, including your medical history, current treatment plan, and a full record of your symptoms and lifestyle goals. They will then build an individualized treatment plan based on your needs. Studies have varied from 4 weeks to 14 weeks, with results present in all scenarios. For best results, you should follow the plan your acupuncturist gives you.

Generally, for mild to moderate cases, only a limited amount of work is needed to see results. If you have a more advanced case of arthritis (bone-on-bone), you may need ongoing acupuncture treatments for continued comfort.

At Total Body, we believe in a holistic approach to chiropractic care. So, we will offer additional recommendations to help prolong your results, like exercising regularly, wearing supportive shoes, and reducing the strain on your affected joints throughout the day with tweaks. You may also benefit from combining acupuncture with other services, like massage therapy and chiropractic adjustments. These therapies support the function of your entire body and may further bolster your results.

Are you ready to feel more comfortable throughout your day? Schedule an appointment to try acupuncture with Total Body Chiropractic, Massage & Acupuncture.