Recent Posts

Headache and neck pain are common problems that affect millions of people around the world. If you are suffering from this type of problem, you're not alone. The good news is that chiropractic is the best way to not only treat these common issues, but also help prevent future episodes.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps With Neck Pain and Headaches

For many years, patients with neck and headache pain in Tumwater have been helped by the chiropractic adjustments of Dr. Harrell. Our success is backed up 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 recommended before resorting to drugs or more invasive procedures.

Past scientific 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 suffering from neck pain or headaches, Dr. Harrell and our staff are here to help you heal. Give our Tumwater office a call today at (360) 489-0635 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 headaches that originate in your neck.

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

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps With Cervicogenic Headaches

A study was conducted involving 80 participants who reported experiencing at least five cervicogenic headaches during the prior three months. The goal was to see how effective chiropractic was for this type of head pain, as well as to determine the number of treatment sessions necessary 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 twice that amount.

Each person 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 care had lower drug usage 24 weeks post-study.

We Can Help Patients Find Comfort From Head Pain

Dr. Harrell has helped many people who were suffering from headaches in our Tumwater office. Call us today at (360) 489-0635 for more information or for an appointment.

Reference

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. Harrell sees many patients weekly in our busy Tumwater chiropractic office who are searching for relief from the pain and agony they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the scientific literature confirms that chiropractic is a successful way to treat herniated disc problems.

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

One particular research 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 documented that they were experiencing pain, limited range of motion, and sensory problems bad enough to keep them off work.

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

Each man or woman was seen 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. Based on the extent of the disc herniation, treatment varied anywhere from six weeks to six months, with MRIs being carried out at a variety of stages to identify what impact, if any, the chiropractic care was having in regard to the disc herniation.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps With Back Pain and Herniated Disc

The investigators found that 80 percent of the participants enjoyed a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced pain and a reduction in other symptoms, such as numbness. Additionally, 77 percent of these people 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 employment and led the authors to conclude that chiropractic is both "safe and helpful" for disc herniations.

If you have a herniated disc and suffer from chronic back pain and are near Dr. Harrell in Tumwater, 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 Tumwater practice, we see many patients who are dealing with back pain, and a few of these people have been advised they might need surgery to recover. Fortunately, Dr. Harrell has helped many people get pain relief without the need for any type of surgical treatment. The scientific research confirms the success we see in our office. One study published in the medical journal Spine found that consulting with a chiropractor as your first step in dealing with your back pain may literally keep you out of the operating room.

In this research study, medical experts from Dartmouth reviewed statistics from about 1,900 workers from the state of Washington who first saw either an orthopedic surgeon or a chiropractic doctor for their low back issues. They then used three years' worth of follow-up medical records to find out whether the individuals wound up having back surgery in an effort to treat the problem.

What the researchers observed was that 42.7% of the patients who first saw a surgeon for their back issues ended up with surgery in that 3-year time frame, whereas only 1.5% 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 results. Consulting with a chiropractor considerably reduces your odds of having back surgery, plus the chiropractic patients in this report "had lower odds of chronic work disability" and they also had fewer expensive MRI tests.

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

The Risks of Surgery

Any surgery has risks, but a major downside associated with spinal surgery is that there's a very high failure rate. 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. Harrell is convinced that surgery should be the absolute last choice for treating back pain. Chiropractic care works to restore your spine to its normal function--without high-risk surgery or drugs--and many research studies have confirmed the usefulness of chiropractic for back pain.

If you live in Tumwater and you need relief for your back pain, give our practice a call today at (360) 489-0635 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.
  

We treat many auto injury cases in in our Tumwater office, and a common symptom we see in our patients is back pain. Your chiropractor can be very helpful for back pain symptoms after a crash. Let's see what causes back pain and why chiropractic works.

During a rear-end motor vehicle accident, your car and car seat are quickly accelerated forward against your torso. Since car seats don't perfectly align with the curvature of your spine, the seat can put uneven pressure on your lower back. This can cause some of your spinal vertebrae to move in one direction while an adjacent vertebrae might move in another direction. This differential motion can sprain or strain the tissues that hold your spine together. This kind of injury can cause chronic back pain if not treated right away. Thankfully, chiropractic is one of the most effective ways to treat back pain.

You don't have to suffer from back pain. Dr. Harrell is conveniently located in Tumwater to help you heal, whether you've been in a car crash or not. The first step is to get an accurate diagnosis to determine what's causing your pain and then we will determine an appropriate treatment approach. Call us today at (360) 489-0635 if you have questions or would like to make an appointment.

When you're trying to support your family, take care of your household, and pay all of your bills on time, every day at work counts. Work injuries can be a huge problem for many folks, and we see many of these types of injuries in our Tumwater office. Dr. Harrell appreciates your situation and is here to help.

The advantages of chiropractic care for work injuries are well-established. A 2013 survey involving 651 adults who were suffering with either back or neck pain found that the individuals who didn't see a chiropractor missed work at twice the rate of those who were seeing a chiropractor.

So, why don't more people use Chiropractic Care?

According to the participants in this study, two of the primary factors were that they thought they needed a medical referral for chiropractic care (which is typically no longer true) and they overestimated the costs associated with chiropractic treatment sessions by almost 70 percent.

The reality is, chiropractic patients actually spend less on care than medical patients, plus they are less likely to use drugs for their symptoms.

Dr. Harrell Can Help People Find Comfort From Chronic Pain

If you live in Tumwater and you've been injured at work, we can help. Give our office a call today at (360) 489-0635 for an appointment.

Resources

"Thousands of Minnesotans with Back and Neck Pain Don't Seek Treatment." (2013, June 12). ChiroCare.

As injury to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is frequently quite painful, we do our best to help our Tumwater patients find relief as quickly and effectively as possible. In fact, Dr. Harrell will tell you that the medical research shows just how much chiropractic care can help ease pain in the jaw.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps With TMJ Pain and Discomfort

For example, a study published in Physiotherapy Theory and Practice included 15 patients with temporomandibular disorders who were managed with neck adjustments, middle-back manipulation, and trigger point therapy via dry needling. Individuals were assessed prior to these treatments and at two weeks and two months post-treatment. The researchers reported positive results such as reduced discomfort, greater jaw mobility, and lower disability at both follow-ups.

Another research study carried out a review of almost 800 papers involving manual and manipulative therapy for disorders such as TMJ and revealed similar findings. They concluded that there is a "fair...level of evidence" that chiropractic care can help ease discomfort associated with jaw pain and other upper extremity disorders.

This is great news since the triggers of TMJ are largely unknown. While injury to the jaw area can cause pain symptoms, there are other sources to consider as well, such as grinding teeth, arthritis, and clenching of the jaw due to tension.

Dr. Harrell Can Help Clients Find Comfort From TMJ Pain

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

Studies

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

We encounter a lot of sports injuries in our Tumwater office, and Dr. Harrell is often able to assist these athletes. Stanford Children’s Hospital reports that over 3.5 million children of the ages 14 and below are injured each year when playing sports. Add that to the close to 2 million adults hurt every year while participating in sports-related activities, as reported by statistics collected by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and you can start to see the importance of minimizing these types of common injuries. One approach to possible realize that goal, according to a study published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, is to receive routine chiropractic treatments.

In Australian Rules football, hamstring and other leg injuries are common, often sidelining the players and impacting their team's likelihood of securing a win. One particular study was administered using 59 semi-elite Australian Rules footballers to see how well chiropractic could diminish these injuries and help keep them playing.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps in Treating Sports Injuries

For this study specifically, every one of the volunteers got medical treatment. Additionally, half of them also engaged in chiropractic sessions at the rate of 1 treatment per week for the first six weeks, biweekly treatments for the next three months, and one session each month for the final three months of the study. The other group were given no chiropractic intervention at all and were used as the control group to assess the benefits of chiropractic.

After twenty-four matches, scientists noted a reduced number of lower limb muscle strains in the group that had been given chiropractic care. Additionally, that same group also missed fewer matches related to non-contact knee injuries. This lead the researchers to come to the conclusion that chiropractic ought to be made an addition to sports training programs to dramatically lessen the quantity of leg injuries.

Dr. Harrell Can Help Clients Find Comfort From Sports Injuries & Help You Recover Quicker

If you or your child plays sports and you would like to make sure greater time is dedicated on the field versus on the sidelines, call our Tumwater office at (360) 489-0635 and make an appointment today. We will do our best to keep you in the game!

References

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

According to research, approximately 2-5 percent of the population will suffer from painful ailments like frozen shoulder syndrome at some time in their lives. That makes shoulder-related pain a common problem and one that Dr. Harrell sees in our Tumwater office on a regular basis.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps With Shoulder Pain

Generally, this ailment is more prevalent for people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, and it tends to affect women more often than men. While ice, heat, and gentle stretching can sometimes help relieve the pain, so too can chiropractic adjustments.

As an example, a study released in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine looked at 50 people with frozen shoulder who were given chiropractic care. The duration of care ranged from 11 days to 51 days, with 28 days being the average.

The authors found that nearly all of the patients fared very well with chiropractic care. The study found:

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

Only one participant reported an improvement of 50 percent or less, so reports like this demonstrate just how effective chiropractic can be when it comes to decreasing shoulder pain and increasing quality of life.

We Can Help People Find Relief From Shoulder Pain

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

Resources

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

Dr. Harrell works with countless sciatica patients here in our Tumwater office, and quite a few of these individuals were concerned that they might require surgery to eliminate their pain. The most recent research shows that a large number of people don't require surgery for this prevalent issue, and that chiropractic is more beneficial at resolving sciatic nerve pain.

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

Forty patients were then randomly placed in one of two groups. The first group was to receive surgical microdiscectomy and the second group received chiropractic care.

Both groups got better; however, no apparent difference in outcome was reported one year post-treatment between the surgery group and the chiropractic group. Additionally, roughly 60 percent of the participating subjects who could not find relief from any other treatment method "benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."

Simply put, chiropractic delivered the same positive benefits as surgery without needing to endure the increased amounts of surgery-based pain or suffer through lengthy recovery times often affiliated with that particular treatment option. Additionally, you also don't run the risks affiliated with surgical microdiscectomy, which includes nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.

Surgery ought to be the last resort for sciatica pain. If you live in Tumwater and you're suffering from back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Harrell a call today at (360) 489-0635. We'll help identify the source of your pain and work hard to get you relief.

References

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