Panama City Chiropractor offers Non Surgical Options for Low Back and Neck Pain

Looking for non-surgical options for back and neck pain in the Panama City area can be difficult. The Bay County area often does not have available services that you may find in larger cities. This article will break down several options you may wish to consider which can be found in this area. Each may be used separately but are used sometimes used together to give the patient all possible options before resorting to surgical approaches.
Chiropractic adjustments refers to a chiropractor applying a specific force to the vertebrae of the spine that may have abnormal movement or are out of position relative to the adjacent segments. This force must be directed specifically to correct the misalignment or it is just a random manipulation or the so called "popping a joint". I often demonstrate the difference by saying it is similar to the thermostat in your house. To correct the temperature when you are warm you should specifically place the thermostat to the new temperature that you want not just push the bar all the way to the left. Chiropractic adjustments are one of the most common treatments for low back, neck, leg or arm pain. Proper chiropractic treatments themselves are done specifically to each patient to reduce the misaligned or abnormally functioning vertebra, which results in an increased range of motion, reduced nerve irritability and pain and improved function. Many times a patient will receive the same adjustment each time they are in an office until the correction is accomplished but rarely do two different patients get exactly the same adjustment.
Decompression therapy is another form of non surgical treatment for herniated and bulging discs and assists doctors in treating low (lumbar) back pain as well as neck pain. The DRX9000C is one example of a decompression table providing spinal decompression. Many tables offering decompression are not true decompression tables so make sure you choose wisely here. Decompression table treatment provides a unique non surgical treatment for the management of pain and disability for patients suffering with bulging and herniated discs and low back pain and sciatica. A well designed system will apply spinal decompressive forces to areas of the spine that are compressed or degenerative. The area of decompression must be specific to the area treated to be effective. The system must also be able to "fool" the muscles that are guarding the area in order to get a negative pressure internally. Decompression treatment should definitely be considered if you are suffering with a confirmed disc problem and if you are facing surgery for any of the following conditions, herniated discs, bulging or protruding intervertebral discs, degenerative disc disease, posterior facet syndrome, and sciatica.
Pain Management focuses on using interventional techniques such as facet joint injections and nerve root blocks to provide immediate relief of pain so physical therapy and life style changes can be used for long term relief. Pain management must be performed by a Board Certified Pain Management doctor. These procedures may be done in office or on occasion can be performed at local surgical centers when necessary. In Panama City look for a office that provides a full service suite for these procedures so that you can schedule your appointments quickly should you require fast pain relief for an insult or injury. Reducing pain through injections can make the patients results come faster due to decreased spasm and inflammation in some cases. Injections can be used with decompression to provide immediate relief of pain followed by an appropriate cure of the underlying issue.
Physical Therapy can be either passive or active and is designed to each patients needs at the time of the clinical workup. Passive therapies include interferential therapy, ultrasound, electrical muscle stimulation as well as others. Cold Lasers can be used for pain relief and to assist with healing of traumatized tissues.
In office supervised exercises. Many times the overlooked area of spinal care is the core muscles around the spine. If these muscles that control our movement and balance are left out of the clinical picture then the problem will reoccur at a later date. Utilizing swiss balls and balance boards can help many patients continue to experience relief long after treatment and prevent reoccurrence. Various cardiovascular, stretching and strengthening exercises may be prescribed by doctors to decrease back pain, increase strength and to help restore range of motion. Doctors may prescribe exercises that strengthen under-active muscles and/or weaken over-active muscles with the goal of attaining muscle balance and a balanced structure. Doctors may also have patients do exercises that strengthen the weak, underactive muscles of the trunk and pelvis, and exercises that stretch the tight, overactive muscles.
Massage therapy can be used separately as well as in combination with other treatment modalities to assist with stretching of tissues and reduce spasm as well as to promote relaxation and decrease scar tissue formation and fibrous after injury.
Acupuncture in some case may be of benefit but there are few resources here in Panama City currently where the practitioner is a full time acupuncturist. But this service can be of great clinical value in some cases.
These ares some of the non invasive and minimally invasive techniques that you can find right here in Panama City, FL and if you are looking for services elsewhere try to remember these options.

Panama City Chiropractor Dr. Hal C. Cowen D.C. A.B.A.A.H.P. is the owner and clinic director of Chironetwork Health Care Center a multidisiplinary clinic located in Panama City FL. He is Certified in Accident Reconstruction and Applied Spinal Biomechanics and Impairment Rating and is a Diplomate with the American Academy of Anti Aging Medicine as a American Board of Anti Aging Health Practitioner. He is also a member of the Florida Chiropractic Association and the American Academy of Spine Physicians. Services in our office include Chiropractic care, Medical Pain management, massage, physical therapy, decompression therapy and cold laser treatments. Our websites can be found at http://www.chironetworkhcc.com/ and http://chiropractorpanamacity.wordpress.com/2011/01/02/panama-city-chiropractor-offers-non-surgical-options-for-low-back-pain/  and our phone is 850-872-8880.

Chiropractic Care Resources

Making a decision about Chiropractic care in Panama City or any town can present a possible patient with a lot of daunting challenges. Because of the small size of our area and the many different municipalities finding the right one should never be left to chance. Here are some key points to consider when deciding on a chiropractor in our area as well as others.
Does the chiropractor offer the services that I need? Many local chiropractic offices limit the type of services in their offices based on where they went to school. Some colleges teach physical therapy in their schools and others frown on additional services. Try to find an office that offers a complete package which makes decision making easier. Chiropractic services as well as medical services in the same office can be helpful so that deciding whether or not you need a chiropractor or a medical doctor is handled for you. If you just want chiropractic only make sure you will not be forced to undergo other tests or procedures. If you desire an office with a medical staff make sure the medical personnel are trained in Pain Management and that the office is fully equipped to do procedural pain management in house which saves having to make appointments with outside offices which in Panama City can take weeks.
Do they offer the latest training and technologies? Look for years in practice and additional training. Have they been in Panama City long or do they move around? Do they offer services like decompression therapy? I recommend the DRX9000C. This device has offered many patients relief from herniated and bulging discs as well as spinal degeneration in both the Lumbar and Cervical regions and is a state of the art unit. Do not be fooled by copy cat machines which cannot perform at the same level as this unit as it is the only ones that provide significant Spinal Decompression. There are currently only three of these units in the Panhandle of Florida but if you need decompression treatment they are worth the search. The Zerona laser again is rare in our area and is not just for melting fat off the body as the lasers on this machine can be used for post surgical healing and wound healing after an accident. Many injuries can hide to regular x-rays so the use of a Video Fluoroscopy unit in a pain management suite will allow doctors to find and detect hidden fractures and ligamentous damage. This can be of paramount importance should you be involved in an auto accident or suffer a serious injury as commonly these injuries can go undetected and lead to later permanent damage.
Do they take my insurance such as Medicare? You will find that in our area many Bay County practices are no longer taking Medicare and even fewer are taking Medicaid. This should be very important in your decision making if you plan on using your insurance and not paying for services as rendered. Many time reimbursement from insurances do not come in as fast or cover as much as you think.
Do they accept active military? Because Panama City has multiple military facilities including Tyndall AFB and the Naval Coastal Systems Station. You may want to consider if the office will accept these type of patients and do they support our fighting men and women in uniform.
Does the chiropractor respect my time? Many Panama City area practices especially some of the medical ones can make you wait weeks for appointments and if you are in pain then this is unacceptable. The outer lying areas can be quicker but usually offer less services. When you are missing work due to pain you need relief fast and waiting will not work. This can force the patient to make quick decisions and sometimes the wrong ones as a result. Personal service and understanding wait times should be of utmost importance in any office. Understanding that your time is precious and that you have other things on your plate will make all of your visits more pleasant and waste less of your limited time. Offices should strive to keep that in mind when scheduling and work with you as much as possible about unforeseen events.
Will you see the same doctor each time? Many local offices rotate multiple doctors and sometimes the patient feels like they have to start over each time they go in. Make sure that the doctor you get will be able to follow through with your care.
Does the chiropractor offer weight loss options? Few doctors honestly will spend time working with weight loss because of the way insurance handles this issue and there is so much noncompliance. Some offices but not many offer treatment with the Zerona Laser. This non invasive treatment option can reduce fat on your body with no diet, no surgery, and no downtime. This device has received FDA clearance as a body sculpting machine and is painless and on average causes patients to lose between 4-7 inches with no major change in lifestyle. Generally, offices will ask that patients start living a better lifestyle to maintain loses that they receive in their offices.
Are there ways to check out the office? Yes, in many cases a quick online search can tell you a lot about an office. We invite you to go to google maps and look at the reviews of offices online and compare each chiropractic office and pain management offices as well. Many offices can now be found online and we encourage research and questions. Online referral services can also sometimes be of help like 123 Chiropractors.

Panama City Chiropractor Dr. Hal C. Cowen D.C. A.B.A.A.H.P. is the owner and clinic director of Chironetwork Health Care Center a multidisiplinary clinic located in Panama City FL. He is Certified in Accident Reconstruction and Applied Spinal Biomechanics and Impairment Rating and is a Diplomate with the American Academy of Anti Aging Medicine as a American Board of Anti Aging Health Practitioner. He is also a member of the Florida Chiropractic Association and the American Academy of Spine Physicians. Services in our office include Chiropractic care, Medical Pain management, massage, physical therapy, decompression therapy and cold laser treatments. Our websites can be found at http://www.chironetworkhcc.com/ and related material can be found at http://panamacitychiropractor.weebly.com/ our phone is 850-872-8880.

Chiropractic Care and Accident Treatment Recommendations

What to do after an accident in Panama City FL (Chiropractic or Medical)
Accidents happen. But finding the right doctor and treatment should not be an accident. After an accident you are faced with many challenges not the least of which is how to find the right doctor to fix your problems.
Commonly people first seek care at the local emergency room most commonly Bay Medical or Gulf Coast Hospitals and if the injuries sustained are significant then this is where the person should indeed go. People should remember these emergency rooms are designed to evaluate how serious your problem is and determine if the injuries that you have sustained are life threatening. Emergency rooms are not designed to render treatment for non life threatening conditions such as are commonly seen after an accident. If your condition is not an emergency then most often the ER will give you some short term medications and release you with instructions to follow up with another doctor if you continue to have problems. Many times soft tissue injuries such as torn ligaments, sprains and strains as well as concussions are underestimated by the patient. Left untreated and unchecked these injuries can lead to permanent damage and lifetime consequences.
At this point, patients can become confused about their treatment and get lost in the shuffle of what to do. They are constantly besieged by advertisements by lawyers telling them to come and see them and OPEN a claim and are then being called by insurance carriers trying to get them to CLOSE the claim ( sometimes for a few pennies). The question that needs to be answered BEFORE you make a decision is "AM I INJURED" and is the treatment of these injuries going to be short or long or permanent? Your insurance person cannot answer that question nor can any attorney that you see. The only person that can truly answer these questions is a doctor who is trained in the evaluation and detection of both the obvious injuries and the more subtle injuries that can occur in motor vehicle accidents.
So which kind of doctor? This may depend on where you live and what is available in your area but typically it should be someone who has the following qualifications and services:
1) Experience: The doctor should be familiar with trauma cases and how to treat them as well as be able to articulate the process of recovery so the patient understands their treatment. Look for doctors who have received additional training in this area and who have treated these types of cases for some time. Chiropractors are commonly used for the types of trauma that relate to the neck and back injuries sustained in a car accident but other doctors may be necessary to achieve full healing such as neurologist, orthopedics, and pain management physicians. Look for offices that offer not only Chiropractic treatment but also maintain a Board Certified pain management physician on staff to help in the evaluation and treatment of significant injuries. Look for Accident reconstruction training and applied spinal biomechanics training in the doctors resume as well as certification to perform Impairment Ratings per the American Medical Association guidelines.
2) Services: Does the office offer the types of services that I will need? Many different types of treatment can be useful in the restoration and repair of the types of injuries seen in motor vehicle accidents. Does the office have a fully maintained pain management suite with state of the art equipment including a C-arm fluoroscope (video x-ray machine) which allows the doctors to see directly the source of the pain and allows documentation of what procedures are being done. Look for a state of art decompression table, the DRX9000C which allows doctors to treat not only injuries to the cervical spine but also the lumbar spine for herniated discs and spinal degenerative changes. A full line of physical therapy should be offered from directed exercises to Ultrasound, Electrical Muscle Stimulation and Interferential current and cold laser treatments.
3) Does the office accept these types of cases: Many doctors will not accept cases that have the possibility of litigation including car accident cases. You need to know this before waiting weeks to see a doctor just to find out that will not even accept the auto insurance and just bill your regular insurance our you personally. A good office works with all carriers in the area and also works with local and out of state attorneys if needed to make sure that you receive the treatment that you need.
4) Will the doctor work with attorneys or go to court? This can be key in many cases. In this area of Bay County we see commonly that doctors get initially involved in cases but when the case seems like it may go to court they back off of the case and leave the patient without a doctor to substantiate their injuries. This leaves the patient and the attorney in a real situation and should never be done. Ask if your condition requires that you go to court will the doctor take time out to testify on your behalf.
Picking a doctor in Panama City or anywhere in the country as you can see can be a daunting experience and most people are subjected to such much misinformation that finding the right treatment can at sometimes seem impossible but with a little time and research hopefully you will choose properly. The choice can change the direction of your life as improperly treated or neglected joint injuries commonly become permanent problems that can plague you for life but a multidisciplinary treatment program can help you to repair and heal at the greatest possible capacity and save a neck or back from lifetime of pain.

Panama City Chiropractor Dr. Hal C. Cowen D.C. A.B.A.A.H.P. is the owner and clinic director of Chironetwork Health Care Center a multidisiplinary clinic located in Panama City FL. He is Certified in Accident Reconstruction and Applied Spinal Biomechanics and Impairment Rating and is a Diplomate with the American Academy of Anti Aging Medicine as a American Board of Anti Aging Health Practitioner. He is also a member of the Florida Chiropractic Association and the American Academy of Spine Physicians. Services in our office include Chiropractic care, Medical Pain management, massage, physical therapy, decompression therapy and cold laser treatments. Our websites can be found at http://www.chironetworkhcc.com/ and http://www.chiropractorpanamacity.com/ our phone is 850-872-8880.