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We treat many car accident cases in in our North County, St. Louis, MO office, and a widespread symptom we see in our patients is thoracic outlet syndrome. The key to recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome caused by a crash is to understand the root cause of the problem and how chiropractic care can help.

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

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

North County, St. Louis, MO Thoracic Outlet Treatment

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

Dr. Mark Holland has been helping patients in North County, St. Louis, MO since 2000, so we know what you're living with. We're here to help you, too. Dr. Mark Holland will first determine what's causing your pain and then work to restore your body to its natural functioning. Call us today at (314) 867-8888 if you have questions or would like to make an appointment.

Many people suffer from headache pain, and tension headaches are a frequent problem in our busy world. Postural problems and stress are common sources of tension headaches, and ones that Dr. Mark Holland and the team here in our North County, St. Louis, MO chiropractic office have a lot of experience in treating.

Research Proves Chiropractic Eases Tension Headaches

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

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

When we get stressed out, the nerves and tissues in the neck can be disrupted, resulting in pain. Chiropractic works by getting rid of these stresses and restoring the normal nerve function to the area.

We're Here to Help People Find Relief From Tension Headaches

If you live in North County, St. Louis, MO and are struggling with any kind of headache, we're here to help you get relief. Call Dr. Mark Holland today at (314) 867-8888 for an appointment or more information.

Source

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

Chiropractic is centered on the philosophy of aiding your body to naturally heal through spinal adjustments and lifestyle changes that stimulate overall health. For Dr. Mark Holland, this involves working to restore your body's natural functioning to avoid the need for medications or surgery. We notice that most of our North County, St. Louis, MO patients are happy to find a natural solution for their health issues.

One advantage of chiropractic is that it helps people reduce or even eliminate the use of narcotics. Medications are oftentimes supplied to people who have back soreness. This is such a serious concern that the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) issued a news release stating that opioid (painkiller) risks overshadow the benefits when administered for back pain.

Some of the most popular opiates, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, include hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet), morphine, and codeine. Figures supplied by the AAN mention the fact that about 50% of the patients taking these drugs for a period of three months are still dependent on them five years later. This can further complicate the difficulty of back pain and recovery, especially if an opiate dependency occurs.

Contrast that to chiropractic care which involves natural healing and the benefits are clear. While a medication might be helpful at briefly reducing the symptoms of a health issue, it's not a long-term solution to the problem. A drug won't mend your damaged spine; it will only conceal the pain.

Dr. Mark Holland will first examine you to get to the source of your back pain and then work with you to eliminate the spinal interference -- without any risky medications.

If you're ready to get out of pain, naturally, give our North County, St. Louis, MO office a call at (314) 867-8888 to make an appointment with Dr. Mark Holland.

References

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

Back Pain is a common problem after a car accident, and it's something that Dr. Mark Holland sees frequently in our North County, St. Louis, MO office. Chiropractic care is a great way to treat back pain. Let's look at how back pain is caused by a crash and how Dr. Mark Holland can help you.

During a rear-end motor vehicle accident, your car and car seat are rapidly accelerated forward against your body. Since car seats don't perfectly align with the curve of your spine, the seat can put inconsistent 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 ligaments 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.

Dr. Mark Holland is here in North County, St. Louis, MO to help you recover from back pain. We've been helping patients since 2000 and we can probably help you, too. The first step is to get an accurate diagnosis to determine what's causing your symptoms and then we will determine an appropriate treatment strategy. Give our office a call today at (314) 867-8888 to make an appointment.

When performing activities that require a lot of lower body motion, like football, soccer, and basketball, it's not at all uncommon to suffer some type of injury to your lower extremities. Between pulled hamstrings, sprained ankles, knee injuries, and more, many players have found themselves out of commission. Dr. Mark Holland has seen all of these problems in our North County, St. Louis, MO patients. Fortunately, chiropractic can help prevent some of these injuries from developing and research proves it.

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps With Sports Injuries & Recovery

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

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

Every major sports organization in the United States and the US Olympic Team has chiropractors on staff for their players, because they know that chiropractic really works. If you live near our office in North County, St. Louis, MO and would like to see if Dr. Mark Holland can help you boost your performance or reduce sports injuries, give our office a call today at (314) 867-8888 for an appointment.

Dr. Mark Holland Can Help People Find Relief From Sports Injuries and Recover Faster

If you're struggling with severe pain, Dr. Mark Holland and our staff are here to help you heal. Give our North County, St. Louis, MO office a call today at (314) 867-8888 for an appointment today.

Original Study

Hoskins W, Pollard H. The effect of a sports chiropractic manual therapy intervention on the prevention of back pain, hamstring and lower limb injuries in semi-elite Australian rules footballers: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2010;11(64).

In our North County, St. Louis, MO practice, it's common for us to see people suffering with sciatic nerve pain, and Dr. Mark Holland has helped many of them improve with chiropractic. What makes chiropractic so helpful to those who suffer with this condition? First, it reduces their recovery time and a Norwegian research study confirms it.

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

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

Considering that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that over 170,000 workdays were lost in 2013 due to employees dealing with back or spine-related issues, that is almost 112,500 work days that could potentially be recovered each and every year solely by receiving chiropractic care. Not only would that increase productivity, but it could also reduce costs to businesses and employees from lost work.

If you live in North County, St. Louis, MO and you suffer with sciatica pain, Dr. Mark Holland is here to help. Give us a call at (314) 867-8888 and we'll work with you to find the source of your sciatic pain and get you back on the road to recovery.

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

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

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps With Neck Pain and Headaches

For many years, people with neck and headache pain in North County, St. Louis, MO have been helped by the chiropractic adjustments of Dr. Mark Holland. Our experience is backed up by a recent review done in Canada that found that non-surgical, non-drug treatments are the best choice for neck and headache pain.

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

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

We Can Help Patients Find Comfort From Neck Pain and Headaches

If you're struggling with neck pain or headaches, Dr. Mark Holland and our staff are here to help you feel better. Give our North County, St. Louis, MO office a call today at (314) 867-8888 for an appointment today.

Reference

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

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

Dr. Mark Holland sees a lot of people in our North County, St. Louis, MO office who are suffering with recurring headaches. Fortunately, chiropractic can usually help, potentially reducing these types of headaches by 50%, and research confirms it.

Research Proves 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 objective was to see how effective chiropractic was for this type of head pain, as well as to ascertain the number of treatment sessions required to achieve a positive effect.

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

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

We Can Help People Find Relief From Head Pain

Dr. Mark Holland has helped many people who were suffering from headaches in our North County, St. Louis, MO office. Call us today at (314) 867-8888 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. Mark Holland sees many patients weekly in our busy North County, St. Louis, MO chiropractic office who are looking for relief from the pain and agony they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the medical literature verifies that chiropractic care is a successful way to treat herniated disc problems.

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

One particular research project 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 individuals reported that they were experiencing pain, reduced range of motion, and sensory issues bad enough to keep them off work.

During the course of the research period, the participants were managed using one of two common chiropractic practices: traction for herniated discs in the cervical area or flexion distraction for the people who had herniation issues in the lumbar area.

Each man or woman was seen four or five times per week for the first two weeks, then three times weekly, and then as needed for the remainder of the study. Depending on the severity of the disc herniation, therapy ranged anywhere from six weeks to six months, with MRIs being performed at a variety of stages to identify what effect, if any, the chiropractic care was having in regard to the disc herniation.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps With Back Pain and Herniated Disc

The researchers found that 80 percent of the subjects obtained a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced pain and a reduction in other issues, such as numbness. Furthermore, 77 percent of these subjects 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 researchers 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. Mark Holland in North County, St. Louis, MO, 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 North County, St. Louis, MO practice, we see plenty of people who are struggling with back pain, and some of these people have been told they might need surgery to recover. Thankfully, Dr. Mark Holland has helped many people get relief without the need for any type of surgical procedure. The scientific research agrees with the results we see in our practice. One medical study published in the academic journal Spine found that seeing a chiropractor as your first move in overcoming with your back pain may literally keep you out of the operating room.

In this research study, medical professionals from Dartmouth reviewed statistics from 1,885 workers from the state of Washington who first saw either a surgeon or a chiropractic doctor for their back-related issues. They then examined three years' worth of follow-up medical data to find out whether the patients wound up having back surgery in an effort to treat the problem.

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

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

These are remarkable results. Visiting a chiropractor drastically decreases your odds of getting back surgery, plus the chiropractic patients in this scientific study "had lower odds of chronic work disability" and they also had fewer expensive MRI tests.

Let's also take note this important detail: this study was performed by orthopedic surgeons from Dartmouth College, and printed in the world's most influential medical publication on spinal injury.

The Risks of Surgery

Any surgical procedure has risks, but a major problem associated with spinal surgery is that there is a very high failure rate. In an important analysis 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 experts in 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. Mark Holland is convinced that surgery should be the absolute last choice for treating back pain. Chiropractic works to restore your spine to its normal function--without risky surgery or drugs--and many scientific studies have established the effectiveness of chiropractic for back pain.

If you live in North County, St. Louis, MO and you need care for your back pain, give our practice a call today at (314) 867-8888 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.