• You experience dizziness and are prone to falling
• If you have back pain
• If you have experienced a stroke
• If you have cerebral palsy

First, let’s define what a physical therapist and a chiropractor do to better understand the difference.

According to the American Physical Therapy Association, a physical therapist should:

• Examine individuals with functional limitations, physical impairments, disabilities or other health related conditions. Their purpose is to determine a diagnosis, prognosis, and intervention.
• Alleviate impairment and functional limitation by designing, implementing, and modifying therapeutic interventions.
• Prevent injury, impairment, functional limitation, and disability, including the promotion and maintenance of fitness, health, and quality of life in people of all ages.
• Engage in consultation, education, and research.

According to the American Chiropractic Association, chiropractic is defined as:

• A drug-free, hands-on approach to health care that includes patient examination, diagnosis and treatment. Chiropractors have broad diagnostic skills and are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, as well as to provide nutritional, dietary and lifestyle counseling. The most common therapeutic procedure performed by doctors of chiropractic is known as “spinal manipulation,” also called “chiropractic adjustment.”

At the end of the day, everyone just wants to live pain free. However, many aspects of life generate physical impacts on the body, from working and driving, to studying and diet. These activities can develop into minor aches and pains, and even major injuries and permanent degeneration. In order to treat these symptoms and address the causes, traditional physical exams combined with chiropractic care can help to diagnose and monitor the progress of an individual.

Dr. David Tuchinsky practices in Weston, Florida - His address is 17160 Royal Palm Boulevard - Suite 1 - Weston, Florida - His telephone number is 954-895-7896. Feel free to call to schedule a free consultation with the Doctor.

• Congenital – caused by vertebral anomalies and present at birth
• Idiopathic – while the cause is unknown, can be classified by when it occurred (juvenile, infantile, adolescent, or adult)
• Neuromuscular – this occurs when the scoliosis develops as a symptom of another condition like spinal muscular atrophy, cerebral palsy, physical therapy or spinal bifida

All in all, scoliosis affects nearly 7 million people in the U.S. alone!

Sings and Symptoms of Scoliosis

Once an individual reaches “skeletal maturity”, they are less likely to have a worsening case of scoliosis. However, sever cases can put pressure on the heart, restrictphysical activity and even diminish lung capacity. Some of the common signs of scoliosis include:

• Uneven leg length or hips
• Uneven musculature on one side of the spine
• A prominent shoulder blade or rib, usually caused by the rotation of the ribcage (in thoracic scoliosis)
• Slow nerve action
• In females, asymmetric location or size of the breast

Chiropractic care can help

A chiropractor will examine your overall health, checking your spine as well as other aspects of your lifestyle. In order to identify the cause of the problem, a chiropractor will review any previous injuries, recreational or work related activities, and your family’s history of health issues. They will also run orthopedic, palpitation, neurological tests and x-rays to determine how serious the problem is.

There are also some scoliosis exams such as the Adam’s Forward Bending Test, which has
been adopted in most schools. It requires the person to bend at the waist as someone views
the spinal alignment. If the administrator recognizes something abnormal, you will usually be referred to a chiropractor. At this point, your chiropractor will measure the length of your legs to better understand the unevenness. Sometimes, a range of motion test will also be performed to check the mobility at the waist. If your chiropractor determines that there is a serious issue, they might recommend you to a specialist for specific, scoliosis treatment.

When dealing with scoliosis, regular visits to your chiropractor are imperative to monitoring the progression of this condition. Scoliosis is a very serious condition, and can be treated in many different ways in order to restore normal functionality and alleviate pain. Should you have any questions about scoliosis, pain or physical limitations, consult your chiropractor today!

Dr. David Tuchinsky practices in Weston, Florida - His address is 17160 Royal Palm Boulevard - Suite 1 - Weston, Florida - His telephone number is 954-895-7896. Feel free to call to schedule a free consultation with the Doctor.

While not a consistent pain, sciatic nerve pain can vary in both frequency and intensity, and is sometimes described as an electrical shock. Other related sensations include numbness, burning or tingling. The pain can last for just a few days, or for a period of weeks, and often subsides for a few hours at a time.

Waiting too long

A common issue with sciatica is when people wait too long to be treated. Waiting too long can cause serious damage, and it is extremely important that you contact a professional as soon as you recognize the symptoms. In some cases, a chiropractor can identify the source of the nerve blockage and use adjustments to correct any spinal misalignment. It is also important to recognize that pain medication is only a temporary mask, and that proper treatment should be sought out, especially if you wish to avoid surgery.

Spinal Manipulation (Chiropractic Adjustments)

Chiropractic care is rooted in spinal adjustments. The method of spinal manipulation helps to free restricted movement of the spine, and aids in restoring misaligned vertebral bodies to their proper position. These adjustments can also help to reduce nerve irritability which is the cause of inflammation, pain, muscle spasms and other symptoms of sciatica. Please note that spinal manipulation has been proven to be safe and effective, and is not painful.

Causes of Sciatica

There are a wide variety of causes of sciatica. Most often, sciatica is caused by the result of accumulated, small traumas. In this case, the sciatica may appear suddenly, or even gradually, and is usually first noticed while slouching or walking. This is especially the case in people who have a history of lower back issues. It can also come from a single, sudden trauma such as strenuous pulling or pushing, lifting something too heavy, or even a violent sneeze.

Getting the Proper Diagnosis

As we mentioned, there are many things that can cause sciatica. This is why the chiropractors first step is to conduct an analysis to determine what is causing a patient’s sciatica. Common steps are to review medical history and conduct a physical and neurological exam.

Diagnostic tests can also help indicate the root cause. These tests can include MRIs, an Xray, CT Scan, and others. If you have lower back pain, or think that you may have symptoms of sciatica, please contact our office today.

Vertebrae can be shifted out of their normal position, which causes pain, stiffness and possibly nerve damage. Other problems can occur if the spinal cord or nerve roots in the neck become irritated or stretched.

Common Problems Associated with Whiplash

• Headaches
• Low Back Pain
• Neck Pain
• Shoulder Pain
• Disc Injuries
• Tendonitis
• Rotator Cuff Impingement

Symptoms of Whiplash

A broad range of symptoms can occur as a result of whiplash, including dizziness, headaches, shoulder pan, blurred vision, pain in the arms or hands, limited ability to turn the head and lower back problems. What’s odd, is that these symptoms can occur immediately following the accident, or as much as two weeks after the trauma.

How the body responds

The amazing thing about the human body, is that it will make an attempt to immobilize any injured areas following a trauma. This can sometimes begin in the form of muscle spasms, which are protective in nature. If the injured area does not restore function with about 2 months, scar tissue will form in an effort to reduce the chances of full functionality. The problem here, is that this can eventually lead to unusual bone growth causing joint degeneration.

A study in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery stated that “…an individual involved in a motor vehicle accident is nearly 7-times more likely to suffer neck degeneration within 7-years of the accident…”. This is where chiropractic care plays a role. A chiropractor can help to return the injured muscles, joints and nerves to healthy function, thus reducing that increased risk of neck degeneration.

Chiropractic Adjustments

One purpose of chiropractic adjustments are to return joints to their proper motion and position. This allows your body to regain any lost function caused by an accident or other trauma. Another benefit of a chiropractic adjustment is pain relief caused by inflammation trapped within the joints. This will also reduce stress on any fatigued or tight muscles. Spinal manipulation can also be effective in alleviating pressure on any pinched nerves or joint irritation, which can also be a case of headaches.

If you have recently been in an accident and think you may have experienced whiplash, please call our office today for immediate assistance.

Headache Triggers

The common headache has many causes, or “triggers.” Anything from certain foods to particular behaviors like exercise and sleep cycles, can be trigger a headache. More common triggers are things like stress, loud noises, or over exposure to certain types of lighting. Most headaches are considered primary headaches such as migraines, cluster headaches or tension. Primary headaches are not the symptom of a disease in the body, and the headache itself should be the primary concern.

There are also a small percentage of headaches that represent a warning signal from the body, that something else is wrong.

According to chiropractic doctor George B. McClelland, “The greatest majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle tension in the neck…Americans engage in more sedentary activities than they used to, and more hours are spent in one fixed position or posture”. When this happens, most people experience muscle tension in the upper back and neck, as well as joint irritation. This, is what actually is causing your head to ache.

So, What Can I Do?

It actually depends on the type of headache you have. Sometimes, a low impact exercise routine can help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. But…if you are they type that gets a more dull, throbbing headache…you may want to stay away from a heavy exercise regimen. Try picking up something like walking or low energy aerobics.

Now, if you are a workaholic and spend most of your time at a desk, in front of a computer….just be sure to take breaks every half hour. Get up, stretch, and take a couple of deep breaths. Be sure to stretch your head and neck through a nice, comfortable range of motion.

Do you find yourself clenching your teeth? If so, than this could be the cause of your headache. Clenching might result in stress caused on the joints that connect your skull with your jaw. This can lead to TMJ irritation and be the cause of tension headaches.

Here’s the big one, DRINK LOTS OF WATER! At least 64oz per day is whats recommended to avoid dehydration, a huge cause of headaches.

How Can a Doctor of Chiropractic Help?

If you get the pesky primary headaches, here are a few things that your chiropractor can do to help:

1. Provide you with personalized advice on your posture, whether it be in the car, at work, at home, etc.
2. Suggest some dietary and nutritional changes.
3. In the event that you are having serious headaches, your chiropractor can perform spinal manipulation (chiropractic adjustments) to alleviate that unnecessary stress on your body.

Chiropractors go through extensive training in order to help their patients in a variety of ways. The tension created in the spine can translate to other problems in the head, neck and back. If you are having headaches, please contact us to see how we can help.

The most common causes of back pain are the conditions of your workplace. This is because of the repetitive nature of certain jobs, which could make you push yourself beyond normal limitations. This could put you at great risk for back injuries. Usually, there is a lack of training and supervision in regards to these issues, and competitiveness can sometimes take over.

The Back Pain Cycle
It is also important to understand that back pain is cumulative, thus it can get worse over time. When researching cumulative pain disorders, it is very important to fully understand the “pain cycle”.

Pain is merely a signal to the body that something isn’t right! Please note that some patients will tend to associate back pain with muscle spasms. Spasms are different in that they are a response to pain. For example, let’s say a disk or joint becomes damaged. At this point, a signal is sent to the brain in the form of pain. The brain then responds to this stimulus by telling the muscle to contract so that it can prevent any further damage…especially during movement.

If the muscle contracts for a long period of time, decreased circulation will be experienced. This is the beginning of the cycle which creates more pain (or stiffness), thus sending another response to the brain. The big takeaway here is that motion and circulation are very important to remaining healthy.

Now, continued misuse of an area can cause trauma to the point where inflammation can occur. If this results in a loss of motion (or limited motion), than the area will fail to receive the proper nutrition. This is bad because the area may now be susceptible to disease, rupture or subluxation. Basically, make sure to treat you muscles with care by maintaining a healthy diet, regular exercise and proper weight.

Trigger Points
Something to pay attention to when discussing back pain are the occurrence of trigger points. These can occur in the back or hips, and are characterized by tenderness of certain muscles. This can occur when lactic acid or histamine (which are waste products) are not eliminated of properly. Also, trigger points can transfer pain from one area to another…or remain independent.

Trigger points can cause a great deal of problems for the back, however it can sometimes be tough to identify the problem do to the transference of pain to another region. For example, a worker may develop an issue in his lower back and experience pain in his left leg. For this type of pain, the person will need the proper diagnosis to be treated correctly.

For more details on diagnosis of your back pain, please contact Dr. Tuchinsky at his Weston FL practice at 954-895-7896, or visit his website at www.drtuchinsky.com. Dr. Tuchinsky has successfully treated many patients with a variety of conditions, from young kids to the elderly, as well as professional athletes. He is dedicated to diagnosing the source of the pain and prescribing the most effective solutions for his patients.

If you’re suffering from chronic lower back pain, a chiropractor can do wonderful things to relieve the pain. “Most of the healing process takes place outside of the doctor’s office” says Dr. Tuchinsky, who has been practicing for over 25 years, and has offices in Pembroke Pines and Weston, FL.

Here are a few tips at what you can do to relieve your pain at home.

1. Don’t walk up and down stairs to often unless it’s absolutely necessary. This is a great time to go ahead and avoid your Stairmaster, since the motion of the legs can injure your back farther.

2. When you’re sleeping, avoid sleeping on your stomach. When you’re sleeping on your stomach on a soft surface your back is going to arch unnaturally, placing strain on your spine and aggravating the pain. You should also put a board underneath your mattress for additional support and get plenty of sleep, since the body heals best when you sleep.

3. Eat from a countertop rather than a table so you don’t have to bend over when you eat. During the early stage of the recovery process you should also let someone else cook, at least for a while, so you’re not bending, twisting and lifting in ways that are going to aggravate your back pain further. Speaking of bending, this is also a good time to pick up a claw grabber, or robot claw, so you’re not bending over all day long.

4. Ease back into your daily activities. Bed rest is going to make the muscles in your legs atrophy, making it hard for them to support your weight and putting more pressure on your spine than you would have otherwise. You can get a prescription from your medical doctor for NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) to relieve the inflammation and swelling along your spine that’s causing you pain. Avoid having any caffeine or smoking, which can slow tissue healing.

5. Maintain a healthy weight. Weight gain will put additional strain on your back. If you’re having a hard time developing a diet and exercise plan to work with your unique needs, consult with your doctor and a nutritionist. They’ll help you create a healthy lifestyle that will allow you to maintain a healthy weight and control your lower back pain for the rest of your life.

For more information on how Dr. Tuchinsky can help you resolve your Back pain problems, call him at 954-895-7896, or visit his website at www.drtuchinsky.com. Dr. Tuchinsky has successfully treated many patients with a variety of conditions, from newborns to the elderly, and including professional athletes. He is dedicated to helping his patients in diagnosing the source of the pain and prescribing the most effective solution for the long term, resulting in optimum health for the patient.

Over 80% of the world’s population will suffer from back pain at some point or another. For most people it piggy backs behind back strain and goes away on its own in a week or two. For others, the pain may be severe, debilitating and chronic, requiring a physician’s intervention to find a successful course of back pain treatment. When just getting out of bed becomes a hassle in the morning, it’s time to start exploring your other options.

When to Call the Doctor
If you’ve ever walked into a Florida Chiropractors office complaining of back pain and walked out with a prescription for Motrin and a lecture on muscle strain ringing in your ears, you’re understandably hesitant to call the doctor. Since most back pain will resolve itself in a couple of weeks sometimes months and with over the counter back pain treatment, most people wait far too long to call the doctor. They miss hundreds of hours of work in unpaid leave, and when it’s time to go back to work they don’t feel any better than they did when the pain first started.
If the ache is dull, feels better when you stretch and is coming directly on the heels of strenuous activity (like moving), you’re probably okay to wait a week or so to see if you start feeling better. If the pain is severe, hampers your movement and leads to numbness in the extremities, if the pain followed a severe trauma or you feel a bulge or a bump, however, it’s time to call the doctor.

What the Doctor Will Do
When you first walk into the doctor’s office they’re going to ask you an exhaustive series of questions about your back pain. By the time it’s done they’ll have your history from birth to now, with a layover at every major stop in between! You’re going to be beyond frustrated when you’re done, but remember, they’re just doing their job. It’s amazing what small things can lead to chronic back pain farther down the road, and being able to find the cause is the real key to finding an effective course of back pain treatment.
After your interrogation they’ll perform a series of tests designed to help diagnose the pain. That’s going to include a physical examination of your spine and neck, exhaustive testing of your reflexes and, more likely than not, measuring your legs to ensure they’re the same size. They’ll probably order x-rays and/or an MRI, especially if the pain is following trauma of some kind. When it’s all said and done, they should have an excellent idea of what’s causing your back pain.

Back Pain Treatment
Once the doctor is done poking and prodding they’ll be ready to prescribe an effective course of back pain treatment. Understanding that back pain is a symptom rather than a condition, the doctor isn’t going to want to treat the pain. They’re going to want to treat the underlying condition.
Unless the pain is part of an underlying disease process, nine times out of ten, the doctor is going to recommend you see a chiropractor. Florida chiropractors are doctors who are specially trained to understand not only the workings of the spine, but also the way the spine interacts with the rest of the body. They will be able to give you a secondary evaluation and determine not only where in the spine the problem lies but also the most effective method of treatment.
Non-surgical spinal decompression has been proven to be an effective method of back pain treatment for patients suffering from lower back pain, sciatica, degenerative disc disease, herniated or bulging discs, and it can bring about results and relief when previous surgical intervention has failed. This will be performed by the chiropractor in their office, usually more than once, and can provide long term relief.
The chiropractor will also advise you on other potential methods of non-surgical back pain treatment, including body detoxification, weight loss, herbal treatment, Aspirin therapy, acupuncture, and the use of over the counter NSAIDS. One of the benefits of seeing a chiropractor (as opposed to a physician) for the long term treatment of your spinal condition is the whole body approach your Florida chiropractor is going to take to your back pain treatment-and the prevention of further flare ups. They will advise you on a dietary regimen, an exercise program and long term steps you can take to minimize the effect your back pain is going to have on the rest of your life.

For more information contact Dr. Tuchinsky at his offices in Florida at 17160 Royal Palm Boulevard, Weston, FL 33326 or at 9841 Pines Boulevard, Pembroke Pines, FL 33024. Call today for treatment of your back pain at 954-895-7896. visit www.drtuchinsky.com for more literature on prevention of back pain.

Some key factors in preventing back pain are proper posture, body weight, and movement. When statistics already tell us that 80% of Americans already have suffered back pain at least once in their lifetime and 50% of worker’s compensation is spent on those with lower back pain or injury, it is wise as an individual or employer to know ways to prevent back pain or injury.

Beginning with posture, although it may not seem that important, holds more weight in preventing back pain than you may know. The spine is shaped in an “S” like curve with the center of its gravity very delicately balanced within that “” curve. When that center of gravity is messed with even in the slightest, the spine can endure damage to the vertebrae, disks, and/or muscles resulting in back pain or injury. The neck vertebrae are even that much more vulnerable. You develop posture habits early in your life, and if it becomes a poor posture habit, it can be hard to break. Your posture affects the fine gravity balance of the spine. The facts are, bad posture can have some significant consequences and prolonged bad posture even greater consequences. So basically, poor posture results in a higher risk of back pain and injury therefore correcting poor posture is a necessity in preventing back pain. There is no one cure for poor posture. It is behavioral, requiring constant awareness of your posture in order to begin making any corrections. Behavioral modification exercise programs can help with making the necessary posture corrections to help prevent back pain.

Another huge factor that is a source of back pain is weight. Being overweight stresses the back, which obviously will lead to back pain. In order to prevent back pain, the extra weight needs to be dropped. Women who are heavy chested also suffer from excessive back pain. Although breast reductions are not possible for everyone, they can help to greatly reduce and prevent back pain.

Everyday movement from work, home and even sleep can also play a role in back pain. One of the highest areas of back pain is a result to a work mishaps or injury. Improperly lifting, pulling, pushing, and standing over a period of time will result in incremental damage to the back. With lifting being one of the utmost reasons for back pain and injury, it is important to learn and practice proper lifting habits to prevent back pain. Bending at the knees in a crouched position with the back straight putting the weight lift on the thighs rather than the back is the correct way to lift to prevent back pain and/or injury. It is imperative that employers make sure that their employees are using the proper techniques in their job to prevent back pain. Being ergonomically friendly is another cost effective way to help prevent back injuries in a workplace. Proper protective gear can also help lower back pain and injuries in the workplace such as lifter belts and back braces. For those who work at a desk, slouching is the biggest cause to back pain. There are cushions that can help correct a person posture and prevent back pain. Other things that can help lessen back pain when working from a desk are sitting both feet flat on the floor and chair height vs. work area.

Even though the items discussed earlier may appear to be common sense, they are far too often overlooked, but surprising enough, another factor to chronic back pain is something everyone does for a third or more of their lives – sleep. From the moment you go to lie down for a long nights sleep to the time you rise in the morning light, there are several things that could be changed that could help lessen back pain. Your pillow should support your head mirroring the curve in your neck as if you were standing. Your mattress should be firm yet have yet have some give, but not so much give that your spine is distorted while sleeping. Sleeping on your back straight your head in line with your back is far better than sleeping on your stomach. If you have to sleep on your side, use a small pillow between your knees to keep your hips aligned.

There are many ways you can help prevent back pain from becoming part your life. Educate yourself in ways to better perform your tasks at home and at work and pay attention to your everyday posture are great places to start in prevent back pain.

For more information on Prevention of Back Pain, Please check out the Chiropractor’s website http://www.drtuchinsky.com. Dr. Tuchinsky, has successfully treated patients with all types of conditions, from the couch potatos to the professional athlete. He is dedicated to getting to the root of your particular problem and prescribing the most effective and appropriate course of care.
Dr. Tuchinsky, makes time for all his patients to discuss their symptoms, any previous injuries, your family health history, lifestyle, work-related physical activities, posture, and levels of stress.
He will perform necessary tests; physical, orthopedic, and neurological that can help reveal the condition of your neck or spine. Static and motion palpation tests check for stiffness, pain, muscle spasm, and restricted range of motion. Call Dr Tuchinsky in Weston FL, for any questions or to make an appointment at 954-895-7896.

Many people work on a computer. Are you sitting ergonomically correct, with your head bent forward or are you slouching? If you are not sitting ergonomically correct while working on a computer you need to take frequent breaks to move your muscles in a different position. The best solution to the problem is to fix the way you sit to an ergonomically correct position. Speak to your employer as he or she will want to fix the problem to save from workman’s compensation injuries and help you to become more comfortable, thus causing you to become more productive. It is a win-win situation.

Throughout your life you do a lot of lifting or you may have a job that requires frequent lifting. We are told to lift while bending at our knees so as not to lift and put pressure on our spine. If you do not lift properly, your spine becomes rounded and your discs bulge backwards. One time of poor lifting can damage your spine. It is even more common for one to damage the back with repetitive improper lifting. When lifting do not twist as this can cause damage to the back as well.

Back pain can be very painful and causes a poor quality of life, it can take a few weeks to many months to heal. Dr. Tuchinsky’s office in Weston, Florida, has help people with all types of cases regarding the spine, neck, and disc issues, treatment ranges from young kids to all ages. (Visit www.drtuchinsky.com for more information). It is know that within the workforce, back pain is over half of the worker’s compensation claims.

Another one of the causes of back pain includes frequent twisting and turning throughout the day. For instance, do you sit at a desk for your job? If you do, you know that you move throughout the day twisting and turning while sitting in your desk chair. While doing this form of activity you are putting stress on your discs.

You may think sitting is good for your back. On the contrary as sitting causes up to eleven times more pressure to the spine when you sit. With all of the folks working or surfing the Internet on the computer, it is important to realize that sitting too long in a flexed position can cause back pain.

Neck, shoulder and middle back pain can be caused from those who place the telephone between the ear and shoulder. This is a bad habit that should be avoided. If you frequently answer the telephone at work and need to write while doing so, you should ask your employer for a headphone set versus a telephone. While wearing a headphone set to answer the telephone this will help to keep your back posture in a healthier position.

Not only are sitting jobs and bending jobs causes of back pain but standing jobs can cause back pain as well. To avoid back pain and fatigue, do not stand with stiff knees and/or with the spine arched outward. Stand with proper posture to avoid back pain.

To keep your spine healthy you must keep your spine balanced. All of the above examples are imbalanced spine situations. Another excellent example of an imbalanced spine is a male sitting at his job with a thick wallet in his pocket. The thick wallet in his pant’s pocket is causing the spine to be in an unbalanced position, thus causing back pain.

If you have had a back injury or back pain it is important to keep moving your muscles. You may feel like “babying” your back and trying to sit as still as possible; it is important not to do this. Keep your muscles moving in the proper movement to help keep them strong, thus reducing back pain. Moving your muscles does not cause back pain, moving your muscles improperly causes back pain.

Call Dr. Tuchinsky’s office in Weston, FL today at 954-895-7896 for treatment of your back or neck pain. Visit www.drtuchinsky.com on the web for more information.