Recent Posts

We see many patients in our Springfield, MA office with ankle sprains but Dr. Michael Delson has had a lot of success helping them heal more quickly. Why are ankle sprains so common and how can chiropractic help?

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), approximately 25,000 men and women in the US sprain their ankles every day. As a matter of fact, these injuries make up nearly half of all sports injuries, causing people to spend time away from the activities they enjoy most.

Like any injury, there are many causes of ankle sprains. The most frequent is inversion, or when the ankle rolls inward. This injury can take place due to one forceful movement, or it can develop over time, and exercises that increase the risk for this type of ankle sprain include running and jumping. You're also at risk if you have previous ankle injuries, poor posture or balance, weak muscles, and reduced range of motion.

How Can Chiropractic Treatments and Dr. Michael Delson Help?

A study printed in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics set out to identify chiropractic's role when it comes to ankle sprain recovery. Researchers enrolled 33 individuals between the ages of 18 and 45 who had a history of ankle inversion sprains, who were reporting tenderness and/or pain, and had not re-injured the area in the previous six weeks.

Eighteen of the subjects were assigned to participate in rehabilitation and the other 15 subjects received chiropractic adjustments in addition to rehabilitation. Each person had five full weeks of treatments, with the rehab group receiving treatment seven days a week and the rehabilitation plus chiropractic group receiving therapy six out of the seven days.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps With Ankle Sprains

The authors found that the people who had both rehab and chiropractic fared the best at the 4-week mark when it came to pain and joint restriction. Also, no negative effects were reported, showing that chiropractic is safe.

If you're near our office in Springfield, MA and you're struggling with an ankle injury, give us a call. We'll do what we can to keep you up and moving... literally!

Studies

• American College of Sports Medicine. (n.d.). Ankle sprains and the athlete. Retrieved from https://www.acsm.org/docs/current-comments/anklesprainstemp.pdf
• Lubbe, D et al. (2015, January). Manipulative therapy and rehabilitation for recurrent ankle sprain with functional instability: a short-term, assessor-blind, parallel-group randomized trial. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 38(1), 22-34, doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2014.10.001

If you are struggling with fibromyalgia, you are not alone, as Dr. Michael Delson sees many people with this particular problem in our Springfield, MA chiropractic clinic. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that roughly two percent of all adults in the United States have fibromyalgia. Thankfully, chiropractic is one treatment option that can provide positive results.

Research Supports Chiropractic Eases Fibromyalgia

In a medical study released in mid-2015, 215 women and men with fibromyalgia were evaluated based on factors ranging from pain to quality of sleep to the levels of depression symptoms and anxiety they felt. Then they were divided into two groups with one group receiving a multi-modal treatment program for three months and the second group receiving the same program plus chiropractic adjustments (specifically, to the upper neck tissues) for the same length of time.

The subjects who received chiropractic adjustments in addition to the multi-disciplinary treatment approach reported greater results in all areas (pain, sleep, depression, and anxiety) at three months post-treatment when compared to the study participants who received multi-modal treatment without chiropractic care. Furthermore, those positive results were long-lasting as the subjects reported continued improvement one full year later.

Fibromyalgia can substantially reduce your quality of life, both mentally and physically. If you're suffering from fibromyalgia, we might be able to help.

You don't have to suffer! To see what Dr. Michael Delson can do for your fibromyalgia pain, call our Springfield, MA chiropractic office today.

Research

• Fibromyalgia. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/fibromyalgia.htm on November 2, 2015.
• Moustafa I & Diab A. (2015, July). The addition of upper cervical manipulative therapy in the treatment of patients with fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial. Rheumatology International;35(7):1163-74.

Regrettably, quite a few of our Springfield, MA patients know the pain caused by a herniated disc all too well. On a positive note, Dr. Michael Delson has helped many people with disc pain, and a number of scientific studies have verified that chiropractic care can help people recover from this kind of condition.

Research on Herniated Discs and Chiropractic

In one study, a group of doctors from Switzerland selected 148 patients who were dealing with pain in their low back and legs due to a disc herniation (which was confirmed through magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI). Each person then received chiropractic adjustments that focused on the location of his or her disc problem.

Results were gathered after the preliminary treatment session at set intervals--namely, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year--to ascertain what kind of short-term and long-term effects, if any, chiropractic offers when it comes to resolving this particular problem. Among the data collected was the individual's self-reported changes in both lumbar and leg pain.

Investigators found that, overall, the patients reported "significant improvement" for both types of pain every time the results were collected. In fact, over 90% of the individuals stated that their pain "improved" within the first three months, with 88% still citing improvement one year after their first treatment session.

Even those test subjects who were defined as "chronic" still reported an improvement in pain at a rate of 89% one year beyond when treatment first began. This is the same positive result that was found in the following case study.

Disc Herniation and Chiropractic: A Case Study

In this paper, a 26-year-old man had presented with disc herniation symptoms such as pain in the lower back, left leg, and left groin area, along with left foot drop and muscle weakness. He had suffered with these symptoms for more than two years after sustaining a sports injury, and his disc herniation was confirmed via MRI.

After receiving chiropractic, "The patient responded favorably and his multi-symptom complex resolved within 90 days of treatment." Furthermore, the patient was still experiencing relief one year after the chiropractic intervention.

Studies like these show how beneficial chiropractic can be when it comes to alleviating herniated disc pain and treating the symptoms they produce. So, if you are suffering from back ache caused by a herniated disc and want to find some relief, chiropractic can be an effective solution.

Don't suffer from chronic herniated disc pain. Give our Springfield, MA office a call today at (413) 788-4464 for a consultation or appointment.

References

• Leemann S, Peterson CK, Schmid C, Anklin B, Humphreys BK. Outcomes of acute and chronic patients with magnetic resonance imaging-confirmed symptomatic lumbar disc herniations receiving high-velocity, low-amplitude, spinal manipulative therapy: a prospective observational cohort study with one-year follow-up. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2014;37(3):155-163.
• Polkinghorn BS, Colloca CJ. Treatment of symptomatic lumbar disc herniation using activator methods chiropractic technique. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1998;21(3):187-196.
  

Dr. Michael Delson sees a lot of patients struggling with carpal tunnel syndrome in our busy Springfield, MA chiropractic office. While some people think that the origin of this wrist-related pain is muscular, it's really a syndrome that stems from the nerves--and not just the nerves in your hands.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Recent research printed in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy assessed 71 women between the ages of 35 and 59 who were diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. Upon studying the subjects' neck range of motion, the researchers discovered that the patients had reduced cervical mobility when compared to a healthy control group.

In addition, they also observed that the degree of the women's reported carpal tunnel discomfort was related to the lateral flexion of the cervical spine. In other words, the less mobility in the neck area, the greater the level of pain.

This study is very important, as you cannot successfully address a problem until you fully understand its cause. By recognizing that the root of carpal tunnel symptoms is in the neck, this means that all-natural approaches such as chiropractic can often restore normal function, reducing the need for risky surgery.

If you have carpal tunnel pain, call our Springfield, MA location and ask how Dr. Michael Delson can help you get relief!

Sources

De-la-Llave-Rincon A et al. (2011, May). Women with carpal tunnel syndrome show restricted cervical range of motion. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy;41(5):305-10.
Simon H. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. University of Maryland Medical Center. Updated May 6, 2012. Retrieved from https://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/carpal-tunnel-syndrome on November 2, 2015.

We see quite a few patients with back pain in our Springfield, MA practice, and Dr. Michael Delson has been able to help a lot of them get relief with chiropractic. At the same time, dealing with back problems doesn't necessarily mean having to decide between chiropractic care and medical care, as many individuals utilize both types of care with great results.

Study Confirms Chiropractic and Medical Treatment Work Well with Each Other

In a report published by the journal Spine investigators¹ looked at a group of active-duty military personnel between the ages of 18 and 35 who claimed both acute soreness and limited function due to back symptoms. Some of the patients engaged in treatment via standard medical care, while the rest received chiropractic adjustments together with standard medical care, as researchers wanted to see which group fared better.

The authors discovered that the patients who got standard medical care in combination with chiropractic scored "significantly better" than the patients who received medical care alone; 73 percent reported positive benefits in comparison to just 17% of the medical care only group who indicated the same amount of improvement. This was true regarding both pain and level of function at two and four weeks.

Accordingly, integrating these two forms of care can greatly benefit you--the patient--offering advantages when compared to medical care alone. However, while chiropractic and medicine can work alongside each other, chiropractic offers some unique strengths over medical therapy.

Where Chiropractic Care Is Successful

Although it may seem as if each method plays a 50/50 role, there is one major advantage that chiropractic has over medical care and that is in patient satisfaction. In fact, one bit of research from UCLA² that was printed in the American Journal of Public Health found that, on average, chiropractic patients are generally more satisfied with their recovery than people undergoing medical care.

According to the experts, the main factors that patients liked over medical care were "self-care advice and explanation of treatment." This isn't unexpected, as chiropractors commonly spend much more time consulting with their patients as to how they can improve their health on their own, as well as explaining more thoroughly what to expect from chiropractic.

Chiropractic Offers a Non-Invasive Approach

Certainly, the strategies associated with chiropractic are very different than those offered with medical care, but a large amount of the difference is the fact that chiropractic is a holistic approach to health and wellness. In contrast to focusing on only relieving the symptoms, chiropractic means tracking down the root cause of your pain, which often translates to greater improvement as you are addressing the problem at its source.

In addition, while medication is sometimes helpful for managing certain conditions, many health issues respond well to a natural approach like chiropractic care. This means fewer negative responses to medications and lasting recovery.

You don't have to endure back pain or other health problems. Give our Springfield, MA office a call today at (413) 788-4464. We'll do our best to help you get and stay free from back pain.

References

1. Goertz CM, Long CR, Hondras MA, Petri R, Delgado R, Lawrence DJ, Owens EF, Meeker WC. Adding chiropractic manipulative therapy to standard medical care for patients with acute low back pain: results of a pragmatic randomized comparative effectiveness study. Spine 2013;38(8):627-634.
2. Hertzman-Miller RP1, Morgenstern H, Hurwitz EL, Yu F, Adams AH, Harber P, Kominski GF. Comparing the satisfaction of low back pain patients randomized to receive medical or chiropractic care: results from the UCLA low-back pain study. American Journal of Public Health 2002;92(10):1628-1633.

If you live in Springfield, MA and you've been in a car accident, you have to know that you don't have to suffer from chronic symptoms.

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps With Chronic Pain after an Auto Injury

We deal with a lot of auto injury sufferers in our Springfield, MA office, and many of these folks are suffering from chronic pain caused by an old crash. In fact, research shows that a significant proportion of rear-end accidents cause pain and disability even ten years after the original trauma.

Dr. Michael Delson is here to help you avoid developing chronic pain by helping to restore the natural function of your spine soon after a crash.

The most common causes of chronic pain are reduced mobility of your spine and the formation of scar tissue in your spine. The ligaments of your neck and back can easily be injured during a crash, and chiropractic works by reducing inflammation and restoring normal motion.

We Can Help With Chronic Pain and Auto Injury Recovery

If you're nearby our Springfield, MA office, and you've been hurt in a crash, don't wait to get attention. Dr. Michael Delson is here for you. Give us a call today at (413) 788-4464 for an appointment or for more information.

Most of us suffer from lower back pain at some point in our lives. Experts estimate that nearly 1 out of 3 adults deal with some kind of regular spinal pain. Dr. Michael Delson and our talented staff see many back pain cases in our Springfield, MA office, and we've found that chiropractic care is a highly effective way to not only help you recover from back pain, it's also an excellent way to avoid future problems.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps With Chronic Back Pain

A recent paper from the University of Utah confirms what our Springfield, MA patients have reported: your Springfield, MA chiropractor is the best first option for an episode of back pain.

In this article, 747 participants were treated for low back pain. Each patient was evaluated based on the first person they sought treatment with, whether it was a primary care physician, a chiropractor, or a physiotherapist.

What the authors discovered is that the subjects who first saw a chiropractor had fewer advanced imaging tests and fewer surgical procedures.

Other papers have found the same results. A 2012 study found that chiropractic patients had the best functional recovery and pain relief for chronic back pain.

Chiropractic works by restoring the natural, pain-free function of your spine. Dr. Michael Delson and our team help your body heal with gentle chiropractic adjustments that don't use drugs or risky surgical procedures.

Dr. Michael Delson Can Help Clients Find Comfort From Back Pain

If you live near our Springfield, MA office and would like to get out of pain, give our office a call today at (413) 788-4464 for an appointment.

Reference

Fritz JM, Kim J, Dorius J. Importance of the type of provider seen to begin health care for a new episode of low back pain: associations with future utilization and costs. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice. 2015(Sep 29).

Cecchi F, et al. Predictors of functional outcome in patients with chronic low back pain undergoing back school, individual physiotherapy or spinal manipulation. European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine 2012;48:371-8.

Jaw pain is a fairly typical condition experienced by people after a car crash, and it can be tough for some doctors to identify the root of the problem. Complicating the issue, many times you won't develop TMJ pain until many weeks or months after the incident.

Dr. Michael Delson has helped many individuals with jaw pain after an injury, and the scientific literature explains what triggers these types of symptoms. During a collision, the tissues in your spine are oftentimes stretched or torn, causing ligament, muscle, or nerve damage. This can clearly cause pain in the neck and back, but since your nervous system is one functioning unit, irritation of the nerves can cause issues in other parts of your body.

For example, with radicular pain, irritation of a nerve can cause tingling or pins and needles in the arm or hand. Similarly, it can affect parts of your body above the injured area, like your head and jaw. Headaches after a collision are very common because of neck injury, and the jaw works the same way. Dr. Michael Delson sees this very frequently in our Springfield, MA office.

Research Supports Chiropractic Lessens TMJ Pain After an Auto Injury

Research indicates that the source of many jaw or TMJ symptoms originates in the neck and that treatment of the underlying neck injury can fix the secondary headaches or jaw symptoms. The secret to dealing with these symptoms is simple: Dr. Michael Delson will work to restore your spinal column back to health, reducing the inflammatory reaction, treating the injured areas, and eliminating the irritation to the nerves in your spine.

Dr. Michael Delson finds that jaw and headache issues often resolve once we restore your spine to its healthy state.

If you reside in Springfield, MA and you've been injured in a crash, Dr. Michael Delson can help. We've been treating auto injury patients since 1996, and we can most likely help you, too. Give our office a call today at (413) 788-4464 for an appointment or consultation.

Ciancaglini R, Testa M, Radaelli G. Association of neck pain with symptoms of temporomandibular dysfunction in the general adult population. Scandinavian Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine 1999;31:17-22.

Brantingham JW, Cassa TK, Bonnefin D, Pribicevic M, Robb A, et al. Manipulative and multimodal therapy for upper extremity and temporomandibular disorders: a system review. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2013;36(3):143-201.

The latest statistics show that there are over 500,000 spinal surgeries annually in the US. Although sometimes it's necessary to have back surgery, the fact is that if you can prevent this type of invasive procedure, you're often better off.

Dr. Michael Delson is here to make sure that people in Springfield, MA have a healthy, non-surgical option for back problems. We've helped many patients recover from back pain without the need for surgery.

There are countless reasons to avoid unnecessary medical treatments: Surgeries often result in a longer recuperation time and complications, neither of which is a desirable scenario. Fortunately, as one study has found, chiropractic may actually keep you off the surgeon's table completely.

Research Proves Chiropractic Care Helps Avoid Back Surgery

In this study, 1,885 workers with back injuries were assessed over a three year period. When the workers first sought care with a surgeon, over 42 percent ended up having back surgery. For patients who saw only a chiropractor, only 1.5 percent had surgery!

These findings mean that chiropractic care can help you recover from back pain without surgical treatments.

If you live in the Springfield, MA area, Dr. Michael Delson can probably help you with your back pain. Give our office a call today at (413) 788-4464 for more information or an appointment.

Keeney BJ, Fulton-Kehoe D, Turner JA, et al. 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.

Approximately 2.3 million people are hurt each year in car accidents in the U.S. While some people are able to recover from their injuries fairly easily, others are left to deal with chronic pain and disability. We see many of these patients here in our Springfield, MA office. Fortunately, Dr. Michael Delson is here to help you recover from your auto injury.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps Prevent Chronic Pain After an Auto Accident

The science confirms what we see in our office: A British study was carried out on 28 men and women diagnosed with chronic whiplash syndrome. Each participant received chiropractic care and 93 percent of them experienced improvements following their adjustments, even though 43 percent of whiplash sufferers overall usually never find relief. This confirms that chiropractic is a great way to avoid long-term pain after an auto injury.

It's important to note that research has also found that putting off treatment after a car crash can negatively affect recovery time, so getting in to see Dr. Michael Delson at the earliest opportunity is key to having a quicker recovery.

We Can Help People Find Relief From Pain After a Car crash

Dr. Michael Delson has helped many auto injury patients, and we're here to help you, too. Call our Springfield, MA office today for more information or an appointment.

Resources

• Association for Safe International Road Travel. Retrieved from http://asirt.org/initiatives/informing-road-users/road-safety-facts/road-crash-statistics
• Dies S & Strapp J. (1992, September). Chiropractic treatment of patients in motor vehicle accidents: a statistical analysis. The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, 36(3), 139-145.
• Woodward M et al. (1996, November). Chiropractic treatment of chronic 'whiplash' injuries. Injury, 27(9), 643-645.