It is important to note that chiropractic care is NOT a treatment for any specific health condition. Correcting spinal nerve and joint stress caused by vertebral subluxations allows the body to access its full innate healing capacity.

As a result of restoring optimum nerve function many health conditions and various symptoms often disappear as the body heals itself

Listed here are various health conditions illustrating the power of the human body to overcome illness and pain without drugs and or surgery. These conditions usually respond well to Chiropractic care.

Some conditions, however, do need medical care and receiving chiropractic care should not be considered a complete substitute for medical treatment when it is needed.

Click on the condition to see a brief description of the problem and to learn how Chiropractic care can help.

ADHD

ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a term used to describe a behavior pattern in young children that includes inattentiveness, the inability to sit or remain calm for extended periods, and sometimes impulsive or disruptive behavior.

The causes of ADHD are debated, but diet, allergies, psychological factors, and nerve system irritation are often implicated. Medical treatment by mood altering drugs such as Ritalin has many undesirable side effects and the safety of long term use is seriously questioned by many authorities.

Clinical experience has shown that chiropractic care can be beneficial in normalizing nervous system function which has a positive effect on many children with ADHD.

Any child who displays ADHD symptoms should be given a chiropractic evaluation to detect the presence of vertebral subluxations.

ALLERGIES

The body’s immune system is designed to allow us to function amidst the many bacteria viruses, molds, pollens, and toxic chemicals that assault us everyday. A delicate balance between action and reaction must be maintained for us to enjoy good health.

The nervous system regulates the immune system function and proper nerve function must be maintained so that this can occur. Vertebral subluxations in the spine can disrupt this harmonious balance and can cause the body to undergo an allergic reaction in response to an environmental agent.

Clinical experience has shown that a regular program of chiropractic care can be effective in decreasing the incidence and severity of allergy attacks.

Dr. Rajeckas has some patients under his care who no longer suffer from frequent, regular bouts of seasonal allergy symptoms. Many of these patients are children as well as adults.

ARM and LEG PAIN

A very common complaint that we see in our office is arm pain and numbness. Because nerves originating from the neck radiate down the shoulder and arm, any nerve pressure in the neck can cause those symptoms.

A vertebral subluxation complex in the cervical spine (neck) creates irritation, disc bulging (even herniation) and inflammation that can result in tingling, numbness, and pain in the arm right down to the fingers.

Dr Rajeckas recently treated a patient this past fall who was suffering from arm and hand pain and tingling which was not responding to either physical therapy or medication.

After careful, analysis, Dr. Rajeckas determined that the cause of the problem was a vertebral subluxation causing irritation of the sixth spinal nerve. After a series of spinal adjustments, the subluxation was corrected and the patient became asymptomatic.

This is representative of the hundreds of patients Dr. Rajeckas has helped with the same or similar conditions.

ARTHRITIS

The word arthritis, by definition, means “inflamed joint” and it encompasses a variety of conditions that affect the joints and associated connective tissues in the human body.

Perhaps most common of the arthritic conditions is known as osteoarthritis which affects the bones and joints of the body such as the spine, knees, shoulders and hips.

Chiropractic clinical experience has shown that correcting the vertebral subluxation in the spine can improve joint flexibility, reduce inflammation, and slow down or even arrest future degenerative changes.

It appears that the nerve and joint irritation that occurs from a vertebral subluxation initiates and promotes degenerative changes such as calcium deposition, thinning and bulging (herniation) of intervertebral discs, and general weakening of ligaments, tendons, and muscles of the spine, knees, shoulders and hips.

It is important to note that the pain suffered by arthritis patients is often caused by an underlying vertebral subluxation. Correction of the subluxation often relieves the pain even though the arthritic degenerative changes are still present. Often times the patient’s use of anti inflammatory pain medications is greatly reduced or even eliminated as well.

ASTHMA

Asthma is a chronic disorder that is characterized by wheezing, coughing, difficulty in breathing, and a suffocating feeling. The nerve supply to the lungs, diaphragm and associated tissues can be directly affected by vertebral subluxation in the cervical (neck) and upper back (thoracic) spine. Correction of subluxations in these regions can often result in an improvement in air flow, reduction in medications, and a general lessening of symptoms. Several clinical studies have demonstrated an overall improvement in asthma patients. Children with asthma should especially have their spines checked for subluxations. Dr. Rajeckas has had a female asthmatic patient in her mid forties who after long term chiropractic care was able to discontinue taking Prednisone after being on it for many years.

BED WETTING

Bed wetting, especially in children, is a condition that has responded well to chiropractic care.

The bladder and the surrounding muscles which control and regulate urine flow are controlled by nerves which exit the spine in the lumbar and sacral regions. Vertebral subluxations in these regions can impair normal function of these muscles resulting in loss of urine control while sleeping.

Dr. Rajeckas has had several patients who overcame this condition including a 10 year old girl who was wetting her bed practically every night. After a series of spinal adjustments her problem cleared up and never returned.

BRAIN FOG

Many people complain about a vague but common symptom picture that goes something like this - “tired, groggy all the time, unable to concentrate, moody, “spaced out”, etc. Sound familiar? All of us have certainly felt this way at one time or another. Sometimes this is called “brain fog” . There are many possible causes for feeling like this and some of those include lack of sleep, overwork, stress, low blood sugar, allergies, etc.

But what all of these causes have in common is that they all can stress your body and specifically your nervous system. Chiropractic research has found that any stressor (or stress agent) will eventually cause a reaction in the body which results in a vertebral subluxation. A vertebral subluxation is a region of the spine that becomes abnormally fixated and results in nerve and joint irritation.

What many chiropractic researchers now believe is that when a subluxation occurs in the neck (which is very common - most people have one, whether they have pain or not), it seems to decrease the amount of blood that flows to the brain. This slight but significant decrease of blood flow is not enough to cause the destruction of brain tissue but it can result in a whole array of symptoms such as the ones previously mentioned.

After a chiropractic adjustment, many patients experience an increase in mental clarity, a sense of calmness, an increased in energy, improvement of vision, a lifting of the “fog” that they previously felt.

I have personally witnessed these responses hundreds of times and apparently what is happening is that an improvement in blood flow to the brain results in heightened brain function.

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

A very common condition, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is characterized by numbness, tingling, pain and weakness of the wrist, hands, and fingers.

Causes include repetitive motion trauma that inflames the median nerve which travels through a “tunnel” formed by the wrist (carpal) bones.

However, another very common cause of this condition originates in the neck where a vertebral subluxation irritates spinal nerves which travel down the arm to the wrist and hand

Many times both wrist and neck impingement can exist simultaneously resulting in what is known as “double crush” syndrome.

Dr. Rajeckas has had numerous patients with carpal tunnel syndrome that completely cleared up after undergoing chiropractic care consisting of cervical and wrist adjustments that relieved nerve impingement in both the cervical spine and the wrist joint.

CHEST PAIN (Non Cardiac Origin)

Chest pain can have many different causes ranging from heart and lung disease to neuromuscular causes. When sudden chest pain strikes it is important that a heart attack or other emergency conditions such as a collapsed lung be ruled out.

But a more common cause of chest pain could also be a mid thoracic or lower cervical subluxation which affects the chest wall and associated muscles. A nerve irritation or vertebral subluxation in these regions can also transmit pain impulses along the nerves that run under the ribs which create pain in the chest.

Another common problem is a rib subluxation where the rib can misalign where it attaches to the spine. This can cause pain in the chest which can be aggravated by breathing.

Dr. Rajeckas had a case where a middle aged man came to him with severe chest pain that was brought on only when he took a deep breath. After examining him a mid thoracic spinal adjustment was given which immediately relieved his pain.

INFANTILE COLIC

Over its 100 plus year history the chiropractic profession has accumulated a tremendous amount of clinical data regarding the effectiveness of spinal adjustments in a wide variety of health conditions.

One of the conditions that has responded very well is infantile colic. Colic is a condition that 23% of all infants suffer. Colic is defined as uncontrollable crying in babies 0-3 months in age for more than three hours a day, more than three days a week for three weeks.

The good news is that a recent randomized controlled trial done in Denmark shows that chiropractic adjustments are much more effective than the drug dimethicone, which is the drug most often used to help the colic-stricken infants.

Two groups of infants were studied; one with the drug dimethicone and the other with spinal manipulation. After 11 days the spinal manipulation treated infants were crying less than half the time as compared to the drug treated children.

This study clearly shows the superiority of chiropractic care over the use of this particular drug and the overall beneficial effects of chiropractic care on infants. It is important to note that now we have scientific proof that chiropractic care is effective in improving the health of children and can help in conditions other than back and neck pain.

DIGESTION DISTURBANCES

Proper digestive function is dependent upon a variety of key factors including proper nutrition, adequate enzyme production and nerve function.

The autonomic nervous system regulates many vital bodily processes in the body such as breathing, blood flow, and organ function. Research has shown that Vertebral subluxations can have a “somato visceral” effect which means spinal nerve irritation can cause impairment in organ function. This can result in a variety of stomach or digestive symptoms.

A 30 year old policeman who was under Dr. Rajeckas’ care complained of stomach pain which always was accompanied by low back pain. Correction of the subluxation in the lumbar spine eliminated both the low back and stomach pain.

It is interesting to note that previous medical testing could not find any obvious cause of the stomach pain. This illustrates the fact that a full recognition of the effects of vertebral subluxation is still lacking in modem medicine.

Fortunately, this is changing as referrals from medical doctors to chiropractors have greatly increased over recent years.

DISC PROBLEMS

The inter-vertebral spinal disc is the body’s cushion and stabilizer pad which rests between each vertebrae from the top of the neck to the bottom of the spine. Filled with a watery, gel-like substance known as the nucleus pulposus the outer covering of the disc is made up of tough fibers known as annular fibers which keeps the soft contents of the disc protected and intact.

Problems occur when the disc’s outer coating becomes stressed and small tears begin to form which can eventually weaken the wall causing a bulging of the nucleus pulposus that can impinge upon the spinal cord or spinal nerves exiting the spine. This often results in leg pain (sciatica, feet numbness and tingling, and intense pain.

A Vertebral Subluxation can create abnormal spinal joint movement which adversely affects the nerve supply to the disc and its surrounding tissue. This gradual weakening process continues as we age and eventually, if uncorrected, results in disc bulging and herniation.

Modern chiropractic care is quite effective in treating this problem and many patients have been able to avoid surgery after undergoing chiropractic care.

Dr. Rajeckas has successfully helped many disc patients. In a recent case, a 42 year old insurance salesman was able to completely recover from incapacitating leg pain by undergoing a series of adjustments designed to reduce disc swelling and pressure. He was able to cancel a scheduled surgery and has been asymptomatic ever since.

FIBROMYALGIA

Fibromyalgia is a condition characterized by numerous areas of pain throughout the muscles of the body - especially in the neck, shoulders, low back and limbs. Often associated with a condition known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, it mostly affects women. The cause of Fibromyalgia is debated but many researchers feel that faulty digestion and resultant autoimmune reactions in the body result in the numerous hot spots of pain in various muscles.

Another factor in Fibromyalgia is the effects of vertebral subluxations which can manifest in irritation and spasm of muscle tissue.

Dr. Rajeckas recently treated a middle aged woman (see testimonials) with chronic Fibromyalgia who responded very well under a combination of chiropractic care and nutritional support.

Anyone suffering from Fibromyalgia should undergo a chiropractic examination to detect and eliminate vertebral subluxations which can play a large causative role in this condition.

FOOT PAIN

The foot is comprised of a network of bones, tendons, and ligaments which are designed to withstand an incredible amount of stress and wear and tear on a daily basis.

Occasionally, one of these bones known as a tarsal bone can shift and subluxate creating foot pain. Chiropractic extremity adjustive technique can then be utilized to safely and gently realign the foot structure which relieves the pain and pressure.

Last year, Dr Rajeckas treated a young competitive swimmer who complained of extreme ankle and foot pain in his left foot. After a specific extremity adjustment to the foot, the pain in the young man’s foot was greatly relieved. If an extremity adjustment is not indicated however, then a referral to a podiatrist is necessary.

HEADACHES/MIGRAINES

Perhaps one of the most common conditions that I see in my practice is headaches. Migraines, sinus, tension ¡V every type of headache that there is has responded to chiropractic care and in many cases total elimination of the headaches occurs.

They reason why chiropractic care helps headache sufferers is that nerve and joint impingement in the neck is a major cause of referred pain to the head, face, and neck.

Removing this nerve and joint impingement with the spinal adjustment safely and effectively eliminates the nerve imposes that generate the pain in the head. In fact research has shown that many headaches are cervicogenic : caused by and originating in the neck.

Chiropractors have helped and continue to help millions of people worldwide with safe effective and drug free approaches to this universal malady. If you have headaches, give yourself a benefit of a chiropractic examination by a Doctor of Chiropractic. Only he/she can tell you whether you have spinal subluxations which could be causing your headache.

Don¡¦t just keeping pain medication without giving yourself a chance to get to the true cause of you headaches.

KNEE PAIN

Knee pain can have a variety of causes and may require diagnostic testing to arrive at an especially at an accurate diagnosis, especially if a torn meniscus or damaged ligament is suspected.

However, in chiropractic clinical practice, many cases of knee pain can be related to two major causes: 1) Nerve pressure caused by lumbo-pelvic subluxation which radiates to the knee and causes unequal leg length differences. 2) An actual subluxation (misalignment) of the knee joint which can cause pain and pressure.

In our practice, we have helped hundreds of patients whose knee pain was caused by either of these two problems. Depending on which cause is involved the specific spinal or extremity adjustment procedure can be safely, gently, and effectively delivered.

LOW BACK PAIN

Over 100 million people a year suffer from some degree of low back pain. In fact, low back pain is only outranked by the common cold as the chief cause of employee absenteeism.

The low back, or lumbar spine, is an amazing architectural marvel which is designed for both flexibility and stability. The five lumbar vertebrae and the inter-vertebral discs between them protect the spinal cord which carries nerve impulses from the brain to all of the organs, muscles, bones, blood vessels, and tissues in the lower half of our body.

Everyday life stress agents such as lack of exercise, excessive sitting, stress, tension, and accidents and falls all adversely affect the structure and alignment of our lumbar spine.

A vertebral subluxation can occur in the lumbar spine when the normal stability of spinal alignment is thrown out of balance by muscular imbalance and irritation. This condition can adversely affect the normal motion and strength and integrity of the vertebrae, discs, ligaments, and tendons resulting in pain, spasm, organ dysfunction, and disc herniation and deterioration.

A government study in 1994 revealed that Chiropractic care is very effective in stopping and even reversing this process so that pain can be relieved and normal function restored without the use of drugs or surgery. In fact, the study showed that chiropractic spinal adjustments were more effective in eliminating low back pain than either drug therapy or physical therapy.

MID BACK PAIN

Many people complain of pain originating in the mid back which can affect their ability to move, bend, and take a deep breath.

Mid back pain is often caused by subluxation in the thoracic and cervical spine. Chiropractic adjustments are very effective in releasing the nerve and join pressure that accompanies a subluxation.

Many vital organs receive their nerve supply from nerves that exit the spine in the thoracic (mid back) region. Keeping this region clear of nerve irritation allows for optimum organ function.

MIDDLE EAR INFECTION (OTITIS MEDIA)

One of the most common (and painful) conditions of childhood, ear infections (otitis media) are very well known to parents everywhere.

Chiropractic clinical experience has demonstrated that there is a very strong correlation between the integrity of the cervical spine and the normal functioning of the ear and the Eustachian tube which drains the ear.

Subluxations in the cervical spine can cause impairment in the lymphatic drainage of the ear and head which can result in a stagnation of fluid and any bacteria that may be present. This often begins a cycle of infection, antibiotic treatment, reinfection. Unfortunately, the repeated use of antibiotics often causes stronger and more resistant bacteria to proliferate. The subsequent repeated use of antibiotics can also have a deleterious effect on a young child’s digestive tract and developing immune system.

Correction of spinal subluxations restores the normal lymphatic drainage and often ends the cycle of repeated ear infections.

In our clinic, we have had many cases of recurrent ear infection which have improved under safe, gentle chiropractic care. Many of these children never contracted an ear infection again.

NECK PAIN

One of the most common regions of pain in the human body is the

neck. Our neck is a true marvel of nature’s engineering. Made up of seven (7) cervical vertebrae and a complex network of nerves, ligaments, muscles, blood vessels and glands, the neck, or cervical spine, is the most flexible region of the spine.

The cervical spine performs a delicate balancing act by supporting the brain and skull. If any imbalance occurs in the cervical spine such as in a vertebral subluxation, then many aspects of nerve and muscle function are adversely affected. This can result in many symptoms, especially pain.

Fortunately, chiropractic spinal adjustments are very effective in eliminating neck pain and spasm by realigning the cervical spine. Patients of all ages ranging from children to senor citizens can benefit from the different types of spinal corrective care available today.

RECURRENT RESPIRATION INFECTIONS

The lungs and their surrounding tissues include the lymph nodes, blood vessels, pleura, alveoli. It is an amazing system of oxygen and blood exchange in which our bodies constantly exchange fresh life giving oxygen for carbon dioxide, the by-product of respiration.

Vital nerve channels feed and control the various tissues of the body. These nerve pathways begin in the spinal cord and they branch out through the spinal nerves to eventually reach the lungs.

Subluxation can create nerve irritation in these nerves and as a result can impair normal function. This can lead to recurrent respiratory problems.

Chiropractic clinical experience has demonstrated improved lung function, decreased incidence in lung infections, and faster recovery rates from lung infections.

SCIATICA (Leg Pain)

Sciatica is a very painful condition characterized by pain radiating down the buttocks, leg, and foot. Ranging in intensity from mild to disabling, sciatica affects people of all ages.

Many cases of sciatica are caused by pressure and irritation of several spinal nerves that exit the lower lumber spine and travel down the buttocks and leg. These nerves join together and form the sciatic nerve which, aside from the spinal cord, is the largest nerve bundle in the human body.

The most common causes of nerve pressure and irritation are spinal subluxations, herniated or bulging discs, and arthritic calcium deposits, and entrapment by deep muscle spasms.

Chiropractic care is very effective in releasing pinched or irritated nerves and joints. A program of corrective spine adjustments can reduce the severity of disc herniation, muscle spasm, and restore normal joint motion in the spine and pelvis.

In our practice, we have successfully treated hundreds of sciatica patients.

SCOLIOSIS

Scoliosis is a condition characterized by a lateral curving of the spine which in advanced cases can lead to postural distortions and compression of organs.

Usually beginning in childhood, the causes of scoliosis are not known and no clear consensus exists in the scientific/medical community.

Chiropractic clinical experience has shown that specific regular chiropractic adjustments have been successful in reducing the severity of scoliosis and the effects of the curative which include neck, mid back, and low back pain.

It is especially important for young children to be screened for subluxation, so that proper spine growth and development can be ensured.

SHOULDER PAIN AND BURSITIS

A very common painful condition that affects many people is shoulder pain. Different causes of shoulder pain include ligament and cartilage tears, muscle and tendon sprains, bursitis, and vertebral subluxation. The last mentioned cause, vertebral subluxation, occurs when misaligned vertebrae in the neck and spine create nerve pressure and irritation. This irritation impairs normal blood and nerve flow in the shoulder tissues which can result in swelling, irritation, and weakness of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, bursa, and lymph tissue in the shoulder joint.

A person suffering from a vertebral subluxation may not necessarily notice any pain in the neck, but may experience symptoms that refer out to more distant locations in the body, such as the shoulder. Correction of the subluxation through proper chiropractic care eliminates the shoulder symptoms.

Another possible cause of shoulder pain is a subluxation in the shoulder joint itself. This can cause irritation on the tissues in and around the shoulder joint. An extremity adjustment of the shoulder is often very effective in restoring pain free motion.

Bursitis is a very painful inflammation of the bursa, which is a fluid filled sack in the shoulder joint, and can cause severe restriction of shoulder movement. Spinal adjustments are very effective in restoring normal nerve supply to the bursa which allows inflammation and pain to decrease. Dr Rajeckas has had great success in many cases of shoulder pain originally diagnosed as bursitis

SINUS PROBLEMS

The sinus cavities of the head and face are often sites of congestion, inflammation, and infection. Common medical treatment for sinus problems include antibiotics and antihistamines

Chiropractic clinical experience has shown that the correction of subluxations in the upper and mid cervical spine is often accompanied by a drainage and “clearing” of the sinus cavities. This may be due to the fact that the upper cervical spinal nerves are intimately related to the tissues of the head, neck, and face.

In fact, some patients have experienced an almost immediate opening or clearing of congested sinuses after receiving a spinal adjustment.

SOFT TISSUE INJURIES

Whenever someone experiences a strain or sprain from a fall, a sports injury, or an accident, there is often irritation and damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This is called soft tissue damage. Depending on the severity of the injury, inflammation, swelling, and pain will result. Joint motion becomes restricted and sometimes even impossible.

Clinical experience has shown that some degree of joint restriction and subluxation occur with practically all strains and sprains of the neck, mid and low back. Correcting these subluxations improves the circulation and drainage of the muscles, tendons, ligaments and lymphatic tissue. This reduces healing time, accelerates recovery and ensures a return to normal function.

Chiropractic spinal adjustments are also imperative for recovery from soft tissue injury caused by auto accident induced whiplash.

VERTIGO (Dizziness)

Vertigo is a rather common but distressing condition characterized by dizziness and loss of balance. Some causes may include inner ear infections, drug reactions, blood sugar abnormalities, vision imbalances, and even brain tumors.

However, another common cause that is often overlooked by the medical community is a vertebral subluxation in the neck which can trigger abnormal nerve impulses that can result in the symptoms of dizziness, nausea, and loss of balance.

Often patients who seek chiropractic care for vertigo have already undergone a battery of tests to rule out other possible causes. Typically, they are then given medication without any definitive explanation as to origin or cause of the problem.

A thorough spinal examination can often detect a vertebral subluxation complex in the neck that may play a major role in this condition.

Dr. Rajeckas had a 50 year old male patient under his care who was suffering from extreme vertigo to the point where he could not even go shopping without stumbling and suddenly losing his balance. Medical testing and diagnostic imaging failed to reveal any positive findings and he sought chiropractic care as a last resort.

After undergoing a program of corrective chiropractic care, his symptoms totally vanished and never returned.

WHIPLASH

Whiplash is the term given to an injury that occurs most commonly when a person in a vehicle is a rear-ended by another vehicle. While it can affect the lower back, the most frequently involved area of the body is the neck.

Hyper-acceleration de-acceleration injury (the medical term for whiplash), occurs when the force of the vehicle striking the second vehicle suddenly and violently “whips” the neck backwards and forward damaging ligaments, tendons, muscles, nerves and joints in the neck or low back.

Whiplash often causes vertebral subluxations (misaligned vertebrae) which create various symptoms such as neck pain, stiffness, headache, dizziness, and even mood and energy changes. Chiropractic care consisting of spinal adjustments and soft tissue therapy such as massage is extremely effective in restoring normal joint positioning, movement, and allowing for maximal healing and recovery to take place.

Anyone who has suffered an automobile injury, especially being rear-ended, should seriously consider a chiropractic evaluation.