Dr. Charles W. Armour

When you have an acute condition that occurs after trauma (the fall), heat is not indicated. Heat will most likely increase inflammation and swelling. Ice would be more appropriate to help reduce swelling and some inflammation. (Inflammation must occur for proper healing, so don't overdo it with ice, no more than 10 minutes at a time with at least 1/2 hour between applications.) Of course, the best thing to do is to see your chiropractor or other healthcare professional for an exam to determine the extent of injury and best course of action. If you cannot walk due to the level of pain or have ANY changes to bowel or bladder function, CALL 911.

Many times, GERD symptoms can be caused by other conditions that your chiropractor can help with. Hiatal hernias can be repositioned, low stomach acid (can result in the same symptoms as GERD) can be treated with a supplement. An exam followed by a trial course of care from your chiropractor could be a first alternative to drug therapy.

Sciatic pain can be caused by several conditions. You may have a spinal disc issue that can be treated in several ways. You may have nerve entrapment of the sciatic nerve within the Piriformis muscle, also treatable. There may be a soft tissue mass putting pressure on the nerve roots causing your pain. A thorough exam can help identify what condition is most likely and the treatment appropriate to that condition would be discussed with you during your visit. It is possible that chiropractic care can help your condition, however without an exam it would be impossible to tell. The pain can return after any treatment, whether chiropractic or allopathic in nature.

Myofascia (myo-muscle fascia- the membrane that defines a particular muscle or muscle group and provides the ability of one muscle to contract and slide over other muscles). Myofascial pain syndrome is considered to be chronic. This syndrome may occur after repetitive use of a muscle or muscle group, perhaps from her job (if she works) or from hobbies that use repetitive motion. Another cause can be stress resulting in muscle tension. Trigger points in the muscle cause pain signals to be generated. Many times, this pain may also be felt in (seemingly) unrelated areas of the body along myofascial plane lines These plane lines connect muscle groups together and the existing trigger points cause tension in the fascia, in turn causing the referred pain in associated areas. Pain symptoms related to myofascial pain syndrome typically remain constant or worsen over time. Relaxation techniques can help if the pain is induced by stress-related tension.

Here are some alternative care therapies that can help reduce or eliminate the pain:
            Manual trigger point therapy
            Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization of the tissues
            Myofascial Release Technique (MFR)
            Some massage techniques
            Cupping

Allopathic resources include:
            Trigger point injections
            Pain medications
            Physical Therapy