Can Chiropractic help with Heel Spurs/Bone Spurs?

 

 Basic Bone Spur Facts 

 

• A bone spur is a tiny pointed outgrowth of bone.

• Bone spurs are usually caused by local inflammation, such as from degenerative arthritis or tendonitis.
• Bone spurs develop in areas of inflammation or injury of nearby cartilage or tendons.
• Bone spurs may or may not cause symptoms. When they do cause symptoms, the symptoms depend on their location.
• Bone spurs can be associated with pain, numbness, tenderness, and weakness if they are irritating adjacent tissues.
• Bone spurs are detected by radiologic testing, such as with plain X-rays, ultrasound imaging, MRI scan, CT scan, and myelograms.
• Bone spurs are treated only if they are causing symptoms. Initial treatment is directed toward decreasing inflammation and avoiding reinjury when possible.

What causes bone spurs?
Bone spurs are usually caused by local inflammation, such as from degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis) or tendinitis. This inflammation stimulates the cells that form bone to deposit bone in this area, eventually leading to a bony prominence or spur. For example, inflammation of the ligament that surrounds a degenerating disc between the vertebrae (the bony building blocks of the spine) is a very common cause of bone spurs of the spine. Inflammation of the Achilles tendon can lead to the formation of a bone spur at the back of the heel bone (calcaneus bone). Inflammation of the tissue on the bottom of the foot, plantar fasciitis, can lead to a bone spur at the underside of the heel bone. These bone spurs are sometimes referred to as heel spurs. A bone spur is medically referred to as an osteophyte.
 

Where do bone spurs occur? Bone spurs develop in areas of inflammation or injury in nearby cartilage or tendons. Common locations for bone spurs are in the back, or sole, of the heel bone of the foot, around joints that have degenerated cartilage, and in the spine adjacent to degenerated discs.

What are symptoms of bone spurs? Bone spurs may or may not cause symptoms. When they do cause symptoms, the symptoms depend on their location. Bone spurs can be associated with pain, numbness, and tenderness if they are irritating adjacent tissues, such as skin, fat pads, nerves, or tendons.

Heel spurs cause local foot pain, tenderness, and sometimes swelling. This can lead to difficulty walking due to pain at the bottom of the foot with weight-bearing. Sometimes there is accompanying inflammation of the entire bottom of the foot (plantar fasciitis) when the heel spur occurs in the bottom of the heel bone. Occasionally, bone spurs in this location are a result of inflammatory arthritis, such as from reactive arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH or Forrestier's disease).

Spurs in the spine can pinch adjacent nerves to cause numbness, tingling, and pain as well as weakness in the area of the body supplied by the affected nerve.
Some bone spurs do not cause symptoms and are incidentally detected by X-ray tests that are performed for other reasons. These spurs may have formed because of past injury to nearby tissues, such as tendons, that caused local inflammation of the bone, leading to the development of the bone spur.

How are bone spurs diagnosed? Bone spurs are detected by radiologic testing, such as with plain X-rays, ultrasound imaging, MRI scan, CT scan, and myelograms.

REFERENCE:Fauci, Anthony S., et al. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2008

 

 

How can a Chiropractor help with Heel Spurs and Bone Spurs?

 

A chiropractor will assess your spine and other joints to see if there is misalignment and interference with nerve function (subluxation).  If a subluxation is present, the doctor will then remove the interference by adjusting the joint.  Once normal function and nerve flow are restored, the pain from the heel spur will reduce or go away completely.  This will most likely take more than one visit. 

At home, it is your job to take steps to reduce inflammation in your body to prevent future bone spur development.  This would include drinking plenty of water (at least 64 oz per day) and also eliminating any dietary causes of inflammation such as excess sugar intake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you believe in germs?

Well, we know germs (bacteria and viruses) exist, but do they cause all disease?  The real question is: Why do some people get sick while other don't?

For example, let's say we have a group exposed to the same salmonella contaminated batch of spinach.  We have some people that die, some that get diarrhea, some that vomit, and some that experience no problems at all.

Why do they each experience different things?  What is the difference between the people that die and those that have no problems?

Typically the people who die from some bacteria or virus have compromised immune systems.  Basically, their bodies aren't working like they are supposed.  While those with no symptoms typically have strong, healthy immune systems.


So I do believe in the existence of germs but not that I will always get sick when exposed to them.  You need fertile soil (your body) for the seed (germ) to be able to flourish.

This week both Dr. Gomez and I have had colds.  We are commonly asked what we do when we get sick.  First, check in and make sure we have been taking care of our bodies with rest, good food, plenty of water and getting adjusted.  I choose not to take any over the counter medications because they suppress symptoms and keep you feeling crappy longer.  What I will take are some extra vitamins to give my immune system a boost and as much extra rest as I can get! 

What do you do to boost your immune system?

How does a skeleton know when it is raining?

It can feel it in it's bones!! Hahaha!

I love corny jokes.  I love laughing in general.  It's so much more productive to laugh than to cry.  Both laughing and crying use the same physiological mechanism to release tension.  It's just more fun to laugh!  Plus, crying makes your face look all blotchy and not too pretty.

I found an article that gives good details about how laughing helps the body regulate itself.  Be sure to check it out here. 

Here are 10 Reasons why laughing is good for you:


1.  Boosts the immune system
2.  Energizes organs
3.  Reduces aggression
4.  Boost your social skills
5.  Manages Pain
6.  Impacts blood sugar levels
7.   Provides a boost of exercise
8.  Improves blood pressure and blood flow
9.  Helps coping skills
10.  Decreases stress


So whatever makes you laugh that deep, gut-busting, tears-in-your-eyes, can't catch your breath laugh, find it and do it everyday!

What's your favorite corny joke?

Is your handbag giving you arthritis?

** I saw this great article on Anatomy in Motion's facebook page and thought I would share it.  I carry a purse that can get quite heavy at times and I feel the effects of that!  Check our their page.  They post some really great articles about the body.

 

 

 

 

Is your handbag going to give you arthritis? Not to mention slipped discs and bad knees? How lugging around a heavy load can put years on your body!
By LAURA TOPHAM

Studies show half of women suffer pain from carrying heavy handbags — and ...now men are also suffering, according to new research by the British Chiropractic Association.

‘Heavy man-bags — weighing, on average, 6.2kg — put unbalanced strain and stress on the body, which can lead to pain, poor posture and health problems,’ says Rishi Loatey, of the British Chiropractic Association. ‘I’ve noticed a spike in patients experiencing pain in the neck and upper back due to carrying around heavy loads more frequently,’ he adds.

There, my movements while walking were recorded and analysed — both with and without my weighty 9lb-plus handbag — to see the effects. The results were startling.

‘Carrying a bag has a huge impact on posture and movement,’ says Bupa physiotherapist Russell Stocker. ‘Though you might not notice it, your body dramatically adapts and compensates. This was even more pronounced when wearing high heels.’

NECK

When you carry a bag, your neck naturally leans away from the load to help carry and balance the weight.

This causes tension on the carrying side of the neck and compression on the opposite side.

‘Craning your neck means increasing the distance between the neck and the shoulder,’ says Russell.

The problem is that this is just where a bundle of nerves come together (forming the brachial plexus) before running into the arm; the strain can lead to neck pain and muscle inflammation.

Over time, this could trigger an ‘acute episode’, he says — the muscles can spasm, restricting movement and causing pain.

SHOULDERS AND BACK

The shoulder bearing the load is rotated backwards and raised all the time, explains Russell.

This affects the muscles running down the upper back, the shoulder blades and those supporting the spine — they tire and spasm.

As Bupa orthopaedic physician Dr Leon Creaney, explains: ‘Fatigued muscles won’t hold the spine correctly, so it will slip into poor posture — slumped with curved back and shoulders.’

Long term, this can lead to painful arthritis in the facet joints. These are tiny joints running all the way along the spine on either side The vertebrae and the discs — the ‘cushions’ of cartilage that sit between the vertebrae — could also be affected. "The side of the body not carrying the bag leans away from it, crunching the lower back on this side, while extending it further on the other,’ adds Russell.

This compresses the vertebrae, wearing them down.

Carrying a heavy bag can, over time, also cause disc degeneration and prolapse, says Dr Creaney. This is when the soft tissue inside the disc ruptures out of it, pressing on the nerves.

‘This can be agonising, and even require surgery’ he explains — ‘and carrying a heavy bag could lead to faster disc degeneration.

‘Bearing a heavy load on one side could also cause the spinal nerves to become irritated or compressed — possibly leading to sciatica (pain in the buttock and thigh), which is also very painful.’

ARMS

The arm carrying the bag remains very static while walking to keep the load still and balanced.

‘This is quite different to the natural swinging movement we make when walking,’ says Russell.

‘Without the normal arm swing used as a balance mechanism, this can make you slightly unsteady and actually mean you need greater effort to move forwards.’

The nerves in the arms can also become irritated by the pressure of the bag, leading to chronic pain.

HIPS AND LEGS

In the long term, women can develop arthritis from increased pressure. ‘Carrying a bag makes you walk differently, and that changes the way forces act through the skeletal system, which could cause problems and pain,’ says Russell.

The greater the load of the bag, the more pressure on the leg joints. Over a long period, force on the knees can cause wear and tear and joint problems.

‘With a heavy bag you also take shorter steps — an adaptation your body probably makes to control the load better and remain upright,’ he adds.

First Seen Here: http://bit.ly/UH4chL