Posts by Dr. Mark Holland

Back Pain is a common condition after an auto injury, and it's something that Dr. Holland sees often in our North St. Louis, MO office. The key to recovering from back pain caused by a crash is to understand the root cause of the problem and how chiropractic care can help.

During a rear-end car crash, your car and car seat are rapidly accelerated forward against your torso. Since car seats don't perfectly align with the curvature of your spine, the seat can put uneven pressure on your lower back. This can cause some of your spinal vertebrae to move in one direction while an adjacent vertebrae might move in another direction. This differential motion can sprain or strain the ligaments that hold your spine together. These types of injuries can cause chronic back pain if not treated promptly. Thankfully, chiropractic is one of the most effective ways to treat back pain.

You don't have to suffer from back pain. Dr. Holland is conveniently located in North St. Louis, MO to help you recover, whether you've been in a car crash or not. First, we'll do a careful examination to determine the root cause of your pain, and then decide how to restore your body's natural functioning. Call us today at (314) 588-9100 if you have questions or would like to make an appointment.

When playing activities that demand a lot of lower body motion, like football, soccer, and basketball, it's not uncommon to suffer some type of injury to your lower extremities. Between pulled hamstrings, sprained ankles, knee injuries, and more, many players have found themselves sidelined. Dr. Holland has seen all of these problems in our North St. Louis, MO patients. The good news is, chiropractic adjustments can help prevent some of these injuries from developing and research proves it.

Dr. Holland keeps current with all of the recent scientific research, and in a report published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, researchers from Macquarie University in Australia studied 59 semi-elite Australian Rules football players. Roughly one-half were placed in a control group and the others were put in a treatment group that received sports chiropractic care at regular intervals. During the first six weeks, this meant getting care once a week. The following three months consisted of an adjustment every two weeks before decreasing those to one visit monthly for the final three months of the study.

The authors noted that there was a "significant" difference in the number of lower limb strains the players received in the treatment group when compared to the control. In addition, they noticed that the subjects who received chiropractic also had fewer weeks of missed practice and games as a result of non-contact knee injuries. This led them to conclude that sports chiropractic intervention should be added to "the current best practice management."

Every major sports team in the United States and the US Olympic Team has chiropractors on staff for their players, because they know that chiropractic really works. If you live near our office in North St. Louis, MO and would like to see if Dr. Holland can help you boost your performance or reduce sports injuries, give our office a call today at (314) 588-9100 for an appointment.

Study Information

Hoskins W, Pollard H. The effect of a sports chiropractic manual therapy intervention on the prevention of back pain, hamstring and lower limb injuries in semi-elite Australian rules footballers: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2010;11(64).

In our North St. Louis, MO practice, it's common for us to see people troubled with sciatica pain, and Dr. Holland has helped many of them improve with chiropractic. What makes chiropractic care so beneficial to those who suffer with sciatica? For starters, it reduces their time of recovery and a Norwegian medical study confirms it.

In the article, which took place in a Norwegian hospital's orthopedic division, the authors looked at 44 patients who presented with sudden low back pain that was diagnosed as acute sciatica. The participants were all treated by a chiropractor, with the average follow-up being two years after treatment.

The researchers found that all but two patients returned to their jobs after receiving chiropractic adjustments, which is a 95% success rate. What's more, the average amount of time that the individuals spent off work "was reduced by two thirds as compared with that associated with conventional medical treatment."

Given the fact that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that over 170,000 workdays were lost in 2013 due to employees dealing with back or spine-related issues, that is about 112,500 work days that could potentially be recovered each and every year solely by receiving chiropractic care. Not only could that increase productivity, but it could also decrease costs to businesses and workers from lost work.

If you live in North St. Louis, MO and you suffer with sciatic pain, Dr. Holland is here to help. Give us a call at (314) 588-9100 and we'll work with you to find the source of your sciatic pain and get you back on the road to health.

Orlin JR, Didriksen A. Results of chiropractic treatment of lumbopelvic fixation in 44 patients admitted to an orthopedic department. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2007;30(2):135-139.

There are many different kinds of headache, but one of the most common types is known as "cervicogenic headache," or headaches that start in your neck.

Dr. Holland sees a lot of people in our North St. Louis, MO office who are suffering with frequent headaches. Fortunately, chiropractic can usually help, potentially reducing these types of headaches by 50%, and research confirms it.

A study was conducted involving 80 participants who reported experiencing at least five cervicogenic headaches during the prior three months. The goal was to discover how effective chiropractic care was for this type of head pain, as well as to determine the number of treatment sessions necessary to achieve a positive effect.

The individuals were divided into four separate groups, so that each group was similar in age, gender, number of cervicogenic headaches, and their intensity. Of the four groups, two engaged in chiropractic treatments and two received light massage. Furthermore, one group assigned to each treatment received eight sessions and the other patients received twice that amount.

Each person was assessed based on head pain, neck pain, and disability prior to the study and 12 and 24 weeks after treatment was complete. The researchers found that those who received chiropractic as opposed to massage reported fewer headaches at the conclusion of the study. Furthermore, improvements were maintained when checked six months after treatment ended.

Additionally, patients who were taking medications for their headaches were able to lower their intake after completing the study. Those who received chiropractic had lower drug usage 24 weeks post-study.

Dr. Holland has helped many patients who were suffering from headache pain in our North St. Louis, MO office. Call us today at (314) 588-9100 for more information or for an appointment.

Haas M, Spegman A, Peterson D, Aickin M, Vavrek D. Dose response and efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic cervicogenic headache: a pilot randomized controlled trial. The Spine Journal 2010; 10: 117-128.

Dr. Holland sees many patients weekly in our busy North St. Louis, MO chiropractic office who are looking for relief from the pain and suffering they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the scientific literature confirms that chiropractic care is a successful way to treat herniated disc problems.

One particular research study involved 27 people, 8 male and 19 female, who had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirming a disc herniation in either their neck or lower back. The patients documented that they were experiencing pain, limited range of motion, and sensory issues bad enough to keep them off work.

During the course of the research study, the individuals were managed using one of two common chiropractic techniques: traction for herniated discs in the cervical area or flexion distraction for the patients who had herniation issues in the lumbar area.

Each individual was treated four or five times per week for the first two weeks, then three times each week, and then as needed for the rest of the study. Depending on the extent of the disc herniation, therapy ranged anywhere from six weeks to six months, with MRIs being performed at a variety of stages to identify what effect, if any, the chiropractic care was having in regard to the disc herniation.

The researchers discovered that 80 percent of the participants enjoyed a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced pain and a reduction in other issues, such as numbness. Additionally, 77 percent of these individuals also showed MRI evidence that their disc herniation was either reduced or resolved completely. This resulted in 78 percent of the study participants being able to return to their place of employment and led the researchers to conclude that chiropractic is both "safe and helpful" for disc herniations.

If you have a herniated disc and you're near Dr. Holland in North St. Louis, MO, contact our office today to see what chiropractic can do for you!

Reference
BenEliyahu, DJ. Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical follow-up: study of 27 patients receiving chiropractic care for cervical and lumbar disc herniations. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1996;19(9):597-606.

We see quite a few people with back pain in our North St. Louis, MO office, and Dr. Holland has helped a lot of them get relief through various chiropractic techniques. However, recovering from back problems doesn't necessarily mean having to make a choice between chiropractic care and medical treatment, as many people use both types of care with great results.

Research Confirms Chiropractic and Medical Care Work Well with One Another

In a study published by the medical journal Spine investigators¹ looked at a group of active-duty military personnel between the ages of 18 and 35 who were suffering from both acute pain and limited function due to back pain. Some of the test subjects engaged in treatment via standard medical care, while the remainder were given chiropractic care in addition to standard medical care, as researchers wanted to see which group fared better.

Researchers discovered that the patients who got standard medical care along with chiropractic scored "significantly better" than the group that received medical care alone; 73 percent reported positive benefits compared to just 17% of the medical treatment only group who indicated the same amount of improvement. This was true regarding both pain and level of function at the two- and four-week marks.

Thus, incorporating these two forms of treatment can greatly benefit you--the patient--offering benefits when compared to medical care alone. However, while chiropractic care and medical approaches can work together, chiropractic offers some distinct advantages over medical treatment.

Where Chiropractic Wins

Although it might seem as if each method plays a 50-50 role, there is one major benefit that chiropractic has over medical treatment and that is in patient satisfaction. In fact, a study done at UCLA² that was published in the American Journal of Public Health found that, on average, chiropractic patients are generally more satisfied with their recovery than those undergoing medical treatment.

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

Chiropractic Care Is a Natural Approach to Wellness

Without a doubt, the strategies associated with chiropractic are very different than those provided with medical care, but a large amount of the distinction is the fact that chiropractic is a holistic approach to health and wellness. Instead of focusing on only relieving the symptoms, chiropractic care means tracking down the primary cause of your pain, which often means 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 side effects from drugs and longer-lasting results.

You don't have to suffer from back pain or other health issues. Give our North St. Louis, MO clinic a call today at (314) 588-9100. We'll work 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.

We treat many car accident cases in in our North St. Louis, MO office, and a widespread symptom we see in our patients is shoulder pain. Why is shoulder pain such a common problem after an auto collision? How can chiropractic care help you get better?

There are at least two different ways that you can get shoulder pain after a car crash: by direct injury to the shoulder or by radiating pain from the neck.

Direct trauma can be caused by hitting your shoulder on a hard surface in the car during the impact, or can occur if you have a tight grip on the steering wheel during a rear end impact. With this type of injury, you'll often be aware of the pain soon after the crash.

More commonly, Dr. Holland finds that shoulder or arm pain doesn't immediately appear after a crash, but begins a few days or weeks after the accident. This type of shoulder pain actually starts in the cervical spine. Injured soft tissue in your spine can tweak nerves in your neck, causing tingling, numbness, or pain in your shoulder, elbow, or wrist.

We've worked with many types of shoulder pain in our North St. Louis, MO office. This care involves chiropractic adjustments to restore your spine's natural mobility and exercises that strengthen your neck and shoulder.

If you've been hurt in a car crash and you're experiencing shoulder pain, Dr. Holland is here to help. Dr. Holland will first determine what's causing your pain and then work to restore your body to its natural functioning. Give our office a call today at (314) 588-9100 to make an appointment.

We tend to a large number of people in our North St. Louis, MO office, and Dr. Holland has helped countless people eliminate a wide array of health challenges. However, the primary worry that seems to stop a lot of folks from pursuing care is whether or not chiropractic is safe. Luckily, according to three separate studies (out of countless on the topic), the answer to this question is a resounding: "Yes! Chiropractic is safe!"

Australian Study: Chiropractic is Safe

The first research paper(1) was published in Spine and involved 183 women and men between the ages of 20 and 85. Each participant reported affected by spinal pain, and half of the individuals received real chiropractic care whereas the other half were given two fake chiropractic adjustments. Data was obtained after each real or fake adjustment to identify whether or not any undesirable reactions occurred as a result of the real chiropractic adjustments.

The doctors reported that no one reported any serious negative adverse reactions at all after receiving one or two sessions of chiropractic care. Some participants did report that they got a headache (just 9% of people) or muscle stiffness (37 percent) after treatment, but the results were not of a serious nature.

Nationwide Survey Reports that Chiropractic Care is Safe

The second research study(2), also released in the prestigious journal, Spine, was conducted in an effort to establish the safety of chiropractic. The study group was much larger -- 20,000 individuals. Each participant received chiropractic adjustments of the cervical spine, with over 50,000 total adjustments for all study participants.

Once again, the investigators discovered no serious adverse side effects. The authors determined the risk of total side effects to be about 6 out of every 10,000 consultations or every 100,000 treatment sessions. And, just as with the first study, some participants did report non-serious, milder, unwanted effects such as dizziness (about 1.6%) or a headache (4%), and this prompted the authors to conclude that "the risk of a serious adverse event, immediately or up to 7 days after treatment, was low to very low."

Chiropractic Is Safe for Your Children

This third research paper(3) is unique from the first two reports, as it focuses on the safety of chiropractic care for children. In this case, researchers analyzed results reported by both chiropractors and parents involving 816 children who participated in 7,173 chiropractic treatment sessions.

Out of 5,438 chiropractic appointments made for the young ones, chiropractors responding to the survey reported only three cases where there were adverse effects. When parents were surveyed, they indicated only two adverse side effects out of 1,735 visits. Furthermore, both chiropractors and parents reported "a high rate of improvement with respect to the children's presenting complaints."

Based on these three studies (and many more!), chiropractic has been found to be safe and effective for everyone. To discover what chiropractic can do for you, call our North St. Louis, MO clinic and make an appointment today at (314) 588-9100.

References

1. Walker BF, Hebert JJ, Stomski NJ, Clarke BR, Bowden RS, Losco B, French SD. Outcomes of usual chiropractic. The OUCH randomized controlled trial of adverse events. Spine 2013;38(20):1723-9.
2. Thiel HW1, Bolton JE, Docherty S, Portlock JC. Safety of chiropractic manipulation of the cervical spine: a prospective national survey. Spine 2007;32(21):2375-8.
3. Alcantara J, Ohm J, Kunz D. The safety and effectiveness of pediatric chiropractic: a survey of chiropractors and parents in a practice-based research network. Explore NY 2009;5(5): 290-5.

When you're trying to sustain your family, take care of your household, and pay all of your bills on time, every day at your job counts. Work injuries can be a serious problem for many people, and we see many of these types of injuries in our North St. Louis, MO office. Dr. Holland appreciates your situation and is here to help.

The advantages of chiropractic for work injuries are well-documented. A 2013 research paper involving over 600 adults who were troubled with either back or neck pain found that the individuals who didn't see a chiropractor missed work at twice the rate of those who were seeing a chiropractor.

So, why don't more people use chiropractic?

According to the respondents in this study, two of the major factors were that they thought they needed a referral for chiropractic care (which is typically no longer true) and they overestimated the costs associated with chiropractic treatment sessions by almost 70 percent.

The reality is, chiropractic patients actually spend less on care than medical patients, plus they are less likely to use drugs for their symptoms.

If you live in North St. Louis, MO and you've been injured at work, we can help. Give our office a call today at (314) 588-9100 for an appointment.

Sources

"Thousands of Minnesotans with Back and Neck Pain Don't Seek Treatment." (2013, June 12). ChiroCare.

We see a lot of sports injuries in our North St. Louis, MO office, and Dr. Holland is generally able to assist these athletes. Stanford Children’s Hospital reports that more than 3.5 million children aged 14 and below are hurt each year when playing sports. Add that to the almost 2 million adults hurt every year while engaged in sports-related activities, according to statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and you can start to see the necessity of preventing these types of widespread injuries. One approach to possible achieve that goal, according to a study released in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, is to engage in regular chiropractic care.

In Australian Rules football, hamstring and other leg traumas are common, frequently sidelining the players and impacting their team's odds of winning. One particular study was conducted using 59 semi-elite Australian Rules footballers to see if chiropractic could diminish these injuries and help keep them playing.

For this study specifically, all of the volunteers received medical treatment. Furthermore, half of them also engaged in chiropractic treatments at the rate of one session per week for the first six weeks, biweekly treatments for the following three months, and one treatment each month for the final 3 months of the study. The remaining group had no chiropractic intervention at all and acted as the control group to determine the benefits of chiropractic adjustments.

After 24 matches, scientists noticed a lessened number of lower limb muscle strains in the group that had received chiropractic care. Furthermore, that same group also missed fewer matches connected to non-contact knee injuries. This lead the researchers to come to the conclusion that chiropractic ought to be made an addition to sports training programs to effectively decrease the amount of leg injuries.

If you or your child are active in sports and you want to make sure more time is spent on the field versus on the bench, call our North St. Louis, MO office at (314) 588-9100 and schedule an appointment today. We will do our best to keep you in the game!

References

• Hoskins, W, & Pollard, H. (2010, April 8). The effect of a sports chiropractic manual therapy intervention on the prevention of back pain, hamstring and lower limb injuries in semi-elite Australian Rules footballers: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 11(64), doi:10.1186/1471-2474-11-64
• Misra, A. (2014, March 17). Common sports injuries: Incidence and average charges. Department of Health & Human Services.
• Stanford Children’s Hospital. (n.d.). Sports injury statistics.