Posts by Dr. Mark Holland

Dr. Holland sees many back pain patients in our busy North St. Louis, MO chiropractic office. Many of these people have some type of spinal condition that is causing them pain and discomfort. Fortunately, Dr. Holland has found that spinal decompression therapy is a great way to help these individuals.

Non-surgical spinal decompression is a treatment method that takes all of the positive benefits that one normally gets from chiropractic adjustments, traction, physiotherapy, exercise therapy, and myofascial therapy and merges them all into one.

The goal of this technique is to keep you out of the operating room, and that is precisely what it's done for a number of men and women, as it has a reported 85% success rate.

A few of the problems spinal decompression helps with include generalized back pain, sciatic nerve pain, herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, compression fractures, and joint pain.

Spinal decompression works by reversing the influences of wear, tear, and gravity that compresses the intervertebral discs in your spinal column. The video below shows how it works to alleviate stress on your back and helps lessen pain and disability.

If you live in North St. Louis, MO and you're suffering with back pain, spinal decompression therapy might be the answer. Call Dr. Holland today at (314) 588-9100 for a consultation or appointment.

When performing sports activities that require a lot of lower body movement, like football, soccer, and basketball, it's common to sustain 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. Fortunately, chiropractic can help prevent some of these injuries from developing and research proves it.

Dr. Holland keeps up-to-date with all of the latest 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 half were placed in a control group and the others were put in a therapy group that received sports chiropractic care at regular intervals. During the first six weeks, this meant getting care once every 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" decrease 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 determine that sports chiropractic intervention should be added to "the current best practice management."

Every major sports team in the US and the US Olympic Team has chiropractors on staff for their players, because they know that chiropractic works. If you live near our practice 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).

As injury to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is frequently rather painful, we do our best to help our North St. Louis, MO patients find relief as quickly and effectively as possible. In fact, Dr. Holland will tell you that the medical literature shows just how much chiropractic can help ease discomfort in the jaw.

For example, a study published in Physiotherapy Theory and Practice included 15 participants with TMJ pain who were managed with neck adjustments, middle-back manipulation, and trigger point therapy via dry needling. Subjects were evaluated prior to these treatments and at 15 days and two months post-treatment. The clinicians reported positive outcomes such as reduced pain, greater jaw mobility, and lower disability at both follow-ups.

Another research study conducted an analysis of almost 800 studies involving manual and manipulative therapy for conditions such as TMJ and revealed similar findings. The authors concluded that there is a "fair...level of evidence" that chiropractic care can help ease symptoms associated with jaw pain and other upper extremity disorders.

This is great news since the triggers of TMJ are largely unknown. While injury to the jaw or neck can cause pain symptoms, there are other causes to consider as well, such as grinding teeth, osteoarthritis, and clenching of the jaw due to stress.

No matter what is making your jaw ache, call Dr. Holland now and make an appointment to come into our North St. Louis, MO office. We'll do our best to help you smile pain-free!

References

• Gonzalez-Iglesias J et al. (2013, November). Mobilization with movement, thoracic spine manipulation, and dry needling for the management of temporomandibular disorder: a prospective case series. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice;29(8):586-95
• Brantingham J et al. (2013, March-April). Manipulative and multimodal therapy for upper extremity and temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics;36(3):143-201
• Oral Care. WebMD. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/temporomandibular-disorders-tmd on November 2, 2015

Asthma is a significant issue for many people in North St. Louis, MO and for society as a whole, truly, since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that this condition currently affects almost 19 million adults and 7 million kids in the US. A full-blown asthma attack likely means a hospital visit. Thankfully, Dr. Holland has helped many people in North St. Louis, MO get relief from asthma symptoms.

The medical literature confirms what we see in our office. For example, a paper published in Clinical and Experimental Allergy assessed 31 adult asthma patients after getting four weeks of chiropractic treatments. The researchers reported that the participants who received chiropractic adjustments had a 34% decrease in asthma symptoms.

The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics published another asthma-based study, except this one involved kids. In this paper, the 36 patients ranged from 6 to 17 years in age and their asthma was considered either mild or moderate in severity.

After 12 weeks of chiropractic, as a whole, the patients reported a higher quality of life and a decreased level of severity. As a bonus, they also indicated that they depended less on their bronchodilator and these positive effects lasted one year after chiropractic care was finished.

So, whether you're 6 or 60, if you have asthma, be sure to contact Dr. Holland in North St. Louis, MO and make an appointment today. We'll do what we can to help you breathe easier!

References

• Asthma. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• Bronfort G et al. (2001, July-August). Chronic pediatric asthma and spinal manipulation: a prospective clinical series and randomized clinical pilot study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics;24(6):369-77
• Nielsen N et al. (1995, January). Chronic asthma and chiropractic spinal manipulation: a randomized clinical trial. Clinical and Experimental Allergy;25(1):80-8

Dr. Holland sees a lot of people troubled with carpal tunnel syndrome in our busy North St. Louis, MO chiropractic practice. While some people think that the origin of this wrist-related pain is muscular, it's actually a syndrome that stems from the nerves--and not just the nerves in your hands.

A recent study 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 investigating the subjects' neck range of motion, the doctors found that the women had reduced cervical flexibility when compared to a healthy control group.

Furthermore, it was also discovered that the level 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, the greater the level of pain.

This study is extremely important, as you cannot effectively address a condition until you fully understand its source. 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 suffer with carpal tunnel pain, call our North St. Louis, MO location and ask how Dr. Holland can help you get relief!

Studies

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 know how difficult chronic headache pain can be. Dr. Holland and our staff have worked with many men and women in our North St. Louis, MO chiropractic practice, and we've had great success in helping folks eliminate their headache pain.

A 2016 research paper verifies what we see in our practice. In this paper, the authors started with 110 people who were suffering from headaches that originated in the cervical spine. 58 of these patients were given a series of neck adjustments; 52 were given some stretches and exercises. The treatment period for both groups was four weeks.

The study found that the individuals who received cervical and thoracic spinal adjustments "experienced significantly greater reductions in headache intensity, disability, headache frequency, headache duration, and medication intake as compared to the group that received mobilization and exercise."

The study also found that these outcomes were maintained at the three-month follow-up exam.

Chiropractic is a safe and effective way to treat chronic headache pain, back pain, neck pain, and many other health conditions. If you're tired of suffering, give Dr. Holland a call today at our North St. Louis, MO office at (314) 588-9100. We're here to help get relief.

Research

Dunning JR, Butts R, Mourad F, Young I, et al. Upper cervical and upper thoracic manipulation versus mobilization and exercise in patients with cervicogenic headache: a multi-center randomized clinical trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 2016;17(1):64.

Many people suffer from headache pain, and tension headaches are a frequent problem in our busy world. Postural problems and stress are common causes of tension headache, and ones that Dr. Holland and the staff here in our North St. Louis, MO chiropractic office have a lot of experience in treating.

The scientific literature verifies our findings: A 2016 study from Spain managed a group of 76 men and women with chronic tension headaches. The participants were divided into four treatment groups: 19 patients were treated with suboccipital inhibition (the doctor presses on the tight tissues at the top of the spine); 19 with chiropractic adjustments; 19 with both adjustments and suboccipital inhibition; and 19 received no treatment.

The researchers discovered that the spinal adjustments were helpful at relieving pain, and that the best results were found when adjustments were combined with the suboccipital inhibition.

When we get stressed, the nerves and tissues in the neck can be disrupted, resulting in pain. Chiropractic works by removing these strains and restoring the normal nerve function to the area.

If you live in North St. Louis, MO and suffer from any kind of headache, we're here to help you get relief. Call Dr. Holland today at (314) 588-9100 for an appointment or more information.

Citation

Espi-Lopez GV, Rodriguez-Blanco C, Oliva-Pascual-Vaca A, et al. Do manual therapy techniques have a positive effect on quality of life in people with tension-type headache? A randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Physical Rehabilitation Medicine 2016; February 29.

Neck and headache pain are common problems that affect millions of men and women around the world. If you are dealing with this type of problem, you're not alone. The good news is that chiropractic is a great way to not only treat these common issues, but also help prevent future episodes.

Dr. Holland and the team at Accident & Pain Relief of St. Louis have many years of experience helping people in Downtown and North St. Louis, MO deal with neck and headache pain with chiropractic adjustments. Our success is backed up by a recent review done in Canada that found that non-invasive, non-drug treatments are the best choice for neck and headache pain.

The report looked at 15 studies from 1990 to 2015 and found that conservative treatment comprised of chiropractic adjustments, exercises, and stretches was suggested before turning to drugs or more invasive procedures.

Earlier scientific studies have shown that chiropractic is effective and safe for neck pain and many other health conditions.

If you're troubled with neck pain or headache, Dr. Holland and the staff at Accident & Pain Relief of St. Louis are here to help you heal. Give our North St. Louis, MO office a call today at (314) 588-9100 for appointment today.

Reference

Varatharajan S, Ferguson B, Chrobak K, et al. Are non-invasive interventions effective for the management of headaches associated with neck pain? An update of the Bone and Joint Decade Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration. European Spine Journal 2016; February 6:1-29.

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. Holland and our talented staff see many back and neck pain cases in our North St. Louis, MO 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 a great way to protect against future episodes.

A recent article from the University of Utah verifies what our North St. Louis, MO patients have experienced: your North St. Louis, MO chiropractor is the best first choice for an episode of back pain.

In this article, 747 patients were treated for low back pain. Each person was evaluated based on the first person they sought treatment with, whether it was a primary care physician, a chiropractor, a physiatrist (also known as a rehabilitation physician), or a physical therapist.

What the researchers discovered is that the men and women who first saw a chiropractor had fewer advanced imaging tests and fewer surgical procedures.

Other studies 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. Holland and our team help your body heal with gentle chiropractic adjustments that don't use drugs or risky surgical procedures.

If you live near our North St. Louis, MO office and would like to get out of pain, give our office a call today at (314) 588-9100 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.

According to research, about 2-5 percent of the population will experience painful conditions like frozen shoulder syndrome at some time in their lives. That makes shoulder-related pain a common problem and one that Dr. Holland sees in our North St. Louis, MO practice on a regular basis.

By and large, this ailment is more common for people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, and it tends to affect women more frequently than men. While ice, heat, and gentle stretching can often times help alleviate the pain, so too can chiropractic adjustments.

As an example, one study released in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine looked at 50 people with frozen shoulder who were given chiropractic care. The length of care ranged from 11 days to 51 days, with 28 days being the average.

The researchers found that almost all of the study participants fared extremely well with chiropractic care. The study found:

• 8 of the subjects reported 50-75 percent improvement
• 25 indicated improvement ranging from 75- 90 percent
• 1 participant had complete resolution of their frozen shoulder pain

Only one of the original 50 reported an improvement of 50 percent or less, so reports like this show just how effective chiropractic can be when it comes to decreasing shoulder pain and increasing quality of life.

Let Dr. Holland help you ease your suffering by contacting our North St. Louis, MO office and scheduling your appointment today.

Resources

Murphy F et al. (2012, December). Chiropractic management of frozen shoulder syndrome using a novel technique: a retrospective case series of 50 patients. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine;11(4):267-272