Expert: Dr. Victor Dolan, DC, DACBSP - 5/22/2008

Question
Dear Dr. Dolan,

I am also from New York City, like you.  I am happy to have stumbled upon this website, maybe you can help me.  While I was working, I was involved in an auto accident.  I have neck pain, back pain, sciatica and pinched nerves.  I have been told I may have herniated discs.  Could you help me?  I have never had a workers compensation case before, never been in an auto accident before, never had pain like this before. I am close by, and could come to a Staten Island Chiropractor like yourself.  Thanks for any advice.


Answer
Hello Gladys,

Sorry to hear of your auto accident injury.  But coming from New York City, you know our traffic is abominable.  In Staten Island auto accident is on the rise.

If you were working when you had your auto accident, you are correct that it would fall under workers compensation insurance ( 'Work Comp' ) in New York State.  Workers Compensation injury is covered for chiropractic in NY.  In Staten Island work comp is a common insurance that attends to Doctors of Chiropractic.

Neck pain, Back pain, sciatica, pinched nerves, herniated discs,-- well someone has already given you quite a work-up.  As a Staten Island Chiropractor , I would be happy to help you if you came to my practice.  

Auto Accidents, No Fault insurance covers chiropractic in New York.

Workers Compensation Insurance ( work comp ) covers chiropractic in New York.

In both coverages, chiropractic is covered when treating Spinal Injury- so Neck pain, Back pain, sciatica, pinched nerves, herniated discs would all be conditions covered by either type of insurance    ( auto accident ( No Fault ) or workers compensation ( work comp ) ).

Neck pain, Back pain, sciatica, pinched nerves, herniated discs, strains and sprains are common complaints in the chiropractors office.

This Staten Island Chiropractor treats a NYC High School Football team ( and currently Curtis High School is the NYC PSAL Football Champion ), and the students laugh when I say 'sprains and strains R us' - meaning if it ain't broken =  come to me, the chiropractor (if it is broken,,,, go to the orthopedic surgeon ! ).

Your conditions listed above should certainly respond to conservative chiropractic care.  I also use adjunctive physiotherapy in the office, and often recommend nutritional supplementation as well.  I do not know how long ago your motor vehicle accident occurred, but the sooner you get proper DX, TX, RX PX the better.  Do not let an acute situation degenerate into a chronic condition.

At my office, like any Chiropractic office, this doctor will take a history, perform an examination, review past testing, and if necessary, refer you for appropriate Xray, MRI, CT scan, EMG/ncv, orthopedic and/ or neurological evaluation if needed.

Staten Island Auto Accidents, Staten Island Workers Compensation injuries often result in neck pain, back pain, sciatica, pinched nerves, sprains and strains, and herniated discs.  One of the reasons
Staten Island Chiropractic is so successful treating these types of conditions, is that Staten Island Chiropractors usually address all of the components of the problem:  Nutritional support, exercise recommendations, physiotherapy for muscles, adjustment for joints and nerves.

Concurrent with the above named conditions, when it comes to the spine, chiropractors recognize and treat the 'Vertebral Subluxation Complex' - an entity often ignored by other health disciplines.
    Here is an explanation of the Subluxation that I give in my office:

""""" Disk   Herniation

Herniated  disk  is  actually  a  quite  common  condition.   However,  the course of the condition is highly variable.   Some patients with a herniated disk literally cannot walk, yet other patients with similar MRI findings may be able to run marathons or lift heavy weights.   Some people suffer for only a few days with pain and symptoms, some people suffer for months. Although the course is highly variable, there are certain steps that are always helpful to follow:  Ice the area when painful-  10/ 15minutes on, 30/ 45 minutes off;  avoid certain postures and movements;  bend the knees when coughing or sneezing;  bend the knees when lifting anything;  do not extend legs straight out when sitting, laying down, lifting, or driving.   Avoiding certain movements and postures will prevent aggravation of the condition.   Practicing good postures and movement patterns will help the condition heal and be less painful.
Disk  Herniation  is often caused by, or often  concurrent with the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.

         Vertebral   Subluxation   Complex    (a.k.a.  ‘subluxation’)
The vertebral subluxation complex is the underlying cause of many healthcare problems.

A subluxation interferes with the proper functioning of the nervous system (the master system which controls and coordinates all function within the body) and may cause various other conditions, symptoms and problems.

Subluxation  is  a  serious  condition  identified  by  its  five  parts:

    Spinal Kinesiopathology:
         This is fancy way of saying the bones of the spine have lost their normal motion and position. It restricts your ability to turn and bend. It sets in motion the other four components.
    Neuropathophysiology:
         Improper spinal function can choke, stretch, or irritate delicate nerve tissue. The resulting nerve system dysfunction can cause symptoms elsewhere in the body.
    Myopathology:
          Muscles supporting the spine can weaken, atrophy, or become tight and go into spasm. The resulting scar tissue changes muscle tone, requiring repeated spinal adjustments.
    Histopathology:
         A rise in temperature from an increase in blood and lymph supplies result in swelling and inflammation. Discs can bulge, herniate, tear, or degenerate. Other soft tissues may suffer permanent damage.
    Pathophysiology:
         The VSC contributes to OsteoArthritic degeneration.  Bone spurs and other abnormal bony growths attempt to fuse malfunctioning spinal joints. This spinal decay, scar tissue, and long-term nerve dysfunction can cause other systems of the body to malfunction.

The Vertebral Subluxation Complex describes what happens when spinal bones lose their normal movement patterns and position.  When subluxated, joints are in a stressed, vulnerable, compromised condition.  Subluxation may cause Arthritis, Disk Herniation, or aggravate such conditions.   
          Vertebral  Subluxation  cannot be corrected through chemicals (medicine), stretching, yoga, vitamins or physical therapy alone.     Subluxation- a neuro/skeletal/muscular-   mechanical-   problem  requires  a   mechanical correction-  -  -    a manipulation,     best performed with the chiropractic adjustment. """""

Hope this helps.  Hope to see you in the office if you are close by enough.  This Staten Island Chiropractor would love to help and treat your complaints.  You can read of my techniques at http://www.GoodHealthNaturally.info , you can review my answers here or at my blog - http://www.DocDolan.net , or even sign up for my email newsletter at:  http://drvictordolan.chiroweb.com . Thanks for the question.

As always, this article is for discussion purposes only.  Information and education for intitiation of ideas for the conditions described.  Proper evaluation, DX, TX, RX, PX can only be given by a treating doctor in person.

Good Luck, and Good Health Naturally ,

Victor Dolan, your Staten Island Chiropractor
http://www.DocDolan.net  
http://www.GoodHealthNaturally.info
http://drvictordolan.chiroweb.com