Expert: Dr. Victor Dolan, DC, DACBSP - 9/23/2008

Question
I am a flight attendant.  We had hit severe turbulence inflight.  I was in my jumpseat straped in but my upper body was be not stabilized during the bumps.  So I felt like I was being yacked in every direction.  I grabed onto a handled with my right hand to help stabilize my upper body.  4-5 days later my right side of body neck down to last right rib ached.  I felt like I needed an adjustment.  Then it got worse, It hurt to take a big breath.  I went to a Chiro.  the adjustment hurt so bad.  I then went to a company Dr.  He told me I had a sprained rib cage.  I pain seemed to go away.  I flow a trip and the next morning, I have the pain again.  Would this make sense to sprained rib cage.  Or do you think it could be something different.  The Dr. did exrays and it didn't show and broken ribs or damage to the spine.  I'm baffled.  I can't sleep because it hurts after laying down for a while.

Answer
pain, rib pain, sprain, strain,


Hello Alyson,

Sorry to hear of your rib pain.

Sometimes you hear people say; "...I had an accident, lucky I did not break any bones, but I hurt like heck...".

Well,,,,,,,, Bones heal in 6- 8 weeks.  A biological, physiological law, a law of mother nature.  Bones heal with a callus- just like the callous on our hands when we work hard with our hands.  The callus is thicker and stronger then the rest of the bone !

Soft tissue- muscles, cartilage, ligaments, all of these can heal--- --- at a slower rate than the bone !

Bone heals thicker, stronger, "better" where it is broken, then the rest of the bone.

Muscles, ligaments, cartilage, heal with fibrous tissue, scar tissue- a cheaper form of tissue, and can become chronic in pain and dysfunction.

You never hear of a 'chronic broken bone'.

You do hear of a chronic sprain or chronic strain.

Being bounced around may have caused bone bruises (deep bruises,,, not likely), or caused sprain/ strain type injury to your neck, shoulder, ribs, chest (more likely).  Your Xrays are negative, so I am assuming a sprain/ strain type injury.

Sorry to hear the adjustment did not help, and caused pain.  My Staten Island Chiropractic office has been open 25+ years now,,,
Experience, more then school has taught me when to adjust forcefully, gently, with low force techniques, no force techniques, therapeutic modalities, nutrition, hot/ cold/ ice.  While I may hesitate to return to the SAME chiropractor that seemed to aggressive, please do not be hesitant to try a different Doctor of Chiropractic in the future.

Your type of injury usually responds well to conservative, natural, non-invasive, APPROPRIATE chiropractic techniques.

Give it time, use ICE  (see info below), see a different chiropractor.

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P.R.I.C.E. =    P  protection.   R rest.   I  ice.   
C  compression.   E  elevation.

Hurt  yourself ??  injury/ trauma/  bruise/ not even sure - - a broken bone ??

You should certainly get to the Doctor or trained health professional to be examined  if you think it  is  bad  enough.     BUT  in  the  meantime,  some  simple  steps  may  help.   

PRICE.

The  PRICE  protocol will usually help just about any musculoskeletal injury.

P = Protection;  protect the area from further injury- stop what you are doing, can you pad  or bandage the area ? Tape the area? Do something to protect the area !

R = Rest;  rest the area as much as possible, if a part is damaged, give the body time to repair the area

I = Ice;  ice is a potent anti-inflammatory; it will slow swelling, help with pain control (ice is analgesic), place ice over cloth over the injured area for 5, 10 minutes, off the injured area for 30 minutes; then back on again

C = Compression;  to help prevent swelling compression may be helpful- for example if it is an ankle, wrap the ankle with an ace bandage and ice the area.  Many body  parts may not be applicable to compression.

E = Elevation; again to fight swelling and pain, raising the injured body part above the  heart may be helpful- ie raise an ankle or knee, you lay down, raise the injured part

PRICE  may  help :    Sprains,  Strains,  musculo-skeletal injury,  bruise,  contusion

Sometimes  a slip, trip, fall, heavy lift, athletic injury, or a motor vehicle accident can cause a bump or bruise, sprain or strain.  Sometimes also involved with the injury is a vertebral subluxation (or other joint subluxation) (subluxation is a mechanical problem- of any joint- and requires a mechanical correction).  In the spine, a sprain/strain  is a misalignment,  a ‘kink’ in the joint, a stretch of the muscles, tendons and/ or ligaments:- more properly termed a Vertebral Subluxation.   Sometimes symptoms can come immediately, sometimes days, weeks or even months later!- Well after the actual trauma !!!

         Spinal = Vertebral   Subluxation   Complex    (a.k.a.  ‘subluxation’)  ;   ( subluxation COULD be any joint )
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.

This 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:
         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.
         Automobile accidents, improper lifting, improper posture, alcohol, emotional stress, chemical imbalances, and long periods of sitting can cause the Vertebral Subluxation Complex.
          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.  For good health- Treat the   Cause,  not just the Symptoms.  Sprain/ strain/ bump/ bruise?= may result in subluxation of the nearby joint.  CORRECT the subluxation !!!!

Dr. Victor E. Dolan,   Doctor of Chiropractic;   Diplomat, American Chiropractic Board of Sport Physicians;  Diplomat, American Academy of Pain Management; Certified Clinical Nutritionist (IAACN); FIRST  Chief of Chiropractic  in  a  Hospital  in  New York State (DHSI);  As  Seen  in  PREVENTION  Magazine

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A special note on Pain medications I give out in my Staten Island Chiropractic Office:

PAIN     

Pain  is a  ‘red light on the dashboard’.  

Pain is your body telling you that something is wrong.  That RED LIGHT on the dashboard of your car- -- do you ignore it until the car breaks down, or do you get it checked and correct the problem?  Pain, pain in your body- -- do you ignore it until your body breaks down, or do you get it checked and correct the problem?   Pain,  do you cover up the pain by taking a painkiller?  Take a painkiller, mask the pain, and allow a problem to progress in your body?  

NOTICE  ON  PAIN  RELIEVERS:  Label changes ORDERED by FDA;  the FDA announced proposed label changes for OTC over-the-counter pain relievers to include the potential for stomach bleeding and liver damage (FDA news  206- 207;  12-9-06) ;   

The  American Heart Association issued a scientific statement recommending medical doctors change the way they prescribe OTC pain relievers from a first choice to an alternate of recommending non-pharmacologic treatment (AHA statement  2-26-07).


Pain  can  often  be  the  result  of  the  Vertebral  Subluxation  Complex.

Vertebral  Subluxation           (  ‘VSC’ ,    ‘subluxation’   )
Vertebral Subluxation  is  actually  a  quite  common  condition.   Doctors of Chiropractic look for pathological conditions which may require referral to other specialties,   and also look for ‘Subluxation’. Other disciplines look for pathology, but overlook the importance of alignment and movement in the spine which affects our nervous system  (the master control system- ALL health disciplines learn this).   

Only a Doctor of Chiropractic will evaluate and treat for VSC.  

The course of VSC is highly variable.   Some patients with VSC literally cannot walk, yet other patients with similar test findings may be able to run marathons or lift heavy weights.    Some patients immediately develop symptoms related to the VSC,  some patients take years to develop symptoms.  Some people suffer for only a few days with pain and symptoms, some people suffer for months.  Some people recover in days, some take months or years, depending upon severity of the condition.

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I hope this helps.  Give it time.  Do not aggravate (re-injure) the area. Pain?- I like ICE - see 'PRICE' above.  Persistent pain,,,
see a different Doctor of Chiropractic.

Do not hesitate to re-contact me if needed.

Good Luck, I wish you Good Health Naturally,

your staten island chiropractor friend,

Dr. Victor Dolan, DC
http://drvictordolan.chiroweb.com    (email newsletter)