pain medication Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Hometown Family Wellness Center

May 11 2020

Chiropractor in Freehold NJ helps Low Back Pain and Sciatica Patients without Drugs or Surgery

As a chiropractor in Freehold, NJ I have seen many patients from the Monmouth County area who suffer needlessly with low back pain and sciatica. Around 80% of the population complains of low back pain but ignore the pain, think they have to learn to live with it, or go to their medical doctors that just prescribe them one pain medication or anti-inflammatory one after another. At best, these medications just provide a temporary relief of symptoms, but many times the pain persists and the side effects are numerous. Also, even if the pain is covered up, the patient falsely feels they are better and start doing their normal activities once again which can further damage the underlying condition.

You have to realize daily stresses accumulate in the spine and the joints get misaligned, making it more difficult to move, therefor straining the muscles, putting pressure on nerves and the discs. Some research even shows that arthritis or spinal degeneration starts forming after just 2 weeks of the joints being misaligned.

Most chiropractors will analyze the spine for subluxations and perform adjustments to correct them. But this is just part of the cause. I have seen many patients over the years who have gone to chiropractors who only adjust and report to me the low back pain and sciatica were reduced in intensity, but they still experienced it. The problem being missed is that many of these imbalances occur due to muscle tightness and spasms in the spinal regions but also the muscles of the legs, as well as the joints of the ankle, feet, knees and hips.

Imagine driving your car and noticing the tires are wearing unevenly. You bring in the car to be checked and the mechanic tells you that you need new tires. If you just put new tires on and the mechanic doesn’t balance out the wheels, you will notice the car still pulls more to one side and the tires will wear out more quickly. Same holds for if you just realign the wheels, but not put on new tires too. You would want the mechanic to take care of the cause by realigning the wheels first, then put on the new tires.

I bring this up as I recently had a new patient, who was a professional athlete, that found my practice online and when he came in he reported low back pain, sciatica and disc herniations which he had micro-discectomy surgery performed 5 years ago while in his mid 20’s. He told me he’s been to many chiropractors but adjusting didn’t help, physical therapy provided no relief and he also visited one of the biggest sports orthopedic practices in all of NJ with no change.

I explained our course of action is probably different than any other chiropractor he has been to and after performing a full chiropractic, orthopedic and sport evaluation, we address all the contributing factors to the pain: we not only adjust the spine, but therapeutically stretch the muscles that support the spine, including the hamstrings, quadriceps and piriformis, and adjust the joints of the ankle, foot, knee and hips. By addressing these instabilities, we can further balance the foundation that keeps causing the spine to misalign. Upon his first evaluation and treatment, he got up off the table and shockingly said it was the first time he was able to sit up with out low back pain.

Going one step further, we will analyze the arches of the feet. If the arches are dropping, it will cause the joints of the ankles, feet, knees and hips to keep misaligning, which will make the spine unstable again.

Another thing to consider is most chiropractors and medical doctors attribute sciatica as pressure on the nerves from the lower back into the leg by misalignments or bulging discs. A condition called piriformis syndrome is missed many times. This is where the piriformis muscle is actually what is causing the numbness and tingling associated with sciatica. When properly assessed, the right treatment can also correct this.

Chiropractors are the only health professionals that specialize in the spine and nervous system. Finding the cause of the pain and dysfunction is the start of correcting the problem once and for all so you can start living a pain free, health lifestyle once again. No more complaining of pain while bending over, picking up your children, going out and enjoying the evening with a significant other, etc. It is important to find a chiropractor that not only adjusts the spine, but helps balance the supporting muscles, joints in the legs and feet, and make sure your arches are properly supported.

We have helped many patients that suffer with low back pain and sciatica in Freehold, Marlboro, Manalapan, Howell, Jackson, Morganville and Colts Neck, NJ as well as many neighboring towns. Many have driven up to an hour away, passing by 1000 other chiropractors as they want to experience a full body treatment that addresses all the causes with the multiple pronged approach no other doctor in our area takes. If you are ready to gain your pain free, active lifestyle once again, contact our office, Hometown Family Wellness Center at 9 Broadway in Freehold, NJ at 732-780-0044

May 11 2020

Suffering with Neck Pain? Chiropractor in Freehold NJ Shares New Study!

So many people suffer needlessly with neck pain which many times leads to headaches, numbness and tingling and pain into the shoulders. Recently a new study was published showing that conservative care beats medication for neck pain. In the study, it states that spinal manipulation and exercise are each more effective than over the counter (OTC) pain relievers, narcotics and muscle relaxants. The study can be viewed by clicking: Annals of Internal Medicine.

Both chiropractic and exercise had more than doubled the likelihood that participants experienced complete relief of their pain compared to the medication group. For chiropractic patients, these benefits lasted for at least a year, demonstrating that chiropractic can provide long-term relief.

The authors concluded: “Spinal manipulation therapy and home exercise led to similar and long term outcomes, but participants who received medication seemed to fare worse, with a consistently higher use of pain medications for neck pain throughout the trial’s observational period.”

The strong success of chiropractic and exercise lies in the fact that these 2 methods address the cause of the neck pain, rather than just masking the symptoms which is what the medication does. Neck pain can be the result of sitting long hours at a desk, talking for extended periods on the phone, carrying a heavy pocket book or briefcase on a shoulder, or from an injury from an accident and no matter the cause, chiropractic will restore optimal pain free health without the harmful affects of medications or high risk of surgery.

In our office, Hometown Family Wellness Center in Freehold NJ, Dr. Russell Brokstein, DC utilizes a combination of chiropractic and home exercise to expedite the care of correcting the cause of the neck pain. He has been treating patients for the past 13 years, helping people from the Freehold area and many other surrounding towns in Monmouth and Ocean County, New Jersey. If you have been suffering with neck pain and you are ready to end the pain so you can once again enjoy your normal daily activities, call our office for a consultation.

For more information about Dr. Russell and his practice, click: www.ChiropractorFreehold.com

May 11 2020

Chiropractor Freehold talks about the Physician Within You

As a doctor of chiropractic in Freehold, NJ, I always ask: Ever wonder what keeps your heart beating or lungs breathing normally while you sleep, or knows the precise amount of insulin to produce when you eat a slice of pie? How about the process of building and repairing after an accident or injury? Do you think it’s the doctor’s cast that heals a broken bone, or the band-aid that mends the wound? Think again…

Today, I received my weekly healthy tip from Principle 33 and I have to share what it explains: Chiropractors acknowledge the fact that the same intelligent Power that animates the universe outside you, animates the universe INSIDE you. This Power maintains your very existence 24/7. It grew you from two cells into a thriving human being and produces health throughout your entire life, when not interfered with. BJ Palmer, the developer of Chiropractic once asked… “have you more faith in a knife or a spoonful of medicine than in the power that animates the living world?” Every chiropractic patient must answer honestly if they truly want to get the most out of their care.

The next time you run to your medicine cabinet to grab something for your ailments, stop and take a long look in the mirror first. If you ever doubted who the greatest physician in the world is, he or she is staring right back at you.

As I educate and help patients in Freehold, NJ and the surrounding towns of Marlboro, Manalapan, Howell, Colts Neck, Jackson, Morganville and Englishtown in Monmouth County, New Jersey, more people are opening up to help their body be more healthy naturally without drugs or surgery. They are seeing when you take care of your body, it allows the body to be the natural physician it really is.

May 11 2020

Chiropractor in Freehold NJ Helps SacroIliac Pain

So many people suffer needlessly with lower back pain. There are many sources of the pain (from misaligned joints, pressure on nerves, muscle spams, sprains or strains, disc problems, to even more serious conditions including cancer) and most of the time patients go to their primary doctor who doesn’t know how to properly and thoroughly examine to determine the cause, then just prescribe a muscle relaxer, anti-inflammatory, or pain reliever. Not one of these medications correct the problem, they all just cover up the symptoms giving a false sense of security to the patient that they are “better.” On top of that, all patients should worry about the consequences and side effects of these pills and possibly doing further damage to the back by doing more activities and exercise because they think the back is fine.

Just imagine if you went to the dentist and had a painful cavity. The dentist says to you, “Oh, it’s just a cavity, we’ll shoot it with novacaine and you won’t feel the pain anymore.” Would this be fine with you? You will not feel the pain, but the cavity will still be there. Do you think that just because there is no more pain that the cavity is better? Do you think that a non painful cavity due to a drug covering up the symptom is going to get better or worse over time? I think you know the answer is that the cavity will further decay and be more of a problem down the road.

As a practicing chiropractor in Freehold, NJ, I see many patients who are experiencing low back pain. One of the most missed causes of the back pain are dysfunctions of the Sacroiliac joints or SI joints. These joints are at the base of the spine where the sacrum sits on he foundation of the pelvic bones. The pain at the SI joints can be caused by difference in leg length, pain or dysfunction of the ankles, feet, knees, hips and dropped arches. Pregnancy can be another cause of SI joint pain because the body is producing hormones that cause ligament laxity, therefore allowing excessive SI joint movement which strains the supporting muscles, tendons and ligaments.

According to a current study, chiropractic care is a safe and effective way to correct sacroiliac pain. 32 women who were experiencing SI joint pain were adjusted one time by a chiropractor. All of the patients reported significant reduction of pain at 48 hours and one month follow ups. This is due to the corrective nature of the chiropractic adjustment…all without medications and their harmful side effects.

This is just one of many studies that further prove chiropractic’s powerful, drug-free way to correct musculoskeletal conditions.

If you or somebody you know has been suffering with back pain, make sure you let a chiropractor do a thorough evaluation to determine the cause of the pain. Once we determine the actual cause, we can start a chiropractic treatment plan that corrects the imbalances and allow you to not only be pain free but you can enjoy your normal daily activities once again and prevent further problems in the future. I have been helping patients in Freehold and the surrounding communities of Marlboro, Manalapan, Howell, Colts Neck, Jackson, Morganville and other towns in Monmouth and Ocean County in New Jersey.

For more information, check out or website and blog by clicking: www.chiropractorfreehold.com and see what other patients have to say by clicking here: Patient Video Testimonials

Kamali, Fahimeh and Esmaeil Shokri. The effect of two manipulative therapy techniques and their outcome in patients with sacroiliac joint syndrome. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. 2012; 16: 29-35.

May 11 2020

Due to Kickbacks, Risky Back Surgeries are on the Rise

Today I came upon a post by Dr. Graeme Gibson, Seattle Chiropractor that discusses an article he read on yahoo about orthopedic doctors receiving kickbacks for surgical procedures. I took interest to this because this is not surprising at all, as medical doctors and pharmaceutical companies have been known for years for this kickback disgrace.

Many medications and now surgeries that people are receiving are unnecessary and put patients at risk. Unfortunately most patients trust their doctors that what is being prescribed is in their best interest. But when one knows the statistics of back surgeries having less than a 50% success rate and a high risk or paralysis, why are these procedures being done before conservative care in many instances?

Most outcomes of surgery, even if get pain relief, the patient is then extremely limited in their daily activities. In most instances a surgery is considered a success if it provides pain relief, which most of the time lasts only 1 to 5 years, and then further surgical procedures are required.

Yes, medications and surgery are needed at times, but not at the rate they are being recommended. It’s always important that a patient gets a second opinion, and if necessary a 3rd opinion before taking drastic measures such as surgery. I highly recommend that anybody that has back pain, have one of those opinions be from a chiropractor as chiropractors are one of the few who are highly qualified for spinal problems. Many times a short treatment plan of chiropractic care can determine if a patient can improve and avoid surgery. Chiropractic is known to have around an 85% success rate with back pain, without the side effects of drugs or surgery.

I also have firsthand experience with back surgery, as my mother was told 15 years ago she needed surgery for spinal stenosis and a herniated disc and nothing else would help. Fortunately for her, I was in chiropractic college and I said to please try going to a chiropractor. I referred her to somebody I knew in her town… and we prevented her surgery for around 12 years before “needing” the surgery. Chiropractic helped her maintain her normal daily activities without restriction. Fortunately, when time came, I found her a great orthopedic surgeon who has an amazing reputation.

In my 13 years in practice, I have helped patients in Freehold, Marlboro, Manalapan, Howell, Colts Neck, Jackson, and Morganville, NJ avoid unnecessary surgeries that orthopedic doctors said were the only answer. So before opting for surgery, give us a call to see if we can help you.

If you are looking for a great Seattle Chiropractic office in Washington, look up Dr. Graeme Gibson, DC

Queen Anne Chiropractic Center

1905 Queen Anne Avenue North

Seattle, WA 98109

(206) 282-8275

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