The Hayward Chiropractor to see - Chiropractor Hayward

Dr. Hagan Asks some important questions of interest to Hayward residents - Chiropractor Hayward Dr. Hagan Asks...

Do chiropractors prescribe medications for the pain?
No. Chiropractic is a drug-free approach to better health. Instead, we rely on natural methods. We can show you how to use ice to control pain. When properly applied, ice can have an analgesic effect without the unwanted and sometimes dangerous effects of pain medications.
Why are some people allergic to pollen and others aren't?
It's not the pollen. Chiropractors know that if it were, everyone would be allergic to pollen, nuts and pet dander. But that's not the case. It's the person, not the pollen! If you live in Hayward and your stress levels are high, then each year the grass, the trees or the weeds put your nervous system over the top. Many report that chiropractic care helps reduce the frequency and severity of their allergic response.

Spinal Fusion: Just the Facts

Backaches and sciatica image.

Most people have at least one episode of low back pain at some point in their lives. And many, in fact, experience chronic low back pain.

When traditional medical treatments, such as physical therapy, exercise and medication fail to bring about any long-lasting relief, a doctor may recommend spinal fusion surgery to correct the problem. This usually occurs in situations where there is degenerative disc disease, a herniated disc or a severe injury to the spine. Spinal fusion surgery is sometimes recommended to correct scoliosis (curvature of the spine) or other irregular curves in the spine.

What happens during fusion surgery? In a 2 - 12 hour long procedure, under general anesthesia, bone from the patient's hip, or from a donor, is used to graft two adjacent vertebrae. The graft is put in place so that the disc and joints between them are no longer able to move. The fusion forms a bridge, using bone, screws, rods and pins that link the vertebrae together. This provides stability to the spine and reduces pain. At least that's the intent of the surgery.

Risks involved? There are several: administration of general anesthesia, bleeding, infection, rejection of donor bone, blood clots, stroke, heart attack and nerve damage. Full recovery can take up to a year or even longer. The success rate may actually be lower in patients with diabetes and osteoporosis, those who smoke or are overweight, and those who may have had radiation therapy that included the lower spine.

Obviously there are risks with any surgery, but back surgery patients frequently suffer from Failed Back Surgery Syndrome. This occurs when a patient is in the same or worse shape as they were in prior to the surgery.

Chiropractic care has shown some impressive results in patients with scoliosis, degenerative disc disease or herniated discs. Many patients have avoided surgery altogether after undergoing routine chiropractic care. We believe that it is an alternative that deserves careful consideration when other traditional approaches to back pain have been tried and have failed. Chiropractic adjustments, along with other non-invasive treatment modalities, may make surgery an option that doesn't even require consideration.