At some point you’ve probably had the sensation of numbness or tingling. It could be your foot that “fell asleep” or you might experience the feeling of “pins and needles.” Occasionally a person can have a momentary tingly elbow from hitting it at just the right spot or tingly feet from sitting on them. However reoccurring symptoms of tingling or numbness is not normal and should be checked by your chiropractic doctor.

Numbness and tingling is your body’s way of communicating that there is a nerve problem! It is commonly felt in the hands and fingers but can be also be felt in the feet, legs, elbow, or throughout the body. Regardless of location the sensation occurs when a sensory nerve becomes impinged and therefore there is reduced input from that nerve to the brain. Normal sensation returns in most cases upon removing the impingement.

Long lasting or severe impingements can lead to nerve damage and possibly permanent numbness so removing the insult is critical. Once it is removed, typically by chiropractic adjustments, the nerve undergoes a repair process. Commonly nerve impingements occur in the spine due to subluxation (when a bone out of place impinges on a nerve) or herniated discs. When the numbness or tingling is felt in the shoulders, arms, wrists, or fingers the nerve pressure is typically occurring the cervical spine (neck). Nerve sensations in the legs or feet are usually coming from pressure on the lumbar (low back) spinal nerves.

Chiropractic Helps with Numbness and Tingling

Chiropractors remove nerve interference without the use of drugs, needles, or surgery. It is completely natural and non-invasive. Removing nerve irritation results in a better feeling and a better functioning body.

At Relief Plus Chiropractic in Minnetonka MN, we are here to remove any nerve interference so that your body can innately heal.  We want to get to the cause of the problem and provide a care plan to get you results that keep you feeling and functioning at your absolute best!  Call Today to schedule your FREE CONSULTATION to see how we can improve your health! (952) 681-2863

Shoulder problems can come in many forms. Some suffer from persistent pain while others have recurring pain or the inability to carry items or use the arm. As frustrating as it may be, you are smart to look to chiropractic as a means to helping your shoulder problem naturally.

Problems in the shoulder can arise from a variety of reasons; of course trauma and commonly from overuse. Repetitive motion or overuse causes inflammation of the tendons and the bursa that lie between the ball and socket of the shoulder.

In addition, the arm being a large lever on the body can pry at the spine. This force can cause vertebral subluxations by pulling at the vertebrae, especially in the neck and upper back.  When these vertebrae get stuck out of their normal position, it leads to pressure on the nerves that go to the shoulder region. This not only can cause pain but may also result in other symptoms such as lack of range of motion, inability to lift the arm, numbness, or tingling within the shoulder or even into the elbow and hand.

Forward head posture is also a culprit to shoulder pain. When the head is carried forward rather than in line with the shoulders, a person’s relaxed posture becomes one in which the shoulders are rolled inward. This places abnormal strain on the muscle groups in the shoulder area.

Impingement Syndrome is one of the most common shoulder problems. The pain is usually felt deep within the joint in the front of the shoulder and worse with overhead activities.  In these cases, when the soft tissues of the shoulder are repetitively used, it can lead to inflammation.  Increased inflammation, or swelling leads to the impingement in the shoulder and the sensation of pinching when the arm is lifted.

Inflammation of the tendons and bursa, if left untreated can progress to chronic scarring and permanent thickening of the involved soft tissue.  This makes healing more difficult and the permanent damage in severe cases can lead to tears that could potentially require surgery.

Chiropractic Treatment of the Shoulder

Before treatment can begin for any condition it is of most importance to perform a thorough evaluation to determine the underlying cause of the problem and its severity.

Treatment and rehabilitation of the shoulder can help to restore normal biomechanics of the shoulder and prevent future injuries to the area. Flexibility and strengthening are emphasized to support the joint. Also, massage therapy helps to break down and remodel the scar tissue that has formed. When all of the joints involved are functioning properly, there is less stress on the pulling soft tissues!

To figure out the cause of your shoulder problem, contact our chiropractic office today at (952) 681-2863. At Relief Plus Chiropractic, we want to get you out of pain as quickly as possible, but also get you on the road to long-term correction!  Consultations are always free, and we look forward to helping you!

Knee pain is a common symptom reported in our office.  These weight bearing joints take a lot of force every day as we walk around and stand.

The knees were designed primarily for forward and backward movement. Any sideway or torqueing motion is difficult for the knees to handle and can cause injury.

Any direct trauma to the knees can cause injury and acute pain including falls and motor vehicle accidents. Chronic knee pain can be caused by overuse of the knee. It can also be caused by misalignment within the knee joint or other related joints. If these chronic causes are left untreated, they can lead to arthritis.

In the case of knee pain, the ankle, hip, spine, and pelvis should all be examined as they form a kinetic chain and directly affect one another.  The pain in the knee could be referred from another structure. Or if the problem resides in another structure such as the hip there can be increased stress on the knee joint. Over time this can lead to injury.

Chiropractic Treatment of Knee Pain

Over the counter medications may reduce the pain and inflammation, but will not take care of the underlying problem. After an injury, icing is generally recommended to decrease initial pain and muscle spasm.

Chiropractic adjustments and deep tissue massage to the injured areas and any areas with misalignments will reduce stress on the joint.

If you or someone you know is experiencing knee pain call us today at (952) 681-2863 so we can get you recovering as soon as possible!

Dr. Hillesheim is a chiropractor in Minnetonka MN. She is the owner of Relief Plus Chiropractic. For more information and to see if chiropractic is right for you visit us at www.reliefplusmn.com or call (952) 681-2863.

The jaw joint is one of the most frequently used in the body.  The muscles surrounding it allow us to chew, speak, yawn, and swallow.

Over 10 million Americans suffer from TMJ disorder. Temporomandibular disorder (TMD or TMJ disorder) describes a conditions in which there is pain or noise in the chewing muscles or temporomandibular joints (TMJ) and limited mandibular function.  It can be on one side of the jaw, both, or move from side to side. Women are more likely to have issues with these joints than men, and the average age on onset is between 18 and 26.

There is an articular disk that separates the condyle head of the mandible and the skull. When it is misplaced, it causes TMD.

TMD can be deceiving! The objective and subjective findings of TMD do not always match up. Studies show that older people who exhibit objective symptoms of TMD do not complain of pain and younger people who do not have any objective signs of TMD complain of severe pain.

TMD can be caused by degenerative joint disease such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis within the jaw.  It can also be caused by a dislocated jaw or jaw injury. A car crash can force the bone out of position; whilplash is a very common cause of TMD.  TMJ disorders can also be caused from missing or misaligned teeth that force the bone out of its proper position.

Stress plays a role in the development of TMD, because it often leads to clenching of the jaw or bruxism, commonly known as teeth grinding.  This can overstrain muscles of the jaw and can flow to pain in the head, neck, and face.

The most common form of TMD is discomfort or pain in the muscles that control jaw function and the neck muscles. Other symptoms associated with TMD include headaches, facial pain, tinnitus, popping of the jaw, locking of the jaw, and limited range of motion in the joint. There may be noises such as clicking, grinding or crunching when you open and close the mouth.

Relaxation and stress management along with chiropractic adjustments can help!  Diet modification may also be necessary. The National Institute of Health advises sufferers of TMD to avoid surgery if possible because the risks outweigh the benefits. In fact, inserting artificial implants into the TMJ may cause permanent jaw damage and severe pain.

Chiropractic has helped many with TMD without the use of medication or surgery. Of course each case can be different and the only way to see if chiropractic can benefit is to undergo an appropriate evaluation.

Dr. Sara Hillesheim is a chiropractor at Relief Plus Chiropractic in Minnetonka MN. Our office is near Wayzata, Hopkins, and Shorewood at the intersection of County Road 101 and Minnetonka Blvd. At Relief Plus Chiropractic we are here to serve the community by providing the highest level of chiropractic care. Click Here for your Free Consultation.