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In our Harleysville, PA office, it isn't unusual for us to see patients troubled with sciatica pain, and Dr. Szilagyi has helped many of these people recover with chiropractic. What makes chiropractic care so beneficial to those who suffer with sciatica? First, it reduces their healing time and a Norwegian research study confirms it.

In the report, which took place in a Norwegian hospital's orthopedic department, the authors looked at 44 patients who presented with abrupt low back pain that was clinically diagnosed as acute sciatica. The participants were all treated by a chiropractor, with the mean follow-up being two years after treatment.

The researchers found that all but two patients went back to work after receiving chiropractic treatment, which is a 95% success rate. Moreover, the average amount of time that the patients spent off work "was reduced by two thirds as compared with that associated with conventional medical treatment."

Given the fact that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that over 170,000 workdays were missed in 2013 due to employees dealing with back or spine-related issues, that is about 112,500 work days that could potentially be recovered each and every year solely by receiving chiropractic care. Not only would that increase work productivity, but it might also decrease costs to businesses and workers from lost work.

If you live in Harleysville, PA and you suffer with sciatic pain, Dr. Szilagyi is here to assist. Give us a call at (215) 256-4345 and we'll work with you to find the source of your sciatic pain and get you back on the road to recovery.

Orlin JR, Didriksen A. Results of chiropractic treatment of lumbopelvic fixation in 44 patients admitted to an orthopedic department. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2007;30(2):135-139.

Many people experience headache pain, and tension headaches are a frequent problem in our busy lives. Postural problems and stress are common sources of tension headache pain, and ones that Dr. Szilagyi and the team here in our Harleysville, PA chiropractic office have a lot of experience in treating.

Research Supports Chiropractic Eases Tension Headaches

The scientific literature confirms our findings: A 2016 study from Spain managed a group of 76 patients with chronic tension headaches. The participants were divided into four treatment groups: 19 patients were treated with suboccipital inhibition (the therapist presses on the tight tissues at the top of the spine); 19 with chiropractic adjustments; 19 with both adjustments and suboccipital inhibition; and 19 received no treatment.

The authors reported that the spinal adjustments were helpful at relieving pain, and that the best results were found when adjustments were mixed with the suboccipital inhibition.

When we get run down, the nerves and tissues in the neck can be disrupted, resulting in pain. Chiropractic works by removing these stresses and restoring the normal nerve function to the area.

We're Here to Help Clients Find Help From Tension Headaches

If you live in Harleysville, PA and suffer from any kind of headache, we're here to help you get relief. Call Dr. Szilagyi today at (215) 256-4345 for an appointment or more information.

Citation

Espi-Lopez GV, Rodriguez-Blanco C, Oliva-Pascual-Vaca A, et al. Do manual therapy techniques have a positive effect on quality of life in people with tension-type headache? A randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Physical Rehabilitation Medicine 2016; February 29.

Chiropractic is centered on the approach of enabling your body to heal naturally through spinal adjustments and lifestyle changes that encourage overall health. For Dr. Szilagyi, this involves working hard to restore your body's normal performance to prevent the need for medications or surgery. We find that many of our Harleysville, PA patients are happy to find a natural approach for their health issues.

One benefit of chiropractic is that it helps people minimize or eliminate the use of drugs. Prescription medications are commonly supplied to people who have back problems. This is such a significant crisis that the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) issued a news release stating that opioid (painkiller) risks outweigh the advantages when administered for back pain.

Some of the most common opiates, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, include hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet), morphine, and codeine. Figures presented by the AAN cite the fact that about 50% of the patients taking these drugs for a period of three months are still dependent on them five years down the road. This can further complicate the problem of back pain and healing, especially if an opiate dependency occurs.

Contrast that to chiropractic care which features natural healing and the advantages are crystal clear. While a drug might be helpful at briefly reducing the discomfort of a health problem, it's not a solution to the problem. A drug won't mend your damaged spine; it will only cover up the pain.

Dr. Szilagyi will first examine you to get to the origin of your back pain and then work with you to eliminate the spinal interference -- without any risky medications.

If you're ready for pain relief, naturally, give our Harleysville, PA office a call at (215) 256-4345 to make an appointment with Dr. Szilagyi.

References

• Risk of opioids outweigh benefits for headache, low back pain, other conditions. American Academy of Neurology;September 29, 2014.
• What are opioids? National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/prescription-drugs/opioids/what-are-opioids

We work with many car accident cases in in our Harleysville, PA office, and a widespread symptom we see in our patients is back pain. Let's take a look at why back pain is commonly experienced after a car crash and see how chiropractic care can help you get better.

During a rear-end motor vehicle accident, your car and car seat are quickly accelerated forward against your body. Since car seats don't perfectly align with the curvature of your spine, the seat can put inconsistent pressure on your back. This can cause some of your spinal vertebrae to move in one direction while an adjacent vertebrae might move in another direction. This differential movement can sprain or strain the tissues that hold your spine together. These types of injuries can cause chronic back pain if not treated right away. Thankfully, chiropractic is one of the most effective ways to treat back pain.

Let us help you recover from back pain. Dr. Szilagyi has helped many patients with the same problem, and we can probably help you, too. The first step is to get an accurate diagnosis to determine what's causing your symptoms and then we will determine an appropriate treatment approach. Call us today at (215) 256-4345 if you have questions or would like to make an appointment.

We see a large number of sports injuries in our Harleysville, PA office, and Dr. Szilagyi is generally able to assist these athletes. Stanford Children’s Hospital reports that more than 3.5 million children aged 14 and younger are injured each year while playing sports. Add that to the close to 2 million adults hurt annually while participating in sports-related activities, as reported by statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and you can start to see the importance of preventing these types of common injuries. One way to potentially realize that goal, as reported by a study published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, is to engage in regular chiropractic treatments.

In Australian Rules football, hamstring and other leg traumas are common, often sidelining the players and impacting their team's likelihood of securing a win. One specific study was administered using 59 semi-elite Australian Rules footballers to see if chiropractic could diminish these injuries and help keep them playing.

For this study specifically, all of the players got medical treatment. Additionally, half of them also were given chiropractic treatments at the rate of 1 session each week for the first 6 weeks, biweekly sessions for the following three months, and one treatment each month for the last 3 months of the study. The remaining half were given no chiropractic intervention whatsoever and were used as the control group to assess the benefits of chiropractic adjustments.

Following twenty-four matches, scientists reported a reduced amount of lower limb muscle strains in the group that had received chiropractic care. Additionally, that same group also missed fewer matches connected to non-contact knee injuries. This lead the researchers to come to the conclusion that chiropractic should be made an addition to sports training programs to effectively reduce the amount of leg injuries.

If you or your child plays sports and you would like to make sure greater time is dedicated on the field versus on the sidelines, call our Harleysville, PA office at (215) 256-4345 and schedule an appointment today. We will do our best to keep you in the game!

References

• Hoskins, W, & Pollard, H. (2010, April 8). The effect of a sports chiropractic manual therapy intervention on the prevention of back pain, hamstring and lower limb injuries in semi-elite Australian Rules footballers: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 11(64), doi:10.1186/1471-2474-11-64
• Misra, A. (2014, March 17). Common sports injuries: Incidence and average charges. Department of Health & Human Services.
• Stanford Children’s Hospital. (n.d.). Sports injury statistics.

Dr. Szilagyi works with countless sciatica patients here in our Harleysville, PA office, and quite a few of these individuals were concerned that they might require surgery to alleviate their pain. The latest research shows that a large number of people don't require surgery for this prevalent issue, and that chiropractic is more effective at resolving sciatic nerve pain.

A popular surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, researchers examined 80 patients with sciatica who were referred for this operation.

Forty patients were then randomly sorted into one of two groups. The first group received surgical microdiscectomy and the second group was given chiropractic care.

Both groups improved; however, no obvious difference in results was reported one year post-treatment between either group. Furthermore, about sixty percent of the participating subjects who could not find assistance from any other treatment method "benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."

Simply put, chiropractic offered the same positive benefits as surgery without having to go through the higher levels of surgery-based pain or suffer through extended recovery times often affiliated with that particular treatment option. Additionally, you also don't run the risks associated with surgical microdiscectomy, which includes nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.

Surgery should be the last resort for sciatica pain. If you live in Harleysville, PA and you're being affected by back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Szilagyi a call today at (215) 256-4345. We'll help identify the origin of your pain and work hard to get you relief.

References

• McMorland, G et al. Manipulation or microdiskectomy for sciatica? A prospective randomized clinical study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2010;33(8):576-584.
• Solberg TK, Nygaard OP, Sjaavik K, Hofoss D, Ingebrigtsen T. The risk of "getting worse" after lumbar microdiscectomy. European Spine Journal 2005;14(1):49-54.
  

According to The American Academy of Pain Medicine, more people in the US suffer with chronic pain than diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer combined. What's more, neck pain is the third most reported type of pain, beat out only by back problems and headache.

Of course, a lot of people come to our Harleysville, PA office looking for neck pain treatment, and Dr. Szilagyi has helped many of them find relief. This is a smart decision, as some research shows that over 90% of neck pain patients benefit from chiropractic.

Studies Confirm Chiropractic Works

A study published in The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy involved 64 people who were suffering with neck problems. Around half were placed in an experimental group and the other half were assigned to a comparison group. Both were given chiropractic adjustments of the neck as well as a home exercise program, whereas the experimental group also received adjustments of the thoracic spine.

Data was collected before treatment began and one week post-treatment. The authors found that 94 percent of the experimental group claimed "significantly greater improvements" in regard to pain and disability in their neck symptoms. Just 35% of the patients who received neck adjustments showed the same level of improvement, showing that thinking about the entire spinal column is an important part of restoring the body's normal function.

One more study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 adults who were dealing with neck pain. Each individual was randomly assigned to one of two groups--thoracic spine thrust manipulation or non-thrust manipulation--with examinations occurring two and four days after the adjustments.

Researchers discovered that the study patients who received the thrust manipulations (the same manipulations that offered such positive results in the first report) "experienced greater reductions in disability" than the patients who received the non-thrust adjustments. Their pain was lower as well, which shows that this type of approach offers many benefits.

Help After Failed Neck Surgery

Another study even found the same sort of positive results after thoracic adjustments in a patient who had a failed neck surgical treatment. This particular case involved a 46-year-old woman who had recently had neck surgery but still suffered with neck pain, headaches, pain in her elbow, and muscle fatigue.

The patient documented reduced pain in her neck and reduced headache intensity, right after the first chiropractic adjustments. After six weeks of care, which involved chiropractic, exercise, and patient education, the patient still placed her pain at a zero on a scale of 1 to 10. Her neck disability improved as well, with a rating score that represented that it was a "great deal better."

It is studies like these that prove the advantages of chiropractic adjustments, even if you've already attempted neck surgery that didn't provide relief. So, if you are suffering with neck discomfort and would like to find a remedy that has a high success rate, try chiropractic. It may just be the help you're looking for.

We're located in Harleysville, PA and Dr. Szilagyi can help you recover from neck pain. Give us a call today at (215) 256-4345.

References

• AAPM facts and figures on pain. The American Academy of Pain Medicine.
• Masaracchio M, Cleland JA, Hellman M, Hagins M. Short-term combined effects of thoracic spine thrust manipulation and cervical spine nonthrust manipulation in individuals with mechanical neck pain: a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy 2013;43(3):118-127.
• Cleland JA, Glynn P, Whitman JM, Eberhart SL, MacDonald C, Childs JD. Short-term effects of thrust versus nonthrust mobilization/manipulation directed at the thoracic spine in patients with neck pain: a randomized clinical trial. Physical Therapy 2007;87(4):431-440.
• Salvatori R, Rowe RH, Osborne R, Beneciuk JM. Use of thoracic spine thrust manipulation for neck pain and headache in a patient following multiple-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a case report. The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy 2014;44(6):440-449.
  

There are many different kinds of headache, but one of the most common types is known as "cervicogenic headache," or those that start in your neck.

Dr. Szilagyi sees a lot of people in our Harleysville, PA office who are struggling with frequent, reoccurring headaches. Luckily, chiropractic adjustments can usually help, potentially reducing these types of headaches by 50 percent, and research confirms it.

A study was conducted involving 80 participants who reported experiencing at least five cervicogenic headaches during the prior three months. The objective was to see how effective chiropractic was for this type of head pain, as well as to ascertain the number of treatment sessions necessary to achieve a positive effect.

The patients were split into four separate groups, so that each group was similar in age, gender, number of cervicogenic headaches, and their intensity. Of the four groups, two engaged in chiropractic treatments and two received light massage. Furthermore, one group assigned to each treatment received eight sessions and the other patients received twice that amount.

Each person was assessed based on head pain, neck pain, and disability prior to the study and 12 and 24 weeks after treatment was complete. The researchers found that those who received chiropractic as opposed to massage reported fewer headaches at the conclusion of the study. Furthermore, improvements were maintained when checked six months after treatment ended.

Additionally, patients who were taking medications for their headaches were able to lower their intake after completing the study. Those who received chiropractic care had lower medication usage 24 weeks post-study.

Dr. Szilagyi has helped many patients who were suffering from headache pain in our Harleysville, PA office. Call us today at (215) 256-4345 for more information or for an appointment.

Haas M, Spegman A, Peterson D, Aickin M, Vavrek D. Dose response and efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic cervicogenic headache: a pilot randomized controlled trial. The Spine Journal 2010; 10: 117-128.

Dr. Szilagyi sees many patients weekly in our busy Harleysville, PA chiropractic office who are searching for relief from the pain and agony they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the medical literature confirms that chiropractic care is an effective way to treat herniated disc problems.

One particular study involved 27 people, 8 male and 19 female, who had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirming a disc herniation in either their neck or lower back. The subjects documented that they were experiencing pain, limited range of motion, and sensory issues bad enough to keep them off work.

During the course of the research study, the individuals were treated using one of two common chiropractic practices: traction for herniated discs in the cervical area or flexion distraction for the people who had herniation issues in the low back.

Each individual was treated four or five times per week for the first two weeks, then three times weekly, and then as needed for the rest of the study. Based on the seriousness of the disc herniation, therapy varied anywhere from six weeks to six months, with MRIs being carried out at various stages to determine what effect, if any, the chiropractic care was having in regard to the disc herniation.

The investigators reported that 80 percent of the participants obtained a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced pain and a reduction in other symptoms, such as numbness. Furthermore, 77 percent of these people also showed MRI evidence that their disc herniation was either reduced or resolved completely. This resulted in 78 percent of the study subjects being able to return to their place of employment and led the researchers to conclude that chiropractic care is both "safe and helpful" for disc herniations.

If you have a herniated disc and you're near Dr. Szilagyi in Harleysville, PA, contact our office today to see what chiropractic can do for you!

Reference
BenEliyahu, DJ. Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical follow-up: study of 27 patients receiving chiropractic care for cervical and lumbar disc herniations. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1996;19(9):597-606.

We see quite a few people with back pain in our Harleysville, PA office, and Dr. Szilagyi has been able to provide a lot of them get relief with chiropractic care. At the same time, recovering from back problems doesn't necessarily mean having to make a choice between chiropractic care and medical therapy, as many individuals use both types of care with great success.

Research Confirms Chiropractic and Medical Treatment Work Well with One Another

In a report published by the academic journal Spine experts¹ looked at a group of active-duty military personnel between the ages of 18 and 35 who claimed both acute pain and limited function due to back pain. Some of the study participants engaged in treatment via standard medical care, while the rest received chiropractic adjustments as well as regular medical care, as researchers wanted to determine which group fared better.

Researchers determined that the patients who received standard medical care along with chiropractic care scored "significantly better" than the group that got medical care alone; 73 percent reported positive benefits in comparison to just 17 percent of the medical care only group who reported the same amount of improvement. This was true regarding both pain and level of function at the two- and four-week marks.

Thus, incorporating these two forms of treatment can greatly benefit you--the patient--offering advantages when compared to medical care alone. However, while chiropractic and medicine can work alongside each other, chiropractic offers some unique strengths over medical therapy.

Where Chiropractic Pulls Ahead

Although it might seem as if each approach plays a 50/50 role, there is one significant advantage that chiropractic care has over medical care and that is in patient satisfaction. In fact, a study done at UCLA² that was printed in the American Journal of Public Health reports that, on average, chiropractic patients are generally more satisfied with their recovery than people undergoing medical treatment.

According to the researchers, the main aspects that patients liked over medical care were "self-care advice and explanation of treatment." This isn't unexpected, as chiropractors tend to spend much more time advising their patients as to how they can improve their health on their own, as well as outlining more thoroughly what to expect from chiropractic.

Chiropractic Offers a Holistic Approach

Without a doubt, the methods associated with chiropractic are very different than those offered with medical therapy, but a great deal of the distinction is the fact that chiropractic is a natural approach to health and well-being. Instead of focusing on only relieving the symptoms, chiropractic care means searching for the root cause of your pain, which often means greater improvement as you are tackling the problem at its source.

Additionally, while medication is sometimes helpful for treating certain conditions, many health issues respond well to natural forms of treatment like chiropractic. This means fewer negative responses to prescriptions and lasting results.

You don't have to endure back pain or other health issues. Give our Harleysville, PA clinic a call today at (215) 256-4345. We'll work to help you get and stay free from back pain.

References

1. Goertz CM, Long CR, Hondras MA, Petri R, Delgado R, Lawrence DJ, Owens EF, Meeker WC. Adding chiropractic manipulative therapy to standard medical care for patients with acute low back pain: results of a pragmatic randomized comparative effectiveness study. Spine 2013;38(8):627-634.
2. Hertzman-Miller RP1, Morgenstern H, Hurwitz EL, Yu F, Adams AH, Harber P, Kominski GF. Comparing the satisfaction of low back pain patients randomized to receive medical or chiropractic care: results from the UCLA low-back pain study. American Journal of Public Health 2002;92(10):1628-1633.