Conditions Addressed (Click to view description)

• Back Pain
  Back Pain
  

  Each year, up to one-quarter of U.S. adults experience low-back pain. Most people have significant back pain at least once in their lives; often, the cause is unknown. Back pain varies widely. For many people, it lasts only a few weeks, no matter what treatment is used. But for others, the pain can become chronic and even debilitating. Low-back pain is a challenging condition to diagnose, treat, and study.
  
  Overall, studies have shown that spinal manipulation can provide mild-to-moderate relief from low-back pain and appears to be as effective as conventional medical treatments. In 2007 guidelines, the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society include spinal manipulation as one of several treatment options for practitioners to consider using when pain does not improve with self-care.
• Aging
  Aging
  

  Given the increased number of Baby Boomers in the US society, more and more of the population is concerned with Aging. Based on a survey conducted in 1999, it was estimated that at least 40 percent of older Americans used some form of herbal or specialty supplement during that year. Reasons for their use include maintenance of overall health, increase of energy, improving memory, preventing or treating illness, and slowing the aging process.
  
  The average age of the world's population is increasing at an unprecedented rate. The number of people worldwide age 65 and older is estimated at 506 million as of midyear 2008; by 2040, that number will hit 1.3 billion. Thus, in just over 30 years, the proportion of older people will double from 7 percent to 14 percent of the total world population, according to a new report, "An Aging World: 2008."
  
  The report examines the demographic and socioeconomic trends accompanying this phenomenon. It was commissioned by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, and produced by the U.S. Census Bureau.
  
  "An Aging World: 2008" examines nine international population trends identified in 2007 by the NIA and the U.S. Department of State ("Why Population Aging Matters: A Global Perspective"). "An Aging World: 2008" contains detailed information on life expectancy, health, disability, gender balance, marital status, living arrangements, education and literacy, labor force participation and retirement, and pensions among older people around the world.
  
  "Aging is affecting every country in every part of the world," said Richard Suzman, Ph.D., director of NIA's Division of Behavioral and Social Research. "While there are important differences between developed and developing countries, global aging is changing the social and economic nature of the planet and presenting difficult challenges. The fact that, within 10 years, for the first time in human history there will be more people aged 65 and older than children under 5 in the world underlines the extent of this change."
  
  Highlights of the report include:
  
  * While developed nations have relatively high proportions of people aged 65 and older, the most rapid increases in the older population are in the developing world. The current rate of growth of the older population in developing countries is more than double that in developed countries, and is also double that of the total world population.
  
  * As of 2008, 62 percent (313 million) of the world's people aged 65 and older lived in developing countries. By 2040, today's developing countries are likely to be home to more than 1 billion people aged 65 and over, 76 percent of the projected world total.
  
  * The oldest old, people aged 80 and older, are the fastest growing portion of the total population in many countries. Globally, the oldest old population is projected to increase 233 percent between 2008 and 2040, compared with 160 percent for the population aged 65 and over and 33 percent for the total population of all ages.
  
  * The 65-and-older population in China and India alone numbered 166 million in 2008, nearly one-third of the world's total. Issues related to population aging in the world's two most populous nations will be accentuated in the coming decades as the absolute number climbs to 551 million in 2040 (329 million in China and 222 million in India).
  
  * Childlessness among European and U.S. women aged 65 in 2005 ranged from less than 8 percent in the Czech Republic to 15 percent in Austria and Italy. Twenty percent of women aged 40-44 in the United States in 2006 had no biologic children. These data raise questions about the provision of care when this cohort reaches advanced ages.
  
  * Older people provide support to as well as receive support from their children. In countries with well-established pension and social security programs, many older adults provide shelter and financial assistance to their adult children and grandchildren. Older people in developing countries, although less likely to provide financial help to children, make substantial contributions to family well-being through such activities as household maintenance and grandchild care.
• Bursitis and Tendinitis
  Bursitis and Tendinitis
  

  Bursitis and tendinitis are both common conditions that involve inflammation of the soft tissue around muscles and bones, most often in the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, or ankle.
  
  A bursa is a small, fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion between a bone and other moving parts. Bursae are found throughout the body. Bursitis occurs when a bursa becomes inflamed (redness and increased fluid in the bursa), and is commonly caused by overuse or direct trauma to a joint.
  
  A tendon connects muscles to bones. Tendons are located throughout your body and without them you would not be able to move. Tendons can be small, like those found in the hand, or large, like the Achilles tendon in the heel. Tendinitis is inflammation of a tendon and is most often the result of a repetitive injury in the affected area. These conditions occur more often with age. Tendons become less flexible with age, and therefore, more prone to injury.
  
  People at a higher risk for Tendinitis and Bursitis are carpenters, gardeners, musicians, and athletes who perform activities that require repetitive motions or place stress on joints. Those who have an infection, arthritis, gout, thyroid disease, and diabetes can also experience a higher risk of inflammation of a bursa or tendon.
  
  Diagnosis of tendinitis and bursitis begins with a medical history and physical examination. To rule out infection, fluid may be removed and tested from the inflamed area.
  
  Treatment focuses on healing the injured bursa or tendon. Initially in treating both of these conditions the goal is to reduce pain and inflammation.
• Chronic Pain
  Chronic Pain
  

  Chronic pain is pain that lasts beyond the expected time for healing (it can be weeks, months, or years) and interferes with normal life. The injury has healed, but the pain continues. Pain is a feeling triggered in the nervous system. The pain message may be triggered by muscle tension, stiffness, weakness, or spasms. The pain may be sharp or dull. It may come and go, or it may be constant. You may feel pain in one area of your body, such as your back, abdomen or chest or you may feel pain all over, such as when your muscles ache from the flu.
  
  Whatever the cause of chronic pain, feelings of frustration, anger, and fear can make the pain more intense. Chronic pain can affect all areas of your life and should be taken seriously. Your response to pain is determined by many factors, including your emotional outlook. For example, depression seems to increase a person's perception of pain and decrease her or his ability to cope with it. Often, treating the depression treats the pain as well. Sometimes chronic pain is due to an ongoing cause, such as cancer or arthritis. Sometimes the cause is unknown. A healthcare professional can help you evaluate your pain and its cause. Fortunately, there are many ways to treat pain. Treatment varies depending on the cause of pain.
  
  Pain can be helpful. Without pain, you might seriously hurt yourself without knowing it, or you might not realize you have a medical problem that needs treatment. Once you take care of the problem, pain usually goes away; therefore, it is important to seek appropriate care when you are experiencing pain.
• Fibromyalgia
  Fibromyalgia
  

  Fibromyalgia is a disorder that causes muscle pain and fatigue. People with fibromyalgia have chronic widespread pain, as well as 'tender points' on the neck, shoulders, back, hips, arms, and legs, which hurt when slight pressure (about 9 pounds) is applied.
  
  People with fibromyalgia may also have other symptoms, such as; trouble sleeping, morning stiffness, headaches, problems with thinking and memory (sometimes called 'fibro fog'), Irritable bowel syndrome, and depression. Women with fibromyalgia may also have painful menstrual periods.
  
  The causes of fibromyalgia are unknown, but problems with the nervous system could be involved. It is estimated that fibromyalgia affects as many as 1 in 50 Americans. Most people with fibromyalgia are women, and most are diagnosed during middle age. However, men and children also can have the disorder.
• Headache, Tension, Migraine, Cluster, Sinus
  Headache, Tension, Migraine, Cluster, Sinus
  

  Simply put, a headache is pain in your head. However, a headache can be a sign of a more serious condition and should not be ignored if it is extremely intense, lasts for many days or begins after a hit to the head.
  
  Many people suffer from what is referred to as a tension headache. This type of headache can occur due to tightness in muscles of your neck or shoulders and also those that move your jaw or your scalp. You may experience this if you are under stress, or feeling depressed or anxious. Lifestyle changes that can usually help tension headaches.
  
  Migraine headaches are very severe headaches that may be debilitating and keep people bedridden for days at a time. Most people with a migraine are very sensitive to light and need to be in a dark room. Some people experience what is called a "prodrome" with their migraines. A prodrome is something that happens consistently just prior to the onset of the headache. It could be a certain smell, a flashing of light, a particular feeling, or any other sensation by that particular person. These types of headaches are more common in women than men.
  
  Another type of headache is called a Cluster Headache. These headaches are very excruciating and begin quite suddenly usually in the front/side of the head, or near the eye. These headaches are more common in men than women. A person experiencing this type of headache is in severe pain and may thrash about not knowing what to do because the pain is so bad and nothing seems to help take it away.
  
  Sinus headaches are very common among both men and women and can occur more frequently with the change of seasons, with allergies, or colds. These headaches may feel like someone is squeezing your head tightly and there is a lot of pressure. Touching the face on either side of the nose can be painful because these are the most common sinuses to be involved.
  
  Complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine (CAIM) practitioners can offer multiple options for treating the many different kinds of headaches.
• Obesity, Overweight
  Obesity, Overweight
  

  Overweight and obesity are both labels for ranges of weight that are greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height. The terms also identify ranges of weight that have been shown to increase the likelihood of certain diseases and other health problems.
  
  For adults, overweight and obesity ranges are determined by using weight and height to calculate a number called the body mass index' (BMI). BMI is used because, for most people, it correlates with their amount of body fat. An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight. An adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese. It is important to remember that BMI does not directly measure body fat. As a result, some people, such as athletes, may have a BMI that identifies them as overweight even though they do not have excess body fat.
  
  Other methods of estimating body fat and body fat distribution include measurements of skinfold thickness and waist circumference, calculation of waist-to-hip circumference ratios, and techniques such as ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  
  For children and teens, BMI ranges above a normal weight have different labels (at risk of overweight and overweight). Additionally, BMI ranges for children and teens are defined so that they take into account normal differences in body fat between boys and girls and differences in body fat at various ages.
  
  BMI is just one indicator of potential health risks associated with being overweight or obese. For assessing someone's likelihood of developing overweight- or obesity-related diseases, take a look at two other predictors: 1) Waist circumference (because abdominal fat is a predictor of risk for obesity-related diseases) and 2) Other risk factors the individual has for diseases and conditions associated with obesity (for example, high blood pressure or physical inactivity).
  
  Obesity increases the risk of many diseases and health conditions. These include; Hypertension (high blood pressure), Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint), Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides), Type 2 diabetes, Coronary heart disease, Stroke, Gallbladder disease, Sleep apnea and respiratory problems, and some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon).
• Scoliosis
  Scoliosis
  

  Scoliosis is a musculoskeletal disorder in which there is a sideways curvature of the spine, or backbone. The bones that make up the spine are called vertebrae. Some people who have scoliosis require treatment. Other people, who have milder curves, may only need to visit their doctor for periodic observation.
  
  People of all ages can have scoliosis. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (scoliosis of unknown cause) is the most common type and occurs after the age of 10. Idiopathic scoliosis can also occur in children younger than 10 years of age, but is very rare. This type of scoliosis is more common in girls than boys. Scoliosis can run in families, therefore, a child who has a parent, brother, or sister with idiopathic scoliosis should be checked regularly. Early onset or infantile idiopathic scoliosis occurs in children less than 3 years old. Juvenile idiopathic scoliosis occurs in children between the ages of 3 and 10.
  
  A scoliosis can be a temporary, changing curve called Nonstructural (functional) scoliosis or a fixed curvature called Structural scoliosis. These conditions are diagnosed through a medical history and a physical examination.
  
  Treatments can range from no treatment at all, to surgical intervention depending on the cause of the curvature, the patient's age, how much more he or she is likely to grow, the degree and pattern of the curve, and the type of scoliosis.
• Stress
  Stress
  

  Stress is a condition that develops when the demands on an individual begin to outweigh the capabilities and resources available to that individual. In other words; what is expected of you is putting too much pressure on you because you don't feel you have the "tools" to perform the task. A few examples of these "tools" are emotions, energy, physical strength, and mental ability. Stress can be related to things both inside and outside the body. Some examples of things outside the body that cause stress can be related to a job, home life, and interactions with others. Things inside the body that affect a person's stress level can include the availability of proper nutrients, the proper functioning of the parts of the body, the emotional state of being, and the abundance or lack of sleep per night.
  
  The most common view of stress is a negative one; however, there are positive biological reasons for a "stress state" that help us handle stressful situations. A problem arises when there are too many of these situations occurring and the mind becomes emotionally over whelmed, the body becomes biologically overly stimulated and the person is in a general state of over reacting.
  
  If a person remains in this over reactive state medical conditions can develop. Every person is different from another and displays stress differently; however, there are some common symptoms of negative stress such as sleep disturbances, muscle tension, headache, gastrointestinal disturbances, and fatigue. Emotional and behavioral symptoms that can accompany excess stress include nervousness, anxiety, changes in eating habits including overeating, loss of enthusiasm or energy, and mood changes.
  
  If a person in an over reactive, negative stress state does not get help when these symptoms appear, more severe problems and disease states can occur. These can be psychological disorders (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder), maladaptive behaviors (aggression, substance abuse), cognitive impairment, and physical disorders (cardiovascular, thyroid disease).
  
  Anyone in any age group can experience negative stress. Some common groups of people that experience increased negative stress due to life transitions are children, teens, working parents, and seniors. If you feel that you or someone you know is in an over reactive, negative stress state, please seek care. There are many different healthcare workers that are available to help you.

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Financial Information

Average Cost per Initial Visit: $101 - $150
Average Cost per Session: $51 - $75
Credit Cards Accepted? yes
Insurance Accepted? no