Peterson Chiropractic

What are the benefits of massage therapy?

Massage therapy promotes healing by increasing circulation and relieving inflammation and chronic tension that can restrict blood flow and interrupt neural signaling. It also reduces stress, enhances mood and improves immune system function for better overall health and wellness. By releasing special "feel good" chemicals called endorphins, massage therapy can also help promote better and more restorative sleep. Plus, it keeps joints limber, providing a perfect companion therapy for chiropractic adjustments.

Deep tissue

As the name implies, deep tissue massage uses special techniques designed to reach the deeper layers of tissue to release trigger points and adhesions that can cause stiffness, pain and restricted range of motion.

What are the main causes of back pain?

Back pain is a very common complaint and one of the most common causes of work absences worldwide. There are plenty of factors that can cause back pain, including repetitive motions, standing and sitting for long periods of time, car accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, sports injuries, sleeping on a too-soft or too-hard mattress, bad posture, and poor ergonomics at work or school. Poor lifting technique and carrying heavy bags can also shift your spine out of alignment, resulting in impingements on nerves as well as soft tissue inflammation. Having an evaluation is the best way to determine the underlying cause of your pain.

What causes neck pain?

Neck pain most often occurs when the cervical spine – the portion of the spine that's located in your neck – is out of alignment, resulting in disc herniation and inflammation of the muscles and other soft tissues. Pain, stiffness, and decreased range of motion can all occur as the result of sports injuries, auto accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, carrying heavy bags or other uneven loads, sleeping on a pillow or mattress that doesn't provide adequate support, and long periods of standing or sitting. Repetitive motions like bending, twisting and lifting can also cause neck pain to occur, as can wear and tear and degenerative diseases like arthritis. Neck pain often spreads to the shoulders, arms and upper back, and it's a very common cause of chronic headaches.

What is sciatica?

Sciatica is a painful condition caused by compression of the sciatic nerve, a very long nerve that extends all the way from your lower back down each leg. The most common cause of compression of the sciatic nerve is disc herniation, which occurs when one of the spongy discs in your lower (or lumbar) spine moves out of its normal position and presses against the nerve as it leaves the spine. Other causes of compression include inflammation of soft tissues in the lumbar area, tumors, trauma and some types of spinal diseases.