Wednesday, March 3, 2010

I Have Been Diagnosed With TMJ? What Is It, And How Do You Treat It At Willow Bend Sports & Spine Center?

Millions of people suffer from a widespread condition known as TMJD. This condition is properly called Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction. This joint is located just in front on your ears, and often gets mis-aligned and misdiagnosed for ear infections and pain. This is the most overused joint in the body due to giving us the ability to speak and chew our food. Just like any joint in the body it is succeptible to Arthritis, Discloctation, Ligament damage/loosness, and sprain/strain injuries. Many people with severe TMJ pain can't open their mouths to talk or chew with out a great deal of pain or pooping. Here at Willow Bend Sports & Spine Center wer assess all the surround structures such as your neck and overall posture as other causes that are contributing to your TMJ pain. Most people that exhibit TMJ either have had a trauma, or have a head forward posture. We see a high percentage of people with a head forward posture in our office, and explain that the muscles of the neck and upper torso must recruit other muscles such as the muscles of the jaw to stabilize the head and neck region. This recuitment then causes the muscles that control your TMJ to become overtime overly tight and cause TMJ pain and dysfunction. At WIllow Bend Sports & Spine Center we utilize treatments such as Type IV "Hot" Laser Treatment, INTERX Treatment, Active Release Technique(Muscle Technique).With a proper checkup with your Dentist and possible night guard for protection and increasing the space between your teeth allows for our treatments to be more successful and help reduce or eliminate your TMJD pain. If you are suffering from TMJD or need any additional information please contact our office at 972-312-9310.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Still Having Sciatica? Willow Bend Sports & Spine Center can help!

Millions of people now days are diagnosed with a very common condition known as Sciatica. This is a nerve referral pattern called a Dermatome that is a result of nerve irritation or compression from either a space occupying lesion (ie. Herniation, Protrusion, Bulge), or a nerve entrapment of the soft tissue. In fact only 3 percent of all symptomatic disc injuries/conditions are truely symptomatic from the discs. This leaves at least 90-95 percent or more to the soft tissues of the lower body region. Upon injury or overuse adhesions/scar tissue develops in our tissues due to lack of oxygen/blood flow. These adhesions act like glue an adhere to other muscles or nerves and restrict the amount of lengthening or motion and strength of tissues. When our legs are fully extended such as standing, running, or stretching our nerves must lengthen to accomodate the motion. When adhesions are present in various soft tissues the glide or lengthening of the Sciatic nerve for example is not be allowed to properly function and then symptoms arise. In my years of clinical experience when referrring to Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation specialists, I see patients very frequently who have been treated by these and other specialists with Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injections (Intralaminar/Transforaminal/Caudal) and still have their symptoms coming back and wonder why they cannot have sustained Sciatica relief or resolution. This is a result of true misdiagnosis, and lack of treatment and the use of functional movement exams of the soft tissues. Active Release Technique is a soft tissue treatment that is used here at Willow Bend Sports & Spine Center that breaks free the adhesions/scar tissue in the soft tissue that is potentially contributing to the nerve compression/irritation symptoms such as a deep ache, numbness, tingling, throbbing, or sharp pain. So if you are a patient still experiencing Sciatica symptoms, please contact our office to schedule an appointment at 972-312-9310.