Lower or mid back pain is a common health condition. In fact, 85% of Americans will suffer from lower back pain and seek treatment at some point in their lifetime.

Common causes of back pain include muscle spasms, strains and sprains, disc bulges or herniation, and loss of normal function of the spine. Chiropractic care is a well researched, proven and safe treatment for back pain.

Our Approach

We will first talk to you about your exact symptoms then perform a thorough exam to determine the cause of your back pain. We will get right to work helping you feel better on the first visit including adjusting and other modalities that might be necessary like heat or muscle work.  We will also talk to you about stretches, exercises, supplements and lifestyle changes you can make to help your body heal between visits.  We do not typically make long-term treatment plans.  Instead, we work on a week-to-week basis with the goal of getting you better as fast as possible so you can spend time doing the activities you love to do.

Home Care During Treatment:

During treatment for a lower back injury, we suggest several precautions that will allow you to heal faster and prevent a reappearance of the injury:

• Do entirely no lifting until we say you may restart such activities.
• When lying down, assume any position that will offer some relief from pain. As you recover, we will train you as to the proper position for your particular type of back problem.
• Frequently stand and walk for short periods of time. Avoid the “sitting” position, as this puts the greatest strain on the lower back.
• If you need to sit, it is best to sit in a reclined position
• Avoid walking up or down stairs, and do not walk on uneven ground.
• To get up from a lying down position, turn onto your “good” side, draw your knees up and push yourself into a sitting position using your arms. Then place your feet on the floor and your hands on your thighs, and stand up, allowing your back to assume its most comfortable position.
• Do not bend forward to put on pants, socks, shoes, etc. When bending, do so with the knees bent. Do not bend from the waist.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a common condition that can cause pain, tingling and stiffness in the hand, wrist and arm.  The nerves that control your arms, hands and fingers exit the spinal cord via several openings between the numerous bones in the lower neck. From your spinal cord, the nerves travel out your neck, down your arm, through the carpal (wrist) tunnel and into your fingers. When the nerves become pinched, you will experience pain, burning, numbness or tingling. The symptoms can spread to all five fingers from the middle and index fingers, and in extreme cases, up the arm.

Carpal Tunnel is often seen in those who work on the computer for long hours, have diabetes or arthritis.  It is more common in women and is a common symptom of pregnancy (though it usually goes away once the baby is born).

Chiropractic care relieves tension on these nerves, alleviating the symptoms of carpal tunnel at its root.

Our Approach

At LHCC, we will first talk to you about your exact symptoms then perform a thorough exam to figure out the cause of your wrist and hand pain.  We will get right to work helping you feel better on the first visit including adjusting your wrist, elbow and neck as well as doing any other modalities that might be necessary like heat or muscle work.  We will also talk to you about stretches, exercises, supplements and lifestyle changes you can make to help your body heal between visits.  We do not typically make long-term treatment plans.  Instead, we work on a week-to-week basis with the goal of getting you better as fast as possible so you can spend time doing the activities you love to do.

A disc bulge or herniation refers to an injury to one or more of the squishy discs that sit between your vertebrae.  A disc bulge occurs when the disc flattens and bulges outward causing irritation of either a nerve or the spinal cord itself.  A herniation is more severe than a bulge and occurs when the gel inside the disc squishes through the disc’s tough outer layer.  Both can cause pain in the spine as well as numbness, tingling, pain or weakness in the extremities.  If the disc injury is in the neck, it can cause symptoms in the arms and hands while a disc injury in the low back is likely to cause leg symptoms.  Chiropractic care is a very effective and proven technique in the treatment of disc injury.

Our Approach

At LHCC, we will first talk to you about your exact symptoms then perform a thorough exam to figure out the cause of your pain.  We will get right to work helping you feel better on the first visit including adjusting and other modalities that might be necessary like heat or muscle work.  A common modality we use for low back injuries is called Flexion/Distraction. This is a method of repetitively moving the spine in a specific motion to help lubricate the injured disc and suck the disc back into place. We will also talk to you about stretches, exercises, supplements and lifestyle changes you can make to help your body heal between visits.  We do not typically make long-term treatment plans.  Instead, we work on a week-to-week basis with the goal of getting you better as fast as possible so you can spend time doing the activities you love to do.

Headaches and migraines are common afflictions in adults.  It is thought that 1 in every 20 adults has a daily headache and up to 1 in 10 people will experience a migraine in their lifetime.  Migraines differ from headaches in that they are severely intense and can cause other symptoms such as vision changes before onset (also known as an aura), sensitivity to light and sound, tingling in the hands, among others.

Both headaches and migraines can be triggered by environmental stressors such as strong smells, loud sounds, bright or flashing light, certain foods or stress in life.  These conditions can cause tightening of the muscles in the neck and jaw and misalignment of the upper cervical vertebrae in the neck.  

For many people, getting chiropractic adjustments can either lessen or erase the need to take prescription medications during a migraine.  Adjustments are very safe, effective and have no side effects, unlike most migraine medications.

Our Approach

At LHCC, we will first talk to you about your exact symptoms then perform a thorough exam to figure out the cause of your headaches or migraine pain.  We will get right to work helping you feel better on the first visit including adjusting the neck and mid back and other modalities that might be necessary like heat or muscle work (which is very important in the treatment of these conditions).  We will also talk to you about stretches, exercises, supplements and lifestyle changes you can make to help your body heal between visits and prevent migraines or headaches in the future.  We do not typically make long-term treatment plans.  Instead, we work on a week-to-week basis with the goal of getting you better as fast as possible so you can spend time doing the activities you love to do.

Neck pain is an extremely common condition that is estimated to affect 1 out of every 3 people at least once a year.

There are seven cervical vertebrae (or bones of the spine) in the neck. The joints between these cervical bones are highly moveable, allowing you to bend your head forward, backward and rotate as necessary. Because of its extreme flexibility, the neck tends to easily get injured causing pain and stiffness.

Your neck is the vital passageway that lets your brain communicate with the rest of your body. Even minor injuries can easily cause damage to the supporting muscles, tendons, ligaments and vertebrae of the neck. If left untreated, this can cause major disruption. A simple injury left untreated can become more than a pain in the neck.  Chiropractic care for neck injuries is safe and very effective.  We have many tools for the treatment of neck pain, and no, you don’t have to get your neck “popped”. 

Our Approach

At LHCC, we will first talk to you about your exact symptoms then perform a thorough exam to figure out the cause of your neck pain.  If appropriate, we will recommend getting x-rays of your neck to help us determine the exact cause of your issues.  We will get right to work helping you feel better on the first visit including adjusting and other modalities that might be necessary like heat or muscle work.  We will also talk about stretches, exercises, supplements and lifestyle changes you can make to help your body heal between visits.  We typically work on a week-to-week basis (meaning we don’t make long-term treatment plans) with the goal of getting you better as fast as possible so you can spend time doing the activities you love to do.

Carrying a child is a very special time filled with joy and anticipation. As miraculous as pregnancy is, it often is accompanied by a variety of unwelcome aches and pains, sciatica, pubic pain, heartburn or carpal tunnel (just to name a few).  

As the baby grows inside the womb, the mother’s body is flooded with hormones which relax the ligaments attached to the pelvis. While this change helps accommodate the growing baby and prepare the pelvis for birth, it can also result in postural imbalances in the pelvis and spine. These imbalances can be responsible for a variety of pains in the low back, hips, pubic area and even all the way up the spine to the neck.

After baby is born, whether it is via a vaginal birth or a cesarean, a mother’s body can have difficulty restoring proper alignment.  Not only is birth an intense physical and emotional experience, but a new mom uses her body differently as she is constantly feeding, care for and cuddling her baby.  

Our Approach

To address these musculoskeletal changes during and after pregnancy, I use a combination of techniques from chiropractic and physical therapy specifically designed for a pregnant mom’s changing body.  One well known approach is known as the Webster Technique which uses gentle chiropractic adjustments of the sacrum to remove stress on the nerves, muscles and bones of the pelvic area thus reducing pain and discomfort. The technique also aims to maximize the amount of space inside the pelvic bowl allowing the baby to move into proper head down position for delivery.

At LHCC, we will first talk to you about your exact symptoms and your health history, including details of your pregnancy and/or delivery.  We will then perform a thorough exam to figure out the cause of your pain and get right to work helping you feel better on the first visit including adjusting and other modalities that might be necessary like heat or muscle work.  Dr. Christine’s work is very gentle and safe for you and baby and she will explain each adjustment before she does it.  Your comfort is her number one concern so if you have questions during the visit, we encourage you to ask!  We will also talk about stretches, exercises, supplements and lifestyle changes you can make to help your body heal between visits.  We typically work on a week-to-week basis (meaning we don’t make long-term treatment plans) with the goal of getting you better as fast as possible so you can enjoy this special time in your life.

Sciatica is a general term for pain going down the back of the leg.  The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body. This nerve actually consists of a group of nerves bound in one nerve sheath that runs from the lower back to the foot via the buttock, thigh and knee. 

Sciatica can occur as the result of a herniated disc pressing on the sciatic nerve. It can also be caused by a muscle in the buttocks, called the piriformis muscle, becoming too tight and squeezing the sciatic nerve which is known as Piriformis Syndrome.  Repetitive lifting and on-going exposure to mechanical vibrations are among the most common causes of sciatica. People who spend long hours driving may also experience sciatica.  Chiropractic care is an excellent choice for the treatment of sciatica.  We often see lasting results with just one treatment!

Our Approach

At LHCC, we will first talk to you about your exact symptoms then perform a thorough exam to figure out the cause of your pain.  We will get right to work helping you feel better on the first visit including adjusting and other modalities that might be necessary like heat or muscle work.  A common modality we use for low back injuries is called Flexion/Distraction. This is a method of repetitively moving the spine in a specific motion to help lubricate the discs and gently stretch out the muscles in the low back. We will also talk to you about stretches, exercises, supplements and lifestyle changes you can make to help your body heal between visits.  We do not typically make long-term treatment plans.  Instead, we work on a week-to-week basis with the goal of getting you better as fast as possible so you can spend time doing the activities you love to do.

At LHCC, we have spent over a decade successfully treating all types of sports injuries.  Dr. Drew is proud to care for many professional athletes, from Ironman triathletes to world tour professional cyclists.  Regular chiropractic care is important to help athletes reach their highest potential, and Dr. Drew is an expert at helping athletes achieve their highest goals.  

Our Approach

At LHCC, we will first talk to you about your exact goals for your sport, and establish how we can best help you to accomplish them.  Next we will perform a thorough exam, looking for restrictions in range of motion and testing muscles for imbalance or weakness.  Often, we will watch you walk and assess the movement of your body from the feet up.  Based on our findings we may incorporate spinal manipulation to increase range of motion, functional dry needle therapy to correct muscle imbalance, cast custom orthotics to correct foot biomechanics, and possibly address dietary changes.  Whether you are looking to shave a minute off of your 5k time, or win Le Tour, we’ll help get you there!