Nashua Back Pain, Spine Issues, and Hip Pain: Simple Tests & 3D Imaging

Back pain and hip pain and spine issues merge for many chiropractic patients, prompting a visit to Moriarty Chiropractic. We are here to help! Growing older has some unique challenges for those who experience back, hip and spine pain but also some unique benefits today due to new ways to maintaining stability and coping with and reducing pain. Your Nashua chiropractor keeps on top of these novel approaches and is prepared to help you!

SIMPLE TESTS FOR OLDER ADULTS AND THEIR SPINES

Older folks understand that with age comes ‘wisdom’…and its own set of distinctive oddities. Different aches and pains arise one morning or mid-afternoon or evening, demanding attention. For those Nashua back pain sufferers who are a bit older, hip range of motion and strength may foretell how 12 months down the road a chronic low back pain patient may be functioning. Researchers tested this out! Reduced hip strength and range of motion predicted a deterioration in function a year later. Hip osteoarthritis did not affect these outcomes. (1) Your chiropractor will perform a thorough examination and knows some easy-to-do tests of hip strength and range of motion – gait speed, 6-minute walk test, subjective questionnaires, even imaging as necessary - to rule out osteoarthritis.

3D IMAGING BENEFITS

Imaging has come a long way! Today, MRI images of the spine in 3D are now clinically possible. Their benefit is higher spatial resolution, reformation in any plane so the MRI process is faster, and interpretation is more accurate. Neat! Another benefit, especially for back pain sufferers who have undergone back surgery already with metal implants, etc., and now have pain again is that 3D imaging permits viewing around the metal. (2) Such views can assist doctors in seeing problems at adjacent spine levels.

A SPECIFIC SPINE ISSUE: PISA SYNDROME

Pain issues in one area of the spine can certainly impact other areas and even prompt more pain. A postural disorder some older back pain sufferers may experience is called Pisa Syndrome which is characterized by lateral flexion of the spine greater than 10 degrees which sets them up to falls, a lower quality of life, and greater risk of mortality in neurological diseases. Postural stability exercises are important for such patients, important enough that they should do these always to reduce fall risk. (3) Moriarty Chiropractic is all for stability!

CONTACT Moriarty Chiropractic

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Gary Stefanick on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he discusses his use of Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction to ease back pain after back surgery. Back pain specialists like your Nashua chiropractor are able to examine, diagnose, and treat post-surgical continued pain.

Schedule your Nashua chiropractic appointment today. Nashua chiropractic patients find kinship with each other when back pain, hip pain, and spine stability are involved as well as help from their chiropractic care. We look forward to seeing you soon!