COMMON CONDITIONS WE TREAT

HEADACHES, TMJ JAW PAIN, TOOTH PAIN • UPPER, MIDDLE, LOWER BACK PAIN & SCIATICA • NECK & SHOULDER PAIN • FOOT PAIN • SLEEP DISORDERS • SPORTS INJURIES

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING…

Headaches, TMJ Jaw Pain & Tooth Pain?

Examination of symptoms using latest technologies.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) often occur as a result of problems with the jaw, jaw joint and surrounding facial muscles that control chewing and moving the jaw. These disorders are often incorrectly called TMJ, which stands for temporomandibular joint.

TMD is a reflection of the stress and imbalance in the skeletal system and not just an injury or dysfunction of the jaw. Stress of any type creates more tension in the postural muscle system and the strongest muscle in that system are the muscles that we clench with. Understanding this changes the approach, diagnosis and the treatment. When we clench, it puts stress on the TMJ and can cause the dysfunction/dislocation of the disc that requires treatment.

Upper, Middle or Lower Back Pain, Sciatica?

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Low back and sciatic pain are a result of a loss of core stability which includes the integrity of the pelvis and all the muscles that attach to it. Primarily it is the injury to the ligaments of the Sacro-iliac joints and increased stimulus from the nervous system to postural muscles to compensate or adapt and balance as best they can and when that effort stops working we express out the classic symptoms of low back pain and sciatica.

Alleviate pain
The most important fact to keep in mind is that pain is a symptom in most health problems and treating the system and not the pain is of utmost importance. The object is to treat the cause of the pain and not just treat the symptom so that patients understand and participate in their healing.

Neck & Shoulder pain?

Evaluation and treatment of the full range of problems.

Neck and shoulder pain can be classified in many different ways. Some people experience only neck pain or only shoulder pain, while others experience pain in both areas. Spinal adjustment may correct these pains depending on diagnoses.

The musculoskeletal system reacts and compensates to injuries and any other stressors. So the reality is that most of health care is based on treating the symptoms and not the system .

Many times the neck/upper back is reacting to a break down in the postural system. The further the posture is out of balance, the more chronic the neck and upper back will become symptomatic as the muscles tighten up to compensate. Reducing the stress and sympathetic overdrive will make the neck and upper back less chronic and more responsive.

Upper and middle back pain can occur anywhere from the base of your neck to the bottom of your rib cage. If a nerve in this area is pinched, irritated, or injured, pain in other places where the nerve travels to can be felt.

It is the same with the neck as well as the understanding that visceral somatic reflexes will cause a lot of chronic pain patterns as the heart can give you left shoulder chest or neck pain. Every organ creates musculoskeletal pain and much of the reflex pain or tension is in the spine from the low back up to the neck.

Foot Pain?

Wholistic means from the bottom of your feet to the top of your head.

Pain in the foot can be due to a problem in any part of the foot. Bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles, fascia, toenail beds, nerves, blood vessels, or skin can be the source of foot pain. The cause of foot pain can be narrowed down by location. The feet are some of the most highly innervated areas in the body and can have pain from direct injury but many times it is related to the propreceptive over stimulation when the mechanics of the feet are breaking down or when the body posture is experiencing imbalances.

Sleep Issues or Sleep Apnea?

Snoring and sleep issues are the most important health issues of our modern times as oxygen is the most important nutrient required in every minute of every day of our lives. Lack of oxygen has an obvious bad outcome.

Snoring is primarily a mechanical issue as the airway and jaw are collapsing or falling back at night. Dental specialists can make sleep appliances to hold the jaw forward and keep the airway open, improving the airway and TMJ. When proper Cranial /TMJ therapy is performed, TMJ function improves and reduces pain and snoring.

Sports Injuries?

The goal of treatment is to balance the musculoskeletal system by reducing the postural distortions and tensions and thereby increasing function and strength.

Causes of Chronic Pain

Chronic pain in these areas may be caused by temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), sleep apnea and cranio-facial problems. The muscular skeletal system is completely interconnected. Sometimes pain is felt in one area, while its cause is somewhere else. For example, TMJ disorder affects the jaw joint, but pain may be felt in the teeth, neck, shoulder, back and even the feet. That’s why the disorder is often called “the great deceiver”.

In addition, sleep apnea is sometimes associated with TMJ dysfunction. Obstruction in the airway can cause tension in the jaw, teeth grinding, and a subsequent TMJ disorder.

Our bodies are designed to adapt and compensate for injuries and illness, but sometimes symptoms and pain persist. Unfortunately, many healthcare providers try to treat the symptoms, but they may not fully understand or treat the cause of the problem. Consequently, pain often returns.

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Are you Ready to Ease Your Pain & Restore Your Health?

Contact the team at Richard C. Gerardo, D.C., C.S.C.P. today to schedule your appointment.