Cleary Family Chiropractic: Blog

Ankylosing Spondylitis is the name of a kind of arthritis that can affect the spine. One of its defining symptoms is inflammation of the ligaments and tendons that attach to the vertebrae. Although it is a chronic condition, it is manageable through regular maintenance, and we at Clearly Family Chiropractic in Woodstock are committed to providing our patients with treatments that are safe and as non-intrusive as possible. The exact cause of ankylosing spondylitis is unknown, but it has a major genetic component. It most often occurs in young men and causes early morning stiffness in the lower back and pelvic region. It is often intermittent and can sometimes be felt in the hips and shoulders. In severe cases, the vertebrae may fuse together as the bone regrows during periods when the inflammation subsides. Treatment for ankylosing spondylitis revolves around keeping the spinal joints mobile and reducing inflammation. Spinal adjustments can prevent stiffness, and Active Release Techniq...

It’s no secret that if you suffer from back pain, you won’t sleep as well. But what may be less clear to patients is how certain lifestyle changes can help them get better sleep if they suffer from osteoarthritis. We’re dedicated to helping our patients at Cleary Family Chiropractic in Woodstock to free themselves of pain through holistic, minimally invasive means, so we want to explore the ways patients can escape the vicious circle of pain and insomnia. Osteoarthritis differs from other forms of arthritis in that it is characterized by mechanical wear to cartilage. As the bones rub together, their cushioning erodes and they form bony spurs at their tips, triggering inflammation in the surrounding tissues. The dread of pain often causes people more sleep deprivation than the pain itself, and when a person is short on sleep, their soft tissues become less elastic and supportive. If they suffer pain long enough, it may become centralized, meaning that their body is continually sending ...

Cleary Family Chiropractic is located in Woodstock, GA. It’s run by Drs. Matthew Cleary and Dr. Dave Sikanowicz, two top-tier chiropractors. That’s why they’ve taken the time to create this little description of Personal Injury. Specifically, what is a Personal Injury? This is any kind of injury that happens outside the workplace. It’s best to get treatment right away before it gets worse. Contact us today to set up your first appointment!   The appointment starts with a physical evaluation. This is the best way for Drs. Cleary or Sikanowicz to get an understanding of your condition. They look for resulting injuries from the accident while informing you of the best treatment methods going forward.   Here are a few common types of personal injury: -car or automobile accidents -bicycle accidents -fall, slip, or trip   There is a monumental difference in the way other medical practitioners and chiropractors provide treatment. Chiropractors focus on your body as a whole, a connected system...

If you suffer from any sort of pain, chronic or acute, contact Cleary Family Chiropractic today. This includes any sort of shoulder pain! Drs. Matthew Cleary and Dave Sikanowicz commonly treat shoulder injuries and discomfort. It’s best to get treatment before it worsens. If you find yourself struggling to sleep or even carry a bag, let us know! We are conveniently located in Woodstock, GA.   The biggest and most common symptom is a pain when moving or lifting your arm. Other experiences are decreased range-of-motion, a burning sensation, and a pinching feeling. We offer treatment for all of these. Your shoulder joint is very vulnerable which is what puts it at risk. It’s why we offer strength techniques alongside treatment. By making the joint stronger, you minimize the risk of re-injury.   There are a few ways to injure a shoulder: -overuse -improper usage when exercising -trauma from an accident -over-loading   There are a few more severe issues that your Woodstock, GA, chiropractor...

Did you know that the stooped gait commonly seen in older people is largely preventable? Hyperkyphosis, an extreme forward curvature of the upper spine, is often the result of disease. One disease in particular, osteoporosis, accounts for most instances of it, so we at Cleary Family Chiropractic in Woodstock wanted to inform our patients of what causes it and how to mitigate it. As living tissue, the bones of our backs are constantly breaking down and regrowing. But among some people, the bones break down faster than they regrow. The resulting weakness is called osteopenia, and if it is severe enough for gaps to appear in the bones, the patient is said to have osteoporosis. This disease is most common in older women, although it is not rare in men. As bones become more brittle, they are likelier to develop small fractures. A person may not feel each fracture, but their accumulative effect is that the vertebrae slowly collapse, resulting in hyperkyphosis. To counteract osteoporosis, a ...

Exercise is crucial to a healthy lifestyle and is often a core component in our patients’ recovery from back aches. Cycling is especially popular, since it won’t jostle the spine or other joints with impacts. However, lower back pain is a common complaint among cyclists, and we at Cleary Family Chiropractic in Woodstock want our patients to know to take steps that will prevent it. As with any sport, it’s important for cyclists to have properly-fitted equipment. Often, when people get used bicycles, they never get them properly refitted, but this will become a problem if they have to reach too far forward to reach the handlebars. Ideally, a person should be free to shift posture on the bicycle during the course of their ride so they won’t hold one position or stretch their lumbar spine for too long. However, professional cyclists also commonly experience lower back pain, and this probably isn’t due to old equipment. As a person cycles, the muscles supporting the lumbar region of their ...

Pain in your back may be due to a problem further down your body. When people have knee pain, they’re likelier to adopt poor posture, keeping pressure off their aching joint by thrusting out a hip and bending their back to the other side to keep their balance. This is terrible for the lower back and pelvic muscles, and while we at Cleary Family Chiropractic in Woodstock can provide safe and minimally invasive treatment, we want people to better understand how knee pain develops. When a person is suffering from stiffness and soreness in the knee, we call that “patellofemoral syndrome.” The kneecap is a sesamoid bone, which means it does not connect to the rest of the skeleton in the way most bones do. Instead, it rests on cartilage in a trench at the bottom of the femur and is held in place by muscles and ligaments. When those tissues become inflamed and the kneecap is displaced, it may erode its supporting cartilage. Patellofemoral Syndrome tends to be worse when a person is walking u...