Arthritis
Arthritis, or joint pain or joint disease, is the leading cause of disability in America. More than 50 million adults and 300,000 children are suffering from some type of arthritis. Common symptoms include swelling, pain, stiffness, and decreased range of motion. Severe arthritis can result in chronic pain, inability to perform normal day-to-day activities, and has the potential to cause permanent joint damage.
To determine whether or not you may be suffering from arthritis or to determine the severity, your medical professional will perform blood tests and conduct an imaging scan (ie: x-ray, CAT scan or MRI). Eating healthy, staying active, and understanding your type of arthritis and treatment options are crucial to decreasing your discomfort and paving the way for an enjoyable, happy life.
Auto Injuries
More than six million car accidents occur in America each year. Even a minor automobile accident can have major effects on your health. When one automobile is struck by another, thousands of pounds of force are exerted on the neck & spine.
Car accident injuries effect various parts of the body. Head, neck and back injuries are certainly the most common, but car accidents also frequently affect internal organs, and upper and lower limbs.
Most people don’t think that a 20 mph rear end collision can hurt them. But in reality, body can feel the effects of as little as 8 mph collisions.
The auto injury related treatment is covered in full by auto insurance policies whether you are a driver, a passenger, or a pedestrian… and regardless of who is at fault.
Dr. Cha is highly trained and very experienced in helping patients overcome painful auto accident injuries that cause strained muscles/sprained ligaments and spinal misalignments of the spine. Gentle and effective spinal adjustments, spinal decompression therapy, massage therapy, and physiotherapy will help you live without pain and regain the mobility that you once enjoyed.
Anyone who has been in an automobile accident, even if there are no obvious symptoms, should have a Chiropractic examination. The damage from spinal nerve stress may take weeks or even months to surface. Chiropractic exam and proper treatment can save an accident victim from much pain and disability later.
Frequently Asked Questions;
Q.. What symptoms can I get from an automobile accident?
A.. Car accident injuries effect various parts of the body. Head, neck and back injuries are certainly the most common, but car accidents also frequently affect internal organs, and upper and lower limbs. Wrist and hand sprain from holding tight the steering wheel, or hip/knee/ankle sprain from stepping hard the brake pedal at the time of collision is also very common auto-accident related injury.
Q.. Who pays for treatment?
A.. Auto insurance will pay in full for the treatments. You do not pay anything for the treatment related to auto injury in Minnesota.
Q.. Will my auto insurance premium be increased if I get treatments for auto injury?
A.. No. Whether you are responsible for the accident either partially or fully is the factor that affects your insurance premium. Whether or not you get the treatments shouldn’t be the reason that affects the premium.
Q.. I am involved an auto accident, but I don’t have auto insurance. Do I have to use my health insurance?
A.. No. As long as it is an auto accident related injury, your health insurance does not pay for the treatment. According to Minnesota No-Fault Law, there is almost always a liable no-fault insurance carrier who is responsible to pay for the treatments. We can help you to find the right no-fault insurer. Again, it does not affect the insurance premium of the no-fault insured.
Q.. I have previously existing pain on my neck that became worse after recent auto accident. Will the auto insurance pay for the treatment for the pre-existing neck pain?
A.. Yes. If the condition became worse because of the auto accident, you have the right to get proper treatments until you reach to pre-accident condition.
Q.. I got neck pain from a car accident, but my car got almost no damage. Will the auto insurance still pay for the treatment of my neck pain?
A.. Yes. There is no specific relationship between the body injury and the car damage. Some sturdy SUV’s do not easily get damaged by impact but can transfer the force from the collision to the passenger in it and cause quite body injury. The biomechanic of your body posture and motion at the time of collision is more important factor that affects the amount of the body injury than the damage of the car you were riding.
Q.. The E.R. gave me pain killers. Do I have to keep taking them?
A.. If you are in too much pain, it might be okey to take pain pill in short period of time as necessary. However, the pain pills hide your symptoms that you may think you are okey even though your body got injured. In that case it can prevent you from getting proper teatments in time and make the recovery from the injury harder, and possibly cause permanent disability in worse case. Remember you have to treat the injury that causes the pain, not the pain itself.
YOU FIXED YOUR CAR …..
….. NOW FIX YOUR SPINE!!
Back Pain
Since back pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide, it is vital to know how to prevent the cause of back pain. By maintaining a healthy diet and weight, remaining active and avoiding prolonged inactivity or bed rest are all important ways to avoid back pain. Before doing exercises or any physical activity, it is recommended to warm up and/or stretch.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
CTS is a problem of the median nerve which runs from the forearm into the hand. When there is excessive pressure in the wrist, it causes swelling of the median nerve. This small area called the carpal tunnel is a narrow tunnel at the wrist made up of bones, soft tissues, nerves, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels. When the median nerve which runs through this tunnel gets compressed it causes pain, weakness, numbness or tingling in the hand and wrist which radiates into the forearm. The carpal tunnel is the most common area that gets compressed in both the hands and feet.
CTS should be diagnosed and treated early. During your consultation, you will receive a standard physical examination of the hands, arms, shoulders and neck to help determine if your symptoms are related to daily activities or to an underlying disorder. Our highly skilled chiropractor will also utilize other orthopedic tests to try to produce the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Laboratory tests and x-rays can reveal diabetes, arthritis, fractures, and other common causes of wrist and hand pain.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Degenerative disc disease is when natural changes in the discs of your spine cause pain. The discs between vertebrae act as shock absorbers for your spine, and as you age, they begin to lose flexibility. While this is a normal part of aging, it should not cause pain. If you experience pain due to this, it is classified as degenerative disc disease.
Each disc is composed of a sturdy outer wall and a soft, gel-like inner core. When we are born, these discs are primarily composed of water, but as age advances, the discs lose some of this water content and begin to get thinner. As you might imagine, this means each disc doesn’t absorb the shocks of everyday life as well.
Headaches/ Migraines
Nine out of ten Americans say that they suffer from headaches. Some of these people experience headaches frequently. Some experience constant headaches that are very painful. These can even make a person nauseous. Ninety-five percent of headaches are tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused from a disease, but from something in your body that is not sitting correctly.
Knee Pain
Knee pain is increasingly becoming a more common problem in society. It is a complaint we see frequently. The most common complaint associated with knee pain is considered the normal “wear and tear.” Another ailment that affects the knee is osteoarthritis. The symptoms and progression of osteoarthritis and knee pain can be reduced through our individualized approach to chiropractic care.
Neck Pain
The neck, also called the cervical spine, begins at the base of the skull and contains seven small vertebrae. The cervical spine supports the full weight of your head which is on average about 12 pounds. While the cervical spine can move your head in nearly every direction, this flexibility makes the neck very susceptible to pain and injury.
Neuropathy
Neuropathy is a medical condition caused by damaged nerve cells and often associated with autoimmune diseases, infections, diabetes, tumors, or hereditary conditions. Peripheral neuropathy currently affects over 20 million people in the United States with symptoms ranging from tingling or burning pain and nausea to muscle spasms, difficulty moving your arms or legs, or atrophy.
Personal Injury
Our goal is to help you receive the proper care after a personal injury, auto accident or fall. Our staff is devoted to helping you obtain the most comprehensive treatments and the care you deserve, so you may maintain your quality of life after an injury and can begin to feel like yourself again.
Too often, individuals involved in an auto injury or wreck have minimal or no symptoms until several weeks after the auto accident. That is where the professionals at Cha Family Chiropractic come in, and can assist you with all aspects of auto accident personal injury recovery.
Pinched Nerve
A pinched nerve can happen in a variety of places throughout the body with some of the most common being the lower spine, wrists, neck, and legs. A pinched nerve occurs when the muscles or tendons around the nerve are inflamed, putting pressure on the nerve and either causing pain or even numbness throughout the extremities related or attached to this affected nerve.
Your pinched nerve may be caused by different physical conditions such as carpal tunnel or a herniated disc. Though pinched nerves can be painful, the majority of patients find that their pinched nerve(s) goes away on its own.
If the pinched nerve does not resolve itself and you have persistent pain that lasts for more than a few days, you should seek medical attention by scheduling an appointment at Cha Family Chiropractic with our chiropractor. This is especially true if you’ve tried at-home treatments but feel like your pain is worsening as time progresses. With pinched nerves, it’s important to seek medical attention in order to identify the underlying cause of the pinched nerve to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Sciatica
Sciatica is characterized by pain in the lower back that radiates down one or both legs. The pain is described as dull, achy, sharp, like “pins and needles” or similar to electric shocks. Other symptoms associated with sciatica include burning, numbness and tingling sensations. Sciatic nerve pain varies in intensity from mild to severe, and frequency may range from occasional to constant. The onset is generally gradual and not necessarily associated with a previous event. Sciatica is also known as radiating or referred pain, neuropathy, or neuralgia.
Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain is a very common condition and affects almost half of the U.S. Most patients feel some sort of pain, limited range of motion, an inability to engage in activities of daily living (ADL) or something more serious as a permanent disability.
Sports Injury
Sports can be very taxing on your body, no matter what you play. Our trusted staff will work with you to get to the root of your problem and help you feel better again. We help treat and also prevent injuries in the neck, back, shoulders, knees, and ankles. We are able to manually adjust your spine, relieving any pain that you are feeling. This will allow your body to function much better after the injury.
Vertigo
Vertigo is the feeling that you are moving when you’re not. This sensation can be triggered by movements such as turning your head too quickly or looking down from a great distance, but it is ultimately caused by problems in the inner ear, brain, or brainstem. There are two different forms of vertigo with each stemming from various medical issues: peripheral vertigo and central vertigo.
Peripheral vertigo results in a problem with your inner ear and thus your balance, while central vertigo occurs when your brain or brainstem are suffering from a disease originating from your central nervous system (CNS). Peripheral vertigo is typically more severe, and central vertigo is more gradual in its onset. Regardless of the type of dizziness you are experiencing, more than likely, your quality of life is suffering because of it.
Whiplash
According to the American Chiropractic Association, one of the most common causes of neck pain is whiplash resulting from a car accident. A sudden forced movement of the head or neck in any direction and the resulting “rebound” in the opposite direction is known as whiplash. The sudden “whipping” motion injures the surrounding and supporting tissues of the neck and head. Muscles react by tightening and contracting, creating muscle fatigue, which can result in pain and stiffness. Severe whiplash can also be associated with injury to the intervertebral joints, discs, ligaments, muscles, and nerve roots.
Work Injuries
Work related injury is one of the most common reasons for chiropractic new patients. Repetitive motions or prolonged poor posture at work can be very degenerative and debilitating. These repetitive or physically stressful work movements cause various types of injuries in hundreds of thousands of Americans every year.
The sustained motions such as those produced by prolonged computer work will often result in neck pain, low back pain, headaches, or even carpal tunnel. Jobs that require repetitive lifting put a tremendous amount of stress on the low back and sometimes result in very painful and somtimes crippling injuries.
Dr. Cha is very experienced in effectively treating work injuries, and for 10 years since his graduation from Northwestern College of Chiropractic, Dr. Cha has been helping hundreds of patients to fully recover and return to work soonest possible.
We provide the best care available, which includes; chiropractic care, spinal decompression therapy, acupuncture, physiotherapy, massage therapy, and personalized exercies programs to overcome painful work injuries.
If you have been injured at work, take action immediately, don’t wait!
1. Contact your supervisor and notify them that you have been injured while at work. It is important to notify your employer as soon as possible to assist in getting your claim approved. There you will be instructed to fill the “First Report of Injury” form.
2. Call our office as soon as possible to schedule an appointment for your injury evaluation and treatment.
3. Bring a copy of the “First Report of Injury” form to the appointment if you already filled it up.
4. If you did not report the injury to your supervisor yet, or did not fill the First Report of Injury form, still it is okey to come to the appointment. We will assist you in filling out. We can help with the entire process of your claim. However, it is your responsibility to report to your supervisor about the injury as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions;
Q.. If I get injured at work or during performing my work duty, what is the first thing to do?
A.. The first thing you have to do is to let your supervisor know about the injury. Contact your supervisor right away and notify them that you have been injured while at work. There you will be instructed to fill the “First Report of Injury” form. Call our office as soon as possible to schedule an appointment for your injury evaluation and treatment.
Q.. Do I need to get a referral first?
A.. According to the Minnesota Worker’s Compensation law, the first doctor you see for work injury becomes your primary doctor for the injury, or the “treating doctor”. You don’t need referral to go to the first doctor. However, once you have the treating doctor for the injury, you will need referral from the treating doctor if you want to see any other health provider for either examination or therapy.
Q.. What if my employer wants me to see a company doctor?
A.. You may see a company doctor if you wish, but you have the right to choose your own doctor.
Q.. Do I pay anything for treatment for the work injury?
A.. The Worker’s Comensation insurance will pay in full for the treatments. You do not pay anything for the treatments related to work injury in Minnesota.
Q.. How long can I get treatment for the work injury?
A.. You have the right to get proper treatments until you are fully recovered. Initially the worker’s compensation insurance allows you maximum 12 weeks to get treatments. At the end of the 12 weeks, if you need more treatment, the treating doctor can ask the worker’s compensation insurance to extend the treatment period up to additional 12 weeks.