| Does anyone want to play tennis? No thanks, my | | | | effects of steroids or the scars of surgery. |
| lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) is acting up. | | | | For your lower back strain, your doctor may |
| Would you prefer golf? No thanks, my | | | | recommend bed rest. If that does not work, he |
| musculoligamentous injury (lower back strain) is | | | | may recommend carbamazepine (a seizure |
| acting up. What about if we take a pleasant walk? | | | | medication) or amitriptyline (an antidepressant). If |
| No thanks, my prepatellar bursa (inflamed knee) is | | | | that does not work, he may send you to a |
| acting up. | | | | surgeon for endoscopic disc repair. A certified |
| You have tried ice packs, heating pads, and pain | | | | physical therapist, on the other hand, will |
| medications. Before one opts to undergo surgery, | | | | recommend a series of regular exercises to |
| one should consider using a chiropractor. A | | | | strengthen the muscles of your lower back. |
| chiropractor takes a holistic approach to your | | | | According to the Journal of Manipulative and |
| health care, focusing on your entire body, not only | | | | Physiological Therapeutics, "A higher proportion of |
| your pain. Chiropractics is derived from two | | | | chiropractic patients (56 percent versus |
| Greek words "cheir" (hand) and "praktos" (done), | | | | 13percent) reported that their low-back pain was |
| for the meaning "done by hand". In 1895, Daniel | | | | better or much better, whereas nearly one-third |
| David Palmer first combined the various forms of | | | | of medical patients reported their low-back pain |
| physical manipulation with the scientific study of | | | | was worse or much worse." |
| anatomy. | | | | For your inflamed knee, your doctor may again |
| Since then, this done by hand approach to | | | | recommend over-the-counter medications and |
| medicine has grown to more than 60,000 | | | | corticosteroid shots. However, acupuncture may |
| practitioners in the United States alone, valued for | | | | provide the relief you seek. This 3000-year old |
| its focus on total health rather than immediate | | | | Chinese art gained credibility in the western world |
| relief of symptoms through medication. For your | | | | in 1997 when the National Institutes of Health |
| tennis elbow, your doctor may recommend | | | | recognized it as an acceptable practice. |
| over-the-counter medications. If that does not | | | | Acupuncture involves the insertion of extremely |
| work, he may recommend corticosteroid shots. If | | | | thin needles into certain pressure points |
| that does not work, he may send you to a | | | | throughout the body. When properly performed |
| surgeon to sever and reattach the tendon. | | | | by a certified acupuncturist, this treatment is a |
| A sports injury specialist, on the other hand, will | | | | safe, holistic method to reduce your pain without |
| search for the cause of the pain. In most cases, | | | | harming the rest of your body. Regardless of |
| the cause is muscular, with the body redirecting | | | | your choice of treatment, you can be certain that |
| the function of one muscle to another muscle in | | | | your chiropractor will take into account your |
| order to compensation for the true source of the | | | | whole body, and will provide hands-on treatment |
| pain. Exercise and manipulation, properly | | | | aimed at the source of your pain, not simply its |
| administered by a trained sports injury specialist | | | | symptoms. |
| will provide relief without the dangerous side | | | | |