Empathy for Low Back Pain

Empathy for Low Back Pain

Very few times in my life have I experienced low back pain. Friday at 11:09 am that changed. Terrible pain ripping through my lower back. Unable to stand up; an ice pick wedged in my left pelvis and a burning low back. Ugh! How do people live with this?

As a doctor, I see a lot of patients with similar back issues. I admit at times its hard to fully relate as I have extensive first hand knowledge and experience with neck and head issues and almost no back pain ever; most people seem to be either a low back or neck pain type. A lot of people may find my personal lack of low back pain interesting considering I've dedicated my energy, time and resources into being a chiropractor

Back pain is one of the leading causes of missed work and common causes of medication. NSAIDS and opioid derivatives get prescribed at an alarming rate affecting the entire body and not fixing the underlying issue.

Looking for the cause, there is always one of three issues, a physical trauma, emotional trauma or chemical imbalance as the cause of lumbago. Most common is chronic repetitive stressors that cause many micro-injuries; these are the ones that you wake up with and say to yourself "I must have slept wrong" (hint - its not the sleep). Second is acute trauma - this was my cause - I was dead-lifting a little above my one rep max and didn't make it. Third in this category is physical trauma associated with poor visceral (organ) health. Since unhealthy organs don't have pain receptors, your body needs you know something is wrong and reflexes to the back or shoulder or arm as in a heart attack.

Digging into the more complicated emotional aspects - some people have associated their identity around low back pain and find it hard to let go. It can be protective (Oh, I can't work long hours or lift that!) or unreleased tension from a significant emotional event. Believe it or not, treatment for this is within the scope of chiropractic as it is one of our developer's major thesis points. BJ Palmer states causes of subluxation (vertebral injury and malposition) are due to thoughts, traumas or toxins. 

This brings me to the final cause - toxins. Simply put, eat a rotten bag of deli meat and tell me in a few hours if your back hurts. I'm sure it will. Longer term toxin build up can have the same effect. Yes, this is within the chiropractic scope to assist you in this area of health.

Back to my poor back. Thank goodness Enliven has been built into a full functioning chiropractic and holistic health center with the resources to quickly address a dysfunctional back. I am fortunate to have a wonderful team and chiropractic doctors that met me after hours to adjust, traction and set me up on therapies. Two days later, I'm back at the gym lifting free weights and ready to start helping patients on Monday.  

I think its good to have a health set back every once and a while. In chiropractic world, we call it a stress-response effect. While I've shifted my clinical focus to more complicated holistic healthcare and neck issues over the past couple of years, I feel acutely more aware of the help I need to provide to low back pain cases.

Dr. Leonette

Neck Pain -- We've Got You Covered

Neck pain is the single most symptom Many times neck pain from "sleeping wrong" is a sign that the body is in need of tune up. Long term low-grade injuries add up over time. Repetitive stress accumulates and your body will let you know that something is wrong. 

There are many structures in the neck that can contribute to neck pain including muscles, spinal bones, ligaments, tendons, blood vessels and nerves. Each of these structures has a unique pain pattern that can usually be determine from a thorough examination. Verification of spinal misalignment is usually confirmed with x-ray studies. 

Chiropractic works with neck pain by stimulating the brain and correcting your posture. Improved posture results in better bio-mechanics and less irritation of the affected tissues. There are a variety of techniques to accomplish this from light force instrument corrections to laser therapy to traditional manual adjustments. 

Call me at 304-933-9355 to see if we can get to the root of your neck pain. If not, I will gladly refer you to one of my medical colleagues. I'm looking forward to assisting you in returning to life without neck pain. 

-Dr. Leonette

Gallop Poll Results on Chiropractic Are In

Gallop Poll Shows Chiropractic Is Used by Almost Half of Americans

One of the major chiropractic educational institutions, Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, partnered with the Gallup organization to study the use of chiropractic care in our society, and the results are glowingly positive.

Gallup says this is the first time that the behaviors of chiropractic patients have been studied in this detail. They state, “Chiropractic care focuses on neurological and musculoskeletal health, and aims to favorably affect overall health and well-being, relieve pain and infirmity, enhance performance, and improve quality of life without drugs or surgery.”

They discovered that almost half of the US has seen a chiropractor at some time, with 33 million Americans visiting their doctors of chiropractic in the last year. They found that patients are four times more likely to visit a chiropractor for neck or back pain than either a physical therapist or a massage therapist.

Among the 5442 participants in the study, about two thirds of them reported a positive overall impression of chiropractors, with only 11% disagreeing, the rest being neutral. The majority felt that chiropractors were trustworthy and had their patients’ best interests in mind, and less than 10% disagreed with that.

These kinds of research studies show that chiropractors have a great reputation, with high marks in patient satisfaction, ethics and clinical effectiveness. You can visit and refer to Dr. Leonette with confidence – your neighbors do.

BOOM!!! I Just Got Rear-Ended...OUCH!!!

"Out of nowhere, this car smashed into me"

Imagine sitting at Joyce Street exit stoplight in Clarksburg enjoying your favorite song. Relaxed and feeling the spring sun on your face. Then out of nowhere you hear squealing tires and then feel a booming jolt forward. Your car rattles and then your chin smacks your chest and then is thrown back into the headrest in less time than it takes to blink.

Whiplash Results

In whiplash, the neck straightens from its normal curvature. This change results in the joints wearing out faster.

Car accidents like this one are way too common and can lead to long term injuries even if there is not an immediate onset of pain. Whiplash causes tears in the muscles and ligaments. Often times, other structures including nerves, discs and bones are also injured. Left untreated, many of these injuries lead to long term chronic pain and underlying damage. Even low speed collisions can cause significant damage.

Document and Treat Your Whiplash at Enliven

Enliven Chiropractic is set up to find, document and treat these injuries. Our state of the art clinic boast a J-tech system and digital x-ray ensures proper documentation and the most up to date collection of chiropractic and physiotherapy tools for your treatment. Our goal is to get you healthy as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

Dr. Leonette is currently accepting a limited number of patients that were injured in auto accidents. Due to the complex nature and extensive documentation required, a patient acceptance interview is necessary to ensure proper care. If you or someone you know was recently injured in a auto accident, please contact us to a patient acceptance interview at (304) 933-9355. 

Sources for Whiplash Data

1. Injury with Low-Speed Collisions by Dr. Jeffery Tucker http://www.chiroweb.com/hg/13/11/13.html
2. Minor crashes and 'whiplash' in the United States. by Bartsch AJ1, Gilbertson LG, Prakash V, Morr DR, Wiechel JF.  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1902622

Contact Us

Dr. James Leonette | Enliven Chiropractic | 103 E Main St Bridgeport, WV | (304) 933-9355

Fix Your Posture to Reduce Neck Pain

Fixing your posture may be the key to reducing your neck pain. 

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The neck is much more important than a structure to hold up the head. The major structures of the neck are the muscles, vertebra (bones), arteries and nervous system (brain stem and spinal cord). 

Neck pain often times comes from the muscles working overtime to keep the head from sliding forward. Bad posture, forward weight distribution, loss of a normal neck curve causes the muscles to tighten up in order to prevent more serious injury.  Most of these conditions are rooted in a misaligned vertebra. Gently placing these bones back into their proper place helps to correct the overall neck position and leads to less spasm.

Many of our patients experience relief from chronic neck tightness soon after their fist correction and obtain lasting results after completing a treatment program. If you are interested in improving neck spasm and neck pain, let Enliven Chiropractic help. We will find and treat the source to get you back to being healthy. Call us at (304) 933-9355 to schedule a free consultation.

Dr. James Leonette | Enliven Chiropractic | Bridgeport, WV

Bridgeport NEWS Did a Feature on Enliven

We are proud to be featured in this week's Bridgeport NEWS.  Thank you to Brittany Murray for meeting with us last week. You can read her article at http://www.bridgeportwvnews.com/

Are You a Chiropractic Coward?

Have you ever wanted to try Chiropractic but hate the thought of having your neck twisted? There are many techniques in the Chiropractic field that work extremely well, but many of us prefer a lighter touch. During my studies, I found that instrument assisted adjusting produces the same, if not superior results to hand adjusting techniques. 

Over the last 9+ years, I have studied and practiced a state-of-the-art technique called Atlas Orthogonal, which uses a gentle sound wave to deliver the adjustment. Brain wave balancing adjustments are followed up with a handheld instrument called an Activator.

If you are searching for a gentle approach to chiropractic or have been told by a non-chiropractic physician that you can never be adjusted, call me for a consultation at (304) 933-9355. I've seen thousands of patients, many with cervical (neck) fusions, scoliosis, osteoporosis, MS and other states.

Chiropractic is about improving health, not treating disease. At Enliven, we aim to do that with the least amount of force necessary.

Dr. James Leonette | Enliven Chiropractic | (304) 933-9355

Chiropractors are skilled physicians and must meet rigorous standards to demonstrate their manual adjusting skills. All 'twisting' techniques taught at Chiropractic colleges are within the physiologic limits of the body and have ample evidence to support their therapeutic benefit. While I do not personally utilize these techniques, they do have merit and I recommend that every person seek Chiropractic care to prevent illness and rehabilitate after injury.