Chiropractor in Hurst TX Asks If You
Have Ever Been Examined Like This

Patients typically seek care in our Hurst TX office for pain. Many are seeking relief from their symptoms which makes it easy to focus on the complaint without looking at the big picture.

When patients and doctors are too focused on the area that is in pain, the true problem may not be revealed. Many primary care physicians add to this confusion as they may not conduct a thorough hands-on evaluation of the area of complaint. Instead, they may focus on a verbal case history with the patient and then prescribe muscle relaxers and anti-inflammatories for the pain.

In our office, when a patient presents with pain that area becomes the starting point for our examination process. This will allow us to not only address the area that is hurting but to identify the source of the pain.

There are many factors that need to be considered during an evaluation. These include disc involvement, nerve-related, muscle involvement, ligament damage, or old injuries that didn't heal properly. We also check to see that the joints move properly through a complete and normal range of motion. We will also check the function of the nerves and stress the affected joints with various tests. The area of complaint and related structures will be palpated looking for swelling and point tenderness. X-rays may also be taken to rule out more serious conditions like cancer or fracture. This unique process allows us to communicate with your body and to identify the source of pain resulting in an accurate diagnosis.

Maybe you've seen primary care physician or another specialist for neck or back pain and haven't been evaluated in this manner. You may wonder why we go through all of these steps. Quite simply, if we don't use these clinical tools to identify the source of your pain we're left only to guess about your health.

A couple of months ago I had a patient call my office to see if he could come in, but he wasn't able to move very well due to severe pain. During the consultation, I found out that the patient was recently on a trip where he did some high-adventure hiking. On the flight home, he fell asleep and woke up with severe back pain. In fact, the pain was so bad that they had to land the plane so he could get immediate medical attention. He was taken to the nearest ER where he was given some potent pain medications and muscle relaxers. Even though the painkillers were some of the strongest medications available they only lessened his pain slightly. No imaging was performed and the patient was sent home and instructed to follow up with his PCP.

Based on the consultation alone, I knew that this was a case that was not typically seen in a chiropractic office. On examination, many of our routine procedures were not able to be performed due to severe pain so x-rays were taken to rule out more serious conditions that can cause back pain. X-rays were processed and revealed a burst fracture at L2 and a compression fracture at L4. With these findings, it's very surprising that he was able to even walk.

The patient was subsequently referred out for an MRI of his lower back and to an orthopedist who specialized in those types of conditions. The patient underwent surgery and therapy; making an excellent recovery.

While some may consider this to be an extreme case, it really isn't. The patient didn't follow a classical presentation of a spine fracture. This means his presentation could be easily overlooked as a severe case of back pain and nothing more. Stopping at a verbal case history or less and not performing a thorough evaluation could have resulted in a different outcome for this patient.

Whether it's a mild case of back pain or severe, it's not enough to call the pain the problem and leave it at that. Too many patients are left thinking that if they cover up the pain, the problem will go away on its own. We take a different approach. We examine to find the source of your pain and then start mapping out a plan so you can get back to enjoying life!

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