Long-term Pain Options

Soft Tissue Therapy can be more comfortable than surgery as a solution to long-term pain.

If you’ve been experiencing pain that impacts your life longer than three months, you’re probably seeking more than a short-term solution. Surgery might be an option, but it’s always a good idea to explore your options before scheduling an invasive procedure*. With the correct treatment regimen, it is possible to live a pain-free life.

A Long-term Solution to Pain Relief

At Phipps Soft Tissue & Spine, we’ve provided countless patients with an alternative to surgery. Dr. Phipps is a board-certified chiropractor and level-5 Integrative Diagnosis provider. Dr. Phipps is an expert at diagnosing and treating muscle fibrosis, the most common and under-diagnosed source of pain. He has helped many people find relief with pain in their neck, lower back, shoulder, elbow, foot, hip, and other areas of the body.

Pain comes in many different forms. You might be experiencing uncomfortable knots, throbbing back pain, tightness in your shoulder, or more serious pain that makes it very difficult to perform daily tasks. There is no “one-size-fits-all” answer to how long back pain can last, but if you’re experiencing extreme discomfort in any part of your body for more than a few days, it makes sense to seek treatment.

What is a Soft Tissue Specialist?

We’re often asked, “What is a soft tissue chiropractor?” Phipps Soft Tissue and Spine specializes in treating the areas of the body considered “soft tissue.” Those areas are body parts that are not hard like bone, such as levels of muscle, tendons, ligaments, nerves and blood vessels, and skin. A Soft Tissue Specialist is different from a chiropractor or a massage therapist because of the types of treatments used. Dr. Phipps can walk you through the process and answer any questions you might have.

Finding an Alternative to Surgery

Always speak with your physician to understand what types of treatment would work best for you. The prospect of surgery can be scary, and we work with many people who have apprehension about any kind of pain treatment plan. If you’re seeking an alternative to surgery, schedule a consultation with Phipps Soft Tissue and Spine. We’ll be happy to put your mind at ease and get you started on a life without chronic pain.

*Please note every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider for specific diagnosis and treatment advice.

Should You Use Ice or Heat for Pain?

When it comes to chronic pain in your back, neck, shoulder, or elsewhere, both ice and heat can help you feel more comfortable – at least temporarily.  

  • Ice can help reduce inflammation and temporarily numb the area so you can get a brief moment of relief.
  • Heat will help relax muscles and promote a calming comfort.
Woman using ice pack on shoulder

Healthy muscles don’t tighten up randomly, and joints don’t get inflamed without reason. These sensations are signaling a problem within your body. So, if you have to resort to using ice or heat to deal with chronic pain, there’s an underlying cause that isn’t being properly addressed. The best first step to treating pain is to see a specialist that can identify the problem before it gets worse.

Once you’ve had a specialist look into the cause of your chronic pain, using heat or ice for pain management if needed is okay. It’s a good idea to experiment with both options to see which feels and works best for your situation.

Remember, there are some common mistakes you’ll want to avoid when using ice and heat:

  • Using it to continue an activity when you should stop. For example, let’s say you resort to ice or heat after every workout. Eventually, those methods won’t be enough to relieve your pain, and your problem could become much worse.
  • Using it for too long at a time. Generally, you should only use either method for 5-20 minutes. Anything longer may result in rebound pain as your body works to return the area to regular temperature.
  • Laying on the ice or heating pack. Laying on the area can compress blood vessels, obstructing proper circulation. Restricting blood to body tissues can result in more pain and other health problems.   

Using heat or ice to manage pain? Reach out to Dr. Phipps to get help today!

Phipps Soft Tissue & Spine -Williamsville, NY Chiropractor

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice.

Experiencing Shoulder Pain When Lifting Your Arm?

Do you feel a sharp pain in your shoulder when you lift your arm? You haven’t had a recent injury, so you are wondering why this is happening. You’re not alone! This is a common and often debilitating problem for many people.

Woman holding her shoulder experiencing pain

Symptoms of Shoulder Pain

The shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint that gives you a wide range of motion, but this makes it more vulnerable to injury. Muscles, tendons, and cartilage can be involved, making symptoms different in every case. As a result, you could experience pain down the arm, into the shoulder blade, into your armpit and even into your neck.

Ask yourself some questions to help figure out if you have a shoulder injury:

  • Can you lift your arm freely? Or are you experiencing pain and/or stiffness?
  • Can you perform heavy tasks with no discomfort?
  • Do you find yourself avoiding certain shoulder movements or positions?

Shoulder Pain Causes

A problem with one or more of the local muscles or tendons is generally the cause of shoulder pain. Most commonly from a rotator cuff tear, rotator cuff tendonitis, and shoulder muscle adhesion/fibrosis.  So, a neck problem can also refer pain into the shoulder.

Diagnosis & Treatment*

A healthcare provider will carefully review your symptoms and may perform physical examinations and tests to make a proper diagnosis.

If you are experiencing pain when lifting your arm(s), click the link below to sign up for a consultation with Dr. Phipps to relieve your pain for good.

Phipps Soft Tissue & Spine -Williamsville, NY Chiropractor

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice.
Williamsville, NY 14221 Chiropractor

3 Quick Tips for a Pain Free Bike Season

1. Minimize shoulder to hip angle

The shoulder to hip angle (HS angle) is an imaginary line drawn from the hip to shoulder that increases as your shoulders drop forward. Time trial and road bikes will have a larger HS angle to maximize aerodynamics but this comes at a cost to the rider. As the HS angle increases, so does the stress/load on your neck and low back increasing risk of pain. Recreational bike riders should buy a bike with minimal HS angle and ideally have their shoulders positioned directly above their hips to minimize injury risk to their neck and low back.  Racing/competitive bike riders can reduce HS angle to reduce the stress by working with their local bike shop to get a proper fit. A slightly less aggressive position may have minimal impact on aerodynamics, but significantly reduce the stress on the neck and low back and add years to your competitive career.

2. Take a break

Riding a bike is like sitting at a computer with very poor posture. Office workers are plagued with low back and neck pain because sitting for extended periods of time causes continuous stress/load on those regions.  General advice to office workers is to take micro breaks every 20 minutes and a slightly longer break every hour. These short breaks encourage blood flow and reduce stress/load on your neck and low back.   Recreational riders should take a break every 30 minutes to give their low back and neck a break.  Racing/competitive bike riders should limit the time they spend in the aero position and longer rides that take time to get off their bike.

3. Adhesion free muscles 

Keeping your muscles adhesion free is vital to staying pain free on the bike. Adhesions form from overuse and unfortunately, biking, creates the perfect environment for adhesion formation. Adhesion will act like glue in your muscle making them less flexible and weaker.  Biking with adhesion will make an already high stress/load on your low back and neck even worse, resulting in accelerated pain and injury. If you don’t have pain (once you have pain, you need to be evaluated by a soft tissue specialist) or find that your low back and neck are stiff, then check out the home mobility screens below. Muscle adhesion is the most common reason for failing a mobility screen test.  If you already have pain while biking or have failed one of mobility screens, then use the contact page or call 716-629-3100 to schedule a consult with Dr. Phipps. Dr. Phipps is a soft tissue specialist and an expert at diagnosing and treating adhesion and other overuse related injuries that occur from riding a bike.

Mobility Screens:

Low back

Neck

Elbow/Hand

Shoulder

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice.
Williamsville, NY 14221 Chiropractor

Stop Relying on Pain Drugs

A recent article in the New York Times, titled “Opioids Aren’t the Only Pain Drugs to Fear”, highlights the importance of how dangerous all forms of pain medication can be. (You can find the article here)

Take home points from the article:

  • Opioids are not the only form of pain management that can have nasty side effects.
  • NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen and naproxen) can cause GI problems by damaging the lining of the digestive tract leading to ulcers and bleeding. They can even cause kidney failure, and in rare cases liver failure.
  • If you have a history of coronary artery disease NSAIDS can precipitate clogging of the vessels.
  • Tylenol can damage the liver and possibly the kidneys when used in large doses.

The moral of the story is that all forms of pain medication (even over-the-counter medications) can be harmful. Relying on them as a form of “treatment” can lead to other negative side effects. One of the biggest problems with pain medication is that it allows you to continue doing something that could be damaging your body further and can prevent you from getting the care that you need.  Covering up the pain can only go on for so long until something breaks, tears, ruptures or completely degenerates.

What can you do to avoid becoming dependent on pain medication? The most important thing you can do is listen to your body. If you are doing something that is causing pain, don’t take a pill and continue on. Stop doing the activity that is causing the pain and let your body rest and recover. If you find the same area continues to hurt, then it is time to come into our office for an evaluation.

It can be difficult to determine where to start when you have pain. To eliminate your uncertainty  we start all patients off with a quick consultation, and make sure you are in the right place and would benefit from our care.

To schedule a consultation, call our office at 716-629-3100 or use our online contact form.

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice. Williamsville, NY 14221 Chiropractor

Avoid Back Pain by Avoiding Sit-Ups

Sit-ups have been a staple of many fitness programs. However it has been know for quite sometime in the rehab community that sit-ups place a tremendous amount of stress on your low back. The dangers of sit-ups have finally hit mainstream with the Canadian Armed Forces removing it from their fitness test and now a push for it to be removed from the Navy fitness test. To read more about the dangers of sit-ups and alternative exercises check out this Wall Street Journal article titled, Why You Can Stop Doing Sit-Ups by Rachel Bachman.

Having pain during exercise is a big red flag that should be checked out. Please click the button below to ask any questions you may have or call our office 716-629-3100. The faster you have a diagnosis the faster you can get back to a pain free life and avoid permanent injury.

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice. Williamsville, NY 14221 Chiropractor

The Gift of Pain

Why is pain a gift?

Pain is the bodies warning system that something is wrong.  If we didn’t have pain, we would slowly destroy our bodies and not even know it.

Unfortunately, we are trained to cover up pain.  Americans consume billions of dollars of pain medicine every year.  Pain medicine allows us to function when we shouldn’t.  It seems like the answer to shoulder, knee, back, elbow, neck, and foot pain is ibuprofen or some other type of pain medicine.  This may help in the short term but it sets you up for disaster down the road.  Many times pain medicine will allow you to irritated the bad tissue until it tears.  This may be why we see such a large number of rotator cuff tears and disc herniations.

Rest, ice, or pain medicine is not the answer to reducing your pain.  Muscle adhesion is the most common source of pain and stiffness and the most underdiagnosed. To determine the cause of your pain, click the button below to schedule an appointment.

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice.
Williamsville, NY 14221 Chiropractor

No Pain, No Gain…Right?

Have you ever heard the saying, no pain, no gain?  This saying can be a good thing or a really bad thing.  For example, if a triathlete starts swimming after a long break, it is probably going to be a painful experience for the first few workouts.  It’s hard to get oxygen, your arms are sore, and you are trying your hardest not to let your legs become a 60 pound anchor.  At first you have to push through the pain, and eventually it becomes easier and your body adapts. Pain in this case is a part of becoming better, stronger, and faster.  If that same triathlete has shoulder pain on their right side during swimming, then that’s a different story.  Joint pain is bad pain and indicates that the joint is not working correctly. Adhesion in the rotator cuff muscles will result in shoulder pain and if not corrected will lead to degeneration, tearing, and damage. Bad pain is your body’s way of saying STOP.  If you try to work though the pain and take anti-inflammatory medicine, it will only get worse because you will continue to beat the joint up until something tears.  If you are unsure if your pain is good or bad, contact us today (716-629-3100).

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice. Williamsville, NY 14221 Chiropractor

Can You Really “Work Through” the Pain?

The short answer is maybe, but eventually it will catch up with you.  I have many patients that come in and say they can usually work through the pain but this time it will not go away.  This response indicates to me that they never actually worked through the pain.  Their body compensated by loading up another area.  Eventually there will be no other areas to compensate to and pain will result.  Most of my patients are between the ages of 30-55.  This is the common age range when the body runs out of areas to compensate to.  One of the most common under diagnosed sources of pain is muscle adhesion.  If you have a nagging injury that will not go away or you have been “working through” the pain, call our office today.

*Please note that every patient is different. The content and tips displayed on this page are for educational purposes only, and do not substitute for medical advice. Please consult with a medical or healthcare provider, such as Dr. Phipps, for specific diagnosis and treatment advice. Williamsville, NY 14221 Chiropractor