Chronic pain is one of the most common reasons why someone seeks care from a doctor. Unfortunately, pain is often not treated appropriately in this country. When someone seeks medical care for their pain, they might have been told to take dangerous medications. These are often opioid or narcotic pills. Some people might have even taken a trip or two to the operating room. Surgery and opioid medications are dangerous and there are other ways that pain can be treated. This is where a chiropractor as a pain management doctor can be helpful.

The Benefits of a Chiropractor as a Pain Management Doctor

When someone seeks care from a chiropractor, they are going to receive a well-rounded approach to their chronic pain. Some of the benefits of receiving care from a chiropractor include:

• Avoiding Dangerous Medications and Surgery: Seeing a chiropractor will allow someone to receive care without needing to have surgery or take dangerous medications. Opioid and narcotic medications can be extremely addictive. Furthermore, overdoses can be deadly. Those who take a trip to the operating room also take serious risks. These operations are followed by a long recovery process and might not even work. Chiropractic care allows someone to avoid this problem.
• A Wide Range of Services:  Chiropractors are also trained in a large number of treatment modalities. All of these can be used to help someone with their chronic pain. In addition to the standard chiropractic care which involves adjustments and manipulations, a chiropractor can also manage pain with other tools. These might include methods such as rehab and acupuncture.
• Addresses the Root Cause of the Problem:  One of the biggest problems that people face with chronic pain is that their true cause is never completely addressed. They might have their pain treated on the surface which takes it away temporarily; however, without addressing the root cause, the pain will return. A chiropractor will target the root cause of someone’s pain, helping to both treat and prevent the pain from returning.

These are some of the main benefits of relying on a chiropractor for pain management services. One of the services that chiropractors may offer is acupuncture.

The Benefits of Acupuncture Treatment

Acupuncture has been used in the world of Asian medicine for centuries and is now becoming more popular in the United States as well. In acupuncture, needles are carefully inserted into certain points in the body. The goal is to target nerves and alter the way that signals flow throughout the body, helping someone with pain relief in a targeted and systematic manner.

Acupuncture has a number of benefits. For example, it helps to avoid the side effects that come from medications and surgeries. It also helps relieve pain naturally. Acupuncture can also be used to relieve pain coming from a variety of issues ranging from back pain to joint pain, headaches, and more. Because of this, acupuncture can be effective for numerous people who suffer from chronic pain. Someone who is trained in acupuncture has a lot of options at his or her disposal and can treat someone suffering from chronic pain.

Chiropractic Care from Kosak Chiropractic & Acupuncture

Those who suffer from chronic pain deserve to have their pain treated in a comprehensive manner. This means formulating a well-rounded treatment approach that targets the cause of your pain, helping to take this pain away and keep it away. That is where we can help you. 

Anyone who has questions or concerns about their pain in the Omaha, NE area should contact Kosak Chiropractic & Acupuncture to schedule an appointment. We are honored to serve the local area and will work with you to come up with a plan specifically designed around your needs. Call us today at (402) 964-0300. Our team is here to serve you and your family. 

Personal Injury Advice From Your Chiropractor at Kosak Chiropractic

One minute you feel fine, and the next thing you know, you’re laid up with an auto accident injury, workplace injury, sports injury or another kind of personal injury. Whether your personal injury is acute or chronic in nature, it can create a variety of painful, debilitating symptoms, even if those symptoms are initially delayed by the shock of an accident. It’s important to know what to do when you’re faced with a personal injury, so here’s an overview of personal injury problems — and solutions — from your friends at Kosak Chiropractic in Omaha.

What Does “Personal Injury” Mean?

The term “personal injury” sounds vague, and it is. It can be applied to any kind of injury that damages your body in the course of your daily activities. (Legally, the term is used to separate this category of liability from damage to someone’s property.)
Common examples of personal injuries include:

• Slip and Fall Injuries – Slip and fall injuries account for approximately 8 million emergency room visits each year — as well as one-quarter of all workplace injuries. A wet spot on a polished floor can send your body flying, causing a hard impact that jostles your spine and can dislocate vertebral structures or extremity joints.

• Workplace Injuries – The realm of workplace injuries extends far beyond slip and fall incidents. Heavy lifting with incorrect technique or weak muscles can produce acute low back strain or herniated discs. A falling object can cause severe musculoskeletal damage. But it’s also possible to develop chronic workplace injuries due to poor ergonomics that force you to bend, twist, or strain your body unnaturally.

• Auto Accident Injuries – The forces exerted against your body in an auto accident may send your head flying around at high speed, damaging neck tissues, altering your cervical spinal alignment, and leaving you with the agony of whiplash. An auto impact can also dislocate your upper back or rib joints, as well as producing low back strain and sciatica.

• Sports Injuries – Sports injuries may be chronic (due to repetitive motion strain) or acute in nature. Classic examples include runner’s knee, tennis/golfer’s elbow, carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and sprained joints.

Know the Symptoms

Personal injury symptoms can vary dramatically. Acute sprains and strains will typically cause pain, immobility, and swelling; sprains also cause bruising. Pain and stiffness without other symptoms may indicate a chronic overuse injury. Injuries that include pinched nerves can cause odd sensations in your arms, legs, hands or feet.

Get Evaluated Immediately — No Matter How You Feel

Don’t assume that a personal injury will tend to itself — or that an absence of symptoms means an absence of damage. Chronic injuries will continue to get worse until their underlying cause is treated, while acute injuries are often accompanied by a shock that delays symptoms for a critical period. Prompt treatment can make all the difference between normal healing and long-term disability, so get evaluated no matter how you feel!

Diagnosis and Treatment Options at Kosak Chiropractic

Our Omaha chiropractor at Kosak Chiropractic can determine the type and extent of your personal injury through a combination of X-rays and other diagnostic techniques. We may prescribe first aid techniques such as rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE) to control your initial pain and swelling. From there, we can prescribe a multi-modal treatment plan to help you overcome your symptoms at their source. Treatment options may include:

• Chiropractic adjustment and intersegmental traction to relieve nerve compression and restore joint motion

• Acupuncture to relieve pain and improve physical function

• Corrective exercises to help you rehabilitate your injury

• Lifestyle advice to help you avoid future injuries

Don’t let a personal injury ruin your personal, sports or work life. Call (402) 964-0300 to get the treatment you need!

Herniated discs can cause a great deal of pain and dysfunction. When the cushioning discs of fluid-filled cartilage that support your vertebrae rupture, the results can include pinched nerves and all the serious neurological symptoms that go along with them. If you’re struggling with this condition, you might assume that you have no alternatives but to either live with the pain or submit yourself for major, spine-altering surgery. But your smartest move is to see our Omaha chiropractor, Dr. Kosak, for natural, non-invasive chiropractic treatment.

Is It a Bulging, Herniated, or Ruptured Disc?

Many people get puzzled over the various terms thrown around to describe spinal disc problems. Do you have a bulging disc, a ruptured disc, or a herniated disc? Before we answer this question, let’s look at the basic anatomy and function of vertebral discs.

These discs sit between the vertebrae and act as cushions, absorbing the countless daily shocks that come from walking, running, working, or playing. To accomplish this act of shock absorption, a vertebral disc consists of two structures. The outer structure, called the annulus fibrosus, is a tough, disc-shaped, cartilaginous “container.” The inner layer is a gel-like fluid known as the nucleus pulposus.

A herniated disc can occur spontaneously due to an acute injury or other sudden trauma, but it often starts as a bulging disc. Bulging discs typically develop as you age and your body loses some of its natural hydration, including the hydration that “plumps up” the discs.

Once a disc starts to flatten out, it also starts to bulge outward from its normal place within the spinal column. If one part of the annulus fibrosus develops a weakness, that part of the disc may start to protrude even further. Given enough weakness or pressure, this area may rupture and split open.

Herniated discs can cause excruciating pain because the annulus fibrosus contains some very sensitive nerves. Even worse, the nucleus pulposus that leaks out of the rupture in the disc contains inflammatory substances that aggravate the discomfort. Parts of a herniated disc may press against the major nerve roots that jut out from the spinal column. When this happens, the pinched nerve tissue causes symptoms such as:

• Back, neck or extremity pain

• “Pins and needles” or numbness in an upper or lower extremity

• Arm or leg weakness and loss of function

• Cauda equina syndrome, which includes loss of bladder or bowel control

Surgery Is Only a Last Resort

Herniated discs can prove so disabling that sufferers will consider almost any kind of treatment that might provide relief. The common assumption among many is that they will have to have surgery to remove part of the disc or have the adjacent vertebrae fused together. The good news is that such extreme methods are usually only necessary in the worst cases.

Most herniated discs will respond to non-invasive treatment methods such as chiropractic care. It always makes sense to try the most conservative medical approach first, which is why your first stop should be a trip to our chiropractor in Omaha.

How Chiropractors Treat Herniated Discs

Chiropractors treat herniated discs by correcting the underlying circumstances that produced the damage in the first place. First, we must take X-rays and study your symptoms to identify the disc in question so we can figure out whether chiropractic care makes sense for you.

You may need chiropractic adjustments or related chiropractic techniques to correct vertebral position and move the disc back into its proper place. These corrections can reduce inflammation while also taking pressure off of nerve roots. We can enhance your results with other techniques such as acupuncture and stretching or strengthening exercises for the back or neck.

Effectiveness of Chiropractic Care for Herniated Discs

Chiropractic care has shown evidence of being just as effective for herniated disc relief as surgery. A JMPT report entitled “Manipulation or Microdiscectomy for Sciatica: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study” stated that sciatica sufferers got the same degree of positive results from chiropractic care as they did from an invasive procedure called microdiscectomy. It only makes that, given the choice between surgery and therapy, most herniated disc patients would gladly go for the latter. The fact that you can get the pain relief you need without having to numb yourself with drugs is another big point in favor of chiropractic care.

Get the Help You Need for That Herniated Disc

Now that you understand your non-surgical options for herniated disc relief, it’s time to put chiropractic care to the test. Call our chiropractor in Omaha at +1 (402) 964-0300 and get the help you need for that herniated disc!

Our Omaha Chiropractor Explains Chiropractic Adjustment

If you’ve been encouraged to receive chiropractic care from your friends or family doctor, you may find yourself stopped short by the phrase “chiropractic adjustment.” Exactly what happens in an adjustment, how does it feel, and what does it do for you? Our Omaha chiropractor, Dr. Kevin Kosak, wants you to know just how beneficial chiropractic adjustments can be as an effective wellness, pain management, and injury recovery tool.

How Chiropractors Correct Subluxation

Chiropractors specialize in the correction of musculoskeletal problem known as subluxation. A subluxation is a partial dislocation within a joint. When joint components don’t quite line up as they should, the results can include either stiffness, which causes pain and limits motion, or hypermobility, which makes the joint unstable.

These changes in joint alignment can have drastic effects, not just on your range of motion, but also on your overall physical alignment and posture. An unbalanced body is prone to muscular strain, injury, and degenerative changes such as arthritis.

To make matters worse, alignment problems can push bones or discs into neighboring nerves and nerve roots (including the spinal cord itself). This nerve impingement can cut off the flow of neural instructions to the body, causing all kinds of functional problems as well as symptoms such as chronic pain, tingling, numbness, and loss of control.

A chiropractic adjustment can resolve or at least reduce these problems. Our chiropractor in Omaha can apply specific amounts of force to precise places in the joint, shifting the joint components back into alignment with each other. The traditional form of spinal adjustment uses high-velocity low-amplitude (HVLA) force to make these corrections. But there are also low-force adjustments we can make that are both highly effective and easily tolerated by people with certain medical conditions or sensitivities.

Relief for Back Pain, Neck Pain, and Other Musculoskeletal Discomfort

A chiropractic adjustment can provide an extraordinarily wide range of benefits above and beyond what you might expect. Its ability to correct your physical alignment, posture and nerve function can result in:

• Relief of neck pain or back pain, with no need for drugs or surgery

• Relief of pain and stiffness in the extremity joints (knees, shoulders, wrists, etc) caused by chronic overuse, arthritis, or other conditions

• Reduction of prenatal aches and pains and greater overall wellness for pregnant patients

• Treatment and prevention of pediatric challenges such as asthma, colic, and bedwetting

• Safe, effective management of chronic conditions ranging from fibromyalgia to sciatica

Many people don’t realize that chiropractic adjustments can actually help keep them well. Adjustments which free up trapped nerve tissue help the entire body talk to itself more efficiently. This improvement in nerve function can, therefore, improve the immune, digestive, respiratory, and reproductive system function among other key body processes. Since a chiropractic adjustment is extremely safe and helpful for patients of all ages, you may find chiropractic treatment to be your family’s most potent wellness tool.

Best of all, chiropractic adjustment works — and the research shows it. A 2003 study published in Spine revealed that chiropractic adjustment is even more effective than medication against short-term spinal pain. A 2004 study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found chiropractic care to be more effective against chronic lower back pain than other types of medical care in patients struggling with symptoms for up to one year.

The Chiropractic Adjustment Process

Any chiropractic adjustment is preceded by a careful health evaluation and an examination of the musculoskeletal system. If you’re suffering from specific symptoms, we will take X-rays to isolate the exact cause of the trouble. We can proceed with your chiropractic adjustment if you like.

If we’re administering HVLA force in your adjustment session, you may hear a popping noise at some point. This is no cause for alarm; it’s simply cavitation, the release of gases from the adjusted joint.

Chiropractic adjustment often produces dramatic pain relief from the very first session. More frequently, however, we will recommend a course of several adjustment sessions. The repetition helps to ensure that adjustments settle in as your “new normal.” We may also prescribe other therapies such as acupuncture or corrective exercises to complement your chiropractic adjustments and provide whole-body healing.

Come Visit Our Chiropractor in Omaha

Kosak Chiropractic and Acupuncture can review the entire process of chiropractic care with you and determine whether you’re a good candidate for its many benefits. Call +1 (402) 964-0300 and schedule a visit to our chiropractor in Omaha!

Acupuncture for Anxiety and Stress Relief

Do you feel as if you’re about to jump out of your skin every time you experience a loud noise, stressful situation, or other routine stimulus? Do you feel sick, dizzy, agitated, or weak without understanding why? Have you developed a muscular twitch or sleep disorder? You may be one of the many American suffering from some form of anxiety. 

Anxiety attacks can sabotage your entire body through the nervous system, which is why you experience physical symptoms as well as emotional distress. Fortunately, you may be able to bypass pharmaceuticals in favor of more natural, safer, more long-lasting solutions. Acupuncture is one of those potential answers — and our Omaha chiropractor at Kosak Chiropractic and Acupuncture is happy to provide this powerful treatment for acupuncture.

What Is Anxiety?

To understand how acupuncture works to relieve anxiety, it’s first important to understand what anxiety does to the body. A variety of triggers can set off anxiety attacks, especially in people who suffer from generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Ongoing worry about everyday situations can place your endocrine system on constant alert, with stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol being pumped through your body and keeping you in a nervous, hyper-vigilant state. As a result, you may experience symptoms such as:

• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Sweating
• Hot or cold flashes
• Trembling
• Choking or swallowing problems
• A feeling of detachment or mental confusion

Nerve signals related to your anxiety can cause your muscles to tense up and go into spasm. When this happens in the neck, you may suffer from chronic headaches and other forms of pain as well as anxiety.

How Acupuncture Works

Acupuncture solves physical problems by correcting imbalances in the body. This ancient modality of Traditional Chinese Medicine is based on the idea that Qi, or life energy, flows through the body via channels known as meridians. By using needles to govern and correct this Qi flow, many causes of disease and discomfort can be successfully relieved.

Modern Western medical research supports the power of acupuncture, although it explains that success somewhat differently. Studies indicate that acupuncture can regulate the passage of nerve signals through neural structures known as “pain gates.” This ability to normalize nerve function has beneficial effects on the entire body — including the autonomic nervous system that tells your body how to behave and the endocrine system that pumps out your stress hormones.

Acupuncture also increases the production of endorphins, the neurotransmitters responsible for pain relief and positive feelings. Since pain and anxiety can feed each other, breaking this cycle is highly beneficial for anxiety sufferers. Since chiropractors are in the business of treating pain and nerve dysfunction, it’s no wonder many chiropractors might
recommend acupuncture as a supportive therapy.

What to Expect From an Acupuncture Treatment

Contrary to what many people assume, acupuncture doesn’t cause any significant discomfort; the needles are very fine and inserted to a very superficial level. Our Omaha chiropractor will perform an initial evaluation in accordance with Traditional Chinese Medicine, including a detailed discussion of your symptoms. While the needles don’t hurt, you may have various (and completely normal) emotional reactions as they do the work of normalizing your nerve function.

Benefits of Acupuncture and Chiropractic Care From Our Omaha Chiropractor

Research has shown that acupuncture can be highly effective at treating anxiety. Studies as large as 120 participants in size have demonstrated that acupuncture has a major positive effect on anxiety symptoms (compared to psychotherapy and pharmaceutical treatment). Chiropractic care can enhance these effects by relieving nerve impingement (which affects nerve signaling) and relieving strain on muscle groups.

How Often Should You Receive Acupuncture for Anxiety?

You may experience some relief from your very first acupuncture session — but don’t assume that one session is all you need. Different people may need different numbers of acupuncture treatments to get their symptoms firmly under control, especially in cases of long standing chronic or severe anxiety. We will review your progress at regular intervals to get a clear idea of how many sessions will bring you the greatest degree of relief.

Learn More from Our Chiropractor in Omaha

Our chiropractor in Omaha is ready to help you fight back against the debilitating, miserable effects of anxiety. If you’re interested in finding out how the right combination of acupuncture and chiropractic care can restore your quality of life, call or contact Kosak Chiropractic and Acupuncture at (402) 964-0300 today. You deserve a calmer, happier, healthier life — and we can help you achieve it!

Benefits of Acupuncture and Chiropractic for Back Pain

One of the oldest traditions for natural pain relief is acupuncture. Dating back for centuries in ancient China, the use of acupuncture has historically been used for muscle pain and strain. For lower back pain, acupuncture offers a non-surgical, drug-free solution. Here at Kosak Chiropractic, our chiropractor offers patients acupuncture and chiropractic as a way to relieve back pain. Learn more about how you can benefit from acupuncture at your Omaha chiropractor.

What is Acupuncture

Traditionally, acupuncture involves the use of super fine filament-like needles. These needles are inserted into specific areas of the body. This is done to realign the flow of energy through the body. Today needle-free acupuncture treatments are also available.

For patients who are afraid of needles, they can receive the health benefits of acupuncture without fear. We use needless acupuncture as a modernized approach to this method, which is just as effective.

How Acupuncture Works

The flow of energy refers to the meridians in the body. There are meridians in the body that acupuncturists are able to identify that are associated with different areas of the body. If there is a blockage, slow energy flow, or too much energy, acupuncture can resolve this issue naturally. Through acupuncture treatments, our chiropractor in Omaha is able to redirect this energy to improve the functioning of your overall system.

Typically, individuals will see some change within a single acupuncture treatment for lower back pain. However, most patients benefit from a personalized treatment program using acupuncture along with other treatment modalities, such as chiropractic adjustments.

Science of Acupuncture

In addition to realigning energy in the body, acupuncture also stimulates blood flow and the release of endorphins. These two actions help stimulate cellular regeneration, which aids in natural healing, as well as pain relief. This can be quite beneficial for treating lower back pain that is caused by inflamed or strained muscle tissue.

Acupuncture is supported by the medical community as a safe and effective alternative treatment. However, you want to choose a professional acupuncturist for this therapy, such as Kosak Chiropractic in Omaha, Nebraska. This protects against any damage that would be caused by untrained acupuncturists.

Acupuncture Treatment for Common Conditions

Acupuncture is used to treat a variety of conditions. The most common use of acupuncture is for pain relief. Patients at our Omaha chiropractor get acupuncture for neck pain, back pain, shoulder pain, and joint pain relief.

We also use acupuncture for headaches, sinus pain, and allergy symptoms. Acupuncture is also beneficial for neurological and nerve conditions including fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and sciatica. Acupuncture treatments have also been used to aid in digestive issues, anxiety, and ADHD. It is safe for infants, children, adults, and the elderly.

Benefits for Lower Back Pain Relief

If you are looking for lower back pain relief without the use of narcotics or back surgery, then acupuncture is a viable solution. For individuals who struggle with substance use disorder or addiction, acupuncture is equally important for safe, drug-free relief.

For women who are pregnant or planning to be soon, acupuncture is a safe, natural solution. When suffering from lower back pain caused by increased weight gain and swelling in pregnancy, acupuncture is a welcomed relief. Acupuncture is completely safe for pregnant women and their unborn child.

Ultimately, when you choose acupuncture, you are able to experience immediate pain relief and improved cellular regeneration with a single treatment. In addition, there is no downtime with acupuncture. You are able to get back to work or your activity as soon as your treatments are complete.

How Acupuncture Helps with Back Pain

Acupuncture provides a multi-functional approach to back pain relief. Most of our patients seek our Omaha chiropractor for acupuncture to treat immediate pain. They want to stop the pain now, and acupuncture can help with that. At the same time, the use of acupuncture helps to stimulate the reproduction of cellular regeneration. When applied to the area of your lower back injury, you are able to boost the rate of healing.

Here at your chiropractor’s office, we use acupuncture along with other chiropractic techniques. The goal is to provide you with comprehensive health and wellness. Typically, we will combine acupuncture with other forms of chiropractic care, such as a realignment or adjustment. This is ideal for treating lower back pain effectively and safely. In addition, by getting acupuncture treatments regularly, you help to maintain a proper energy balance. This helps you protect your lower back against future lower back pain.

Contact Our Chiropractor in Omaha for Acupuncture

Whether you are new to chiropractic and acupuncture methods or simply interested in an alternative to lower back pain relief, Kosak Chiropractic and Acupuncture is here to assist you. To get started with acupuncture for your lower back pain, contact our chiropractor in Omaha at 402-964-0300. Ask about our free consultations for new patients.