Recent Posts

According to research, roughly 2-5 percent of the population will suffer from painful conditions like frozen shoulder syndrome at some time in their lives. That makes shoulder pain a common problem and one that Dr. Aazami sees in our Rockville practice on a regular basis.

In general, this condition is more common for people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, and it tends to affect women more frequently than men. While ice, heat, and gentle stretching can often times help relieve the pain, so too can chiropractic adjustments.

For instance, a study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine looked at 50 patients with frozen shoulder who received chiropractic care. The length of care ranged from 11 days to 51 days, with 28 days being the average.

The authors found that nearly all of the patients fared extremely well with chiropractic care. Here are the results:

• 8 of the subjects reported 50-75 percent improvement
• 25 indicated improvement ranging from 75- 90 percent
• 1 participant had complete resolution of their frozen shoulder pain

Only one participant reported an improvement of 50 percent or less, so reports like this demonstrate just how effective chiropractic can be when it comes to decreasing shoulder pain and increasing quality of life.

Let Dr. Aazami help you ease your pain by contacting our Rockville office and scheduling your appointment today.

Resources

Murphy F et al. (2012, December). Chiropractic management of frozen shoulder syndrome using a novel technique: a retrospective case series of 50 patients. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine;11(4):267-272

Dr. Aazami works with many sciatica patients here in our Rockville office, and many of these individuals were worried that they might need surgery to relieve their pain. The most recent research indicates that many people don't require surgery for this widespread issue, and that chiropractic is more successful at resolving sciatic nerve pain.

A popular surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, specialists looked at 80 individuals with sciatica who were referred for this procedure.

Forty patients were then randomly placed in one of two groups. The first group received surgical microdiscectomy and the second group received chiropractic care.

Both groups got better; however, no noticeable difference in outcome was recorded one year post-treatment between either group. In addition, around sixty percent of the participating patients who could not find pain relief from any other treatment method "benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."

In other words, chiropractic delivered the same positive benefits as surgery without needing to go through the higher levels of surgery-based pain or suffer through lengthy recovery times often affiliated with that specific treatment option. Additionally, you also don't run the risks linked to surgical microdiscectomy, including nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.

Surgery should be the last resort for sciatica pain. If you live in Rockville and you're experiencing back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Aazami a call today at (240) 221-2666. We'll help pinpoint the start of your pain and work hard to get you relief.

References

• McMorland, G et al. Manipulation or microdiskectomy for sciatica? A prospective randomized clinical study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2010;33(8):576-584.
• Solberg TK, Nygaard OP, Sjaavik K, Hofoss D, Ingebrigtsen T. The risk of "getting worse" after lumbar microdiscectomy. European Spine Journal 2005;14(1):49-54.
  

While many women automatically assume that carrying a child and severe pain in the lower back go hand in hand, they are often surprised when they discover that this is not necessarily the case. In fact, chiropractic adjustments can often help relieve back pain for pregnant women by as much as 85%.

In our busy Rockville chiropractic office, it isn't uncommon for pregnant women to reach out to Dr. Aazami for help relieving their back pain.

A research study published in Chiropractic & Manual Therapies involved 115 women who were pregnant (most of which were in their third trimester) and reported pain in their low back, pelvic area, or both. Data was gathered prior to the study, as well as one week, one month, three months, and one year after treatment commenced. At each subsequent point in time, the participants were asked to rate their level of pain based on a 7-point scale to determine whether it was better, worse, or stayed the same. The results?

52% reported that their pain was better after one week of chiropractic treatment. After one month, that amount jumped up to 70 percent, climbing even more to 85 percent showing improvement at the three month mark. Positive effects were still reported at six months post-treatment, which was generally after delivery, and continued to the final data collection one year after treatment commenced.

There are also many additional benefits of chiropractic care during pregnancy. Not only does it efficiently relieve back pain, but it does it in a completely natural and non-invasive way. This means that you don't have to worry about taking any medications or undergoing any type of treatment that could potentially harm your unborn child.

Additionally, it makes your time spent carrying your baby more pleasant. When you're not distracted with pain, you can enjoy the experience even more as you prepare your home and your life for all of the fun and exciting changes that lie ahead.

You don't have to suffer from back pain during pregnancy. We're here in Rockville to help with natural chiropractic care. Give us a call today at (240) 221-2666 to make an appointment.

Peterson CK, Muhlemann D, & Humphreys BK. Outcomes of pregnant patients with low back pain undergoing chiropractic treatment: a prospective cohort study with short term, medium term and 1 year follow-up. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies 2014;22(15):doi:10.1186/2045-709X-22-15.

According to The American Academy of Pain Medicine, more people in the US suffer with chronic pain than diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer combined. In addition, neck pain is the third most reported type of pain, beat out only by lower back pain and headaches.

Of course, a lot of people come to our Rockville office seeking neck pain care, and Dr. Aazami has helped many of them find relief. This is a smart decision, as some studies have shown that over 90% of neck pain patients get relief with chiropractic care.

Studies Confirm Chiropractic's Positive Effects

A study published in The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy included 64 people who were suffering with neck pain. Around half were placed in an experimental group and the other half were designated to a comparison group. Both received chiropractic adjustments of the neck as well as a home exercise plan, while the experimental group also received adjustments of the thoracic spine.

Data was gathered before treatment began and one week after the adjustments. Researchers found that 94% of the experimental group reported "significantly greater improvements" in regard to pain and disability in their neck symptoms. Just 35% of the individuals who received neck adjustments showed the same level of improvement, showing that looking at the entire spinal column is a critical part of restoring the body's normal function.

One more study posted in Physical Therapy involved 60 participants between the ages of 18 and 60 who reported dealing with neck pain. Each individual was randomly assigned to one of two groups--thoracic spine thrust manipulation or non-thrust manipulation--with examinations occurring two and four days after the adjustments.

Researchers found that the study patients who received the thrust manipulations (the same manipulations that offered such positive results in the first study) "experienced greater reductions in disability" than the group that received the non-thrust manipulations. Their pain was lower as well, which shows that this type of technique offers many benefits.

Chiropractic Even Offers Benefits After Failed Neck Surgery

Another study found the same kind of positive results after thoracic adjustments in a patient who had a failed neck surgical treatment. This particular case involved a 46-year-old patient who had recently had neck surgery but still endured neck pain, headaches, pain in her elbow, and muscle fatigue.

The woman documented reduced pain in her neck and lower headache intensity, immediately after the first chiropractic treatment session. After six weeks of care, which involved chiropractic, exercise, and patient education, the patient still placed her pain at a zero on a scale of 1 to 10. Her neck disability improved as well, with a rating score that represented that it was a "great deal better."

It is studies like these that substantiate the advantages of chiropractic techniques, even if you've already attempted neck surgery that didn't provide relief. So, if you are suffering with neck problems and would like to find a solution that has a high success rate, try chiropractic. It may just be the relief you're looking for.

We're located in Rockville and Dr. Aazami can help you recover from neck pain. Give us a call today at (240) 221-2666.

References

• AAPM facts and figures on pain. The American Academy of Pain Medicine.
• Masaracchio M, Cleland JA, Hellman M, Hagins M. Short-term combined effects of thoracic spine thrust manipulation and cervical spine nonthrust manipulation in individuals with mechanical neck pain: a randomized clinical trial. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy 2013;43(3):118-127.
• Cleland JA, Glynn P, Whitman JM, Eberhart SL, MacDonald C, Childs JD. Short-term effects of thrust versus nonthrust mobilization/manipulation directed at the thoracic spine in patients with neck pain: a randomized clinical trial. Physical Therapy 2007;87(4):431-440.
• Salvatori R, Rowe RH, Osborne R, Beneciuk JM. Use of thoracic spine thrust manipulation for neck pain and headache in a patient following multiple-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a case report. The Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy 2014;44(6):440-449.
  

With the Migraine Research Foundation reporting that migraines affect 38 million people in the United States (more than diabetes and asthma put together), it's no surprise that Dr. Aazami sees a lot of migraine patients in our Rockville office. While some folks choose to relieve migraine pain with medications, chiropractic care is a terrific, all-natural choice that often provides positive results.

For example, one report published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics involved 127 people ranging in age from 10 to 70-years-old who struggled with regular (at least monthly) headaches. Each subject received up to 16 chiropractic sessions. The subjects noted that their headache frequency, duration, and disability two months before the treatments began, during the duration of the sessions (which was two months), and two months post-treatment.

What the researchers discovered is that spinal manipulation therapy reduced the frequency, duration, and disability of the migraine pain when compared with the control subjects who didn't receive chiropractic. In addition, this allowed them to take less medication for the pain, offering them an all-natural answer for a chronic condition.

Another paper found that a combination of chiropractic and neck massage reduced migraine pain almost 68%.

If you have migraine pain and are looking for help, call Dr. Aazami today and request an appointment in our Rockville chiropractic office. We'll do what we can to help you become pain-free!

Sources

Migraine Fact Sheet. Migraine Research Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.migraineresearchfoundation.org/fact-sheet.html on November 2, 2015
Noudeh Y et al. (2012). Reduction of current migraine headache pain following neck massage and spinal manipulation. International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork;5(1):5-13
Tuchin P et al. (2000, February). A randomized controlled trial of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for migraine. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics;23(2):91-5

Knee pain is a common issue for people in our Rockville chiropractic practice, and Dr. Aazami has successfully provided many of these men and women relief. This is mostly because chiropractic care has been found to help with many forms of knee pain.

For example, some people encounter pain in and around the knee area due to osteoarthritis. Research has shown that this ailment responds very well to chiropractic--and rather quickly, too. In fact, one study published in The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association found that individuals with osteoarthritis in their knees felt significant pain relief and improved function after just two weeks of chiropractic care.

If your knee pain is caused by a medial meniscus tear, chiropractic could likely help with that as well. One article reported that combining chiropractic with soft tissue treatment, rest, ice, and compression on the affected knee helped lower the intensity of the pain.

Clearly, sometimes a knee replacement surgery is required in order to rectify the issue, and if that's the case, chiropractic care can also help improve the outcome. How?

Research has found that patients with low back pain often have less positive outcomes after knee surgery. Therefore, dealing with your back pain through chiropractic before having a total knee arthroplasty can assist with your post-surgery recovery.

No matter what your knee issue, Dr. Aazami can likely help. Call our Rockville location today and find out what we can do for you!

Resources

• Pollard H et al. (2008, December). The effect of a manual therapy knee protocol on osteoarthritic knee pain: a randomised controlled trial. The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association;52(4):229-42
  Boyle J et al. (2014, March). Influence of low back pain on total knee arthroplasty outcome. Knee;21(2):410-4
• Jarosz B & Ames R. (2010, December). Chiropractic management of a medial meniscus tear in a patient with tibiofemoral degeneration: a case report. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine;9(4):200-8

We see a lot of men and women with headaches in our Rockville office, and Dr. Aazami has been able to provide relief for many of them. Indeed, the World Health Organization (WHO) states that half of all adults deal with some manner of headache problem, so this certainly isn’t unexpected. One of the most frequent kinds of headaches that our patients deal with is cervicogenic headache which, luckily, chiropractic can usually help.

What is a Cervicogenic Headache?

A cervicogenic headache is one that stems from issues in the cervical spine. It can easily be because of an issue with either the spine itself (specifically, the vertebrae, joints, or discs), or it can be caused by a problem in the muscles and tendons of your neck. This problem in your spine contributes to compression or irritation of the spinal nerves, which can contribute to headache pain.

How do you determine if the headache you are feeling is a cervicogenic headache? Aside from obtaining a diagnosis from a healthcare professional, a typical symptom of cervicogenic headaches is tenderness or pain in your neck. This is sometimes combined with pain in the back of your head or between your shoulder blades.

How Chiropractic Helps with Cervicogenic Headaches

Considering cervicogenic headaches will not go away until whatever problem is inducing them is remedied, it is critical to receive treatment as opposed to just trying to "wait it out." Chiropractic care is an excellent approach, and one that provides a great deal of relief.

In one study circulated in Chiropractic & Osteopathy, experts looked at 80 people who had recurring cervicogenic headaches. Fifty percent received chiropractic care and the other half engaged in light massage therapy. Each participant was evaluated 12 and 24 weeks after the treatment and it was found that chiropractic provided the most beneficial effects.

Specifically, this study noted that chiropractic adjustments offered patients more significant pain relief and lowered the number of headaches that occurred. Additionally, it also diminished the disability that resulted from these painful headaches.

To find out what Dr. Aazami can do for you and your headache pain, call our office today. We'll do our best to get you the pain relief you need!

References

• Haas M, Schneider M, Vavrek D. Illustrating risk difference and number needed to treat from a randomized controlled trial of spinal manipulation for cervicogenic headache. Chiropractic & Osteopathy 2010 18(9).
• World Health Organization. (2012, October). Headache disorders. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs277/en/

​We see many patients in our Rockville office with ankle sprains but Dr. Aazami has had a lot of success helping them recover more quickly. Why are ankle sprains so common and how can chiropractic help?

According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), an estimated 25,000 people in the US sprain their ankles daily. As a matter of fact, these injuries make up almost half of all sports injuries, causing people to spend time away from the activities they enjoy most.

Like most any injury, there are many causes of ankle sprains. The most frequent is inversion, or when the ankle rolls inward. This injury can take place due to one forceful movement, or it can develop over time, and activities that increase the risk for this type of ankle sprain include running and jumping. You're also at risk if you have previous ankle injuries, poor posture or balance, weak muscles, and reduced range of motion. How can Dr. Aazami help?

A study printed in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics set out to discover chiropractic's role when it comes to ankle sprain recovery. The authors enrolled 33 people between the ages of 18 and 45 who had a history of ankle inversion sprains, who were experiencing tenderness and/or pain, and had not re-injured the ankle in the previous six weeks.

18 of the participants were assigned to receive rehabilitation and the other 15 subjects received chiropractic adjustments in addition to rehab. Each individual had five full weeks of therapy, with the rehab group receiving treatment seven days a week and the rehabilitation plus chiropractic group receiving treatment six out of the seven days.

The study found that the people who had both rehab and chiropractic fared the best at the 4-week mark when it came to pain and joint restriction. In addition, no negative effects were reported, showing that chiropractic is safe.

If you're near our location in Rockville and you're suffering from an ankle injury, give us a call. We'll do what we can to keep you up and moving...literally!

Bibliography

• American College of Sports Medicine. (n.d.). Ankle sprains and the athlete. Retrieved from https://www.acsm.org/docs/current-comments/anklesprainstemp.pdf
• Lubbe, D et al. (2015, January). Manipulative therapy and rehabilitation for recurrent ankle sprain with functional instability: a short-term, assessor-blind, parallel-group randomized trial. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 38(1), 22-34, doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2014.10.001

If you are afflicted by fibromyalgia, you are not alone, as Dr. Aazami sees many patients with this particular syndrome in our Rockville chiropractic office. As a matter of fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that roughly two percent of all adults in the United States have fibromyalgia. Fortunately, chiropractic is one treatment option that can provide positive results.

In a medical study published in mid-2015, 215 women and men with fibromyalgia were evaluated based on factors ranging from pain to quality of sleep to the levels of depression and anxiety they felt. Then they were split into two groups with one group receiving a multi-modal treatment plan for three months and the second group receiving the same program with the addition of chiropractic care (specifically, to the upper neck tissues) for the same length of time.

The subjects who received chiropractic adjustments combined with the multi-modal therapy program reported greater results in all areas (pain, sleep, depression, and anxiety) at 12 weeks post-treatment when compared to the study patients who received multi-modal therapy without chiropractic. Furthermore, those positive benefits were long-lasting as the individuals reported continued improvement one full year later.

Fibromyalgia can substantially reduce your quality of life, both psychologically and physically. If you're suffering from fibromyalgia, we might be able to help.

You don't have to suffer! To find out what Dr. Aazami can do for your fibromyalgia, call our Rockville chiropractic office today.

Studies

• Fibromyalgia. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/fibromyalgia.htm on November 2, 2015.
• Moustafa I & Diab A. (2015, July). The addition of upper cervical manipulative therapy in the treatment of patients with fibromyalgia: a randomized controlled trial. Rheumatology International;35(7):1163-74.

We see a large number of people in our Rockville, MD clinic, and Dr. Ashkan Aazami has helped many people manage a variety of health challenges. In spite of this, a frequent issue that seems to stop many people from getting care is whether or not chiropractic adjustments are safe. Luckily, according to three different studies (out of countless on the topic), the answer to this question is a resounding: "Yes! Chiropractic is safe!"

Australian Study: Chiropractic is Safe

The first article(1) was published in Spine and involved 183 adults between the ages of 20 and 85. Each participant reported suffering from spine-related pain, and half of the patients received actual chiropractic care visits while the other half were given two fake chiropractic treatments. Information was gathered after each real or fake adjustment to see if any unpleasant reactions occurred as a result of the genuine chiropractic treatments.

The authors reported that no participants documented any serious undesirable adverse reactions whatsoever after getting one or two sessions of chiropractic. Some individuals did state that they got a headache (9 percent) or muscle stiffness (37%) post-treatment, but the effects were not serious.

Nationwide Survey Finds that Chiropractic is Safe

The second article(2), also published in the important medical journal, Spine, was conducted in an effort to establish the safety of chiropractic care. The study group was much larger -- 20,000 people. Each participant received chiropractic adjustments of the neck, with over 50,000 total adjustments for all patients.

Once again, the investigators discovered no serious adverse side effects. The authors computed the risk of total side effects to be approximately six out of every 10,000 consultations or every 100,000 treatment sessions. Plus, just as with the previous study, some people did report non-serious, milder, side effects such as dizziness (16 out of every 1,000 treatment consultations and 15 out of every 1,000 treatment sessions) or a headache (4%), and this prompted the researchers to determine that "the risk of a serious adverse event, immediately or up to 7 days after treatment, was low to very low."

Chiropractic Care Is Safe for Kids

This third research paper(3) is unique from the previous two reports, as it focuses on the safety of chiropractic care for kids. In this case, researchers analyzed data reported by both chiropractors and parents involving 816 children who participated in 7,173 chiropractic adjustments.

Out of 5,438 chiropractic appointments made for the young children, chiropractors responding to the survey reported only three cases where there were adverse effects. When parents were surveyed, they indicated only two adverse side effects out of 1,735 visits. Additionally, both chiropractors and parents reported "a high rate of improvement with respect to the children's presenting complaints."

Based on studies like these, chiropractic has been deemed safe and effective for everyone. To find out what chiropractic can do for you, call our Rockville, MD clinic and make an appointment today at (301) 322-7777.

References

1. Walker BF, Hebert JJ, Stomski NJ, Clarke BR, Bowden RS, Losco B, French SD. Outcomes of usual chiropractic. The OUCH randomized controlled trial of adverse events. Spine 2013;38(20):1723-9.
2. Thiel HW1, Bolton JE, Docherty S, Portlock JC. Safety of chiropractic manipulation of the cervical spine: a prospective national survey. Spine 2007;32(21):2375-8.
3. Alcantara J, Ohm J, Kunz D. The safety and effectiveness of pediatric chiropractic: a survey of chiropractors and parents in a practice-based research network. Explore NY 2009;5(5): 290-5.