With spring in the air, sun in the sky, and flowers shooting up, you may find it odd to read a chiropractor post about uprooting trees. But what if I told you that getting rid of a tree is the same process as diagnosing and treating a musculoskeletal condition?

The muscles of the body can tighten up for a multitude of reasons causing joint restrictions, stiffness, and pain. When an initial history and physical assessment is done to find out what muscles and joints aren’t moving well, I am always trying to find the source of the problem using questions and orthopedic tests. Many spots may be tight or tender along the way but they may be symptoms of the problem instead of the problem itself. 

The other day, a patient came into the clinic with numbness in some of their fingers. I assessed the hand, asked some questions, and started treating the elbow. With a gentle confusion, they reminded me that their elbow felt fine and the numbness was in their hand. They were not aware that the fingers were only the branches. The root of the numbness was fixed by treating the elbow and up to the neck. 

Take a moment to think about the branches and follow them back to the roots. That back pain could be from a recent change in footwear which changes how you walk. That sore arm could stem from an injury to your neck.  That headache and tiredness may be from a stressful life event or a lack of water or nutrients. We can think of it by asking if we are, “slashing at the leaves or hacking at the roots”?

Break down big problems and hack at the roots,

Dr. Cole Maranger

Disclaimer: If you do have an injury or issue that hasn’t been going away, check in with a primary health care provider such as your family doctor, hospital, or chiropractic office. Self diagnosing with Google can give some insight but a professional will be able to diagnose your condition or refer you to the proper care.