Chiropractor in Setauket
At our practice, we’ve been treating our patrons with compassion and care for years. Dr. Zangara is an experienced chiropractor in Setauket who can treat any condition you may have. He can provide optimal care for whatever pain you have. The following are just a few of the many conditions that we can treat!
Sciatica
Sciatica, also referred to as sciatic nerve pain, is a lower extremity pain from the irritation of the sciatic nerve, which is the largest nerve in the body. Typically affecting one side, this pain is normally felt from the lower back down the rear thigh; sometimes extending below the knee. Depending on the location of the affected area, the pain can also extend to the foot and toes. Our chiropractor in Setauket can help treat your sciatic nerve pain and bring you pain-free solutions.
What are the symptoms?
- Lumbar pain (lower back)
- Hip pain
- One-sided buttock pain
- Leg pain
- Weakness, numbness or difficulty during leg or foot movement
- Worsens when sitting
- Burning or tingling down the leg
- Weakness, numbness, or difficulty during leg or foot movement
- Difficulty standing up from shooting pains
Severe cases of sciatica can make the basic movement of walking difficult, sometimes even impossible. Symptoms can be aggravated by walking or bending down, and they can be relieved by lying down.
What are the causes?
Although it is caused by lower extremity irritation, other common causes include:
- Lumbar spinal stenosis – narrowing of the lumbar spinal canal
- Degenerative disc disease – pain as a result of a damaged disc
- Spondylolisthesis – lower vertebrae (bone) slips forward onto the bone directly beneath it
- Pregnancy
- Back or rear muscle spasms
Being overweight, lack of exercise, wearing heels, and sleeping on a mattress that is either too soft or too hard can also worsen back pain.
Treatment
Depending on the severity of your sciatica, there are different ways to treat the pain which accompanies it. If your pain isn’t stopping you from completing basic functions and activities, our chiropractor in Setauket, Dr. Zangra, may recommend a combination of basic at-home remedies:
- Bed rest – Traditionally, for those with acute sciatica, it’s a common cure. You may be advised to stay off your feet for a few days and lie on a firm mattress, or even the floor.
- Chiropractic – Dr. Zangra can utilize a variety of different chiropractic techniques in order to reduce any pain you feel.
- Hot and cold packs – Apply a pack to your lower back, starting with cold packs for the first few days, then shift to heat.
Scoliosis
Scoliosis is a spinal disorder that causes an irregular curvature of the spine. Scoliosis develops around the ages of 10 to 14 and is seen in adults as well. A brain miscommunication from the motor-sensory input causes the spine to unnaturally curve into a C-shape or an S-shape. Dr. Jack Zangara, our chiropractor in Setauket, is here to help if you suffer from scoliosis and are looking for someone to manage your condition.
Signs of scoliosis
Severe cases of scoliosis shrink your chest space making it difficult for your lungs to function properly. You may want to have your child checked for scoliosis if your child has recently been through a growth spurt. Mild curves may develop with little notice, so it is important to pay attention to the following signs and symptoms with your child:
- Uneven shoulders
- Unproportional hip heights
- Ribs sticking out unevenly
- Head posture
Scoliosis is best treated when it is recognized early. Visit our chiropractor in Setauket if you notice one or more of these symptoms in your child.
Treatment
To start treatment, we will evaluate the condition of your spine. The Cobb method is a commonly used evaluation technique which measures the degree of the curve in your spine. A curve greater than 10 degrees is a positive diagnosis for scoliosis. Next, our chiropractor in Setauket will check for how rigid your spine is. This is used as an indicator of how much work will be needed before we can start your scoliosis treatment.
Dr. Jack Zangara will then work to retrain your brain miscommunication from your motor-sensory input. Retraining involves a series of balance tests which will work to improve the communication between your brain and nerves. Balance training works as a form of conditioning to manage your scoliosis. Conditioning works to realign your neck, hips, and shoulders to reduce the unnatural curve in your back. Chiropractic treatment by our chiropractor in Setauket will help manage your scoliosis, bring you comfort, and help decrease your pain.
Spinal Subluxation
Spinal subluxation is a medical term used to describe the misalignment of vertebrae in the spine. Subluxation can be defined as the altered position of the vertebrate which causes considerable loss in how the body functions. Subluxation can happen for numerous reasons and side effects are different for each individual. If you’re looking for a chiropractor in Setauket, Dr. Jack Zangara can give you the help you need.
Symptoms
There are many symptoms that can be a potential sign of subluxation:
- Neck or back pain – This pain can range from moderate discomfort to severe. If you feel constant pain in your neck or back, it could be a sign that your spine may be misaligned.
- Headaches – If your spine is misaligned, there will be increased tension around the base of your head and neck, resulting in random headaches.
- Difficulty moving – Spinal misalignments are commonly associated with body stiffness and a lack of flexibility. Once someone realizes they are in pain, they tend to limit their movements which can only make the body stiffer.
Treatment
Going to a chiropractor is the best way to correct a spinal subluxation. Our chiropractor in Setauket can locate and correct the vertebrae pain in the discomfort areas. Spinal manipulation is the most common form of treatment, which will eliminate any symptoms you have.
Spinal manipulation involves applying controlled force to a specific joint in the spine. By applying this force, back pain will be relieved and physical movement will be restored. Spinal manipulation that is performed properly will ensure that the body’s nervous system is functioning.
TMJ
Do you or someone you know suffer from a temporomandibular joint disorder, also known as TMJ? TMJ is a common disorder that can cause pain in the jaw and skull and make eating and chewing difficult. So you might be wondering, “how would a chiropractor in Setauket would be able to help?” Dr. Jack Zangara is here to tell you why you should seek chiropractic care for your TMJ!
Symptoms
Some of the common symptoms of TMJ include the following:
- Pain or tenderness in the face, jaw, neck, and shoulders
- Problems when you try to open your mouth wide
- Jaw gets stuck in an open or closed position
- Difficulty chewing
- Uncomfortable bite
- Toothaches
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Earaches, ringing in the ears, hearing problems
What can we do?
Our chiropractor in Setauket can help treat pain related to TMJ. A popular service we offer includes spinal manipulation, which even if you do not have spine problems, it can improve the balance in your body and improve your nervous system. We also offer joint mobilization, where we will show you the most comfortable ways for you to move your jaw joints, helping to make them more comfortable. Whatever symptoms of TMJ you have, our chiropractic care has been shown to relieve headaches, neck aches, and other pains related to TMJ.
In addition to our chiropractic services, our chiropractor in Setauket will tell you how you can treat your TMJ symptoms at home using the following natural remedies.
- Applying cold or heat packs to the jaw
- Eat soft foods
- Massaging and relaxing the jaw, avoid moving it too much
- Essential oils, including lavender or chamomile
Herniated disc
A herniated disk is a condition where the outer portion of the vertebral disc is torn, enabling the inner portion to extrude through the fibers. When discs are healthy, they act as shock absorbers for the spine, keeping the spine flexible, but when a disc is damaged, it may bulge or break open. For the best treatment, Dr. Jack Zangara, a chiropractor in Setauket, will be able to give you the best treatment!
A herniated disc may be caused by:
- Wear and tear of the disc
- As you age, discs tend to dry out and become less flexible.
- Injury to the spine
- This may cause tiny tears or cracks in the hard outer layer of the disc. This forces the thick gel inside the disc out through the tears or cracks, resulting in the disc bulging or breaking open.
Symptoms
- A herniated disk can irritate nearby nerves resulting in:
- Pain, tingling, or numbness in the arm or leg.
- Weakness
- Muscles by the affected nerves tend to weaken which may affect your balance or impair your ability to lift or hold things.
- You may experience:
- Dull or sharp pain
- Muscle spasm
- Cramping
- Sciatica
- Leg weakness or loss of leg function
- Sneezing, coughing, or bending can intensify the pain.
Our experienced chiropractor in Setauket, Dr. Jack Zangara, can help ease your symptoms by performing spinal manipulation. He will even teach you proper lifting techniques, which helps prevent excessive wear and tear on the discs.
We will go through your medical history and do a physical exam. We will then ask:
- Are the reflexes intact? That is: are your nerves sending messages correctly? An example of testing reflexes is the classic reflex test where the doctor taps your knee with a small hammer.
- Is there a loss of muscle strength or signs of muscle wasting?
- Is there a loss of sensation along the path of a nerve?
To help prevent a herniated disk, we recommend:
- Exercise
- Strengthening muscles helps with spine stability and support.
- Maintain good posture
- Good posture reduces the pressure on your spine and discs.
- Keep your back straight and aligned, especially when sitting for long periods of time.
- Lift heavy objects properly by using your legs. Don’t add pressure to your back.
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Excess weight leads to more pressure on the spine and discs, increasing the risk of getting a herniated disc.
Muscle Spasms
Muscle spasm may be irritating and painful, but did you ever think that it might be your body trying to say something? Perhaps you have been putting too much stress on your muscles through strenuous activity, and your muscles are now overworked and weak. You may have wondered: how do I treat muscle spasms? Dr. Jack Zangara, our chiropractor in Setauket, can help relieve your muscle spasms and prevent it from happening again.
Causes of muscle spasms
Muscles spasms can affect several different parts of the body. A spasm is an uncontrolled contraction of the muscle and they often will make your muscles feel tight. Spasms normally last from seconds to 15 minutes; occurs abruptly; and are painful. Common causes of muscle spasms include:
- Muscle fatigue
- Overuse of the same muscle
- Dehydration
- Not properly stretching before any physical activity
- Exercising in heated temperatures
- Previous injury or trauma to a muscle
How can I treat muscle spasms?
Those suffering from muscle spasms can benefit from chiropractic care. Because a muscle spasm can occur in the neck, legs, arms, and back, chiropractic care can be able to treat you. The services our chiropractor in Setauket can provide to alleviate muscle spasms include:
- Soft Tissue Manipulation: this includes therapeutic stretching and massage therapy. Massaging the affecting muscles helps relieve the tension for a longer period of time. It also helps reduce any retained fluid and provides relief for muscle spasms.
- Adjustments: these are the most common treatments options offered by our chiropractor in Setauket. Our chiropractor applies force to the affected area to reposition the body in the correct position. This helps restore normal function which, in turn, reduces pain and decreases muscle spasms.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis can be a very painful injury to have since the area it affects is the foot and we often use our feet to perform activities. While this condition may be difficult to deal with, there are a few different treatment options for those suffering from plantar fasciitis. Chiropractic care is one recommended strategy because of the benefits it can have. Dr. Jack Zangara is our chiropractor in Setauket and can help treat those suffering from plantar fasciitis.
What is plantar fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is caused when the tissue in the heel of your foot begins to get torn or overstretched. This leads to pain and inflammation and can be very painful if not treated. Causes of this condition can be having flat feet or a high arch in your foot; wearing shoes that have worn outsoles, and having an unusual walking pattern or foot position.
Treatment
When researching treatment options for plantar fasciitis, make sure to look into chiropractic care. Working with our chiropractor in Setauket can have a lot of benefits to help treat your plantar fasciitis:
- Balance your weight – a chiropractor will make sure that you’re not putting too much weight on one foot, which will help avoid worsening the condition.
- Adjusting/correcting your posture – poor posture can make your plantar fasciitis worse and more painful, which will make it last longer than it normally would.
- Limit stress – a chiropractor can help reduce the stress on the heel and foot. By making adjustments to your heel that will limit the amount of stress that is put on the foot, chiropractic care will certainly make the difference in your recovery process.
Plantar fasciitis can be a difficult ailment to deal with. One good way to treat this injury is with chiropractic care. A chiropractor can offer many different solutions that can treat your pain and can recommend preventive strategies to make sure it doesn’t come back. Dr. Jack Zangara is our chiropractor in Setauket who can help treat those dealing with plantar fasciitis.
Tips For Traveling With Neck/Back Pain
Summer is in full swing! Whether your family is packing up the car for a weekend getaway or dusting off the suitcases for a few weeks abroad, it’s likely you’ll experience some type of travel discomfort. If you have pre-existing neck and back pain, there are steps you can take to prepare your body for travel. If you do not typically fall victim to muscle pain or aches, it is still smart to take precautionary strides towards preventing a stiff neck or back.
What You Should Keep In Mind:
Some tips that can help maintain good neck and back health when traveling include:
- Be smart when lifting luggage – Avoid back strains by correctly lifting luggage. Be sure to bend at your knees and utilize your leg muscles– not back muscles– to lift heavy baggage. Pivot with your feet as opposed to your lower back when lifting. If you are carrying a bag on one shoulder, remember to alternate sides. To ease the effort of lifting, make sure to distribute weight evenly amongst luggage and pack as light as possible.
- Bring your own support – Cars, planes, buses, trains, and boats do not always provide comfortable approved seating. Bring your own support pillow to lean or sit on. If you forget a pillow, a rolled-up sweatshirt or towel works the same for long flights and car rides. An inflatable neck pillow is also great for providing a direct form of neck support.
- Move and stretch – It is easy to become stiff if you allow your body to sit stationary for hours at a time. Get up and move! Sitting in one position for an extended period of time stiffens the back muscles specifically and puts stress on your spine and shoulders. Movement stimulates blood flow and leads to an increase in energy and a decrease in muscle stiffness. Park the car and stretch, or take a walk down the center airplane aisle. Get up and move as much as possible.
- Easy, quick, cheap pain relief – No matter where you are, you should have access to a cheap hot or cold pack. Applying heat or cold to an irritated area will reduce pain and discomfort.
Dr. Jack Zangara, our specialized chiropractor, has been in the medical field for 34 years, treating patients for their back and neck complications. Her practice offers holistic healings to help alleviate the pain that occurs in the spine and nerves. To make sure you are in good health, contact her office to make an appointment and discuss your spine health at (631) 473-8182.
How Chiropractors Can Improve Your Flexibility
For many, the best way to improve flexibility is regular, routine visits with the chiropractor. By aligning the spine and joint ligaments to maximize health benefits, the body can increase flexibility, mobility, and immunity. Protecting your spine and flexibility as you age is an important factor in preventing falls, increasing strength, and decreasing risks for sprains, strains, and fractures. If you are looking for a chiropractor near Mt. Sinai, visit Dr. Zangra. He offers convenient hours and specializes in all spine-related conditions with experience spanning over two decades.
What can a chiropractor do to improve your flexibility?
- Spinal adjustment and manipulation – A “high amplitude, low velocity” thrust is involved in creating an “audible pop,” which adjusts the spinal joints in position. With this adjustment, you can resume your daily activities without a “stiff back.” Spinal manipulation involves moving, jolting, and maneuvering the joints with massage, physical therapy, and exercise. This relieves pressure on the joints and decreases pain and inflammation.
- Increased range of motion – Guided exercise, combined with other techniques such as trigger point therapy, ultrasound therapy, and electrical stimulation can help increase your range of motion, loosen the joints, and maintain balance.
- Increasing circulation of blood in the body – the release of endorphins during massage and exercise therapy help to increase circulation of blood to your tissue and muscles. The ligaments need a blood and oxygen supply to stretch and grow over time. A chiropractor can help target specific tight ligaments in the body and use mobility techniques to help loosen the joints.
Why is flexibility important as we age?
As our bodies get older, our cartilage loses elasticity. Decreased flexibility can have a negative impact on our day-to-day life. People often decrease their level of physical activity because they do not feel flexible enough. When this happens, the body becomes vulnerable to illness, obesity, and cardiovascular disease and stroke. You may also feel a lack of balance which can lead to increased falls and broken bones. For this reason, it is important to maintain your flexibility and to work with a chiropractor to ensure that you have the best chance at living your best quality of life.
When looking for a chiropractor near Mt. Sinai, contact Dr. Jack Zangara. She can work with you to maximize your flexibility for your best chance at resuming normal activities without pain or inflammation. It is especially important to call if you have a history of falls, sprains, or decreased mobility. Contact her today to make an appointment, and we look forward to hearing from you!