A HEALTHY DAY
In today’s article, I wanted to share a story that happened to someone close to me not too long ago. For privacy purposes I will reference the person as Bob. On Tuesday of last week (May 9th) Bob and some friends decided to go to Cedar Point. They decided to camp the night before and then go ride the rides the next day. As the night went on, Bob and another friend decided to wrestle and ended up bumping heads. The next day, Bob woke up with a slight headache but it wasn’t bad enough to keep him from going on some rides. After he had a great time at Cedar Point, during the car ride home he noticed that his headache was getting worse. He figured that rest would help him but the next day and following days after his headache got gradually worse. Finally, Bob came to me with his problem. He told me his story and then I asked him some questions about his symptoms. Bob stated that besides the blunt and jolting trauma to his head and neck, his pain was located on top of his head and was sharp. The pain was worse when looking down/flexing his head forward. He had no visual changes, nausea, mood changes, memory problems, motor defects, nor dizziness. I asked him if his head felt as though there were an increase in pressure in it and he said no. At this point I did a routine exam including checking his vital signs (pulse/respirations/height/weight/temperature/blood pressure), an eye exam, cranial nerve exam, palpation, ear, nose, and throat exam, sinus fluid levels (done with a light to see fluid levels), cervical range of motion, and some orthopedic tests.
All signs were normal except for an increased pain with flexion and some tenderness elicited when palpation was done at the back of the head. Since the pain pattern was abnormal for a tension headache, which it could very possibly be, I still was not sure what was going on. At this point I had narrowed down the possibilities to 3 things; hematoma, sinus infection/headache, and/or a tension headache. So, with the lack of evidence and the fact that there was blunt trauma involved, it was under my discretion that the patient go to the ER for another opinion and hopefully get a CT scan done. This is necessary to rule out/in a possible hematoma or to find the root cause of his headache. If the results would come out negative, then most likely he would have a simple tension headache (which is easily curable by a chiropractor). Thus, we went to the ER, had the CT done along with Bob being administered with “Toradol” (pain/anti-inflammatory meds) and an IV drip for dehydration. The results showed that he had a simple sinus infection. The reason that a sinus infection did not show up in the exam was that the infection took place in the sphenoid sinus which is located in the middle of the head way to the back of the nasal cavity. The location of this sinus is in a place which cannot be viewed easily without a CT scan. Also, since the sinus was located in the middle of the skull, the pain pattern makes sence along with the increase pain with forward flexion.
Since most sinus infections are viral, then the majority of the time, antibiotics are in-effective for at least 2-3 weeks (by then if the virus does not clear up then it most likely is bacterial and antibiotics would help). Bob was treated with a prescription for generic pain meds along with instructions to obtain over-the-counter ibuprofen, and a decongestant. In the meantime, I suggested some alternative therapies which seem to be affective. The first thing to do is to boost the immune system. This can be done by taking what is called “Airborne” which is an herbal immune booster found at any Walgreen’s/CVS stores in the vitamin section. Next, he should take some glyconutrients to increase the efficiency of the immune system (available through me). Once this is done, he should try to work on breaking up the trapped mucus in the sinus. This can be done first by thinning the mucus by drinking plenty of liquids. Then he can use a “Netty” Pot (available here) with a saline solution with warm water to help open up the sinus ducts. Another treatment consists of a warm compress over the forehead. Steam inhalations of pine/eucalyptus can also help. I also do a sinus drainage technique here that works wonders for draining sinuses (call and ask how). Overall, Bob continues to improve with each day. The main thing to take home from this article today is that if you have a headache, remember the warning signs and do not hesitate to go to the ER. These warning signs include: blunt trauma to the head, visual changes, hearing changes, memory loss, dizziness, motor changes, and nausea/vomiting. Remember that it is okay if your tests come out negative!!
I also wanted to let you know that we have a new promotion here at Nill Family Chiropractic and Wellness Center. From Now until July 1st, for any new patient who comes in for a treatment, a FREE massage will be given. So come on in, even if you are in pain or not, and take advantage of this opportunity. Remember that chiropractic is good for not only treating pain but preventing it as well. Studies show that chiropractic can help the immune system and prevent other diseases like arthritis. We accept all insurance and if you’re a cash patient who doesn’t have insurance, or their insurance doesn’t cover chiropractic, call and ask how you can get 25% off of your bill.
If you or anyone you know has any questions or would like to know more of what I can do for you, then give me a call to set up your free initial consultation. Again, please contact me by phone at 260-459-2205 or by e-mail at drnill@nillfamilychiropractic.com. If you have any questions or if you want to come in for the free consultation, the address is; Nill Family Chiropractic and Wellness Center at 4656 W. Jefferson Blvd. Suite 240 Fort Wayne, IN 46804. Also, feel free to check out our website to see all that we have to offer at www.nillfamilychiropractic.com.
Until next time, I am Dr James P. Nill DC. Take care and have a healthy day.
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