We are now located within Enhanced Health & Wellness at 5330 Calgary Trail. I am excited to continue providing the same high-quality care I have for the past 28 years.
Dr. Randy Olthuizen is looking forward to seeing his existing patients and welcoming new patients from Southwest Edmonton, South Edmonton, and surrounding areas. To book an appointment with Dr. Randy Olthuizen, please call 780-431-1201 and specifically ask to book with Dr. Randy.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
At Pleasantview Chiropractic clinic we treat a very wide variety of injuries and conditions. We have provided you with the most popular conditions most patients come in with. That being said , there are many more conditions and injuries that we treat at the clinic. If you may be expirencing a treated condition or injury we have not provided below, please call the clinic and we will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
Back pain has long been a reason why people seek out chiropractic care. Whether the symptoms have just started, or if you’ve been experiencing pain for years – chiropractic may be the answer you’re seeking. The all-natural, drug-free approach to dealing with back pain has been helping people get back to their active lifestyles and out of pain.
Pain in the lower back is a problem that nearly everyone at some point in their lives have experienced. The lumbar region of the back, where most of the pain is felt, carries the weight of the upper body.It is the second most common health ailment in Canada, after headaches, and it is the most common cause of job-related disability leading to missed work.
Pain in the lower back is also the most common cause of disability in people under the age 50, and billions of dollars are spent on its treatment, with more than half that money being spent on surgical treatment.
Pain that is progressive and persists for more than 3 months is considered chronic pain. Acute pain usually lasts for shorter periods. The pain can range from a mild ache to excruciating agony. Many of the causes stem from stresses on the muscles and ligaments that support your spine. The pain can range from a mild ache to excruciating agony. Many of the causes stem from stresses on the muscles and ligaments that support your spine.
If you have been involved in a car accident, whiplash injuries need to be taken very seriously. Because symptoms of a whiplash injury can take weeks or months to manifest, it is easy to be fooled into thinking that you are not as injured as you really are. Too often people don’t seek treatment following a car accident because they don’t feel hurt. By far, the most common injury to the neck is a whiplash injury.Whiplash is caused by a sudden movement of the head, either backward, forward, or sideways, that results in the damage to the supporting muscles, ligaments and other connective tissues in the neck and upper back. Unfortunately, by the time more serious complications develop, some of the damage from the injury may have become permanent. Numerous studies have shown that years after whiplash victims settle their insurance claims, roughly half of them state that they still suffer with symptoms from their injuries. If you have been in a motor vehicle or any other kind of accident, don’t assume that you escaped injury if you are not currently in pain.
Most of the time, what is called a pinched nerve is actually an irritated, or inflamed nerve where the nerve itself is not actually pinched. In most cases, nerves become irritated and inflamed when the bones, joints or muscles of the spine are not in their proper position, or are not moving properly. This condition is called a “subluxation”, the treatment of which is the specialty of the doctor of chiropractic.
Trigger points are very tight “knots” of muscle that form when muscles are either chronically overworked or injured, and are often experienced as a pinching or burning pain. Trigger points will commonly cause pain that radiates to other parts of the body, which is also known as referred pain.
The successful treatment of trigger points usually requires a combination of chiropractic care, stretching and a form of deep tissue massage called ‘trigger point therapy.’ It is very important that the cause of any form of pain be properly diagnosed. This is especially important when nerves are affected as severe or long term irritation, or compression, of a nerve can lead to permanent nerve damage. If you have been told that you have a “pinched nerve” it is very important that you seek professional care from a doctor of chiropractic as soon as possible.
The term slipped disc is a term used improperly over the years as disc doesn’t actuly slip, instead the disc will bulge or prolapse. When this occures the disc and its contents push back and put pressure on the spinal nerve, this will cause back and leg pain or just leg pain and a patient may also have leg numbness.
Depending on the severity of the pressure on the nerve and the presentation of the patient, chiropractic treatments can help this condition. Chiropractic treatments, using TENS, traction as well as a low back strengthening program will help treat this condition.
Due to the complicated nature and profound impact on people’s lives, few topics in health care generate as much controversy as whiplash injuries. Unlike a broken bone where a simple x-ray can validate the presence of the fracture and standards of care can direct a health care professional as to the best way in which to handle the injury. Whiplash injuries involve an unpredictable combination of nervous system, muscles joints and connective tissue disruption that is not simple to diagnose and can be even more of a challenge to treat. In order to help you understand the nature of whiplash injuries and how they should be treated, it is necessary to spend a bit of time discussing the mechanics of how whiplash injuries occur.
whiplash injuries can manifest in a wide variety of ways, including neck pain, headaches, fatigue, upper back and shoulder pain, cognitive changes and low back pain. Due to the fact that numerous factors play into the overall whiplash trauma, such as direction of impact, speed of the vehicles involved, as well as sex, age and physical condition, it is impossible to predict the pattern of symptoms that each individual will suffer. Additionally, whiplash symptoms commonly have a delayed onset, often taking weeks or months to present. There are, however, a number of conditions that are very common among those who have suffered from whiplash trauma.
It is the single most common complaint in whiplash trauma, being reported by over 90% of patients. Often this pain radiates across the shoulders, up into the head, and down between the shoulder blades. Whiplash injuries tend to affect all of the tissues in the neck, including the facet joints and discs between the vertebrae, as well as all of the muscles, ligaments and nerves. Facet joint pain is the most common cause of neck pain following a car accident. Facet joint pain is usually felt on the back of the neck, just to the right or left of center, and is usually tender to the touch. Facet joint pain cannot be visualized on x-rays or MRIs. It can only be diagnosed by physical palpation of the area. Disc injury is also a common cause of neck pain; especially chronic pain. The outer wall of the disc (called the anulus) is made up of bundles of fibers that can be torn during a whiplash trauma. These tears, then, can lead to disc degeneration or herniation, resulting in irritation or compression of the nerves running through the area. This compression or irritation commonly leads to radiating pain into the arms, shoulders and upper back, and may result in muscle weakness. Damage to the muscles and ligaments in the neck and upper back are the major cause of the pain experienced in the first few weeks following a whiplash injury, and is the main reason why you experience stiffness and restricted range of motion. But as the muscles have a chance to heal, they typically don’t cause as much actual pain as they contribute to abnormal movement. Damage to the ligaments often results in abnormal movement and instability.
After neck pain, headaches are the most prevalent complaint among those suffering from whiplash injury, affecting more than 80% of all people. While some headaches are actually the result of direct brain injury, most are related to injury of the muscles, ligaments and facet joints of the cervical spine, which refer pain to the head. Because of this, it is important to treat the supporting structures of your neck in order to help alleviate your headaches.
A less common, but very debilitating disorder that results from whiplash is temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ). TMJ usually begins as pain, clicking and popping noises in the jaw during movement. If not properly evaluated and treated, TMJ problems can continue to worsen and lead to headaches, facial pain, ear pain and difficulty eating. Many chiropractors are specially trained to treat TMJ problems, or can refer you to a TMJ specialist.
Believe it or not, mild to moderate brain injury is common following a whiplash injury, due to the forces on the brain during the four phases mentioned earlier. The human brain is a very soft structure, suspended in a watery fluid called cerebrospinal fluid. When the brain is forced forward and backward in the skull, the brain bounces off the inside of the skull, leading to bruising or bleeding in the brain itself. In some cases, patients temporarily lose consciousness and have symptoms of a mild concussion. More often, there is no loss of consciousness, but patients complain of mild confusion or disorientation just after the crash. The long-term consequences of a mild brain injury can include mild confusion, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, irritability, forgetfulness, loss of sex drive, depression and emotional instability. Although less common, the nerves responsible for your sense of smell, taste and even your vision may be affected as well, resulting in a muted sense of taste, changes in your sensation of smell and visual disturbances.
Although most people consider whiplash to be an injury of the neck, the low back is also commonly injured as well. In fact, low back pain is found in more than half of rear impact-collisions in which injury was reported, and almost three-quarters of all side-impact crashes. This is mostly due to the fact that the low back still experiences a tremendous compression during the first two phases of a whiplash injury, even though it does not have the degree of flexion-extension injury experienced in the neck.
With proper care, many mild whiplash injuries heal within six to nine months. However, more than 20% of those who suffer from whiplash injuries continue to suffer from pain, weakness or restricted movement two years after their accident. Unfortunately, the vast majority of these people will continue to suffer from some level of disability or pain for many years after that, if not for the rest of their lives. Whiplash is a unique condition that requires the expertise of a skilled health professional specially trained to work with these types of injuries. The most effective treatment for whiplash injuries is a combination of chiropractic care, rehabilitation of the soft tissues and taking care of yourself at home.
Chiropractic care utilizes manual manipulation of the spine to restore the normal movement and position of the spinal vertebrae. It is by far the single-most effective treatment for minimizing the long-term impact of whiplash injuries, especially when coupled with massage therapy, trigger point therapy, exercise rehabilitation and other soft tissue rehabilitation modalities.
Headaches affect just about everyone at some point and they can present themselves in many different ways. Although headaches can be due to a wide variety of causes, such as drug reactions, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), tightness in the neck muscles, low blood sugar, high blood pressure, stress and fatigue, the majority of recurrent headaches are of two types: tension headaches (also called cervicogenic headaches) and migraine headaches.
Tension type headaches are the most common, affecting upwards of 75% of all headache sufferers. Tension headaches, or stress headaches, can last from 30 minutes to several days. In some cases, chronic tension headaches may persist for many months. Although the pain can at times be severe, tension headaches are usually not associated with other symptoms, such as nausea, throbbing or vomiting.
Migraines are intense and throbbing headaches that are often associated with nausea and sensitivity to light or noise. They can last from as little as a few hours to as long as a few days. Many of those who suffer from migraines experience visual symptoms called an “aura” just prior to an attack that is often described as seeing flashing lights or that everything takes on a dream-like appearance. Migraine headaches are caused by a constriction of the blood vessels in the brain, followed by a dilation of blood vessels. During the constriction of the blood vessels there is a decrease in blood flow, which is what leads to the visual symptoms that many people experience. Even in people who don’t experience the classic migraine aura, most of them can tell that an attack is immanent. Once the blood vessels dilate, there is a rapid increase in blood pressure inside the head. It is this increased pressure that leads to the pounding headache. Each time the heart beats it sends another shock wave through the carotid arteries in the neck up into the brain.
Numerous research studies have shown that chiropractic adjustments are very effective for treating tension headaches, especially headaches that originate in the neck. Spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than commonly prescribed medications. Each individual’s case is different and requires a thorough evaluation before a proper course of chiropractic care can be determined. However, in most cases of tension headaches, significant improvement is accomplished through manipulation of the upper two cervical vertebrae, coupled with adjustments to the junction between the cervical and thoracic spine. This is also helpful in most cases of migraine headaches, as long as food and lifestyle triggers are avoided as well.
One of the most common condition seen when treating the shoulder is rotator cuff injuries. Due to the computer and postural strain as well as weak rotator cuff muscle this condition is commonly treated in our clinic. Other causes is repetitive movement or sports injuries. We have had good success treating this condition by adjusting the shoulder, cross fiber massage, myofascial release and strenthing exercises.
The majority of sports injuries are soft tissue in nature. The injuries are usually caused by improper biomechanics and improper sporting techniques, the chiropractic doctors have become the leaders in treating these different injuries. Through the use of spinal adjustive techniques, physical therapy modalities, myofascial release techniques and stretching and strengthening programs chiropractic treatments can help the high level athlete to the weekend warrior.
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body. It runs from your pelvis, through your hip area and buttocks and down each leg. The sciatic nerve branches into smaller nerves as it travels down the legs providing feeling to your thighs, legs, and feet as well as controlling many of the muscles in your legs. The term sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of the nerve.
Sometimes what is happening in the feet can affect other areas of the body. When looking at the feet a patient may pronate(flat feet) or supinate(turning the feet outward) this may have an affect higher up in the knees and even may cause low back and hip pain. At Pleasantview Chiropractic Clinic we over a wide range of custom orthotics the will help with these conditions. Other areas of concern are heel spurs and plantar fasciitis that is commonly treated in our clinic.
Scoliosis is a sideways curve of the spine that causes stiffness and pain. It is called idiopathic disease because the cause of it is unknown. Scoliosis is more common in females and it begins in childhood. However, merely 2 percent of the population is affected. If it is detected early, scoliosis treatment will prevent it from worsening over time. People with scoliosis have a sideways curve in their spine that makes an “s” or “c” shape.
Chiropractic care can help improve this condition. We look at your overall health examining your spine as well as other factors of your lifestyle. To help identify the problem’s cause, we will discuss symptoms and previous injuries, your family’s health history, and recreational and work related activities.
Regular visits to observe the progression of the scoliosis, are an integral part of living a full and happy life. Scoliosis can be treated in various ways to help alleviate pain and restore normal functionality. Regardless of the treatment used, physical therapy may be added to scoliosis treatment to increase muscle strength and mobility. If you have any questions please contact us.
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is one of the conditions that are commonly treated by chiropractors. Medical research has shown that chiropractic treatment can be an effective treatment for CTS, as it can lead to a decrease in pain, and significant improvements in nerve function, range of motion, and strength. There are a variety of chiropractic techniques that may be used to treat CTS, ranging from manipulation of the wrist, ultrasound therapy, activator technique, and cold laser treatment, to name a few.
CTS is an injury that occurs when the median nerve, which leads to the hand, becomes pinched or squeezed at the point where it passes through the carpal tunnel, which is a narrow passage through the carpals (bones) in the wrist.
Chiropractic treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome looks at the severity of the symptom and addresses the underlying causes. This treatment for CTS may begin with some of the following procedures to determine the extent of the CTS:
The chiropractic treatment is aimed at getting rid of the pain, correcting the condition, and the prevention of CTS.
There are a variety of chiropractic techniques that our chiropractors would use in treating your CTS.
Regular chiropractic care, eating a healthy diet, taking vitamin supplements, keeping your weight under control and stress management are all part of an overall wellness lifestyle that, if followed, results in a longer, healthier pain-free life.
The chiropractic approach to healthcare is holistic, meaning that it addresses your overall health. Numerous studies have demonstrated that chiropractic care is one of the most effective treatments for back pain, neck pain, headaches, whiplash, sports injuries and other musculoskeletal injuries.
Chiropractic is so much more than simply a means of relieving pain. Ultimately, the goal of the chiropractic treatment is to restore the body to its natural state of optimal health. In order to accomplish this, chiropractors use a variety of treatment methods, including manual adjustments, massage, trigger point therapy, nutrition, exercise rehabilitation, as well as counselling on lifestyle issues that impact your health. Since your body has a remarkable ability to heal itself and to maintain its own health, the primary focus is to remove those things that interfere with the body’s normal healing ability.
Just like continuing an exercise program and eating well in order to sustain the benefits of exercise and proper diet, it is beneficial to continue chiropractic care to ensure the health of your musculoskeletal system. When you receive regular chiropractic care as part of your lifestyle, you avoid many aches and pains that so many people suffer through, your joints will let longer and you will be able to engage in more of the activities you enjoy.
Regular chiropractic care can help you feel better, move with more freedom, and stay healthier through your lifetime. Although you can enjoy the benefits of chiropractic care even if you are only treated for a short time, the real benefits come into play when you make chiropractic care a part of your lifestyle.
