Conditions Treated

Asthma is not simply an allergic reaction. Attacks are often triggered by a hypersensitivity to normally harmless things like pollen, food or dust. During an asthma attack, an abnormal muscle contraction within the bronchial tubes reduces the amount of oxygen intake. The brain detects the lowered oxygen content within the blood and immediately signals the asthma sufferer to struggle for oxygen.Patients who suffer from bronchial asthma often demonstrate vertebral misalignments in the upper part of the spine, usually between the shoulder blades. This is the exit-point of the nerves that lead to the bronchial tubes. In many cases, removing nerve pressure with an adjustment of the misaligned vertebrae (subluxation) can provide immediate relief from severe asthma attacks. In a very high percentage of cases, continued chiropractic care for varying periods of time have allowed patients to recover completely, or significantly reduce the number and severity of asthma attacks. 

Seven out of ten people are bothered by some form of daily back pain. These aggravations range from mild stiffness to almost paralyzing pain, making it difficult to almost impossible to move. Sudden back pain may seem like it came out of nowhere, but it is often a series of minor injuries, such as overextending oneself while lifting, long-term poor posture or even the remnants of a childhood injury.There are a number of warning signs that your spine or back may be in trouble: 

• If you wake up stiff and have trouble moving from the get-go
• Having small stabbing back pains that quickly go away, allowing you to return to normal activities after the incident
• Having to adapt your lifestyle for less physical activity
• Increased dependence on pain killers
• Using a heating pad or ice pack on a more frequent basis

Through advanced analysis and adjustment, Dr. Handlos can help relieve back pain and restore your normal range of motion. Ongoing adjustments can help ensure you stay healthy and active for years to come.

The wrist is comprised of eight bones, called the carpals. The median nerve passes through the carpal tunnel, providing most of the nerve endings to the hand. A slight misalignment of a carpal or wrist bone may affect the size of the carpal tunnel and put pressure on the median nerve causing the signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.The pain is usually in the distribution of the median nerve, which involves the thumb, index, middle finger and one-half of the ring finger. It is described as burning, aching, pins and needles and numbness. It may be a deep aching sensation in the forearm, shoulder and neck region. Occasionally, a person may be awakened by periods of sudden pain along the path of the median nerve.  

The dominant hand is usually affected and is irritated by frequent, repetitive use of the same or similar movements of the hand or wrist. The incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome is increasing so rapidly it is expected that soon it will be second only to low back pain for work-related claimed disabilities.

Dr. Handlos has extensive knowledge and technique to detect and correct many wrist, elbow and shoulder problems/subluxations. In addition, Dr. Handlos is certified as a golf-injury doctor.

For children under the age of 15, ear infections are the most frequent primary diagnosis at US physician offices. Two-thirds of all children will have at least one middle ear infection (also known as otitis media) by age 3. Almost half of those will have repeated bouts.Correcting the cause of ear infections through chiropractic has been shown to help over 80% of all children with ear infections. 93% of all episodes of otitis media treated with chiropractic care improved, 75% in 10 days or fewer and 43% with only one or two treatments.

One recent study surveyed 200 pediatricians and 200 chiropractors to determine the difference found in the health status of their respective children raised under the different health care models. The “chiropractic” children were 69% ear infection-free, while the “medical” children only had a 20% were free of ear infections.

The foot plays an extremely important role in the structural mechanics of the body. We use our feet to carry us wherever we go, but when they are sore, walking or even standing is painful.Millions of people, primarily women, suffer from persistent foot pain that is caused by improperly fitted shoes. Poorly fitted shoes can cause fallen arches, bunions and hammer toes, all of which can be corrected with chiropractic care. Other foot related symptoms include corns, calluses, bunions, foot pain or circulation problems.  

The correction of poor foot mechanics must not be overlooked. Dr. Handlos is trained in foot examination and correction, assessing the underlying conditions and helping restore property foot function and alignment.

As a lifelong golfer himself, Dr. Handlos is well-familiar with injuries incurred through golf; Dr. Handlos is a certified Golf Injury Doctor.Chiropractic techniques can be used to treat many common golf injuries, including back pain, knee pain, hip pain and injuries to the wrist, elbow and shoulder. Low back pain can decrease your backswing, reduce stability and affect your ability to consistently strike the ball. Similarly, mid back pain, knee and shoulder pain can also affect your flexibility, reducing your rotation and decreasing your distance.  

Effective chiropractic treatment of common golf injuries can help improve your flexibility and your stability, which can improve consistency and distance.

Headaches, especially migraines, account for one-half of all medical doctor visits. Migraine headaches strike one in eight Americans, including children. Two-thirds of these sufferers are women. Migraine headaches are characterized by pain on one side of the head. Usually the headache pain begins behind one eye and increases in intensity until the person finds comfort in a dark, quiet room.The vast majority of headaches are nerve related. These common headaches are either rooted in a spinal imbalance or nerve irritation and can be treated via the spine. There is widespread evidence of chiropractic success with headaches, event chronic or severe migraines. We have many patients who have had tremendous success with headache relief through chiropractic.  

If you know someone who is troubled, aggravated or suffering with headaches, Dr. Handlos can help.

While acute low back pain can lock a person into a downward bent position, mid-back pain not only locks a person up, but it can also take a person’s breath away. Some patients even feel as if they are having a heart attack. However, the pain is not in the chest, but the rib and shoulder blade area of the back.Sharp mid-back pain may be caused by a variety of overlapping problems. Ribs may become jammed into the spine through a forceful twisting action or by remaining in a twisted position for long periods of time. Sleeping in an awkward position with the hands or arms behind the back can also be the cause of mid-back pain. Furthermore, over-strained muscles, stress, a “pinched” nerve caused by spinal subluxation or advancing spinal degeneration may also be to blame.  

All of these symptoms are treatable. Bed rest, ice, heat or muscle relaxants can help, but they do NOT get to the source of the problem. And when the source is not corrected, this pain recurs again and again. Only when the deeper spinal problem is corrected will the problem go away and stay away. Only chiropractors treat the spine in this manner.

Sciatica is pain or numbness down one or both legs caused by nerve or disc irritation in the lower back. Sciatic pain typically arises after a lower back injury, but can also develop from a slowly deteriorating disc or from progressing spinal degeneration. Sciatica can begin as a subtle burning or numbness down one or both legs and then increase into stabbing or paralyzing pain that makes it difficult to walk, sit or even stand still.Unfortunately, sciatica rarely arises by itself. Low back pain usually precedes or follows shortly after this leg pain presents itself. So two problems must be taken care of – first the immediate pain that almost disables or freezes a person’s ability to do day to day activities, and second, the underlying disc problem. Fortunately both are successfully treatable. Pain relief often comes within a short time, but treatment also requires stabilization of the lower back, disc and nerves that flow into the legs.  

Scoliosis is an extreme rotation or curvature of the spine. We most often hear of scoliosis in children, but it can affect adults as well. Fast growing scoliosis is typically noticed early in childhood, while slow growing scoliosis typically manifests itself during adulthood. The disease is most dangerous for children, as their bodies are still growing, and scoliosis can hinder organ, muscular, nerve and skeletal development.Scoliosis can dramatically affect a patients posture, causing an array of symptoms and changes throughout the body. Symptoms can range from headaches, joint pain, back pain, leg pain and moodiness, to name a few. Pain medication and muscle relaxants can ease some of these symptoms, but they do nothing to slow down or reverse the curvature of the spine.  

Only chiropractic works to slow down or reverse the effects of scoliosis. Other non-natural methods of back braces or surgical rod implants by traditional medicine are last-resort methods that often are indicated after years of “wait and see” therapy. Unfortunately, even most school “scoliosis screenings” are based on these methods. These children need chiropractic care sooner, rather than later.

One of the most common conditions checked off on a patient history form is sinus trouble. People of all ages are bothered by malfunctioning sinuses, not only during the heavy pollen seasons, but throughout the year.Chiropractors are uniquely skilled to locate precisely the cause of a patient’s sinus trouble. Often, patients who first receive chiropractic care for different problems, find relief from the sinus problems to be a bonus benefit. Generally, one or more spinal vertebrae protecting the nerves that connect to the sinuses are misaligned. This causes continued interruption to the normal workings of these organs, which brings about sinusitis.  

After determining the cause of your trouble, Dr. Handlos will adjust the misaligned vertebrae to their normal positions, restoring the free flow of nerve energy to the sinus membranes. Once the proper state of balance is reached, your body will work hard to restore the working order to all the organs involved in the problem. As your body returns to good health, the swelling of the sinus cavities is reduced, and you are free of sinus congestion and headache pain.

Chronic stiffness of neck pain can affect normal range of motion. Everyone should be able to not only look side to side, but also be able to turn their chin even with or past their shoulder, or look down at their feet or over their head.Stiff neck syndrome can develop in a variety of ways, beginning in childhood:  

• a difficult childbirth delivery
• injuries during childhood or adolescence
• auto accidents
• sleeping on your stomach or your arm
• using too firm of a pillow
• occupational hazards
• and many more.

Many patients with stiff neck syndrome can find relief from heat or over-the-counter medications, muscle relaxers or painkillers, but this is not a long-term solution. Your neck is like a transmission with gears. If these gears are abused by life, stress and injury, then subluxation and spinal degeneration develop causing these gears to “stick.” Chiropractic care can correct spinal alignment and revitalize your neck.

Your jawbone is held in place by the attachment of muscles and ligaments to your temporal bone, which is the bone above your ear. The joint that is formed by these two bones is called the Temporomandibular Joint or TMJ for short.TMJ Dysfunction is a fairly common disorder that affects about 70% of the population. However, only about 60% of these develop disability problems. The majority of TMJ dysfunction patients are 20-30 years of age and are female. Patients usually experience a locking, clicking or pain sensation in the jaw joint while chewing or talking. Sometimes a loud snap can be heard while yawning. Tenderness over the muscles surrounding the jaw and recurrent headaches my also follow.  

There are many causes of TMJ disorder. Grinding your teeth either as a nervous habit or while sleeping can irritate TMJ. Excessive or uncoordinated gum chewing may also cause complications. Furthermore, long telephone conversations or resting your chin in the palm of your hand while reading or sleeping may gradually induce microtrauma to the TMJ area.

The blood circulation to the skin, pain fibers, muscle and internal tissues of the neck and head is very strongly influenced by the proper alignment of the TMJ. Misalignment, or subluxation, of the TMJ can affect the blood flow, muscle tension, spinal balance and proper working of the nervous system. This can result in many symptoms and ultimately disease, unless the misalignment is corrected.