Dr. Pete Lazarnick "Dr. Pete": Blog

A new school year means new school supplies. We at the chiropractic office of Dr. Peter Lazarnick (Dr. Pete) want to ensure kids are getting backpacks that are safe and fit them properly, so we’ve dedicated this week’s blog post to explaining what to look for. A backpack shouldn’t weigh more than 15% of its wearer’s body weight. The American Chiropractic Association suggests getting smaller backpacks for this reason, and to avoid ones with pull-out handles or wheels unless those features will be used regularly. A child shouldn’t have to strain when lifting their backpack, and if they do, some objects need to be removed. The backpack should rest on the center of the upper back. The straps should be pulled snug, but not tight enough to pinch the nerves of the arms or cut off circulation. It’s best to get a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a strap across the chest. It’s also important to always wear both shoulder straps. Ask your children whether they’ve felt pain or numbnes...

If you suffer from a variety of acute and chronic conditions, Dr. Pete Lazarnick (Dr. Pete) may recommend laser therapy as a way to treat the problem. This type of therapy allows the body to naturally heal itself by utilizing a combination of electric stimulation and laser technology. The goal of cold laser therapy is to deliver light energy units from red and infrared laser radiation, called photons, to damaged cells. Laser therapy is a treatment that utilizes specific wavelengths of light to interact with tissue and is thought to help accelerate the healing process. In addition to simple back and neck pain, laser therapy has been utilized for a number of inflammatory conditions such as arthritis, tendonitis, and sprains. This is because laser therapy can stimulate all cell types including muscle, ligament, cartilage, nerves, etc. If you have questions or concerns regarding chiropractic care or whiplash treatment, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at the pr...

Dr. Peter Lazarnick (Dr. Pete) helps patients rehabilitate from all kinds of injuries.  The method of icing an injury, called cryotherapy, is well known to provide cooling relief and help numb painful soft tissue injuries. Applying ice safely by using an ice pack or cold compress is an excellent way to treat muscle spasms and injuries like sprains and strains.  If icing an injury does not provide relief or your pain worsens, contact us for help. After an injury, affected soft tissue will be inflamed and icing the area reduces inflammation and pain, as well as cools the skin to constrict blood vessels and heal the area.  The healing effects of ice pack therapy can also be helpful after a flare-up in chronic pain like in the back or knee and is a cheap option or at-home relief. Cryotherapy is an effective way to manage pain at home without medication, and we also provide custom cryotherapy in the office. To learn more about cryotherapy and all the treatments provided at the practice, vis...

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body, so when it becomes damaged, the result is painful. Before Dr. Peter Lazarnick can treat your sciatica, he must first determine the injury or ailment that is causing sciatic nerve pain. Sciatic nerve pain is typically felt from the low back (buttocks area) to behind the thigh and radiating down below the knee. One of the most common causes of sciatic nerve pain is a herniated disc. If this is the cause of your sciatica, Dr. Lazarnick may recommend spinal decompression treatment which is effective in healing the discs. If you have spinal misalignments or an underlying condition such as spondylothesis, he may suggest chiropractic adjustments. While sciatica is often associated with low back pain, it can make walking difficult or almost impossible if left untreated. If you are experiencing symptoms of sciatica, visit us immediately. If you have questions or concerns regarding chiropractic care or sciatica, please give us a call. To learn ...

One of the most common injuries from an auto accident is Whiplash. Whiplash is a relatively common injury that occurs to a person’s neck following a sudden acceleration-deceleration force that causes unrestrained, rapid forward and backward movement of the head and neck. Fortunately, whiplash is not a life-threatening injury but it can lead to a prolonged period of disability when not treated properly. If you’ve been injured in an automobile accident, or experienced sudden forced trauma to the head or neck, visit Dr. Peter Lazarnick to discuss your treatment options. It is critical that chiropractic care is sought immediately after an automobile accident because allowing the effects of whiplash to go untreated can induce long-term pain. Any body part that is jarred or thrown forward unexpectedly and beyond normal limits can sustain stretched ligaments or even tears. Since Dr. Peter Lazarnick specializes in the care of bones, muscles, nerves and connective tissue, he is essential to see...

At the chiropractic office of Dr. Peter Lazarnick (Dr. Pete), we want our patients to think of themselves as partners in maintaining their health. In order to understand various spinal conditions and their treatments, people first need to understand the basics of how the spine works. The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that goes between the brain and the pelvis, where it splits off into the thighs. It travels through the spinal canal, which is a hollow area created by the protrusions in the backs of the vertebrae, the bones that make up the spinal column. Most of the vertebrae are separated by spongy discs that absorb shocks and are connected to each other by facet joints in the back. The neck bones are called the cervical vertebrae, and there are seven of them. The topmost is called that atlas and it moves the head up and down. The next is the axis vertebrae, which moves the head from side to side, and these are the only articulated vertebrae without a disc between them. There are t...

Non-surgical spinal decompression therapy is a safe, targeted treatment for any discs wreaking havoc on a patient’s spine or nerves.  Injured discs in the neck and back cause pain, but can also affect the rest of the body.  Herniated discs often have direct impact on the central nervous system, causing more pain to the extremities.  Dr. Peter Lazarnick (Dr. Pete) can determine if spinal decompression is appropriate for your issue. Spinal decompression is performed with equipment that resembles a table but has moving parts.  Depending on the location of the issue, patients lie on their back or stomach, and are attached to the equipment with padded straps so distraction forces can be applied to the spine.  The treatment alternates between applying distraction forces to the vertebrae and periods of partial relaxation.  The result is the vertebrae slowly and gently separating from each other.  This creates a vacuum effect that helps discs return to their natural position, relieving pressur...