Dr. Pete Lazarnick "Dr. Pete": Blog

Also known as DDD, degenerative disc disease is not really a disease but a term used to describe the normal changes in your spinal discs as you age. Throughout the aging process, our spinal discs break down or degenerate, which may result in degenerative disc disease in some people. DDD is typically diagnosed with a medical history and a physical exam, so if you are experiencing any aches and pains out of the ordinary, visit Dr. Peter Lazarnick (Dr. Pete), today. Spinal discs are soft, compressible discs that separate the vertebrae that make up the spine. The discs act as shock absorbers for the spine, allowing it to flex, bend, and twist. Symptoms of DDD are most commonly concentrated in the low back or neck, depending on where the degenerated discs are. Where the pain occurs depends on the location of the affected disc. Common symptoms include pain that ranges from nagging to severe and disabling and periods of severe pain that come and go, lasting from a few days to a few months. Tr...

Have you bruised your tailbone? If so, you need the holistic treatments at the Carrollton chiropractic office of Dr. Peter Lazarnick (Dr. Pete). We specialize in non-addictive, non-surgical treatment of injuries to the spinal column and its associated soft tissues, tailbone injuries included. The tailbone, also known as the coccyx, is a conical structure made up of fused vertebrae that dangles from the end of the spinal column. It is supported by the muscles and ligaments of the pelvic region. Pain in this area (also called coccydynia) is likelier to be caused by bruising to these tissues than a fracture in the bone itself. Injuries in this area are a bit unusual but can be caused by activities such as bicycling or horseback riding. Unless a sciatic nerve is being compressed, the pain will mostly be dull and throbbing but may worsen when the patient sits down or bends over. When a patient complains of pain from a tailbone injury, we’ll do tests to eliminate other possible causes. These...

“Arthritis” is a term that refers to joint inflammation, but there’s a lot more nuance to it than that. It’s also the most common cause of back pain and debilitation among Americans. At Dr. Pete’s Carrollton chiropractic office, we provide treatments that are fitted to each patient’s health history. In the case of osteoarthritis, a lot of our efforts will be focused on preventing more damage. Osteoarthritis differs from rheumatic arthritis in that it is not an autoimmune condition. Instead, it is what happens when the cartilage within joints wears down. Cartilage is a slippery substance that provides cushioning and lubrication, but if its surface becomes pitted from erosion, it won’t be able to do its jobs as well. As bones are able to move less freely, the joints will become more sensitive. In the most extreme cases, bones may rub against each other, causing them to become deformed or for bits of them to splinter off. Cartilage erosion is a degenerative process, but people are at grea...

Chiropractic isn’t just about spinal adjustments; it’s about treating musculoskeletal ailments in a way that is non-invasive and low-risk. At Dr. Pete’s Carrollton office, we do a lot of work with soft tissues, helping athletes to maintain or regain comfortable function. But many of the injuries in sports medicine are preventable, which is why we want to teach our patients to avoid overuse. Not all muscle injuries occur in a single, dramatic incident. Overuse can cause muscle fibers to fray slowly, and although this makes large breaks likelier, an athlete will usually feel pain or weakness before that. A person can suffer from overuse even if they only work out occasionally if they do so during overly long sessions. This is why we encourage patients to work out daily in periods of about thirty minutes instead of trying to cram all their exercise into the weekend. We also encourage athletes to do different activities on different days, allowing them to build up different muscle groups a...

Are you concerned about the stooped gait you’ve seen in older people? Have you ever wondered if you will develop a similar spinal curvature? At the Carrolton chiropractic office of Dr. Peter Lazarnick (Dr. Pete), we assist people suffering from common back ailments with a holistic approach that emphasizes prevention, exercise, nutrition, and regular maintenance. Good health practices throughout life can help people to avoid when many wrongly consider to be a normal part of aging. “Kyphosis” is the term doctors use to refer to the rounded curvature of the upper back. Lots of things cause hyperkyphosis, but it is most commonly the result of osteoporosis. Women over fifty are at the highest risk for it. Osteoporosis occurs when someone’s bone tissue has lost so much material that it resembles a honeycomb. Living bone tissue is constantly being resorbed into the body, but when bone dissolution outpaces production, a person is said to have osteopenia, and osteoporosis could develop. Brittle...

We’re looking forward to another beautiful Carrollton autumn at Dr. Pete Lazarnick’s (Dr. Pete's) chiropractic clinic. But every year, a lot of people strain themselves while raking. We provide minimally invasive, non-addictive pain and rehabilitation treatments, but since so much of what we see is preventable, we want our patients to know how they can keep themselves safe. Yardwork, like any vigorous activity, should be done in clothing that is breathable and allows a full range of movement. However, it should be relatively formfitting so nothing gets caught. By the same token, people raking should tie their hair back and remove jewelry and anything else that dangles. Shoes should be close-toed, provide arch support, and have slip-resistant soles, although we recommend not raking when leaves are wet because they’ll be much heavier. Do a five-minute warm-up before raking. You should use dynamic stretches to get blood flowing to your limbs. The rake should be lightweight and long en...

Dr. Peter Lazarnick (Dr. Pete) utilizes ultrasound therapy – the use of sound waves above the range of human hearing – to treat injuries related to joints and muscle spasms. While it may share the same name, this type of ultrasound is not the same that expectant mothers use to learn the gender of their child. Instead, this ultrasound creates small sound waves that in effect vibrate and massage soft tissues and muscle. With ultrasound therapy, sound waves create deep heat therapy that is applied to the soft tissues and joints to minimize muscle pain and movement dysfunction. The treatments themselves may help reduce stiffness, swelling, pain, increase circulation and promote pain-free movement all around. The heat combined with the overall features of ultrasound help to start the healing process at the most basic cellular level, speeding up your road to recovery. If you have questions or concerns regarding chiropractic care or therapeutic ultrasound, please give us a call. To learn abou...