About Priscilla..

I grew up in rural Hamilton, New York just south off Syracuse. I attended Geneseo State University for my undergraduate schooling which is near Rochester, New York.  I then attended the National College of Chiropractic outside of Chicago, Illinois from 1980 to 1984. Upon graduation, I had to make a decision about where I wanted to live. Growing up in New York State convinced me to move where winters were shorter and the ocean was closer! I began my professional career in Hyattsville, Maryland. I then moved to Severna Park in 1985 and opened another office in Linthicum. I truly enjoy the outdoors and try to practice what I preach. I exercise regularly  and follow good nutritional patterns.
My parents still live in New York State. My father is a chiropractor and my Mom is a retired home economics teacher. I was very fortunate to have a healthy upbringing with Dad keeping us in great shape with regular chiropractic care and Mom making sure we had three meals a day at proper nutritional value.

Initially chiropractic care was confined to the spine and has broadened to include adjustment of feet, ribs, shoulders, wrists, etc. The origin was possibly as far back as Ancient Egyptians before Christ. Chiropractic is over 100 years as a science being founded by DD Palmer in 1895. I have heard the story that he restored the hearing in an almost deaf man named Harvey Lillard. Now, Palmer College of Chiropractic is located in Davenport, Iowa. Chiropractic had little actual scientific proof of efficacy, thus was reviewed with much criticism. However, the results were so positive that Chiropractic withstood the scorn and has won increasing public support and awareness. Research has also improved.

 

What kind of ailments do I treat?

 

All age groups for low back pain, leg pain, neck and upper back pain, shoulder pain, knee pain, headaches, sinus problems, tendonitis, bursitis, disc problems, arthritis, joint related problems, muscle strains, injuries from motor vehicle accidents, work injuries, sleeping funny, improper bending and lifting, stress and tension.

How do I treat these problems?
 

First - a complete history is taken including what worsens the pain, what improves it, how long it lasts or has been occurring, how and when it started, the type of pain and so forth.
Next, a complete examination is done including range of motion studies, reflex checks, orthopedic testing, neurological tests to discover the cause of the problem. Occasionally I'll send out for x-rays to help determine the cause of the problem.
Once a diagnosis has been reached, I treat the involved area with soft tissue manipulation (which is a technique to massage and relax the involved musculature) Secondly, an adjustment is made if there is a rotated vertebrae. This is a gentle thrusting technique which often, but not always, produces a clicking sound as the vertebrae is aligned. This noise is often heard when bending your  knees and standing up again and is the mobilization of a joint. Joints have synorial fluid which creates a lining and lubrication to keep them moving easily. When two fluid surfaces are together, a suction is created. Upon gentle manipulation, this suction is released and the joint motion is repaired again. This relieves any rotation of a vertebrae which creates impingement or pinching of a nerve.
Thirdly, I will often use ultrasound which is a deep micromassage machine that creates a high frequency vibration to the deep muscles and joints to help alleviate inflammation.  Any time there is a fixation or subluxation, other areas in the spine must compensate and often are overworked creating inflammation/swelling. 
Most problems that have recently begun are quickly handled and alleviated with chiropractic care. If it's a more chronic problem, sometimes several treatments are necessary. Each person has a different healing and recovery time. Some are very fast especially children, others are slower to heal including diabetics.

II am often asked about arthritis so I'll go into this ailment specifically. There are two most common forms of arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a connective tissue ailment that affects numerous joints of the body. It primarily attacks the hands, feet, and the neck. It ultimately deforms the hands, and women are most commonly affected. There are blood tests that help diagnose this condition.  This is a difficult condition to treat as there is no cure. 

Most commonly is osteoarthritis which is a wear and tear arthritis. This can affect any joint and is commonly referred to as degenerative arthritis. It occurs with age as a result of football injuries, auto accidents, or just as part of the aging process. Some people have very little whereas others are harder hit with joint stiffness and pain. Sometimes you may hear about arthritic spurs. These are projections of bone off of a vertebrae, or often a heel bone that look like pointers and can create joint pain and stiffness, or nerve pain. Bone produces more bone, as a response to stress and these are often found wherever you hold tension - neck/low back, or where there is lots of wear and tear such as feet. Chiropractic is helpful in keeping the joints mobile