Here's a testimonial from one of our patients:

"Hey this is Kelly I'd like to recommend Dr. Fedich and his team very highly. I've been coming here for many years for multiple reasons, mostly my back and neck. I always get relief and I don't need to come in they just make arrangements for me when I come back. Staff is always professional and supportive and they are here to help you anytime you call. I've actually called off times and I still get a call right back. So see Dr. Fedich and his team if you have any kind of back pain or spine issues and they can help you out."

WE are Giving Away a Brand New Traeger Smoker Grill!

Here is How you Win!!

🚒 Refer a NEW PATIENT

🚒 VIdeo Testimonial

🚒 Buy a Ticket for a 5 Dollar Donation to the Allamuchy Fire Department

Keep the Latest Updates on our Facebook Page!

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UPDATE! Due to your feedback and accommodating our patients, we have increased our hours!!

NEW SCHEDULE

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
9-1, 3-6
Tuesday 9-1

We are closed at lunch to deep clean

YOU MUST MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO ACCOMMODATE SOCIAL DISTANCING!

CALL OR TEXT 908-813-8200

Also Available for DOT Physicals, Drug and Alcohol Testing!

CLEANING PROCEDURES!

🧹 Every Adjustment table is cleaned after EVERY ADJUSTMENT with hospital cleaner

🧹 Every Stimulation Table is cleaned EVERY TIME with hospital cleaner

🧹 Face paper is put over the bar so no contamination of tables

🧹 All Surfaces are wiped constantly with hospital grade cleaner

🧹 UV C Light Sanitizer used on surfaces that cannot be cleaned, kills 99.9 percent of virus and bacteria

🧹 Commercial Ozone Generate Used every night, ozone gets in air ducts, all crevices and cleans air. Too strong to be used when people are inside, used every night

🧹 Lysol Air Sanitizer used

🧹 Hands are washed or sanitzed after EVERY SINGLE PATIENT

Dr. Tyler Carlock, DC, returns today to continue his series of videos designed to educate our patients (and the general public) regarding common painful conditions. We want all of you to know that The Village Family Chiropractic and Multi-Specialty Medical clinic here in Hackettstown stands ready to provide you non-surgical and drug-free pain management treatment of these common ailments. Today, Dr. Carlock returns to the subject of headaches, this time with specific focus on tension and migraine headaches.

How’s everyone doing out there? This is Dr. Carlock, chiropractor here at Village Family Clinic with another public service educational video. So we’re now addressing some of the questions that we get in this series. I’m going to stick to the headache topic because that’s what I’ve been talking about for the past couple of weeks now. We’re going to talk about what are the different types of headaches? Alright. So there’s really two main ones. I’ll touch on some other as well, but the two main types of headaches are tension and migraine.

So really a tension headache, another way to describe that is cervicogenic, meaning it’s coming from the neck, alright? So a lot of times the muscles surrounding the neck will get tight and pull on the head, and that could cause a tension type headache band around the whole head there. The pain can also go around your ear, and you could feel some on your shoulders. That occurs from stress, it occurs from forward head posture, being sitting at the computer all day, looking down your phone. So a lot of it is caused from posture, some of it can be caused from stress. That’s the main type of headache that we have a lot of success with treating. If we can get the cervical spine moving properly, loose up some of those muscles, that tends to relax some of those headaches and get good results with those.

Migraine is another common one that people tend to complain about. You know it can be a little bit more painful and a lot of times migraine pain will be kind of one sided. It will typically be right behind the eye. It’ll be on one side of the head and kind of behind the eye. It can either accompany an aura or without an aura. Aura is light sensitivity, you might get dizzy and things of that nature. And it can be brought on by certain things, certain food, certain taste, smell, and again stress. There’s no definitive research that states exactly where migraines originate, but we have lots of success treating migraines again mainly focusing on the cervical spine.

Something you can do at home to ward off or reduce migraine pain is to make sure you’re drinking a lot of water. They say that about 80% of headaches will feel better if you just drink one tall glass of water. Make sure you’re properly hydrated. Make sure your diet reflects foods that you’re not sensitive to because that can trigger somebody’s migraines as well. Exercise is very important, focusing on good posture as well.

So if you’re suffering from any of these headaches, definitely come and give us a call and we’ll help you take care of them. A few other ones that may occur, there’s cluster headaches, those are very rare, about 1% of the population and it’s a very, very, intense, intense, intense pain. They’ve described as people actually commit suicide, that’s how intense the pain is and it’s like over a certain hours and many times a week. That’s very rare, I personally have not seen a case of that yet. That’s the three kinds of headaches for today’s discussion. So like I said if you suffer any of these symptoms, give us a call and we’d be sure to help you.

Thank, Dr. Carlock ! So to remind you all, we provide a wide variety of chiropractic, physical therapy, and other pain mitigation services here at our Hackettstown Chiropractic clinic. Our goal is to not only mitigate/eliminate your pain but more importantly to identify the root causes of your pain and to develop a treatment plan that gives you the very best chance of eliminating that pain forever. Stop suffering and make an appointment today so we can get you out of pain and back to doing the things you love.

Local Chiropractor Thanking Patients and the community with free food and care!

Allamuchy, NJ (March 12, 20202) Dr. James R. Fedich of Village Family Clinic is Celebrating 16 years of helping the community live healthier, pain free lives and record amounts of giving back. The celebration will be April 4th, 2020 form 10 am to 1pm with an Easter Egg Hunt at 11 am!

Dr. Fedich will be donating his services all day long as a way to say thank you to all of his great patients. “My patients are the greatest reward in my life, they have given me so much joy, and it’s my turn to give them something back.” To try to thank his patients, Dr. Fedich is giving away free chiropractic adjustments to any patient who has been in to the office before, and is giving away a chance for someone new to meet the staff and see if they can help them.

“Its been an amazing 16 years in the area, we have helped over 8000 patients in those years and its been a rewarding experience,” states James R Fedich, DC the clinic director. The clinic helps patients with chiropractic, physical therapy, spinal decompression, cold laser, pain management, DOT physicals, drug and alcohol testing and so much more. In addition to helping over 8000 patients in 16 years, the clinic has a rich history of giving back. They do an annual Food drive where a truck is filled with food, turkey giveaway, Toy Drive for Christmas, Shoe and sock drive for the homeless, and a pet food drive in the summer. The clinic has a long history of giving back.

Additionally, Village Family Chiropractic will be having free food during the day, a bouncy house obstacle course, live music from Jessica Koppinger, and more!. There will also be giveaways and prizes in addition to free adjustments and free digital sEMG scans for anyone who hasn’t been in before.

The annual Patient Appreciation Day and Easter Egg Hunt will be held rain or shine, April 4th, 20202 from 10-1 with the easter egg hunt promptly at 11 am. .For further information, directions, or an appointment, contact Village Family Chiropractic at (908) 813-8200, or visit them on the web at www.villagefamilychiro.com.

Our patients and regular readers of our blog know that we are Hackettstown’s most celebrated chiropractic and multi-specialty medical facility. Part of that reason is our commitment to patient and community education regarding painful health conditions that can be addressed via an assortment of chiropractic care services. Today, Dr. Tyler Carlock, DC is going to define and address the causes of a common headache called “Occipital Neuralgia.” This is a common ailment that we treat at Village Family Clinic here in Hackettstown. So, take it away, Dr. Carlock.

Video Transcription

How’s everybody doing out there? I’m Dr. Carlock, DC, from the Village Family Clinic here in Hackettstown, New Jersey. We’re going to start this new video series where I’m going to talk about a different condition each week. Since I just did a talk this past week on headaches, we’re going to talk about a specific type of headache today called “Occipital Neuralgia.”

What is Occipital Neuralgia?

A lot of people that come in here have occipital neuralgia and some of you might be suffering from it at home, so I’m going to explain what that means.  When I say occipital, that means just the bottom of the skull here, the occiput. This is the occipital region. Neuralgia, the word, means nerve pain. So, it’s occipital nerve pain. 

So, all these nerves in the back of your head, they can become compressed. Whether it’s from tight muscles back there, or from a bone out of place in your neck, that can cause sharp, sharp pains in the back of your head. They use a fancy word to describe occipital neuralgia but it’s nothing really too fancy if you come to think of it when it is boiled down. 

If you’re suffering from that, I would definitely come out here and get checked out because there’s a lot of stuff we could do to help relieve that pain. Whether it’s loosening up some of those muscles or adjusting the neck for proper motion.

So, there you are, just a little quick info on Occipital Neuralgia.

In Summary

We provide a wide variety of chiropractic, physical therapy, and other pain mitigation services here at our Hackettstown clinic. Our goal is to not only mitigate/eliminate your pain but more importantly to identify the root causes of your pain and to develop a treatment plan that gives you the very best chance of eliminating that pain forever. Stop suffering and make an appointment today so we can get you out of pain and back to doing the things you love.

Regular readers of Village Family Clinic blog know that we invest time and energy educating both our patients and the general public through this blog. Today we’re going to educate you on a very common (and very painful) condition that we treat on a daily basis here at our Hackettstown chiropractic and multi-specialty medical facility: Plantar Fasciitis. What follows below is a narrative that address the frequently asked questions about plantar fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis is a very common causes of heel and foot pain that is caused by inflammation of a thick band of fibrous tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot from your heel to your toes (The plantar fascia). People with plantar fasciitis will complain of stabbing pain in the heel that occurs after periods of inactivity and starts to get better after moving around for a bit. The pain of plantar fasciitis is often at its worst in the morning with your first steps and can also get worse after standing for long periods of time. Additionally, the pain is often worse after exercise but not during it.

Runners are the most common population group to get this but can happen to anyone. Others that are at a higher risk are overweight, and people who wear poor choices of footwear with inadequate support. There are many other risk factors that can increase your risk of plantar fasciitis discussed below.

Age itself is a risk factor and people between the ages of 40-60 are most commonly affected. Certain types of exercise can also cause this problem such as any activity the stresses the heel of your foot like long distance running, ballet, or aerobics. Foot mechanics are also a big culprit as flat feet, high arches, or abnormal gait can cause uneven weight distribution when standing or walking which puts additional stress on the plantar fascia. If you work in a profession that requires you to be on your feet all day such as teachers, factory workers, cashiers, etc.… and you spend most of your day standing or walking on hard surfaces you may also be at risk for damaging the plantar fascia. Lastly, obesity is an obvious risk factor since the excess pound places unneeded stress on your plantar fascia.

Ignoring plantar fasciitis may result in chronic heel pain that hinders your regular activities. Changing the way you walk as a way to relieve plantar fasciitis pain might lead to foot, knee, hip or back problems.

The good news is that we can help via a wide variety of chiropractic treatment services here at our Hackettstown clinic. We consistently deliver great results and can deliver for you as well. We will not only relieve your pain but more importantly, find the problem and correct it so that your condition does not return. If this sounds like you, stop suffering and make an appointment today so we can get you out of pain and back to doing the things you love.

Sometimes you just have to laugh, even if it’s about debilitating back pain. Laughing. That is something our patient, John, has learned to do once again. Check out this video that literally had us all on the floor. No, not with back pain, but laughing as John celebrates the success of his chiropractic treatment of back pain that had kept him down for so long.

Each and every time we here at Hackettstown’s Village Family Clinic help someone who was once bent-over in chronic back pain and then see them (in this case literally) raise up and jump for joy, we’ll we’re reminded that what we do makes a fundamental positive difference in people’s lives.

Congrats, John, we’re your biggest fan. Enjoy John’s testimony, we certainly did!

Note: The Village Family Clinic is a multi-specialty medical facility offer a comprehensive approach to pain management that includes medical pain management, chiropractic care, physical therapy, acupuncture, and a host of other pain management services and techniques.

Christmas and Chanukah share a similar spiritual message: that it is possible to bring light and hope into the world. These two holidays occur together this year, which makes this an even more special holiday season.

This is a season to reflect upon how fortunate we are to have you as our customers: our friends and neighbors. During these holidays, we wish you, your family, and your friends a safe, joy-filled, and relaxing season.

Warm wishes for a Happy Hanukkah, a Merry Christmas, and a most Happy New Year! With peace, joy, and love this holiday season and beyond!

The neck, also known as the cervical spine, has two main purposes: protecting the spinal cord and supporting the head allowing it to move with good range of motion. It is made up of bones, nerves, muscles, ligaments, and tendons that are organized in a complex way that allows the neck to be protective while also remaining flexible. This ability to remain flexible also creates quite a bit of vulnerability to damage due to the constant pressure from the head to keep it upright. Some movements whether gradual and repetitive in nature (Like poor posture) or sudden and sharp (Like whiplash) can result in strain and discomfort. Cervicalgia is a fancy term for an injury of the neck (Cervical spine) that causes pain due to this strain without spreading to other areas such as the arms.

Most people will experience neck pain at some point in their life and it is often easily treated. Many cases of neck pain are reoccurring and can come and go from time to time or may become persistent and turn into a more chronic condition. Some common causes of cervicalgia may include:

• Poor posture from sitting too much, many hours in the car or working at a desk and computer
• Lengthy periods with the neck at an awkward angle, such as when sleeping.
• Injuries that involve a sudden neck movement, such as whiplash from a car crash
• Long-term stress and clenching of neck and shoulder muscles, leading to a strain on the neck.
• Bone conditions, such as arthritis or osteoporosis. (more common in older populations)

The symptoms of cervicalgia are pain that is worsened by holding your head in one position, such as driving or working at a computer, muscle tightness and spasms, many patients will describe what feels like muscle knots in there shoulders, decreased range of motion and/or difficulty moving the head, and sometimes headaches can be associated with neck pain. Most neck pain is not severe and will improve gradually but in many cases, it is important to seek treatment.

When is it time to see the chiropractor?

Contact us if the pain in your neck:

• Is severe
• Persist for more than a couple days
• Is reoccurring and/or becoming chronic
• Spreads to other areas (arms, legs, upper back, shoulders, etc…)
• Is accompanied by headache, weakness, numbness, or tingling

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, please make an appointment with our office as soon as possible and one of our highly trained chiropractic physicians will diagnose and treat the problem accordingly.

Village Family Clinic
1500 Rt. 517 – suite 108
Hackettstown, NJ 07840
(908) 813-8200

Thanksgiving Day is the perfect time to remind one another of the many reasons there are to be grateful. We gather on this day to be thankful for what we have, for the family we love, the friends we cherish, the success we have had, and for the blessings that will come.

Thanksgiving is more than the festivities, it gives us time to ponder the lessons that we have learned and how we can spread happiness around, to look back at all the great memories and good people who came into our lives. We appreciate you, our customers and clients, so much.

At this time of year our thoughts turn gratefully to you with warm appreciation. Our best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving.

Here at Village Family Clinic, our Hackettstown NJ Chiropractic care clinic, we take great pride in educating both our patients and the general public about neck and spine health. We’re proud of all of you for conducting your own research. We are thrilled to educate and answer your questions both within our clinic and our Hackettstown chiropractic blog itself.

A recurring question that we answer is: “Just what is “subluxation” and how is it treated”?

When a vertebrae becomes misaligned or moves out of its normal position, this is referred to in the chiropractic profession as a subluxation. Subluxations can be caused by a wide range of issues ranging from a minor slip or bump to a car accident or any sudden trauma. When a vertebrae is subluxated, it begins to put pressure on nerves, blood vessels and everything around it. This pressure comes with a price. The subluxation interrupts the natural pathways that the messages sent from the brain need to be clear in order to be completed properly.

As time goes by and a subluxation remains untreated, the spine and surrounding features such as discs begin to degenerate. This degeneration becomes more difficult to reverse as time goes by as the surrounding muscles, nerves and bones begin to adjust to the new shape. The body is an amazing machine. It will start to accommodate these changes by compensating in other areas.

The longer this goes on, the more difficult it is and the longer it takes to get back to near perfect position.

How is subluxation treated? As you might expect it depends. It depends on your specific subluxation condition, the severity of your condition, and your overall physical condition. Together, we will author and execute a chiropractic care plan designed to steadily decrease your spine and neck pain while systematically improving our quality of life.

Start the path to an improved quality of life. Contact Hackettstown’s Village Family Chiropractic Care Clinic today!

Your spine is composed of 24 bones called vertebrae. In between each of this vertebrae are fibrous disc with a jelly-like center which provides shock absorption and flexibility to the spine. The vertebrae’s primary responsibility is to protect the spinal cord and allow openings for nerve to exit from the spinal cord to the body which I like to call “nerve channels”. Some of these nerves in the lower back unite as they travel through the pelvis to form the sciatic nerve while some travel to other parts of the lower extremity. A similar thing occurs with the nerves in the neck as they travel into the upper extremities. Accidents and injuries as well as chronic poor posture may damage these disc resulting in pressure on the nerves as they attempt to leave the spine through the nerve channels. This results in a number of symptoms including, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness or spasm, or even sharp shooting pain.

Many bulging and herniated disc happen due to poor lifting mechanics. When lifting something from the floor (no matter how heavy it is) it is important to bend at the knees while keeping your back as straight as possible, and lift using the strength of the leg muscle not the back muscles. Your legs are designed to bear the weight of what you are lifting, your back is not! Putting strain on your low back while bent forward is a surefire way to compromise the delicate disc and alignment of the spine.

Another major cause of disc related pain sitting for extended periods of time and becoming so common in today’s world that they are calling “sitting the new smoking”. Sitting for extended periods of time cause weakness in the muscles of the core that are responsible to help maintain an upright posture and protect the natural curve that your lower back should have. As these muscles become week, lower back begins to lose its curve an increases the pressure within the disc, weakening the walls of the disc and often resulting in bulging or herniated disc.

When explaining a herniated disc, I like to use a jelly donut analogy. Picture in your mind a jelly donut with strawberry filling. Have you ever accidentally squashed a jelly donut? What happens? The pressure causes the jelly to ooze out. When a disc herniates or ruptures the same thing happens, and just like a jelly donut the disc cannot be repaired.

Degenerative Disc Disease is another condition that can result in pain in the lower back and legs. This is not actually a disease but a state of dehydration and deterioration of the disc that is the result repetitive stress, poor diet and lack of exercise often combined with obesity, and aging. As this process progresses, the disc become much more susceptible to failure from physical stress and an act as simple as bending over to pick up a pencil may cause the outer fibers of the disc to tear resulting in arthritis, stenosis, and bulging/herniated disc.

In our office we use gentle chiropractic adjustment, Non-surgical Spinal Decompression, and One on One physical therapy, and acupuncture to help reduce the disc material and stop the muscle spasms to relieve the pressure that is being put on the nerves ultimately causing your problems.

Hi, I'm Stephen D. I've been coming to Village Family Clinic about a month and five days. I came in for a quick examination on my back. They examined how my vertebrae were aligning up. They’re trying to get me from a red area to a green area. Not that quite there yet but I am getting there and I feel very comfortable coming here. The doctors not only took care of me, they also take care of my cute little infant son, Michael. As soon as I walk through the door with Michael, the staff is ready to take care of him. That's why I love about Village Family Clinic, they do a really wonderful job. I feel very comfortable coming here. I trust the doctors adjusting my back, stimulations and whatever they think I need. I trust their advice, they are "Grade A" doctors and I appreciate them taking care of my back, my neck, and my body. I thank Village Family Clinic and the staff here that do a wonderful job in assisting me to have a better quality life.

Hello again from Hackettstown NJ’s Village Family Clinic. Dr. Fedich created a quick video tutorial that outlines some things you can do at home (or in the car) to relieve your lower back pain. Simple things that will cost you no money, no drugs, only a few moments of your time. All of the ideas presented here are things our own Hackettstown NJ chiropractors employ at home to treat lower back pain. Stretching is good preventive care for your back whether your in pain or not.

Of course we want all to know that we are a full service specialty medical facility offering numerous non-invasive pain management services such as acupuncture, physical therapy, and other medical pain management services. So enjoy watching Dr. Fedich’s explanation of the things you can do at home to help relieve your lower back pain. Feel free to contact us to learn more and/or schedule your treatment.

Hey there. Dr. James Fedich, the clinic director here at Village Family Clinic. I'm going to give you the top three ways to help with lower back pain at home without going to the doctor's office, getting any tests, or taking any medications. Three ways you can help your lower back at home. So we're going to go through three of the most simplest ways.

So one of the most common questions that I get asked in 15 years of practice is..”do we use ice or heat”? My answer is going to be when in doubt use ice. Heat can make certain problems worse and ice will never do that. The ice is going to give you a little bit of that analgesic effect which just means it numbs it, gets the pain down. So if your back is hurting or another area point you can always. You can make problems worse with heat. I can't tell you how many hundreds of patients we’ve had with back pain and they jump in the hot tub. They can't walk when they get out. So, when in doubt always use ice for 15 minutes. Give it at least a fifteen minute break.

Another mistake we see is people don’t wrap the ice in a towel. You don't want to put ice directly on the skin. Again protect against any kind of frost burn. So when in doubt throw in an ice pack.

Second tip it's going to be a rolled towel. So this is one of our cheapest and most effective tools in the clinic. We do a couple of things with towels. Just get a regular-sized towel and roll it up. There are a couple different things we can do with the rolled towel. These are great for necks as well. So your next little sore you lay on the table, stretch it out. We do the same thing for the lower back. So we're going to lay on the table with that and that can help out sometimes alleviate the lower back pain, getting that natural curve back to the lower back. Sometimes it feels really great. The other thing we love the curved towels for is in the car. You can see people without really expensive cars, they got no lumbar support. So just having a towel there but giving that low back support can often take a lot of pressure off.

Then finally it's just some simple at-home stretches. So obviously everyone's condition is different. If you want to try to stretch at home this can work out pretty well. I’ll present you with a real simple at home or school routine. We're going to lay on our back and we're just going to do knee to chest. So we're going to bring the leg up, hold it for 10 seconds. A lot of patients have some knee pain so we can’t just grab right here. Or if you're having trouble grabbing, maybe your mobility flexibility or your knees are bothering you. You can take that same rolled towel put it behind the name and use that to help pull it up. Just pull upwards. We’re not going to kill ourselves, just hold it for 10 seconds to each leg three times. Ten seconds do both legs together. Three times ten seconds.

The last one I call the figure four stretch. There's a lot of variation based on how tight you are, but go ahead and cross this leg over and push it down to the ground. You're going to feel that in the glutes and the hamstrings. If you're a little more flexible pick this leg up while you have it crossed over to get a little deeper stretch.

So three simple at home remedies to help your lower back pain. First is going to use ice. When in doubt always use ice. Number two is going to be our real simple rolled towel. Try it in the car or laying on it at home. Third is a simple stretching routine. For those of you where these things are not working out for, you may need more individual attention. We can get that done for you here at village Family Clinic. We do Chiropractor, Physical Therapy, Acupuncture, Nutrition and Pain Management. If you need a little more help give us a call at (908) 813-8200. We hope this helps you out.

There is a pivotal moment in virtually every one of our patient-to-provider relationships. That moment is when we first shake hands with them and they share a common story about being at “wits end” regarding their acute and systemic pain. We assure all that we’ve “got your back”, but in Linda’s case, we inherited her neck, legs, and feet pain in addition to her back pain. Each and every day, once the last patient has left Village Family Clinic, we lock the door for the evening and reflect back on the day’s events. We celebrate the fact that a laundry list of pains entered that same door but never exited because of what we do here. In the short video below, Linda refers to the multiple modalities that we incorporate within her pain management plan, but what stands out most is her celebration of the success of her acupuncture treatments here at our Hackettstown NJ clinic.

So Linda, we thank you, think about you, and celebrate the fact that long after you’ve left us earlier today that you’re out there celebrating a managed quality of life that we know you deserve.

Hi my name is Linda, I've been coming to see Dr. Fedich and his staff for several years now. From neck, back, legs, and feet pain, Dr. Fedich and his staff have taken care of me from head to foot. They have all sorts of different modalities. If one thing isn't working for you the doctor will suggest something else. So between the three chiropractors, Dr. Z with the acupuncture that I LOVE! Everyone here is so wonderful and this is the place you really should come if you are having any kind of pain, aches, and they will take care of you 100%, Thank you.

If you are someone who has ended up with a leg injury that either required immobilization, reduced weight bearing or surgery here are some helpful hints to help while you are recovering.

1. Difficulty getting up and down from chairs or toilets:
   For chairs a simple fix is place 1-2 pillows or cushions in the chair seat and use a chair with armrests to allow you to use your arm to assist with getting up. This will reduce the force and energy required to get up and down to the chair seat.
   For the Toilet you can purchase either a clip on toilet seat riser with or without armrests or a commode chair to keep near the bed at night.
2. Use the right walking aide for the job:
   Frequently after a leg injury or surgery there will be a time ranging from a few days up to 2-3 months where you will not be allowed to put all or any of your weight on the injured limb.

There is a large array of walking assistive devices but there typically 3 types:

1. Walkers: this is the most stable of the walkinging aides and usually are the preferred device in the early injury or post surgery time.
   Advantages: stable, allow for maximum arm assistance, good for patients with existing balance issues.
   Disadvantages: bulky, cannot go up and down stairs
2. Crutches: using two crutches can allow for the same level of reduction of weight bearing of the leg as a walker. There are two standard types the most common is the Axillary and the other is the Loftstrand (forearm) crutch.
   Advantages: Allows for quicker movement, can go up and down stairs, can move about in more compact spaces Disadvantages: Not as stable as a walker so requires a high level of balance and coordination. Resting or hanging the arm over the top of am axillary crutch can cause nerve irritation
3. Cane: typically use is with one cane, this is the lowest level of reduced weight bearing for the leg. Usually utilized in the later stages of recovery. Types are standard straight cane (single support base), or quad cane (wider 4 legged base)
   Advantages: lightweight and easy to carry, can be used to go up and down stairs. Disadvantages: Cannot use for someone who must be non-weight bearing or has to have more than 20% of body weight restriction on the injured leg.

Other helpful aids

Sock pullers: these can allow a person who cannot bend over or bring the injured foot up high enough to reach to put on their own socks

Long handled shoe horn: allows for easier effort to put a show on the injured leg.

Slip on or elastic lace shoes: best to use rubber soled and supportive shoes

Grabbers/Reachers: allow you to reach high or low places without losing your balance and risking a fall

Loop straps: allows you to use your arms to help move or swing the injured limb onto beds, couches, in and out of cars

Adaptive clothes: Typically pants that are wider and close with zippers, magnets or velcro. Allows for easier dressing over braces or casts.

Village Family Clinic offers proven conservative care such as Physical Therapy, Chiropractic care, Nutritional counseling, and Acupuncture. If you have had a leg injury, surgery or pain we offer care to help you get back to the activities and life you want to have!. Should you have any questions regarding this information please feel free to contact us.

Bob Scanlon, PT, Cert MDT, NJ Lic # 40QA00283600

Wrong! A very emphatic wrong! It is true that mostly every patient that enters a chiropractic office has some type of back pain – but this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to benefits of getting regular chiropractic adjustments. Aside from musculoskeletal conditions such as neck pain, back pain, shoulder/knee/joint/anywhere pain, headaches, sciatica, and auto accidents, chiropractic does so much more.

Firstly, let’s start off with a fully functioning nervous system. The nerves in your spinal column branch off to control your entire body. From your lungs, to digestion, heart function, stomach function, everything! Chiropractic removes nerve interference to these body systems by taking pressure off the nerves to allow an optimally functioning nervous system.

Chiropractic also increases range of motion and improves athletic and physical performance. By removing joint restriction and restoring proper muscle function and range of motion, chiropractic is key for athletes. There’s a reason every NFL and NBA team has their own chiropractor on staff!

Feeling stressed? Tired? Sick? Chiropractic has been shown to reduce stress and improve sleep quality, as well as improve immune system function! There is also research that a chiropractic adjustment to the upper neck can even lower blood pressure.

So whether you are in pain, feeling good and want to feel better, or just want to live a higher quality of life; chiropractic is for you!

Dr’s Note: We produce blog posts such as “The Doctor’s Corner” as a public service to educate the general public in and around Hackettstown NJ about how and why Americans increasingly include chiropractic treatment in their pain management care plan. The Village Family Clinic is a multi-specialty medical facility offer a comprehensive approach to pain management that includes medical pain management, chiropractic care, physical therapy, acupuncture, and a host of other pain management services and techniques.

Wrong! A very emphatic wrong! It is true that mostly every patient that enters a chiropractic office has some type of back pain – but this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to benefits of getting regular chiropractic adjustments. Aside from musculoskeletal conditions such as neck pain, back pain, shoulder/knee/joint/anywhere pain, headaches, sciatica, and auto accidents, chiropractic does so much more.

Firstly, lets start off with a fully functioning nervous system. The nerves in your spinal column branch off to control your entire body. From your lungs, to digestion, heart function, stomach function, everything! Chiropractic removes nerve interference to these body systems by taking pressure off of the nerves to allow an optimally functioning nervous system. Chiropractic also increases range of motion and improves athletic and physical performance. By removing joint restriction and restoring proper muscle function and range of motion, chiropractic is key for athletes. There’s a reason every NFL and NBA team has their own chiropractor on staff! Feeling stressed? Tired? Sick?

Chiropractic has been shown to reduce stress and improve sleep quality, as well as improve immune system function! There is also research that a chiropractic adjustment to the upper neck can even lower blood pressure.

So whether you are in pain, feeling good and want to feel better, or just want to live a higher quality of life; chiropractic is for you!

Help us Make a Difference!

Our entire team here at Hackettstown’s Village Family Clinic is on a mission to help abused women and children in Warren County and are working with DASACC. The mission of the Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Crisis Center is to help, serve, and advocate for those impacted by interpersonal violence, to be proactive regarding its prevention, and to create positive change.

How can you help?

If you refer in a friend or family, their first visit will be only a $20 fee, which we will then match and give to DASACC.

For example.

If you refer a friend who could use chiropractic or acupuncture treatment, they pay $20 for a world class checkup, and DASACC gets $40. You and your friend would be helping us help this worthy cause.

Village Family Clinic is a multi-specialty medical care facility serving Hackettstown NJ with physical therapy, Chiropractic care, Nutritional counseling, Acupuncture, and a host of other health services. If you suffer any form of acute or chronic pain, we exist to help you get back to the active and pain-free life that you deserve. Contact us today!

Debilitating pain is an equal opportunity employer. Pain attacks people of all ages and body types. People in pain have a primary mission in life, to find and sustain a pain management program that works for them. Meet our patient Vincent. You’d never know by looking at him that he was dealt a bad hand and lived with systemic debilitating pain in his lower back, upper back, and neck. Would you care to guess what recurring treatment relieves Vincent of debilitating pain and what treatment has returned him to an essentially pain-free quality of life? Recurring acupuncture treatment at our Hackettstown NJ clinic has helped Vincent turn his life around. Most acupuncture patients (Vincent included) are skeptical, at first that is. But ask yourself something. If anything that’s been around for over 3000 years and is still delivering widespread success, just what is the justification for skepticism?

Of course acupuncture is but one of many medical pain management services and chiropractic pain management services offered here at Village Family Clinic in Hackettstown. There is a combination of services available to you that can and will mitigate (and often times outright eliminate) pain that robs you of the quality of life that you deserve….like Vincent who tells his story in the short video below. Vincent, we celebrate both with and for you!

Hi, my name is Vincent. I'm a patient here at Village Family Clinic (Hackettstown, NJ). I've been coming here for about five years or so now. I originally came for debilitating lower back pain with Dr. Fedich. Eventually I ended up actually working with Dr. Z for acupuncture. The relief is just awesome! It's almost instant pain relief. I've had a couple of neck injuries and upper back injuries. I was kind of skeptical about the whole acupuncture thing at first, but after trying it a few times it was just amazing how well it actually works. So I definitely recommend coming here to anyone else who's looking to look for even minor pain or any type of relief that they may. It’s definitely a professional place that I would recommend.

Hello again from Hackettstown NJ’s Village Family Clinic. Dr. Carlock addresses in the short video below a frequently asked question regarding foot pain. What most people don’t know is, as it pertains to foot pain, more often than not the source of the pain is not originating from the foot. Dr. C. offers a very informative explanation using visual aids that will help anyone trying to understand what is causing there systemic foot pain and how Hackettstown NJ chiropractors treat foot pain quickly successfully, and economically.

Of course we want all to know that we are a full service specialty medical facility offering numerous non-invasive pain management services such as acupuncture, physical therapy, and other medical pain management services. So enjoy watching Dr. Carlock’s explanation of the origins of foot pain and feel free to contact us to learn more and/or schedule your treatment.

"Hi how are you doing everybody, this is Dr. Carlock over a Village Family Clinic. We get a question a lot from patients recently, I've had patients come in with pain in their foot and a lot of people are wondering, like, where is this pain coming from? So a lot of times, actually more often than not, where you're feeling the pain is not necessarily where it's originating. Of course you could have plantar fasciitis, or a sprain, or something else going in the foot. We would screen for that but most of the time believe it or not, the pain in the foot is actually coming from the back.

So, if you're feeling like a tingling or a sharp pain, a lot of times recently in the clinic we figured out that it's coming from the back. So the body is designed in such a way that the nerves come out off the spinal cord in the spine. All these nerves in the lower back they go all the way down the leg into the foot. You can see a better picture here, they're all converging from that sciatic nerve that goes down your leg and then all the way to the foot. If some is being pinched in here, whether it's from a disc or something being out of place, sometimes if there's a classic pattern where you feel all the way down but every once in a while you feel it just in your foot. It's our job to discern whether that's the case, and if so, we can definitely help it out. So, if you're experiencing some foot pain you don't really know where it's coming from, come on in we'll check you out and we'll get it figure out for you."

Take a moment to consider our most recent patient feedback: “…I was in kidney failure….he took me off all my medicines…”, followed later by “…I don’t need to take any arthritis medicine”. Here’s a lady with a host of quality-of-life medical issues and Dr. Fedich and the Hackettstown Village Family Clinic are combining chiropractic care, acupuncture, and medical pain management to turn her life around. Listen to the celebration in her voice as she describes the medical and chiropractic success she’s enjoyed here at Village Family Clinic. Not lost on us is her glowing feedback about the awesome overall experience with our staff. These results and this type of feedback is THE thing that delivers professional reward to our entire staff.

"I've been coming to Dr. Fedich for some time now. Back in August I had a severe sinus infection and my loss of hearing in my left ear and was in kidney failure. We came back to Dr. Fedich and he took me off all my medicines and everything. Dr. Z has given me acupuncture the day I was here for my sinuses, 15 minutes I was completely clear no problem. They're working now with all the acupuncture and Dr. Fedich on my system to help me so I don't need to take any arthritis medicine. The staff here is awesome you never ever see anybody as great as these people are, friendly and they're there for you. Come to see Dr. fedich and his staff."

Our patient, Steve, did his homework and research looking for the best chiropractic services offered here in Hackettstown, NJ. He read with interest the litany of chiropractic, physical therapy, pain management, and other testimonials and put in a call to Village Family Clinic. Listen to Steve tell his story below about his appreciation for the productive and professional care delivered by the entire Village Family Clinic care team. Steve, it is indeed our privilege to team with you to return you to the pain-free life that you so deserve. Thank you for your kind feedback!

"I had to switch chiropractors for a number of different reasons, so I did a little search to find the best chiropractor that I could find in the area and it brought me here to Village Family Chiropractic Center. The first thing that I really loved about this place was the employees that work here. They just make you feel very comfortable, they help you with everything, they answer all your questions. Then of course the doctors are great too, they do a lot of different services on you and you walk out of here feeling great. I'm really glad that I found the Village Family Chiropractic. Thank you."

Here’s another example of what keeps us gong here at Hackettstown’s Village Family Clinic! We’re helping Nick systematically erase his upper-back pain via a variety of chiropractic services here in our Hackettstown clinic! Nick graciously acknowledges the skills and success of Dr. Carlock and PT Scanlon for leading the way to his recovery. Nick, you determination and perseverance is an inspiration to our entire team and we celebrate your systematic recovery! Please take a moment to listen to Nick’s story via the short video below!

"Hi, I'm Nick and I've been coming to Village Family Clinic for several months now for upper back pain. Dr. Carlock and Bob have done a great job in helping me get closer and closer to recovery. Thank you and have a great day."

Allamuchy Township Mayor Rick Lomonaco, gave a proclamation on Saturday, April 13, 2019, to recognize the many contributions and services of Dr. James R. Fedich, giving back to the community and helping others along the way. Village Family Clinic celebrated its 15-year anniversary on Saturday in grand fashion.

“It’s been an amazing 15 years here in Allamuchy Township and it’s been a pleasure to serve the people of the town and surrounding areas,” proclaimed Dr Fedich. The practice began with humble beginnings 15 years ago in a small, 700-sq-foot clinic. Over the years, the clinic has grown to over 4000 sq feet and now includes three chiropractors, two physical therapists, an acupuncturist, and a medical doctor. The clinic is able to help many local residents who would otherwise not have access to this state-of-the-art, multi-disciplinary care.

“I love doing these things,” added Mayor Lomonaco. “Special Recognition for special people is a complete joy.” To celebrate its 15 years of success, Village Family Clinic held a Patient Appreciation Day and Easter egg hunt. The clinic had many children come for the Easter egg hunt, bouncy castle, and pictures with the Easter Bunny. Additionally, the clinic gave away all its services for the day. No credit cards or insurance were needed! Chiropractic, acupuncture, and physical therapy services were all free.

The clinic has a long tradition of giving back. In addition to the open houses where the services are free, Village Family Clinic has a large food drive every year, donating over 80 turkeys to the needy. They also run a large pet food drive, a toy drive during the holidays, and a shoe drive for the homeless. “I am always looking for a way to give back to this great area,” stated Fedich.

Village Family Clinic specializes in treating many different conditions such as low back pain, neck pain, headaches, disc problems, stenosis, elbow and shoulder pain, knee pain, and much more. Using state-of-the-art technology, like cold laser, spinal decompression, and their unique team approach, the clinic routinely helps people that other providers are not able assist.

To learn more about the clinic, visit http://www.hackettstownfamilyclinic.com, or call 908-813-8200.

Car accident victims increasingly turn to chiropractic treatment here at Hackettstown NJ’s Village Family Clinic to manage systemic pain. Hockey and football players might take issue with the following statement, but a car accident is likely to be the most violent impact you and your body will ever experience. Given that the spine and neck must be precisely aligned to serve the body in a pain free manner, it is quite common for car accident victims to emerge with a wide range of spinal misalignment issues. The various destructive results that car accidents have on the spine and neck challenges you and your chiropractor to author treatment plans that are unique to you and your condition. Car accident victims very often respond well to spinal decompression therapy, but they also respond well to various other treatments to include acupuncture, cold laser, and vibration therapy.

Today we celebrate our patient Roy who miraculously survived a horrific auto accident. His body may never be the same, but that does not mean he is forever to live in pain. Roy’s auto accident-related pain is systematically being eradicated due in large part to his commitment to regular recurring chiropractic care and, as you’ll learn from watching his video, Village Family Clinic’s chiropractic care excellence and commitment right back to him. To us, his words construe a heart-warming story. We’re so very happy for him.

"Hi my name is Rory M I've been coming to this office for a year and a month now. I started coming here after a bad car accident. Without the help of these doctors and this establishment I wouldn't be where I am today. So, thanks very much!"

Hello again from Hackettstown NJ’s Village Family Clinic. It gives us tremendous professional reward when our once pain-stricken patients feel so good that they want to share their treatment success stories as does Carrie D. below. She mentions a number of our services in her video that combined to turn her life around after her long-term suffering from a herniated disk. In a moment, watch the video and hear from Carrie herself. Before that though, here’s some level of detail regarding her treatment services for sciatic pain such that Carrie once suffered.

Our team at Village Family Clinic provides sciatica treatment that provides relief from pain in your back, hips, and legs stemming from trauma involving the sciatic nerve. As soon as our chiropractor and sciatica therapist examine your spine and look over your medical history as part of our comprehensive chiropractic treatment, they are going to review all of the various alternatives you have for sciatica treatment. Some treatment plan alternatives include appointments with a physical therapist and spinal decompression. Our patients who experience sciatica treatment in Newark and Allamuchy NJ notice a difference in just after one or two sessions.

So enjoy watching Carrie’s pain management success story. We did, and thank you Carrie!

"Hi I'm Nicole Miller, I'm a patient here at Village Family Clinic. I've been coming here for about eight months to a year, I originally came in because I had herniated discs in my lower back region. My current plan was really to go on the spinal decompression table. Dr. Miller has helped me significantly in being able to move, bend and fluctuate my lower back. So I have had a lot of relief in regards to that. I had shoulder pain and it turned out to be a nerve that was being pinched and I couldn't move my shoulder. I could not lift my arm without severe pain. They actually told me that it was a pinched nerve and I came in for additional chiropractic care adjustments. After treatment, the pain went away.

So, I have been extremely happy. I wasn't even able to turn the wheel driving and it was very painful. Now I'm happy and I would absolutely recommend Village Family Clinic because they have done nothing but great things for me."

Should you have any questions regarding spinal decompression or any other form of chiropractic care, please feel free to contact us.

Leading publications continue to turn to Dr. Fedich for professional contribution to their stories. Recently, Reader’s Digest turned to Dr. Fedich as a contributor to their published story: “13 Medical Reasons for Your Shoulder Pain”. Dr. Fedich contributes regarding the subject of “Osteoarthritis”, one of the more common causes of shoulder pain. While osteoarthritis is an incurable disease, the good doctor points out the good news is that near (or total) pain relief can often be attained via non-surgical chiropractic treatments such as ultrasound, acupuncture, cold laser, and physical manipulation. The article also discusses some lesser known arthritis-related treatments methods such as stem cell therapy. We think you’ll find the article interesting and informative.

Dr. Fedich covers (in detail) the fascinating and highly effective pain management treatment “cold laser therapy” out on his Hackettstown NJ chiropractic website. We’re certain you’ll enjoy learning more about this increasingly popular treatment!

When it comes to professional reward, sometimes a smiling face offering select few words says it all. Christine’s came to Village Family Chiropractic Clinic here in Hackettstown with severe pain and seeking pain management via a Hackettstown NJ chiropractic care team. We are so proud to have returned a smile to her face and can’t thank her enough for her continuing faith and trust.

After each and every treatment that includes spinal decompression and other proven chiropractic services, Christine gets ever so closer to her goal to be completely pain free. That she’s getting there without the need for painful surgery or for the need of opioid medication is the type of success story that we all celebrate as a staff each and every day.

Please know that you DO NOT have to live with pain. Christine will attest to that! Call us.

Researchers in Spain and the United States report that “Patients who received physical therapy consisting of manual techniques for carpal tunnel syndrome” achieved results comparable to outcomes for patients who had surgery for this condition. Physical therapy patients saw faster improvements at the one-month mark than did patients treated surgically.

For three weeks, the therapy patients received weekly half-hour manual therapy sessions - meaning therapists only used their hands. The therapists focused on the neck and the median nerve. They also applied manual physical therapy to the shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist and fingers. The Physical Therapist also instructed the patients on how to perform neck-stretching exercises at home.

After one month, the therapy group reported greater daily function and greater "pinch strength" between the thumb and forefinger compared to the surgery patients. After three, six and twelve months, however, improvements were similar in both groups. All participants experienced similar reduction in their pain, but the physical therapy group showed faster improvement.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, is typically caused by compression of the Median nerve in the palm facing area of the wrist. This can cause symptoms such as numbness and tingling typically of the thumb, index, middle and thumb side of the ring fingers. In more advanced cases of carpal tunnel there can be constant pain, decreased hand strength and loss of sensation in the hand. This overtime can cause a loss of ability to use the hand for work and everyday activities.

Possible causes of Carpal Tunnel:

Include repetitive maneuvers related to work, hobby or home activities. It can also be brought on by pregnancy because of edema, or fluid retention. Other possible causes are underlying inflammatory diseases, degenerative, and rheumatoid arthritis, hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid or diabetes. Trauma, such as dislocation or fracture of the wrist or structural problems in the wrist joint, lesions in the wrist, a cyst or tumor in the carpal tunnel.

How is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Diagnosed:

Patient’s subjective history of thumb and finger numbness, tingling, pain and strength loss of the affected hand.

Observation of atrophy (loss of muscle mass) in the palm region just below the thumb along with marked loss of strength with grip testing

Tinel's test, or Tinel's sign: The doctor taps the median nerve at the wrist lightly to see whether the patient feels numbness or tingling in one or more fingers.

Phalen's test for wrist-flexion: The patient presses the backs of the hands against each other so that the wrist is bent. If tingling or numbness occurs within one minute, there may be damage to the median nerve.

Electromyography: A fine needle is inserted into the muscle. Electrical activity on a screen can reveal whether there is any median nerve damage, and if so, how severe it is.

Blood tests: Blood tests can detect an underlying condition that can be related to carpal tunnel syndrome, including hypothyroidism, rheumatoid, arthritis, or diabetes.

Imaging scans: An x-ray can show whether there is a fracture or some other disorder, such as rheumatoid arthritis and an ultrasound scan can check the structure of the median nerve. Studies have found that MRI scans are not useful in diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome.

Study co-author Joshua Cleland, a professor with the physical therapy program at Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, N.H. stated "Manual physical therapy may be just as beneficial in improving function and symptom severity as surgery despite the severity of their condition," he also noted that 38 percent of those in the therapy group had "severe" carpal tunnel syndrome. Cleland went on to state "Surgery is necessary when there is muscle weakness or atrophy from the nerve being compressed at the wrist." However, operations can have complications, said Cleland. He cited a previous research finding that "approximately 25 percent of individuals undergoing surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome experience treatment failure with half of those requiring an additional surgical procedure."

So based on the findings of this study if you considering surgery for your “Carpal Tunnel Syndrome” physical therapy can be considered a first line option with just as effective results and less complications. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2017 Mar;47(3):151-161. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2017.7090. Epub 2017 Feb 3.The Effectiveness of Manual Therapy Versus Surgery on Self-reported Function, Cervical Range of Motion, and Pinch Grip Force in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Fernández-de-Las-Peñas C, Cleland J, Palacios-Ceña M, Fuensalida-Novo S, Pareja JA, Alonso-Blanco C.

Our warmest Holiday wishes from the entire team here at Village Family Clinic. Calendar year 2018 was, and continues to be, a truly remarkable year and we take this moment to recognize the joy that each and every one of you has brought to our personal and professional lives. We exist because of your faith and trust in us.

As calendar year 2019 approaches, we reflect upon the foundational recognition that your success is our success. Our New Year’s wish for 2019 is to nurture our positive and ever strengthening partnership and to deliver ever increasing value to you and your business through the entirety of 2019.

Throughout this Holiday season may you be blessed with health and surrounded by friends and family. All the best! Cheers!

What is the rotator cuff?

It is the tendinous attachment of 4 muscles that start from the Shoulder blade (Scapula) to attach to the top of the Shoulder (Humeral head).
• Tendons attach muscle to bone and allow the muscle to move/control the joint.
• Tendons can sustain tears as a result of trauma (fall, accident etc.) or because of wear and tear (aging, sport or work demands).

Signs & Symptoms of Rotator Cuff Problems:

Pain and stiffness around the top of the shoulder, pain on the outside of the upper arm, pain at night that interferes with your sleep, pain, and difficulty or inability to lift your arm overhead and weakness of the arm.

How are Rotator cuff tears diagnosed?

Subjective History, Fall onto an outstretched arm or directly onto the shoulder, Decreased ability to raise the arm overhead, Pain with lowering the arm from above head level, Age > 55, Night pain

Imaging: X-rays and MRI

With a history of trauma X-ray and MRI are warranted to rule in or out other serious pathology, (fracture, dislocation, labral lesions) as well as checking the integrity of the Rotator Cuff

In the case of a Non-Traumatic onset X-rays and MRI have limited predictive value and should be held until a course of conservative care has been undertaken. (exceptions are patients with a history of cancer or a know metabolic disease

Do Tears Progress?

Several studies indicate that larger full-thickness tears (> 1.5 cm) will progress about 50% of the time over a 5 year period and become more symptomatic

About 35% of partial tears will increase in size over 5 years follow up but most remain less symptomatic then full-thickness tears.

Tears that are more anterior and involve tears into the ‘Cable” region are usually more symptomatic and typically require surgical repair vs conservative care.

Conservative Care?

May include a short period of rest in the case of traumatic injury

Management of pain with either prescription or over the counter NSAIDs or Tylenol (Opioid medication is not indicated)

Management of pain/inflammation via Cortisone Steroid Injection(CSI) tends to be short-term relief of 4-8 weeks but may allow the patient to tolerate other interventions.

Physical Therapy to address, shoulder mobility, control, strength and load tolerance ( recommended timeframe is 8-12 weeks) Exercise for rotator cuff tendinopathy – A systematic review of contextual factors and prescription parameters Littlewood et al (2015. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research)

Significant outcomes can be achieved when programs are prescribed by physical therapists, Patients of varying age, duration of symptoms and severity of pain and disability can achieve significant outcomes, Pain production or pain avoidance during exercise does not appear to matter.

Village Family Clinic offers proven conservative care such as Physical Therapy, Chiropractic care, Nutritional counseling, and Acupuncture. If you are having shoulder area pain and problems we offer care to help you get back to the activities and life you want to have!.

Should you have any questions regarding this information please feel free to contact us.

Things in the world of Hip region pain are changing. So here is a quick synopsis of 4 of the more common hip issues.

1. Femoral Acetabular Impingement (FAI): This is one of the newest hip problem diagnosis. It has come about because of the ability to perform much better imaging (X-rays & MRI) of the hip region. The problem is a developmental change in the either the shape of the Ball (Femoral head) or Socket (Acetabulum) which causes increased stress in the hip joint which can cause irritation to the joint surfaces or damage to the cartilage ring (Labrum) , all the way to early joint (articular) cartilage damage. There are 3 types of changes typically seen CAM the ball has an abnormal shape, Pincer there are spurs at the edge of the socket or Mixed both a CAM and Pincer change.

   Treatment ranges from the use of NSAID’s, Education on avoiding aggravating activities and motions, Physical Therapy and either Hip Arthroscopic or Open surgery. This condition is most commonly seen in the younger 15 to 35-year-old active population. The pain can be felt deep in the groin, outside of the buttock and upper and mid-buttocks. In some cases there is “clicking”, “catching” and a sense of “locking”. There is still a fair amount of controversy on what is the best treatment approach. Currently, the standard for diagnosis and care recommendation comes from the Warwick Agreement on FAI published in the British Medical Journal 2016.
   
   https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/50/19/1169 Warwick Agreement

2. Gluteal Tendinopathy (Lateral hip pain): This can be considered the hip’s version of the shoulder Rotator Cuff issues. The past was used to describe this problem was Greater Trochanter Bursitis but again better quality imaging and research are showing that the tendons of the Gluteus muscles (Buttock muscles) are actually the culprits. The pain is typically felt along the outside of the hip, mid-buttock and occasional down the outer or inner thigh. The pain is worse with activities that increase forces about the affected hip such as walking, running, going up stairs, getting up from a chair, getting into or out of a car and lying on the painful side.

   There have been two recent major research papers that show that a Physical Therapy program of guided exercise program of progressive loading levels, education in proper loading and reducing aggravating habits during the reactive phase has a much better outcome within 8 weeks Vs. injection of the area or simply waiting for the problem to self-resolve. The typical patient population is post-menopausal women, runners or people who have suddenly changed their activity level.
   
   https://www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k1662 (LEAP trial)
   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25969366

3. Hip Dysplasia: Is the term used for a group of joint disorders which most commonly involves a “shallow” socket which fails to fully cover the femoral head (ball of the uppermost thigh bone). When this lack of coverage occurs the hip joint becomes unstable and usually leads to early onset of joint osteoarthritis. Common symptoms of hip dysplasia include:

   Pain in the groin or side of the hip, the sensation of “catching” or “popping” with activity, worsening pain with sitting, walking or running, limping, and increased difficulty with strenuous activities.

   Hip dysplasia can be congenital or developmental and can range from mild to severe and be diagnosed at all ages. Diagnosis is usually made by the patient’s reported history and imaging ranging from X-ray, MRI and CT scan. Because moderate to mild dysplasia can mimic other hip issues it sometimes takes the failure of conservative care measures before the diagnosis is confirmed. Treatment can range from bracing, exercise, surgical procedures such as osteotomy and Total Hip Replacement in advanced cases. Hip Dysplasia is more common in females and occurs more frequently in the left hip (64%).

   Hip Osteoarthritis (OA): Is the onset of degenerative wear of the highly specific “hyaline” cartilage that covers the head of the femur (ball) and pelvis acetabulum (socket). Causes of hip OA are increased age >55, family history of OA, Previous hip injury, Obesity, and the already discussed hip dysplasia. Treatment can range from minimizing aggravating activities, switching from high-stress activities such as tennis or running to swimming or cycling and weight reduction. Physical therapy to help maintain joint and soft tissue flexibility and strengthening affected muscles of the lower limb. Temporary or long-term use of assisted devices such as canes, crutches and reaching devices. Medications such as NSAIDs, Acetaminophen, and Corticosteroids can help with pain associated with OA flare-ups. End-stage disease surgical options are Total Hip Replacement (THR). There are now two predominate surgical approaches, 1. Posterior and 2. Anterior approach. Both have been found to be highly successful. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5759198/ : Comparison of 3 types of surgical approaches

Village Family Clinic offers proven conservative care such as Physical Therapy, Chiropractic care, Nutritional counseling, and Acupuncture. If you are having hip area pain and problems we offer care to help you get back to the activities and life you want to have!.

Should you have any questions regarding this information please feel free to contact us.

While chiropractic care can fix headaches by correcting subluxations in the spine, there are other temporary treatments that help reduce aches. With help from chiroone.net, we have listed 7 holistic, natural ways to relieve headaches.

1. Chamomile tea, a mild sedative, acts as an anti-inflammatory and relaxes muscles and depresses the nervous system, providing a calming effect.
2. Heat can be applied to the neck, a common source of headaches when tightness or tension is present. Cold can be used on the temples or the forehead for headaches that are pulsing and hot.
3. Peppermint oil mixed with coconut oil and applied to the shoulders, temples, forehead, back, or neck is a soothing topical treatment that can reduce the pain of a headache, improve blood circulation, and relieve tension.
4. Water is the most important remedy. Most headaches are the result of dehydration. Whether you replenish your water supply with celery or watermelon, you should be drinking water throughout the day!
5. Massages can improve blood flow and relieve tension when massages focus on the temples and the neck area. Gentle pressure is very effective for headache pain and massages in 30-minute increments can reduce and eliminate headache symptoms
6. Feverfew is an herbal tea that has been widely-used for centuries to treat headache pain. Its active ingredient parthenolide is an anti-inflammatory and widens vessels, preventing vessel constriction in the head and relieving muscle spasms.
7. Black coffee, although it can be addictive and in turn make headaches worse, is a treatment that should be used sparsely to constrict blood the blood vessels in your head and relieve pain.

Did you recently go to the gym and bruise, sprain, or strain something? What do you do when you are faced with a painful injury, bruise, or swelling? Do you go for the heat compress or the ice pack to reduce pain? In this blog post, we will set the record straight for what heat and ice are useful for and which one you should go for depending on your condition.

Heat

Heat is associated with relaxation: hot yoga and hot stones used in massages are two examples of this. Heat opens the blood vessels and increases blood flow to an affected area. Heat is not only soothing for aches and pains such, but it is also good for repairing damaged tissue because blood flow stimulates healing. Stiffness and tension are two conditions that benefit from heat application. When choosing to use the heat method, apply an even amount of heat for 15-20 minutes.

You should not use heat near bruises, open wounds, or swelling, as heat will worsen these conditions. If you have heart disease or hypertension, you should also be weary of using heat therapy and contact your doctor with questions or before serious use.

Ice

Generally, ice is the best treatment for injuries and inflammation because coldness restricts blood flow and therefore reduces swelling and inflammation. Bruises, strains, and sprains, and any other condition where there are underlying bleeding issues, should all be treated with ice because it will slow blood flow and slow bleeding. Ice therapy is used in the immediate aftermath of an injury as well as during rehabilitation.

In the immediate aftermath of an injury, ice is beneficial because it prevents stiffness in affected area. Long-term rehabilitation with ice treatment prevents pain and spasms and restores normal functioning.

Chiropractic

While these two treatments can be affective, the ultimate treatment is chiropractic. A healthy musculoskeletal system is critical to healing and affects how the whole body functions. Chiropractic may be the answer to unrelenting pain and the best way to completely rehabilitate in a natural, drug-free way.

A healthy, balanced diet is essential for overall health, especially long-term. The devastating effects that a poor diet has on the body can lead to the breakdown of fundamental bodily processes. No matter where you are, it is important to establish healthy eating and exercise practices whether that be cutting out meat once a week, sugar once a week, or dairy once a week, little steps can make a big difference. In this blog post, we are going to focus specifically on the Paleo Diet and design a one-week meal plan to encourage you to give this diet a try.

The goal of the Paleo Diet is to eat that which is found naturally on the Earth. Sometimes, this diet is called the “caveman diet” because researchers believed that cavemen ate exclusively whole foods, which is what someone on the paleo diet is allowed to eat. Many find that this diet contributes to weight loss without calorie counting and to a clear mind.

The following are allowed on the Paleo diet: fruits, vegetables, eggs, meats, fish, nuts, seeds, herbs, spices, healthy fats and oils.

The following are not allowed on the Paleo diet: processed foods, sugar, soft drinks, grains, legumes, dairy products, vegetable oils, artificial sweeteners, margarine, trans fats.

Below is a sample of a one-week Paleo meal plan by healthline.com:

Monday

• Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables fried in coconut oil. One piece of fruit.
• Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil. Handful of nuts.
• Dinner: Burgers (no bun) fried in butter, with vegetables and some salsa.

Tuesday

• Breakfast: Bacon and eggs, with a piece of fruit.
• Lunch: Leftover burgers from the night before.
• Dinner: Salmon fried in butter, with vegetables.

Wednesday

• Breakfast: Meat with vegetables (leftovers from night before).
• Lunch: Sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables.
• Dinner: Ground beef stir-fry with vegetables. Some berries.

Thursday

• Breakfast: Eggs and a piece of fruit.
• Lunch: Leftover stir-fry from the night before. A handful of nuts.
• Dinner: Fried pork with vegetables.

Friday

• Breakfast: Eggs and vegetables fried in coconut oil.
• Lunch: Chicken salad with olive oil. Handful of nuts.
• Dinner: Steak with vegetables and sweet potatoes.

Saturday

• Breakfast: Bacon and eggs with a piece of fruit.
• Lunch: Leftover steak and vegetables from the night before.
• Dinner: Baked salmon with vegetables and avocado.

Sunday

• Breakfast: Meat with vegetables (leftovers from night before).
• Lunch: Sandwich in a lettuce leaf, with meat and fresh vegetables.
• Dinner: Grilled chicken wings with vegetables and salsa.

For more information on healthy living and healthy lifestyles, contact Village Family Clinic.

Hey everybody! Here’s a simple video about what to do when you're having neck pain. So we have a lot of patients in the clinic with neck pain so we’re here to give you a little explanation about neck pain, tell you some things that to do that might help out with neck pain.

So you got a spine here, we got a bunch of bones, vertebrae in the spine, and there's three distinct reasons for this being part of the spine. We've got the neck which we call that cervical, the middle back, and lower back we call lumbar. So in our example here the purple bones are the neck bones are there are seven of them, the cervical vertebrae c1 through c7. That's not really important for you to know that's our job to know but most neck pain comes out of the bones in the neck. So we get tight muscles but most of the studies showed most neck problems are coming out of the bones in the back of the neck.

So what can happen is you can get tight muscles, get stressed, working on our computer all that stuff adds up. It puts some stress on the bones or vertebrae. Well it causes a lot of real bad neck problems or headaches due to pulling the muscles back here. A lot of the reason for that is these nerves in the neck may be getting pinched so they got the bones or vertebra here can come out of alignment. The muscles are pulling it really tight and pinching the nerve in there.

So the most common causes of neck pain, the good news is for patients, you don't need an MRI or an x-ray. Usually we can diagnose that right in the office. We have advanced technology called “surface electromyography by mile vision”. It's NASA develop technology. We can take readings of the nerves to see if there might be a pinched nerve. In this non-invasive test we can find out if you have a pinched nerve.

If that's what you're having trouble with, we've been doing this for over 15 years to resolve pinched nerves. We treat patients every day who come into the clinic with neck pain, so if you have any pain in the back of the neck, any shooting pain, numbness, burning, or tingling you may have a pinched nerve in the neck. It is something you should have checked out right away because they can get worse over time. Give us a call.

How's it going everyone, this is dr. Carlock over at Village Family Clinic here today to talk about how Advil is not as great as you think.

So a lot of people coming in here with backpain, neck pain, and other aches and their first response is usually to pop some Advil. While Advil may take the edge off a little bit, what it's doing is temporarily decreasing the inflammation there on your nerves. It’s only temporary relief.

Chiropractors are trained to find those exact spots in your spine where pressure is being put on the nerves and we correct that permanently. So it's better than taking Advil which has bad side effects. Extended use is not good for your stomach among other things. So if you're having aches and pains come on in and let us check you out now.

Hi everybody, Dr. Miller here at Village Family Clinic. Today I want to talk to you about how to sit at your desk all day for eight hours without having back pain.

A lot of people have jobs where we have to sit all day. It's a big source of back pain. We have a chair here, so I'm going to do some demonstrations. A lot of people work at a computer desk, so, the first thing you want to do is to make sure you're standing up nice and tall. Get a chair with nice support. If it's real flat in the back and you kind of feel like you're slouching, a little good lumbar support will help that out a lot.

Another thing to do is you want to stand up sit up nice and tall. Keep your knees at 90 degree angles. That's going to drive your back forward. It's going to cause a lot of pressure in here so you want to bring your knees up. Keep them at a good 90 degree angle. You want to keep your arms also at a 90 degree angle so you want to have a good nice posture here.

I tell people always get up and walk around the office. If you want to, go get some water. Go chat with somebody. It doesn't take much time, just take a five minute break. I know it's tough when you're working a desk and you got a lot to do, you got deadlines, you really get stuck into a rut. You're really working, working, working, so what we want to do is get up move around a little bit.

There's also some stretches you can do. Uou just kind of rotate your back every once a while. Just hold that Stretch. The big point here is to keep moving. Get yourself up every once in a while. Don't always sit. If you're there for more than an hour at a time it's gonna cause problems of your lower back.

So there's some good tips here. I’m Dr. Miller at Village Family Clinic with some tips on how to keep yourself from getting back pain when you have to work at a desk all day long.

Neck pain is a common ailment reported by men and women from different age groups and backgrounds. Recurrent causes of neck pain include muscle strains, nerve compressions, whiplash, disease, injury, and worn joints. People who lift excessive amounts of weight, carry heavy bags on their shoulders, or have bad posture are most susceptible to experience neck pain. Smoking and poor sleep posture are other contributors to neck pain. The pain severity caused by neck pain varies. If the neck pain is not critical, the following preventative steps may reduce or dissipate the pain:

1. Take breaks: Whether you have a physically demanding or motionless job, it is a good idea to either take breaks and relax if your job requires strength and movement, or walk around and get the juices flowing if you work at a desk or sit around often.
2. Sleep posture: You should be getting around 7-8 hours of sleep a night. With that being said, sleeping takes up approximately one third of your day. It is important that you exercise healthy posture while you sleep to avoid neck pain and discomfort. The most beneficial way to sleep is on your side (for pregnant women, the left side) and placing a rolled-up towel or pillow between your knees to alleviate pressure on the hips. This sleeping position supports the natural arc of the spine and does not foster neck pain.
3. Avoid Phone-Tucking: Avoid as best you can tucking a phone in between your ear and shoulder. It strains the neck muscles, one of the common causes of neck pain.
4. Quit Smoking: Habits are hard to break but if you are experiencing neck pain, here’s another reason to quit smoking: it leads to neck pain, among other spinal ailments.
5. Use Good Posture: This point goes along with good sleep posture. Good posture in general is not only good for digestion, joint movement, and balance, but it also diminishes the probability of experiencing back and neck pain. Correct posture maintains the natural curve of the spine: The head should rest over the shoulders and the top of the shoulders should be over the hips.
6. Avoid Carrying Heavy Things: Carrying heavy bags or weights contributes to muscle strain and worn joints. If you can, avoid carrying heavy items repeatedly and do not lift weights that are too far above your ability.
7. Adjust Chair, Desk, and Computer: If you have to bend forward or arch your neck downward, it is a good idea to adjust the desk chair, desk and computer.

While these are helpful preventative steps, neck pain may require the care of a doctor. According to EveryDayHealth, “Chiropractic is an approach that manipulates the spine and joints to relieve neck and back pain. It’s a popular therapy that does not involve medication”. If you visit a certified chiropractor with neck pain, they will evaluate your condition and most likely perform a chiropractic neck adjustment called a cervical neck manipulation. This procedure loosens up the joints of the cervical vertebrae in the neck and alleviates tension and pressure in the spine that stimulate neck pain. Chiropractic is a safe, drug-free form of treatment that resets the natural alignment of the spine and neck and is hailed as one of the most successful and secure ways to treat neck and back pain.

Sitting at your desk for an extended period of time can eventually cause pain and discomfort. Studies show that back and neck discomfort that stem from poor sitting posture or substandard work environment can ultimately lead to unproductivity on the job. A chiropractic visit is beneficial in realigning the back, alleviating neck and back discomfort, and increase productivity; however, it may be necessary to adjust your work space and the way you interact with it in order to prevent future problems related to neck and/or back discomfort.

One of the biggest promoters of back pain comes from the lack of support in the low back. The following five steps are practical ways to better your work experience, support your low back, and mend back and neck pain.

1. Low Back: An adjustable and comfortable chair is a worthy investment. If you do not have an adjustable and comfortable chair, try placing a pillow between your back and the chair. If you are experiencing back pain often, try placing a heat pad or ice pack in between your back and the pillow.
2. Chair Position: If you are sitting at a desk writing or typing, your chair should be in a position that allows your wrists and forearms to rest straight and parallel to the ground. Your elbows should lay by your body and form an L-shape at the elbow joint.
3. Legs and Feet: Your feet should rest flat on the ground. This neutral position discounts the tendency to move around to find a comfortable position. In general, avoid crossing your legs as it may interfere with blood flow, put pressure on one of the hips, becomes uncomfortable after an extended period of time.
4. Computer: The computer should be at eye-level and an arms-length away. The keyboard is best positioned 4-6 inches away from you in order to keep with the aforementioned “L-shape.” If using a computer with a mouse, the mouse should be close to you and not demand any compromising position in order to reach for it.
5. Break Time: If you sit in a desk all day, it is vital that you get up every once in a while, (anywhere between 30-60 minutes of sitting) and walk around. Chiropractors suggest stretching during these breaks in order to get blood moving and to wake up muscles not used when sitting such as the glutes. Perform a few neck and shoulder rolls and check your posture before returning to your desk.

Unfortunately, neck and back discomfort may persist. Look into visiting a chiropractor who can perform a chiropractic adjustment and realign the spine, and offer helpful tips and advice specific to your condition and situation. Chiropractic focuses on the well-being of the whole body: chiropractors often recommend dietary modification and exercises that can promote rehabilitation in addition to an adjustment.

Hackettstown, NJ (August 8, 2018) Village Family Clinic invites old patients and new patients in for patient appreciation day on September 22nd from 10am to 1pm and is very excited to announce that we will also have a meet and greet with Doc Gooden the same day from 11am to 1pm.

Dr. James R. Fedich, clinic director at Village Family Clinic, has organized a meet and greet with Dwight “Doc” Gooden for Patient Appreciation Day to give thanks to the community for supporting his Clinic for over 14 years now. Dr. Fedich has Patient Appreciation Day annually and is really looking forward to everyone getting together and joining in on this fun event. Dr. Fedich explains, “This event really brings the community together and shows that our clinic really takes pride in ‘what we do’ and our patients. Without our patients and all the support that we get, we simply would not have this clinic today.” Patient Appreciation day recognizes our existing patients but also invites new patients as well. The more, the better! Village Family Clinic will have free food, free adjustments, free new patient exams and mini acupuncture exams too. Now let’s get to even more exciting news about this day, Saturday September 22nd!

We have a very special guest coming in for this wonderful event we are holding at our clinic, Dwight “Doc” Gooden. Dr. Fedich and his team brainstormed and thought, “What could really get people excited about stopping by our clinic besides all the wonderful free things we are having for Patient Appreciation Day? What could bring new patients into our clinic too?” After a lot of consideration and thought we got exciting news of someone who was interested in our event and wanted to have the Meet and Greet right here in our clinic, Doc Gooden! What you should know about Dwight “Doc” Gooden is that he is a former professional baseball pitcher who pitched for the New York Mets. Doc Gooden was one of the most sensational pitchers of his generation, gaining many of the highest accolades. The accolades that Gooden received are as followed, “NL Rookie of the Year (1984), 2x MLB Strikeout Leader (1984, 1985), 4x All Star (1984, 1985, 1986, 1988), MLB Wins Leader (1985), MLB ERA Leader (1985), NL Cy Young Award (1985), Triple Crown (1985), Pitched a no-hitter on May 14, (1996), 3x World Series Champion (1986, 1996, 2000), Silver Slugger Award (1992) and New York Mets Hall of Fame Member.” Through out Doc Gooden’s time he was able to achieve all the accolades that you see here so we couldn’t be any more excited about having him at our very own Village Family Clinic.

Patient Appreciation Day will be held at the Village Family Clinic in Hackettstown, NJ on September 22nd from 10am to 1pm as well at the Meet and Greet with Dwight “Doc” Gooden from 11am to 1pm. For more information, directions or an appointment, contact the Village Family Clinic at (908)813-8200, or visit them on the web at www.hackettstownfamilyclinic.com.

We get this question often from our patient’s, friends and relatives. Recently I read an excellent review article of a Danish Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) by John Orchard, MD a sports physician from Australia. Here is a synopsis of his article.

100 patients eligible for TKR; randomized to 50 getting TKR, 50 to conservative care

The group was followed for 12 months, 26% (13) patients crossed over from conservative care to TKR

Both groups showed similar improvements in decreased pain and improved function at 1 year

The authors could not rule out an additional surgical placebo effect over and above the non-surgery group

TKR group had a higher complication rate do to the intervention of 16% (this was expected) vs 2% for the non-surgical group

However serious adverse medical events not directly associated to the surgery over the 12 months was 48% for the TKR group and only 12% for the conservative care group.

TKR seriously challenges a patient’s general health to warrant warning patients about the increased risk

These findings can make the decision to undergo TKR more difficult for some patients. “Does the more likely improvements in pain and function of TKR outweigh the increased serious adverse risk?”

You may want to take this aspect into account

Current fitness level: Pain is subjective but fitness and activity levels are objective.

Low levels of activity are hazardous to long term health.

If your knee pain is preventing you from walking less than 6000-7000 steps a day (can be tracked with a fitness tracker or smartphone) it may be time to consider TKR.

Medical history: Pre-existing cardiac or renal disease, history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) that requires blood thinners for control, diabetes and a history of smoking increase the risk of serious medical complications following TKR.

Recent cortisone or arthroscopic surgery : Studies found that having either or both procedures within 3 months of TKR increased the complication rates.

Did conservative care fail or was never attempted: Person was never sent for physical therapy, education /exercise classes. Did not have a trail of Hyaluron gel injections or a trial of a joint off loading brace.

Do not make the decision based on the following:

X-ray or MRI severity of OA: X-ray can help establish the diagnosis of knee OA. However, several studies have found poor correlation between X-ray OA severity and actual levels of activity and walking tolerance. (again think physical activity level capabilities vs X-ray findings)

The patient’s age: There is a tendency for surgeons to state the best age for TKR is 60-65 years old. They are considered young enough to do well and old enough that they most likely will not a revision (second TKR), within their remaining lifetime. Although there is some fact to this statement it should not be used to encourage a patient of 60-65 to have a TKR that is not needed. Conversely allowing a 40-50 year old who is extremely debilitated an unable walk more than a several thousand steps a day not being considered for TKR.

Hopefully this synopsis helps if you are currently considering TKR. In closing TKR is a good and viable surgical procedure for the right person done at the right time. If you have medical issues you may want to consider addressing them with your doctors and medical providers to help reduce your risk levels and get the best results following TKR. Village Family Clinic offers proven conservative care such as Physical Therapy, fitting of knee Off Loading Braces, Chiropractic care, Nutritional counseling and Acupuncture . If you are having TKR we offer prehabilitation to prepare you for surgery and postoperative TKR care to help you get back to the activities and life you want to have!.

Should you have any questions regarding this information please feel free to contact us.

Bob Scanlon, PT, Cert MDT, NJ Lic # 40QA00283600

According to two recent CBS news articles and a report published by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, opioids are culpable for more than 115 U.S. deaths every day. The abuse of opioids, prescribed pain-relieving drugs, has increased dramatically and the search is on for a natural alternative to these drugs.

Ashley Welch, a CBS news writer, writes about the logistics involved in the opioid crisis in her article, “Opioid Overdoses Spike 30 Percent, Hospitals Report.” Welch writes that “Data from hospital emergency departments show a big increase in drug overdoses across the country.” The National Institute on Drug Abuse confirms this point as well as demonstrates the prevalence of general opioid abuse nationwide: “21 to 29 percent of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them.”

Fortunately, there are alternative methods to treat pain and promote pain management that many people are unaware of. Dr. James R. Fedich, Chiropractic and director at Village Family Clinic discusses the healthy and natural forms to relieve pain and foster recovery and rehabilitation from injuries and accidents.

Fedich talks about the success he has had in relieving pain for patients suffering from a variety of injuries, accidents, or pains. “Our patients have diverse backgrounds and range in age. We treat patients that suffer from sports injuries, injuries from vehicular and falling accidents, and pains that stem from the natural wear and tear of life. Patient testimonials validate the effectiveness of the treatments we offer” such as adjustments, spinal decompression, and physical therapy.

If you are seeking an alternative method to treat pain and discomfort, call Village Family Clinic at (908) 813-8200 or visit http://wwwhackettstownfamilyclinic.com. Their team of chiropractors, physical therapists, a pain management doctor, an acupuncturist, and a nutritionist are trained to rehabilitate your body and relieve pain.

# # #

Alemany, Jacqueline. “Trump to Roll out Plan to Combat Opioids with No Clear Funding Plan.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 18 Mar. 2018, www.cbsnews.com/news/opioid-epidemic-crisis-new-hampshire-donald-trump/.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Opioid Overdose Crisis.” NIDA, 6 Mar. 2018, www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis.
Welch, Ashley. “Opioid Overdoses Spike 30 Percent, Hospitals Report.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 6 Mar. 2018, www.cbsnews.com/news/opioid-overdoses-increase-across-us/.

By Dr. Tyler J. Carlock, D.C.

Did you know that even a minor fender bender can cause serious injury to your spine? Whiplash is a common word but not many people know exactly what it means. Whiplash occurs when you are in a collision with a car especially being rear-ended. When the collision happens, your neck rapidly extends backwards then flexes forward in a split second, which is traumatic to the ligaments and muscles in your neck. This can be very painful and cause decreased range of motion in your cervical spine (sometimes people don’t feel any pain until the next day). In most instances, the inflammation will irritate the spinal nerves which can cause sharp pains into your shoulder or down your arm which can cause decreased muscle strength or sensory changes. This is called a “radiculopathy.” In severe cases, fractures can even occur in the bones in your neck. According to a study, whiplash at even 5 mph can cause permanent damage to your cervical spine.

Whiplash is not the only injury one can sustain from even a minor car accident, low back pain and disc herniations in the lumbar spine can be very common as well. People may experience “sciatica” which is a sharp shooting pain down your leg. Most people will get sent to the hospital after a car accident, and if the x-ray is negative for fractures they will just be released with an anti-inflammatory or muscle relaxers. Most of the time this is not a sufficient treatment for the underlying cause of the injuries. Visiting a chiropractor for all of these injuries after an accident is a great way to deal and recover from the injuries. Taking pressure off of the nerves and getting you out of pain and increasing range of motion is the main goal of treatment. In most cases, the automobile insurance company will pay for all of the care you receive from a chiropractor for injuries due to a motor vehicle accident.

Hackettstown, NJ (July 11, 2018) Dr. Tyler Carlock, Chiropractic physician at Village Family Clinic explains the gravity of the damage a car accident can inflict on the spine and ways to promote recovery and rehabilitation.

Dr. Carlock defines whiplash, “a common word but [one that] not many people know exactly what it means,” as an injury that occurs most often during a collision. Specifically, with whiplash, the “neck rapidly extends backwards then flexes forward in a split second, which is traumatic to the ligaments and muscles in the neck” Carlock explains. Most often, the effects of whiplash materialize into “inflammation [that] irritates the spinal nerves which can cause sharp pains into the shoulder or down the arm which can cause decreased muscle strength or sensory changes. This is called ‘radiculopathy’.” The symptoms of whiplash may not be felt right away but could lead to issues in the future.

Carlock stresses the importance of visiting a chiropractor after even a minor car accident. Following a car accident, victims are sent to the hospital where they have x-rays that do not show inflammation and other symptoms of whiplash that many accident victims endure. Carlock indicates that “visiting a chiropractor for all of these injuries after an accident is a great way to deal and recover from the injuries. Taking pressure off of the nerves and getting you out of pain and increasing range of motion is the main goal of [chiropractic] treatment.”

If you have been involved in a car accident, however minor, a visit to a chiropractor can ensure a full recovery. Dr. Carlock points out that “in most cases, automobile insurance companies will pay for all of the care you receive from a chiropractor for injuries due to a motor vehicle accident.”

At Village Family Clinic, a team of chiropractors, physical therapists, and an acupuncturist are equipped to treat car accident victims and foster rehabilitation. For more information, a consultation, or treatment, call the Village Family Clinic at (908) 813-8200, or visit them on the web at hackettstownfamilyclinic.com.

Hackettstown, NJ (July 11, 2018) Village Family Clinic hosts their seventh annual Pet Food Drive at their office location in Hackettstown, NJ to collect pet food for local animal shelters August 20th through the 24th during office hours.

Dr. James R. Fedich, clinic director at Village Family Clinic, has organized a Pet Food Drive to support local animal shelters. Over the past seven years, Dr. Fedich’s team and their patients have collectively donated enough pet food to fill seven pick-up trucks. “Our Pet Food Drive has perennially benefited the local animal shelters and has allowed myself and our community to give back” Dr Fedich explains. “It also encourages new patients as well as beloved returning patients to visit the office.” In fact, Dr. Fedich is offering special services to motivate new and returning patients to donate pet food. If a patient, new or returning, donates just one 5lb bag of dog or cat food, he or she can choose to receive a free exam, free adjustment, or receive half off of one acupuncture session.

Dr. Fedich is excited about the opportunity to meet new patients: “Some people are hesitant that chiropractic, acupuncture, and other services offered at our clinic are what they need. The week of our Pet Food Drive is an opportunity for those people to see our office, meet and speak with the doctors, and save money by receiving a free exam, free adjustment, or half off an acupuncture session all for the cost of one 5lb bag of pet food.” During the Pet Food Drive, new and returning patients can save money on their treatment and play a part in giving back to the community by benefiting local animal shelters and the animals there. According to Dr. Fedich, the goal of this year’s Pet Food Drive is to collect enough pet food to fill one entire pick-up truck.

The Pet Food Drive will be held at the Village Family Clinic in Hackettstown, NJ the week of August 20-24, 2018, during office hours, 9am until 7pm. For more information, directions, or an appointment, contact the Village Family Clinic at (908) 813-8200, or visit them on the web at www.hackettstownfamilyclinic.com.

Hello everybody Dr. James Fedich, Clinic Director at Village Family Clinic in Hackettstown, NJ. If you don't know we are we're in Hackensack New Jersey and we are one of the area's largest health care providers. We havehave multiple chiropractors, physical therapists, acupuncturists, nutritionists, and medical pain management over here for all your healthcare needs.

In this video we're talking about sleeping. We see a lot of patients in the clinic with problems sleeping so we're gonna give you some sleep tips, tips to get you to sleep better, and some general tips about sleep positioning.

There's a lot of people with insomnia which means you're not getting enough sleep. There's a couple different problems. It's really kind of two major problems when we're having trouble falling asleep and/or we're having trouble staying asleep. So there's different problems in there this is a complex issue.

The number one reason people do not sleep well is actually muscle aches and pain. So you're waking up because your back hurts your neck hurts you're rolling on your shoulder. It is physical problems that is actually the number one reason why we're not getting good night's sleep. So if you have a physical problem, back pain, neck pain,headaches, shoulder problems, or anything like that give us a call at (908) 813-8200 and we'll fix that up for you.

There's some other good tips I'd like to give you today. Let’s talk general sleep problems versus a physical problem. Number one is electronics. We're all into iPhones iPads and computers. We had a guy in recently with trouble sleeping. It turns out he leaves his I pad on and it alerts when he's getting email alerts all night and of course it's waking him up multiple times. So rule number one in getting a good night's sleep is turning electronics off an hour before bedtime. Turn phones off, iPads off, no TVs in the room an hour before bedtime. All that light, it's gets complicated, but the light stimulating hormones in the brain and keeps you awake. The body thinks there's some light out there and wants to be awakened.

Rule number two. We don't want to eat or drink anything in our before bed as well. So if you were eating this midnight snack or drinking a big glass of water, then you got to get up and go to the bathroom. So it's no food or drinking at bedtime.

Your room environment is very important so a couple things in the general room for you to think about. A lot of us are sleeping way too warm whether it's in the summer or winter. Most of you are sleeping too warm. If you set sleep temperatures at 72 or 70, then you're under the blankets. You're gonna be 75 degrees in there as your body heat is all trapped in there. There's a lot of different strategies but the best thing for most is to keep the room a little bit cooler enough that you don’t need a thick blanket. Myself, we use something called the chill pad at home where it circulates water underneath you and it helps regulate your body temperature.

Next we’ll discuss sleep positions. A lot of people don't know how to sleep. Number one we never want to sleep on our stomach. There's just no good way to sleep on your stomach. It's gonna put strain on the neck and it's hard to breathe properly. For women out there they say gives you wrinkles quicker if you sleep on your stomach. So that's why I get my women patients to sleep on their back or sides. I found a change that happens to work. Get all those long body pillows at Target or some store like that. Just get one of those big long and inexpensive pillows and start putting it underneath you. Start gently turning off your stomach toward your side or back, either is okay, whatever it's better for you.

I know a lot of people have trouble snoring. If you're snoring a lot and your partner says you kind of stop breathing in the night you could have something called sleep apnea where you're waking up continually and which is actually a very serious medical problem. So if you have a severe snoring and your partner says that you're kind of not breathing in middle of night you want to get a sleep study done to evaluate you for sleep apnea.

One thing we recommend is one good pillow. So a normal pillow you are going to find at the stores are probably not going to give you enough support. One of the pillows that we have here is this water-based pillow. Basically what you do is you fill up water level based on how big you are. So you use just one pillow. A nice thing about the water pillow is that it's nice and heavy, doesn't slide around. So we use these at the clinic.

So, no food or drinking before bedtime, no electronics at night before bedtime, try to go to bed a little earlier, No electronics, no food, nothing else an hour before bed. Once in a nice calming relaxing bedroom, get the temperature down. Most of us are sleeping way too warm. Get it to 72 degrees in there and sleep a little cooler. Sleep positions, be on our back or a side. Use one good pillow. If you have a bad lower back, a sleep pill is ok and use a pillow or two underneath the knees to elevate them so that you can take some pressure off the spine. Come on in and we can delve into this a little bit more. Hopefully this helped you out a little bit. Check out our website hackettstownfamilyclinic.com or give us a call.

How's everybody doing? This is Dr. Carlock with Hackettstown, NJ’s Village Family Clinic. I'm here today talking about a couple of home exercises and stretches you can do if you're suffering from any neck pain or discomfort.

A lot of us at our jobs are sitting all day at the computer with shoulders and neck bent forward and that's a really common problem in today’s society. So if you want to help yourself a little bit letme show you a couple stretches.

So range of motion stretches are relatively easy to do. You're just go to one side to get the range of motion and hold it for like 10 seconds. Go to the other side 10 seconds and a good one in. There's your levator scapulae muscles on your shoulder. It attaches to your neck.

You're gonna bring your head down, you're gonna look towards your armpit,you're just going to enforce it to go down a little bit more. Hold that for again like 10 seconds or so. You can do the other side as well, neck down, look over pull.

Another really good exercise is called chin tucks. That's for your posture and your suboccipital muscles right up there at the base your neck. So you're gonna look forward straight ahead and all you're gonna do is bring your chin in and tuck it. If you see me from this side I'm not bending my neck, I'm just plugging my chin back. I'm gonna hold that for about 10 seconds. If you want you can push it down a little bit. I know that looks funny but if you do that about 10 times with a 5 to 10 second hold a couple times a day that'll be really good for your neck posture.

So those are some things you can do at home for your neck pain. If you have any concerns you can come on in we'll take a look at your neck. You can call us at (908) 813-8200.