Michael Zola, D.C.

If you consider a vertebral segment as consisting of three legs like a tripod, the front of the vertebrae is the large vertebral body and the two legs in the back are the articular facets. The spinal cord passes between these three legs as it travels its course from the brainstem down to the tail [..]

Migraine is a neurovascular brain disorder that affects about 15% of the population and is the number one cause of disability in adults under the age of 50.  Neck pain has been estimated to be twelve times more likely to occur in migraine patients than in healthy subjects.  Similarly, migraineurs with neck pain report more [..]

Considerations for Costs, Outcomes, Surgery, Injections, and Imaging Introduction Healthcare providers of various disciplines tend to believe in and offer patients the intervention of their specialty: Medical doctors tend to prescribe medicines. Surgeons tend to offer surgery. Acupuncturists tend to offer needles. Massage therapists tend to offer massage. Physical therapists tend to offer physical therapy. [..]

Though whiplash associated disorders (WAD) is a term used to encompass the myriad of symptoms associated with whiplash injury, research has largely focused on the neck, and more recently, brain. However, there is another area of the body that often experiences injury during trauma involving the sudden back and forth movement of the head and [..]

Sleep is a basic and essential need that allows the body to rejuvenate, which provides both physical and mental health benefits. Lack of quality sleep can increase the risk for chronic health conditions and significantly reduce an individual’s quality of life. Sleep troubles tend to become more common with age, which can worsen existing health [..]

While chronic hip pain can affect individuals of all ages and activity levels, 30-40% of those who have a history of playing sports and 12-15% of adults over age 60 may develop the condition. Although hip pain can result in a variety of diagnoses, a common form is coxa saltans, or snapping hip syndrome (SHS). [..]

The median nerve originates from nerve roots (specifically C5-T1) that exit the cervical spine and then merge together in the brachial plexus in the neck and shoulder region traveling down the arm, through the wrist, and into the hand. Compression or restriction of the mobility of the median nerve anywhere along its course can result [..]

The annulus of the intervertebral disk is comprised of tough, dense, and strong cartilaginous fibers that protect the nucleus within, which facilitates the movement of the spine. If the structure of the annulus is compromised, the nucleus can leak into or beyond the annulus, a condition that may be classified as a disk herniation, protrusion, [..]

Neck pain is a very common condition that is the second most common reason patients seek chiropractic care (after low back pain). The term “mechanical neck pain” is a common classification defined as pain located in the cervical spine or cervicothoracic junction that is elicited and/or exacerbated by cervical motion and/or palpation of cervical musculature. [..]

Osteoarthritis of either the knee or hip is characterized by a long period of progressively increasing pain and disability that may eventually result in the need for joint replacement surgery after several years. Before considering surgical intervention, clinical guidelines recommend utilizing non-surgical treatment options first, of which there are many choices available to a patient. [..]

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a condition that results from pressure applied to the median nerve on the palm side of the wrist. The disorder is associated with both motor and sensory signs and symptoms such as numbness, pain, and paresthesia that radiates from the wrist first to the first three digits and can include [..]

The Vagus Nerve and Musculoskeletal Pain By a wide margin, people go to chiropractors for the management of musculoskeletal pain. Recent formal reviews of the chiropractic profession indicate that 93% of chiropractic patients initially seek chiropractic care for spinal pain complaints: 63% for low back pain and 30% for neck pain. Patient satisfaction with their [..]