Chiropractic is widely recognized as a safe and effective method of alternative treatment for conditions of the spine, joints, muscles and nerves. Millions of people look to chiropractic for relief from back pain, neck pain, headaches, and sports injuries.

Chiropractic care continues to grow in popularity. Consumers are now more aware of the potential risks associated with drugs, needles and knives and want safe and effective alternatives. Researchers are increasingly interested in investigating chiropractic adjustments to determine its safety and value. There are now a vast number of well-conducted studies that speak to chiropractic’s benefits. To check out a few of these studies, go to our Chiropractic Research Page.

Chiropractic is the largest, most regulated, and best recognized of the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) professions. CAM patient surveys show that chiropractors are used more often than any other alternative provider group and patient satisfaction with chiropractic care is very high. There is steadily increasing patient use of chiropractic in the United States, which has tripled in the past two decades.

– Meeker, Haldeman (2002), Annals of Internal Medicine

If you are ready to try one of the fastest growing alternative health care movements in the country, we’ve got your back! We look forward to welcoming you to our practice. Let’s get started!

There are tens of millions of satisfied chiropractic consumers who have made chiropractic care a regular part of their health routine for back pain, neck pain, headaches, migraines, and other injuries. The reasons that people love chiropractic are mostly rooted in the efficacy of the treatment. Chiropractic is a really great safe and proven method of treating pain related to joints, muscles and nerves without the use of drugs, needles or knives.

Lehigh Valley Chiropractic is right for you if you are suffering from back pain, disc herniation, muscle tightness or tension, headaches, migraines or sports injuries and you are looking for an alternative from the traditional treatment methods. You are a good candidate for chiropractic care if you are motivated to get better and willing to do what is asked of you (like specific exercises and movement out of the office) as a part of your therapy. Also, chiropractic adjustments are a hands on approach, so you’ve got to be okay with a manual type of therapy.

To put you even more at ease and help you to determine if chiropractic is right for you, listen to this. Studies show that chiropractic consumers are more satisfied with chiropractic care than medical care when it comes to conditions like low back pain and neck pain. Take a peek at a few studies that prove just that:

“Patients with chronic low-back pain treated by chiropractors showed greater improvement and satisfaction at one month than patients treated by family physicians. Satisfaction scores were higher for chiropractic patients. A higher proportion of chiropractic patients (56 percent vs. 13 percent) reported that their low-back pain was better or much better, whereas nearly one-third of medical patients reported their low-back pain was worse or much worse.”

– Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Nyiendo et al. (2000)

“Acute and chronic chiropractic patients experienced better outcomes in pain, functional disability, and patient satisfaction.”

– Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Haas et al. (2005)

“Chiropractic patients were found to be more satisfied with their back care providers after four weeks of treatment than were medical patients. Results from observational studies suggested that back pain patients are more satisfied with chiropractic care than with medical care. Additionally, studies conclude that patients are more satisfied with chiropractic care than they were with physical therapy after six weeks.”

— American Journal of Public Health, Hertzman-Miller et al. (2002)

“Chiropractic patients were found to be more satisfied with their back care providers after four weeks of treatment than were medical patients. Results from observational studies suggested that back pain patients are more satisfied with chiropractic care than with medical care. Additionally, studies conclude that patients are more satisfied with chiropractic care than they were with physical therapy after six weeks.”

— American Journal of Public Health, Hertzman-Miller et al. (2002)

So, if you are feeling ready to go and know that chiropractic is right for you, we’re excited to meet you! Let’s do this. Come work with us at Lehigh Valley Chiropractic in Bethlehem PA. Let’s get started.

If you wish to be contacted–you’ll be hearing from our team shortly. In the meanwhile, feel free to browse our collection of articles and topics written by Drs Kristen and Scott Bentson.

Also feel free to check out Dr Kristen Bentson’s YouAnew Lifestyle Nutrition at https://KristenBentson.com
If you’re ready to change your meals and change your life–this is where you get started.

Kristen Bentson, DC, MS (Nutr) is a summa cum laude graduate of Wagner College in New York City where, as a presidential scholar, she received a B.A. in Theater/Speech and completed her pre-chiropractic studies. While at Wagner, she was inducted into Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society. After completing her undergraduate work, she attended Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. At Palmer, she was a presidential scholar, inducted into Pi Tau Delta (the National Chiropractic Honor Society), and received the prestigious Clinical Excellence Award. She graduated summa cum laude in 2007. At commencement, Dr. Bentson and her husband were the first married couple in Palmer Colleges’ 102 year history to share the title of Valedictorian. She then went on to complete her Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Bridgeport Nutrition Institute. She has completed her training in biofeedback from Widener University and is certified by the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America (BCIA). Additionally, she is trained in Active Release Technique (ART).

Currently, Dr. Bentson works with patients through functional health and nutrition.  She is trained in functional medicine through the Institute for Functional Medicine and is on staff at Lehigh Valley Health Network.

• Dr. Kristen Bentson

Dr. Scott Bentson began his college education in engineering physics and graduated with a B.S. from Taylor University in 2001. He worked for a short time at Lucent Technologies before pursuing his master’s degree at New Jersey Institute of Technology. He graduated in 2003 from NJIT with a M.S. in Biomedical Engineering. He was then employed as a research engineer at the Kessler Medical Rehabilitation, Research and Education Corporation in West Orange, New Jersey where he worked with spinal cord injured patients studying autonomic function (specifically heart rate variability) and body weight supported treadmill training. While working at Kessler, Scott developed an ambition to pursue a degree in chiropractic and began his training at Palmer College in 2004.  While at Palmer, he was a presidential scholar and a member of Pi Tau Delta, the National Chiropractic Honor Society. In 2007, Dr. Bentson graduated summa cum laude and first in his class. He then went on to receive training in Active Release Technique. Dr. Bentson is on staff at Lehigh Valley Health Network.

Dr. Bentson is uniquely trained to diagnose and treat sports related injuries.

He is a member of the the American Chiropractic Association.

Dr. Bentson is passionate about research and evidence based medicine. He enjoys exercise, ice hockey, web design, and spending time with his family. He lives with his amazing wife, Dr. Kristen Bentson, and their rockstar boys, Ben & Greyson, in Bethlehem.

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What is TMJD?

The temporomandibular joint (aka TMJ) is located in front of your ear; it’s the joint that connects the jaw bone (mandible) to your skull (temporal bone). This joint allows for your mouth to open and close. Disorders of this joint are quite common; they can be very painful and even totally debilitating. Women develop disorders of the TMJ more frequently than men. Conditions of the TMJ often result in pain, tenderness, reduced ability to open and close the jaw, facial pain, headache, and difficulty chewing. If the cause of your TMJ disorder is as a result of overly tight muscles in the face, neck and head and joint dysfunction, chiropractic adjustments and myofascial therapy and the hands-on approach used at Lehigh Valley Chiropractic may be a great option for treating your TMJ discomfort and getting rid of that TMJ pain once and for all!

Our unique treatment approach to TMJD–temporomandibular joint dysfunction (a combination of chiropractic adjustments, myofasical release, specific therapeutic exercises and home care) may be the answer you’ve been looking for. It’s time for you to chat and chew without pain.

-Dr Bentson

Patients will often complain of occasional clicking or popping of the TMJ; if you are experiencing this (but not suffering from any pain or restriction of movement), you most likely don’t need to seek treatment. Although annoying, these noises are benign. If you are experiencing popping and pain, this is often indicative of a disorder of the TMJ (specifically a derangement of the disc found inside the joint). There are many causes and types of TMJ disorders. Any of the structures in or around the joint (discs, joint capsules, synovial fluid muscles) may become irritated or inflamed causing TMJD. It is important to determine the cause of the disorder in order to effectively treat it.

How is TMJD Diagnosed?

TMJD is generally diagnosed by detailed history and physical exam. Your chiropractor will ask you questions like what makes it worse, what makes it better, how/when it began, and what it feels like. Next, an exam will be performed; your chiropractor will feel the joint and its surrounding muscles. He/she will then assess the joint’s motion and may listen to the TMJ with a stethoscope.  Although imaging is not always needed to diagnose TMJD, in certain cases, x-ray, MRI, or CT scan may be ordered.

What Are the Options for Treating TMJD?

TMJD is commonly evaluated and successfully treated at Lehigh Valley Chiropractic. That being said, success depends on the cause. Once you have been evaluated, your chiropractor will be able to determine whether a course of chiropractic care is warranted. Certain cases require a referral to a dentist, orthodontist or oral surgeon and may not respond to conservative management by a chiropractor; if this is the case, the appropriate referral will be made. Using hands on therapies to treat the TMJ and surrounding muscles, biofeedback to retrain overused muscles, and lifestyle counseling to enable you to care for your condition at home, our program will enable you to chat and chew without pain. At their release from care, many patients are overjoyed by the relief they experience with conservative treatment.

References

1. Use of complementary and alternative medicine for temporomandibular disorders. DeBar LL, Vuckovic N, Schneider J, Ritenbaugh C. J Orofac Pain. 2003 Summer;17(3):224-36.
2. The effects of manual therapy and exercise directed at the cervical spine on pain and pressure pain sensitivity in patients with myofascial temporomandibular disorders. La Touche R, Fernández-de-las-Peñas C, Fernández-Carnero J, Escalante K, Angulo-Díaz-Parreño S, Paris-Alemany A, Cleland JA. J Oral Rehabil. 2009 Sep;36(9):644-52.

Everything can change in an instant and recovery from an injury can take time–heal with confidence at Lehigh Valley Chiropractic.

For many patients, motor vehicle accidents are life altering events. You may suddenly be dealing with the pain and stress from the accident, insurances, auto-repair shops, rental car dealers, lawyers…the list goes on and on. For a period of time, these hassles keep you from enjoying the quality of life you have known in the past.

Whiplash, Neck Pain, Back Pain and Headaches–Different types of injuries require different approaches.

Perhaps you have sustained injuries related to the accident. Whiplash, neck pain, back pain, headaches and muscle pain are common complaints. The staff at Lehigh Valley Chiropractic is well equipped to ease your pain. Our goal is to provide a hassle-free experience. Our friendly receptionists will work with you to schedule appointments that fit your needs. We deal directly with your auto-insurance to verify your coverage and our billing team will submit all claims for you.

Take advantage of the comfortable chairs and soothing music in our waiting room. Patients are known to come quite early just to sit and relax prior to their appointment. You will be evaluated and managed by our chiropractors. On your first visit, expect to spend up to an hour with the doctors; at this time, you will provide a history and describe the current complaint. The doctor will thoroughly examine you. Rest assured, if further testing or evaluation is required, you will be referred to the appropriate facility. A course of treatment will then be prescribed. Generally, you can expect to visit the office several times per week for a few weeks for treatment until your condition has stabilized; these visits generally last 10-20 minutes. Our priority is to release you from care as quickly as possible. If you are improving more rapidly than expected, the frequency of visits may be decreased or you may be released. If at any time you have questions or concerns regarding your care, speak freely to our staff. We look forward serving your needs.

Sports Injury and
Active Release and Manual Therapy for Soft Tissue Injury

Active Release Techniques® (ART) is a soft tissue technique that involves a gentle yet firm contact to a painful or injured tissue while it is moved either actively or passively through its full range of motion. There are specific protocols for muscle, fascia, many of body’s ligaments and nerves designed to decrease pain and improve function. Conditions that commonly respond to ART include headache, back pain, neck pain, carpal tunnel, shoulder pain, knee pain and tennis elbow. This type of treatment is safe and effective.

Athletes and performers often carry out repetitive movements which make them prone to muscle imbalances and repetitive stress injuries. ART is a unique system of treatment that provides for optimum performance whether you ride, run, dance, skate or ski your way to the top