I have said and written many times that most of the patients of my San Diego Chiropractic clinic ended becoming patients because of aches and pains related to bad posture. Think about how many times that your parents told you to "sit up straight" when you were a kid. Although they probably didn't have any medical reasons behind this command, the potentially negative health consequences that accompany bad posture make this sitting up straight a reasonable request.
Bad posture can cause neck pain, headaches, back pain, digestive stress, carpal tunnel syndrome type symptoms, irritability and fatigue. Surveys also indicate that bad posture gives others the opinion that you are not intelligent, lazy and unattractive. Egads!
Correcting bad posture requires awareness, specific types of exercise, specific kinds of stretches and chiropractic treatment to help improve alignment and balance of the spine.
Showing posts with label Back Pain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Back Pain. Show all posts
Monday, August 12, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Strong Glutes and Chiropractic
One of the common problems that I see in the patients of my San Diego chiropractic practice is weak gluteal muscles. The gluteal muscles should be the strongest muscles in the body. In addition to being powerful hip extensors that drive the body forward and upward in activities such as in running and climbing they also help hold our spine in proper alignment.
The problem with us in general is that instead of using our glutes to move our body weight we use them to sit on. With increase time sitting and less activity time the glutes begin to weaken causing loss of posture, instability of the lower back and increased chance of injury. When the glutes are weak the body recruits other muscles such as the hamstrings and the larger muscles of the lower back to perform the tasks that are usually handled by the glutes. This kind of compensation leads to muscular imbalances, poor spinal alignment and back pain or injuries.
For most of us, avoiding hours of sitting each day would require a monumental effort as well as being in control of your work station. Since this isn't possible in most cases, maintaining healthy spinal alignment requires specific exercises for the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus, taking as many breaks from sitting during the day as possible, a structured stretching program and maintenance chiropractic treatment.
The problem with us in general is that instead of using our glutes to move our body weight we use them to sit on. With increase time sitting and less activity time the glutes begin to weaken causing loss of posture, instability of the lower back and increased chance of injury. When the glutes are weak the body recruits other muscles such as the hamstrings and the larger muscles of the lower back to perform the tasks that are usually handled by the glutes. This kind of compensation leads to muscular imbalances, poor spinal alignment and back pain or injuries.
For most of us, avoiding hours of sitting each day would require a monumental effort as well as being in control of your work station. Since this isn't possible in most cases, maintaining healthy spinal alignment requires specific exercises for the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and gluteus minimus, taking as many breaks from sitting during the day as possible, a structured stretching program and maintenance chiropractic treatment.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Chiropractic and Nutrition - The Calorie Cost of Fast Food
As a chiropractor who cares for people who typically have a more holistic approach to their health and diet, I see my patients sabotage their efforts to become healthy on a regular basis. I believe that since I practice chiropractic in San Diego I probably tend to see people who exercise enough because of the nice weather but tend to fail themselves on the diet side getting healthier. I have long contended that treating people for neck pain, back pain and headaches is much easier than trying to instill a dietary change or an exercise plan. Some of my chiropractic patients indicate poor planning leading to drops in blood sugar resulting in poor food choices while others just like the taste of their favorite fast food.
Eating habits are "funny strange" not so much "funny ha ha". They are very hard for most of to control. I have always been a thin 6 foot 190 pound guy. I can’ tell you how many people think that I am just one of those “blessed” people who can eat anything they want to without gaining weight. Unfortunately for me, they would be wrong. Watching my diet is a daily chore. One thing that has helped me is the fact that I exercise and that I am keenly aware of how long I will have to exercise in order to work off any sweets that I eat or Mexican foods that I indulge in.
With this in mind, I came across a neat little article that covered what some of our chain-food favorites will cost us in time spent doing common exercises. These excerpts are from the Diet Detective who has authored several books on the topic.
Note: Calorie content of foods are based on official website information at the time of publication. Minutes of exercise are averages based on a 155-pound person. The greater the weight of the person the more calories burned per minute.
DONUT
Dunkin Donuts Chocolate Frosted Donut (230 calories)
59 minutes of walking (3 mph).
BREAKFAST SANDWICH
McDonald's Egg McMuffin (300 calories)
32 minutes of running (5 mph).
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE
Panera Chocolate Chipper (440 calories)
62 minutes of biking (10-11.9 mph).
PIZZA
Pizza Hut Large Hand-Tossed Style Cheese Pizza (1 slice; 320 calories)
39 minutes of swimming (slow to moderate laps).
CINNAMON ROLL
Starbucks Cinnamon Roll (500 calories, varies by location)
85 minutes of dancing.
HAMBURGER
Burger King Original Whopper With Cheese (770 calories)
94 minutes of swimming (slow to moderate laps).
BROWNIE
Au Bon Pain Chocolate Chip Brownie (380 calories).
129 minutes of yoga (Hatha style).
FRIES
Wendy's Large French Fries (540 calories)
77 minutes of biking (10-11.9 mph).
ICE CREAM
Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream (0.5 cup; 270 calories)
29 minutes of running (5 mph).
BURRITO
Taco Bell Burrito Supreme, Beef (410 calories)
70 minutes of dancing.
The next time you think that eating these foods once in a while won’t hinder your efforts to see your abs again or fit into the bikini, think again. Not only will indulging in these treats hamper your quest for a lean physique, but they will also lead to weight gain which is known to cause heart disease, back pain, sciatica and many other disorders – some of which can be treated with chiropractic and some that can’t. I hope that you found this information entertaining and helpful.
Eating habits are "funny strange" not so much "funny ha ha". They are very hard for most of to control. I have always been a thin 6 foot 190 pound guy. I can’ tell you how many people think that I am just one of those “blessed” people who can eat anything they want to without gaining weight. Unfortunately for me, they would be wrong. Watching my diet is a daily chore. One thing that has helped me is the fact that I exercise and that I am keenly aware of how long I will have to exercise in order to work off any sweets that I eat or Mexican foods that I indulge in.
With this in mind, I came across a neat little article that covered what some of our chain-food favorites will cost us in time spent doing common exercises. These excerpts are from the Diet Detective who has authored several books on the topic.
Note: Calorie content of foods are based on official website information at the time of publication. Minutes of exercise are averages based on a 155-pound person. The greater the weight of the person the more calories burned per minute.
DONUT
Dunkin Donuts Chocolate Frosted Donut (230 calories)
59 minutes of walking (3 mph).
BREAKFAST SANDWICH
McDonald's Egg McMuffin (300 calories)
32 minutes of running (5 mph).
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE
Panera Chocolate Chipper (440 calories)
62 minutes of biking (10-11.9 mph).
PIZZA
Pizza Hut Large Hand-Tossed Style Cheese Pizza (1 slice; 320 calories)
39 minutes of swimming (slow to moderate laps).
CINNAMON ROLL
Starbucks Cinnamon Roll (500 calories, varies by location)
85 minutes of dancing.
HAMBURGER
Burger King Original Whopper With Cheese (770 calories)
94 minutes of swimming (slow to moderate laps).
BROWNIE
Au Bon Pain Chocolate Chip Brownie (380 calories).
129 minutes of yoga (Hatha style).
FRIES
Wendy's Large French Fries (540 calories)
77 minutes of biking (10-11.9 mph).
ICE CREAM
Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice Cream (0.5 cup; 270 calories)
29 minutes of running (5 mph).
BURRITO
Taco Bell Burrito Supreme, Beef (410 calories)
70 minutes of dancing.
The next time you think that eating these foods once in a while won’t hinder your efforts to see your abs again or fit into the bikini, think again. Not only will indulging in these treats hamper your quest for a lean physique, but they will also lead to weight gain which is known to cause heart disease, back pain, sciatica and many other disorders – some of which can be treated with chiropractic and some that can’t. I hope that you found this information entertaining and helpful.
Chiropractic and Nutrition: Soy – Good or Bad
Being a Chiropractor in San Diego, I am surrounded by patients who try to make improvements in their health on a number of fronts. Sure, they often come to my office complaining of neck pain, back pain or headaches that require chiropractic care, but usually at some point the topic of nutrition comes up. At that point I usually ask the question - Do you consume soy?
Soy is everywhere now days. It can be found in bread, cakes, baby formula, milk, meat substitutes, cereal, snack foods and even pet foods. As most of you know you can even get soy-based drinks at Starbucks. In fact, almost every time that I have been in Starbucks I overhear customers ordering a “Soy Chai Latte” something or other - intentionally.
In many cases, soy seems to be the answer to many peoples diet concerns. Those who are lactose intolerant use soy milk and soy burgers are seen as an ideal protein substitute for those who are vegetarians.
Soy, however, has some very real health complications for its consumers. Soy is an estrogen precursor and can cause a host of side effects in both women and men. Like most hormones, elevated levels of estrogen come with dangers. Soy can trigger the growth of estrogen based fibrotic tumors in women and result in the formation of breast tissue in men (gynecomastia).
Many people have allergies to soy that can cause everything from mal-absorption to full blown allergic reactions that include upset stomachs, excessive mucus production, vomiting and hives. Allergies to soy is relevant for my patients because it can cause or contribute to joint pain and stiffness as well.
In addition to elevated estrogen levels, soy milk contains nearly 100 times the aluminum that is found in cow’s milk. In a report issued in 1997 by the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition, aluminum levels in breast milk ranged from 4 to 65 ng/mL while soy-based formulas contained 600 to 1300 ng/mL. As many of you may know, research is leaning heavily toward aluminum as a contributor to Alzheimer’s disease.
Soy is neither safe nor natural. It is heavily processed with a variety of toxic chemicals.
Soy is often offered as a healthier and natural alternative to our normal foods. However, there are many problems with soy, and I see my chiropractic patients struggle with physical symptoms secondary to soy consumption on a regular basis. This article touches on just a few of the problems with soy consumption. If you would like more information on soy, try going to the food and drug administrations’ website and search for “soy” to find in depth material on the possible dangers of soy in your diet.
Diet, exercise and chiropractic care can all contribute toward making you a much healthier and happier person.
Soy is everywhere now days. It can be found in bread, cakes, baby formula, milk, meat substitutes, cereal, snack foods and even pet foods. As most of you know you can even get soy-based drinks at Starbucks. In fact, almost every time that I have been in Starbucks I overhear customers ordering a “Soy Chai Latte” something or other - intentionally.
In many cases, soy seems to be the answer to many peoples diet concerns. Those who are lactose intolerant use soy milk and soy burgers are seen as an ideal protein substitute for those who are vegetarians.
Soy, however, has some very real health complications for its consumers. Soy is an estrogen precursor and can cause a host of side effects in both women and men. Like most hormones, elevated levels of estrogen come with dangers. Soy can trigger the growth of estrogen based fibrotic tumors in women and result in the formation of breast tissue in men (gynecomastia).
Many people have allergies to soy that can cause everything from mal-absorption to full blown allergic reactions that include upset stomachs, excessive mucus production, vomiting and hives. Allergies to soy is relevant for my patients because it can cause or contribute to joint pain and stiffness as well.
In addition to elevated estrogen levels, soy milk contains nearly 100 times the aluminum that is found in cow’s milk. In a report issued in 1997 by the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition, aluminum levels in breast milk ranged from 4 to 65 ng/mL while soy-based formulas contained 600 to 1300 ng/mL. As many of you may know, research is leaning heavily toward aluminum as a contributor to Alzheimer’s disease.
Soy is neither safe nor natural. It is heavily processed with a variety of toxic chemicals.
Soy is often offered as a healthier and natural alternative to our normal foods. However, there are many problems with soy, and I see my chiropractic patients struggle with physical symptoms secondary to soy consumption on a regular basis. This article touches on just a few of the problems with soy consumption. If you would like more information on soy, try going to the food and drug administrations’ website and search for “soy” to find in depth material on the possible dangers of soy in your diet.
Diet, exercise and chiropractic care can all contribute toward making you a much healthier and happier person.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Controlling Dietary Cravings
In my San Diego chiropractic clinic, for the most part, I treat people that are more oriented toward taking proactive steps in maintaining their health. In addition to helping my patients with the typical neck pain, back pain and headaches that are common complaints for chiropractors, I also give advice regarding nutrition and exercise that help them become healthier people.
Dietary cravings are the downfall for many of us regarding our health. I can’t recall what the disorders or deficiencies were, but I remember studying conditions that made some people crave dirt – that is right, people crave to eat dirt, and other deficiencies that made people crave aspirin. Obviously, none of us would think that a nice plate of dirt for dinner would sound good without some underlying nutritional deficiency that would drive us to such a craving.
It is interesting how mineral deficiencies can result in cravings of more typical types of foods. Naturopath Colleen Huber says that all food cravings are a signal that our bodies are telling us that we need more of certain types of foods. For example; when we crave sweets our bodies really need chromium, carbon, phosphorus, sulfur or tryptophan. A craving for chocolate can be an indicator that you are deficient in magnesium while a craving for salty foods is an indication that we are chloride deficient. If you crave soda or other carbonated drinks what you really need is calcium.
This is incredibly valuable information. Once again, as a chiropractor I am not only concerned with relieving my patients back pain or neck pain but I am concerned about their health as a whole. Poor diets are fueled by cravings that we often don’t understand and by poor planning of our daily diets. A poor nutrition diet can cause low energy, weight gain, low self image and a feeling of being out of control among a host of other much more serious disorders.
Dietary cravings are the downfall for many of us regarding our health. I can’t recall what the disorders or deficiencies were, but I remember studying conditions that made some people crave dirt – that is right, people crave to eat dirt, and other deficiencies that made people crave aspirin. Obviously, none of us would think that a nice plate of dirt for dinner would sound good without some underlying nutritional deficiency that would drive us to such a craving.
It is interesting how mineral deficiencies can result in cravings of more typical types of foods. Naturopath Colleen Huber says that all food cravings are a signal that our bodies are telling us that we need more of certain types of foods. For example; when we crave sweets our bodies really need chromium, carbon, phosphorus, sulfur or tryptophan. A craving for chocolate can be an indicator that you are deficient in magnesium while a craving for salty foods is an indication that we are chloride deficient. If you crave soda or other carbonated drinks what you really need is calcium.
This is incredibly valuable information. Once again, as a chiropractor I am not only concerned with relieving my patients back pain or neck pain but I am concerned about their health as a whole. Poor diets are fueled by cravings that we often don’t understand and by poor planning of our daily diets. A poor nutrition diet can cause low energy, weight gain, low self image and a feeling of being out of control among a host of other much more serious disorders.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Back Pain Relief in San Diego
Many patients are looking for back pain relief when they schedule appointments at my San Diego Chiropractic clinic.
Most people consider chiropractors as back pain specialists. That being said, chiropractors provide treatment for patients with a variety of ailments including neck pain, headaches, sciatic pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc. While all of these conditions sound very different, they are actually very similar in the way they develop.
Most patients that suffer with headaches also complain of pain in the neck or neck stiffness. In fact, many headaches are related to muscle tension that originates in the neck. In these cases it is in fact the muscle tension or spasm in the neck that triggers the headache. Therefore, by treating the neck with a combination of chiropractic adjustments, hot packs, ice packs, muscle stimulation and ultrasound; the muscle tension in the neck can be resolved preventing the headache.
This is just an example of how one problem in a specific region of the body can be responsible for symptoms in a separate area. Likewise, sciatica is most often related to irritation of joints and muscle spasms in the lower back. Similarly, carpal tunnel syndrome results from a process involving joints in the wrist and the surrounding muscles and ligaments.
Almost all conditions follow the same path to becoming symptomatic - either through some specific injury or ongoing trauma (such as keyboarding or mousing), the joint(s) becomes irritated and inflamed causing pain and muscle spasm. If the pain and spasm affects a specific nerve, you may experience additional symptoms such as sciatica or arm / hand pain.
Most people consider chiropractors as back pain specialists. That being said, chiropractors provide treatment for patients with a variety of ailments including neck pain, headaches, sciatic pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc. While all of these conditions sound very different, they are actually very similar in the way they develop.
Most patients that suffer with headaches also complain of pain in the neck or neck stiffness. In fact, many headaches are related to muscle tension that originates in the neck. In these cases it is in fact the muscle tension or spasm in the neck that triggers the headache. Therefore, by treating the neck with a combination of chiropractic adjustments, hot packs, ice packs, muscle stimulation and ultrasound; the muscle tension in the neck can be resolved preventing the headache.
This is just an example of how one problem in a specific region of the body can be responsible for symptoms in a separate area. Likewise, sciatica is most often related to irritation of joints and muscle spasms in the lower back. Similarly, carpal tunnel syndrome results from a process involving joints in the wrist and the surrounding muscles and ligaments.
Almost all conditions follow the same path to becoming symptomatic - either through some specific injury or ongoing trauma (such as keyboarding or mousing), the joint(s) becomes irritated and inflamed causing pain and muscle spasm. If the pain and spasm affects a specific nerve, you may experience additional symptoms such as sciatica or arm / hand pain.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Pinched Nerves
You are on my last nerve! When I was a kid my mom probably said that to me a hundred times. Now my patients in my San Diego chiropractic office complain of other types of nerve issues. Sometimes, pinched nerves accompany neck pain, back pain and headaches.
Pinched nerves always result in pain traveling down either an arm or a leg resulting in what is called radiating pain. Many patients come to my San Diego chiropractic office complaining of a pinched nerve but my exam reveals simple neck pain or back pain.
There are many causes of pinched nerves. One of the worst scenarios involves a herniated disc in the spine that is putting pressure on the nerve. Herniated discs don't always mean that surgery is required but it usually results in stretched out, more intensive treatment plans.
One of the more common causes of pinched nerves results from irritated and inflamed joints in the spine. Poor lifting habits, awkward sleeping positions, poor posture and many other aggravating activities can inflame the ligamentous capsule that surrounds the joint. As the capsule swells, it cause local muscle spasm and can cause compression or pinching of the nerve.
Like I wrote earlier in the article, pinching of the nerve causes radiating pain that travels down the leg, into an arm, down the back or sometimes up to the back of the head. Either way, pinched nerves can make you absolutely miserable.
There are several things that you can do for a pinched nerve at home. To begin with, pinched nerves almost always involve inflammation and swelling. By applying ice packs to painful areas you can reduce the inflammation and relieve some of the pain. In addition to ice pack use, you have to acknowledge and respect your pain. That means rest as much as you can - working through pain rarely works out well for the patient. Try your best to stay out of painful positions and don't "test" it.
Chiropractic treatment is very effective at relieving the symptoms of a pinched nerve. Instead of masking the pain with drugs, chiropractic care improves the mechanics of the joint which helps relieve the pain and improve your range of motion.
Pinched nerves always result in pain traveling down either an arm or a leg resulting in what is called radiating pain. Many patients come to my San Diego chiropractic office complaining of a pinched nerve but my exam reveals simple neck pain or back pain.
There are many causes of pinched nerves. One of the worst scenarios involves a herniated disc in the spine that is putting pressure on the nerve. Herniated discs don't always mean that surgery is required but it usually results in stretched out, more intensive treatment plans.
One of the more common causes of pinched nerves results from irritated and inflamed joints in the spine. Poor lifting habits, awkward sleeping positions, poor posture and many other aggravating activities can inflame the ligamentous capsule that surrounds the joint. As the capsule swells, it cause local muscle spasm and can cause compression or pinching of the nerve.
Like I wrote earlier in the article, pinching of the nerve causes radiating pain that travels down the leg, into an arm, down the back or sometimes up to the back of the head. Either way, pinched nerves can make you absolutely miserable.
There are several things that you can do for a pinched nerve at home. To begin with, pinched nerves almost always involve inflammation and swelling. By applying ice packs to painful areas you can reduce the inflammation and relieve some of the pain. In addition to ice pack use, you have to acknowledge and respect your pain. That means rest as much as you can - working through pain rarely works out well for the patient. Try your best to stay out of painful positions and don't "test" it.
Chiropractic treatment is very effective at relieving the symptoms of a pinched nerve. Instead of masking the pain with drugs, chiropractic care improves the mechanics of the joint which helps relieve the pain and improve your range of motion.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Headaches and Chiropractic Treatment
I don't know about you, but I am a headache wimp - and I freely admit it to the patients of my San Diego Chiropractic clinic. I hardly ever get headaches, when I do I don't handle them very well. I get moody and I tend to "snap" at people that really mean me no harm.
In addition to my San Diego chiropractic office treating patients with neck pain and low back pain, we see many people with headaches. Headaches have many causes and there are many different types of headaches as well.
The most common types of headache that we provide treatment for are migraine and muscle tension headaches.
Muscle tension headaches typically begin in the muscles of the neck and upper back. When these muscle become tense, they pull on the muscles that cover your head. This tension results in a headache.
Muscle tension headaches can result from postural stresses such as long hours of computer work, they can develop as a result of car accident injuries, or just plain old work and home stresses.
One common reason for chronic, on going tension in the muscle is miss-aligned vertebra. When the vertebra become miss-aligned due to postural stress, awkward sleeping positions, accidents, etc., the muscles around that vertebra tighten up as a protective mechanism. The tight muscles are commonly the root cause of the muscle tension headache.
Chiropractic care re-aligns the joints of the spine causing a relaxation of the surrounding muscles. When the joints in the neck are re-aligned, the muscles that move and support that particular vertebra relax and return to their normal functions.
When the muscles are relaxed, the muscle tension subsides and the headache goes away. Treatment for muscle tension headaches usually requires a series of treatments but you should notice a decrease in the frequency and the severity of your headache with subsequent treatment.
In addition to my San Diego chiropractic office treating patients with neck pain and low back pain, we see many people with headaches. Headaches have many causes and there are many different types of headaches as well.
The most common types of headache that we provide treatment for are migraine and muscle tension headaches.
Muscle tension headaches typically begin in the muscles of the neck and upper back. When these muscle become tense, they pull on the muscles that cover your head. This tension results in a headache.
Muscle tension headaches can result from postural stresses such as long hours of computer work, they can develop as a result of car accident injuries, or just plain old work and home stresses.
One common reason for chronic, on going tension in the muscle is miss-aligned vertebra. When the vertebra become miss-aligned due to postural stress, awkward sleeping positions, accidents, etc., the muscles around that vertebra tighten up as a protective mechanism. The tight muscles are commonly the root cause of the muscle tension headache.
Chiropractic care re-aligns the joints of the spine causing a relaxation of the surrounding muscles. When the joints in the neck are re-aligned, the muscles that move and support that particular vertebra relax and return to their normal functions.
When the muscles are relaxed, the muscle tension subsides and the headache goes away. Treatment for muscle tension headaches usually requires a series of treatments but you should notice a decrease in the frequency and the severity of your headache with subsequent treatment.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Chiropractic Care is Much Safer Than You Think
As a Doctor of Chiropractic, I often deal with new patients who carry an unreasonable fear concerning chiropractic treatment. New patients that I see in my San Diego Chiropractic practice often have some fears associated with chiropractic treatment, in my opinion, a lifetime of neck pain, back pain or headaches should inspire much more fear than chiropractic treatment.
I have been practicing chiropractic in San Diego full time since I moved here in 1993. During that time I have kept in close contact with 8 friends that I made while in Chiropractic College. There are another 10 or so that I speak with 2 or 3 times per year. All but one of these doctors has been in full time practice for at least 15 years. Out of all of these doctors, not one of them has had a patient sue them for treatment related injuries. One of these doctors knows a doctor who was sued by a patient that tripped over his welcome mat and suffered a broken arm.
At a risk prevention seminar that I attended several years ago, the instructor stated that in a group of 25 chiropractors that practice for 20 years seeing an average of 100 patients per week, that one of these doctors would have a patient suffer from a serious injury related to treatment. That is equal to 1 serious injury in every 2.6 million chiropractic adjustments. When these numbers are compared to the dangers of Tylenol use for example, one can see how comparatively safe chiropractic care actually is. Just in the United States and the United Kingdom, each year there are 300 deaths and 130,000 emergency room visits as a direct result of Tylenol use.
The rest of this post is a compilation of facts regarding the safety of chiropractic treatment.
Chiropractic is Safe.
Records form insurance and court cases have constantly shown that chiropractic is the safest portal of entry health care available to the public today. Although no healthcare procedures are 100% safe, chiropractic stands on its record of safety and effectiveness unmatched in healthcare. To learn more about the safety record of chiropractic please visit the website
Chiropractic Is Safe at www.chiropracticissafe.org.
Chiropractic is the fastest-growing and second-largest primary health care profession.
There are approximately 60,000 doctors of chiropractic (DCs) in active practice in the United States spread from rural areas to inner cities. More than 10,000 students are currently enrolled in chiropractic educational programs accredited by a federally-recognized body (CCE).
Chiropractic services are in high demand.
Tens of millions of Americans routinely opt for chiropractic services and this number is rapidly growing. In 1993, more than 30 million patients made chiropractic a regular part of their health care program.
Doctors of Chiropractic receive extensive, demanding professional education that is on par with medical doctors (MDs) and osteopaths (DOs).
To receive the doctor of chiropractic degree, candidates must complete extensive undergraduate prerequisites and four years of graduate-level instruction and internship at an accredited chiropractic institution. Comprehensive knowledge of all systems of the body and diagnostic procedures enable the DC to thoroughly evaluate a patient, address disorders relating to the spine and determine the need for referral to another health care provider.
Doctors of Chiropractic are primary health care providers.
According to the Center for Studies in Health Policy, "The DC can provide all three levels of primary care interventions and therefore is a primary care provider, as are MDs and DOs. The doctor of chiropractic is a gatekeeper to the health care system and an independent practitioner who provides primary care services. The DC's office is a direct access portal of entry to the full scope of service."
Doctors of Chiropractic are licensed in all 50 states. DCs have been licensed and recognized for many decades in all states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Chiropractic is recognized by governmental health care programs.
Chiropractic is included in Medicare, Medicaid, Federal Employees Health Care Benefits Programs, Federal Workers' Compensation and all state workers' compensation programs.
Chiropractic students are qualified to receive federal student loan assistance and DCs are authorized to be commissioned as health care officers in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Chiropractic care is very effective and very safe. We have been treating patients with neck pain, back pain, headaches and many other symptoms for years without incident. I hope that this article hits home with some of you who have delayed chiropractic care due to unfounded fears.
I have been practicing chiropractic in San Diego full time since I moved here in 1993. During that time I have kept in close contact with 8 friends that I made while in Chiropractic College. There are another 10 or so that I speak with 2 or 3 times per year. All but one of these doctors has been in full time practice for at least 15 years. Out of all of these doctors, not one of them has had a patient sue them for treatment related injuries. One of these doctors knows a doctor who was sued by a patient that tripped over his welcome mat and suffered a broken arm.
At a risk prevention seminar that I attended several years ago, the instructor stated that in a group of 25 chiropractors that practice for 20 years seeing an average of 100 patients per week, that one of these doctors would have a patient suffer from a serious injury related to treatment. That is equal to 1 serious injury in every 2.6 million chiropractic adjustments. When these numbers are compared to the dangers of Tylenol use for example, one can see how comparatively safe chiropractic care actually is. Just in the United States and the United Kingdom, each year there are 300 deaths and 130,000 emergency room visits as a direct result of Tylenol use.
The rest of this post is a compilation of facts regarding the safety of chiropractic treatment.
Chiropractic is Safe.
Records form insurance and court cases have constantly shown that chiropractic is the safest portal of entry health care available to the public today. Although no healthcare procedures are 100% safe, chiropractic stands on its record of safety and effectiveness unmatched in healthcare. To learn more about the safety record of chiropractic please visit the website
Chiropractic Is Safe at www.chiropracticissafe.org.
Chiropractic is the fastest-growing and second-largest primary health care profession.
There are approximately 60,000 doctors of chiropractic (DCs) in active practice in the United States spread from rural areas to inner cities. More than 10,000 students are currently enrolled in chiropractic educational programs accredited by a federally-recognized body (CCE).
Chiropractic services are in high demand.
Tens of millions of Americans routinely opt for chiropractic services and this number is rapidly growing. In 1993, more than 30 million patients made chiropractic a regular part of their health care program.
Doctors of Chiropractic receive extensive, demanding professional education that is on par with medical doctors (MDs) and osteopaths (DOs).
To receive the doctor of chiropractic degree, candidates must complete extensive undergraduate prerequisites and four years of graduate-level instruction and internship at an accredited chiropractic institution. Comprehensive knowledge of all systems of the body and diagnostic procedures enable the DC to thoroughly evaluate a patient, address disorders relating to the spine and determine the need for referral to another health care provider.
Doctors of Chiropractic are primary health care providers.
According to the Center for Studies in Health Policy, "The DC can provide all three levels of primary care interventions and therefore is a primary care provider, as are MDs and DOs. The doctor of chiropractic is a gatekeeper to the health care system and an independent practitioner who provides primary care services. The DC's office is a direct access portal of entry to the full scope of service."
Doctors of Chiropractic are licensed in all 50 states. DCs have been licensed and recognized for many decades in all states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Chiropractic is recognized by governmental health care programs.
Chiropractic is included in Medicare, Medicaid, Federal Employees Health Care Benefits Programs, Federal Workers' Compensation and all state workers' compensation programs.
Chiropractic students are qualified to receive federal student loan assistance and DCs are authorized to be commissioned as health care officers in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Chiropractic care is very effective and very safe. We have been treating patients with neck pain, back pain, headaches and many other symptoms for years without incident. I hope that this article hits home with some of you who have delayed chiropractic care due to unfounded fears.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Why Does Chiropractic Care Work?
A new patient of my San Diego Chiropractic clinic asked me this question just the other day. The funny thing about this question was that he was a new patient for me but he had been going to different chiropractors for nearly 40 years. Over the years he had struggled with neck pain, back pain and headaches that occurred after various falls, work injuries and car accidents and had created his need for a life time of chiropractic treatment. I thought it was odd that he asked me why chiropractic works after all the care he had been through.
Certain types of injuries cause chronic symptoms Various physical issues that never fully return to their pre-accident state cause chronic symptoms.
For instance, whiplash type injuries leave about 25% of the patients with chronic ongoing neck pain. In these cases, the muscles that move and support the neck have been stretched and sometimes torn. When muscles tear they heal with scar tissue. Scar tissue does not move, stretch or contract like healthy muscle tissue.
Because of the different properties of scar tissue that has formed within the healthy muscle, the joint that is moved by that muscle becomes dysfunctional. As the joints movement alters, it has the potential to become irritated and inflamed. These irritated and inflamed joints then become painful, restricted in their movements and the muscles that move that joint tighten and spasm as a protective mechanism.
Chiropractic care is the perfect solution for painful joints and spasmed muscles. Through manipulation or adjustments of the affected joints, the muscle spasms are calmed and the pain is relieved. For some patients, ongoing chiropractic care helps prevent the onset of pain and stiffness that is associated with chronic injuries.
This example above is just one of the reasons that some chiropractic patients come in for treatment on a regular basis.
As for the patient above, he said he has been coming in for chiropractic for neck pain and back pain for years. He receives treatment for both health maintenance reasons as well as for control of specific symptoms that come up from time to time.
Certain types of injuries cause chronic symptoms Various physical issues that never fully return to their pre-accident state cause chronic symptoms.
For instance, whiplash type injuries leave about 25% of the patients with chronic ongoing neck pain. In these cases, the muscles that move and support the neck have been stretched and sometimes torn. When muscles tear they heal with scar tissue. Scar tissue does not move, stretch or contract like healthy muscle tissue.
Because of the different properties of scar tissue that has formed within the healthy muscle, the joint that is moved by that muscle becomes dysfunctional. As the joints movement alters, it has the potential to become irritated and inflamed. These irritated and inflamed joints then become painful, restricted in their movements and the muscles that move that joint tighten and spasm as a protective mechanism.
Chiropractic care is the perfect solution for painful joints and spasmed muscles. Through manipulation or adjustments of the affected joints, the muscle spasms are calmed and the pain is relieved. For some patients, ongoing chiropractic care helps prevent the onset of pain and stiffness that is associated with chronic injuries.
This example above is just one of the reasons that some chiropractic patients come in for treatment on a regular basis.
As for the patient above, he said he has been coming in for chiropractic for neck pain and back pain for years. He receives treatment for both health maintenance reasons as well as for control of specific symptoms that come up from time to time.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Chiropractic and Nutrition Continued
Ever since I started practicing chiropractic in San Diego I have had trouble sleeping. I addressed this issue in several blog posts over the last few weeks.
As many of you know, lack of sleep makes days difficult and nights dreadful.
I had always assumed that my lack of sleep was secondary to stress from my business / practice. It seemed like a reasonable assumption. I spend my days treating patients who I truly care about for neck pain, back pain, headaches and other aches and pains. While I love my job, having patients depend on you for their well being is stressful and I do think of these things at night.
There was also a time when I decided that my lack of a good nights sleep was due to caffeine. As a result of this assumption I completely weaned myself off of coffee for about five years. This didn't really help me sleep any better but I was much calmer in fact until I eliminated caffeine from my diet I didn't realize how anxious it made me.
As you may have read in my prior posts, I ended up having a hair mineral analysis that had really interesting results. The Mineral Analysis showed a deficiency in several nutrient minerals that can have an impact on sleep.
For the last six weeks or so I have been supplementing these minerals and have been experiencing some exciting results. As of last night, I have been sleeping for three or four hours per night longer than I used to.
What a huge difference!
Instead of feeling run down and tired I actually have energy. My anxiety has decreased and my paper work shuffle at work is much more efficient.
I still have great concerns about my patients' neck pain, back pain and headaches, but I think about them during the day now, not at night.
Last night I had a horrible sleep and today I feel wiped out. It made me wonder how I used to live with nights like that on a regular basis.
As many of you know, lack of sleep makes days difficult and nights dreadful.
I had always assumed that my lack of sleep was secondary to stress from my business / practice. It seemed like a reasonable assumption. I spend my days treating patients who I truly care about for neck pain, back pain, headaches and other aches and pains. While I love my job, having patients depend on you for their well being is stressful and I do think of these things at night.
There was also a time when I decided that my lack of a good nights sleep was due to caffeine. As a result of this assumption I completely weaned myself off of coffee for about five years. This didn't really help me sleep any better but I was much calmer in fact until I eliminated caffeine from my diet I didn't realize how anxious it made me.
As you may have read in my prior posts, I ended up having a hair mineral analysis that had really interesting results. The Mineral Analysis showed a deficiency in several nutrient minerals that can have an impact on sleep.
For the last six weeks or so I have been supplementing these minerals and have been experiencing some exciting results. As of last night, I have been sleeping for three or four hours per night longer than I used to.
What a huge difference!
Instead of feeling run down and tired I actually have energy. My anxiety has decreased and my paper work shuffle at work is much more efficient.
I still have great concerns about my patients' neck pain, back pain and headaches, but I think about them during the day now, not at night.
Last night I had a horrible sleep and today I feel wiped out. It made me wonder how I used to live with nights like that on a regular basis.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Nutrition and Chiropractic Update
Back in the early part of April, I posted a blog article regarding chiropractic care and nutrition, specifically, my own nutrition. Being the owner of my San Diego Chiropractic office, I spend most of my days treating patients with neck pain and back pain. While neck pain and back pain are very important to resolve, there are other health concerns that must be addressed if we expect to be truly healthy.
Several months ago, I had a hair mineral analysis performed on myself. The results of that test were surprising to me. Aside from my calcium and magnesium levels, every other nutrient mineral was deficient.
Even iron! This is normal for women but not so common in men. Without the analysis, I would have never thought this finding was a possibility.
As I had indicated in prior posts on this topic, one of my primary health concerns over the last 10 years has been lack of restful sleep or insomnia.
As I read up on the minerals that I was deficient in, insomnia was a side effect in two of them in instances of deficiency.
That bit of knowledge was not enough to quiet the skeptic in me. After all, the company that does the hair mineral analysis also makes the vitamins and minerals that they recommended to me. In addition, I also indicated on my paperwork that insomnia is one of my health concerns.
In order to test these results, I bought mineral supplements from a local source and began taking them as directed on the containers. It took about 11 days before I could say for sure that the quality of my sleep had improved. Within a few more days the improvement was dramatic. Prior to taking these mineral supplements, a good nights sleep was limited to two or three nights per month.
As I write this blog post, I have slept well, over 7 hours per night, for the past month or so. Despite all this quality sleep, I still feel like I am playing catch-up with my rest. I suppose that is the result of 10 years of poor sleep.
I will do future posts on this topic. In the mean time, remember that you are what you eat! Poor dietary habits definitely create a need for dietary supplements. Maintaining your health is work but it is worthwhile.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Why Do We Get Neck Pain
Do you ever remember seeing someone in a neck brace? Do you remember thinking, "I wonder how much pain you would have to actually use one of those?" Last week I had a patient come to my San Diego Chiropractic office because of neck pain. Her neck pain was bad enough that she wore a neck brace. She said that she had a long history of neck pain but that this current episode of neck pain was the worst she ever felt and it began after she spent a few hours watching her boyfriend fly his stunt kite at the beach.
In this patients' estimation, she had no idea what possibly could have caused this painful episode.
Those of you who have suffered with neck pain know what she is going through.
After a neck injury that has not been properly treated, future flair ups can be common. These flair ups of neck pain can come with little or no obvious provocation.
In most cases of neck pain without a significant discernible injurious event, the cause of a painful episode lies in an accumulation of old injuries like car accidents and falls combined with ongoing daily postural stress.
When your neck is exposed to a combination of specific old injuries and ongoing postural stress, seemingly new injuries to the same area can be the result of something as mundane as an awkward sleeping position or a prolonged fixed position of the neck that might occur with watching TV or working on the computer.
Because this type of flair up is so common, "new injuries" that occur with non stressful events are not new injuries at all but aggravations of old injuries. I like to use the analogy of the straws on the camels back for these kinds of episodes.
In closing, if this patient had hurt her neck watching her boyfriend fly a kite at the beach and she had no other history of neck pain or injury, I would be surprised. With this patients' history, however, the onset of this episode of neck pain did not surprise me at all.
There is an old saying, "The body never forgets".
In this patients' estimation, she had no idea what possibly could have caused this painful episode.
Those of you who have suffered with neck pain know what she is going through.
After a neck injury that has not been properly treated, future flair ups can be common. These flair ups of neck pain can come with little or no obvious provocation.
In most cases of neck pain without a significant discernible injurious event, the cause of a painful episode lies in an accumulation of old injuries like car accidents and falls combined with ongoing daily postural stress.
When your neck is exposed to a combination of specific old injuries and ongoing postural stress, seemingly new injuries to the same area can be the result of something as mundane as an awkward sleeping position or a prolonged fixed position of the neck that might occur with watching TV or working on the computer.
Because this type of flair up is so common, "new injuries" that occur with non stressful events are not new injuries at all but aggravations of old injuries. I like to use the analogy of the straws on the camels back for these kinds of episodes.
In closing, if this patient had hurt her neck watching her boyfriend fly a kite at the beach and she had no other history of neck pain or injury, I would be surprised. With this patients' history, however, the onset of this episode of neck pain did not surprise me at all.
There is an old saying, "The body never forgets".
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Chiropractic Patients in San Diego
My San Diego Chiropractic clinic primarily serves those who have had experience with chiropractic treatment in the past. Many of them come for treatment because they simply like the way they feel after a treatment, not because they have a particular ache or pain.
I don't want to imply that chiropractic care is addicting like smoking or some other unhealthy vice, but after you have experienced the improved range of motion, increased athletic performance and decreased muscle tension that results from chiropractic care, many simply want that feeling to be the norm. Other patients come specifically for treatment of neck pain, back pain, headaches, etc.
One thing that most of these patients have in common is that they usually know someone who could benefit from chiropractic care but that person is hesitant. They are hesitant to come for treatment either because they don't "believe" in chiropractors or because they are afraid.
Those who don't believe in chiropractic care are easy to convince of the benefits of chiropractic treatment. Many of these people hold on to the untruths spread by the American Medical Association (AMA) regarding chiropractors. Between the 1960s and the mid 1980s, the AMA spent nearly $100,000,000 on an anti-chiropractic campaign. While most of the information that the AMA dispersed regarding my profession was false and based on the bad behavior of just a few doctors, some people continue to hold on to those false ideas.
That being said, chiropractic treatment has a direct and immediate beneficial effect on the joints of the spine. This benefit is a combination of increased joint motion, relaxed muscles and decreased tension and is hard to overlook even by the most pessimistic skeptic.
Those who are fearful of chiropractic care are more difficult to convince of the benefits of treatment. They are afraid that they might get paralyzed or have some other life changing occurrence as a result of care. In reality, chiropractic care is very safe. The only "side effect" that we have personally seen regarding chiropractic care is that the patients feel better.
The safety of your doctor's office can usually be measured by the cost of their malpractice insurance. Chiropractors' insurance rates for the same level of coverage is less than 1/10 of most MDs. What that means to patients is that despite the fact that some people don't like the thought of having their joints "cracked", a chiropractor's office is an extremely safe place to receive treatment.
If you live in the San Diego area and are looking for a chiropractor we would be happy to consult with you regarding your health needs.
I don't want to imply that chiropractic care is addicting like smoking or some other unhealthy vice, but after you have experienced the improved range of motion, increased athletic performance and decreased muscle tension that results from chiropractic care, many simply want that feeling to be the norm. Other patients come specifically for treatment of neck pain, back pain, headaches, etc.
One thing that most of these patients have in common is that they usually know someone who could benefit from chiropractic care but that person is hesitant. They are hesitant to come for treatment either because they don't "believe" in chiropractors or because they are afraid.
Those who don't believe in chiropractic care are easy to convince of the benefits of chiropractic treatment. Many of these people hold on to the untruths spread by the American Medical Association (AMA) regarding chiropractors. Between the 1960s and the mid 1980s, the AMA spent nearly $100,000,000 on an anti-chiropractic campaign. While most of the information that the AMA dispersed regarding my profession was false and based on the bad behavior of just a few doctors, some people continue to hold on to those false ideas.
That being said, chiropractic treatment has a direct and immediate beneficial effect on the joints of the spine. This benefit is a combination of increased joint motion, relaxed muscles and decreased tension and is hard to overlook even by the most pessimistic skeptic.
Those who are fearful of chiropractic care are more difficult to convince of the benefits of treatment. They are afraid that they might get paralyzed or have some other life changing occurrence as a result of care. In reality, chiropractic care is very safe. The only "side effect" that we have personally seen regarding chiropractic care is that the patients feel better.
The safety of your doctor's office can usually be measured by the cost of their malpractice insurance. Chiropractors' insurance rates for the same level of coverage is less than 1/10 of most MDs. What that means to patients is that despite the fact that some people don't like the thought of having their joints "cracked", a chiropractor's office is an extremely safe place to receive treatment.
If you live in the San Diego area and are looking for a chiropractor we would be happy to consult with you regarding your health needs.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Building a Healthy Spine After Back Pain
As a San Diego Chiropractor, we see many types of injuries. Common injuries result in neck pain, back pain, headaches, sciatic pain etc.
The causes of these injuries vary from auto accidents and work related injuries to injuries caused by domestic chores that involve around the house work to sports specific injuries and sometimes things as simple as sleeping in an awkward position.
Of these injured patients, I would say that at least 50% of them show interest in preventing their particular type of problem from occurring again in the future and ask me "what can I do for myself to make sure that this doesn't happen again?" This common question served as the inspiration for this article and I will address in this article.
To begin with, pain is a fantastic motivator.
When people are in pain they take a proactive approach to their health. People often inquire about what kind of stretch or exercising that they can start right away. Unfortunately, the best thing that you can do while your injury is new is to apply ice packs to the injured area and rest.
Over my 20 plus years in practice I have seen a large percentage of enthusiastic patients ignore this advice and end up aggravating their condition instead of improving it. The time to start exercising and stretching your back for most of us is when the injury is well into its healing process and is out of the acute stage of pain.
My biggest struggles in practice have been dealing with my patients exercise and diet habits. Exercise is one of the few things that a patient can do at home, outside of chiropractic care, to help prevent or diminish the chances of developing back pain.
After an injury, you should approach exercise cautiously - almost to a point where the exercise that you are performing feels like it is doing nothing. If you can get through a few low intensity exercise sessions like this without aggravating your condition, you should slowly add resistance which allows you to build confidence and strength at the same time.
You have to remember to incorporate a sensible approach to exercising after a back injury. Be sure to exercise and stretch under the advice of a health care professional. Strong and flexible muscles add strength and support to your spine and will provide much needed stability. Stable joints are far less likely to be injured than unstable joints.
The causes of these injuries vary from auto accidents and work related injuries to injuries caused by domestic chores that involve around the house work to sports specific injuries and sometimes things as simple as sleeping in an awkward position.
Of these injured patients, I would say that at least 50% of them show interest in preventing their particular type of problem from occurring again in the future and ask me "what can I do for myself to make sure that this doesn't happen again?" This common question served as the inspiration for this article and I will address in this article.
To begin with, pain is a fantastic motivator.
When people are in pain they take a proactive approach to their health. People often inquire about what kind of stretch or exercising that they can start right away. Unfortunately, the best thing that you can do while your injury is new is to apply ice packs to the injured area and rest.
Over my 20 plus years in practice I have seen a large percentage of enthusiastic patients ignore this advice and end up aggravating their condition instead of improving it. The time to start exercising and stretching your back for most of us is when the injury is well into its healing process and is out of the acute stage of pain.
My biggest struggles in practice have been dealing with my patients exercise and diet habits. Exercise is one of the few things that a patient can do at home, outside of chiropractic care, to help prevent or diminish the chances of developing back pain.
After an injury, you should approach exercise cautiously - almost to a point where the exercise that you are performing feels like it is doing nothing. If you can get through a few low intensity exercise sessions like this without aggravating your condition, you should slowly add resistance which allows you to build confidence and strength at the same time.
You have to remember to incorporate a sensible approach to exercising after a back injury. Be sure to exercise and stretch under the advice of a health care professional. Strong and flexible muscles add strength and support to your spine and will provide much needed stability. Stable joints are far less likely to be injured than unstable joints.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Nutritional Pathway to Health
Several posts ago I did an article on my nutritional state. I am doing this for several reasons.
First of all, I want to get healthier and I want to set a good example for the patients' of my San Diego Chiropractic practice. While I had a fantastic educational experience in nutrition 18 years ago in chiropractic college, my implementation of my nutritional education has been absent from my San Diego chiropractic office. I take some responsibility for this as my focus has been on helping patients with specific complaints of neck pain, low back pain, headaches and the like.
Secondly, before I implement anything into my patients' care I like to be on board with it so I can have first hand experience with its benefits. Nutrition is no different. I have been hit and miss with my diet and supplements for years - it is time for a change.
To recap my first post on this topic, I had a hair mineral analysis performed approximately on e month ago. The results revealed deficiencies in many nutrient minerals. Some of the minerals that I was deficient in have the ability to cause anxiety and may affect my ability to sleep soundly. Both anxiety and insomnia are conditions that I have struggled with for years.
The lab that I used for my hair analysis not only provided a report regarding my deficiencies, but they also gave me a supplement recommendation list that I could use to restore proper mineral balance in my system.
As of the date of this post, I have been taking my supplements as advised by the lab for about ten days. At this point I feel a bit more clear headed and I have slept soundly for over 7 hours per night over the last three nights. I know that three nights good sleep is not a fix, but it is unusual. In a typical month I usually only get two or three good nights sleep.
Three good nights sleep in a row is a record for me and enough evidence to justify continuing with my nutritional supplements.
I will post again on this topic in a few weeks to let you all know how I am progressing.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Better Health through Diet and Chiropractic Care
The lack of obvious sickness does not make you well. We all want to be healthy. The question is, however, what is health? And, how do we “get” healthy? In my San Diego chiropractic office, I always try to encourage health betterment beyond the obvious treatment for neck pain, back pain and headaches that represent the bulk of my patients concerns. Most of my patients at least entertain the idea of making lifestyle changes for the sake of better health while some want nothing to do with it, in their mindset, being out of pain is good enough for them.
I always explain to my patients that in the absence of some catastrophic injury, most cases of neck pain and back pain begin as a slight irritation that we are totally unaware of. With time and additional stresses, these slight irritations can become magnified to the point where they become symptomatic.
Our diets act the same way. A few poor meal choices won’t destroy your health by themselves, but frequent poor meal choices over longer periods of time can have a significant negative impact on your health. You only have to look at a McDonald's or Burger King drive-through to see the long lines of people making poor food choices. These people who make frequent poor food choices (fast foods in this example) probably won’t suffer anything more than a little indigestion as a result of each meal. However, the accumulation of the effects of all of these poor food choices will do damage down the road.
Unfortunately, this all becomes more apparent as we age. We pay for our poor eating habits as we age for a couple of reasons. First of all, poor eating choices become habitual. Like any bad habit, changing bad eating habits is difficult. Secondly, with normal aging, our metabolism slows making our poor eating habits more detrimental than they were when we were younger and more active.
Regaining your health takes work on several fronts. Some of these things you can accomplish yourself and other things you need help with.
Patients that come to my chiropractic office for treatment for their neck pain or back pain often find this task one of the easy parts of getting healthy. In order to get help with pain, all the patients have to do is come to the office for their treatment.
The difficult part of restoring health is dealing with the bad habits that result in unhealthy diets, smoking, drinking and the like. Overcoming bad habits takes an exceptionally motivated person. Focus and you can overcome them and have a healthier body to show for it.
I always explain to my patients that in the absence of some catastrophic injury, most cases of neck pain and back pain begin as a slight irritation that we are totally unaware of. With time and additional stresses, these slight irritations can become magnified to the point where they become symptomatic.
Our diets act the same way. A few poor meal choices won’t destroy your health by themselves, but frequent poor meal choices over longer periods of time can have a significant negative impact on your health. You only have to look at a McDonald's or Burger King drive-through to see the long lines of people making poor food choices. These people who make frequent poor food choices (fast foods in this example) probably won’t suffer anything more than a little indigestion as a result of each meal. However, the accumulation of the effects of all of these poor food choices will do damage down the road.
Unfortunately, this all becomes more apparent as we age. We pay for our poor eating habits as we age for a couple of reasons. First of all, poor eating choices become habitual. Like any bad habit, changing bad eating habits is difficult. Secondly, with normal aging, our metabolism slows making our poor eating habits more detrimental than they were when we were younger and more active.
Regaining your health takes work on several fronts. Some of these things you can accomplish yourself and other things you need help with.
Patients that come to my chiropractic office for treatment for their neck pain or back pain often find this task one of the easy parts of getting healthy. In order to get help with pain, all the patients have to do is come to the office for their treatment.
The difficult part of restoring health is dealing with the bad habits that result in unhealthy diets, smoking, drinking and the like. Overcoming bad habits takes an exceptionally motivated person. Focus and you can overcome them and have a healthier body to show for it.
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
The Pursuit of Better Health
Like many of the patients in my San Diego Chiropractic practice, I desire to be healthier than I am. Chiropractors spend much of our time helping our patients relieve their neck pain, back pain, headaches, etc.
This year I am doing all I can to regain some of the health that I have lost along the way. As I have aged, I notice changes in my energy levels, my anxiety levels, my ability to get a good nights sleep, etc.
I eat reasonably well avoiding fast food and soda. I never have candy or chocolate in my house and I try to watch my fat intake. While this diet plan has kept me in decent shape in regards to my weight, my blood pressure and cholesterol level, I still feel like age is creeping up on me.
You guys remember fitness guru Jack Lalanne don't you? He is 93 years old, maybe older. That guy looks like he is 60 and can probably beat me and most of you in every test of physical strength and aerobic conditioning. If I keep going in my current direction, I will be in a wheel chair at 93 - if I am alive at all!
I think that most of us want the same things from a health standpoint. We want to not only look healthy but we want to be healthy. Health improvement can only be accomplished through proper nutrition and exercise.
For the last 20 years or so I have been a vitamin / supplement consumer. Truthfully, I am hit and miss with taking my supplements. The reason for my departures is the fact that I have no real guide for what I should be taking. At least until now!
In our pursuit of a healthier body, both Linda and I recently had our hair tested for mineral content (Hair Mineral Analysis). The results of my tests were what I would expect for a guy (me) that is forty something and has no real basis for taking the supplements that I have been taking over the last 20 years.
The lab that we used provides a full breakdown of the content of nutrient minerals, toxic minerals (including lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic and aluminum) and a ratio of significant minerals. They also provided detailed explanations of the findings as well as supplement recommendations including the type and the time of day that they should be taken.
I like this type of nutritional assessment. Not only does it give me a starting point for taking nutritional supplements, but I can retest in 12 weeks and check my progress.
I recently read an interesting quote from a respected nutritionist. He said "It is a mistake to think that you can loose weight and get healthy, the real path to losing weight is by regaining your health".
I think I will run with this and see where it takes me.
If you want the tools to take your general health up a few notches a Hair Mineral Analysis is an excellent (and encouraged) place to start.
This year I am doing all I can to regain some of the health that I have lost along the way. As I have aged, I notice changes in my energy levels, my anxiety levels, my ability to get a good nights sleep, etc.
I eat reasonably well avoiding fast food and soda. I never have candy or chocolate in my house and I try to watch my fat intake. While this diet plan has kept me in decent shape in regards to my weight, my blood pressure and cholesterol level, I still feel like age is creeping up on me.
You guys remember fitness guru Jack Lalanne don't you? He is 93 years old, maybe older. That guy looks like he is 60 and can probably beat me and most of you in every test of physical strength and aerobic conditioning. If I keep going in my current direction, I will be in a wheel chair at 93 - if I am alive at all!
I think that most of us want the same things from a health standpoint. We want to not only look healthy but we want to be healthy. Health improvement can only be accomplished through proper nutrition and exercise.
For the last 20 years or so I have been a vitamin / supplement consumer. Truthfully, I am hit and miss with taking my supplements. The reason for my departures is the fact that I have no real guide for what I should be taking. At least until now!
In our pursuit of a healthier body, both Linda and I recently had our hair tested for mineral content (Hair Mineral Analysis). The results of my tests were what I would expect for a guy (me) that is forty something and has no real basis for taking the supplements that I have been taking over the last 20 years.
The lab that we used provides a full breakdown of the content of nutrient minerals, toxic minerals (including lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic and aluminum) and a ratio of significant minerals. They also provided detailed explanations of the findings as well as supplement recommendations including the type and the time of day that they should be taken.
I like this type of nutritional assessment. Not only does it give me a starting point for taking nutritional supplements, but I can retest in 12 weeks and check my progress.
I recently read an interesting quote from a respected nutritionist. He said "It is a mistake to think that you can loose weight and get healthy, the real path to losing weight is by regaining your health".
I think I will run with this and see where it takes me.
If you want the tools to take your general health up a few notches a Hair Mineral Analysis is an excellent (and encouraged) place to start.
Monday, March 17, 2008
The Role of Exercise in Building a Healthy Spine
As a San Diego Chiropractor, I see many types of injuries because people in San Diego are more active because of the nice weather. Common injuries result in neck pain, back pain, chronic headaches, sciatica etc.
The causes of these injuries range from auto accidents and work related injuries to injuries caused by domestic chores that involve around the house work and sometimes things as simple as sleeping in an awkward position.
Of these injured patients, I would say that at least 50% of them, for the moment, while they are in pain they ask "what can I do for myself to make sure that this doesn't happen again?" This question served as the inspiration for this article and I will address in this post.
To begin with, pain is a great motivator.
When people are in pain they take a proactive approach to their health. People often inquire about what kind of stretch or exercising that they can start right away. Unfortunately, the best thing that you can do while your injury is new is to apply ice packs to the injured area and rest.
Over my 15 plus years in practice I have seen a large percentage of enthusiastic patients ignore this advice and end up giving their conditions a major set back. The time to start exercising and stretching your back for most of us is when it is out of its acute stage of pain.
My biggest struggles in practice have been dealing with my patients exercise and diet habits. Exercise is one of the few things that a patient can do at home, outside of chiropractic care, to help prevent or diminish the chances of developing back pain.
After an injury, you should approach exercise cautiously - almost to a point where the exercise that you are performing feels like it is doing nothing. If you can get through a few low intensity exercise sessions like this without aggravating your condition, you should slowly add resistance which allows you to build confidence and strength at the same time.
You have to remember to incorporate a sensible approach to exercising after a back injury. Be sure to exercise and stretch under the advise of a health care professional. Strong and flexible muscles add strength and support to your spine and will provide much needed stability.
The causes of these injuries range from auto accidents and work related injuries to injuries caused by domestic chores that involve around the house work and sometimes things as simple as sleeping in an awkward position.
Of these injured patients, I would say that at least 50% of them, for the moment, while they are in pain they ask "what can I do for myself to make sure that this doesn't happen again?" This question served as the inspiration for this article and I will address in this post.
To begin with, pain is a great motivator.
When people are in pain they take a proactive approach to their health. People often inquire about what kind of stretch or exercising that they can start right away. Unfortunately, the best thing that you can do while your injury is new is to apply ice packs to the injured area and rest.
Over my 15 plus years in practice I have seen a large percentage of enthusiastic patients ignore this advice and end up giving their conditions a major set back. The time to start exercising and stretching your back for most of us is when it is out of its acute stage of pain.
My biggest struggles in practice have been dealing with my patients exercise and diet habits. Exercise is one of the few things that a patient can do at home, outside of chiropractic care, to help prevent or diminish the chances of developing back pain.
After an injury, you should approach exercise cautiously - almost to a point where the exercise that you are performing feels like it is doing nothing. If you can get through a few low intensity exercise sessions like this without aggravating your condition, you should slowly add resistance which allows you to build confidence and strength at the same time.
You have to remember to incorporate a sensible approach to exercising after a back injury. Be sure to exercise and stretch under the advise of a health care professional. Strong and flexible muscles add strength and support to your spine and will provide much needed stability.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Building a Healthy Spine
Being a Chiropractor in San Diego, I see many types of injuries. These injuries result in neck pain, back pain, chronic headaches, etc. The cause of these injuries ranges from car accidents and work injuries to injuries caused by more domestic duties that involve around the house chores and sometimes things as simple as sleeping in an awkward position.
Of these injured patients, I would say that at least for the moment, while they are in pain, they ask "what can I do for myself to make sure that this doesn't happen again?" This question served as the inspiration for this article and I will address in this post.
To begin with, pain is a great motivator. When people are in pain they take a proactive approach to their health. People often inquire about what kind of stretch or exercising that they can start right away. Unfortunately, the best thing that you can do while your injury is new is to apply ice packs to the injured area and rest. More often than not, over my 15 plus years in practice I have seen enthusiastic patients ignore this advice and end up giving their conditions major set backs. The time to start exercising and stretching your back for most of us is when it is out of its acute stage of pain.
My biggest struggles in practice have been dealing with my patients exercise and diet habits. Exercise is one of the few things that a patient can do at home, outside of chiropractic care, to help prevent or diminish the chances of developing back pain.
After an injury, you should approach exercise cautiously - almost to a point where the exercise that you are performing feels like it is doing nothing. If you can get through a few low intensity exercise sessions like this without aggravating your condition, you should slowly add resistance which allows you to build confidence and strength at the same time.
This is a sensible approach to exercising after a back injury. Slow and cautious - and under the advise of a health care professional. Strong muscles add strength and support to your spine and can only serve you in a beneficial way.
Of these injured patients, I would say that at least for the moment, while they are in pain, they ask "what can I do for myself to make sure that this doesn't happen again?" This question served as the inspiration for this article and I will address in this post.
To begin with, pain is a great motivator. When people are in pain they take a proactive approach to their health. People often inquire about what kind of stretch or exercising that they can start right away. Unfortunately, the best thing that you can do while your injury is new is to apply ice packs to the injured area and rest. More often than not, over my 15 plus years in practice I have seen enthusiastic patients ignore this advice and end up giving their conditions major set backs. The time to start exercising and stretching your back for most of us is when it is out of its acute stage of pain.
My biggest struggles in practice have been dealing with my patients exercise and diet habits. Exercise is one of the few things that a patient can do at home, outside of chiropractic care, to help prevent or diminish the chances of developing back pain.
After an injury, you should approach exercise cautiously - almost to a point where the exercise that you are performing feels like it is doing nothing. If you can get through a few low intensity exercise sessions like this without aggravating your condition, you should slowly add resistance which allows you to build confidence and strength at the same time.
This is a sensible approach to exercising after a back injury. Slow and cautious - and under the advise of a health care professional. Strong muscles add strength and support to your spine and can only serve you in a beneficial way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
