The other day I had a young 34-year-old woman came into to my chiropractic office in San Diego and was complaining of low back pain. In addition to her low back pain she also complained of sciatica or leg pain.
During our consultation, she told me that she had been dealing with the low back pain for about 10 years and with intermittent sciatic pain for the last 5 years. Her low back pain and sciatica made it difficult for her to exercise and sometimes it bothered her enough to affect her ability to work.
This condition was a big problem for her.
I should also tell you that she had been to many doctors for her problem and had many diagnostic procedures that were not of any help. She had an MRI that showed a small disc herniation that was not pinching a nerve. This lady had never been to a chiropractor before.
Of course her question was "Do you think you can help me? If you can't, I don't even want to start!"
I could tell that she was a little combative and with good reason. Ten years of pain can give you a short fuse - especially with doctors.
I told her that I would do my best and I told her that the success of treatment is often determined by "trying" to see if it works and then I promised her that if after our exam I felt that I couldn't help her that I would inform her before she incurred any charges.
My exam of this patient was unremarkable. I explained to her that my tests showed that nothing was seriously wrong with her back. I also explained that even though she has a herniated disc that it may not be the source of her pain and that there was only a very slim chance that my chiropractic care would aggravate it.
I also explained to her that the basic process that affects joints is one that progresses from some sort of injury, like a fall, that can irritate the joint. That joint irritation leads to inflammation that can cause muscle spasms and pain. In her case, a small disk herniation can become irritated and inflamed by some bio mechanical problem with the joint that leads to the leg pain.
I explained that by resolving the bio mechanical problem with the joint with chiropractic care that there is a good chance of resolving both of her problems. She was excited by my analysis - it made sense to her.
The one thing that she was not happy with is that I told her that I was not sure how many treatments she would need. I did tell her that if her condition didn't show improvement or worsened in the first 12 visits over a four week period that the treatment probably wasn't right for her.
To wrap this post up, this patient had 90% of her back pain symptoms resolve in the first 5 treatments. By the end of the third week of treatment her sciatic pain was gone. Was my patient thrilled to lose her low back pain and sciatic pain? You bet she was.
Showing posts with label Chiropractor San Diego. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chiropractor San Diego. Show all posts
Thursday, April 17, 2008
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.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Nutrition Update
I did a post on Monday March 31st regarding a new supplement program that I had started in the middle of March. I am ecstatic about the results so far! Before I ever recommend supplements to the patients of my San Diego Chiropractic clinic I like to test them on myself first - so far this test has gone better than expected.
In my last post I had touched on some health issues that have been plaguing me for years. The issues that I mentioned were insomnia and anxiety.
To back track just a little bit, I had read quite a bit about hair mineral analysis over the years and out of curiosity finally had one done. My results revealed deficiencies in several minerals that can cause not only insomnia but anxiety.
I had begun taking the minerals that I was deficient in and as of this last Monday I had three consecutive good nights sleep. It is now Friday, April 04, 2008 and I have now had seven (7) great nights sleep.
For the first time in years I don't feel like I need a cup of coffee to get me started in the morning and I don't feel myself running out of energy in the mid-afternoon.
I am not sure at this point how I am doing with my anxiety levels. I definitely feel less anxious than I did. That being the case, I am reasonably sure that the only stress that has reduced in my life is the stress that I used to have when I was trying to sleep.
Either way, I am sleeping better, MUCH BETTER, and my anxiety level seems to be lower.
I realize that I have only been doing this for a few weeks but this is encouraging. My results thus far really makes me want to look at the rest of my health habits a bit harder. Maybe a few adjustments in my diet such as eliminating a bit more refined sugar and simply resisting the urge to succumb to unhealthy cravings could help me attain a level of health that I have not had in years.
Chiropractors education is much deeper regarding nutrition than what medical receive on this topic. If you want help with your nutrition please call us at (619) 280-0554 - we would be happy to help.
Yours' In Good Health,
Dr. Steve Jones
10393 San Diego Mission Road Suite 130
San Diego, CA 92108
(619) 831-8777
In my last post I had touched on some health issues that have been plaguing me for years. The issues that I mentioned were insomnia and anxiety.
To back track just a little bit, I had read quite a bit about hair mineral analysis over the years and out of curiosity finally had one done. My results revealed deficiencies in several minerals that can cause not only insomnia but anxiety.
I had begun taking the minerals that I was deficient in and as of this last Monday I had three consecutive good nights sleep. It is now Friday, April 04, 2008 and I have now had seven (7) great nights sleep.
For the first time in years I don't feel like I need a cup of coffee to get me started in the morning and I don't feel myself running out of energy in the mid-afternoon.
I am not sure at this point how I am doing with my anxiety levels. I definitely feel less anxious than I did. That being the case, I am reasonably sure that the only stress that has reduced in my life is the stress that I used to have when I was trying to sleep.
Either way, I am sleeping better, MUCH BETTER, and my anxiety level seems to be lower.
I realize that I have only been doing this for a few weeks but this is encouraging. My results thus far really makes me want to look at the rest of my health habits a bit harder. Maybe a few adjustments in my diet such as eliminating a bit more refined sugar and simply resisting the urge to succumb to unhealthy cravings could help me attain a level of health that I have not had in years.
Chiropractors education is much deeper regarding nutrition than what medical receive on this topic. If you want help with your nutrition please call us at (619) 280-0554 - we would be happy to help.
Yours' In Good Health,
Dr. Steve Jones
10393 San Diego Mission Road Suite 130
San Diego, CA 92108
(619) 831-8777
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 18, 2008
Chiropractic Care For Auto Accidents
My San Diego Chiropractic Office treats many individuals for neck pain, back pain and headaches. In many cases, the causes of these symptoms are related to auto accidents or other types of personal injury. More often than not, the auto accidents in question occurred years earlier and the initial symptoms were not taken seriously by the patient.
Most people don't take the time to seek treatment for themselves yet they scramble to get their cars fixed. This thought process extends into other scenarios as well. I ounce had an acquaintance who smoked but proudly proclaimed that she didn't smoke inside her car because she didn't want to ruin it!
I don't know why so many of us carry these kinds of thought processes. In the case of auto accident injuries, the little bit of neck pain or the headaches or the low back pain is often overlooked or dismissed and minimized as being un-important. This is flawed thinking. Imagine if we treated other health conditions with such disregard.
The injury mechanisms in whiplash type accidents are complex. Muscles are stretched and torn, ligaments can sometimes partially tear or rupture, discs can become herniated and spinal fractures can occur. These injuries can lead to a vast number of symptoms that can cause neck pain or back pain that ranges in intensity from a slight irritation all the way to severe disability. Back pain and neck pain are bad enough in the short term and much worse in a long term chronic situation.
While the mechanism of injury in whiplash cases is complex, the typical resulting spinal injuries follow a well established path. Initially, the muscles and ligaments in the injured area are irritated. This irritation leads to inflammation. Inflammation is not only responsible for many of the initial symptoms that you experience but it is also responsible for scar tissue formation which can make your symptoms permanent or chronic.
Statistically, approximately 25% of auto injury victims will suffer from some ongoing symptom related to their accident. I see this statistic come to life in my San Diego chiropractic office. Chiropractors are experts in dealing with the types of neck pain, back pain and headaches that occur as a result of auto accidents. The best way to insure that you are not a member of this group of 25% that never fully recover from their auto accident injuries is to get an examination and possibly treatment, if recommended by your chiropractor.
Most people don't take the time to seek treatment for themselves yet they scramble to get their cars fixed. This thought process extends into other scenarios as well. I ounce had an acquaintance who smoked but proudly proclaimed that she didn't smoke inside her car because she didn't want to ruin it!
I don't know why so many of us carry these kinds of thought processes. In the case of auto accident injuries, the little bit of neck pain or the headaches or the low back pain is often overlooked or dismissed and minimized as being un-important. This is flawed thinking. Imagine if we treated other health conditions with such disregard.
The injury mechanisms in whiplash type accidents are complex. Muscles are stretched and torn, ligaments can sometimes partially tear or rupture, discs can become herniated and spinal fractures can occur. These injuries can lead to a vast number of symptoms that can cause neck pain or back pain that ranges in intensity from a slight irritation all the way to severe disability. Back pain and neck pain are bad enough in the short term and much worse in a long term chronic situation.
While the mechanism of injury in whiplash cases is complex, the typical resulting spinal injuries follow a well established path. Initially, the muscles and ligaments in the injured area are irritated. This irritation leads to inflammation. Inflammation is not only responsible for many of the initial symptoms that you experience but it is also responsible for scar tissue formation which can make your symptoms permanent or chronic.
Statistically, approximately 25% of auto injury victims will suffer from some ongoing symptom related to their accident. I see this statistic come to life in my San Diego chiropractic office. Chiropractors are experts in dealing with the types of neck pain, back pain and headaches that occur as a result of auto accidents. The best way to insure that you are not a member of this group of 25% that never fully recover from their auto accident injuries is to get an examination and possibly treatment, if recommended by your chiropractor.
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