Dr Davis' Back & Wrist Pain Blog

When You Are In Shape You Feel Good About Yourself

San Francisco Chiropractor and Fitness Buff Comments:

When you look good...you feel good...and vise versa. And when you feel better about yourself you have more confidence in everything you do. Your earning potential is greater. Your health and resistance to illness is greater. And your life span is longer. These are pretty compelling reasons to exercise and watch what you eat.

I like working out and eating right because I have complete control over both. I decide what I put in my mouth...and I decide if and when I exercise...and so do you.

And the thing is...once you reach your ideal body-weight the right way (not starvation dieting), with the proper combination of exercise and nutrition, your body becomes very efficient at burning calories and fat. You will even find you can cheat every now and then...even 1-2x per week and still stay lean and mean.

And you don't need high-tech gym equipment either...low-tech is fine. Of course going to a gym gives you more options...and if you can afford a personal trainer, that's even better. But the most important thing is to just get it done.

When it comes to nutrition...I recommend The McDougall Program...it's a plant based diet, but it's not "All Or None". The more you do the more you gain. I recommend doing more to get to your ideal body-weight...then tweaking the program to maintain what you want.  

I have been doing what I just described for 25 years and I weigh less than I did in high school and my body-weight only fluctuates about 5 lbs per year. If I cheat I will gain 1 or 2 lbs...then quickly go back to normal in few days.

There are lots of excuses not to exercise or eat right, here are the most common...not enough time, too expensive, my back hurts, too lazy, no matter what I do I can't lose weight, hormonal imbalance, hereditary weight gain, a plant based diet makes me sick, i need lots of meat for energy...and on and on.

I don't know...I think it's all about what's between the ears...making the decision to get it done and then following through with the plan. 

If you want to follow a fitness expert that is very motivational, check out Joe Gigantino on Twitter or follow his blog (Joe Gigantino's Blog). Most of his routines are advanced...but the motivational stuff is universal.  

Twitter is actually a great place to follow fitness and nutrition experts. You can follow me on Twitter also.

Anyway...I'm off to workout and do Joe's July 2nd, 2009 'Core Workout' for the second time (my abs are burning from the first workout)...great stuff.

Dr. Eben Davis is clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic in the San Francisco Financial District. 

Happy 4th, But Remember...You Are What You Eat

San Francisco Vegan Chiropractor Comments:

Well, today is the 4th of July...who knows how many hot dogs and hamburgers will be consumed...along with potato chips, sodas, beer, and Pepto Bismol. I hope folks have some pants with expandable waist bands because many will need them when this weekend is over.

Hey...I'm all for celebrating Independence Day...but I don't want to put on 5 lbs. of blubber in the process...that would take a whole month to work off.  It's almost as if we are celebrating our right to indulge.

Personally...I love the fireworks, and the music, and all the action...we went to the Marin County Fair last night...but looking at the crowd...which was a pretty good sampling of the typical American...you could just see why we are so sick and unhealthy as a nation. A good 60-70% of the crowd was overweight or obese...most walking around with corn dogs, ribs, or cotton candy....and huge sodas.

Do you know it takes a mile of blood vessels to service a pound of fat. So if someone is 20 lbs. overweight...that's 20 extra miles of blood vessels the heart has to pump blood through. This is very taxing on the heart and can lead to heart attacks and strokes. 

Hey...it's one thing to celebrate and eat junk foods every once in a while...but that's not what the typical American is doing...they do it day in and day out...and they wear it around their waists and in their blood vessels and it hangs from their faces...that's the problem. Every meal is a feast...and for that we are paying the price...skyrocketing obesity rates (including children), sickness and disease and exploding health care costs...is it really worth it?  

So...I hate to spoil the party...but just remember when you are slamming down those Pork Ribs...You Are What You Eat. 

Dr. Eben Davis is clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco.

Does Discography Damage The Spinal Disc Making Disc Degeneration Worse?

San Francisco Chiropractor and Spinal Decompression Doctor Comments:

Discography is a diagnostic test widely used to diagnose painful disc degeneration and help select candidates for surgery and other therapies that target the degenerated disc as the source of the underlying symptoms (Lumbar Discography).

A contrast medium is injected into the disc and a radiographic examination is performed to try and recreate the symptoms. The objective is to identify the exact location of spinal disc involvement. The findings often lead to spinal fusion surgeries. 

The thing is...several discs are injected during the procedure which was thought to be relatively safe up until now. Of course...any time you are injecting stuff into the body, especially a spinal disc...while at the same time exposing it to radiation, it's probably not a good thing...at least in my opinion.

Anyway...an award winning discography study conducted at Stanford University appears to have enormous implications for the future use of spinal discography which is currently used over 200,000 times per year in the US. Here is an excerpt from The Back Letter, Volume 24, #7, 2009:

Now, a new study by Eugene Carragee,

MD, and colleagues from Stanford questions

the safety of discography. (See

Carragee et al., 2009.) Ironically, a diagnostic

procedure designed to identify

painful disc degeneration appears to contribute

to the progression of that disease.

The Stanford researchers found that

discography speeds disc degeneration over

a seven- to 10-year follow-up period.

“Modern discography techniques using

small-gauge needles and limited pressurization

resulted in accelerated disc degeneration,

disc herniation, loss of disc height

and signal—and the development of reactive

endplate changes...,” according to the

study.

“We showed that disc puncture, even

using modern discography techniques, led

to structural changes in the disc,” said

Carragee in presenting the study at the

annual meeting of the International Society

for the Study of the Lumbar Spine

(ISSLS) in Miami—-where it won the

ISSLS Award.

“Physicians should carefully consider

the risk and benefits of procedures involving

disc puncture,” said Dr. Carragee.

According to the 10 year follow-up study Discography actually damages the spinal disc and resulted in loss of disc height and signal, end plate (top and bottom of vertebrae) degenerative changes, and progression of degenerative disc disease (DDD)...the same problems Discography is supposed to help treat...Not Good.

 You can imagine the turmoil this is causing amongst spinal surgeons and radiologists...and some say there are holes in the study...I don't know...I'm not surprised. I've never been a fan of discography.

In fact, I have had many patients back out of the procedure and follow through with non-surgical spinal decompression at my San Francisco Chiropractic Center...and most were glad they did.

So...who knows how this will all turn out. Supposedly they are going to be slicing and dicing the research data to provide more answers...but in the meantime, caveat emptor.  

If you would like to find out if you are a candidate for nonsurgical spinal decompression with the DRX9000 at Executive Expresss Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco...call 415-392-2225.  

Chronic Low Back Pain Relieved by Frequent Exercise

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

One of the most common conditions we treat at Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco is chronic low back pain. Chronic means the patient has had the back pain for over 3 months.

Many chronic back pain patients tell us they have gained weight (further aggravating the problem)during this period because they have been unable to exercise...which as it turns out, may be what they should have been doing more of.

According to a University of Alberta back pain study, those chronic low back pain patients that worked out 4 days per week, had a better quality of life, with less pain, and less disability than those who exercised less...say 2 days per week.

So, it's not just exercise that benefits chronic low back pain...it's frequent exercise...with weights.

The article talks about how these findings go against the grain in the sense that most would consider frequent exercise an activity that would make chronic back pain worse.

The findings were presented at the American College of Sports Medicine conference in Seattle, WA.

I have been working out with weights for over 30 years...typically I hold back when I have back pain (which is rare)...but I do not have chronic back pain. For acute back pain (a new episode) I would not recommend frequent exercise with weights...which would mos likely make the pain worse.  But for chronic back pain...the findings speak for themselves. However, I would do this under the guidance of a doctor and a personal trainer to make sure the exercise program makes sense.

If you would like to find out if you are a candidate for care at Executive Express Chiropractic at the SF Embarcadero Center, please call 415-392-2225 or request an appointment online.

Should Children Get Chiropractic?

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

I have been practicing chiropractic for almost 18 years in downtown San Francisco. During this time I have helped hundreds if not thousands of children. Children respond great to chiropractic...and not just for the kinds of problems you would think like back pain or neck pain.

The nervous system controls every function in the body...and the bones of the skull and spine house and protect the nervous system. When the spine gets knocked out of alignment from the ongoing spills and falls that children take, it can put pressure on the nervous system resulting in symptoms like difficult breathing, digestive problems, ear aches, and allergies. Gentle chiropractic adjustments like I do with my 4 year old daughter can work wonders...almost instantaneously.

So...when I saw this news story entitled Chiropractors for Kids?, I was very interested to read what it had to say. 

Here is an excerpt from the article:

A recent National Institute of Health report found that three percent of American children were treated by a chiropractor, making it the 2nd most common type of alternative medicine for children.

This is impressive...and well deserved. Chiropractic check-ups just make sense for children...I recommend every 6 months or when they have symptoms.

To schedule an appointment at Executive Express Chiropractic for your child call 415-392-2225 or request an appointment online (we are open M-F 9-6 and Sat 9-1pm).   

Can a Herniated Cervical Disc Cause Headaches?

San Francisco Chiropractor and Herniated Disc Doctor Comments:

I have been helping patients with headaches and herniated discs in the neck for almost 18 years now in downtown San Francisco. Of course...not everyone with a headache has a herniated disc...and not everyone with a herniated disc in the neck has a headache...but many have both.

Over the years I have attracted headache and migraine patients to my clinics because I myself once suffered from debilitating headaches...so I can relate to their problems. However...sometimes chiropractic care would not work...or massage...or acupuncture...or pain pills...or anything for that matter. This was rare...but it would be very frustrating.

I would often times send my headache patients out for an MRI of the neck to rule out herniated discs or spinal stenosis when they were not responding to traditional therapies. What I started finding more often than not was a herniated disc in the neck. Well...up until about 4 years ago there was still nothing more I could do...but at least we knew what the problem was and I could refer out to a spine surgeon. This was not what patients wanted to hear.

Then came nonsurgical spinal decompression of the cervical spine with the DRX9000c. At first I was very skeptical that a machine could fix a disc herniation...but it did. It did not get 100% resolution on everyone it did help...but we experienced life changing results enough of the time for me to make cervical decompression a key component of my chiropractic practice.

We are the only clinic in downtown San Francisco to offer cervical spinal decompression with the DRX9000c. Sure more downtown SF chiropractic clinics will come along with the DRX9000c...but they will never have as much as experience as we do...and experience matters, believe me.

Since the beginning we have done thousands of spinal decompression sessions on hundreds of patients...and the outcomes are outstanding. There is an art to managing cervical disc herniation patients with the DRX9000c and we have become very comfortable with the process.  

So, YES there can be a connection between headaches and disc herniations...disc herniations can cause them. And...there is a potential solution to your disc herniation problem that does not require surgery...the DRX9000c.

Hey...regular chiropractic should be tried first..at least that's what we do at Executive Express Chiropractic. But the DRX9000c is our "Ace in the hole"...we now have a next step...and for that we are thankful...and so are our cervical disc patients.

To find out if you are a candidate for headaches treatment at our San Francisco Chiropractic and Decompression Center...call 415-392-2225 or request an appointment online.

Read some San Francisco DRX9000 success stories 

 

Migraine Headache Statistics in Women

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

I gave a migraine headaches seminar to a group of about 40 people at the Embarcadero Center in downtown San Francisco, which is where my chiropractic clinic is located-Executive Express Chiropractic.

I know first hand what it's like to suffer with migraines because I used to suffer from them personally.

One thing for sure...every time I give a headaches seminar it seems like the ratio of women to men is 10:1 women.  Now I know 90% of migraine headache sufferers are not women...but women seem to seek treatment and information for migraines more actively. At least that's been my experience and I have been practicing chiropractic for 18 years.

However, more women than men do get migraines and they get them more frequently too. Women also respond very favorably to chiropractic treatment...and that's a good thing...because migraines can be brutal.

Anyway...I found an excellent article on the Women's Health section of www.WebMD.com entitled: 

Your Guide To Migraines and Headaches

This is a very comprehensive guide on migraine statistics, who gets migraine headaches, why women get more migraines, what triggers migraines, and treatment options. 

One thing this article lacks is any mention of chiropractic care which is too bad because chiropractic treatments help thousand of migraine headache victims every single day.

So take the article for what it is...and please...if you feel like you are getting nowhere with your headaches, like I once did...turn to chiropractic...it might just be your last stop.

Dr. Eben Davis is clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic in the San Francisco Financial District. To schedule an appointment call 415-393-2225.

When is a Headache a Warning Sign of a Serious illness?

San Francisco Chiropractor and Former Migraine Headache Sufferer Comments:

I know first hand what it's like to suffer with migraine headaches that nobody can figure out. I suffered with headaches so bad I was on disability...which is how I discovered chiropractic.

Like most headache sufferers...I trusted my doctors to know what they were doing and to be able to figure out what was wrong with me. The first thing that was done was to rule out something really bad like a brain tumor or ruptured blood vessel. My headaches came on suddenly so this did make sense. 

Anyway...here are some of the warning signs that should lead to immediate medical attention (courtesy of www.webMD.com): 

·         A sudden, new severe headache

·         A headache that is associated with neurological (nerve) symptoms such as weakness, dizziness, sudden loss of balance or falling, numbness or tingling, paralysis, speech difficulties, mental confusion, seizures, personality changes/inappropriate behavior, or vision changes (blurry vision, double vision or blind spots)

·         Headache with a fever, shortness of breath, fever, or rash

·         Headache pain that awakens you at night

·         Headaches with severe nausea and vomiting

·         Headaches that occur after a head injury or accident

·         Getting a new type of headache after age 55

Most headaches do not require urgent care...here is a partial list of some of the most common headache signs & symptoms (chiropractic can potentially help with these):

·         Have three or more headaches per week

·         Have headaches that keep getting worse and won't go away

·         Need to take a pain reliever every day or almost every day for your headaches

·         Need more than 2-3 doses of over-the-counter medications per week to relieve headache symptoms

·         Have headaches that are triggered by exertion, coughing, bending, or strenuous activity

·         Have a history of headaches, but have noticed a recent change in your headache symptoms

So, while it makes sense to rule out serious illness when it comes to headaches...conventional medications and treatments often times fail to deliver and chiropractic should be considered.

Dr. Eben Davis is clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco. To schedule an appointment call 415-392-2225.

 

Active Release Techniques (ART) for Chronic Neck Pain

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

Millions of people in the US suffer from chronic neck pain...which is neck pain that has been around for more than 3 months.

The neck muscles have the difficult job of helping support the skull along with the cervical spine. Skulls are heavy...about the weight of a bowling ball. When the cervical spine is out of alignment the neck muscles have to work much harder than they should to support the skull leading to chronic muscle spasms and pain.

This is very common with people that spend their work day in front of a computer...which is what most of the patients of Executive Express Chiropractic do.  In fact...some of our patients go home and spend even more time on the computer...OUCH...the neck muscles short circuit.

Fortunately for our Financial District Chiropractic patients, our clinic supervisor, Dr. Adam Jacobs is certified in Active Release Techniques (ART)...a very advanced, highly specific form of massage that is done with the active participation of the patient.

Dr. Jacobs says one of his chronic neck pain patients told him "the ART sessions feel like you are running a comb through the muscle spasms in my neck." And it happens quick too. A highly targeted ART session can take as little as 5 minutes. I know...because I have it done all the time.

We incorporate condition specific Active Release Techniques into all of our treatment protocols at Executive Express Chiropractic...and our patients love it. 

Sure professional athletes and dancers swear by ART...but there are way more regular folks that get it...especially those with chronic neck pain.

So...if you suffer with chronic neck pain...do yourself a favor and try Active Release Techniques. To find a doctor near you go to Active Release Providers.

If you live or work near downtown SF you can come see us. To schedule an appointment at Executive Express Chiropractic call 415-392-2225 or request an appointment online.

San Francisco Chiropractor Helps NFL Star Igor Olshansky Recover From Herniated Disc with the DRX9000

San Francisco Chiropractor and Spinal Decompression Doctor Comments:

We now have the privilege at Executive Express Chiropractic of treating newly signed Dallas Cowboy Igor Olshansky, one of the strongest men in the NFL. Igor has been playing Defensive End for the San Diego Chargers for the past 5 years. He is in San Francisco to visit his father for Fathers Day.

His play helped make the San Diego Chargers defensive line one of the best in the NFL. Recently, Igor signed a multi-million dollar contract to play for the Dallas Cowboys. Igor is 6' 6" tall and around 320 lbs.

His body takes a pounding day in and day out, either on the field or training (watch Training with Igor Olshansky), so he began using the DRX9000 to help relieve pain from a herniated disc in his low back (not that uncommon in the NFL). Traditional therapies and treatments just did not seem to help enough.

Igor travels a lot and is now in the process of completing a 25 visit DRX9000 treatment plan in three different cities...San Francisco (with us), San Diego, and Dallas. His sister is a chiropractor and Igor is a big proponent for chiropractic care and also Active Release Techniques (ART).

Igor frequently gets treated by a chiropractor in San Diego who does ART to help with back pain and stiffness. Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression with the DRX9000 and Active Release Techniques are two of the only treatments which offer him relief, which enables him to compete at the highest level in the NFL.

Igor Olshansky played high school football here in the San Francisco Bay Area at St. Ignatius High School (and college ball at Oregon)and often speaks to the student athletes about pursuing dreams through hard work and determination.

We can't wait to see Igor play for the Dallas Cowboys and do his thing. In the meantime we will do our part to make sure his back is ready to go...training camp starts soon (I love football).

Side Note: It sure would make sense for NFL teams to contract with local chiropractors to have all players go through DRX9000 treatments as a cautionary measure to reduce the likelihood of ongoing lumbar and cervical disc disorders from becoming chronic and interfering with play. 

NFL decision makers please contact Dr. Eben Davis at ebendavis@yahoo.com

For more information on the DRX9000 or to schedule an appointment at Executive Express Chiropractic at the SF Embarcadero Center...call 415-392-2225 or request an appointment online.  

San Francisco Spinal Decompression Success Stories