Dr Davis' Back & Wrist Pain Blog

Back or Neck Pain from sitting too long ?

Proper Office Ergonomics includes "getting up out of your chair" and moving around. Take Breaks, Stretch, and walk around to avoid Back Pain and Injury

San Francisco- It's really not surprising that we get stiff and sore after sitting for long periods. Especially in an office environment where we have the stress of job performance and deadlines. In fact, I have spent my entire career as a chiropractor in the Financial District teaching patients how to adapt to these stresses at optimum levels. Accordingly, I found a fantastic article in the Denver Post on Office Ergonomics and back pain. It really gets into it and shows photos of exercises that you can do at your workstation to reduce the chances of injury to your back and neck. Let me know what you think by commenting to this post. 

Weightlifting with a Herniated Lumbar Disc

SF Bay Area Decompression Center- I am often asked if it is a good idea to lift weights with a herniated disc in the low back. The truth of the matter is, there is no right answer. It just depends on the individual circumstances. Just because you have a disc herniation does not mean you can't ever workout again. In fact, often times working out with weights under the supervision of a physical therapist or trainer is exactly what you want to do after the inflammation subsides. Chiropractic adjustments can be quite helpful as well during this rehabilitation phase, as is deep tissue massage.

Now, if you have chronic low back pain that does not respond to conservative care it may be a different story. In fact, in really bad cases exercise may make you worse, especially weightlifting. This is where your doctor comes into play. If you are working with an orthopedic doctor or a chiropractor that treats a lot of herniated disc patients (and weightlifters) then you will probably get some good advice. The last thing you want to do is make the problem worse. And just so you know...It's OK to get sore when you start your rehab. In fact, this is normal. Just use a lot of ice and make sure you do exactly what your doctor says.

If it turns out that you are unable to exercise because it is too painful, and you do not respond to physical therapy or chiropractic, you may be a candidate for nonsurgical spinal decompression. Decompression therapy was actually created to fill this void. It's something to seriously consider if you don't want surgery.

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and have been diagnosed with a herniated disc, you may be a candidate for care at our Financial District Decompression Center. For a Complimentary Consultation please call 415-392-2225. We can talk by phone or in person.

Arthritis and Nutrition. What foods are best, and does your doctor know what they are ?

San Francisco Vegan Chiropractor comments:

Arthritis is inflammation of the joints. There are two basic kinds of arthritis, degenerative, which is called osteoarthritis, from abnormal wear and tear. And, inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis or Lupus, which are mostly auto-immune disorders.

Here's the deal. Both forms of arthritis respond favorably to a Plant Based Diet. Unfortunately, you will not usually walk out of your doctors office with a prescription for brown rice and spinach. You have to figure this stuff out for yourself. This is where I come in. I can help steer you in the right direction when it comes to health and nutrition. You have to do the rest.

Here is a link to Dr. John McDougall, M.D.'s Arthritis Page. I have had dozens of patients over the years with chronic, life threatening illnesses, completely reverse their condition by adopting a plant based diet. I have also had many more patients with both forms of arthritis get better as well. And, just for the record, I have personally been on the McDougall program for over 15 years. Molecule for molecule, food is your greatest interaction with your environment. And, you have complete control over what you eat. Drastic changes require drastic action.

P.S. I know it's not easy to change the way you eat. I struggle trying to teach my family and friends what I know day in and day out. What I tell them is "try it for 30 days" and see how you feel. It's also not an all or none diet. The more you do, the more you gain. I do recommend going all the way on the 30 day trial however. It's worth a shot when you consider the options.

ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE ?

If you are suffering from arthritis and live in the SF Bay Area, I would like to meet with you. Simply call 415-392-2225 and ask for a complimentary consultation with Dr. Davis. We will decide together if you are a candidate for care.

Got CTS or RSI? Should you give up your Mouse ?

San Francisco Carpal Tunnel Doctor comments:

I am often asked questions like "what is the best keyboard to use to prevent CTS ?" or "what kind of mouse works best if you have carpal tunnel syndrome or RSI ?", stuff like that. In actuality, there is no way for me or anyone for that matter to know what will work best for you. There are just too many choices, and everyone has a different level of tolerance and body type. So, the best thing I can do for you is to provide you with resources so that you can learn what is out there. Let me do the homework, then I can steer you in the right direction. 

Anyway, here is an interesting article entitled Weaning Yourself From The Mouse that is posted on the always informative RSI-Relief Blog. Should you give up the mouse ? Maybe, but you are the one that needs to decide.

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and would like help with your carpal tunnel syndrome or any other repetitive stress injury, simply call us at 415-392-2225 and ask for a complimentary CTS evaluation.

Back Pain and Depression

San Francisco Decompression Doctor comments:

Most doctors know that chronic back pain can lead to depression. But, according to a new back pain-depression study I just read about on the great Spine-Health.com website, the reverse is also true. This study followed 148 people over a 3 year period who had no history of back pain. Those who reported depression when the study began were more than 2.3 times likely to develope chronic back pain than the rest of the group. That IS significant.

It just goes to show that there are a lot of things we just don't understand about chronic back pain, which makes it very difficult to diagnose and treat.

Certainly we need to consider the emotional state of the patient, as well as the physical. Depression is not going to show up on the MRI.   

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome- 5 Common Mistakes Doctors Make

San Francisco Carpal Tunnel Doctor Comments on mistakes doctors make when diagnosing CTS:

1. Assuming the cause of the pain is in the hand. The nerve inside the carpal tunnel is called the median nerve and it originates in the neck, where pressure is more likely.

2. Thinking that CTS is caused by repetitive use of the hands, like typing, meat packing, computer use, or hair cutting. True Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is actually rare. Yes, it is true that occupations that require repetitive motion can result in RSI (Repetitive Stress Injuries). However, you can't just throw the diagnosis CTS at it because there is pain in the hand or wrist. Chances are it is something else.

3.  Not referring out to chiropractors, who are experts in treating RSI, CTS, and other related disorders. Some chiropractors even specialize in back and wrist pain.

4. Prescribing wrist splints (for too long). Wrist splints can become a crutch when a patient is not receiving the right kind of treatment. Wrist splints and Motrin is a very typical "doctors prescription". The doctor never considered the neck, and could be missing the root of the problem.

5. NOT prescribing a cervical pillow or ice therapy. Often times, patients that present with arm and hand pain are stomach sleepers. Over time, this can lead to muscle spasms and pinched nerves in the neck. A cervical pillow helps correct this. Icing the neck and wrist helps to reduce inflammation. 

If you or someone you know is suffering from CTS related signs and symptoms, you owe it to yourself to see a chiropractor trained in carpal tunnel treatment.

If you live in the  San Francisco Bay Area and would like to meet with me to discuss your wrist pain, please call 415-392-2225 and ask for a complimentary CTS evaluation.  You may be a candidate for care.

Back Pain Nutrition-10 Easy Tips

San Francisco Vegan Disc Pain Doctor incorporates nutrition into chronic back and wrist pain protocol. Here are some simple things you can do at home to reduce inflammation and back pain:

1. Drink 1/2 your body weight in oz. of water every day. So, if you are 160 lbs, you would drink 80oz of water per day.

2. Reduce or eliminate dairy products from your diet.

3. Instead of thinking meat and potatoes, think potatoes and meat. It is best to eliminate meat all together. But if you must indulge, make it a small portion, then a much larger portion of starchy carbohydrate.

4. Eat lots and lots of dark, leafy vegetables.

5. Eat 3-4 portions of fresh fruit per day. Fruit juice does not count because when fruit is made into juice it loses most of it's fiber content and the fruit sugar (fructose) enters your system instantly, raising insulin levels.

6. Eat plain oatmeal in the morning, with some flax seeds (short-chain omega-3 fatty acids) and walnuts. This reduces blood stickiness and inflammation.

7. Take Fish Oil supplements for long-chain omega 3's to reduce inflammation in your spinal joints and discs.

8. Reduce or eliminate salt. Most food is loaded with it. Buy bread, pasta sauce, beans, and everything you can salt-free.

9. Drink green tea instead of coffee. Coffee is loaded with caffeine, which raises your blood pressure and causes inflammation of the joints.

10. Don't try to live on salads. You need to be full. Eat a starch based diet (potatoes, brown rice, wheat pasta, barley, squash, yams). Learn how to eat from sources such as  Dr. John McDougall M.D.

If you were to only do these 10 things you would most likely be much healthier and have much less back pain. It is amazing how important nutrition is when it comes to herniated disc and chronic back pain. A side benefit is weight loss, which of course will lead to less stress on the spinal joints, discs, and ligaments.

If you live in San Francisco and would like to meet with me personally to discuss your back pain, simply call 415-392-2225 and ask for a complimentary consultation with Dr. Eben Davis.

    

Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression San Francisco

San Francisco Disc Herniation Treatment Center features the DRX9000 and DRX9000c for Lumbar and Cervical Decompression

Statistics tell us that lumbar disc herniations are 7 times more common than disc herniations in the neck. So, it would stand to reason that we would treat way more patients with lumbar disc problems, which we do. However, it's not seven times more. Our ratio is about 4 to 1. Results are about the same and are very, very, good at our San Francisco Spinal Decompression Center.

The patients that get the most out of the treatment are the patients that put the most into it. There is a home care regimen that is personalized for each individual patient. It is also best to keep to your appointment schedule and try to take it easy the best you can.

I have to admit though, I have had patients that did not change anything at home, played golf 2-3 times per week in spite of what I said, and the spinal decompression still worked. On the flip-side, we have had patients that did everything perfect, and it still took a while for them to get some relief. But, all in all, if you follow the doctors orders, drink your water, wear your back support, and keep your appointments, chances are you will be writing a success story at the end of your treatment. It's only six weeks, and it goes by quick, why not do it right.

If you or anyone you know has chronic back pain, and nothing seems to be working to help, you should consider non-surgical spinal decompression.  If you live in the SF Bay Area, we would like to invite you for a Complimentary Consultation at our Financial District Disc Herniation Center. Simply call 415-392-2225. You will be glad you did. 

Read some of our DRX 9000 Success Stories

Cervical Disk Degeneration and Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression

San Francisco Bay Area Chronic Back Pain Center first to incorporate cervical spinal decompression into treatment protocol for degenerated and herniated disks in the neck   

So, you are concerned about your spinal disc degeneration. Maybe you have been told you have disk herniations and you need surgery. Or, maybe you have been told surgery would be too dangerous and you should just learn to live with the pain. Chiropractic and exercise make it sore. Nothing seems to work. If this sounds like you, you may be a candidate for nonsurgical cervical spinal decompression.

NON SURGICAL CERVICAL SPINAL DECOMPRESSION IS VERY SAFE AND GENTLE

Even elderly patients can be cleared for decompression therapy for the neck. Typically, you would come in for 30 minute sessions 3-4 times per week for about 6 weeks. Each decompression session is followed by electro-muscle stimulation and ice. So, you are here about an hour. Other than a little soreness in the beginning, there are no side effects and the machine has never caused permanent bodily harm to anyone (that I know of). It may take a while before you start feeling better. But, chances are it will be a favorable outcome.

If you or anyone you know is suffering with pain related to disk herniations, foraminal stenosis, or degenerative disk disease (DDD), you may be a candidate for care. To find out if you qualify for spinal decompression at our SF Bay Area Decompression Center, simply call 415-392-2225 and ask for a complimentary cervical decompression evaluation. Chances are, you will be glad you did.

Read some of our DRX9000 Testimonials

Dentists and Surgeons Bad Backs Get Better with DRX 9000 Herniated Disc Therapy

San Francisco Spinal Decompression Doctor Comments:

It sure seems like we treat a lot of Dentists and Surgeons with some pretty bad backs with our DRX 9000 decompression machines. Because of the nature of their work they are prone to things like Disk Herniations and Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD). Years and years of standing or sitting in awkward positions, bent over, sometimes for hours at a time takes it's toll.

Here they are trying to help improve our lifestyles, often times sacrificing their own health in the process. One of my buddies in Miami told me his dad just retired after 43 years as a dentist and he now needs back surgery. The first thing I did when I heard this is refer him to a DRX 9000 spinal decompression center in Ft. Lauderdale. Hey, he can have surgery if it doesn't work.

Anyway, I went online and found this article entitled Back Care for Dentists and Surgeons that's pretty good at explaining how these doctors backs go bad, and what to do about it, as well as how to prevent it from happening.

Of course, there is no mention of spinal decompression, but nonsurgical spinal decompression is fairly new. At least in it's present "state of the art" form. I was the first clinic in the San Francisco Bay Area to offer the DRX 9000 Lumbar spinal decompression system. I acquired my first system over two years ago. What this means is we probably have the most experience because we have helped hundreds of patients with chronic, severe, back pain regain their health.

And, many of these patients have been doctors, dentists, and surgeons. But, mostly just regular folks who do not want back surgery. Or, maybe they already had surgery and it failed. Or maybe surgery is not even recommended, but nothing else is working. Either way, spinal decompression therapy could be the answer and there is only one way to find out, and that is to get checked by a qualified decompression specialist.

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area and would like to find out if you qualify for treatment on the DRX 9000, we have a couple of easy choices for you. You can either fill out our Free Online Consultation Form and one of our doctors will contact you. Or, you can call our office directly at 415-392-2225 and ask for a Complimentary Decompression Evaluation at out SF Financial District location. Chances are, you will be glad you did.

Read some of our Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression Success Stories