Dr Davis' Back & Wrist Pain Blog

Low Back Pain That Just Wont Get Better?

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

     Low Back Pain      Often times, Low Back Pain just wont go away...no matter what you do. Every day, I speak with someone at my Financial District Chiropractic Clinic...that has tried everything under the sun for their back pain.

I just spoke to a lady yesterday that has tried chiropractic, acupuncture, rolfing, Pilate's, and conventional spinal traction, cortisone injections, and pain medication. Other than some temporary relief, she said nothing seems to help...the low back pain marches on.

So...what can be done other than back surgery?

Well, how about Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression with the DRX9000.

The DRX9000 was designed and built to treat the primary causes of chronic low back pain and sciatica...herniated and bulging lumbar discs.The DRX9000 can also help patients with degenerative disc disease and facet syndromes.

Hey, when you are in pain every day, it interferes with everything...including your earning potential. Spinal decompression could possibly be the missing link you have been looking for.

It just makes sense to give nonsurgical decompression a chance if nothing else is working...because the DRX9000 delivers time and time again...when nothing else will.

To find out if you are a  candidate for the DRX9000 at Executive Express Chiropractic at the SF Embarcadero Center...please call 415-392-2225 and ask for a complimentary consultation.

Spinal Decompression is a Tool, Not a Magic Bullet

San Francisco Spinal Decompression Doctor Comments:

If you have cervical or lumbar disc herniations...and nothing seems to be helping...you may be a candidate for nonsurgical spinal decompression.

Nonsurgical spinal decompression is the most advanced form of nonsurgical treatment for neurovascular compression syndromes in the marketplace.

I know...I have been using the DRX9000 lumbar decompression system, and the DRX9000c cervical decompression system at my San Francisco Decompression Centers, for almost 4 years now.

One thing for sure...spinal decompression is a great tool...but it's not a Magic Bullet. It's actually quite a bit of work. It takes 20 hour long sessions or more...and some very comprehensive home care and exercise instructions. It's not for everyone.

The patients that we accept for care in San Francisco, need to have a very strong desire to get well...this is the main criteria. Otherwise, they will lean on the machine too much instead of taking responsibility themselves.

Sure the DRX9000 and DRX9000c are amazing pieces of equipment...but so is the human mind. The combination of modern back pain technology, desire to get better, and adherence to treatment protocols, gives our San Francisco disc pain patients the best chance for recovery.

We have been on a roll lately...lots of good results. You could be next.

For a complimentary consultation to find out if you are a candidate for nonsurgical spinal decompression at Executive Express Chiropractic in the SF Financial District...call 415-392-2225. 

DRX9000 Spinal Decompression For Bulging Discs

San Francisco Spinal Decompression Doctor Comments:

It might be a good idea to try and fix the bulging discs in your low back before they herniate or rupture. After-all...if you had a bulge on one of the tires on your car you would replace it before it ruptured.

The bulge in your tire is not living tissue like your spinal discs...which are able to repair themselves with the right kind of treatment...treatment like nonsurgical spinal decompression with the DRX9000.

Lumbar disc bulges  can cause serious low back pain and sciatica...reason enough to want to fix them. I mean...you wouldn't even know you had a bulging lumbar disc unlesss you had an MRI. And why would you have an MRI unless you had some really bad or persistent low back pain or sciatica.

And,  for the most part...they don't operate on a bulging spinal disc. Chiropractic will often help, as will physical therapy...but what if nothing does? What do you do now?

Well...you consider lumbar decompression with the DRX9000, that's what you do...Why Not? 

The DRX9000 was designed and built to treat neurovascular compression syndromes such as bulging discs, herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, and facet syndromes. And it does it naturally...and usually painlessly. Most patients fall asleep during the spinal decompression sessions.

So if you have bulging discs in the low back and you are not responding to conventional treatment methods...find a DRX doctor near you. If you go to www.axiomworldwide.com, they have a doctor finder.

If you live or work in the SF Bay Area, you can come to our San Francisco Spinal Decompression Center at Executive Express Chiropractic. For a complimentary consultation call 415-392-2225.

Degenerative Disc Disease Has A Cause

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)has a cause...just like any other degenerative disease. However, there are still a lot of doctors out there that consider disc degeneration a normal part of the aging process. Sure, there are lots of people with DDD, and it is common...but we don't need to re-define what should be considered normal...because there are ways to slow it down.

I have been practicing chiropractic in downtown San Francisco for almost 17 years. During this time I have seen thousand and thousands of spinal x-rays and MRI films. Yes, DDD is common...but it's a lot less common...and less severe in patients with healthy lifestyles and proper spinal alignment.

Yes spinal alignment (and posture) matter. When the spine is in alignment, the spinal discs wear in a more normal fashion....just like the tires wear normally when the front end of your car is in alignment.

The spine is composed of 24 movable segments called vertebrae. When a vertebrae moves out of position we call it a Subluxation...which is what chiropractors treat. Regular chiropractic care can help preserve the spinal discs and reduce the odds of disc disease and spinal degeneration.

The other cause if degenerative disc disease (DDD), just like any other degenerative disease is poor lifestyle habits...things like poor diet, smoking and alcohol, lack of exercise, mental stress, not enough sleep, bad mattresses, and on and on.

The spine and spinal discs are made up of living tissue just like the rest of the body...these cells reflect the quality of their context. If the context is not healthy, neither are the cells.

At Executive Express Chiropractic we incorporate plant based nutrition and lifestyle recommendations into our disc regeneration protocols with spinal decompression and chiropractic. As far as nutrition goes, www.drmcdougall.com is the best resource I know of.

And when it comes to chiropractic care and herniated disc treatment in the San Francisco Financial District...we are the industry leader. Come find out  for yourself why thousands of patients have trusted their spinal health with us.

For a complimentary consultation to find out if you are a candidate for care at Executive Express Chiropractic...please call 415-392-2225. We are located at the SF Embarcadero Center.

Research Shows Junk Food Increases Risk Of Heart Attack

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

It's not like we need research to know that junk food...or the typical American Diet, is bad for us. Just look around...it's not pretty. Our obesity rates are out of control, along with all the diseases that go along with it...such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancers.

Anyway, I came across an article at www.revolutionhealth.com entitled:

Junk food causes a third of heart attacks

Yes...diet matters. And in my opinion a plant based diet is the way to go. The best source of information on plant based nutrition and lifestyle is www.drmcdougall.com.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Dr. Eben Davis is clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic at the San Francisco Embarcadero Center. He can be reached at drdavis@executiveexpresschiro.com.   

Things Will Get Better If You Focus On The Right Things: The Things You Can Control

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

                              Sure these are tough times...but it's easy to use them as excuse not to take action. If you are suffering with chronic back pain or chronic neck pain...the last thing you need is the added stress of worrying about something you have no control over...the economy.

In fact, I remember doing research on the relationship between stress and cancer...and there was a famous study that was done with mice on a spin wheel. The mice that had control over the spin wheel released hormones that were anabolic (pro growth) and healthy. The mice that were unable to control the spin wheel produced hormones that were catabolic (destructive to tissue) and very unhealthy...precursors to cancer.

Putting yourself into a situation (mentally) that you have no control over can cause serious harm...so why do it?

Put your mental attention and focus on the things you do have control over, such as what you eat, how often you exercise, what you read, how you prepare for your work, how you take care of your spine, what you put into your body, etc.

Not only does the mere act of doing this produce healthy chemicals...the actual lifestyle knobs you are adjusting produce healthy outcomes in and of themselves.

If you put your attention on making yourself more valuable to your employer you will make more money. If you just complain that you want to make more money, you will keep getting more of the same. It's just how it works. And because you have control over the process and effort you are making, you make healthy chemicals.

This is why complainers and people with negative attitudes always seem to be sick...it's a negative feedback loop. It's also why people with a really poor diet are often overweight and suffer chronic illnesses...it catches up to you.

So focus on the right things...the things you have control over...and let everything else happen as it will.

Dr. Eben Davis is clinic director at Executive Express Chiropracticin downtown San Francisco. He can be reached at drdavis@executiveexpresschiro.com.

The World Is Upside Down

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

I wake up at around 4AM everyday to workout. It's just a habit I've never been able to break since my days as a stockbroker over 20 years ago.

I turn on CNBC to see how the markets are doing. Lately, this has not been very pleasant...especially today. Today looks like the markets around the world are collapsing. Fortunes are being lost, retirement plans are being put on hold, and jobs are evaporating...it's downright ugly. This is a once in a lifetime event.

But the thing is...we got ourselves into this mess. Now we have to pay the price. We made the decision as a whole to indulge, binge, and spend way more than we had...now the patient is sick. And the band-aids from the FED are not working...the patient has cancer.

I'm feeling it just like everyone else...but I have no control over it. However, I do have control over the actions I take today to stay healthy and feed my family...and so do you.

Just like when you are at the dinner table...if you make the decision to binge and eat rich fatty foods day in and day out...eventually you will pay the price. If you smoke cigarettes for too long eventually you will pay the price. If you are late to work every day you will pay the price. There is a price tag on everything.

Life is like a cafeteria line...you can take whatever you want...but at the end of the line you have to pay the price...and they always put the desserts at the beginning of the line.

Chronic Back Pain Getting In Your Head? Break The Cycle

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

When you have chronic back pain that you have to deal with day in and day out...it can take it's toll on you. You are in a constant state of stress. When you are under stress your body makes cortisol. Too much cortisol can interfere with your immune response and contribute to chronic inflammation...it's a vicious cycle.

Trying to bust-up this pain cycle can be very challenging...especially if you throw prescription drugs into the mix. 

So what can be done to break the chronic back pain cycle? 

Well, the approach we use at my San Francisco Chronic Back Pain Center...is to adjust all the variables that can be adjusted. I call these adjustable variables "knobs"...and they are adjustable by YOU.

For instance...we have a knob for what we eat, what we read, how much rest we get, what kind of pillow we use, if we drink or smoke, how much stress we expose ourselves to...who we hang out with, how much water we drink, if we take prescription drugs or not, if we exercise, how much we work, what kind of chair we use, how our work station is setup, if we have positive attitude or not, etc.

We also have a knob for what kind of treatments we choose for chronic back pain. Do we choose prescription drugs and medications because our insurance will pay for it? Or do we seek natural remedies like chiropractic, acupuncture, or nonsurgical spinal decompression?

Nobody decides how your knobs get adjusted but you. It's my belief that health is a spontaneous occurrence when the conditions are right (the knobs all well adjusted) . When you are eating right (plant foods), when your spine is aligned so the nervous system can communicate with all the body parts, when you are exercising on a regular basis and getting plenty of rest, etc...you give your body a really good chance to heal itself.

When something is not working for your back pain, try something else. Give the treatment a chance...go through the treatment protocol...but try other things if it does not help...things that are safe and do not involve drugs or surgery. Adjust the knobs...exercise, change your diet...get clean...relax...and let your back heal. Surgery should be a last resort.

You can't expect your back pain to heal if you keep doing the same things that are not working over and over. Make your own decisions...try the DRX9000 if nothing else is working...why not?  Because it's not covered by your insurance?  Please...nothing is more important than your health, and it deserves your full attention and resources.

The longer chronic pain persists...the harder it is to break it up. Sure, your insurance company will pay all your medical bills for pain pills and cortisone...but if it's not working STOP.  Breaking the pain cycle takes attention, focus, and desire...nothing worthwhile is easy.

I have had patients that were ready to jump of the Golden Gate Bridge get their life back by taking control of their health...adjusting their own knobs...making their own decisions. Are you ready?

If so, you may need to take massive action by adjusting a bunch of knobs all at once in the direction of health. It's easy to let chronic back pain get in your head, and make you think and feel like you can't do anything about it or nobody knows how to help you. So, take it into your own hands and see what happens.

For a complimentary chronic back pain consultation with Dr. Eben Davis of Executive Express Chiropracticat the San Francisco Embarcadero Center...please call 415-393-2225.

Low Back or Neck Pain: Does Your Diet Matter?

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

A frequent question I hear at Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco is this:

Does what I eat have anything to do with my chronic back pain?

And my answer is always the same...YES

The typical American diet is loaded with sugar and fat, which is why such a large part of our population is overweight and obese. These extra pounds can put extra weight on the spinal joints and discs, leading to degenerative disc disease, spinal degeneration, and herniated discs...the primary causes of low back pain.

Losing extra pounds almost always results in less back pain...instantaneously.

The other bad thing about the typical American diet is that it is pro-inflammatory because of all the animal protein...particularly dairy products (see report by John. McDougall, M.D.). This can stoke the fire and contribute to a constant state of back pain and inflammation.

So, yes...what you eat matters when it comes to back pain, or neck pain...or any kind of joint pain that has chronic inflammation.

The best solution I know of that can both help you lose weight and reduce inflammation, is a plant based diet. And the best resource I know of for plant based nutrition is www.drmcdougall.com.

The combination of losing weight and less stress on the joints along with reduced inflammation, can help create fertile soil for back pain resolution. Sure, you have to make a dramatic lifestyle change...but nothing worthwhile is easy. Check out Dr. McDougall and let me know what you think. I have been on the program for 17 years. I find it impossible to gain extra body weight, and I can eat as much as I want...it's great.

And if you are doing a chiropractic or nonsurgical spinal decompression program with us at Executive Express Chiropractic...this is the diet I recommend. It just makes sense.

Yes, Disc Herniations Are Treatable Without Surgery

San Francisco Spinal Decompression Doctor Comments:

I remember when I first heard about nonsurgical spinal decompression...a machine that could fix disc herniations without back surgery. It went in one ear and out the other.

I had already been practicing chiropractic in downtown San Francisco for quite a while, and my belief was that if chiropractic care could not repair the herniated disc, then back surgery...or just living with it, were the only choices. 

Then...I went to a back pain conference in Los Angeles for medical doctors and physical therapist. One of the featured speakers was giving a presentation and demonstration of nonsurgical spinal decompression with the DRX9000. I was impressed. I still did not consider purchasing a DRX9000 machine because I did not want to mess with my thriving chiropractic practice.

Then, I started hearing really good things from chiropractors I knew personally  that had purchased the DRX9000. They were head over heels about the results they were getting with patients that were not responsive to chiropractic care. They were able to have a next step with lumbar and cervical disc herniation patients that they would otherwise refer out for medical care.

This started to sound very exciting...a way to help fill the huge void between conservative care and surgery.

So...after 9 months of research I purchased my first DRX9000 lumbar decompression machine for my Financial District Chiropractic Clinic. Well...the results were so good that I purchased a DRX9000c cervical decompression system. Then, another lumbar system.

Well...it's been almost 4 years now, and the beat goes on. YES, Disc Herniations Are Treatable Without Surgery. Live or work in San Francisco? Come find out for yourself.

For a complimentary DRX consultation with Dr. Eben Davis at Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco (at the Embarcadero Center)...call 415-392-2225.