Dr Davis' Back & Wrist Pain Blog

Can Kids Eat Anything They Want And Not Gain Weight?

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

I went to an Oriental buffet they other day in Denver because we were out of town and I figured they would have plenty of rice, potatoes, fruits and vegetables to choose from...along with the other garbage that most people go there for.

I was shocked at what I saw. It seemed like there was an abnormally high concentration of obese families. I saw a couple of 12 year old kids that looked like they were already 100 lbs. overweight. Pretty sad. And the parents were facilitating this death spiral by passing along their eating habits. 

So I decided to pay attention and see what foods they were choosing and how much they were eating. I could not believe my eyes. It was is if they had one day left on planet earth and they were going to make sure they enjoyed one of life's pleasures, food...to it's fullest...literally.

I'm not kidding...this one kid must have consumed 10,000 calories. He piled on the fried foods, meats, sauces, deserts...then went back for more...over and over. And his parents who looked like what this poor kid was morphing into, sat there and grazed. They all looked like heart attacks waiting to happen. And they were not alone...it was ugly. 

So, no kids can't eat whatever they want...they become what they eat...just like adults. And the eating habits they develop come right from their parents. 

What I described above in my opinion is a form of child abuse. 

Hey, eating junk every once in a while is OK as long as your children know it's a treat. Feeding your child a junk food feast at every meal is a death sentence. 

Anyway, it was all I could do to stop myself from saying something to the parents...what are they thinking?

Good (and bad) nutrition and eating habits start young, and as a parent it is your responsibility to make sure that you are steering your children in the direction of health not illness.

There is enough information available for free from sources like www.drmcdougall.com that you can educate yourself about healthy eating. And this whole idea that it costs more to eat right...I don't believe it. If you do it right it costs less. It's more time, work, and effort for sure...so you have to spend some time on it...but it's worth it.  Isn't it?

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

Exercise or Diet: Whats More Important For Weight Loss?

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

I am always amazed at people that seem to workout frequently, do all kinds of grueling aerobics, pound out tons of abdominal exercises...but still can't lose weight. How can this be?

Well...if I would give all of you 1 guess, I know you would get the answer right...poor food choices.

In fact...I would have to rate diet a much more important factor than exercise when it comes to weight loss. There is just no way...unless you are an NBA player or Michael Phelps, that you can exercise enough to overcome a diet filled with animal fat and processed carbohydrates (soft drinks, potato chips, sugar).

And sure enough...it seems like whenever I get to witness such a person eat...it is not a pretty sight. 

And it's such an easy fix. When you eat right you can actually eat as much as you want and never gain weight. And your exercise is way more effective. You become a lean, mean, fat burning machine.

The problem is (I guess)...some people have no clue what eating right really is. They think if you eat a lot of salads and vegetables they are eating right. Not True. You can destroy these foods by loading them up with cheese sauces, dressings, butter, and oils. 

You could do sit-ups all day long and still have that spare tire if you go straight to McDonald's right after your workout. This is an extreme example...but I see it happening with my own eyes.

So what does eating right consist of? Eating right is eating foods that the body is designed to consume...a diet centered around plant foods. And the best resource for information on plant based nutrition that I know of is Dr. John McDougall, M.D. 

My position has always been to try to expose people to plant based nutrition and let them decide whether or not it makes sense. The beauty of it is...it's not an all or none program. But...the more you do the more you gain.

Personally, I eat this way 80-85% of the time. The other 15-20% I eat not so clean. I have been like this for over 20 years. I find this diet with moderate exercise (4-5x per week), keeps me in really good shape. I actually weigh less than I did in high school and my bodyweight never fluctuates more than 5-6 lbs. So...I am living proof to my patients, friends, and any one else willing to read or listen to my advise. 

So anyway...in my opinion, diet trumps exercise when it comes to managing your bodyweight. And bodyweight is one of the most important factors when it comes to your health and well being...as well as your self-confidence. So it really is worth the effort to learn more about plant based nutrition.

My advise: Check-out www.drmcdougall.com, and make your workouts count. Nothing is more of a downer than working out rigorously and still not being able to lose weight. Do the smart thing and educate yourself. You will thank me later. 

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

Five Tips for Healthier Eating This Holiday Season

                            By Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, The Veggie Queen™

                                                                            

Is healthier eating an oxymoron during the holiday season? I hope not.  If you don’t want to pack on the pounds, try some of the following tips.

1. Stick to the 80/20 Rule

Choose the best-for-you foods 80 % of the time, and the other 20% of the time choose what you like that’s out of the norm. If you love Grandma Eleanor’s fudge, then eat it, and feel OK about it.

2. Avoid Feeling Stuffed

The only thing that ought to be stuffed is the turkey (if you choose to have it). Eating to excess not only feels uncomfortable but it’s not good for your body. Stop eating before you feel anywhere close to full. It takes at least 20 minutes for you to feel the effects of eating. If you are going to be eating dessert (and who really does that over the holidays?), keep that in mind.

3. Take Care of Yourself               

If you’re going somewhere and you have food preferences or requests, such as vegetarian or gluten-free, mention that you’d like to bring a dish to share.  This way you will be assured of something to eat. It’s also an opportunity to educate others about your way of eating.

Additionally, do what you need to when dealing with the hustle and bustle of holidays craziness. Rest when you need to and be sure to eat regularly.

4. Eat Before You Go

For some reason, many people, my husband included, think that because they’re going to have a big meal that they don’t need to eat earlier in the day. That only leads to the “starving” feeling that leads to unconscious eating and then to feeling stuffed. So, eat something before going to a big meal or party so that you can make better choices while you’re there.

5. Eat Your Vegetables

I’m always going to recommend this because I am The Veggie Queen™. But you’ll often find vegetables at big meals and holiday gatherings. Eat those first. They’ll help fill you up and keep you from eating too much of the highly caloric and fat-laden items. Besides, they’ll provide lots of antioxidants that are necessary for maintaining good health, especially when you’re around a lot of people. Stick to your routine of eating at least 9 servings (are you laughing or crying now?) of vegetables each day.

Those of you who have read my blog http://www.theveggiequeen.blogspot.com know that I can be a bit wacky.  And I also love nuts. So this is recipe is perfect for me. It makes a great party dish, host or hostess gift or holiday gift. Buy great nuts to start.

Spiced Nuts

Makes 2 cups

These are quite easy to make, they taste great and are easily packaged to look nice in cellophane bags with ribbon or rafia. You can use whatever spices you like such as curry or cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Almost anything works.

2        cups shelled nuts, use almonds, walnuts, pecans or other of your choice, or a mixture. My latest combo was cashews and pumpkin seeds. Wow.

2        teaspoons canola or other oil

2        teaspoons Bragg’s liquid amino acids

1        teaspoon cumin powder

1        teaspoon chili powder

¼-1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder or cayenne pepper

2-3     teaspoons organic sugar or Sucanat

Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the nuts and let toast for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the canola oil, Bragg’s and spices in a bowl.

After the nuts have toasted, pour them into the bowl and stir to coat with the oil-herb mixture. Return to the pan and toast for another 2 minutes stirring occasionally. Lower the heat a bit and sprinkle the sugar over the nuts. Cook 1 more minute, shaking the pan every once in a while. Turn off the heat and let the nuts sit about another minute. Put on a baking sheet to cool. They are now ready to package.

©2009, The Veggie Queen™, Jill Nussinow, MS, RD.

LEARNING TO MANAGE YOUR WEIGHT: SEPARATING FACT FROM FICTION

Equinox Fitness San Francisco Personal Training Tip: By Dawn Gravely  

 Stand in any supermarket checkout line and note the number of covers dedicated to who has lost (or gained) weight, how much and how fast.  There are entire reality shows dedicated to the topic.  Every week it seems, we are introduced to the newest and most amazing weight loss drug.  Supplement after supplement and diet after diet are all touted as “guaranteed” to help you lose those unwanted pounds. Yet, Americans’ are getting bigger. According to a recent CDC report dated July 24, 2009, two-thirds of all adults and one-fifth of all children in the United States

are overweight or obese.  Americais in the midst of an obesity epidemic. 

So what is to be made of all of this and why is weight loss so difficult?  The primary reason is that in spite of the number of infomercials dedicated to the issue, most of what is out there is misinformation. The website of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that Americans have  “become ‘obesogenic,’ characterized by environments that promote increased food intake, nonhealthful foods and physical inactivity.”   Or in other words, we need to turn off the infomercials and turn ourselves onto the facts.  In essence, we need to reduce our food intake, start making healthier food choices and make time to exercise.

In the complicated discussion of diet and weight loss, there is one simple truth:  3,500 calories always equals a pound.   Healthy weight loss means losing no more than one to one and a half pounds per week.  That translates to removing 500 to 750 calories from your diet each day.  Therefore any reduction in weight must involve a reduction of calories and an increase in physical activity.   But before we reduce our food intake, we need to have a good understanding of what it is we are consuming.  There is a lot of mindless eating going on:  a casual walk past a candy dish, a glass of wine here or there, etc.  Those miscellaneous calories add up.  I strongly encourage clients to keep a food diary.  This is an invaluable tool in the battle of the bulge.  If you know what you are eating, then you can make well-informed decisions as to where to cut back. Once you begin keeping a food diary, the next step is to gain an understanding of how many calories you should be eating.  A good place to start is with a nutritionist or nutrition consultant.  Another good source is the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) that can be found online.  The DRI is the current system used by the United Statesand issued by the Instituteof Medicineto make nutrition recommendations for the general public.

While reducing food intake, we still need to make certain we are getting adequate nutrients.   Nutrients include proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water.    This is the problem with fad diets.  They are always deficient in one or more of the necessary nutrients.  So while temporary weight loss may be achieved, long-term adherence to a “diet” is never possible and the lost weight returns.  Therefore, for healthy weight loss and effective weight management, the word “diet” should be eliminated from the discussion and replaced with  “lifestyle modification.”  Which brings us to healthy vs. unhealthy foods. 

Let’s compare a breakfast choice of a donut with a half of a cup of oatmeal.  A Glazed Dunkin Donut contains 180 calories with 8g fat, 25g carbs, 3g protein and 4g trans fat. Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal contains 150 calories with 3g fat, 27g carbs, 5g protein and 0g trans fat.  Additionally it has 4g of fiber and 10% of the recommended daily allowance of iron.   So while both food choices are calorically similar, the oatmeal is nutritionally denser.  Nutrient dense foods are essential for healthy weight loss and weight maintenance.  The oatmeal will release sugar (glucose) into the blood stream gradually keeping insulin levels from spiking helping to sustain energy.   The higher content of protein and fiber will help stave off hunger and reduce cravings.   The donut, on the other hand, will definitely cause a spike in blood glucose triggering a corresponding rapid release in insulin.  Rapid spikes in the hormone insulin signal fat storage and are followed by corresponding drops and subsequent hunger.  Chronic roller coaster insulin levels are not only associated with obesity but with the development of Type II diabetes.  Therefore, since calorie reduction is a necessary component of weight loss, choosing “healthy” foods, i.e., nutritionally dense foods, will bolster your chances of success. 

 

Learn to read food labels.  The fewer ingredients listed and the closer the food resembles to its natural state, the more likely it is a healthier choice.   For example, although orange juice is rich in vitamin C, by choosing to eat the orange, you also get the pulp which increases your intake of fiber, and additional minerals and vitamins which are extracted when making the juice.  Choose whole grains over enriched or multi-grain foods.  And watch sugar intake, especially high fructose corn syrup.  Choose leans cuts of meat and make sure to get your fruits and vegetables.   I tell my clients to “Eat the Rainbow” daily, meaning minimally eat a fruit or vegetable representing each hue of the rainbow:  red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple.  These foods are high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.

And finally but equally important is physical activity.   Exercise will not only help you stay within your recommended daily caloric intake, it will increase your energy and boost your mood.  More importantly, exercise is the best form of medicine.  Exercise helps to reduce and may prevent chronic diseases such as hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, Type II Diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and many type of cancers.  In fact, the AHA states that physical inactivity is actually a risk factor for developing coronary artery disease.  The American Heart Association (AHA) and the AmericanCollegeof Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommend that adults under the age of 65 get 30 minutes of exercise at 50% to 85% of maximum heart rate each day to maintain a healthy weight.   There are also recommendations for adults over the age of 65, pregnant women and children, but exercise is right for everyone.

However, for weight loss, the AHA and ACSM state that 60 to 90 minutes of moderate physical activity may be necessary.  Moderate physical activity means getting your heart rate up to where you are breathing hard but still can carry on a conversation and you are breaking a sweat.  In other words, you have got to move.  Also, these guidelines recommend both cardio and strength training.   As a personal trainer, I cannot stress enough how putting on muscle helps to lose weight.  First of all, a pound of muscle is significantly smaller than a pound of fat.  If you don’t believe me, the next you are in a supermarket take a look at a pound of ground beef with 30% fat versus a pound of a very lean filet cut.   Second, it takes more energy for your body to maintain a pound of muscle versus a pound of fat.  Translation, individuals with lower body fat percentage burn more calories just while sleeping than those who have a high body fat percentage.

 

I realize that all of this may seem like a lot of time and a lot of effort.  I am not going to lie to you – it is. But this is where a good personal trainer can make the difference between getting on and sticking with a good weight loss program or not.  Not only will a scheduled appointment with a personal trainer keep you honest, but also a well-designed program will get results.  A good personal trainer should evaluate your baseline fitness level and customize an appropriate program designed with your specific goals and any limitations in mind.  A good training program will optimize your time and help you reach your fitness goals sooner.  The investment in a good personal trainer will be your best ally in getting over that hump and ultimately, improving your quality of life.  

Dawn Gravely is National Personal Training Institute Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Consultant.  She is a Tier II Trainer at Equinox in San Franciscoand specializes in Weight Loss and Weight Management.   She can be reached at hollywoodperosnaltrainer@yahoo.com. 

Questions & Answers With Dr. Dan Dinenberg of One Medical Group San Francisco

Daniel Dinenberg, MD                                                       

Specialty:

Family Medicine

Expertise:

Annual Physical

Birth Control Counseling

Diet and Nutrition Counseling

Diabetes and Hypertension

Healing Touch and Guided Imagery

Integrative and Functional Medicine

Lifestyle Modification

Preventative Health and Education

Skin Rash and Biopsy

Stress Management

                                      Travel Medicine and Vaccination

Daniel Dinenberg is an excellent family practice physician who has extensive training in integrative and holistic medicine.  He is focused on individualizing health care for each patient, utilizing the connection of mind/body/spirit while promoting the strengths of western medicine along with exercise, nutrition, and Healing Touch.  Daniel is Board Certified in Family Practice through the UCSF/Santa Rosa Family Medicine program. He has completed training and received Board Certification in Holistic Medicine through the American Board of Holistic Medicine.  Daniel believes strongly in the innate healing power of the human body and utilizes a functional approach to patients, specializing in helping patients to achieve more vitality and better balance in their lives.  Dr. Dinenberg recently completed a fellowship in Wilderness Medicine.

How do you incorporate your holistic training into your practice?

Well, my background is that  I’m Board Certified in Family practice and in Holistic medicine. Throughout my training, my goal has always been to figure out how to incorporate the innate healing of the body into my practice. The medical model doesn’t teach wellness, prevention, nutrition, etc. and they mainly focus on disease.   My holistic training helps me to teach my patients  the importance of a healthy mind and body as it relates to healing vs. simply treating the symptom with a drug.

What are your goals for healthcare?

I observe the big picture…using broader strokes to heal on a bigger level which includes exercise, nutrition, and life balance. I use functional medicine and try to get the body into balance. I look at the biochemical, biotransformation, detoxification, hormonal, immune, and inflammatory systems of the body, as well as try to understand the interconnectedness of symptoms...  For example, how does not getting enough  sleep affect the inflammatory reaction, natural cortisol production, and hormonal balance in the body.  I seek to treat the whole person…  and that’s when true healing happens.

Do you utilize any hands on techniques in your practice?

 I use various techniques and some are almost hands off healing such as healing touch, Reiki, energy work, etc. I mainly use it for things like stress reduction, anxiety, insomnia by using guided mediation and imagery. I use an individualized treatment program and clinical assessment for a person by figuring out what is going on with the person, and applying the appropriate healing modality specific for that person, instead of using a generalized approach.  I try not to do any test that won’t change my management of the patient and may be costly.

What would you consider to be the keys living a lifestyle of health and vitality?

1.       What you put in your body (nutrition)

2.       Exercise/movement

3.       Connection to loved ones (including yourself, friendships, family).

4.       Replenishing sleep

5.       Managing stress

Side note: Yoga is a great help making that mind/body connection

 

What is your philosophy to living a healthy lifestyle?

 Life is all about balance and allowing yourself to enjoy being in balance, and allowing it to bring happiness and fulfillment into your life at every level.  Health is our natural state.

As you can see, Dr. Dinenberg has a very special approach to health care. 

www.drdan.md

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Dinenberg at One Medical Group in downtown San Francisco call 415-291-0480

The NBA and Chiropractic

By Executive Express Chiropractors Dr. Adam Jacobs & Dr. Dave Schlute

Seven grueling months, 82 pounding games (with half of them being on the road and some being played on holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas), and thousands of miles traveled in airplanes and buses. This is the life of a typical player in the NBA. With such a rigorous and demanding schedule, how does a player stay healthy and pain free? A definite aspect in most athletes performing at their peak performance level is with Chiropractic.

John Stockton played point guard for the Utah Jazz for 18 seasons and was recently inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame. He played well past the age of 40, and in 1996 he was selected as one of the "50 Greatest Players in NBA History". He is also the NBA's all-time leader in assists and steals. In an April 2, 2002 article that appeared in the Toronto Star, writer Doug Smith asks a question concerning John Stockton’s longevity, “”What’s the secret to your continued success on the NBA basketball court at age 40?” Stockton responded, “A Good Chiropractor.” When asked to explain his usage of Chiropractic, John’s response was, “I’m not a good enough expert on what that (chiropractic) entails, but it’s not just the adjustments, its balancing muscles and overall health.” John then added, “It’s been great for me, and for my family.”

Several years ago Scottie Pippen was playing in the NBA finals with the Chicago Bulls. Since the Bulls did not have a chiropractor on staff, he paid for his own. Care was administered to him at least once during the actual finals game and the Bulls went on to win the Championship.

There's good reason pro athletes are turning to chiropractic care. A study in 1991, published in the journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation, revealed that chiropractic care can increase athletic performance by as much as 16.7% over two weeks. Another study published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research in 1997, revealed that chiropractic care increases your capillary count, meaning increased blood flow. The benefits of increased blood flow are substantial for any athlete.

Referees also benefit from Chiropractic. Because of the physical grueling demands of officiating NBA games, Georgia DC Dr. Levinson proposed to the referees a plan that would make chiropractic care available to them in every NBA city.

Dr. Jacobs at Executive Express Chiropractic was an avid basketball player in high school and college, and Chiropractic helped him stay healthy through every season. It was also a big reason why he chose Chiropractic as a profession. After hurting his back entering into his freshman year of college in which he couldn’t run or jump, he tried anti-inflammatory meds, muscle relaxers, and physical therapy, but nothing helped.  He went to a chiropractor and after just a few adjustments he was back on the court. Those chiropractic experiences kept him healthy and changed his career path from more tradition western medicine to the largest alternative natural source of medicine, chiropractic.

It’s no coincidence that the finest athletes in the world choose chiropractic. They know something that many others still don’t…Chiropractic works!

If you would like more information about how to get the same health benefits as these pro athletes, please call our Executive Express Chiropractic at (415) 392-2225. 

Children: Spills, Falls, and Chiropractic

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

As the father of a 4 year old daughter that spends a lot of time dancing and playing sports like most kids...it's easy to see why adults have so many back problems...all the spills and falls we took when we were kids. 

The thing is...kids grow like weeds, and if the spine gets knocked out of alignment from activities like dancing, ballet, gymnastics, soccer, whatever...the spine continues to grow...out of alignment. As the old saying goes..."As the twig is bent...so grows the tree". Misalignments of the spine, what chiropractors call "Vertebral Subluxations" can lead to all kinds of problems later in life. Conditions such as scoliosis, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, and osteoarthritis can often times be traced back to childhood.

The good news is...you don't have to let Vertebral Subluxations go undetected and uncorrected. A visit to the chiropractor right after an incident or every few months for a routine check-up, can go a long way towards extending the useful life of the spine.

Kids respond great to chiropractic treatments. The treatments are gentle and safe...and kids look forward to them. Hey...it just makes sense.

So what should you do? Get yourself and your family checked all at once. Find out who needs what and go from there. You only have one spine. Take care of it and it will take care of you.

To find out if you are a candidate for care at Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco or to schedule a check-up for your kids...call 415-392-2225.  

Plant Based Holiday Meal Planning

                                                                           
San Francisco Vegan Chiropractor Comments:                               

The best resource I know of for plant based nutrition and lifestyle is Dr. John McDougall, M.D. and his wife Mary. Mary has authored many excellent plant based cookbooks. Checkout this excellent Holiday Meal Planning Guide from the McDougall newsletter. Here is an excerpt:

Mashed Potatoes (newsletter July 2004 & October 2004)

Success Tip:  Peel potatoes in the morning and store in water to cover until cooking time.  Drain off all cooking water.  Use a hand held electric mixer and add warmed soy-milk while beating.  Place mashed potatoes into a warmed bowl before serving.  For garlic mashed potatoes, add some of the Elephant Garlic Spread to the potatoes while mashing. Holiday Stuffed Pumpkin (newsletter October 2004) Success Tip:  Buy pumpkin in October or early November for the best selection.  Keep in a cool place.  Buy extra pumpkins for use at other times during the winter months.  Choose one of the many varieties available at this time of the year.  One of my favorites is the “ghost” pumpkin with its white skin and orange flesh.  The traditional pumpkin for carving a jack-o-lantern is not the tastiest choice for use as a stuffed pumpkin, although I have used them when nothing else was available.  Clean the pumpkin the day before use and refrigerate, but do not stuff until just before baking.  If you do not have enough room to refrigerate the cleaned pumpkin then clean it just before stuffing.  Cube the bread the night before and allow it to sit out overnight so the bread dries out slightly.  This step helps to make the stuffing mixture nicely moist, but not mushy. This is good stuff. Check it out and let me know what you think. Visit www.drmcdougall.com for more info on plant based nutrition.

 

Soldiers Who Suffer Back Pain Are Unlikely To Return To Duty

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

I came across an interesting post on www.sciencedaily.com about soldiers who suffer back pain while on duty in places such as Iraq and Afghanistan. The name of the article is  Back Pain Permanently Sidelines Soldiers At War. Here is an excerpt from the article:  

Cohen explains that the reasons why few military personnel return to their units after leaving with back pain may simply be a reflection of the outcomes for back pain in civilian life. "Back pain has notoriously low success rates for treatment," he says. The biggest predictors of a poor outcome, he said, are psychosocial factors. People who are depressed or anxious, who cope poorly with stress, who are unhappy in their jobs, and those with other psychological issues are more likely to remain disabled by back pain. Cohen, who is also director of chronic pain research at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, said those with back pain who remain in the country where they are deployed may be more motivated to stay on the job or are more satisfied with their role in the military. 

The military needs to find a way to get soldiers with back pain back to their units wherever possible, Cohen says. He suggests that could be accomplished if there were more pain management options in Iraq or Afghanistan, following the model used for soldiers with symptoms of combat stress. When those symptoms are treated at mental health clinics on base, approximately 95 percent of service members returned to their units. When treated in a transitional unit in nearby Kuwait, the figure was around 50 percent. When sent to Germany, fewer than 10 percent returned.

 The article talks about combat stress and the physiological component of back pain...along with the notorious poor outcomes for back pain treatment.

My Take: It is common for back pain to be the physical manifestation of psychological stress...and god knows the stress these soldiers are under. It should be a foregone conclusion that some will handle it better than others. And, I don't think we need back pain research or any kind of research to tell us that the farther a soldier is taken away from the source of stress, the less likely they are to want to return...would you?

Anyway, war is not pretty, and we need to make sure that anyone brave enough to deal with it while defending our country gets the health care they need...while they are on active duty...and after-wards...forever.

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

What is Fibromyalgia?

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

Fibromyalgia – What is it... Exactly?

                                                
       
There are many conditions that can be attributed to specific causes with a clear origin and means of diagnosis.  However, there are also conditions that are obscure and can only be diagnosed by eliminating other, more common conditions.  Fibromyalgia (FM) is one of those conditions where the degree of pain and disability can be profound and life quality interrupting, yet all the tests come back negative and there are no other conditions to explain the collection of symptoms.  It is at that point when the diagnosis of fibromyalgia is typically made.

FM is typically a chronic (symptoms have been present for at least 3 months) condition where the patient complains of widespread, generalized muscle, ligament and tendon pain accompanied with fatigue and multiple tender points on the body that hurt with only light pressure. To be considered “widespread,” it usually affects both sides of the body and is both above and below the waist.  It occurs in approximately 2% of the population in the US and women are 3-4 times more likely to develop FM.  The risk of FM increases with age and can be secondary to other physical or emotional trauma, or it can occur all by itself.  No obvious pattern usually exists as signs and symptoms can vary depending on weather, stress, physical activity, and even the time of day.

Sleep quality is an issue that seems well agreed upon as regardless of the number of hours in bed, the deep, restorative stages of sleep are seldom reached.  Other sleep disorders frequently associated with FM include sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome. 

Causation for the most part is unknown but genetics (family traits), infections (can trigger or worsen FM), and after physical or emotional trauma (eg., post-traumatic stress disorder) have been linked to FM.  An explanation as to why it hurts so much centers around a theory called “central sensitization.” This is basically a low threshold for pain because of increased sensitivity in the brain to the incoming pain signals.  Certain chemical (neurotransmitters) changes in the brain have been identified resulting is hypersensitivity creating an overreaction to pain signals. 

The American College of Rheumatology has established two diagnostic criteria that include 1) widespread pain lasting at least 3 months, and 2) at least 11 out of 18 positive tender points using just enough pressure to whiten the fingernail bed.  There are no direct blood tests to confirm a diagnosis of FM but other conditions can affect or cause FM can be diagnosed with blood testing.  These include thyroid disease (thyroid function blood tests), inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid (ESR), and a complete blood count to assess anemia and infection.

We take pride in providing quality, evidence-based care and appreciate the opportunity to do so when patients choose our clinic for their chiropractic care.  We realize that there are many healthcare options available.  If you, a friend or family member require care for fibromyalgia, we would be honored to offer our services. 

                       

YOU MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE FOR FIBROMYALGIA! FOR A FREE NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION AT EXECUTIVE EXPRESS CHIROPRACTIC CALL 415-392-2225 AND MENTION THIS ARTICLE

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