Dr Davis' Back & Wrist Pain Blog

Recovering from a Whiplash Injury

After a whiplash injury, everyone wants to know, when will I be better? When will my neck pain or back pain resolve? Most people think that musculoskeletal pain can be used as a direct indicator of how they are progressing and that the absence of pain indicates the absence of injury. This couldn’t be further from the truth! In order to understand why this isn’t true we need to understand how our body works.

We get millions of pieces of sensory information from our outside surroundings everyday; however we cannot consciously be aware of everything. If this were the case, light touch would be irritating and eventually drive us insane. This means that we can only consciously be aware of the information that is beyond our pain threshold. Therefore, after an injury we usually feel pain because this exceeds our pain threshold and is the loudest of the sensory pieces of information.

However...when it comes to recovering from a whiplash injury or any other soft tissue injury for that matter...the pain often goes away or subsides before the soft tissues are fully repaired. And it is at this point in the healing process that one is most prone to re-injury.  

So now the question is, how do I know I am better? First things first, you need to make sure you have the correct diagnosis for the injury, and chiropractors are experts at diagnosing and treating whiplash injuries. Without knowing the full extent of the injury, and whether or not there is damage to the nerves or not, it makes it very difficult to manage a whiplash properly.

Some of the most common symptoms of whiplash are neck pain, shoulder pain, and back pain. Headaches and arm pain, numbness, and tingling are also associated with whiplash trauma.

Without a proper work-up and diagnosis, you can never be sure whether you are better or not because you don’t know what you need to monitor.

Chiropractors monitor function in addition to pain levels. Things like cervical and lumbar range of motion. Muscle strength tests. Muscle spasms. Inflammation. Tender spots on spine. Orthopedic Tests. Sensation Tests. Posture. Nerve stretch tests. X-rays and MRI.

It is always best to have injuries evaluated, treated, and monitored by a professional who is familiar with your particular injury, and chiropractors are expert whiplash doctors.  No matter how small you believe the injury to be (even a fender bender can cause whiplash), to avoid long term problems and have a speedy recovery, seek professional care.

Once evaluated and diagnosed,  your doctor can correctly assess what needs to be monitored and activities to avoid. Again, things like range of motion, functionality of the muscles(strength), ability to perform sports specific activity or activities of daily living, negative orthopedic exams (done by professional), etc. can be used to monitor patient progress. There are many ways to evaluate one’s progress, not just by levels of pain.

Another tip:  Never ignore any type of soft tissue injury, hoping it will just go away! Why is this important? Once a tissue is injured, you are at a higher risk of re-injury or even injuring another area of the body. Typically a re-injury is always more severe than the initial injury and is usually when a patient finally decides to seek care. Don’t let this be you! Get care today! Early care is early recovery!

Written By: Lindsay Stephens, D.C.

To schedule an appointment with one of our San Francisco Whiplash Doctors call 415-392-2225

Serving Zip Code 94111 and surrounding areas for over 20 Years

Related Whiplash Articles:

Whiplash: What Causes The Neck and Back Pain?

Whiplash: How Long Does It Take To Recover?

Whiplash Facts You Should Know

San Francisco Chiropractor Review: Low Back Pain and Sciatica

The Executive Express Chirpractic "Patient of the Week" is Jorge Pavon. Jorge had been suffering with severe low back pain and sciatica due to a herniated disc in the lumbar spine. Jorge was told he needed surgery. Jorge decided to try spinal decompression with the DRX9000 at our clinic first. Well, Jorge is now almost pain free and life is returning to normal. Check-out Jorge's video review of us. 

 

Chiropractor Review San Francisco Low Back Pain

To Schedule an appointment for a complimentary consultation with one of our San Francisco Chiropractors please call 415-392-2225.

Chronic Neck Pain Treatment and Chiropractic

We have been providing chiropractic treatment for chronic neck pain in San Francisco for over 20 years. 

Over 70% of Americans will experience neck pain at some point in their lives. Many will develop chronic neck pain, which is neck pain that persists for over 90 days. The primary risk factor for developing chronic neck pain, is previous neck pain. This is why it's so important to get the right kind of treatment at the onset of neck pain.

 

Chronic neck pain can have many causes. Here are a few:

• A Bulging or Herniated Disc in the Neck: This can cause pressure on the nerve leading to what we call a "Pinched Nerve". Some patients experience pain down the arm and into the hand.
• Spinal Stenosis: This is a narrowing of the spinal canal from spinal degeneration. Often times the patient will notice that certain positions or activities cause neck, shoulder, or arm pain.
• Degenerative Disc Disease: Often times the neck pain will come on gradually, and get worse over time. Certain events may trigger pain, such as activities that are out of a patients normal baseline. Even stress can trigger pain.
• Osteoarthritis in the Neck Joints: Arthritis in the neck joints can cause pain that is worse in the morning and better in the afternoon or as the day progresses. Exercises often help.
• Vertebral Subluxation: This is what chiropractors call a vertebrae that has lost it's normal relationship with the one above and the one below and is not functioning properly. This can lead to pain and dysfunction and all of the above.

There are other causes of neck pain...and there are many triggers, such as poor posture at work, bad sleeping habits, sports injuries, too much stress, too much computer use, iPad, cell phone, etc. Traveling is also hard on the neck. Heck, working in your yard, playing with your kids, painting, working on your car, in your garden, or doing anything you do don't normally do...can all set the stage for neck pain, that can eventually become chronic.

So what's the solution...What is the best treatment for chronic neck pain?

According to recent research (see news story about chiropractic for neck pain), the best treatment for neck pain is chiropractic and low tech exercises. This is exactly what we do at our San Francisco Chiropractic Clinic...and frankly, it's what the best chiropractors do. 

We prefer to do the exercises at the clinic at the time of the chiropractic adjustment, and at the same time provide the patient with neck exercises and stretches they can do at home and at work. 

We also incorporate soft tissue methods such Active Release Techniques (ART) and Graston Technique to break up scar tissue, muscle spasms, and adhesion's. This in conjunction with chiropractic adjustments and low tech exercises is very powerful.

We are also concerned with educating our patients on proper ergonomics, sleeping position and use of a cervical pillow. It is also important to learn about things like micro-breaks, which are brief resting periods when working...this is a good time to stretch. Proper hydration is important too...this keeps the joints lubricated. Supplementation can help as well. Pharmaceutical Grade Fish Oil can help reduce inflammation in the joints, as can a diet loaded with fruits and vegetables. Everything matters.

If you would like to find out if you are a candidate for neck pain treatment in San Francisco, call 415-392-2225. Mention this article for a complimentary consultation.

Serving zip code 94111 and surrounding areas for 20 years

San Francisco Chiropractor Review: Back Pain

The Executive Express Chiropractic "Patient of the Week" is Rich McDerby. Rich had injured his back while lifting up his young daughter. He was concerned his back pain would interfere with a bike race he had been training for. Rich searched on Google for a chiropractor in zip code 94111 and found us. Our San Francisco Chiropractors were able to get Rich race ready in he competed strongly. Check out Rich's video review of our chiropractic services.

Chiropractor San Francisco Back Pain Review

Back Pain To schedule an appointment with one of our San Francisco Chiropractors call 415-392-2225

Ways to Connect With Your San Francisco Chiropractor

Executive Express Chiropractic has been providing chiropractic services in San Francisco for over 20 years now (formerly Front Street Chiropractic). Our clinic is located at the landmark Embarcadero Center in the SF Financial District, near the Ferry Building.

The primary purpose of this blog (Dr. Davis Back & Wrist Pain Blog) is to provide updated information about the services we provide and conditions we treat. We have several ways for you to connect with us:

Our YouTube Channel: Primarily a composition of over 100 Reviews of our San Francisco Chiropractors. Patients with symptoms such as back pain, neck pain, herniated discs, carpal tunnel syndrome, whiplash, fibromyalgia, headaches, and sports injuries tell their story.

Our Website: The Executive Express Chiropractic San Francisco Clinic website is ExecutiveExpressChiro.com. We have secure "Insurance Benefits Check" and secure "Online Intake Form".

Our Facebook Fan Page: Our Fan Page is updated daily and features our "Patient of the Week" and weekly "Fan Contest" Giveaway, where we give away cash and prizes to lucky winners. All fans are eligible to enter.

Connect with us on Twitter: We have an active Twitter page where we stream up to date news on our clinic, chiropractic, health, fitness, nutrition, and sports, as well as motivating quotes and healthy links. Follow-us today.

Dr. Eben Davis on Google+: Engage in casual conversation with San Francisco Chiropractor Dr. Eben Davis on health, wellness, fitness, social media, and business success.

We really appreciate the thousands of patients, friends, and new readers of our award winning Back and Wrist Pain Blog (http://www.SFBackPainDoctor.com) and we invite you to connect with us at some of our other social sites

Dr. Eben Davis 

Email me at: ebendavis@yahoo.com

Serving Zip Code 94111 and surrounding areas for over 20 years

 

Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome: Causes, Prevention, Treatment

By: Lindsay Stephens, DC

We have been providing sports chiropractic in San Francisco for over 20 years now. 

Familiar to many runners, this fibrous band runs along the outside, or lateral, portion of the thigh. It plays a role in hip and knee stability and commonly becomes overstretched and tightens with runners who over train or increase their intensity (distance or speed) too quickly. However, awareness of this band and the issues it causes is not common knowledge. Unfortunately, runners are not the only group who suffer from IT band issues. Many people, who are not runners, can also experience this same condition. I have personally it in seen bikers, soccer players, triathletes, even the sedentary population.

The question is: What causes this?

Well in order to answer this question lets do a quick anatomy lesson. The IT band arises from a muscle in the glutes called the TFL, or tensor fasciae latae, which plays a role in abduction of the hip (in lay terms, allows the leg to rise up to the side). From there, the IT band runs down the leg and crosses the knee joint. As it passes across the knee joint, it becomes more fibrous, and when it becomes taut it creates friction over the lateral femoral epicondyle (or the bony prominence just above the knee joint).

So how does this happen?

This arises from a fundamental weakness, of the core and gluteal musculature. Allowing the hip to deviate laterally, lengthening and pulling the IT band taut. Weakness in the gluts usually arises from fatigue, especially for athletes. Overtime the adductors, the muscles on the inside of the leg, become tightened, further pulling the IT band taught, which ultimately aides in the acceleration of the syndrome. This overcompensation can also cause changes in the biomechanics of the ankle, causing a syndrome called over pronation (walking on the inside of the foot), which has its own host of issues. Now, after this quick anatomy lesson, you can easily see, that it’s like a house of cards, once one card is pulled out the rest topple over.

Treatment/Prevention

Typically, if treated soon after the symptoms arise, IT band can resolve with little residual complication. However, if left untreated (which happens more frequently than it should) the condition becomes chronic and not only does the outcome become less favorable but the treatment becomes more complicated and drawn out. Since the IT band works in concert with the ACL for proper knee biomechanics, and blends some of its fibers with lateral meniscus, it can lead to more serious conditions, besides just the biomechanical changes. Examples include; ACL sprains, meniscal irritation, chondromalacia patella, patellafemoral tracking disorder, and even early degeneration of the knee joint itself. So, needless to say, this should be treated early and with gusto, to ensure that none of the above develops.

Treatment consists of soft tissue therapies like Active Release Technique (ART), Graston, Kineseotaping and PNF (description of these therapies can be found on this blog in the archives) stretching to most muscles of the lower extremity. Extensive rehab of the lower extremity and core musculature is key, as well as maintaining proper spinal and extremity joint motion with manipulative therapy. Like I mentioned earlier, if treated early, care is less complicated and can resolve quickly. But if the condition progresses, so does the level of complication and duration of care. It is always best to seek care earlier on and get evaluated for early signs of IT band issues. Prevention is key!

If you have any further questions or think you need to be evaluated please contact us at Executive Express Chiropractic by phone 415-392-2225 or email me @ drstephens@executiveexpresschiro.com.

Serving zip code 94111 and surrounding areas since 1992

Treatment for sports injuries in San Francisco

Spinal Decompression Review: San Francisco

Our San Francisco Spinal Decompression "Patient of the Week" is David Lehman. Several years back David presented to our clinic with severe debilitating low back pain and sciatica. David was unable to walk without using a cane or walker. He did not want back surgery. Well, David has been pain free since he finished his spinal decompression therapy with the DRX9000. David now comes in once per month for maintenance care and his cane and walker are in his garage. Check-out his video review of us.

   

Spinal Decompression Review

To schedule an appointment with one of our spinal decompression doctors in San Francisco call 415-392-2225. Mention this blog post for a complimentary consultation and clinic tour.

Serving Zip Code 94111 and surrounding areas for over 20 years

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Repetitive Motion Injuries

We have been providing treatment for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in San Francisco for over 20 years.

In many cases, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) results strictly from overuse activities though, as we have discussed previously, other conditions such as hypothyroid, taking birth control pills, pregnancy, diabetes, obesity, certain types of arthritis, etc. can also be involved as a contributor and/or the sole cause. When these conditions are present, they must be properly treated to achieve a favorable treatment outcome. However, the majority of cases are the result of a repetitive motion injury. So, the question remains: What is the role of the patient regarding activity modification during the treatment process of CTS? How important is it?

            To answer this question, let’s look at a fairly common type of CTS case at our San Francisco Carpal Tunnel Center. In our hypothetical case, the patient is female, 45 years old, and works sitting in front of a computer all day for an investment company.  Her job is to prepare reports and correspondence for clients. She is constantly leaning forward towards her computer screen and performing data entry. Her head moves back and forth from computer screen to document holder. She will often times do this for over an hour without a break, for up to 8-9 hours per day. She has been doing this for over 10 years.  A problem can occur when other workers fall behind on their work and she is called upon to do even more...or work load increases from new business. She always want to finish her work so she tends to overdo it.

            So now, let’s discuss the “pathology” behind CTS. The cause of CTS is the pinching of the median nerve inside the carpal tunnel, located on the palm side of the wrist. The tunnel is made up of 2 rows of 4 carpal bones that form top of the tunnel while a ligament stretches across, making up the tunnel’s floor. There are 9 tendons that travel through the tunnel and “during rush hour” (or, when the worker is REALLY moving fast, trying to keep up with production), the friction created between the tendons, their sheaths (covering) and surrounding synovial lining (a lubricating membrane that covers the tendons sheaths), results in inflammation or swelling.  When this happens, there just isn’t enough room inside the tunnel for the additional swelling and everything gets compressed. The inflamed contents inside the tunnel push the median nerve (that also travels through the tunnel) against the ligament and pinched nerve symptoms occur (numbness, tingling, and loss of the grip strength). The worker notices significant problems at night when her hands interrupt her sleep and she has to shake and flick her fingers to try to get them to “wake up.” She notices that only the index to the 3rd and thumb half of the 4th finger are numb, primarily on the palm side. This is classic CTS from repetitive motion injury.

            At this stage, the worker often waits to see if this is just a temporary problem that will go away on its own and if not, she’ll make an appointment for a consultation, often at her family doctor (since many patients don’t realize chiropractic treatments REALLY HELP this condition). In an “ideal world,” the primary care doctor first refers the patient to the chiropractor for non-surgical management. Other treatment elements include the use of a night wrist splint, ice massage over the tunnel, and possibly modality treatments such as low level laser therapy and (one of the MOST IMPORTANT) “ergonomic management.” That means work station modifications, which will include reducing her workload, wearing a splint, taking frequent breaks, icing during the day, and modifying the work flow. Strict home instructions to allow for proper rest and managing home repetitive tasks are also very important. Between all these approaches, chiropractic is HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL in managing the CTS patient, but it may require a workstation analysis.

It is also imprtant to note that many of our San Francisco patients that present with carpal tunnel SYMPTOMS do not have carpal tunnel SYNDROME...they have pinched nerves in the neck. The nerves in the neck are what form the median nerve, which is the nerve involved in CTS. Presssure on these nerves can cause the same symptoms as true CTS. Often times there is both pressure on the nerves in the neck and CTS...this is called "Double Crush Syndrome", a common diagnosis. 

            We realize you have a choice in who you consider for your health care provision and we sincerely appreciate your trust in choosing our service for those needs.  If you, a friend or family member require care for CTS, we would be honored to render our services.

To schedule an appointment with one of our San Francisco Carpal Tunnel Doctors call 415-392-2225. Mention this blog post for a complimentary consultation.

Email me: ebendavis@yahoo.com

Related articles:

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Chiropractic

Repetitive Strain Injuries: What's Best?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Prevention

Serving zip code 94111 in the San Francisco Financial District for over 20 years

Neck Pain, Headaches, and Poor Posture

Neck pain is one of the most common complaints for which patients present to our San Francisco chiropractic clinic. Headaches are also another very common problem and often go hand-in-hand with the presence of neck pain. So, the question that is frequently asked is, “…why do headaches and neck pain often travel together?”

            There are many types of headaches, some of which we have discussed previously with migraine and tension-type headaches being the most common. This article will focus on how headaches and the neck are related to each other and what YOU can do about it.

            The relationship between neck pain and headaches is strong! In fact, in some cases, headaches will occur ONLY when the neck hurts. One reason is because the first three nerves that exit out from the top of the cervical spine (C1, 2 and 3) have to travel through the thick group of muscles that insert onto the back/base of the skull along the occipital rim. Because we carry a lot of stress in the neck muscles, when they tighten up, they squeeze or pinch those 3 nerves and pain then radiates into the back of the head and sometimes up and over the vertex to the eyes or behind the eyes. If you take your fingers or thumb and push firmly into those muscles at the very top of the neck or base of the skull, it often feels, “…like a good hurt.” This is because they are usually tight since most of us carry our head too far forwards (forward head posture or FHP) and the muscles have to contract and constantly work to keep the head from gliding even further.

            So, what can YOU do about it? Let’s talk about a few GREAT posture retraining exercises. Tuck in your chin to the point where the voice changes pitch (your voice will start to sound “funny”). At that point, release the chin slightly so the voice clears and stay in position! That is the posture or head position of choice. Initially, it will be very difficult to remember to hold that position very long because your muscles (and brain) aren’t used to it and, you’ll slip back into the old forward head carriage habit or chin poke position. So, be patient with yourself because it takes about 3 months of constant self-reminding to, “…keep that chin tucked,” before this new “habit pattern” is formed in the brain.

We like to have our chiropractic patients perform these posture exercises at the clinic to make sure they do them and are doing them properly. Once learned these exercises can help counteract hours of poor posture at the computer.

            Another great exercise is an “offshoot” of this, where you tuck the chin in as far as you can (making a double or triple chin) holding that position for 3 seconds, and then tip the head back as far as you can without releasing the chin tuck and hold for another 3 seconds. Repeat this 2-3x / “set” and perform this multiple times per day.

            A 3rd great exercise for improving the forward head carriage posture is performed by lying on your back on a bed so that the edge of the bed is at the middle of the neck and head is dangling off the bed. Take a tightly rolled up towel (a hand size towel works well) and place it under the neck so that is resting on the edge of the bed so that your head can fall back towards the floor. Take some deep breaths and concentrate on relaxing all your neck muscles. Periodically, slowly rotate your head left to right, right to left, and “feel” the different muscles stretch as you do this. If you can afford 15 minutes, that’s PERFECT! But, if you only have a few minutes it’s still GREAT!

            Between maintaining a chin tuck upright posture and retraining the curve in your neck with the head hang off the bed exercise, you’ll feel (and look) much better! 

A cervical pillow such as Tempur-Pedic, can also help to restore and maintain the curve in your neck. 

            We realize that you have a choice in where you choose your health-care services.  If you, a friend or family member requires care for neck pain, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services and look forward in serving you and your family presently and, in the future.

To schedule a complimentary consultation for headaches and neck pain treatment in San Francisco, call 415-392-2225 and mention this article. 

Related Articles:

How Poor Workstation Posture Causes Neck Pain and Headaches

Chiropractic and Migraine Headaches

How Stress Causes Headaches

The Best Exercise for Forward Head Posture

Serving 94111 zip code and surrounding areas for 20 years

 

San Francisco Chiropractor Review: Shoulder Pain

The Executive Express Chiropractic "Patient of the Week" is Gene Boyle. Gene presented with chronic shoulder pain that was interfering with his home life and golf game. Gene was unable to find any relief with other treatments. Our San Francisco Chiropractors have used a combination of chiropractic, massage, ART, Graston, and exercises to correct Gene's shoulder condition. Gene reports he is feeling much better and life is almost back to normal. Check out his video review of our services.  

Chiropractor Review Shoulder Pain San Francisco

To schedule an at our San Francisco Chiropractic Clinic call 415-392-2225.

Serving zip code 94111 and surrounding areas since 1992