The Executive Express Chiropractic "Patient of the Week" is Jennifer Gray. Jennifer found our office through a Google search on the internet and read some of our chiropractor reviews. She had been suffering from shoulder and ankle pain and found relief with in a few treatments. She lives a very active life, practicing "Crossfit " regularly which she admits puts a good amount of stress on her body. The various treatments (including adjustments, Laser treatment, ART and Graston) she has received at our office have helped her achieve her exercise goals as well as improve her overall quality of life.
Chiropractic are a great workout companion and will help most chronic, nagging, musculoskeletal injuries in a short period of time. Thanks Jennifer for sharing your story.
If you would like to schedule an appointment with one of our highly trained San Francisco Chiropractors...call 415-392-2225.
Mention this blog post for a complimentary consultation and office tour.
We have been providing chiropractic in San Francisco for over 20 years now. One of the most common conditions patients present with to our clinic is low back pain. Many have chronic low back pain which means the symptoms have persisted for over 90 days.
Unfortunately, many patients with chronic low back pain are also overweight. Many say when we first meet that they have been unable to exercise because of the low back pain...it's a vicous circle...one that is often hard to break.
This is where chiropractic can really help. Chiropractic adjustments can help break this cycle. Chiropractic will help reduce inflammation in the joints, restore motion, and re-align the joints so that they function better and are able to handle the stresses of exercise.
A chiropractor can also help a patient make better food choices and lifestyle choices.
The combination of reducing stress (and calories) with better lifestyle choices and increasing resistance with chioropractic treatment will more often than not lead to a reduction in low back pain and also permanent weight loss. In fact, this is business as usual for most chiropractors.
Sure, what I describe might take some time. It's a process for sure. But the magic usually starts right away if the patient is 100% commited to the program.
If the patient has both low back pain and sciatica or is obese or has any other associated conditions or complications then the process could take longer.
What I recommend is finding a chiropractor that practices what they preach and takes really good care of themselves. Usually these doctors will have classes that they give on an ongoing basis that you can attend. Or, just make an appointment for a new patient exam and meet with them right off the bat one on one. Express your concerns. Take charge of the situation and team up with the doctor.
As long as you are ready to do what whatever it takes the rest is easy. Well, maybe not easy, but nothing will happen until you decide to make it happen. You need to set the ball in motion.
If you need help finding a chiropractor in your area you can email me: ebendavis@yahoo.com and I will help you.
Otherwise, if you live or work in the SF Bay Area you can call our San Francisco Chiropractic Clinic at 415-392-2225. Mention this blog post for a complimentary consultation.
We have been providing treatment for wrist pain in San Francisco for over 20 years now. During this time we have perfected a system for treating wrist pain and related problems such as neck, shoulder, arm, and elbow pain.
In most cases of wrist pain there are other areas of involvement such as the neck and shoulder. There may or may not be neck pain or shoulder pain, but the areas are still not functioning properly and are part of the reason the wrist hurts.
When we examine a patient that presents with hand or wrist pain we check from the neck to the fingertips on both sides. And typically, we will treat the neck to fingertips bilaterally as well. We do this because the neck, shoulder, elbow, and wrist form what we call a "kinetic chain"...a series of joints that are all interconnected kind of like the gears in a watch.
If one joint is out of alignment or stuck it effects all the others. And if one shoulder, elbow, or wrist is not working right and is inflamed and painful, you will end up using the other one more than you should putting it in danger of a repetitive stress injury (RSI).
This is why it is SO important to work on both sides neck to fingers.
Our chiropractic protcol for treating wrist pain, elbow pain, shoulder pain is as follows:
Chiropractic adjustments to the neck.
Chiropractic adjustments to the shoulder, elbows, wrists, fingers (bilaterally).
Graston Technique if indicated for scar tissue and muscle spasms.
Exercises neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist.
Ice to reduce pain and inflammation (neck and wrist).
Traction to the neck if indicated to restore neck curve.
Cervical Pillow.
Ergonomic Instruction.
As you can see our wrist pain treatment is very comprehensive. It sounds like a lot but a typical office visit is 30 minutes or less. Some of the treatment is done at home.
Depending on the nature and severity of the wrist pain it may take a series of treatments to achieve a favorable outcome. Some patients have been suffering for years and the condition is chronic and severe. These patients may require a few months worth of treatment.
The key is to start getting the right kind of treatment. I see so many patients with a carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) diagnosis that have been wearing wrist splints and taking medications for years...they just have never had the right treatment. It's great seeing the splints come off and the medications stopped...and the wrist pain go away. We see it every day.
So in my biased opinion, the best treatment for wrist pain is what I described above. For severe cases we also have deep tissue laser therapy which can help speed up the healing process.
I would do homework online and try to find a local chiropractor that can do what I described...call and ask them before you go in. You can always email me at: ebendavis@yahoo.com and I will check your zip code to see if there is a CTS doctor in your area that was trained by me.
To schedule an appointment with a wrist pain doctor in San Francisco call 415-392-2225. Mention this article for a complimentary consultation.
Our "Patient of the Week" is Dr. Trong Le. Dr. Le is a local dentist in San Francisco who was unable to practice because of a herniated disc in his neck. He did not want neck surgery and decided to try nonsurgical cervical decompression with the DRX9000c at our clinic. Dr. Le was amazed at how quickly he began to feel better and is now back to practicing at about 75% capacity. Dr. Le continues to improve and looks forward to being pain free in the near future.
We have been providing treatment for herniated discs in San Francisco for over 20 years now.
To schedule an appointment at our San Francisco Spinal Decompression Center please call 415-392-2225. Mention this blog article for a complimentary consultation.
We have been providing corporate wellness programs, health seminars, on-site massage, and health fairs in downtown San Francisco for over 20 years.
If you are an employer, the benefits of being proactive as far as promoting health and wellness at your company are huge. Companies that have ongoing wellness programs have lower workers compensation costs, cheaper health insurance premiums, fewer total employee sick days, less staff turnover, and a much more productive work force.
Corporate wellness programs are Win-Win. The employer and employee both benefit in a big way.
The wellness programs we offer to businesses in the San Francisco Financial District can be as simple as monthly or quarterly seminars on topics such as ergonomics, nutrition, posture, carpal tunnel, stress, and neck pain prevention, to full blown ergonomic evaluations and space design.
They can be as simple as a massage day or carpal tunnel screening.
We can also put together a company health fair with massage, foot scans, posture checks, eye exams and more. Big or small. We tailor make the event to your space.
There is a lot of research of late that is tying too much sitting to poor heath and even higher risk of heart disease. Our seminars incorporate the latest research on ergonomics and always include a "Stay Fit While You Sit" component whereby we show proper workstation set-up and exercises.
There is an ongoing debate as to whether chiropractic adjustments have any sort of influence over the organs of the body. Is what many chiropractors say true...that Vertebral Subluxationscan cause the target organs to degenerate and malfunction (disease)?
Well, these questions were asked by medical doctor Henry Winsor of Haverford, PA in 1921.
Dr. Winsor decided to investigate this new science and art of healing- chiropractic.
After graduating from medical school, Dr. Winsor was inspired by chiropractic and osteopathic literature to experiment. He planned to dissect human and animal cadavers to see if there was a relationship between any diseased internal organ discovered on autopsy and the vertebrae associated with the nerves that went to the organ. As he wrote:
“The object of these necropsies was to determine whether any connection existed between curvatures of the spine (vertebral subluxations), and diseased organs; or whether the two were entirely independent of each other.”
The University of Pennsylvania gave Dr. Winsor permission to conduct the studies.
Here are the results of the study:
“221 structures other than the spine were found diseased. Of these, 212 were from the same sympathetic (nerve) segments as the vertebrae in curvature. Nine diseased organs belonged to different sympathetic segments from the vertebrae out of line. These figures cannot be expected to exactly coincide…for an organ may receive sympathetic filaments from several spinal segments and several organs may be supplied with sympathetic (nerve) filaments from the same spinal segments. In other words, there was nearly a 100% correlation between minor curvatures of the spine and diseases of the internal organs.”
IN CONCLUSION
Dr. Winsor’s results are published in The Medical Times and are found in any medical library. Winsor was not alone in his findings. Similar studies by other researchers have confirmed Dr. Winsor’s conclusion that degenerated and misaligned spines have a high correlation with disease processes.
Reference: All quotes from: Winsor, H. Sympathetic segmental disturbances – II. The evidences of the association, in dissected cadavers, of visceral disease with vertebral deformities of the same sympathetic segments, The Medical Times , November 1921, pp./ 267-271.
Courtesy of : The Family Chiropractor in Clinton Township, Michigan
MY TAKE: Chiropractors often get a bad rap for trying to educate patients that the nervous system controls every cell, gland, tissue, and organ in the body, and that vertebral subluxations can interfere with this control and lead to sickness and disease...not just musculoskeletal pain, which is what most people seek chiropractic care for, and is what most states license chiropractors to treat.
However, there is more to chiropractic than treating back or neck pain. In fact, when a patient presents to my clinic with back or neck pain, or sciatica or whatever...I'm just as concerned about what the patient can't feel as I am what they do feel. And I know if my primary focus is keeping them free of vertebral subluxation, and not just out of pain (that's the easy part), that they stand a much better chance of leading a long healthy life. And that's why I'm a chiropractor.
Dr. Eben Davis is clinic director of Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco. To schedule an appointment call 415-392-2225.
We have been providing treatment for whiplash in San Francisco for over 20 years. One of the classic signs of whiplash trauma to the neck or low back is weak muscles in the arm or legs (see explanation below). So therefore muscle testing is one of the primary tools we use for assessing whiplash patients and monitoring progress.
Whiplash, as previously discussed, occurs quicker than the speed at which we can voluntarily contract our muscles in attempt to guard ourselves against injury. Hence, it is nearly impossible to properly brace in anticipation of an impending collision. When muscles, ligament, and joint capsules become injured, there is pain, and as a result, reflex muscle spasm occurs as the body attempts to “splint” the area to protect it. This sometimes sets up a vicious cycle which can make the pain last longer, hurt more intensely and / or hurt more frequently. Because of pain, as well as direct muscle injury that sometimes occurs in whiplash associated disorders (WAD), the natural tendency is to stop doing many activities and guard against motion both because of pain and the fear of it hurting worse. In both cases, the result is the same: muscle atrophy or shrinkage and muscle weakness due to not using the muscle.
There are other reasons that muscles become weak. When an injury occurs, a herniated or “ruptured” disk can injure the spinal nerves exiting the spine. The disk is like a jelly donut where the center is liquid-like surrounded by a thick ring of fibrocartilage and functions as a “shock-absorber” as it sits between 2 vertebral bodies.
Think of the spinal nerves like electrical wires that connect a fuse box to a house. The fuse box is the spinal cord and each wire represents the spinal nerves going to different parts of the house (body). In the cervical spine or neck, each wire goes to different parts like the head, shoulder, arm, and hand and innervates specific areas. Patients who have a pinched nerve from a whiplash injury describe their symptoms as numbness, tingling, pain and/or muscle weakness in a specific distribution or area.
There are 8 pairs of nerves in the neck that travel to different parts of the head (C1-3), the shoulders (C4, 5), and the arm (C6-T2). Let’s say a patient has numbness and tingling down the arm to the 4th & 5th fingers and the pinky side of the hand. That immediately tells us as chiropractors that the C8 nerve is injured (pinched) because that’s the pain pattern of the C8 nerve. Certain muscles are controlled by C8 that we can test in our office to determine if they are weak (abnormal) or strong (normal).
We grade the weakness between 0-5 (5=normal). The chiropractic treatment is aimed at un-pinching the nerve which results in a return of normal nerve function or no numbness/tingling and a strong C8 muscle (finger flexion strength). To accomplish this, we may use a combination of treatments such as spinal adjustments, mobilization, traction, exercises, and/or modalities (electric stim, deep tissue laser therapy, ultrasound or others). We also incorporate soft tissue therapies such as Graston and Active Release Technique (ART).
We realize you have a choice in where you choose your healthcare services. If you, a friend or family member requires care for whiplash, 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 an appointment with a San Francisco Whiplash Doctor call 415-392-2225. Mention this blog post for a complimentary consultation.
Serving Zip code local 94111 and surrounding areas in the Financial District for over 20 years.
Seventy percent of the population will experience severe neck pain at some point in their lives. Many will become chronic, whereby the neck pain persists for over 90 days.
It’s safe to say that if you haven’t had neck and/or shoulder pain, you probably will. Like low back pain, there is a statistical increase in probability that once you’ve had neck pain, the chances of having another episode are significantly increased. A recent study reported that over a 12-month period, 16-18% of the population studied complained of neck and shoulder pain and each year, medical care was obtained by 21-38% of that same group. Moreover, 13-21% lost work time because of their neck and/or shoulder pain. The study reported there was a “…strong episodic nature…” as this condition was found to frequently come and go. Neck pain can arise from a number of structures including muscles, ligaments, bone, joint capsules, and more. Typically, a patient presenting with neck pain is treated for a few weeks and is then quite satisfied with their result… until the next time. Unfortunately, there is usually, “…a next time.” So, the question is, what can we do to prevent neck pain or its re-occurrence?
When considering the many causes of neck pain and the high rate of recurrence, one common finding in those with this popular “come and go” neck/shoulder pain pattern is weakness of the deep flexors muscles located in the front of the neck. One reason for this common finding is that it is very difficult to strengthen the deep, intrinsic muscles of the neck as they are “involuntary.” That means, we cannot consciously “flex” or purposely contract our deep neck flexor muscles. Also, the larger extrinsic muscles tend to be too tight and by reflex, “turn off” or, inhibit the deep neck flexor muscles, compounding the problem.
Therefore, in order to exercise them, we must “trick” the deep muscles into contracting without contracting the larger, extrinsic muscles. This can be accomplished by doing a very specific, controlled exercise with our neck by laying on the back with a partially inflated blood pressure cuff (or, by using a special device purposely made for this test and exercise) placed behind the neck. The inflatable bag is pumped up partially to about 20mmHg and then in a VERY controlled manner, we tuck in our chin and flatten our neck pressing into the bag raising the pressure by 2mmHg and holding that steady for 3-5 seconds. This is repeated in increments by pushing down a little harder until the gauge reads 24mmHg and again, holding that for 3-5 seconds. This pattern is repeated 5x or, until you reach 30mmHg and the process is then reversed releasing the pressure in 2mmHg increments at 3-5 second holds until you reach 20mmHg again. Sound easy? Not quite!!! This exercise requires “fine motor control” to accomplish the task and most of us haven’t specifically addressed these fine moving muscles and end up only exercising the larger extrinsic muscles by doing traditional neck strengthening exercises, which further inhibits the deep neck flexors.
Note: Most reading this other than doctors and therapists will not have this piece of equipment. You can work the deep neck flexors doing the exercise in the video above on a firm bed, exercise bench, or on the floor. We recommend you ice before and after.
The first time you try this, you’ll be amazed at how challenging and tiring it is. But, after a few days of performing the exercise, you may find you feel much better! Of course, this depends on the degree of injury one has, but often, once cervical spine stability is improved by strengthening these deep neck flexors, symptoms usually improve. So, the question is, can we achieve good deep neck flexor strength by doing a more practical, upright position exercise rather than requiring a costly apparatus that requires a laying down position? In a recent study, a standing exercise where a similar movement called, a “neck-lengthening maneuver” was performed producing similar results as the laying down exercise (relaxation of the strong, extrinsic – outside - muscles and strengthening of the deep neck flexors). Simply tuck in the chin and stand tall, “lengthening” your neck!
Chiropractic adjustments, massage, and low tech exercises such as the ones many chiropractors prescribe will help prevent and treat most neck pain.
We realize that you have a choice in where you choose your healthcare 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.
The Executive Express Chiropractic "Patient of the Week" is Rebeca Flores. Rebeca found us on YELP while searching for a chiropractor in San Francisco that could help her with her ongoing low back pain. Rebeca had been suffering with low back pain since she gave birth and her condition had become chronic. Our team treated her with a combination of spinal adjustments, massage, exercises, and traction. Rebeca is feeling much better and looks forward to her chiropractic sessions. Check-out her video review.
Exercise therapies have been identified as one of the most effective forms of treatment for Fibromyalgia (FM). Unfortunately, in a study of 121 newly diagnosed FM patient files, less than half included an exercise recommendation. This statistic is alarming! This month’s article will focus on recent FM studies supporting the benefits of exercise.
The first study looked at the immediate effects of a 6-mo. combined exercise program and its impact on quality-of-life, physical function, depression, and aerobic capacity in 41 FM females. Also, it studied the impact of starting and stopping the program. A group of 21 women were placed into the exercise group and 20 into the control group. Questionnaires and a physical fitness screen were used to measure the outcome or benefits of the program vs. no intervention at baseline (initial), and after 6 months of exercise training followed by 6 months of no exercise training over a 30 month time-frame. Results highly favored the exercise training group over the control group in all parameters both during the exercise training (immediate effects) and during the no exercise 6 month time frames (long-term benefits).
A Chicago-based pilot (small-scaled) study evaluated the use of aerobic conditioning (VO2 max.) on 26 FM subjects at baseline and after a 12-week home-based aerobic exercise program. The exercises included a 30 minute program at 80% of the maximum heart rate, and also measured pain, disability, depression and stress. Results showed those who successfully completed the 12-week program demonstrated an increase in aerobic conditioning, and a trend towards less pain, disability and stress reduction. Those who were unable or unwilling to participate had significantly higher pain, disability and a trend toward more depression at baseline vs. those that completed the program. The conclusions suggest aerobic exercises benefits the FM patient’s quality of life and, VO2 max is a useful marker for measuring exercise benefits. Also, those scoring initially high in the pain, disability, depression/stress measures were more likely to fail and may benefit from a more comprehensive guided program.
Another study looked at the effects of a 3x/week, 16-week exercise program in a chest-high pool of warm water measuring global symptoms and exercise adherence (compliance) levels. A group of 60 middle-aged FM women were compared to 20 healthy, similarly age matched females before and after a 16 week aquatic exercise program that included strength training, aerobic training and relaxation exercises. Tender point count, health status, sleep quality, physical endurance, psychological and cognitive function were measured and, compliance at 12-months was studied. Again, the results revealed statistical improvement in most of the parameters tested in the FM exercise group and, 23 of the 60 were still exercising at 12 months. Again, the conclusions favor the need for exercises in the management of FM.
As noted in the initial paragraph, in spite of all the positive research support for including exercise training in FM patients, less than half of newly diagnosed FM sufferers are given exercises as part of their treatment plan. The need for exercises to be part of the FM treatment plan is clear, and training needs to be initially structured to enhance compliance.
If you, a friend or family member requires care for FM, we sincerely appreciate the trust and confidence shown by choosing our services!
To schedule an appointment with a Fibromyalgia Doctor in San Francisco call 415-392-2225. Mention this article for a complimentary consultation.
We will protect your privacy. Your address will be kept confidential. Enter your email address in the box below to receive the latest, most cutting edge news on Back & Wrist Pain.
Recent Comments