Dr Davis' Back & Wrist Pain Blog

Exercise for back pain prevention & more

San Francisco Chiropractor, Dr. Eben Davis Comments:

Finding the time to exercise can be challenging, especially if you have a full time job and commute. It's even more difficult if you have a family with children. But you know what...you just need to make it happen. You make it happen because it makes life better.

When you exercise you have less back pain, you get sick less often, you have more energy, you look better, your blood pressure is lower, your bones stay healthier, your digestion works better, you maintain a healthier bodyweight...and on and on.

Geez...stop complaining about all the reasons why you can't exercise and make it happen. Exercise in your garage, on the living room floor, whatever. Do it at 6am, 6 pm, midnight, whenever you can. All it takes is 30 minutes, three times per week or so.

Your boss will thank you, you spouse, your kids, your friends, your parents...you will be an all around healthier and better person. Just Do it!

Study Shows Stress Makes Allergies Worse!

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

I just read an interesting article about a study that was done to determine if there was a relationship between stress and severe allergic reactions in patients with seasonal allergies. YES there is. The answer did not surprise me. I think stress compounds just about any problem...and is the actual cause of more health conditions than we think.

Anyway, check out the article...it's called Stress Makes Allergies Worse and last longer. I came across it at www.revolutionhealth.com, which is a pretty good source of information for research on health and wellness.

Regular chiropractic care can help reduce stress levels and help with allergies. If you would like a complimentary consultation at Executive Express Chiropractic at the Embarcadero Center in downtown SF...simply call 415-392-2225, press ext #1 (24 hr live operator).   

Can Chiropractic Adjustments Lower Your Blood Pressure?

San Francisco Executive Express Chiropractor Comments:

There has been some favorable research lately that supports what chiropractors have known for a while...that Atlas subluxations (misalignments) in the upper cervical spine (neck) can cause an increase in blood pressure. And that adjusting (correcting the misalignment) these subluxations with chiropractic treatment can cause blood pressure to drop, or normalize.

The most recent blood pressure study was done at the University of Chicago and published in the American Journal of Hypertension...these results are real.

In chiropractic college, we learn quickly that the upper cervical spine is "Houston Control"...your brain stem is here.   Your brain stem connects the brain to the spinal cord. There are some very vital functions in addition to blood pressure that are regulated by the brain stem. Functions like breathing air, digesting food, and circulating blood. Subluxations up here can wreak havoc. The last thing you want is pressure on your brain stem.

When I do an initial exam at Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco, I always check the Atlas...no matter what the patient came in for.

And get this...the Atlas Vertebrae...is also the most freely movable vertebrae in your spine...it is what enables you to turn your head back and forth. Because of this, it is more prone to subluxations than any other bone in your body.   

Headaches and Pinched Nerves in the Neck

San Francisco Chiropractor and Former Headache Sufferer Comments:

Headaches are one of the most common reasons patients go see a doctor. I actually became a chiropractic patient because of very severe migraine headaches and associated neck pain.

None of the many medical doctors I went to could figure out what was wrong. I had a brain scan, and all kinds of tests...they just did not know what do...other than prescribe Percodan which I developed an allergic reaction to and almost died.

It was a chiropractor that finally cured my headaches. He took x-rays and did his chiropractic exam, and told me I had pinched nerves in the neck, and that pinched nerves was a very common cause of migraine headaches and neck pain.

This was news to me. Of course I did not believe it...that is until I started feeling better after the first visit. The chiropractor recommended 30 sessions because the headaches were so severe and I had had the problem for so long. I quit after 10 and the headaches came back. I started over again and went through the entire program, and I have never had that kind of a headache ever again.   

Why Exercise when you can take an Exercise Pill?

San Francisco Chiropractor and Exercise Buff Comments:

I just read an article at www.revolutionhealth.com entitled:

Exercise in a Pill? Researchers find two

The article talks about the discovery of two drugs that are able to reproduce the physiological benefits of exercise...without the exercise. Here is an excerpt:

The drugs reproduce many of the biological benefits of exercise helping cells burn fat better and boosting endurance, said Ronald Evans, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute researcher at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in California

One of the pills may some day help people enhance their exercise or training, while the other might be more suited for couch potatoes who need to kick-start themselves, Evans and colleagues reported on Thursday in the journal Cell.

"If you like exercise, you like the idea of getting more bang for your buck," Evans said in a statement. "If you don't like exercise, you love the idea of getting the benefits from a pill."

I'm not suprised...after all, anything that will allow a person to "have their cake and eat it too" has mass appeal. Personally, I like what my workout regimen does for my mind just as much as I do for my body. It takes discipline to stick with an exercise program...same with a healthy diet. This discipline carrys over into other parts of life. To think you could pop a pill and get the benefits of a workout...or take a pill and get the benefits of eating a healthy diet...is a cop-out. But hey...knock yourself out. Really go for it...take two pills instead of one. Let me know what you think of this article by commenting below. If you would like to find out if you are a candidate for care at Executive Express Chiropractic at the Embarcadero Center...simply call 415-392-2225, press ext1 (24 hr live operator). Ask for a consultation with Dr. Eben Davis.

Here's A Great Video For Learning How To Protect Your Back While Sitting At Work

Computer Related Back or Neck Pain?

San Francisco Chiropractor and Ergonomic Specialist Comments:

Most of the patients we treat at Executive Express Chiropractic at the Embarcadero Center, spend the majority of their day sitting in front of a computer. Lawyers, accountants, traders, bankers, executives, executive assistants, and just about everyone else...sit while they work...usually for too long, and in the wrong position.

Add the mental stress of deadlines, layoffs, financial worries, and more...and the muscles wind-up even tighter...like a guitar string.

There is a breaking point for your spinal muscles, ligaments, and tendons...a point where they have done too much work...and they become prone to injury. These types of injuries are called "non-accidental" injuries or repetitive strain injuries (RSI). Typically, RSI builds up silently, but when they hit, they hit hard. Some of the symptoms of non-accidental injuries & RSI are:

• Neck Pain
• Back Pain
• Arm and Hand Pain
• Shoulder Pain
• Pain Between Shoulders
• Numbness & Tingling in the Hands
• Weakness of Grip
• Sciatica
• Headaches

These types of musculoskeletal conditions can lead to chronic ailments that can stay with you for years, effecting your productivity and lifestyle.

So what's the solution? Well, you have to take action to increase your resistance to the stresses of sitting for long periods with repetitive motions. The information is out there...it just needs to be implemented before problems develop...which goes against human nature.

At Executive Express Chiropractic...we arm our patients with the exercises and ergonomic advice they need to counteract these stresses. Plus, our entire treatment regimen is geared toward office workers. A good chiropractor should be part of your proactive strategy. Reading this blog will help you also.

Check out this article on the excellent www.spine-health.com website entitled:

Five ways to turn the clock on computer related back pain  This article covers quite a bit of ground...check it out.

If you would like to find out if you are a candidate for care at Executive Express Chiropractic in the SF Financial District...simply call 415-392-2225, press ext1 (24 hr live operator). Ask for a consultation with Dr. Eben Davis.

         

Executive Express Chiropractic Update

Embarcadero Center Chiropractic and Spinal Decompression Clinic Right on Schedule to Open Early October 2008

Dr. Eben Davis and his team of chiropractors, massage therapists, and special assistants, are eagerly awaiting the Grand Opening of their new state of the art clinic on the Lobby Level of Embarcadero Center One.

Sure, there have been some of the typical setbacks that occur when building out a new retail/professional space from scratch...but so far these have just been minor. For example...we decided we wanted the touch screens that patients will interact with, to be placed inside the walls vs. outside the walls on wall mounts. It will just look a lot better. Since the main wall is curved like the shape of the spine, it was a little tricky (see Executive Express Chiropractic Press Release).

We also decided to have the sound system done by a company called MUZAK, who will install custom Bose speakers with individual sound controls for all the rooms. The music itself will be customized to help create the atmosphere we are after.

Anyway, Executive Express Chiropractic at the Embarcadero Center is destined to be something special. Nothing is more precious than time when you are grinding at out in the corporate jungle. And it's hard to be productive when you are in pain...which is where we come in.

Our new oasis in the heart of the Financial District will allow patients to walk-in without appointments and be seen almost immediately. You will know that you can come over and not get trapped in the waiting room. So anyway...that's where we're at...we will keep you posted.   At this point it's All Systems Go!

In the meantime we are treating patients at our administrative facilities at Embarcadero Center One, Suite 500. For a complimentary consultation at Executive Express Chiropractic with Dr. Eben Davis...please call 415-392-2225, press ext 1(24 hr live operator). 

Weekend Binges Tough On Weight Loss Programs

San Francisco Vegan Chiropractor Comments:

I just read an interesting article on www.revolutionhealth.com. The article is entitled:

Weekends Tough On The Diet

The article goes on to explain how research shows weekend binges interfere with weight loss programs. Geez...like you need research to know this. In my opinion...the problem with most diets is...they are just really hard to stick with. People are hungry all the time. Most diets are about cutting back on the same foods...not making new food choices.

It's no wonder when the weekend comes along...after toughing it out all week at work while starving yourself...you unwind by eating more. And we all know...nothing is more powerful than the hunger drive.

So what's the solution then?  Well...a diet centered around starchy plant foods is very satisfying. Foods like oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat pastas, potatoes, beans, and legumes...along with fresh fruits and vegetables is your best bet. And...it's amazing what kind of vegan dishes you can make.

When you eat a diet centered around starches, you can eat as much as you want...you don't have to count calories. You get all the vitamins you need, plenty of protein...and your bodyweight will naturally seek it's normal level. It almost sounds too good to be true...but it is.

But, here's the deal...this only works if you make it a part of your lifestyle...not just a weight loss tool. Because the second you go back to eating the things that caused you to be too heavy, you will revert back to the way you were...cause and effect.

However, you can cheat a little every once in a while and it wont be the end of the world. In fact, I know people that cheat one day per week and it helps them to stay with the program.

Neck pain from sitting at your desk? Try Chiropractic

San Francisco Financial District Chiropractor Comments:

Most of the patients we treat at Executive Express Chiropractic in downtown San Francisco, spend their day sitting at a desk in front of a computer. Many of them go home and do it some more. So we treat our share of neck pain that happens from long hours of sitting, keying, and mousing.

Sure,  there are ways to counteract the stresses that are put on the neck, and the rest of the spine from sitting...but most people don't know what they are (proper ergonomics and exercises). Some people know what to do and they still don't do it. When you're working and trying to meet deadlines and get stuff done...it's common just to deal with the aches and pains in the neck until they become unbearable and reach crisis mode.

Well...I will let you in on a little secret that some very smart people know...routine chiropractic care can help your body to adapt to the stresses of grinding it out at the computer all day. And a chiropractor can teach you what you need to know about exercise and ergonomics.

I have patients that come in 1-4 times per month...and they have been doing so for years. Are they rich? Some of them are..and very busy too...they just make it happen because they value their health. But for the most part...my chiropractic patients are just like you and me...working in the corporate jungle to support our families and save for the future.

They are smart because they know the time and expense they put into the chiropractic care pays dividends. They can work longer hours, get sick less often, have fewer episodes of neck and back pain...and spend more quality time with their families.

You see chiropractic care is not expensive...as long as you value what it gives you...health and well being...and resistance to stress. I mean after all...do you really have time to be in pain?

If you would like to find out if you are a candidate for care at Executive Express Chiropractic in the SF Financial District...simply call 415-392-2225, press 1 (24 hr live operator) and ask for a complimentary consultation with Dr. Eben Davis.