Dr Davis' Back & Wrist Pain Blog

Pain Laser Demonstration Week at Executive Express Chiropractic

We will be offering Free Trial Pain Laser sessions during the wek of Feb 20 2012 through Feb 25, 2012. all 415-392-2225 to schesule while slots are still available. We have one of the only Litecure Pain Lasers in San Francisco.

San Francisco Chiropractor Review: Deep Tissue Laser For Knee Pain

The Executive Express Chiropractic "Patient of the Week" is Pat Stevens. Pat presented with ongoing pain in both knees due to a congenital arthritis. Pat has had previous knee surgery with plates and screws, and has tried many forms of knee pain treatment including medical care, physical therapy, and acupuncture. While visiting her daughter in San Francisco, Pat discovered our Litecure Deep Tissue Therapeutic Pain Laser. Check-out her amazing review about her results after just a few laser sessions.

 

Chiropractor Review San Francisco Knee Pain

To schedule an appointment for a complimentary deep tissue laser treatment with one of our San Francisco Chiropractors...call 415-392-2225 and mention this video review.

Laser Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar Fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is the flat band of tissue (ligament) that connects your heel bone to your toes. Plantar Fasciitis is the leading cause of heel pain, and a primary cause of pain on the bottom of your foot.

Some patients experience heel pain only, some pain on the bottom of the foot, and some both.

The cause of plantar fasciitis is a strain of the plantar fascia which can happen all at once...or slowly over time. There are many causes of plantar fasciitis. If you walk, stand, or run for long periods of time (athletes), especially on hard surfaces, you can strain the plantar fascia. If you are overweight or wear poor fitting shoes...Or, if you pronate your feet when you walk (feet turn inward), you  can cause inflammation of the plantar fascia.

In any case,  plantar fasciitis can be very painful...and it can become chronic and severe, leading to disability and immobility.

It is also very hard to find an effective treatment for plantar fasciitis. What works best is staying off your feet...but that's not much fun. Ibuprofen is often prescribed, as are walking boots and shoe inserts.

 

What you doctor prescribes will depend on the nature and severity of your condition.

We offer plantar fasciitis treatment in San Francisco at Executive Express Chiropractic, primarily with deep tissue laser therapy.

If the condition is acute we use a combination of ice, massage, gentle adjustments, and deep tissue laser therapy (and taping/bracing if indicated). Deep tissue laser is able to penetrate deep into the plantar fascia and repair damaged cells. Laser light is actually attracted to damaged cells, so it goes where it is needed most. Deep tissue laser will also increase circulation, and reduce inflammation and  pain. 

The bottom line is this:  Deep tissue laser sessions can accelerate the healing of plantar fasciitis and help get you back on your feet quicker than conventioanl treatment methods.

Then, once the inflammation subsides we can use Graston Technique to help reduce the likelihood of scar tissue formation. We can also incorporate manual adjustments into the foot to restore lost motion, as well as custom orthotics to correct foot pronation.

When you have a problem with the foot it effects the entire body, including the spine. So spinal adjustments make sense during plantar fasciitis treatment.

Deep tissue laser therapy is the main cog in the plantar fasciitis treatment wheel, as it speeds up the healing process and makes everything happen much quicker.

If you have this painful condition and are unable to find answers, give us a call.

To schedule an appointment for plantar fasciitis laser treatment in San Francisco, call 415-392-2225. Mention this blog post for a complimentary laser session.

Check-out our 5 Star Reviews

 

Deep Tissue Laser for Severe Neck and Back Pain

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

Chiropractic has a very high success rate (and patient satisfaction rate) treating neck and back pain. In fact, Consumer Reports ranks chiropractic #1 for back pain treatment. 

But there are still patients that do not respond to chiropractic care...or they respond really slow. Or, they are just too inflamed or in too much pain to even attempt chiropractic. Herniated disc patients with sciatica often present like this. The patient can barely move and even slight pressure hurts...real bad.

Well...at Executive Express Chiropractic in San Francisco, that's when we roll out the LiteCure Class IV Deep Tissue Laser. Deep tissue laser emits specific wavelengths that promote therapeutic effects such as decreased swelling and muscle spasm, increased circulation, and pain reduction. Class IV Laser therapy (different than cold laser which you don't feel) actually speeds up the healing process and feels warm and soothing while it does it...here's how:

The LiteCure Deep Tissue Laser on the other hand gives immediate pain relief. It penetrates very deep...down into the injured and inflamed tissue layers and stimulates them in the direction of health. Injured cells are much more receptive to the photons of laser light therapy than healthy cells. So the laser treatment goes where it is needed most, which is part of the reason it is so effective (excerpt from previous blog post: Deep Tissue Laser for Disc Herniations) .

 So, yes, therapeutic laser therapy with the LiteCure LCT 1000 makes a whole lot of sense when chiropractic options are limited or ruled out. Laser therapy can also be used to compliment chiropractic treatments not just in lieu of.

Bottom Line: Having Class IV Laser Therapy in the tool box opens up a whole new set of options for the treatment of severe back pain or neck pain, as well as many other musculoskeletal conditions.

To find out if you are a candidate for deep tissue laser at Executive Express Chiropractic, call 415-392-2225 for a complimentary consultation (mention this blog post).  

Reviews of Executive Express Chiropractic

Executive Express Chiropractic on facebook

Best Treatment for a Pinched Nerve in the Neck

San Francisco Chiropractor

Have you been diagnosed with a pinched nerve in the neck? If so, you most likely have pressure on a spinal nerve root as it is exiting from in between the cervical vertebrae. A pinched cervical nerve root is usually caused by a herniated disc or a bulging disc.

Sometimes degeneration of the spine or degeneration of the disc can cause bone spurs or bony growth that can encroach upon the environment of the nerve resulting in a condition called spinal stenosis or foraminal stenosis.

The symptoms of a pinched nerve in the neck vary from person to person and can include neck pain, headaches, shoulder pain, arm pain, hand pain, pain that radiates from the neck down the arm, numbness and tingling in the fingers, weakness of grip, and night pain.

In fact, you can have a pinched cervical nerve and have no symptoms in the neck at all, but have symptoms in the hand. This makes it tricky sometimes as the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) can mimic the symptoms of a pinched nerve in the neck. Some patients actually have both CTS and pinched nerves in the neck.

The good news is, we can treat most disc herniations and disc bulges, as well as spinal degeneration and CTS without drugs or surgery.

At our San Francisco Chiropractic facilities, as well as at other chiropractic clinics around the world, a combination of chiropractic care, nonsurgical spinal decompression, Active Release Technique (ART), and Deep Tissue Laser Therapy, is used to successfully treat most of the primary causes of  pinched nerves in both the neck and low back.

Many patients end up on a wild goose chase trying to figure out the right kind of treatment for a pinched nerve or carpal tunnel syndrome, which can often times lead to cortisone shots, pain meds, and unnecessary surgery.

So, how would you know if you qualify for nonsurgical treatment for your herniated disc in the neck, bulging disc, or spinal stenosis? Well, the best way to find out is to get checked by a doctor that specializes in treating herniated discs without surgery.

We are one of the only clinics in the SF Bay Area to offer cervical decompression therapy with the DRX9000c...a very expensive machine that is designed and built to treat herniated and bulging discs in the neck.

If you live or work near the San Francisco Financial District you can visit Executive Express Chiropractic at the Embarcadero Center. Call 415-392-2225. 

Or, you can check my recommended list for chiropractors at various locations around the US who do something similar.

You can always send me an email to ebendavis@yahoo.com and I will try to make my best recommendation for a doctor near you.

Please do not think that there is no hope for you or that surgery is your only option. Take the time to educate yourself and find a doctor that has the skills and advanced technology to help you get better.

Reviews and directions to Executive Express Chiropractic San Francisco

San Francisco Chiropractor Explains Deep Tissue Laser Therapy

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

We have been practicing our unique brand of chiropractic in the SF Financial District for over 18 years now. During this time we have complimented our chiropractic care with advanced treatments and therapies such as nonsurgical spinal decompression, Active Release Technique (ART), Kinesiotaping, and now Deep Tissue Laser Therapy with the Litecure LCT-1000.

Here is an excerpt from our Executive Express Chiropractic Deep Tissue Laser page that explains the benefits of deep tissue laser along with some of the conditions that respond well to therapeutic laser:

Deep Tissue Laser Therapy™ with the LiteCure LCT-1000 is an innovative, scientifically based, therapeutic modality, specifically designed to offer advanced pain relief and expedited healing times through a process known as photobiostimulation.

The LCT-1000 works by flooding tissues with photons, energizing the damaged cells and increasing circulation to the painful area. This produces a cascade of healing responses in your body, rapidly reducing inflammation, thereby reducing or even eliminating your pain.

In fact, the LCT-1000 deep tissue laser is used by many professional sports teams to accelerate healing times for musculoskeletal injuries and keep players on the field…or on the court. Here's what the Boston Celtics have to say about the LCT-1000:

"The LCT-1000 laser therapy device has been an invaluable asset to our team. I would like to thank you and LiteCure for helping to keep our players in the game throughout our 2008 Championship season. This laser therapy device will continue to be part of the high level of care our medical staff provides our players." Edward J. Lacerte, Med., PT, SCS, L/ATC, CSC S, Head Athletic Trainer for the Boston Celtics

Deep  tissue laser is now used by most professional sports teams. Deep tissue laser speeds up the healing process by reducing inflammation and healing damaged cells quickly.

At our San Francisco chiropractic clinic at the Embarcadero Center, we incorporate laser therapy into our sports injury, RSI, herniated disc, and whiplash protocols...as well as any other musculoskeletal condition that we feel needs a little help. 

Some of the more common conditions we routinely use the deep tissue laser on are:

• Plantar Fascitis
• TMJ
• Knee pain
• Hip Pain
• Whiplash
• Arthritis (recommended reading: Laser Therapy For Arthritis)
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Herniated discs
• Frozen Shoulder

My Take: Deep tissue laser therapy just makes sense. Why not take advantage of modern technology to provide natural solutions that will help speed up the healing process. Sure, this equipment is expensive, and requires extra time and effort, but the results speak for themselves. Laser therapy is here to stay. And when something better comes along we will make that available to you also.

If you would like to find out if you are a candidate for deep tissue laser therapy at Executive Express Chiropractic...please call 415-392-2225. Mention this blog post for a complimentary laser session.

If you do not live in the SF Bay Area, here are some chiropractors around the US that offer laser therapy:

Deep Tissue Laser Denver

Deep Tissue Laser Lancaster, CA

Laser Therapy New York City

 

Laser Therapy for Arthritis:Natural Pain Relief

By: Andrea Mills, D.C.

 

Are you looking for a long-term pain solution for your arthritis that doesn’t have serious side effects? Consider laser therapy for your arthritis pain; it’s non-invasive, very effective, and provides relief quickly.

Laser therapy is a concentrated light therapy that penetrates your skin and goes into your body, where the light is then absorbed by your cells and used for energy. Think of how a plant absorbs sunlight and uses it to grow… the laser light has nearly the same effect inside your cells. They absorb it and at a cellular level, it increases their ability to regenerate and heal.

Laser therapy is considered “experimental” by many in the medical field, but doctors who use them (and their patients who get relief!) know that they work, and often within just a visit or two. The two most popular lasers used for arthritis pain are cold lasers, or low level lasers, and Class 4 lasers, or high powered lasers. A cold laser, or a low level laser, has been around for awhile, and you’re more likely to see these in doctors’ offices, although the Class 4 lasers are gaining in popularity because they work extremely well and very quickly. 

Both types of lasers work the same way; the differences between them is how far into the body the light can get and the type of light used. A Class 4 laser can reach deep into the knee joint, or down into the deep structures of the spine, where a low level laser can reach superficial muscles and joints like those in the hands. Some lasers use light in the blue or ultraviolet spectrum, and some use red or infrared light.

Some people say that they have relief immediately after their laser treatment. The laser causes a cascade of healing effects to happen, including an increase in blood flow to the injured area, a decrease in inflammation and swelling (this may account for the immediate relief felt by some people), increases in healing chemicals and cells to the injury, and drainage of fluids within the joint or muscles. Over time and with each laser treatment, the injury heals a little more.

Depending on the severity of your arthritis pain, laser therapy may provide temporary relief of days or weeks. Some people get laser therapy at regularly scheduled intervals because it keeps them virtually pain free.

Laser therapy works best for arthritis pain when the joints have not yet worn completely out. If the bones are rubbing together and all of the cushioning between them is gone, you may still get temporary relief. If the joint damage is minimal, you are a good candidate to become nearly pain free after laser treatment.

Let me share with you a story of a laser patient of mine who came in as a last resort before spine surgery, we’ll call him Mark (not his real name). Mark had been injured a few years before coming into my office and had herniated a disc in his low back. His doctor wanted to do surgery on it, but Mark wanted to wait. Mark knew that surgery was risky and had a 50% chance of working at best. He also knew that the longer he waited to have the surgery, the more likely a new technique would be invented that would increase the chances of surgery being successful.

Mark had completely changed his life because of his injury. He couldn’t do his hobbies anymore, as he had to protect his back. He couldn’t exercise, he couldn’t perform any physical work, and he had to be extremely careful with his daily activities. He felt like he couldn’t do anything he wanted to do for fear of hurting himself. He was taking painkillers and anti-inflammatories daily, and was concerned about the potential risks of the medications.

A friend of his referred Mark to me, since I have a Class 4 Infrared laser.  He already had his surgery scheduled for 6 weeks out, and was trying to do anything to keep from having it. He told me up front, “I don’t believe this is going to work, but I’ll do anything to stay out of surgery.”

His pain dropped about 20% after his first laser treatment. Within three weeks, he was completely off medications, pain free, and he canceled his surgery. Over the course of several months of chiropractic care and the occasional follow up laser therapy, Mark regained his ability to exercise and do the things he loved. He also said he wasn’t “afraid to move anymore.”

Results like this are pretty typical. If you are suffering from arthritis pain, find out about laser therapy. It may be just the treatment you are looking for.

  Dr. Andrea Mills practices in Southern California. She specializes in chronic pain and difficult to treat cases, taking a multi-faceted approach to help people get better. She combines cutting edge technology and age old healing principles to help her patients get relief. She has a website dedicated to natural arthritis relief, and you can learn more by visiting www.Natural-Arthritis-Relief.com.

Executive Express Chiropractic San Francisco offers Class IV Deep Tissue Laser Therapy

Can Laser Therapy Help Arthritis?

San Francisco Deep Tissue Laser Treatment:

We have been using cold laser therapy at our SF Financial District Chiropractic clinics for several years now with great success...especially with arthritis patients.  Recently, we purchased a Lite-Cure Deep Tissue Pain Laser, which penetrates even deeper into the tissue layers.

Both cold laser therapy and deep tissue laser therapy are fantastic tools for not only arthritis, but other musculoskeletal conditions such as sports injuries, back and neck pain, plantar fascitis, and TMJ. Laser therapy is a great adjunct to chiropractic care and nonsurgical spinal decompression. In fact...we include cold laser therapy or deep tissue laser therapy for herniated disc disc treatment programs.

Anyway...I came across an excellent article entitled How does cold laser work for arthritis? that does a great job of explaining how and why cold laser works. Here is an excerpt:

Arthritis affects almost 70 million Americans. The most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease in which the cartilage wears away, and rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune inflammatory condition. Also, there are other conditions that fall under the “umbrella” of arthritis including bursitis, tendonitis, low back and neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and so on.

The common symptom of most forms of arthritis is pain. Pain develops as a result of multiple factors including inflammation with stimulation of neural peripheral pain sensors due to either biochemical factors such as cytokines or to mechanical factors- joint deformity. Arthritis pain may be accompanied by other problems including loss of range of motion and disability.

While medicines, injections, and surgery all have their place and are valuable, there is still a need for potentially useful adjunctive modalities that might speed up recovery and reduce pain faster.

Low level therapeutic laser, better known as phototherapy, is a relatively new form of treatment. Its premise is that certain wavelengths of light have effects on living tissue. This effect is termed “photobiomodulation.”

Click here for full story

My Take: Cold laser therapy and deep tissue laser therapy are a must have for any chiropractor, physical therapist, or sports medicine doctor that wants to offer the most advanced forms of treatment to their patients. Most professional sports teams use deep tissue laser therapy to speed up the healing process for musculoskeletal injuries, as do elite pain centers around the world. So do yourself a favor and find out if laser therapy makes sense for you.

For a complimentary deep tissue laser therapy session at Executive Express Chiropractic...call 415-392-2225 and mention this blog post.

Reviews and directions to Executive Express Chiropractic.

Our San Francisco Chiropractic miscrosite.

Deep Tissue Laser in Denver

Cold Laser Therapy New York City

Herniated Discs "CAN" Be Repaired Without Surgery!

San Francisco Spinal Decompression Doctor Comments:

We have been treating herniated discs at Executive Express Chiropractic (formerly Front Street Chiropractic) for over 18 years now...without drugs or surgery.

I am amazed at the amount of herniated disc patients that think that they are doomed...and that the only option they have is back surgery. Heck...most of the people with disc herniations don't even know they have them...and never will.

So...just because you have a cervical disc herniation, or a lumbar disc herniation, does not mean it's the end of the world.

Sure...there is a sub-set of disc herniation patients that develop serious problems and do require surgical intervention...but this is the exception...not the rule.

There is also a sub-set of herniated disc patients that are not surgical candidates (even though they may have been told they were), who have symptoms that become chronic (persist for more than 90 days). These patients often end up in a "no mans land" where nothing seems to help (even chiropractic), and either they don't need surgery, or they don't want it. Now what do you do? 

Well...it was this very reason that we purchased our first nonsurgical spinal decompression machine over 5 years ago. Sure, we were already very successful treating disc bulges and disc herniations...but sometimes chiropractic, massage, exercise, acupuncture, and physical therapy was not enough. Sometimes we just  had no answers...and neither did anyone else.

But things changed when we started incorporating lumbar decompression and cervical decompression into our disc herniation protocols.

Then, a few years ago we began to offer full body Active Release Technique (ART).

Recently, we purchased a Lite-Cure deep tissue laser, so we are able to offer deep tissue laser therapy which is able to accelerate healing in herniated disc patients.

Things are different now. And YES...herniated discs can be repaired without surgery.

My Recommendation: Find a doctor that offers all of these services. If you live or work near downtown San Francisco, you can visit Executive Express Chiropractic at the Embarcadero Center. 415-392-2225.

Reviews and directions to Executive Express Chiropractic

Checkout our spinal decompresion testimonials

If you do not live in San Francisco I can recommend the following herniated disc doctors who all do something very similar to what we do:

Herniated disc doctor New York City

Herniated disc doctor Newport Beach, CA

Herniated disc doctor Denver, CO

Tiger Woods has Cervical Facet Syndrome: What is it?

San Francisco Chiropractor Comments:

Tiger Woods has been suffering with severe neck pain ever since he returned to play several months back. In fact, neck and shoulder pain caused him to withdraw from THE PLAYERS Championship.

Tiger and his team thought that he had a bulging disc in the neck, or a herniated disc. However, recent MRI findings reveal an inflamed facet joint. The medical diagnosis for this condition is cervical facet syndrome or facet joint syndrome.

So what is facet joint syndrome anyway?  Here's an excerpt of what the Cleveland Clinic has to say:

Facet joints occur in pairs at the back of each vertebra. The facet joints link the vertebrae directly above and below to form a working unit that permits movement of the spine. The structure of the facet joint is identical to other joints in the body, such as knees and hips.

The bone surfaces of the facet joints are covered with a specialized tissue called articular cartilage. The joint is lined by a membrane called the synovium and enclosed in a fibrous sac called a joint capsule. A thick liquid (synovial fluid) surrounds the joint, allowing the bones to move without friction.

Facet joint syndrome refers to pain that occurs in the facet joints. This syndrome most often affects the lower back and neck. Lumbar facet syndrome might cause referred pain to the buttocks and thigh. Facet syndrome in the neck might cause headaches or shoulder pain.

What are the symptoms of facet joint syndrome?

Symptoms of facet joint syndrome in the lower back include:

• Pain or tenderness in the lower back
• Pain that increases with twisting or arching the body
• Pain that moves to the buttocks or the back of the thighs — This pain is usually a deep, dull ache.
• Stiffness or difficulty with certain movements, such as standing up straight or getting up out of a chair

Symptoms of facet joint syndrome in the neck include:

• Neck pain
• Headaches
• Shoulder pain
• Difficulty rotating the head

What causes facet joint syndrome?

There are several possible causes of pain that originates in a facet joint. An injury and/or changes associated with aging might cause the cartilage cushion that covers the bones to wear away, causing pain as the bones of the joint rub together.

In addition, small nerves that branch out from the spinal nerves supply the facet joints. Irritation or pinching of these nerves also can lead to pain. Poor posture, which forces the spine out of alignment, can be a factor in the development of pain from the facet joints. Trauma, inflammation, infection, and disc degeneration are other suggested causes of facet joint pain.

Read full article here

My Take: Facet syndrome is actually fairly common with golfers and many other professional athletes.

We treat quite a bit of facet joint syndrome at Executive Express Chiropractic in San Francisco...as do chiropractors around the world...especially sports oriented chiropractors.  

We use a combination of chiropractic care, deep tissue laser therapy (to reduce inflammation), Active Release Technique (ART), and nonsurgical spinal decompression of the cervical spine.

I'm not sure what kind of treatment Tiger Woods has received for his facet joint syndrome, but I would be very surprised if it did not include all of the above.

The problem is the professional golf tour is non-stop...so no matter how state-of-the-art the treatment...you still need to give the body adequate time to recover. Plus, Tiger has been under a lot of mental stress, which can slow down the healing process.

From my own experience, most cervical facet syndrome's do not require surgery or cervical rhizotomy, the nerve deadening procedure.  But, often times professional athletes will do what ever it takes to stay in the game, and deal with the consequences down the road.

However, YOU (the average person) don't have to do this. Most of us have the luxury of being able to rest and recover, such that we don't have to force a treatment that we have to pay for down the road (common in professional sports).

Anyway...hopefully Tiger gets rid of his neck pain and can win a few this year...he is long overdue.

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

Visit Executive Express Chiropractic on Facebook.

Reviews and directions to Executive Express Chiropractic.

New York City Chiropractor Steven Shoshany offers cervical spinal decompression, laser, Active Release Techniques, and Kinesiotaping. He has lots of experience with professional athletes and facet syndrome. I highly recommend him.