Posts Tagged ‘chiropractic care’

Chiropractic and Joint Pain Relief

Monday, March 1st, 2010

When we are younger (20 to 30 or so), our bodies have a fantastic ability to restore itself. I am not just talking about joints; this statement reflects the whole of our bodies.

Many of the older (over 40) patients in my San Diego chiropractic clinic deal with the sins of their past on a daily basis. All of the running, jumping, falls and various sports injuries combined with little or no remediating therapy takes its toll on us as we age.

These activities first become noticeable as little aches and pains that are easy to ignore or mask with pain killers. At some point, we simply start to eliminate the activities that cause discomfort. Everyday my patients indicate that knee pain, ankle pain or back pain have caused them to avoid activities like tennis, running, basketball and a whole list of other sports or leisure activities.

As we start to eliminate activities that cause discomfort we begin to suffer from lost range of motion, atrophy of various muscle groups and generalized deconditioning.

Maintaining joint health takes effort. Poor exercise techniques can cause joint stress and body balancing issues that cause joint pain. Poor nutrition can cause weight gain and an acidic pH balance which leads to joint stress secondary to the weight gain as well as inflammatory issues due to the acidic pH in the body. Finally, ignoring signs of pain and avoiding treatment will only help the painful joint condition to progress.

The good news is that you can help yourself. Help starts with seeing a chiropractor who can adjust the joints to break down scar tissue that has formed from past injuries. Breaking down the scar tissue will improve your range of motion and help relieve joint pain. You will also need nutritional support specifically for the joints. The right supplements can help reduce inflammation and repair damaged joint surfaces. Proper nutrition is a must. Foods and drinks loaded with preservatives, sugar, artificial sweeteners and coloring agents work against joint health. Eating a diet that mostly consists of fresh fruits, vegetables and fresh organic protein sources such as deep sea fish and free range chicken will aid in weight loss and reduce inflammation mediators that are found in “unhealthy” foods. Finally, a proper exercise program will help you find balance for your body which will reduce stress and prevent future injury.

Your’s In Good Health


Dr. Jones

(619) 280-0554
www.JonesPainRelief.com

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Low Back Pain And Chiropractic Treatment

Monday, January 11th, 2010

Have you ever had low back Pain?

If so, you are part of a large group of people. Statistics tell us that about 80% of us will suffer with low back pain over the course of our lives.

Low back pain is a common complaint for the patients that I treat in my San Diego Chiropractic clinic. Chiropractors have the reputation of being the “back doctors”. I can’t tell you how many times I have had a patient tell me about a friend with either elbow pain or knee pain or shoulder pain who wouldn’t come into my office for care because they think that all chiropractors treat is back pain.

A recent episode of back pain that I experienced just renewed my level empathy for my patients with low back pain. Not that I had lost my empathy for my patients, but a little personal experience always helps with my focus.

Despite the reputation of being back doctors, chiropractors are trained to deal with all of the joints whether they are part of the spine or not.

The process that affects the joints in the low back is the same process that affects other joints in the body. They are irritated by a fall or some other injury. The irritation causes inflammation and the inflammation causes pain, swelling and scar tissue formation. The scar tissue limits the joints range of motion and can become a source of pain itself.

Treatment can be a simple as a few joint adjustments and a few sessions of therapy.

The next time you have a joint that aches, try chiropractic treatment. Most joint problems that cause lower back pain respond well to chiropractic care.

Your’s In Good Health


Dr. Jones

(619) 280-0554
www.JonesPainRelief.com

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Whiplash, Back Pain and Chiropractic Care

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Years ago I had a patient who sustained a serious low back injury in what seemed to be a simple, low impact rear-end accident. My patient was stopped at a red light and was hit from behind by a car that was maybe going 10 mph. The impact wasn’t severe enough to require any repairs to either vehicle.

Regardless of the lack of damage to my patients’ vehicle, he knew immediately that there was something wrong with his lower back and his right leg. He told me that when his car was hit, he felt the metal framework of his seat apply a significant amount of force through his lower back. As he got out of his vehicle, he felt weakness and a little pain in his right leg.

I have patients that I treat for certain conditions that are later aggravated by car accidents but this case wasn’t one of those. This patient had no prior history of low back pain or sciatic pain – this current pain was all new.

After four weeks of chiropractic care for his injuries, both the patient and I were frustrated by his lack of progress. I sent him for an MRI of his low back which clearly showed 2 herniated discs in his low back – no doubt these were from his accident.

This patients’ options for care at this point were to go to an orthopedic surgeon or continue with chiropractic care at my office. He elected to continue with chiropractic care with the understanding that if his condition either failed to improve or worsened that he would consider an orthopedic consult.

In this case, this patient made significant improvement with chiropractic care and made a complete recovery. The odd things about this case was how little damage was done to the car by the accident and the fact that the patient experienced no neck pain while suffering significant low back injuries.

The bottom line is that even light impact accidents can create enough force to create a significant injury.

Your’s In Good Health


Dr. Jones

(619) 280-0554
www.JonesPainRelief.com

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Can Chiropractic Cure Arthritis?

Monday, December 21st, 2009

I had a patient ask me the other day if I could cure arthritis. My answer was “Yes and No”.

Arthritis, regardless of the type, typically results in permanent damage to the joint. There are many types of arthritis, some are the autoimmune type like rheumatoid or psoriatic.

With these types of arthritis, your immune system actually attacks the joints causing erosion of the joint surfaces as well as inflammation, pain and in severe cases disfigurement of the joint.

Other types of arthritis are the more typical wear and tear types. Usually these types of arthritis fall under the category of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disease, DJD, OA and spondylosis. Other factors affecting the onset of osteoarthritis include genetics, metabolic and developmental issues – all of which can cause a loss of the joints cartilage which provides the cushioning for the joint.

Symptoms of arthritis, regardless of the types include joint pain, tenderness, creaking noises, stiffness, locking of the joint and swelling as a result of inflammation.

So now I am back at the original question. Can I cure arthritis with chiropractic care?

The “no” part of the answer is that chiropractic care cannot reverse joint damage or “cure” a patient from autoimmune types of arthritis or reverse the effects of osteoarthritis.

The yes part of that answer follows the logic of chiropractic care. Chiropractic adjustments break down scar tissue and adhesions that restrict joint motion and are a source of pain. Scar tissue and adhesions are common with arthritis and do restrict motion and cause pain. Chiropractic care helps reduce the pain of arthritis and restore a portion of the lost range of motion that accompanies arthritis by controlling the formation of scar tissue.

In general, chiropractic care can help control the pain of arthritis and help restore joint motion.

Your’s In Good Health


Dr. Jones

(619) 280-0554
www.JonesPainRelief.com

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Chiropractic Care, Neck Pain and Whiplash

Friday, December 11th, 2009

If you suffer with neck pain, I feel your pain. Ever since I was a kid I have struggled with neck pain and stiffness.

After becoming a chiropractor and seeing x-rays of my neck, I have to conclude that had I received regular chiropractic care early on I would not have the issues that I have today.

My first set of chiropractic x-rays from 1991 showed mild arthritis in the joints of my neck. I was only 27 years old – and I had arthritis in my neck! Arthritis is usually thought of as an old persons condition. In reality, arthritis is more time related than age related.

In my case, a car accident in my teens led to chronic neck pain and stiffness. I did get some chiropractic care to relieve my pain but I quit treatment way to soon and didn’t make chiropractic care a priority in my budget until many years later. By that time, the damage had been done. The arthritis had started and I was well on my way to chronic neck pain.

Chiropractic care following car accidents helps restore normal movements of the joints in your back. It also helps reduce muscle spasms and break down scar tissue which can also be a source of pain and muscle spasm.

Since scar tissue build up and abnormal joint motion leads to arthritis, and chiropractic care helps break down scar tissue and improve joint motion, I can only conclude that had I received the chiropractic care that I needed that I would not be dealing with as many neck problems as I currently have.

Your’s In Good Health


Dr. Jones

(619) 280-0554
www.JonesPainRelief.com

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What to Expect With Your First Chiropractic Visit

Wednesday, November 25th, 2009

Have you ever been to a chiropractor? Do you know what to expect on your first visit?

I see new patients every week in my San Diego Chiropractic office that seem to have no idea what to expect from their chiropractic care.

Most new patients are aware that the benefits of chiropractic care come from a treatment plan consisting of a combination of office visits and at home support with icing, stretching, exercising and good nutrition.

Some patients who are new to chiropractic care have the understanding that they have back pain because something is “OUT” and by having the chiropractor “crack it” back into place will fix all that ails them. While it would be nice if physical problems would repair this easily, it just is not the case. Usually pain involving a joint is the end result of years of stress and strain during which time muscle tension changes, scar tissue forms to support the joints and the actual movement of the joint has been altered. These things take time and patience to fully correct.

It is a fact that in some cases all or a significant amount of pain can be relieved with a single chiropractic adjustment, however, most of the time a treatment plan is necessary in order to truly correct the underlying problem that was responsible for the pain.

Neck pain, back pain, headaches and many other pains respond well to chiropractic care but as a patient you must keep reasonable expectations with your care. Following treatment recommendations including office visits and at home recommendations will give you your best chance not only to relieve your pain but to experience a higher level of health than you have had in past years.

Your’s In Good Health


Dr. Jones

(619) 280-0554
www.JonesPainRelief.com

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Health, Fitness and Chiropractic

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

I tell the patients in my San Diego chiropractic practice that health doesn’t just happen. We have to work at it over the course of a lifetime in order to obtain it and then maintain it. Plenty of our success has to do with attitude and follow through.

Let me explain. I know plenty of men and women who would love to have lean bodies and live long and healthy lives. Some of these people pursue these goals with purpose while others simple do their best and accept the results that their efforts bring.

In contrast, I have never met someone who wants to become unfit, obese, sickened with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and / or have trouble taking a short walk due to their unhealthy lifestyles. Despite the lack of desire to intentionally lose our health, I see people like this everyday.

The frightening thing is that most of us will end up out of shape and sick when we are older.

How does this happen? I believe that it happens because we don’t work on maintaining our health and over the course of months or years we lose our conditioning and with it our health. We assume that one fattening meal won’t affect us. The truth is that one fattening meal won’t hurt us at all, but one fattening meal per day (or more) combined with a lack of exercise will have negative consequences for the way we look and feel.

At my office we encourage health maintenance through the use of chiropractic care, exercise, stretching and sound nutrition. Over my 20 years in practice I have seen my patients advance through different age groups. There is a significant difference between those who attend to their health and those who don’t. Those patients who pursue health live active pain-free lives while those who only seek care when they have a health issue tend to suffer with poor health in general.

Your’s In Good Health


Dr. Jones

(619) 280-0554
www.JonesPainRelief.com

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Chiropractic Treatment for Hip Pain

Friday, December 19th, 2008

Hip Pain means different things to different people. I treat many people for hip pain in my San Diego Chiropractic center.

In my first paragraph I wrote that hip pain means different things to different people. What I meant by that is that usually the patients who complain of hip pain would point to their lower backs when I ask them to point to the pain. When I ask them at that point if it is actually lower back pain that they are feeling they will usually think for a moment and then say, “Yes, I guess it is low back pain.”

When patients complain of hip pain they are usually referring to pain in the area of the sacroiliac joint. The sacroiliac joints are two large joints that are positioned just to the sides of the bottom vertebra in the back right at the level of the beltline. I believe that people refer to this as hip pain because it is typically at its worst when walking.

True hip pain found in the joint where the femur joins with the socket found in the pelvic bones. The typical patient will identify hip pain by pointing to the front of the body, below the beltline and off to either side of the midline of the body.

Sacroiliac joint pain is often brought on or aggravated by prolonged sitting, bad lifting habits and direct injuries such as those that occur with sports or auto accidents. The sacroiliac joints are the largest joints in the spine and can heal slowly after an injury.

Chiropractic care supported by ice pack applications, light stretching and avoidance of know aggravating activities (if it hurts don’t do it) will usually eliminate the pain.

Chiropractic care is also effective for true hip pain but the approach is somewhat different. Since hips are joints, chiropractic care is also quite effective in relieving hip pain as well.

Your’s In Good Health


Dr. Jones

http://www.jonespainrelief.com/blog1/

www.JonesPainRelief.com

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Health Benefits of Cinnamon

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008

In our Chiropractic office in San Diego California, we like to stress the importance of natural holistic healthcare. Although our office is delivering chiropractic care for neck pain, back pain and the like, we also encourage our patients to use natural remedies at home as well. There are many benefits of using cinnamon in our diets. There are also many different forms of cinnamon. I recently came across this article and thought I would share it with you.

A new report suggests that the equivalent of a spoonful of cinnamon a day can significantly lower blood sugar, cholesterol and lipid levels. This could be good news for people with diabetes.

Sixty people with type 2 diabetes were divided into six groups; three groups received daily doses of cinnamon (1, 3 or 6 grams, respectively), while the other groups received placebo capsules containing wheat flour. The cinnamon was consumed for 40 days, followed by a 20-day washout period. Blood glucose, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels were all significantly lower in patients receiving cinnamon compared to those given a placebo.

While adding cinnamon to the diet won’t cure a person with diabetes, it may help protect diabetic patients from some of the worst complications that arise from the condition, such as blurred vision, heart disease and kidney failure.

Here are a variety of ways that cinnamon can be incorporated into a person’s diet, try adding it to your morning coffee or try eating oatmeal (which is very good for cholesterol) with a teaspoon of cinnamon, or making a tea out of boiling water and cinnamon stick.”

Reference:

Khan A, Safdar M, Muzaffar Ali Khan M, et al. Cinnamon improves glucose and lipids of people with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care December 2003;26, pp3215-3218.

Your’s In Good Health


Dr. Jones

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www.JonesPainRelief.com

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Chiropractic Care and Athletic Performance

Friday, November 21st, 2008

Chiropractic Care in San Diego is utilized for both crisis care and for wellness care / preventive care.

Our population has a passion for fitness and exercise. Chiropractic treatment helps keep neck pain, back pain and other body aches from slowing us down.

Neck pain and back pain typically respond very well to chiropractic treatment. Chiropractic care helps restore normal joint motion which is vital to a healthy neck and back.

One of the wonderful benefits of chiropractic treatment is its ability to help active people avoid neck pain, back pain and other spinal injuries.

Getting chiropractic adjustments in a regular basis helps your spine maintain its full range of motion and flexibility. Typically, it is a loss of normal range of motion and flexibility that exposes us to injuries. Chiropractic care that is delivered prior to an aggravation, in other words “when the patient is not in pain” is a perfect example of preventative healthcare.

Chiropractic adjustments gently push the joint through its entire range of motion. When your joints are moved through their full range of motion by a trained chiropractor, tight muscles associated with that joint are stretched out and scar tissue that has formed in and around those joints is broken down.

Usually, having your spine adjusted is not a painful procedure. Most of the time, the patients in my San Diego chiropractic clinic feel a sense of pressure relief and relaxation in their backs when they are adjusted.

This feeling of pressure release and relaxation is due to a number events that occur during an adjustment.

When the spine is adjusted, there is a reflexive relaxation of tight muscles that occurs. Relaxed muscles are much more comfortable than tight, spasmed muscles.

Another event that takes place with an adjustment involves the “pain gate”. Adjustments trigger the “pain gate” in the nervous system which, as it implies, decreases our sensations of pain.

On a mechanical level, chiropractic care stretches tight muscle and ligaments and helps breakdown restrictive scar tissue. This effect improves our spines’ range of motion resulting is feeling of increased flexibility.

As a chiropractor in San Diego, I notice that a healthy percentage of my treatments revolve around spinal maintenance and improving athletic performance.

Chiropractic treatment is a vital part of maintaining your health.

Here’s To Your Health


Dr. Jones

http://www.jonespainrelief.com/blog1/

www.JonesPainRelief.com

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What to do in Case of an Auto Accident

Friday, November 14th, 2008

Do you know what and what not to do after an auto accident?

It is that time of the year again. You know, when the roads are wet with rain and half the people on the road drive like it is dry (FAST) and the other half slow down to half the posted limit. People who live in San Diego only see an average of 11 rainy days per year. That is about 3 percent of the time. Until your car loses traction and you hit another vehicle, most don’t realize how quickly and easily it can happen. While an accident usually starts and ends in matter of seconds, the neck pain, headaches, back pain, etc. can continue for weeks, months or sometimes, years.

In addition to the typical physical aches and pains associated with auto accident injuries, there are legalities to consider as well. Sometimes there are disputes as to who is the guilty party that is responsible for the accident. Many people will deny their responsibility even though their role in the accident is obvious. If you have been involved in an automobile accident, there are a number of things you can do to preserve your legal rights.

The following is a summary of some of the most important things you can do to protect your legal rights after an automobile accident:
1. Do not leave the scene. If you leave the scene of an automobile accident, you may be criminally prosecuted. You are required to provide your name, address, driver’s license and auto insurance information to the other driver.
2. Assess yourself for injuries and then, if you are able, help the injured if there are any. If someone has been injured in the accident, you should call for an ambulance / paramedics and assist them to the extent you are qualified. Before calling for the ambulance, be prepared to give an accurate location of the accident and a count of the number of individuals injured.
3. Avoid additional collisions. Make sure your vehicle is not presenting a safety hazard to other motorists. If possible, it should be moved so that it is not obstructing traffic. You can further warn oncoming traffic to proceed with caution by setting flares, turning on your hazard lights, and raising the hood and trunk of your vehicle.
4. Notify the police. Typically the police will prepare a report that contains specific information regarding the accident and the parties involved. While you may not be required to call the police, the accident reports they produce could be helpful to you later.
5. Do not admit liability. You should not admit responsibility for the accident to the other drivers, passengers, or to the police for that matter. You may convey facts concerning how the incident occurred; however, it is best not to comment on your responsibility (or liability) for the accident. This is a legal matter that is not always readily and easily ascertainable.
6. You should get the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of any individuals involved in the accident, as well as any witnesses to the accident. You should also obtain the name of the insurance company and policy number of the other drivers involved. If possible, you may take photographs to document the accident scene including skid marks, road obstructions, and damage to the vehicles.
7. Notify your insurance company. If you do not give your insurance company prompt notice, your policy may provide that the insurance company may deny coverage for your claim. Accordingly, you should give your insurance company notice by way of telephone and by written notice that provides you a means of proving such notice was given, such as by facsimile or by certified mail. You should provide your insurance company with all information they request concerning the facts of the accident.
8. Consult a chiropractic doctor to evaluate your neck and back for injuries. Some injuries may not manifest themselves until some period of time after the accident; the fact that you do not immediately feel as though you have been injured does not necessarily mean that no injury has occurred. You should consult your insurance agent to see if the cost of seeing a doctor in connection with the accident is covered by your insurance policy. You should not settle your claims for injuries arising from the accident until you have been advised by your chiropractic doctor as to the full extent of your injuries.

I hope that you find this information helpful. Drive safe!

Your’s In Good Health


Dr. Jones

http://www.jonespainrelief.com/blog1/

www.JonesPainRelief.com

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Bad Posture and Back Pain

Wednesday, November 12th, 2008

Have you ever injured your back and scratched your head and wondered – how did this happen when my back has felt fine up until now?

Patients present to my San Diego Chiropractic clinic on a regular basis with neck pain, back pain and other related symptoms that not only lack a history of pain in that area but also have no recent injury or accident to explain their current painful symptoms.

This is frustrating for the patient yet a typical presentation that I see in my Chiropractic office.

When patients come in for care with this type of history recent injury, my inquiries usually lead to a situation that involves excessive postural stress for that patient.

Ongoing postural stress affects our body much like the old analogy of the straws on the camels back. Our bodies are capable of compensating for quite a bit of stress before symptoms appear.

This is good and bad.

The good part of this situation is that if we didn’t compensate for all the little stresses that we are subjected to, we would be uncomfortable all the time. The bad part about compensation is that we often are not keen enough to recognize when our bodies are being exposed to ongoing low levels of stress.

Once the stress levels build to a certain point, the body part in question reacts with irritation, inflammation and muscle spasm. This combination produces pain and tightness and usually is the reason that patients call my office.

Postural stress can place an amazing amount of stress on your spine. One of my reference books has a chart that describes how different body positions affect the amount of pressure on your discs in the low back. The differences are amazing.

When standing straight up with ideal posture, the pressure in the discs of the low back is 100%. When lying flat on your back the pressure is at 24%. While sitting straight with good posture, the pressure is at 140% but when slouching forward with poor posture the disc pressure goes to a staggering 190%.

Considering that most of us sit for a good portion of the day, simply sitting becomes a significant source of stress for the lower back.

This kind of ongoing stress combined with an awkward twist or bend can generate a crisis for the low back leading the patient to wonder exactly how turning to pick that cup of coffee off the desk behind him / her lead to such a severe back pain and spasm.

Here’s To Your Health


Dr. Jones

http://www.jonespainrelief.com/blog1/

www.JonesPainRelief.com

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Chiropractic Care and Computer Work

Friday, November 7th, 2008

Does computer work seem much more difficult (physically) than it should be?

The patients in my San Diego chiropractic practice often seem perplexed by the fact that they can be injured doing such sedentary work as computer work. Most are of the opinion that it takes a forceful and traumatic incident to result in injury.

Unfortunately, this is not the case. National statistics point to the computer as a major contributor to lost days at work due to injury. I see the same thing in my San Diego Chiropractic office. Neck pain, shoulder pain, wrist pain, hand pain and back pain are common among those who don’t have the proper ergonomic set-up of their computer stations. That being said, some people get these symptoms regardless of their ergonomic set-up and must evaluate many other contributing factors in order to relieve the stress.

Computer ergonomics is the study and / or implementation of workstation design with the purpose of reducing or eliminating physical stress.

My interest in repetitive stress syndromes began approximately 10 years ago when my practice started seeing a much greater number of people suffering from the effects of computer / keyboard work. Despite all of my training and continuing education related to these types of injuries, I quickly realized that traditional treatment for this type of injury was marginally successful at best.

Any type of therapy was going to have to include the application of basic ergonomic principals to the patient’s work environment.

I am of the opinion that treatment alone or application of ergonomic principles by themselves is not going to resolve a repetitive stress injury.

Over the next several weeks I will write a series of articles that will address the implication of workstation ergonomics and injury resulting from postural stress secondary to use of the computer mouse.

Specifically, the following will be addressed:

1) What repetitive stress injuries are

2) What role do work station ergonomics play in injury

3) How reaching for the mouse sets the stage for injury

4) What are the symptoms of repetitive stress injury

5) How you can avoid mouse reaching injuries

Your’s In Good Health


Dr. Jones

http://www.jonespainrelief.com/blog1/

www.sdchiropracticcare.com

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