Posts Tagged ‘headaches’

San Diego Chiropractic Care Techniques Are Offering Hope For Headache Victims

Sunday, April 3rd, 2011
Dr. Mike Pritsker, a chiropractor at New Century Spine Centers in San Diego is offering new hope for people with terrible headaches and neck pain. Dr. Michael Pritsker uses a new Triton spinal decompression technology that is now available for the treatment of neck spasms, disc injuries, neck disc bulges, and headaches.
A large number Americans suffer from headaches. These can be tension headaches all the way to migraines and cluster headaches. Headaches can affect your physical state in such a way that it affects your activities of daily living and the way you function. Not only can headaches cause the actual pain in your head, but they can also cause other symptoms such as nausea, eye pain, fatigue, and sensitivity to light and sound. Many headaches are often treated with medication, which can only give short-term relief. Unfortunately, after the effect of the drug wears off, then you get to experience the same headache that you had before you took the medication. Sometimes you wonder whether there is a way to completely fix this problem totally, instead of just relying on these short-term drugs that only mask the symptoms.
So how does specialized chiropractic care and cervical spinal decompression help patients with headaches and migraines? Many times headaches can result from a misalignment of the spinal vertebrae in the neck and mid back. Sometimes the headaches can also be caused by damage in the neck to the disc structure. This misalignment can cause the muscles of the upper shoulder and neck to become tight. This combination of misaligned vertebrae and tight muscles can cause compression on nerves, which can then cause a headache.
Chiropractic treatment in San Diego for headaches involves realigning the vertebrae of the neck and upper back. Spinal decompression addresses the disc problem in the neck. By correcting the misalignment with proper chiropractic care, the neck and shoulder muscles can then relax and get rid of the pain. Correcting these issues can then relieve the pressure on the nerves, which can then relieve the headache. Chiropractic treatment can also involve treating the tight muscles with massage therapy or electronic muscle stimulation, which can further facilitate the relief of the headaches.
For those that suffer with long-term headaches or migraines, consistent chiropractic care can decrease the amount of episodes a person may suffer. Spinal decompression may fix the condition permanently. If there are nerves somewhere in the neck area that have been irritated or blocked for a long time, then they receive fewer and fewer stimuli as time goes on. Consistent chiropractic care by a professional specialized chiropractor can relieve the pressure on these nerves so that the migraine sufferer can get less and less attacks as time goes by. Eventually, the body will continue to maintain this corrected state, thus the problem is then fixed for the long-term.
Nothing is worse than having a terrible headache. Bad headaches are one of the most debilitating pains that someone can suffer. So if you are tired of just taking pills that only cause the symptoms to subside for a short time, then trying out new things like chiropractic and spinal decompression can be your best option. Finding a reliable chiropractor can be as quick as asking family or friends who they recommend. New Century Spine Centers is located in San Diego. They can be reached by calling 619-630-9153.headache pain

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Researchers Attempt To Crack The Headache Code

Monday, March 7th, 2011
Whether it was said directly to you, or you heard it in a joke, we’ve all heard: “Not now, I have a headache.” Sadly, headaches are common for many people. Not only do they make your life miserable in many instances, they also negatively affect your family and your friends who care about you. That’s why this new information may be very important to you.
New research has revealed the cause of certain headaches and also how to get rid of the pain associated with them. A new study published in the November-December 2010 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT) shows “a relationship between cervical movement impairment and the presence and severity of CGH.” “CGH” is a cervicogenic headache. This is a headache caused by a problem in your neck. This is important because the study evaluated 92 subjects by putting them through a simple neck motion test. They found that range of motion (how much your neck moves) was significantly reduced in the presence of a headache. Basically, they found that subjects with headaches originating from the neck also had decreased motion in the neck. And, the more the neck motion was decreased, the worse the headache can become.
This is very important to you because if you suffer with headaches, there may be a simple solution. Proper treatment of the neck, particularly by properly trained chiropractors addresses the motion of your spine. Chiropractors are experts at assessing the range of  motion of your neck, and if there is a problem, treatments are specifically designed to attempt to normalize that range of  motion. In other  words, if you have a cervicogenic headache that is caused by dysfunction and decreased range of motion in your neck, chiropractic care may be able to help you.
The first thing that you need to figure out is if your headache is of the cervicogenic kind. The best way to know is to go to a Chiropractor and have a cervicogenic headache evaluation. Chiropractors are trained to diagnosis different types of headaches and give you the best advice for your type of headache. To learn more about chiropractic care for headaches, those interested can go to www.BackCareTreatment.com and click on the headaches section.
A classic symptom of cervicogenic headache is pain that originates at the base of your head in the back and travels up your head possibly to the front and even to the eyes. This same type of pain may also start at the base of your neck and/or upper shoulders and travel into the head. But, headache diagnosis can be sneaky and some causes are very serious. That’s why they should be evaluated by a trained healthcare provider. With proper diagnosis and the correct treatment, your headaches may be a thing of the past.

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Curing Headaches Naturally With Advanced Chiropractic Care

Wednesday, November 17th, 2010

If you are suffering from migraine headaches then you have come to the right place. Many people suffer from migraine headaches everyday and don’t have a clue how to fix it. People take all forms of medicine to combat against a painful headache. Curing migraine headaches naturally is quite possible with a few simple tips and tricks. Local San Diego chiropractors have helped thousands of headache patients.

These tips and tricks aren’t some magic cure to your migraine but it will help you get rid of the pain you are experiencing. Some people believe the headaches are all in the mind. Our body is feeling pain in the head because something isn’t right in there.

Similar to when people wear something on their head, like a pair of glasses for a very long time, they soon forget about it. The body is so used to it being there, that when they take it off, their body feels strange without it.

Headaches can be stress related and spine related. For stress related headaches, we should control our stress levels to minimise the onset of painful migraine headaches. Some doctors can’t provide much help to solving this common problem. That’s why you have to go to a chiropractor who specializes in headaches.

Doctors usually recommend that people get more rest and take headache tablets. This is just temporary relief because the root of the problem still exists. A bad diet can also cause headaches and so can low or high blood pressure. There are so many reasons to why a migraine headache can occur. The simple solution is to eat healthy and do plenty of exercise.

Curing migraine headaches naturally is possible with a few simple diet changes and getting plenty of exercise. More information about headaches can be found at http://www.BackCareTreatment.com and other health related web sites.

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Posted in Chiropractic, Headaches, Health | 2 Comments »

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome May Have Absolutely Nothing To Do With Your Wrist!

Wednesday, September 15th, 2010

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) maybe one of the most misunderstood and misdiagnosed and mistreated conditions in modern medicine. It’s a crying shame because countless carpal tunnel victims could end their pain and suffering…almost overnight…if they only knew what I’m about to reveal to you.

I’m serious. If you’re suffering with CTS, what you’re about to discover can literally give you your life back. If you know anyone battling carpal tunnel, give them this newsletter. You may be responsible for changing their life. So, without any further adieu, let’s jump right into it. Here are the facts: The U.S. Department of Labor has concluded that carpal tunnel syndrome is a “chief occupational hazard – disabling workers in epidemic proportions.” Carpal Tunnel Syndrome affects over 8 – million Americans.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is the #1 reported medical problem, accounting for about 50% of all work related injuries. Only 25% of all Carpal Tunnel Syndrome patients were able to return to their previous professions following surgery. Up to 36% of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome patients require unlimited medical treatment. Surgery for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is the second most common type of surgery, with well over 230,000 procedures performed annually.

I don’t know about you, but reading those statistics tells me something is wrong…radically wrong…with the “accepted” methods of treating Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out surgery is NOT the way to go when 230,000 are being performed each year and only 25% are able to return to their previous jobs. And returning to work does NOT mean pain-free. I wonder how many of that 25% were actually pain free? Add in the inherent risks of all surgeries (like the ones that go horribly wrong) and your option of going under the knife starts looking like a DISTANT last resort. NOT a valid first option.

So, What Other Options Do You Have? Carpal Tunnel Syndrome has traditionally been defined as an entrapment of the median nerve inside the carpal tunnel of your wrist. The floor of the carpal tunnel is made of eight carpal…or…“wrist” bones. They are odd shaped and fit together kind of like a puzzle. Ligaments (which are like fishing line) help hold the bones together. The roof of the tunnel is a ligament – the transverse carpal ligament – that stretches from one side of the tunnel to the other. The space that is formed between the carpal bones and the transverse carpal ligament is about the size of your pinky. A bunch of “things” pass through that small space, including: nine flexor tendons (tendons attach muscle to bone), blood vessels and ONE nerve, the median nerve, which is the primary nerve to your hand.

The traditional definition of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is compression of the median nerve as it passes through that tunnel. Nerves are like tiny wires that transmit electrical impulses from your brain and spinal cord to the rest of your body. Every time you want to move your hand, your brain sends electrical impulses down the median nerve to the muscles in your hand, causing them to contract. Nerves are VERY sensitive and can easily get “pinched” or “compressed.” If the median nerve gets pinched or compressed as it passes through the carpal tunnel — it causes Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It is commonly thought that an injury or repetitive stress to the wrist can cause such an injury.

Here’s the problem with all that: there is another condition that causes the exact same symptoms as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome that has little or nothing to do with the wrist! This condition is called Double Crush Syndrome and here’s how it works: There are many sites that can compress a nerve as it goes from your brain and spinal cord to your wrist. Simply put, Double Crush Syndrome occurs when you have multiple compression sites.

More importantly, a compression site closer to the spinal cord (closer to your neck) and brain makes it much easier for a nerve to be compressed elsewhere…like the wrist. In plain English…You Would NOT Have Carpal Tunnel Symptoms If You Only Had Compression In Your Wrist. It Is The COMBINATION Of The Compression Sites That Causes The Problem!!! So, in most case, if you remove the entrapment or compression that is closer to the spine (neck), many, if notall, of your symptoms will go away without ever touching the wrist!!!

The most common sites of compression or entrapment are – - a muscle in your forearm called the pronator teres, the thoracic outlet (by your shoulder), and your neck. The most common place seems to be as the nerve exits your spine in your neck. Is There A Solution? That’s why specific Chiropractic care can work wonders for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome when all else has failed. By gently restoring function of your neck via chiropractic care, compression on the nerve can be relieved… eliminating Double Crush Syndrome… the TRUE cause of your Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

A complete Chiropractic evaluation can also detect if your carpal tunnel symptoms are coming from one of theother compression/entrapment sites like your forearm, shoulder or wrist…and work on those areas as well. The important thing to remember is you must be evaluated by a doctor that understands Double Crush Syndrome and evaluate you for all the possible compression sites and fix them properly. A hand specialist may completely overlook the REAL cause of your problem…Double Crush Syndrome. If you are suffering with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), be sure your doctor has thoroughly examined you to determine if your CTS is due to Double Crush Syndrome. A proper examination for CTS would include the entire arm and neck in order to trace the full length of the nerve. Since the neck is the most common site for a Double Crush to occur, a consultation with a cervical spine specialist (Chiropractor) would be in your best interests, especially if you’ve been recommended for carpal tunnel surgery. Only by identifying the true cause can your doctor accurately treat and relieve your condition.

cts tx in San Diego

Carpal tunnel treatment in San Diego

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Can Chiropractic Get To The Cause Of A Headache

Monday, August 16th, 2010

Continuous headaches are a mystery to many of us. As a chiropractor, I regularly treat headaches and migraines. Why they occur seems to be the most common question to many health care providers. Some patients’ migraine headaches can be easily explained but many seem to get headaches for no apparent reason at all. An often-overlooked cause of headaches is the spine and spinal trauma to the neck. How does this occur to many individuals?

There are delicate attachments of connective tissue that link muscles in your neck areas around your spinal cord. One theory to the headaches is that tension can develop in these structures producing headaches and head pain. Another possibility to headaches is that they may be due to forward head posture.

Forward head posture occurs when the head is thrust forward in the classic bad posture pose. This is a little like a turtle neck. It is also sometimes referred to as a military neck. This can remove the natural curve in the neck causing undue stress on the spine and head. Since the head is quite heavy weighing approximately 10-14 pounds, the muscles have to counter this weight. When the neck muscles resist the load of the head, they can develop tensions, knots, trigger points, and sometimes spasms in the neck. Normally the head is more balanced over both the shoulders.

Another neck problem that may cause headaches is a joint injury/sprain that can occur after whiplash trauma from a car accident. Over some time, this may lead to joint blockage where there is not the normal free and fluid motion from side to side. Quite often other joints must compensate for this lack of movement with hypermobility of the joints. Your muscles can become tense in these areas to protect the spine from unnatural movements overall.

These types of disorders are very common in society. They should be ruled out before leaning towards using medications over the long term. It is always important to have an accurate diagnosis before proceeding with any treatment. If your headaches have become chronic long-term and just never seem to go away, it is a sign that you are not getting to the cause of the problem.

Correcting neck disorders when they occur is always a best bet when it comes to treatment. Headache can sometimes seem to come out of nowhere. If there is history of neck trauma in your past, the neck can and should be a part of your headache management strategy. At the minimum the neck needs to be examined by the proper physician.

Chiropractic care has been shown in multiple clinical trials to help patients with both tension-type and migraine headaches. In these studies, the neck or cervical spine is adjusted based on local problems of poor posture and mobility. The chiropractors at New Century Spine Centers in San Diego use chiropractic care, active release technique, and spinal decompression therapy to fix the cause of headaches.

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Posted in Chiropractic, Headaches, Health | 2 Comments »

5 Common Mistakes When Thinking About Your Painful Experience.

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

It would be safe to assume as a San Diego chiropractor that at one point or another you have had some type of ache in your body. This is a pretty secure assumption. I would bet that you have also had some kind of difficulty that was brought on by something very small. Let me give you an example to think about. You wake up in the morning and walk into the bathroom and as you go to squeeze the toothpaste out of the tube and you drop the lid on the floor. So you bend down to pick it up and zappo, lightning sharp ache shoots up your spine and back down again. You try to stand up straight but for some reason it feels like someone is pressing against your back causing you to hunch over and making it nearly impossible to straighten up.

Here’s another typical ache invoking experience. You rush out the door because you are late for your appointment. As you settle into the car you remember that you forgot your keys so you hurry back into the house retrieve them and return to the car. As you start the engine and turn your head to back out of the driveway…whammo, someone stuck you with a hot barbecue poker in the back of the neck causing you great difficulty to return your head to a normal position without feeling that searing ache that we all enjoy.

So it may not be a toothpaste lid or the turning of your head that provokes you to fall to your knees in anguish, but I am almost certain that you have experienced a similar type situation in which the action you performed such not have caused SO MUCH ACHE! There are a few different responses to this type of circumstances. Before we talk about those, let’s just get real philosophical for a moment.

If you were hanging out with Hippocrates right now at Starbucks sipping on a Latte and talking about life and science and the human experience, how do you think he would respond if you asked him if it was ordinary for the body to respond like yours did when you bent over to pick up that heavy toothpaste lid or when you whipped your head around to back the cart out of the dirt road. I would guess that he would first ask you what toothpaste was and then once that was cleared up he would tell you no. This is not a normal physiological response for your body to such a minimal action. The reaction does not equal the action. Okay, philosophy class being over let’s get back to how you would respond to this state of affairs. Here are 5 ordinary mistakes that I have observed from patients at the chiropractic office in San Diego who experience these types of situations.

1. I use a heating pad or I took a hot shower on the area and it felt great. I am not against heating pads or heat but here is the situation. When you have an acute injury you generally should not put heat on it. Heat opens up the blood vessels which are already engorged even more causing more swelling and fluid accumulation in the injured area. This will result in relaxation for up to 12 hours after heat use and then ache worse than the initial event after the trip to lala land has ended. There are exceptions but for the majority of people please resist the urge to use heat unless I’ve told otherwise.

2. I thought it would go away but it has been two to three weeks and the ache hasn’t stopped. Ouch, this one is not good! The real question from me to you is why you thought that the ache would go away. Let me give you a simple analogy. Pretend the oil light on your car goes on, would you continue driving until it went out and just assume that the problem went away. I hope not. This is the best analogy that I can think of to relate to the ache signal that your body is sending you. Don’t pretend there isn’t something wrong. Get to the cause of the problem. Come get adjusted by a chiropractor immediately or as soon as possible after the initial event.

3. I don’t know why this happened, I am totally healthy, and there is nothing wrong with me. This is my favorite one from males. Guys, we have to admit to some facts. Women are much better at taking care of themselves then we are. The reason is because they are willing to tell someone when they aren’t feeling well and then they try to get help for it. Generally speaking, men are much more willing to put up with little problems that they experience. This is not good in the long run. One little crisis + one little difficulty + one problem = One BIG PROBLEM. The proof is that women tend to live something like 4 years longer than men. Surprise, surprise, I wonder if we men just think Oh well we aren’t going to live as long anyways so why not just put up with what we got and die sooner. This is of course some faulty logic because if we did take care of ourselves we would live longer.

4. I know that I only need one or two adjustments and everything will be fine.  Just crack my back and I’ll be all better. The only man I know in history who performed one treatment on someone and they were fine was Jesus. I am not Jesus. I don’t know any chiropractors named Jesus. Normally when people tell me the chiropractor fixed them in one adjustment and I look in their files, or consult with the other chiropractors I see that they have been adjusted 4 times on the low end and 8-10 on the high end (normal, about 6 visits) for an acute problem. My goal is to see you out of ache as quickly as possible so that you can function normally, but my goals do not end there! This leads me to the next common mistake.

5. Not getting adjusted by a chiropractor regularly to prevent these occurrences in your life. Now I am not saying that if you get regular adjustments your life is going to be perfect. Life is not perfect. I myself get regular adjustments. I don’t stop getting adjusted all together because I know that if I didn’t get regular adjustments and a flare up occurred, it would be a lot worse than it normally is. Our bodies are not perfect but if we work preventatively to keep things moving and aligned throughout the course of our lives a lot of these irritating aches could be avoided.

The joints of your spine are some of the key messengers of your nervous system. If they are not working there is no way for you to know because you cannot see them. Ache is your only signal and by then a lot of times it is already too late. Chiropractors are trained to detect problems with these joints and help prevent the ache before it occurs. Waiting too long will only cause more serious problems.

Science has proven that nerve endings are all affected during a chiropractic adjustment. The goal of chiropractic adjustment is to get you out of pain first of all, but to keep you ache free and fully functioning is the main idea. Chiropractors want to work with you to develop a healthy body which is firing on all cylinders so that you have a nervous system which is quick, alert, strong and ready to fight off any problems that you might encounter throughout the day. This is what regular chiropractic adjustments do. They help keep your central nervous system strong and healthy and give you the ability to live a better quality of life as far as your health is concerned. My desire is that you would all experience life and health to the fullest. For more information, contact New Century Spine Centers in San Diego at 619-630-9153. You can be treated by the best chiropractors and spinal decompression specialists.

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Posted in Chiropractic, Health | 3 Comments »

Are Headaches The Result Of An Aspirin Shortage?

Monday, July 12th, 2010

I know it may sound silly. Headaches of course aren’t the result of an aspirin shortage. But the way most people react when they get a headache by popping pill after pill you’d think it was due to a shortage. There are, however, many safe and effective treatments for headaches. Some of them have been around for many years, and they have absolutely nothing to do with drugs or surgery.

Alternative therapies have taken the lead in the treatment of many conditions. As a matter of fact, a study in the Journal Of American Medical Association indicated that Americans now visit alternative care providers nearly twice as often as traditional physicians, and the numbers are growing.

In 1997, Americans spent an astounding $27 billion on visits to alternative practitioners, an increase of 45% over 1990. What’s more, most of this money was not reimbursed by insurance plans! Doesn’t seem very “alternative” anymore… does it? What IS shocking, however, is how long these treatments are often suppressed, even in the presence of clear and compelling evidence. I’m not saying there’s a conspiracy. That’s not it at all. This is just the way things work. It’s all economics. Why don’t you see the big oil companies running ads for electric cars? That’s because it won’t profit them. It will actually take money right out of their pockets. They’d much rather see you keep driving that 70’s gas-guzzler. For the same reason, you won’t find billion dollar drug companies proclaiming the wonders of drugless miracles. It may not be fair, but it is good business. It’s that simple. That’s why you really have to watch who you listen to and find out the real source of the information. After all, until last year, hormone replacement therapy was the miracle “cure-all” for post-menopausal women. Now, after 30 years of use, it’s been linked to an increase rate of breast cancer, stroke and heart disease.

So what about headaches? Let’s start with a few facts that most people don’t know about headaches: At least 50 million Americans see their doctors for headaches each year, and an unknown number simply treat head pain themselves. Two-thirds of headache sufferers remain undiagnosed. Headache accounts for 8 million office visits each year. 9 out of 10 Americans suffer from headaches. 95% of headaches are primary headaches, such as tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused by disease. The headache itself is the primary concern. Nearly 90 percent of primary headaches are tension-type.

So, if all these headaches are tension-type, I bet you’re wondering what a tension-type headache is. Tension-type headaches can be caused when malfunctioning spinal bones cause joint, nerve and muscle irritation in your neck. The pain can travel from the top of your shoulders, up the back of your neck and into the head, sometimes forming a band-like pain around the head. “The greatest majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle tension in the neck,” says Dr. George B. McClelland, a doctor of chiropractic from Christiansburg, VA, and member of the American Chiropractic Association’s (ACA) Board of Governors. “Today, Americans engage in more sedentary activities than they used to, and more hours are spent in one fixed position or posture. This can increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck, upper back and scalp, causing your head to ache.” So what can you do to help this most common type of headache?

A 1995 study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that spinal manipulative therapy is an effective treatment for tension headaches and that those who ceased chiropractic treatment after four weeks experienced a sustained therapeutic benefit in contrast with those patients who received a commonly prescribed medication. The most likely explanation for Chiropractic’s great results with headaches is that the adjustment gets to the cause of the headache by relieving the tension on the joint, muscle and nerve. Drugs may temporarily numb some of the pain, but they never actually fix the problem. There are many alternative therapies available for tension type headaches. To learn more about some the more advanced treatment options for headaches, visit www.BackCareTreatment.com. Most people with headaches don’t have to suffer anymore. There are many drug and surgery free options available.

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Posted in Chiropractic, Headaches, Health | No Comments »

Are Headaches The Result Of An Aspirin Shortage?

Monday, July 12th, 2010

I know it may sound silly. Headaches of course aren’t the result of an aspirin shortage. But the way most people react when they get a headache by popping pill after pill you’d think it was due to a shortage. There are, however, many safe and effective treatments for headaches. Some of them have been around for many years, and they have absolutely nothing to do with drugs or surgery.

Alternative therapies have taken the lead in the treatment of many conditions. As a matter of fact, a study in the Journal Of American Medical Association indicated that Americans now visit alternative care providers nearly twice as often as traditional physicians, and the numbers are growing.

In 1997, Americans spent an astounding $27 billion on visits to alternative practitioners, an increase of 45% over 1990. What’s more, most of this money was not reimbursed by insurance plans! Doesn’t seem very “alternative” anymore… does it? What IS shocking, however, is how long these treatments are often suppressed, even in the presence of clear and compelling evidence. I’m not saying there’s a conspiracy. That’s not it at all. This is just the way things work. It’s all economics. Why don’t you see the big oil companies running ads for electric cars? That’s because it won’t profit them. It will actually take money right out of their pockets. They’d much rather see you keep driving that 70’s gas-guzzler. For the same reason, you won’t find billion dollar drug companies proclaiming the wonders of drugless miracles. It may not be fair, but it is good business. It’s that simple. That’s why you really have to watch who you listen to and find out the real source of the information. After all, until last year, hormone replacement therapy was the miracle “cure-all” for post-menopausal women. Now, after 30 years of use, it’s been linked to an increase rate of breast cancer, stroke and heart disease.

So what about headaches? Let’s start with a few facts that most people don’t know about headaches: At least 50 million Americans see their doctors for headaches each year, and an unknown number simply treat head pain themselves. Two-thirds of headache sufferers remain undiagnosed. Headache accounts for 8 million office visits each year. 9 out of 10 Americans suffer from headaches. 95% of headaches are primary headaches, such as tension, migraine, or cluster headaches. These types of headaches are not caused by disease. The headache itself is the primary concern. Nearly 90 percent of primary headaches are tension-type.

So, if all these headaches are tension-type, I bet you’re wondering what a tension-type headache is. Tension-type headaches can be caused when malfunctioning spinal bones cause joint, nerve and muscle irritation in your neck. The pain can travel from the top of your shoulders, up the back of your neck and into the head, sometimes forming a band-like pain around the head. “The greatest majority of primary headaches are associated with muscle tension in the neck,” says Dr. George B. McClelland, a doctor of chiropractic from Christiansburg, VA, and member of the American Chiropractic Association’s (ACA) Board of Governors. “Today, Americans engage in more sedentary activities than they used to, and more hours are spent in one fixed position or posture. This can increase joint irritation and muscle tension in the neck, upper back and scalp, causing your head to ache.” So what can you do to help this most common type of headache?

A 1995 study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found that spinal manipulative therapy is an effective treatment for tension headaches and that those who ceased chiropractic treatment after four weeks experienced a sustained therapeutic benefit in contrast with those patients who received a commonly prescribed medication. The most likely explanation for Chiropractic’s great results with headaches is that the adjustment gets to the cause of the headache by relieving the tension on the joint, muscle and nerve. Drugs may temporarily numb some of the pain, but they never actually fix the problem. There are many alternative therapies available for tension type headaches. To learn more about some the more advanced treatment options for headaches, visit www.BackCareTreatment.com. Most people with headaches don’t have to suffer anymore. There are many drug and surgery free options available.

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Posted in Chiropractic, Headaches, Health, Neck Pain | 4 Comments »

Could Improper Computer Use Be The Cause Of Your Back Pain?

Tuesday, July 6th, 2010

Chiropractors in San Diego are revealing how computer use may be the cause of your back pain. Computers can be a great tool. You can investigate the complete cheapest cost on a new Iphone, take a practical visit of a resort halfway crosswise the country or keep in touch with far-away relatives all with the snap of a button. The power of computers is only getting superior and better. And the more authoritative they get, they more time we use with them, for labor and for enjoyment. I mean, is there really any place in your life you don’t use a processor in some way?

While computer systems can make renewing over library books or filling your tax returns easy, there is one large problem. Regrettably, our body was not intended to sit in a chair with our hands propped up while we stare at a shining screen. Extended time at the keyboard can give rise to some rather malicious ailments and injury.

Low back ache is a very common ailment that occurs from central processing unit use. Using the incorrect type of chair at the mainframe is usually the culprit here – either that or not taking the time to correctly adjusts it. If you have unfortunate position when sitting this can also create an uneven distribution of weight on your spine, which leads to soreness. Another reason is an inappropriately configured desk setup. For example, do you find yourself leaning and stretching without cause as you labor?

Do you find yourself repeatedly looking up and down referencing a document when you’re at the computer? If so this may be the cause of your pain. Shoulder and neck pain can be another problem. Another killer when it comes to shoulder and neck pain is using a phone wedged into the side of your neck. Spend the couple of bucks on a hands-free headset – its well worth it!

How about hurting knees and buttocks? Believe it or not, the most common cause of hurting knees and buttocks here is just sitting on your butt way too long! Your body doesn’t like that position. If you specifically suffer from knee pain, it’s usually causes by sitting in a chair that is too high, which leaves your feet dangling and unsupported. Poor lumbar support can make the problem even worse.

The position of your mouse and computer chair also plays a critical factor. Monitor glare is the enemy for eye strain. Whether it’s artificial light or sunlight being reflected off your monitor screen, glare can cause some serious pain. Try rearranging your workspace if you regularly experience eye strain. Where do you rest your wrists when you type? Resting your wrists on a hard or uncomfortable edge can definitely be the cause of hand pain.

So how do you overcome computer soreness? One of the simplest and greatest actions is to just take regular breaks during the day. This certainly sounds easy, but it works like a charm. Let’s face it – when most of us get sucked into our computer, we don’t pay any awareness how our body feels. Take a little stretch or stroll and take your eyes off the screen. It doesn’t have to be an extended break – five minutes every hour should work wonders.

As you probably already know, chiropractic isn’t just about relieving the pain you have now, it’s about eliminating any of your future pain too! During your next chiropractic visit, please be sure to let your chiropractor know if you find yourself experiencing any of the computer related pain we spoke about here. Even if it’s not serious pain – by letting your chiropractor know about it, they can make sure it never gets serious.

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Posted in Chiropractic, Health, Neck Pain | 3 Comments »

Suffering From Headaches? End The Suffering.

Friday, March 12th, 2010

Headaches are one of the more common conditions that enter the offices of primary care physicians, including medical doctors and doctors of chiropractic. As you know, the standard medical treatment revolves around the use of pharmaceuticals and/or injections.
The standard chiropractic treatment approach includes manual therapies such as spinal manipulation or adjustments, manual or mechanical cervical traction, mobilization techniques, trigger point therapy, physiological therapeutics such as electrical stimulation, ultrasound, etc., and nutritional counseling. While both approaches have pros and cons, there are far less negative side effects associated with the chiropractic treatment option.
There are many types of headaches, which can be generally classified as primary or secondary:
Primary Headaches: 1.Migraine; 2. Tension-type; 3. Cluster headaches. Secondary headaches occur because some other condition or injury is present such as after a car accident or slip and fall injury, due an infection, a sinus, jaw, and/or dental condition, a vascular injury such as stroke, a medication side effect, psychiatric disorder and others.
Find yourself frequently utilizing over-the-counter medications such as an anti inflammatory (ibuprofen: Advil, Nuprin; Naprosyn such as Aleve) or Tylenol,?
READ THIS…

It is probable that chiropractic approach will provide relief for your headaches. Frequently, with headache patients, the vertebrae in the upper neck lose their normal range of motion and the muscles that attach to the base of the skull become overly tight and squeeze or compress the nerves feeding into the head. This results in pain that radiates over the top or around the head, sometimes into the eyes. Conservative Gentle Chiropractic care restores the vertebral range of motion, which in turn reduces the muscle tension and subsequent nerve compression, resulting in a reduction of headache pain! If you’ve also noticed stiffness in your neck, then give us a call. We offer short term affordable relief care for your headache. Explore this option. There is no obligation to receive care. Our number is 619-630-9153

Sincerely,

New Century Spine Centers

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Posted in Chiropractic, Headaches, Health | 1 Comment »