Hip Pain? A Chiropractor can Help

No pain is any fun, but joint pain can be especially irritating, as it often keeps people from moving around the way they would like. Hip pain is a common complaint, and tends to be more prevalent as people age. Common complaints we hear about hip pain include:

• Interrupted sleep from pain in the hip
• Difficulty moving legs after sitting in a car for a long time or getting out of bed each day
• Pain upon rotating the hips or crossing the legs

For some, osteoarthritis is their first thought, and they head right for the orthopedist. The result of such a visit is often being prescribed pain medication and/or surgery. Hip surgeries take place at an alarming rate these days, and many could be avoided if people experiencing hip pain would see a chiropractor first.

There are situations where surgery is necessary, but it should be a last resort. And with all the side affects and dangers of prescription pills, medication should be a second-to-last resort. A chiropractor can provide relief with a drug free, non invasive approach that will reduce hip pain and often eliminate it completely. A good percentage of hip pain cases are the result of misalignments and imbalances in the lower extremities. This can cause degenerative changes over time, but even then, chiropractic care can help. Osteoarthritis is often the result, and not the cause of problems in the hip.

A very small imbalance can cause significant problems over time, as a person walks, bends and sits. The initial issue could be cause from a previous injury that may or may not have involved the hip and might have been so minor the patient doesn’t even remember it. It doesn’t take much for a subluxation to occur, and this can throw everything out of alignment. Again, the misalignment can be small and not noticeable when looking at someone. It’s the effects of time and wear that ultimately cause bigger issues.

Something many people are surprised at is the fact that a prior injury of the ankle or knee (even a simple sprain) can end up being what is affecting the hip today. When we injure any part of our body that is involved in walking, our body attempts to compensate by altering our gait. This altered gait can become a habit within a fairly short time, but might not be so pronounced that people notice it. Over time though, the pressure that an unnatural gait puts on other joints, like the hip, can result in a lot of pain.

Two important points that everyone experiencing hip pain should keep in mind are: 1. The sooner action is taken, the less damage will have occurred and the more pain will ultimately be avoided. 2. Hip pain does not generally just go away on its own. So if you or someone you love is in the San Clemente area and experiencing hip pain, please get in touch with our San Clemente Chiropractor Office today. We’ll take great care of you and get you feeling better before you know it.

In November of 2010, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a report detailing what they refer to as “Adverse Events” in hospitals throughout the US.  The report, entitled Adverse Events in Hospitals: National Incidence among Medicare Beneficiaries, reviewed the care received by a nationally representative random sample of 780 Medicare patients during one month.  They wanted to see how often adverse events happen in hospitals and the cost to Medicare as a result of these events.  Keep in mind that the definition of an adverse event (for the purpose of this study) is an event that would not have occurred if the patient had not been admitted to the hospital.

The findings of this study are shocking, to say the least.  It turns out that and estimated 13.1% of Medicare patients admitted to hospitals nationally experience an adverse event, resulting in the four most serious categories of patient harm, due to hospital treatment.  That equates to 134,000 patients every month! But that’s not the worst of it.  From the report:

“An estimated 1.5 percent of Medicare beneficiaries experienced an event that contributed to their deaths, which projects to 15,000 patients in a single month.”

Of the patients that experienced adverse events, doctors determined that no less than 44% of these events were preventable. And the report says that preventable events were linked most commonly to medical errors, substandard care, and lack of patient monitoring and assessment.

Less important than the health of the patients studied, but still shocking, was the cost to HHS due to these preventable adverse events.  They estimate that such occurrences cost the agency $324 million a month! This number is staggering and accounts for almost 4% of Medicare’s entire budget.  Based on Medicare’s annual budget that means that tax payers are paying $4.4 BILLION dollars and 180,000 patients are dying every year, primarily due to medical errors, substandard care, and lack of patient monitoring and assessment in our nation’s hospitals.

What should be done about this?  Well, HHS advises, among other things, that hospitals should be paid an incentive for reducing adverse events.  That’s right.  Hospitals should be paid extra for not harming or killing people.  There has to be a better solution than that.

One solution everyone can participate in at a personal level is seeking chiropractic care early and often.  Yes, there are conditions and injuries for which people need to go to the hospital; but many of these could be prevented if the patients had been under the regular care of chiropractor.  Why is chiropractic the answer?  Chiropractors treat the whole person, not just symptoms, and we do it without the use of harmful drugs.  Additionally, we are focused on prevention of disease and injury, rather than waiting for something bad to happen to address it.  The medical establishment has always been focused on treating disease rather than preventing it, and now we see that they are actually (in many cases) causing it.

So, please, make an appointment to see your chiropractor, even if you don’t have any back pain.  Chiropractors aren’t just about cracking your back.  We help to treat you with the care you need to stay healthy long term.  If you’re in Southern California, get in touch with our San Clemente Chiropractor’s Office.  You’ll be glad you did.

Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home with no exercise equipment.
It works the longus capitis, longus colli, SCM (sternocleidomastoid) muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to increase neck strength and muscular endurance.
The benefits are improved stability, functional strength and injury prevention.

Begin by lying on the back with the head extended off the table, maintaining a chin tuck position.
Slowly extend the head back towards the floor and then raise the head, returning to the initial neutral starting position and repeat as instructed.
Move slowly through the range of motion.
Slowly return to start position.
Repeat for prescribed repetitions and sets.

© 2005-2010 WebExercises, Inc., Patent Pending, All Rights Reserved.

When we hear someone complaining about back pain, it is often lower back pain.  Indeed, upper back pain is not really all that common.  When it happens though, it can result in a lot of discomfort, and severe pain.  While they do work together, as does your entire body, the lower and upper back serve different purposes.  The upper back’s job is to provide stability and strength to stand up straight, whereas the lower back, as well as the neck, are meant to allow for mobility.  The upper back, or thoracic spine, also helps to protect your internal organs and your chest.

The thoracic spine consists of twelve vertebrae, all situated in the middle of the spine.  Your ribs link to the vertebrae, and on the other end of the ribs, they are then linked to the breastbone.  This allows for limited movement of the spine, as the ribs keep the spine in place by being attached to the sternum.

What Causes Upper Back Pain?

There are a number of factors that can lead to upper back pain, including strain, poor posture, or injury and trauma.  Working at a desk all day can also contribute to upper back pain, and neck and/or shoulder pain will often accompany this type of pain.  Lifting heavy objects or repetitive motions can sometimes be the cause of the strain or sprain that occurs to cause upper back pain too.  These activities can cause muscles to stretch and strain too much, which can result in tearing of the muscle tissue.  Along with joint dysfunction, this muscular irritation is a primary underlying cause of upper back pain, often resulting in damage to the ligaments.

Treatment of Upper Back Pain

Massage therapy, passive physical therapy and acupuncture are all possible treatment options for this type of muscle strain pain.  Stretching and strengthening exercises can help to relieve pain in the long term and prevent further injury.

Chiropractors specialize in any type of back pain, whether it is occurring in the upper, middle or lower back, or even in the neck.  When you see a chiropractor for upper back pain, he or she will examine your spine for trigger points in your muscles, which can produce radiating pain. Trigger points are nodules that build up in injured or over-used muscles, and they are strong generators of pain.

While your upper back pain is most likely coming from muscles, adjustments to the spine can help to relieve pressure on those muscles, which will help to reduce the pain.  Upper back pain is often accompanied by subluxations of the spine, which put pressure on the muscles and joints.  A series of chiropractic adjustments addresses these subluxations and helps to relieve pressure and reduce pain.

The important thing to remember is that if you don’t see a chiropractor for your back pain, even if the pain subsides, the underlying cause of the pain will not have been addressed.  This means the chance for pain returning is high.  So if you are experiencing upper back pain – or any other back, neck, or joint pain – it’s time to call the chiropractor for an appointment.  If you’re in the San Clemente area, get in touch with our San Clemente Chiropractor Office today!

Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home with no equipment.
It works the biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to increase knee strength and muscular endurance.
By doing this exercise you can have the benefits of improved stability, functional strength and injury prevention.

Begin lying on floor facing up.
Bend knees so feet are firmly on floor.
Extend arms upward toward ceiling.
Activate core muscles.
Lift hips off floor to attain a bridge position with knees, hips and shoulders in alignment.
Slowly return to start position.
Repeat for prescribed repetitions and sets.

Initially, you may develop some cramping in the back of your thigh. A simple hamstring stretch before and after may prevent this from occurring.
Slowly return to start position.
Repeat for prescribed repetitions and sets.

© 2005-2010 WebExercises, Inc., Patent Pending, All Rights Reserved.

Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home with no equipment.
It works the gluteus medius/minimus, piriformis and hip lateral rotators muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to Increase hip strength and muscular endurance. By doing this exercise you can have the benefits of Improved stability, functional strength and injury

Begin lying on side on the floor with legs extended.
Top leg should attain a straight line through hip and shoulder.
Bottom leg may be bent for added stability.
Activate core muscles.
Lift top leg upward, abducting leg as foot simultaneously rotates. This will result in a toe-up position.
Slowly return to start position.
Repeat for prescribed repetitions and sets.

© 2005-2010 WebExercises, Inc., Patent Pending, All Rights Reserved.

Here is a simple exercise that you can do at home with no equipment.
It works the peroneus longus/brevis, tibialis anterior, tibialis posterior, gastrocnemius, soleus muscles.
The purpose of this exercise is to improve muscular endurance, ankle strength, and proprioception.
By doing this exercise you can have the benefits of Improved stability, functional strength and injury prevention.

Begin seated in a chair with good posture.
Extend leg.
Attempt to write alphabet from A through Z with toes, moving ankle in all directions.
Repeat for prescribed sets.

© 2005-2010 WebExercises, Inc., Patent Pending, All Rights Reserved.

These days, it seems one almost needs to be a chemist to interpret the ingredients on a package of food.  In addition to the ingredients we know to avoid, like high sugar and salt content, there are a number of additives and preservatives in most food that might be harmful to us.  How can we know which ingredients are ok and which can do us real harm?  One way is to stay away from all packaged and pre-prepared foods.  Even then, you would want to buy organic to avoid pesticides and fertilizers that can be harmful, but it would reduce a lot of the bad stuff.

For most of us though, that isn’t realistic.  It’s possible of course, but there is something to be said for the convenience of packaged foods, as long as we’re not trading our health for that convenience.  So the best solution is to know what the ingredients are in your food, and to know which additives and preservatives to look out for.  The following list will help you make the best choices when shopping at the grocery store.

Food dyes: Recently, the UK banned 8 food dyes.  This move came about as the result of a study that showed these dyes caused hyperactivity and other behavioral problems in children.  The US FDA did not follow suit and take the same steps – which, given the control the food industry has on our regulatory agencies, isn’t a shock.  Here are the dyes which were banned and which you should avoid:

• Blue 1 and 2
• Yellow 5 and 6
• Red 3 and 40
• Orange B
• Green 3

Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils: There has been a lot of talk about trans fats lately, and these oils are the culprits.  These oils are created by adding hydrogen atoms to regular vegetable oil.  This extends the shelf life of the products containing the oils, but it does so at the expense of the health of the consumer.  Avoid these oils to reduce your risk of heart disease and high cholesterol.

Potassium Bromate: You will often find this additive in breads and rolls.  It increases volume, so it is purely a financial decision for a company to add it.  This additive has been shown to cause cancer and has been banned in every country in the world, except the US and Japan.

MSG (Monosodium Glutamate): MSG is known to trigger severe headaches, nausea and vomiting in those who are sensitive to its affects.  Sudden cardiac deaths have also been linked to long term use of MSG and the other additives containing it.  As it is not always labeled as MSG, be on the lookout for these ingredients that always contain MSG:

• Glutamate
• Glutamic Acid
• Gelatin
• Calcium Caseinate
• Autolyzed Yeast
• Monopotassium Glutamate
• Textured Protein
• Sodium Caseinate

Sodium Benzoate: This preservative prevents bacterial and fungal growth.  Sounds like a good thing, but sodium benzoate is one of the most dangerous preservatives there is.  A chemical compound known as benzene is formed when this additive is mixed with vitamin C or ascorbic acid, and benzene is a known carcinogen.

BHA and BHT: These chemicals are added to a number of foods to slow food decay.  Studies show that BHA, in particular, might be a cancer causing agent.  While studies of BHT are inconclusive at this time, your best bet is to avoid both of these very similarly structured compounds.

It will take you a few minutes longer at the grocery store to scan the ingredients list for the above additives, but the little extra time is a small price to pay for keeping these harmful ingredients out of the bodies of you and your family.  If you have questions about following a healthy diet or natural health in general, get in touch with our San Clemente Chiropractor office.  We’ll be glad to get you on the path to total health!

Whiplash is an injury to the neck that is caused by sudden movement of the head in one direction.  This can occur in many different ways – vehicle accidents, sports, work related accidents, etc.  Injuries of this type most definitely warrant a very thorough check-up by a Chiropractor.  Whiplash injuries can literally take years for symptoms to develop, and this is very dangerous.   Unfortunately, it is common for people to not seek treatment unless some sort of serious complications develop.

In the past, whiplash injuries were very difficult to document since no bones are broken and soft tissue injuries do not show up on x-rays.  This caused insurance companies to deny claims which literally added an “insult to the injury.”  Nowadays, though, insurance companies cover whiplash injuries. When the head doesn’t hit the windshield of the vehicle and no bones are broken, anywhere from 62% – 90% of people will complain of neck pain.  The pain generally doesn’t begin to be noticeable until up to two days after the accident occurred.  Tightened muscles are what cause this pain by reacting to tears in the muscle or an excessive movement of the joints caused by ligament damage. Muscles tighten as a way of offering support to the head, and limiting any excessive movement.

Almost 70% of people who are suffering from whiplash report experiencing headaches. These types of headaches are very inconsistent. The pain might be on one side, both sides, constant or intermittent, in one specific location or more of a general area.  Often times, these types of headaches are the result of tightened and tensed muscles that are doing their best to keep the head in a stable position.  Much like with tension headaches, whiplash headaches are often felt directly behind the eyes.

What Exactly Causes Whiplash?

The most common way to receive whiplash is while riding in a vehicle that gets struck from behind or collides with another car.  The head is jerked forward, then back suddenly, pushing the muscles and ligaments that support the spine beyond their usual limits.  Take a rear-end collision as an example. When the victim’s vehicle is pushed forward and is then slowed down very rapidly – whether it is from braking or from hitting the car in front, the body is pushed forward, but the head remains momentarily behind – rocking back and forth. This happens until some of the muscles are stretched and torn. This is where whiplash occurs.

As a reflex, the muscles do their best to bring the victim’s head forward.  This can create overcompensation because the head is already moving in a forward direction as the car slows down.  This results in the head rocking forward – stretching and tearing more muscles and ligaments.  Even worse, the discs of the spine can actually bulge, tear, or rupture.  Vertebrae can be knocked out of their rightful position which can reduce the range of motion.

Treating Whiplash with Chiropractic Care

All whiplash cases vary and are different from one another.  This fact makes summarizing what Chiropractic treatments may be used for whiplash difficult.  One common treatment for whiplash is spinal manipulation.  Because of joint issues, this is commonly a first choice for many Chiropractors. What it does is realign the spinal joints which can help the joints to regain their normal range of motion.

Another common treatment for whiplash is muscle stimulation or relaxation methods. This is used to treat any of the muscles that were affected by the whiplash injury.  For example, if your Chiropractor comes across a muscle that appears to be weak, they will stimulate the muscle, creating contractions.  If the problem is the opposite and the muscles are simply too tense, the Chiropractor will stretch the muscles in order to relieve the built-up tension.  The intensity of stretches and stimulations depends completely on how tight or weak your muscle is.  If the muscle is very tight, it will require much more intense stretching.  In most cases, these types of stretches are painful, but the Chiropractor can apply pressure to particular trigger points that will help to alleviate some of the pain.

Once your Chiropractor is satisfied that your spine has been realigned, they will most likely provide you with exercises that will help keep the discs in alignment.  You will be shown how to do these exercises in the Chiropractor’s office, and then be given instructions to take home with you.  This is a wonderful way for patients to take a more active role in the treatment of their injury.

Further treatment

Your treatment plan for whiplash may include one or more approach used by the Chiropractor.  Depending on your specific case, the Chiropractor may even give you a referral to a different type of health professional such as a medical specialist if they feel that would be an appropriate step to take.

The first step to feeling better after experiencing whiplash is to get into the Chiropractor’s office as soon as possible so that we can evaluate your injury and take the necessary steps to have you on your way to healing and being pain-free.  So if you’re in the area and think you’ve experience whiplash, get in touch with our San Clemente Chiropractor office right away!

Many visitors to our San Clemente Chiropractor’s office don’t realize that there are some positions that we sleep in that can actually trigger back pain. What happens is that our spine isn’t aligned properly and the back muscles are being disproportionately stretched. For those who like to sleep on their stomach, what’s happening is that they are causing the curve of the lower back to become extended, which can cause stress on the muscles of the neck.  Allowing the natural curves of the spine to be supported while sleeping is ideal.

For people who are suffering with back pain, they may find that sleeping on a firm mattress or using a bed board while sleeping on their side can be helpful.  Make sure to put a pillow between the legs (at knee-level) prior to bending the knees and also a pillow under the head.  This type of sleeping posture has been known to ease discomfort levels and allow many back pain sufferers to get a much better night’s sleep.

If you happen to be one of the people who simply have to sleep on your stomach, there is a method that can help to align your spine.  (As stated previously, sleeping on the back isn’t recommended by chiropractors.) Simply place a pillow under the abdomen, and make sure that there is no pillow under the head.  Try using this sleep posture tonight – you might notice that your back pain isn’t quite as bad as it would normally be.

Experiencing back pain while sleeping will often times extend to the morning.  In addition to regular chiropractor visits, doing some relaxing and stretching exercises each morning will not only get the blood flowing and wake you up fully, but you will relieve some of the soreness that was brought on during the previous night’s sleep.  One exercise that may be of some relief is the following:

1. Lay on your back with a small pillow under your head.
2. Place two large pillows below your knees and concentrate deeply on relaxing the back muscles.
3. Close your eyes and breathe deeply while focusing on relaxation.  Do this for 15-20 minutes.
4. Gently remove the pillows from under your knees with knees remaining bent.
5. Slowly pull one leg to your chest and hold for 5 seconds.
6. Repeat with other leg, and do this for three repetitions per leg.
7. Slowly pull both legs to the chest at the same time and hold for 5 seconds.  Do this three times.
8. Slowly roll over onto your knees and up to a standing position

Doing this type of stretching exercise in the morning shortly after you’ve woken up will not only help alleviate back pain, but can also keep you limber and flexible.

For people who experience back pain while sitting, it is recommended that a small pillow be placed in the small of the back. This will offer support and allow the person to sit with better posture and a lower degree of discomfort.

It should be noted that we chiropractors recommend that people with back pain never wear corsets. The reason for this is that back muscles can weaken when restricted in such a manner, and this can eventually even lead to muscle atrophy.  Corsets aren’t optimal for anyone, but especially not for sufferers of back pain.

There are a lot of things that we can do to not only prevent, but also alleviate back pain.  Seeing a Chiropractor in conjunction with proper sleeping methods and stretching exercises is optimal.  Things like having proper sleeping postures, not smoking, being active, doing regular back exercises, and watching your weight are all terrific measures to take in ensuring that you’re doing everything you can to feel as good as you can.  For more advice on reducing back pain and living a healthy lifestyle, get in touch with our San Clemente Chiropractor office today!

Obesity is described as an excess of total body fat. A person who currently weighs 20% or more above his or her normal body weight is considered obese.  Why are we talking about obesity? Simple. Obesity has been proven to be one of the leading causes of back pain. In many cases, if an obese person were to reduce their weight by only 10%, it would make an unbelievable difference with their level of pain.  The reason that obesity is one of the leading causes of back pain is because extra abdominal weight can actually pull the body forward.  This puts a lot of strain on lower back muscles, which results in pain for the person dealing with this issue.

Obesity can take pain to an entirely new level by throwing posture off, which makes it difficult and almost impossible at times to align your body properly.  The back muscles are forced to pick up any slack and develop new ways in which the person carries and shifts their weight.  One area of the spine which is most vulnerable to the negative effects of obesity is the lower back – also known as the lumbar spine. When you live a fairly sedentary lifestyle and rarely get exercise, this can lead to poor flexibility and weak back muscles, pelvic muscles, and even thigh muscles. Being obese can actually increase the curve of the lower spine, which can cause the pelvis to tilt too far forward. As you can probably imagine, this will result in even more back pain.

It’s very common for people to attempt to dismiss or blame the cause of their back problems on normal aging. While it is true that with age, bodily tissues can create changes to the spine, if a person is overweight or obese, the chances are very high that they already have or will have back pain.

Following is a list of things that can happen with a person suffering from obesity:

• Degenerative Disc Disorder
• Osteoporosis
• Hernias
• Ruptured Discs
• Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Unhealthy posture

Sadly, childhood obesity is also on the rise these days. There are many factors in today’s world that contribute to this fact: Computers, video games, television and its nearly constant advertisements for tasty and unhealthy food, to name a few. Some believe that even genetics can play a role when talking about obesity.

A whopping 1/3 of the American population is reported to have back pain, which can also cause fatigue and breathlessness.  All of these factors cause even more inactivity, which can cause weight to increase. This is why it is so important to make fitness a part of your daily routine. Exercise can be worked into anyone’s lifestyle. Even a five minute walk three times per week can be a bigger benefit than you might imagine.

Finding good chiropractic care in conjunction with a lifestyle change has the ability to change your life in ways that you’ve never even imagined.  Nobody wants to live with pain – especially agonizing back pain that can, at times, become immobilizing.  There is hope for everyone suffering with back pain as a result of obesity.  You’ve got all the tools within you that you need to change your life for the better and be able to participate in all of those family functions that you’ve been shying away from for so long.

For more information on living a healthy lifestyle and finding relief from back pain, whether from obesity or any other cause, get in touch with our San Clemente Chiropractic Office for a free evaluation.  We’ll take great care of you and get you back to feeling good sooner than you might expect!