Top Chiropractor in San Leandro, CA

San Leandro Chiropractor

Patient Asks and Dr. Burt Answers the Question #19-#24

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PATIENT QUESTIONS AND DR BURT'S ANSWERSQuestion: Are there cures for plantar fasciitis?

Answer: There is a great treatment protocol that I have used on my patients with great success. It takes somewhere between 10-12 sessions in order to get a desirable results. An object with a round edge would be a perfect tool for this task and also a good massage lotion. I direct gliding force is applied along the plantar musculature. Most likely you will feel a lot of pain during the procedure. About 5 minutes would be more than enough. After the procedure your plantar musculature will be very swollen – which is what we want. During this inflammation process macrophage will destroy the calcified particles that were accumulated during the treatment. An ultrasound therapy would be a plus. It is important that you get this done every other day of the week for the best results.

Question: What are the symptoms and treatments for the sciatica nerve?

Answer: Hi, You would probably want to read this post: “Sciatica Pain Relief and Chiropractic Treatment.”

Question: Whiplash injury questions please? I was in a car accident back about 8 years ago and I was wondering what is the proper treatment after the whiplash? Is it possible for the pain to increase many years later like a flare up? I’m experiencing horrible pain and I looked up whiplash injury and those are some of my symptoms

Any advice?

Thank you

Answer: All of your answers are in this post: “What is Whiplash?” Please read related posts below as well as they will provide all of the answers to you question. I hope you find a local doctor who will help you to resolve the complaints after your whiplash injury.

Question: Do the home ultrasound machines really work on torn MCL?

Additional Details: Doctor told me there was nothing he could do for me. I just have to let it heal. He said I should be back to “my normal” around spring time but I have to take care of two puppies and laundry downstairs so I’m looking for something that will help.

Answer: It is better to have Home Ultrasound units and apply it to your injured MCL than not having any therapy at all. The outcome will greatly depend on the severity of the tear. Your doctor should have sent you for MRI and at least physical therapy, instead of just letting it heal on its own till spring. I would highly recommend for you to get a second opinion ASAP.

Question: Do I have a herniated disk? I bent over yesterday and I got sudden pain in my lower back. It continues to hurt today. This has happened to me a couple other times, but over a year ago. I’m only 19 so it’s not like it’s an old age thing. My mom has had the same problem and she called it a slipped disk, or herniated disk. Is that what’s wrong? Why is it happening at my age?

Answer: Pain in your low back does not necessary mean that you have herniated disk. You could simply have a vertebral subluxation in your lumbar spine and that could be the cause of your problems.  Pick up the phone and have your mother pick up the phone have her call your local chiropractor. You can also read this post – “Low Back Pain and the Wonders of Chiropractic.” This article will help you to understand of what is going to happen when you go see your local chiropractor.

Question: What’s wrong with my ankle? I hurt it last night during my basketball game but I do not know exactly what happened. There is little to no swelling and slight bruising. The pain is mostly targeted on the outside top of my ankle. I can slightly put my weight on it.

Answer: If you cannot bear weight on that leg, it could be a significant injury.
You need immediate medical attention. Could be any number of problems, hairline fracture is a possibility. You MUST get X-RAY of your ankle ASAP.

Good Luck.

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Forward Head Posture and Chiropractic Care

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FORWARD NECK POSTUREForward head tilt could be the cause of headaches, shoulder and neck pain. For each extra inch of forward head tilt the cervical spine is experiencing increase load of up to 10 pounds. This results in a paraspinal musculature overload of the cervical spine.

Over a prolonged period of time this overload turns into micro sprain and strain injuries of the neck. Loss of sleep, headaches, fatigues and general muscle pain are the results of the forward head tilt. The causes of the forward head posture could be the following factors: Wrong set up at the computer desk, too many pillows under your head while reading, prolonged and stressful commutes in a car. If problem is not corrected on time, patient could be diagnosed with arthritis, disc herniation, pinched nerves, and muscle strain and ligament sprain. Tension on a spinal cord will affect your general well being.

The “Spine” Journal stated in one of the articles that prolonged forward head posture will cause the loss of cervical lordosis – which is the normal curvature of the cervical spine.  Straining the neck ligament, joints, bones and muscles is speeding up their deterioration process. As a result arthritis is inevitable and health problems like fibromyalgia, TMJ and shoulder problems will accompany it.

Another study from “American Journal of Pain Management” provides evidence that there is a direct relationship between a good posture and physiological function of the organism. Back pain, neck related headaches, and shoulder pain are few of the many symptoms that mentioned in this study. The greatest affect of a bad posture is the lung breathing capacity, blood pressure, moods and pulse frequency alteration.

Forward head posture can lead to impaired breathing. The chest becomes sunken and starts constricting the lungs. Think of it as the body slowly undergoing strangulation because of insufficient oxygen. Deterioration of body functions is simply the beginning, as other complications like anxiety attacks can also take place. Incorrect breathing upsets normal body functioning and chemistry. Blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels start fluctuating under the stressful condition. Many of the organ systems are likewise affected, manifesting in panic, stress and anxiety episodes.

You can very easy to check your posture in a comfort of your home. All you need is digital photo camera on your phone or camera by itself. Set your camera up on timer for 10 seconds. Close your eyes and march in one place. Move your head to the left and to the right while marching. Stop at about 8th second and continue to keep your eyes closed. Have the camera make a photo shot. Look at your picture and pay attention to the level of you ears, shoulders and hips. You can do the same thing with your side posture.

Proper exercises can help strengthen paraspinal musculature of the cervical spine and lumbar spine. A good back support will also help to keep you cervical lordosis healthy. Good backpack will help equally distribute weight and will allow distributing the weight equally. A great pillow will help to provide proper support and a good night sleep.

A regular chiropractic care will help to maintain the posture at its best. The spine is a biomechanical structure. Therefore, just like everything mechanical it eventually will require maintenance. A combination of good deep tissue massage and chiropractic adjustment will do wonders to your posture. Posture is the window to your spine, is your spine aligned?

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7 Major Causes of Lower Back Pain?

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INTERVERTEBRAL DISCMillions of people are affected with lower back pain all over the world. It could be a minor and temporary pain and it could be as extensive as referring pain into upper and lower extremities. There are different factors and causes of lower back pain. Below is the list of 7 major causes of lower back pain.

SPRAIN AND STRAIN:

A deconditioned lower back and the one with previous injuries is more prone to soft tissue injuries like sprains and strains. An overstretched muscle is a definition of a sprain injury. An overstretched tendon is definition of a strain injury. Both injuries result in fibrotic tissue which is extremely painful if not properly and timely rehabilitated.

DISC PROBLEMS:

The IVD or intervertebral discs (look at the main picture) are serving a function in our spine as shocks or struts in a vehicle. Their job is to prevent the vertebral bodies of the spine from degeneration which in medical term is called osteoarthritis.  Lack of mobility between vertebral bodies will cause the IVD to dehydrate and eventually shrink in height. IVD does not have any blood supply and the only way it gets the nutrients is by the process called imbibition. In plain English – when two adjacent vertebras move they help to pump liquids with nutrients into the IVD. Common disc complaints involve the disc protrusion or bulging (which can be prolapsed or sequestrated) the later is a very bad one. Make sure that you schedule your appointment with your local chiropractor at least once a month. Our body just like the vehicle we drive, it requires maintenance.

MUSCLE IMBALANCE:

Muscle imbalance is the cause of a poor posture. Over the time certain muscles loose their function under overworking conditions or when they are under utilized. If this happens the inevitable result will lead to problems such as neck pain, shoulder pain, and lower back pain or even frozen shoulder.

EMOTIONAL:

Emotional problems linked together with neuromuscular system. Stress or emotional trauma would lead to muscular tension. Muscles such Upper Trapezius and SCM (Sternocleidomastoid) are innervated by cranial nerves (which are the nerves that are connected directly to the brain).

STRACTUAL PROBLEMS:

Scoliosis – an excessive sideways curve of either the upper or lower regions of the spine. Kyphosis – sometimes referred to as “hunchback”, this is an excessive outward curve of the upper back.

DISEASE:

Ankylosing spondylitis – a disease that causes inflammation in spinal joints and limb joints potentially leading to fusion of vertebrae Arthritis – especially osteoarthritis, involves cartilage that normally cushions joints breaking down. Osteoporosis – is a condition involving thinning of the bones. It commonly occurs in women after the menopause but can also affect men.

SCIATICA:

Sciatica is a nerve pain from the sciatic nerve, a nerve that runs from the spine through the buttock and down the back of the leg. Sciatica is often caused by a disc bulge or prolapse pressing on the spinal nerve. Other causes can include a narrowing of the nerve tunnel between the discs as a result of osteoarthritis. If you would like to discover how to completely cure sciatica naturally without drugs, surgery, physical therapy, exercise, or change of diet you might want to take a look at this report “Stop Sciatica.” (affiliate link)

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Heart Attack or Thoracic Outlet Syndrome ?

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TOSToday’s post is about real case that have treated on Friday. I saw this patient over a year ago for severe neck pain and headaches. Patient’s problem was resolved with very good results. This morning patient’s husband calls and asks me to see his wife today as an emergency visit because she has numbness in her left upper extremity, loss of temperature in that extremity, and shooting pain. Over the phone he explained to me what has happened couple of days ago.

He took his wife to a near by Hospital Emergency Room suspecting that she had a heart attack. She had severe shooting pain in her left upper chest and shooting pain down her arm. In a Hospital medical Doctors performed a complete check up, including laboratory test and fancy CT- Scan diagnostic. After numerous hours they found nothing wrong with his wife and discharge her home with some pain medications. She was not very happy with an outcome since the symptoms were still there even with pain medications.

This morning I performed my examination and was trying to figure out what was wrong with this lady. First off all she always carries her heavy bag on her left shoulder with her belongings and belongings for her two young kids. That was a first sign that the problem was mechanical in nature and something was compressing her arteries and nerves. Her intercostal muscles between first and second ribs were extremely painful. Her left clavicle (look at the picture on a left) was out of alignment and did not have any movements during passive and active range of motion. Both of her rhomboid major and rhomboid minor muscles were very sore as well.

My Solution to This Problem:

I have diagnosed this lady with TOS. The first procedure was the electrical stimulation and moist heat. I used electrical stimulation on PAIN and CONSTANT settings for 15 minutes. Two pads were placed on her first and seconds intercostal spaces and two pads were placed around rhomboid major and minor muscles. Moist heat pack was placed in the same area for 15 minutes as well. Next, my massage therapist worked on her tight muscles for about 20 minutes or so. My CMT has informed that her entire left side is completely out of balance. Muscles were tight and patient was guarding during the massage which made her job a bit more difficult. But she got it done. After the massage I have performed full spine Chiropractic Adjustment ( that included cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine) and I have adjusted her first rib and clavicle on the left side.

I have called later on today to follow with this patient. Patient has informed me that she did not feel any pain since I saw her this morning. She has also informed me that she felt wave of heat coming into the left side of her body and left upper extremity.

The moral of this case: – please carry your heavy bags on both shoulders if you have too. Make sure that your kids’ backpacks are not too heavy and they carry them on both shoulders as well. Let’s start 2011 with a healthy habit.

Happy New Year !!!

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