Monday, December 26, 2016

Is My Foot Feeling Numb Due to a Disc in My Spine?

Possibly. But an injured or degenerated spinal disc is just one of several prime suspects that can result in numbness in the foot or feet. Irritation of the sciatic nerve in your buttock, often caused by too much sitting or sitting on hard surfaces, is also on the list. There can also be local impingement of nerves in the lower extremity, and diabetes is also a suspect. Questions about your health history, your daily activities, your injuries, and an exam will help your doctor narrow down the list. Then further diagnostic tests, if needed, can be done to confirm.   

Monday, December 19, 2016

Yes, “The Knee Bone’s Connected to the........”

The two bones in the lower leg between the knee and the ankle are the tibia and the fibula. The tibia, larger and heavier, is the primary weight bearer of the two. The fibula, smaller, lies alongside the tibia on the lateral side of the lower leg, and is joined to the tibia at top and bottom by ligaments. Between them is the interosseous membrane. An injury to either bone or to their connecting tissues may affect the efficient working of the biomechanics of the lower extremity. The patella, or kneecap, glides in a groove on the upper front of the tibia. 

Monday, December 12, 2016

Five Reasons Why LOCAL Food = BEST Food

When we get our food from local sources, it is FRESHER, with its highest NUTRITIONAL value, and likely to be closer to PEAK FLAVOR.  Instead of being transported from distant sources, local food is kinder to the ENVIRONMENT, using less resources to deliver, and creating less pollution. It also supports the LOCAL ECONOMY and the livelihood of local farmers.   

Monday, December 5, 2016

Surprising Secrets About Palm Oil

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Have you noticed Palm Oil appearing in our supermarkets & food stores? Perhaps you've noticed it being touted as new & improved, healthy, and budget friendly? Hmmm.......truth is, Palm Oil is highly processed (extracted and treated with heat and / or chemicals). If solvents are used in extraction, the oil may contain chemical residues. Although it is low in unsaturated fatty acids & thus  less prone to oxidation, its oxidized portions are highly inflammatory in the body. Worst of all, it is very environmentally costly. In Indonesia, 1,000s of acres of forests are being clear cut and burned to plant palms for production of palm oil, creating pollution, reducing forests' carbon sequestration, and destroying native rain forest habitats. 

Monday, November 28, 2016

VITAMIN K2---Essential For Our Bones


Vitamin K has long been understood to be associated with the ability of blood to clot, but we now know there is a special form of Vitamin K which is essential for healthy bone density. The K associated with blood clotting is now called Vitamin K1, while Vitamin K2 is the kind needed for bone health.

Many of us have been supplementing absorbable forms of calcium, in combination with magnesium, to help keep our bones strong. However, research shows that unless we also have Vitamin K2, calcium may not be targeted into our bones, but instead may end up in our arteries, where it isn’t needed, and causes trouble, including arterial plaques and atherosclerosis.

Vitamin K2 isn’t that easy to get in our diet. Curd cheeses provide some, but only small amounts. A Japanese food product called natto is rich in K2, but is unpalatable to most Americans.

Supplementing with K2, preferably the MK7 form, which is from natural food sources, usually natto, is a good solution. The MK4 form is synthetic.

Monday, November 21, 2016

The Traction Effect of An Orthopedic Pillow

Gentle traction is often part of the treatment plan for neck problems and pain. It can be very helpful after injury, or when there are degenerative changes occurring in the cervical discs.
A good orthopedically-designed pillow will have a gentle tractioning effect on the neck, assist chiropractic adjustments to hold, relieve pain, and help with healing. In my office, patients are shown how to properly use the orthopedic pillows I provide, to get maximum benefits from their support. 

Monday, November 14, 2016

MEDICARE---What is "Maintenance Care" and Why Won't Medicare Pay For It?


     Medicare guidelines state that they will only pay for chiropractic treatment that is Medically Reasonable or Necessary (defined as treatment that yields a significant improvement in clinical findings and patient functionality)
     To you, and in the clinical judgement of your chiropractor, your treatment may be CLINICALLY APPROPRIATE:  it may enhance your life, relieve your symptoms, support your health and well-being, or prevent the deterioration of a chronic condition. 
     But treatment that is CLINICALLY APPROPRIATE may not fit Medicare’s definition of MEDICALLY NECESSARY. Your chiropractor, by law. must inform Medicare when your care is maintenance care, so that Medicare understands that this care is not reimbursable, and you will be responsible for payment.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Do You Need a Heel Lift?

Sometimes patients come to me who have been told by another caregiver that they need to wear a heel lift in one shoe. Careful assessment often shows that the patient does, in fact, have one leg shorter than the other, but the difference is not anatomical, but functional.
Anatomical leg length difference is when one leg is actually physically shorter. This may be due  to a previously healed fracture in the leg, or it may be congenital. Wearing a heel lift in this case can be the right thing to do. The lift should be prescribed and designed specifically for the patient by a qualified practitioner.
Functional leg length difference is due to distortions or imbalances in the person’s frame---the entirety of the bones and joints of their body. Once the distortions or imbalances have been corrected, which is exactly what I do, the legs will even. In this case, wearing a heel lift is a bad idea. It is only worsening the problem.

Monday, October 31, 2016

Numbness or Tingling in the Arm or Hand

      Nerve impingement of the brachial plexus, the nerves which exit the spine in the neck, can cause numbness or tingling in the arm and / or hand.
     If the alteration of sensation is diffuse throughout the upper extremity, all or most of the nerves in the brachial plexus may be affected, sometimes due to impingement between the clavicle and the first rib, or in passage between the scalene muscles at the sides of the neck. 
     However, if only parts of the arm or hand are affected, it may be possible to pinpoint the specific spinal nerves that are being impinged. This can guide the chiropractic adjustment which can help alleviate the problem.

Monday, October 24, 2016

Why NOT to Bake With Most Nut "Flours"


 It has become popular to bake cookies, cakes, etc. with almond “flour” or other nut “flours,” particularly in the Paleo community, which advocates avoiding grains. With the exception of coconut flour, which does not readily oxidize, using nut flours for baking is hazardous, because all nuts contain unsaturated oils. These oils readily oxidize at room temperature when nuts are ground into flour.
Oxidized oils (monounsaturated or polyunsaturated oils take on oxygen across their carbon-carbon double bonds) are highly inflammatory and very unhealthy.
When dough is made by grinding nuts into flour in a cookie, etc., recipe, and baking it, the heat of the oven accelerates oxidation of these oils.
What can you do if you don’t want to use grain flours for baking?
All nuts contain some combination of saturated, MONOunsaturated, and POLYunsaturated oils. Baking with coconut flour, which contains almost 100% saturated oil, is safest, because saturated oils will not oxidize. 
    

Monday, October 17, 2016

What's Medicare Done For You Lately?


If you have a question, you can call Medicare (1-800-MEDICARE), and you will reach an actual person, who will answer your questions with patience and courtesy.

Your annual deductible is just $166.00!

        When Medicare receives your Doctor's Statement for your chiropractic care, they process it first, then they automatically send it on to your supplemental insurance for that part of processing. You don't have to do a thing!  

Medicare covers chiropractic care, but currently, only for treatment to the spine. It doesn’t cover extremities, exams, or adjunct therapies. Yet. But we’re (your chiropractors) working on it.

Monday, October 10, 2016

Agroforestry---An Ancient Science

 Agroforestry - growing crops or pasturing food animals near or among  trees - has lots of advantages. Trees give protection from wind, help hold soil in place, help reduce runoff water loss, and their roots help enrich the soil with microorganisms. Deep tree roots capture leached nutrients. Tree leaf litter decays & enriches the soil. Trees offer habitat for birds & other natural predators of food crop insect pests, thus reducing the need for artificial insect control. Agroforestry has been used for centuries in many countries around the world. One source of more information:  http://www.worldagroforestry.org/about/agroforestry-our-role  

Monday, October 3, 2016

Jaw Pain That Just Won't Go Away

Persistent pain in the region of the TMJ (temperomandibular joint) that isn’t resolved by treatment focused on the joint itself may actually be due to aberrance of the temporal cranial rhythm. I see this fairly frequently in my practice. Balancing the temporal rhythm will often bring relief.

Monday, September 26, 2016

Spinal Stenosis

Photo by E. Quinn: Yosemite High Country from trail to May Lake High Sierra Camp

Spinal Stenosis

An abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal is called spinal stenosis, and it may result in impingement or pressure on the spinal cord. Often it develops with advanced age, and can cause constant pain or paresthesias in the legs or feet, arms or hands. Although is can occur anywhere in the spine, a common site of spinal stenosis is in the lower lumbar or sacral area of the spinal canal.
Stenosis, or narrowing of the passageway of a nerve or nerves, can also occur elsewhere, such as in the neural foramen, where the spinal nerves come off the spinal cord and exit the spine through openings on either side of the vertebrae.   
Sometimes careful, gentle, precise chiropractic adjustments can help relieve the symptoms, but in more severe or advanced cases, chiropractic usually is not an effective solution. Sometimes surgery can be done to enlarge the narrowed passageway and relieve the impingement.

Monday, September 19, 2016

F = M x A (??-Remember this?)

Photo by E. Quinn: High Sierra Meadow

F = M x A 

Remember that formula you learned in high school physics, “Force is equal to Mass times Acceleration (F = M X A)?” This is the basis of the effectiveness of the Activator adjusting instrument. A hand-held tool that delivers a metered impact in less than 3/10 of a second, the Activator instrument creates sufficient force (F) to precisely re-position, or adjust, bones, because of its high acceleration (A). The patient, however, doesn’t feel the adjustment as forceful, because it is so quick. Just a quick but firm “tap” in the right place by a trained Activator Chiropractor makes the adjustment, relieves pain, and restores equilibrium to the affected joint.

Monday, September 12, 2016

Hip Replacement

Photo by E. Quinn: High Sierra Wildflower Garden

Hip Replacement

As they heal from hip replacement surgery, patients often come in with pelvic or low back discomfort. The repaired hip is relieved from long - standing pain in the affected joint, but post- surgery gait disturbances inevitably happen while the hip is healing. Gait disturbances have a destabilizing effect on the pelvis, often reverberating to the lumbar spine. Activator chiropractic offers gentle, corrective support and relief.

Monday, September 5, 2016

Texting Syndrome


Photo by E. Quinn: Pywiack Dome, across Tenaya Lake, Yosemite High Country, Yosemite National Park, CA

Texting Syndrome

More patients are coming in now with hand soreness and pain, often localized in the middle joint of the thumb, at the base of the thumb, or in the muscles that join the thumb to the hand. It’s no surprise that these parts are being overworked by frequent texting. I’ve noticed that the rate and intensity with which some texting is done is pretty amazing. Texting syndrome may soon surpass carpal tunnel syndrome in the litany of hand complaints. Be kind to your hands! 


Monday, August 29, 2016

Simple Strengthening For the Low Back

Strengthening the muscles that support the low back is an essential part of relieving low back pain and keeping a healthy, resilient, less vulnerable low back. Sometimes physical therapy is prescribed, and can be very helpful. However, when the underlying framework---your bones and joints---is skewed, or out of proper alignment, exercising will be less effective. Before beginning an exercise regimen, it is important to get your frame checked and balanced. This is my specialty, as an Advanced Proficiency Rated Activator Chiropractor. I then show patients simple strengthening exercises to help their adjustments hold and lessen the vulnerability of their low back.   

Monday, August 22, 2016

MSG---Just Say "NO!"

Monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer commonly added to many fast foods, canned & processed foods, salad dressings, bouillon cubes, seasonings, etc., is an excitotoxin which can over-stimulate the heart, be a trigger for migraine headaches, and has been associated with facial pressure or tightness and paresthesias such as burning, tingling, or numbness. Some people react to it more strongly than others. It is definitely wise to avoid if you are a migraine sufferer. 

Monday, August 15, 2016

How Well - Educated is Your Doctor of Chiropractic?

The D.C. (Doctor of Chiropractic) is a 4 - year doctoral degree. Prerequisite for entry into the doctoral program, most chiropractic colleges require an undergraduate degree with rigorous science training in Anatomy, Biochemistry, Embryology, Microbiology, Physics, Physiology, Mathematics, and Statistics, virtually identical to the basic science requirements for entry into medical school. After being admitted to a  chiropractic college, science training continues with Neuroscience, Physiology, Pathology, Clinical Medicine, and Physical & Differential Diagnosis. During the final 2 years of a 4 - year professional program, chiropractic education specializes in Musculoskeletal Conditions and Diagnosis, with a full year of Clinical Internship under the supervision of licensed D.C.’s, whereas in medical schools, specialization becomes directed more into Pharmacology and Surgery.

Monday, August 8, 2016

Enthesopathy---What Is It?

Tenderness or soreness in the area where a tendon attaches to bone is called “enthesopathy.” It is a specific part of a musculoskeletal diagnosis, and may extend the time needed for a condition to heal. Some insurances, including Medicare, may allow additional treatment to resolve the problem.

Monday, August 1, 2016

Low-Force Chiropractic for Seniors

"Special Considerations of Low-Force Chiropractic for Seniors" was a talk I gave to my professional women's networking group. I enjoy serving elders in my practice, and Activator Chiropractic is especially suitable for them because it is gentle, safe, and comfortable. Medicare patients are welcome in my office.

Monday, July 25, 2016

Facet Compression Syndrome

In the spine, the parts of the vertebrae that touch are the facets. If you look at the vertebrae one-on-top-of-the-other, they are separated by the discs, so the bones do not touch. But behind the vertebrae, at each spinal level, are projections from the main, roundish, vertebral body, somewhat like little bony “feet,” and these parts, the facets, DO touch each other, on both the left and right sides of the spine. If the facets get jammed, or compressed, the surrounding soft tissue---muscles, etc., gets affected, tight, somewhat like a clinched fist. This is painful, and needs precise, directional release. I find facet compression frequently in patients with back pain, and am able to successfully release it with my Activator Chiropractic Method. 

Monday, July 18, 2016

Hiking Sticks---The New Walking Aid for Elders!

Are you an elder, or do you know an elder, who has reached the point of being a bit unsteady on their feet and could benefit from a walking aid? Consider those boring, stodgy old walking canes no more, and go get a hiking stick! Every 20-something in the Sierra hikes with one or two; almost no one attempts the Pacific Crest Trail or the John Muir Trail without one anymore. Elders can join the “hip” crowd with a stylish hiking stick, many of which telescope down to fit into a carry bag or backpack. 

Monday, July 11, 2016

Sugar and "Pancreatic Panic"

One way to think about what sugar does to our bodies is to imagine how it affects our pancreas. As sugar content in the blood goes up, the pancreas springs into action, since one of its jobs is to secrete insulin to balance blood sugar levels.
Simple sugars, simple carbohydrates, and high-glycemic index foods cause a rapid spiking in blood sugar, which demands a quick and equal response from the pancreas. Somewhat like the response at a fire station when a call comes for a building on fire. Another way to think of this is “Pancreatic Panic.”
Keep on eating sugars, over-taxing your pancreas, and at some point the pancreatic cells that secrete insulin begin to ‘wear out,” they begin to not work as well. This is part of how Type II Diabetes develops.  

Monday, July 4, 2016

Keep a Little "Spring in Your Step"

Stand with your knees completely extended, or “locked back.” Notice how your low back feels. Then release both knees until you have a little “spring,” a little loosening from the rigid, “locked back” knees position. Now notice how your low back feels. Better, right? If you keep a little “spring in your step” this way, it helps keep a much healthier and more comfortable posture in your low back.

Monday, June 27, 2016

Reading in Bed

Patients often tell me how they habitually read in bed, propped up on pillows behind their back, neck, or head. These patients are often plagued with chronic neck or back discomfort, exhibit poor posture, have headaches, and have pain or paresthesias in their arms or hands. Frankly, it is almost impossible to healthfully position oneself for any amount of time by propping up on pillows and sitting or partially reclining this way in bed. It just doesn’t work, doesn’t give healthy support for the back, the spine, the neck, or the shoulders. It’s much better to enjoy reading elsewhere, but if you must read in bed, lie on your side and support your book on a pillow adjacent to the one supporting your head.