Monday, December 27, 2021
Pregnancy and Postpartum
Monday, December 20, 2021
Ribs---Like a Bucket Handle
Monday, December 13, 2021
5 Secrets of Neck Pain Relief
Monday, December 6, 2021
Reversal of Cervical Curve
Often after an injury such as whiplash, there is a reversal, or “straightening” of the normally forward-facing curve in the neck. Sometimes this happens in absence of injury, and is unexplained. The altered curve changes biomechanical function, posture, and may result in chronic discomfort. The cervical vertebrae should be gently and precisely aligned, and appropriate exercises and stretches prescribed. Traction is often part of my treatment plan for this.
Monday, November 29, 2021
Scoliosis--An Unwelcome Spinal Curve
Our spines have normal front-to-back curves: forward-facing curves in the neck & low back, and a backward-facing upper back curve.
But “sideways” curves in the spine, called scoliotic curves, aka "scoliosis," those that you would see if the person has their back to you, are abnormal and can cause trouble. They have the effect of weakening the stability of the spine, which affects the attached and related soft tissue, including muscles and organs.
Severe or advanced scoliosis can impair the lungs & breathing, as well as the functioning of other essential internal organs, and may require surgical stabilization.
In my practice, I have worked with scoliosis patients who have successfully chosen to avoid surgery, and instead relied on consistent, regular, specific exercises and regular chiropractic care to manage the effects of their abnormal spinal curve(s).
Monday, November 22, 2021
Reading In Bed
Monday, November 15, 2021
Aberrant Cranial Rhythms
Cranial balancing is part of every patient's full-body balancing in my practice.
Monday, November 8, 2021
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis: What can ACTIVATOR Chiropractic do to help? Yesterday I treated a patient with it. I balanced his entire body, relieving joint fixations and correcting misalignments that were causing abnormal joint stresses. Getting those arthritic joints normally positioned and moving better helps relieve pain. And he'll benefit more now from daily exercise. I LOVE what I do!
Monday, November 1, 2021
Monday, October 25, 2021
6 Secrets to Strong Immune Function
Monday, October 18, 2021
Chronic Pelvic / Low Back Pain
If you have chronic pelvic or low back pain, it is critical to look for what is happening at your feet (called your "pedal foundation"). If you pronate or have flat arches, this reverberates all the way up through your legs, knees, hips, pelvis, and into the low back. Unless your feet are addressed, a treatment plan for your pelvic or low back pain may not be successful.
Monday, October 11, 2021
5 Secrets of Neck Pain Relief
which strain the muscles in your neck.
especially when you're a passenger, with someone else driving.
one that adequately supports your cervical spine.
guard against sudden extreme movements, or repetitive motions
of your head.
for underlying problems by your Activator Chiropractor.
Monday, October 4, 2021
Yes! Medicare Covers Chiropractors
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.
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.
Medicare patients are welcome in my practice. Chiropractic care is excellent support for senior's health, wellness and vitality. And the Activator method is low-force and gentle. Please call with any questions or to schedule your appointment today.
Monday, September 27, 2021
Why I am a Chiropractor
Five whiplash injuries in my youth---from auto accidents, none of them my fault---led me to become a Chiropractor. Good Chiropractic care relieved my pain and helped prevent degenerative changes that might have severely limited my function later in life. I'm grateful, and I love being able to help others as a Doctor of Chiropractic.
Monday, September 20, 2021
Essential Function of the Pelvis
Our pelvis, commonly called the “pelvic girdle,” is the bio-mechanical foundation for our whole body. Everything above and below depends on the stability of the pelvis.
Monday, September 13, 2021
Chiropractic: How Long, How Often?
Patients commonly want to know: "How often do I have to come in, and for how long?" In my chiropractic practice, each patient's Treatment Plan is tailored to the individual. Some patients come in for their initial treatment and one follow-up, and they're done. Some people need more. It depends on the person's problem, their general health, whether they've been injured, whether they follow Home Care Instructions, etc. As soon as each patient is sufficiently improved and able to continue healing on their own, I release them. I am always available to support them, should they need me again.
Monday, August 30, 2021
Hinge Joints
Our knees, the joints in our fingers, & our elbows are “hinge” joints—-similar to door, window, etc. hinges---meant to move in one geometric plane.
Introducing a rotating force in these joints causes injury, sometimes mild with a relatively easy recovery, but sometimes serious sprains that are not only difficult to recover from, but may leave lasting damage to the joint tissues.
Another force these joints are not meant to tolerate is hyperextension. Taking a hinge joint past its end point of tolerance for extension will cause injury. I often see this in patients who have propped their heel on a stool or ottoman, causing hyperextension of the knee.
Lateral forces such as sometimes happen in football to players’ knees, often also injure & can permanently damage a hinge joint.
Distant or Local?
Tingling or numbness in the hand or arm is a sign of nerve impingement, and finding a solution requires differentiating between a local origin, i. e. in the arm, wrist, or hand, or an impingement happening further away, perhaps in the neck or shoulder region.
The patient’s presentation, orthopedic tests, and careful assessment of the neck and involved upper extremity will reveal the source of the the problem.
In some instances, there is more than one site of impingement, e.g., symptoms in the hand may be due to a “double crush”—-impingement in both the new and the wrist.
Monday, August 23, 2021
Twist & Lift---A Bad Combination
Lifting when the body is twisted to the side—either left or right—is a recipe for back pain, often in the thoracic region.
An example is lifting a child into or out of a carseat. The lift + twist action often necessary to do this can torque the rib cage, stress and misalign vertebrae, & set off muscle spasms,
As soon as the child is able to climb in and out of the carseat on their own, give your body a break and let them do it.
In the interim, take care to twist as little as possible when getting them in / out, and try to keep your body as close to them as possible while doing it. This creates shorter-lever stresses on the back and spine, helping to make it less likely that you will injure yourself.
Monday, August 16, 2021
Chronic Neck Pain
Successful treatment plans for chronic neck pain should include home care counseling for postures and ergonomics.
There are usually modifications that can be made in the patient’s positions & pastures during different activities—e.g., computer use, kitchen chores, sitting, standing, and sleeping—that will help.
An important key to change is the patient’s developing an awareness of their body’s positioning, and this may take some practice. I often recommend setting a timer, using it as a reminder to “check in”—where is my head? am I slumping? leaning in to see my computer monitor?
Using the right pillow for sleeping, changing the height of one’s computer monitor so that it is at eye level, getting computer glasses with corrective lenses if one is having a hard time seeing the screen, raising the height of one’s work space on the kitchen counter—-all are simple things that can make a big difference.
Monday, August 9, 2021
Accentuated Curve in the Low Back
An abnormally accentuated lumbar curve, whether congenital or acquired, can result in disequilibrium and vulnerability in the lower back.
Sometimes this is partially alleviated with postural counseling, Activator adjustments, and specific exercises. If the patient habitually “locks back” their knees when standing, changing this habit often helps a lot.
Ergonomic counseling about sitting, sleeping, etc. can also help.
But often these are only partial solutions. A patient with this condition may need more consistent chiropractic treatments, the frequency of which can be judged according to what works for each individual.
Monday, August 2, 2021
A Torqued Tibia
Rotational stresses acting on the proximal tibia (where the large bone in the lower leg, the tibia, articulates at the knee) are common in people who drive a lot, e.g. for a job.
The tibia is not meant to rotate at this joint, but will tolerate some rotational stresses for short periods of time or if the stress is not repetitive or chronic.
Patients whose work requires a lot of driving often come in with aberrance and pain in their right (gas / brake foot) knee. Usually I find, and adjust to relieve / correct, rotational stress of the involved proximal tibia.
Monday, July 26, 2021
Medicare "Advantage" Plans
If you are eligible for Medicare, but choose a Medicare Advantage Plan, you have opted for private insurance that is outside of Medicare.
Medicare Advantage plans are offered by private companies, e.g. Humana, United Health, Blue Cross, etc., and often include benefits not provided by regular Medicare, such as vision, dental, etc.
This type of private insurance plan must conform in certain ways to the rules of Medicare--such as limiting charges for certain services--but is administered by the private companies which sell the plans. Patients still have many of the rights and protections provided under original Medicare.
Monday, July 19, 2021
Whiplash From a Fall
Being rear-ended is not the only way one can suffer whiplash. A fall that “whips” the head and neck will have a similar result, and often takes a similarly extended recovery time.
Though the cause is different, my treatment plan is the same: rest, anti-inflammatories such as ice and topical arnica, gentle chiropractic adjustments with the Activator instrument, and active care as soon as possible (stretches and exercises) to assist healing.
Monday, July 12, 2021
A Key Headache Solution
Persistent headaches that are unrelieved by clearing the cervicals, the cranial rhythms,, and occipital tension can have a hidden and often unsuspected etiology.
The key, discoverable by a highly trained, Advanced Proficiency Rated Activator Chiropractor like myself, may lie in the position of the posterior arch of C2.
When the arch is abnormally stressed superiorly, it often causes a headache.
This is quickly and comfortably corrected with the Activator instrument, applying the correct contact on the C2 posterior arch, and vectoring the instrument to make the adjustment.
Monday, July 5, 2021
A "Hitched Up" Hip
Patients often tell me they feel that one of their hips feels “higher” than the other. 99% of the time, they are correct!
A common underlying cause of this is distortion in the pelvis.
The “pelvic girdle,” or pelvic composite, consists of several movable joints—-the sacroiliac, lumbosacral, hip, and pubic symphysis joints. Distortion of the pelvis can involve one, two, or several being misaligned or aberrant positionally in articulation with their neighbor(s).
After careful assessment of the pelvis, I make precise, directional adjustments with the Activator instrument to correct the distortion and bring relief of discomfort or a “hitched up” hip.
Monday, June 28, 2021
"Knock Knees"
Remember when you were a kid and some other kid you knew had knees that “bent in,” or “bumped” each other?
Sometimes this was somewhat insensitively referred to as “knock knees.”
This condition, professionally called “genu valgum,” can be due to a rotation of the femoral head in the ball-and-socket hip joint, or to pronation of the foot, both of which result in an abnormal “Q angle” relating to the knee.
Foot pronation, or the falling inward of the medial side at the plantar arch, is the most easily correctable. Appropriate orthotics, often over-the-counter if properly fit, will help.
Orthotics should be consistently worn; going barefoot should be avoided.
As an Advanced Proficiency Rated Activator Chiropractor, I precisely evaluate and adjust the bones of the pelvis, hip, knee, foot, and entire involved lower extremities for this condition.
Monday, June 21, 2021
Prepare for Summer Fun
As summer approaches, patients begin to come in with sequelae of warm weather activities, one of which is water skiing.
Having fun water skiing without appropriate preparation of one’s musculature, especially the muscles of the low back, can lead to unpleasant consequences.
Simple strengthening exercises that prepare the muscles for summer activities can prevent a lot of unnecessary discomfort.
Monday, June 14, 2021
Pain That "Caps" the Shoulder
When there is pain in the deltoid area, around the upper area of the arm at the shoulder, or at the insertion point of the deltoid muscle on the outer upper arm, it often is not due to a problem in the shoulder itself.
Rather, the origin of the pain is in the neck.
Misalignments or degenerative changes in the spine in the lower cervical region, at C6 - C7, can cause this pain that presents this way in the upper shoulder.
Monday, June 7, 2021
No-Till Farming
Want a vibrant, healthy garden that produces nutrient-rich vegetables, herbs, fruits, etc. while sequestering carbon by increasing soil organic matter (SOM)?
Disturb the soil as little as possible.
At Singing Frogs Farm north of San Francisco, a “No Till No Kill” system is an example.
They cover their planting beds with mulch and compost instead of plowing or using herbicides. New plants are inserted directly into the compost; they use a high biodiversity of cash & cover crops which are continuously rotated to break weed, disease and pest cycles.
This system retains more water, requiring less irrigation, & produces high crop yields.
It has increased SOM by 400% in under six years, sequestering significantly more carbon.
Listen to a podcast by owners of Singing Frogs Farm at https://www.resilience.org/stories/2015-05-27/paul-elizabeth-kaiser-sustainable-farming-2-0/
Monday, May 31, 2021
"Noisy" Knees
If you hear a “crunching” or “grinding” noise in your knee when you bend it, this is a sign of an arthritic, or degenerative, condition called Chondromalacia Patella.
For various reasons, the patella, or kneecap, may begin tracking abnormally as it slides up and down in a groove on the front of the femur with bending of the knee, resulting in abnormal “wear & tear” in the articulation.
If not corrected with the proper treatment plan, the condition can advance to painful and debilitating arthritis.
The patella should be adjusted by vectoring the ACTIVATOR instrument appropriately to correct its tracking. I also give the patient exercises to prevent recurrence.
Monday, May 24, 2021
Nerve "Maps"
Areas of our skin receive sensory innervation from particular spinal nerves.
These sensory areas, called “dermatomes,” are predictable from person to person, and can be “mapped” on a model of the human body.
An a an example, if a patient presents with pain, or with numbness & tingling, in a specific area of the arm or hand, the doctor can identify the involved spinal nerve(s) based on the dermatome map of the upper extremity.
As an Advanced Proficiency Rated Activator Chiropractor, once the involved nerve(s) is / are identified, I can make precise, gentle adjustments accordingly to relieve nerve impingement & help relieve the patient’s symptoms.
Monday, May 17, 2021
Gardening With Native Plants to Attract Birds
Have you ever considered that garden plants native to your area have advantages for birds and for you as well?
A landscape of drought-tolerant natives will use less water in your garden, can be more resistant to native pests, and natives provide food suited for area birds.
Find out why “yards with non-native plants create ‘food deserts’ for bugs and birds,” find the best plants for your area, and learn how to create your native plant garden at:
Monday, May 10, 2021
"Craning the Neck"
Have you ever heard the expression, “don’t crane your neck?” It’s really good advice---”craning,” or straining, the neck, such as to better see a computer screen, or when accommodating to bifocal lenses, sets one up for neck pain and headaches.
These postures cause abnormal cervical stresses, and one of the common results is a superior misalignment of the posterior arch of the 2nd cervical vertebra, C2.
In my practice, about 80% of my headache patients have this misalignment.
It is corrected by precise, gentle adjustment with the Activator instrument.
Monday, May 3, 2021
Got Cranial Rhythms?
We all do.
The bones in our head have very subtle, normal, rhythmical, motions.
These motions are not synchronized with our heartbeat or breath. They are characteristic to the cranium, and are thought to be related to the circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid that bathes the brain and spinal cord.
Abnormalities in the rhythms can be associated with headaches or vertigo, or just feeling "out of sorts."
I find that balancing the cranial rhythms often relieves a patient’s headaches, and can be effective for vertigo as well.
Balancing patients' cranial rhythms is part of my focus on overall, full-body balancing.
Monday, April 26, 2021
More "Bang" for Your Exercise "Buck"
An exercise routine can be great, but if performed when the body is in dis-equalibrium, aka a state of imbalance, it will not be maximally effective.
For example, strengthening the muscles that support the low back, including the abdominals, is an essential part of relieving low back pain, protecting the low back and keeping it healthy. However, when your underlying framework---the bones and joints of your pelvis and spine---is skewed, or out of alignment, your exercises won’t work, or hold, as well.
I can help; as an Advanced Proficiency Activator Chiropractor, my focus is on restoring balance and equilibrium to your body, which supports & enhances your exercise regimen.
Monday, April 19, 2021
GERD
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, or GERD, is a common and uncomfortable condition caused by dysfunction of the circular muscle (sphincter) at the lower end of the esophagus.
This allows stomach acid to seep back up into the lower esophagus, resulting in irritation, inflammation, and burning pain (“heartburn”).
It is important for this condition to be addressed by a medical doctor, because chronic, untreated GERD can lead to more serious consequences.
In the meantime, I have an adjustment, done with the Activator instrument, that often brings temporary relief.
Monday, April 12, 2021
Persistent Tendonitis
When bicipital tendonitis, which is inflammation of the tendon that attaches the biceps muscle in the upper arm to the shoulder, is not resolving with a full-component treatment plan, as an Advanced Proficiency Rated ACTIVATOR Chiropractor, I look for what may be keeping the patient’s healing from progressing.
Culprit #1 is biomechanical. Specifically, the humerus, the bone in the upper arm, can be rotated, causing stress on the bicipital tendon as it “rides” in a grove on the front of the humerus. The rotation can be medial or lateral. Both cause stress on the inflammed tendon. The solution is a precise, directional adjustment with the ACTIVATOR instrument to correct the rotation. The adjustment may need repeating over the course of several office visits.
The #2, and critically important, culprit is the patient’s nutrition. If (s)he is eating foods that cause inflammation, such a sugar, damaged fats, etc., this will significantly slow or even block healing.
Monday, April 5, 2021
Medicare and Maintenance Care
Medicare guidelines state that it 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 becomes maintenance care, thus clarifying to Medicare that this care is not reimbursable, and you will be responsible for payment.
Monday, March 29, 2021
Muscle Cramps
Those painful muscle cramps that awaken you at night will often be alleviated by magnesium (Mg).
If you aren’t getting an absorbable form of magnesium----Mg citrate or Mg glycinate are good--- in your supplement regimen, and there are no contraindications, consider trying it.
The target dose is 400 mg / day, and it’s best to start with 100 mg / day, gradually increasing to the target level. Slowly building to the target dose will help avoid diarrhea.
Monday, March 22, 2021
Tale of a Wayward Sacrum
Persistent pain in the low back may be due to a tilted sacrum. When this happens, it puts stress on the ligaments of the sacroiliac joints, which are broad, weight-bearing joints in the pelvis on either side of the triangular-shaped sacrum.
The resulting stress on these ligaments causes pain.
When attending to this problem, careful balancing of the pelvic region is critical, and the sacrum must not be overlooked.
Precise, directional adjustments with the Activator instrument solve the problem and relieve the pain.
Monday, March 15, 2021
An Untrustworthy Knee
Patients often come in describing their knee as “feeling like it’s going to give way,” or “fees like I might fall.”
This is often noticed most when going down stairs or steps.
The problem is likely a posterior proximal tibia----a backward misalignment of the large bone in the lower leg at its articulation at the knee. When this occurs, it causes a pulling on the achilles tendon in the back of the ankle, stressing the heel bone upward.
The adjustment is made to the proximal tibia, and also to the calcaneus, or heel bone. Both must be addressed to alleviate the problem.
Monday, March 8, 2021
Farmer's Footprint
Exposing the human & environmental impacts of chemical farming is the mission of “Farmer’s Footprint,” an organization encouraging and educating about better, healthier ways of food production.
The guiding premise is that“a century of monocrop farming and reliance on pesticides has damaged our nation’s once-fertile soils and the health of every American. The rapid increase in pesticide use over the past few decades has coincided with this explosion of chronic disease.”
Awareness is growing that glyphosate, the active ingredient in the herbicide Roundup, is implicated in many chronic diseases.
Watch a 20-min. film about one farming family who are abandoning chemical farming, nurturing their soil back to health, and working in concert with Nature:
Monday, March 1, 2021
Iliotibial Band Syndrome
Pain in the outer side of the knee or hip can be caused by friction against the knee / leg / hip by a thick band of connective tissue alongside the thigh called the Iliotibial Band (ITB).
This is common in runners, weight lifters, and activities at the gym, etc., that involve repetitive bending of the knee with resistance. The ITB becomes excessively tight with repetitive use, which exacerbates the friction.
I address this by adjusting the hip, the knee, and releasing tension in the ITB with the Activator instrument. It is important for the patient to stretch before and after workouts, if running to stay on level surfaces, and to wear supportive shoes.
A distorted pelvis can contribute to this condition, so it is important for the patient to check in with me periodically for pelvic balancing.
Monday, February 22, 2021
Groin Pain
Patients presenting with pain in their groin have a particular kind of pelvic distortion involving the joint in the front of the pelvic girdle, called the pubic symphysis.
It is a movable joint which has a disc, like the discs in our spine.
In most people, this joint is stable unless complex, usually severe, pelvic distortion occurs, or if a mother who has carried a baby and given birth. In these instances, the pubic symphysis often becomes misaligned, and 99% of the time, a consequence is groin pain.
As an Advanced Proficiency Activator Chiropractor, my job is to determine the nature of this misalignment, and correct it gently & precisely with the Activator instrument. The adjustment brings immediate relief.
Monday, February 15, 2021
Protection From Blue Light
The blue light from computer screens, TVs, & cell phones causes eye fatigue, and is often a source of headaches and sleep disturbances.
The best solution I have found for this is BPA-free plastic glasses from Northland Outpost whose orange lenses block 95% of blue light. These are comfortable worn alone, and they also fit easily over my corrective lenses for watching TV.
These glasses, available on Amazon,
are very lightweight and reasonably priced. Since I’ve been using them my eye fatigue, especially from computer use, is significantly reduced.