Monday, June 1, 2020

The Right Pillow

  For many patients, changing to a better pillow is a critical key to a healthy and comfortable cervical spine, a solution to chronic neck pain & tension, and relief for headaches.
         I have personally experienced this. After five whiplash injuries in my youth, I found that regaining full and reasonably comfortably functioning involved using the right pillow.
What is the “right” pillow? 
Our pillow should give us consistent, resistive support during sleep. A down pillow will not provide this because, no matter how carefully you shape & place it when you first lie down on it, it will deform during the night.
Likewise, a memory foam pillow, which indents when you lie on it, does not give consistent support---its softness is appealing, but it is not serving the health of your cervical spine.
The “right” pillow supports the normal curve of your neck, whether you lie on your back or your sides to sleep. It allows your head & cervical spine to remain in alignment with the rest of your spine, not bent up or down.
The pillow that I sleep on, and that I recommend for my patients, provides this, and patients can get this pillow in my office.

Monday, May 25, 2020

Trigger Points

  A persistent, recurring painful spot in a muscle that does not respond to adjacent osseous (bone / joint) adjustments may be a trigger point.
Often the patient reports “the pain came back the next day,” or “it still hurts” after a Chiropractic treatment, and they may have trouble locating the exact site of their pain. Palpating muscles in the general area will often cause the patient to jump or flinch when the painful locus is pressed.
A distinguishing characteristic of trigger points is that they “refer,” or send out, pain in predictable patterns distant from their origin in a muscle. They often develop after muscle strain, repetitive motion, poor posture, or when a patient is chronically stressed or anxious. 
Also referred to as “myofascial pain,” trigger points were famously discovered and treated by Janet Travell, M.D., who authored two extensive textbooks on trigger points in the muscles of the body, mapping trigger point patterns of referred pain.
Dr. Travell also served as White House Physician for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.
Dr. Travell relieved trigger points with application of cryotherapy and injections. I treat them with the Activator instrument, and have the patient apply ice at home. 

Monday, May 18, 2020

Headache Solutions

  Headaches can have many causes, including problems in the upper cervical spine and / or the cranial rhythms. Adjacent misalignments at the C1 and C2 vertebrae are often involved, as are concomitant aberrances in the cranial rhythms.
As an Advanced Proficiency Rated ACTIVATOR Chiropractor, I address these problems gently and precisely. My patients receive whole-body balancing, including cranial balancing, at each appointment..
       Related tension in the suboccipital muscles often leads to, complicates, or perpetuates  headaches, and this should be addressed as a critical part of the solution. 
       To relieve the tension I “re-set” the muscle tone with the ACTIVATOR instrument, prescribe stretches, and give ergonomic counseling to keep this tension from becoming re-established.

Monday, May 11, 2020

Farmers Markets Are Open

  Our local Farmers’ Markets, offering the freshest possible, nutrient-rich produce, are open during COVID-19. 
Deemed “essential,” there are markets open on Sunday in Live Oak, Saturday in Westside Santa Cruz and at Cabrillo, Wednesday downtown Santa Cruz, and Tuesday in Felton.
Farmstands, such as Everett Family Farm on Old San Jose Road and Natural Bridges Farm at the Homeless Garden in westside Santa Cruz, are also open. All offer organic vegetables, and some fruits, in season.
Produce at these local Farmers’ Markets is fresh-out-of-the-ground, and as loaded with nutrient power as you can get. As well as a key way to support our general health and immune systems, buying our produce at Farmers’ Markets provides needed support to our local farmers.
       Check websites for current hours.

Monday, May 4, 2020

What Causes Scoliosis?

 Abnormal lateral spinal curves, called scoliosis, develop for reasons that are largely unknown. Although there are various theories, about 80% of scoliosis is considered idiopathic---of unknown cause. 
Statistically, about 4 adolescent girls in 1000 may develop it, and about 1 in 2500 boys. Roughly 2% of the adult population has some degree of it.
Schools offer scoliosis screening for good reason; the earlier it is detected and addressed, the better chance that conservative care can be effective. 
My treatment plan, the earlier began the better, includes precise Chiropractic balancing of the entire frame, accompanied by specific exercises. 
Special attention must be given to the pelvis, which is the biomechanical foundation for the spine. An unlevel pelvis must be corrected and monitored, because it results in an unstable foundation for the spine.