Shoulder pain is a terrible thing to have to live with. People never realize how much their shoulders play a role in everyday living until it starts to hurt. Shoulder pain can be caused by many things but the most common causes are overuse or doing activities that are not usually done.
Some individuals when suffering from shoulder pain will go to a medical doctor. Frequently the result of that visit will be sending you home with some sort of over-the-counter or prescription pain or anti-inflammatory medication. Often the pills will help with the pain, but they won’t fix the root of the pain.
An underlying cause of shoulder problems can be related to posture and poor body mechanics as a result of misalignments in the spinal column. If the position of the head is altered as a result of accidents or injuries, the shoulders will frequently be tilted. Sometimes you can see this postural change in the mirror where one shoulder is lower than the other. This postural imbalance can lead to overuse or straining of the shoulder with unusual activity.
Going to an upper cervical chiropractic clinic is an excellent way to seek the underlying cause of your shoulder problems. An upper cervical chiropractor will look for postural imbalances that may be leading to your shoulder dysfunction. Misalignments in the spine can also lead to nerve irritation and nerve related numbness, tingling and pain in the shoulder and arm.
An upper cervical chiropractor is able to correct these underlying postural imbalances without any of the popping, cracking or twisting of the spine common with general chiropractic manipulation. Because the upper cervical approach is non-traumatic to your spine, it leads to maximum recovery for misaligned joints and structures.
Upper Cervical Chiropractors also have a large knowledge of exercises that can help to strengthen the muscles that will support the alignment and help keep it in place. There are many individuals that have felt instantly better after going to an upper cervical chiropractor.
Shoulders are used every day and when they hurt it certainly will get our attention. Injuries rarely happen at a convenient time, but it is important that we respect pain signals. To see the underlying cause, rather than just covering up the symptoms will lead to less problems down the road.
To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/.
So, Thanksgiving is over and the holiday season is in full swing. That means you have plenty of Christmas shopping to do, and with it plenty of heavy items to lift. We want you to have the most pain-free holiday season you can have, so we thought we would share some tips with you on how to make it through this holiday season pain free.
The “Holiday rush” happens every year, but that doesn't mean you need to be in a rush. Luckily, the worst of it (Black Friday) is over. But that doesn't mean there won't be more mad rushes to get that last toy. Here are some shopping suggestions, if you have several people to shop for.
Along with trying to get that last Christmas present for your child or trying to beat those lines, you will need to do a lot of driving to different stores, holiday parts, and other events. You will be tempted to beat the traffic, get to that parking space before the other driver, or just drive a tad faster than usual.
Not only will you be tempted to bend, stoop, stretch, or twist in order to get to that toy, but you will also be tempted to set all of those items on the floor and just wrap them. Your body is not only meant to only sustain so much weight, it is also only meant to turn and twist so far in certain directions.
This holiday season will be full of chances to come out of it with a bad back, soar neck, headaches or migraines, or other types of pain. But the above tips will help you prevent injuries, but they won't guarantee you won't be injured.
So, whether you feel pain or not, after the holiday season, take the time to take care of yourself and seek the care of an upper cervical chiropractor. They will examine your spine to see if there are any misalignments that are leading to or might lead to injuries. Don't wait until the pain appears or worsens.
To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/.
An injury to the neck caused by a sudden movement of the head, backward, forward, or sideways, is commonly referred to as "whiplash." While the term "whiplash" is most frequently used to describe auto accident injuries (in which a person is rear-ended, hit head-on, or hit from the side), whiplash can also frequently occur during ski accidents, bike accidents, falls, blows to the head, and other head/neck traumas.
THE MYTH: "If I don't have any symptoms right away, I'm O.K.".
THE TRUTH... After many auto and sport-related traumas, symptoms can be so slight at first, an individual may not realize he/she has been injured. Even if a person feels relatively normal after an accident, he/she should be thoroughly examined. Symptoms can be delayed for days, months, or even years.
COMMON SYMPTOMS: The following are symptoms that can occur following a head/neck injury (days to years later):
In many cases, more severe immune-related, neurological, pain, and disease conditions (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Susceptibility to Infection, ADHD, Seizures, Multiple Sclerosis) can result from head/neck injuries, sometimes occurring many years after the accident.
Two million people are exposed to whiplash injury (related to an auto accident) in the U.S. every year.
When the head is suddenly jerked back and forth or side-to-side beyond its normal limits, ligaments supporting the neck vertebrae can be sprained (over-stretched) or torn, forcing vertebrae out of their normal position.
In tests of low speed rear impact collisions, it was reported that the neck can be injured even in slow speeds accidents as low as 5 mph.
Most rear impact accidents occur at crash speeds of 6 to 12 mph - speeds below the threshold for property damage to the vehicle - but sufficient to cause neck injury.
Whiplash injuries to the cervical spine can occur in sports (skiing, hockey, football, cycling, ice skating, gymnastics, boxing), due to falls, and more!
To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/.
We only get one spine, so it's important that we take as good care of it as possible. Avoid these habits because they are the top 5 ways to damage your spine.
This is the one habit that is the most harmful to the health and function of our spine and our nervous system. When the head is turned to the side and then the weight of the body is placed upon it…the muscles, ligaments, tendons, joints, discs, nerves, etc. are compressed. The application of this stress of stomach sleeping will lead to an acceleration of degeneration of the discs and joints. Some of the worst degenerative disc disease that I have seen in the spine is in those that have spent their life sleeping on their belly. We spend a third of our lives sleeping!
So if you shouldn’t sleep on your stomach…how should you sleep? Flat on your back is best. Some people will find that placing a pillow underneath the knees will be more comfortable. You should always sleep with only one pillow under your head though so the neck is in a relaxed position. If you are unable to sleep on your back then the next best option is on your side. When you are sleeping on your side, you want to make sure that your head and neck are in as an aligned position as possible. You should only use one pillow that is thick enough to support between your shoulder and your head. Most people have a pillow that is too thin to sleep on your side…so there head is side bent all night. The most vulnerable position for the neck to be in is side bent or extended.
This habit, which can feel good at the time will lead to hypermobility in the joints and more and more instability over time as this habit has a tendency to make you want to do it more and more. This is a sign that your spine is probably extremely misaligned and should be evaluated asap.
Here is that vulnerable position again. A side bent head is much more likely to cause a misalignment, especially when kept in this position for 30, 60 minutes or longer why you watch TV.
The longer you sit the more your posture begins to breakdown. If you are sitting for a few minutes it is much easier to keep a good posture. When you sit for hours the chances that your posture is breaking down is very high. So tip #1 is to sit as little as possible. If you can stand to do a task then do it. A least once per hour you want to get out of your chair and walk around and change the posture that you are in…something that helps you to remember to do this is to drink lots of water…which is tip #2. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day…preferrably more. A good rule of thumb is to only drink water and drink about 1/2 of your body weight in ounces per day. So if you weigh 150 pounds then you should drink 75 ounces of water per day. The more you weigh the more you need to drink to be healthy. So if you are drinking water all day then you will need to get up and go to the bathroom which will greatly benefit your spine as well…it’s a win-win. The third tip is to change positions as much as possible when you are sitting. Change the angle of your chair, the height of your chair, move things around throughout the day. Your body gets bored sitting in the same position all the time!
The less we exercise the more the joints of the spine begin to stiffen and deteriorate. So move around! Our bodies were made to move! The best exercise is the one that you will do consistently. Fast walking, swimming, elliptical etc. Pick a cardiovascular exercise and get going.
To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/.
If you have ever had the urge to crack your back, have someone hug you and crack it for you, or crack your neck, you are not alone. Self-cracking one's spine or neck is something most people, or perhaps everyone, has done at one time or another.
Though, one's ability to crack their neck or back does not mean it is a good practice. It is a sign that their spine is not aligned, and that they need to seek an evaluation from an Upper Cervical Specialist. Below are some other signs that it is time to come in for a checkup.
If you suffer from one of the above problems, it is time to seek an Upper Cervical Specialist. Self-cracking your back or spine might seem like a good idea, and it may lead to temporary relief, but it will not lead to a healthier back. A person cracking their own spine, or even a General Chiropractor cracking a person's spine, no more leads to a healthier back than the cracking sound of metal not lead to a car crash.
If you have one of the above symptoms, it is important to see a NUCCA specialist who will align your spine without any popping, cracking or twisting of your spine. Once you spine is aligned, your brain will be able to better communicate with your body, and your body will function properly.
To find a Doctor in your area go to www.NUCCA.org or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/
Many people struggling with numbness, tingling and pain in their arms or legs will resort to taking large amounts of over-the-counter or prescription medications in an attempt to control the symptoms.
According to the FDA, taking too much Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol and Excedrin, will kill you and the government agency also admits this chemical is the leading cause of liver failure in the U.S. Acetaminophen is responsible for 56,000 emergency room visits and 456 deaths annually, according to studies done between 1990 and 1998. In spite of this, billions of doses are sold each year.
Tylenol, Aleve, Advil, Aspirin, Excedrin and other medications called NSAIDS are frequently taken by people for years on a daily basis. Many doctors will tell them that taking these medications are okay to use all the time. Unfortunately that is not true! In fact the regular ingestion of NSAIDS (Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) is very dangerous.
The July 1998 issue of The American Journal of Medicine stated the following:
"Conservative calculations estimate that approximately 107,000 patients are hospitalized annually for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-related gastrointestinal (GI) complications and at least 16,500 NSAID-related deaths occur each year among arthritis patients alone. The figures of all NSAID users would be overwhelming, yet the scope of this problem is generally under-appreciated."
The upper cervical chiropractic approach used in our office seeks to rebalance the head and neck in order to take pressure off of the nerves that extend from the neck all the way down the arm into the hands. Nerve irritation from misalignments in the neck is a frequent cause of numbness and tingling.
Here’s an example of an upper cervical chiropractic case study that illuminates this:
"I was having pain from my neck into my right arm all the way to the hand. I was also getting numbness, tingling and weakness into my right hand. I even had atrophy in my hand. My activity level was way down. The condition started about 7 years ago following a fall. But the current episode started about a year ago. I had gone to medical doctors, neurologists, had MRI’s, x-rays and physical therapy. I was prescribed corticosteroids several times and I was taking 4-6 Tylenol every day. I knew that I could not continue living the way that I was…I was on a downward spiral. And I was poisoning my body with Tylenol!
I was about 3 months into my upper cervical chiropractic care when I noticed that the pain in my neck and arm were almost completely gone! The strength in my arm is coming back as well…I am able to do push ups again! I am also feeling more relaxed and rested overall. My energy level has increased significantly. My balance and coordination are also greatly improved. My sense of well-being and my ability to handle stress are also much better!
For the first month or so I had very little results because my condition was so severe. But as I have held my corrections longer and longer periods of time the nerves have been able to heal. Now after about 6 months the strength in my hand has returned and the atrophy is almost completely gone.
To schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click the button below:
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/
Why Is the Shoulder Weak?When you say that your shoulder is weak, what do you mean? Do you mean that your shoulder and arm is numb? Do you feel tingling in your shoulder and arm? Do you have a loss of strength? Do you have pain in your shoulder that is causing this weakness?
Depending on the answer to those questions may help you in determining what is wrong with your shoulder. Shoulder weakness can be caused by many things, including problems with the shoulder itself, such as rotator cuff injuries, labral injuries shoulder dislocations and separations. You can also have shoulder weakness because of injury to nerves.
For instance, when you have problems in your neck that are leading to nerve irritation this can severely influence your shoulder and arm. Nerves leave the lower portion of your neck and go down your arm all the way to your hand. So frequently and a shoulder, arm or hand problem originates in the neck.
If you are seeking to find someone who is an expert at evaluating neck and shoulder injuries, then an upper cervical chiropractor may be your answer.
An upper cervical chiropractor specializes in evaluating head, neck and spinal alignment, that may be leading to nerve pressure and resulting symptoms.
The 1st step when you come to an upper cervical chiropractic office is to take a thorough history and then evaluate you for postural imbalances and nerve dysfunction that may be leading to shoulder weakness and other health problems.
If you are found to have postural misalignments the Dr will take specific x-rays to evaluate the alignment of the spine. He or she will then be able to mathematically calculate how best to realign your spinal column and improve nerve function.
Upper cervical chiropractors are able to accomplish this without your popping, cracking or twisting of the spine associated with general chiropractic and other manipulative treatment because of the precision with which they work.
There are many individuals that feel relief from pain and improved nerve function almost as soon as they are placed back into normal alignment. For others this relief may take longer. Once proper alignment has been reached the upper cervical chiropractor can show the individual some things that they can do to help stay in alignment.
When shoulder weakness or pain is involved even walking can be painful. Also when a shoulder is in pain simple things like eating and drinking can become miserable. In addition to these things when there is a shoulder problem every movement we make can cause the pain to increase and the injury to become worse.
Shoulder weakness and pain may also start to interfere with sleeping habits. Every movement while sleeping can be painful and cause trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. Not being properly rested through the day will cause problems of its own. Shoulder problems are really something that needs to be taken care of as soon as possible.
To schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click here.
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/
Shoulder PainShoulder pain is a terrible thing to have to live with. People never realize how much their shoulders play a role in everyday living until it starts to hurt. Shoulder pain can be caused by many things but the most common causes are overuse or doing activities that are not usually done.
Some individuals when suffering from shoulder pain will go to a medical doctor. Frequently the result of that visit will be sending you home with some sort of over-the-counter or prescription pain or anti-inflammatory medication. Often the pills will help with the pain, but they won’t fix the root of the pain.
An underlying cause of shoulder problems can be related to posture and poor body mechanics as a result of misalignments in the spinal column. If the position of the head is altered as a result of accidents or injuries, the shoulders will frequently be tilted. Sometimes you can see this postural change in the mirror where one shoulder is lower than the other. This postural imbalance can lead to overuse or straining of the shoulder with unusual activity.
Going to an upper cervical chiropractic clinic is an excellent way to seek the underlying cause of your shoulder problems. An upper cervical chiropractor will look for postural imbalances that may be leading to your shoulder dysfunction. Misalignments in the spine can also lead to nerve irritation and nerve related numbness, tingling and pain in the shoulder and arm.
An upper cervical chiropractor is able to correct these underlying postural imbalances without any of the popping, cracking or twisting of the spine common with general chiropractic manipulation. Because the upper cervical approach is non-traumatic to your spine, it leads to maximum recovery for misaligned joints and structures.
Upper Cervical Chiropractors also have a large knowledge of exercises that can help to strengthen the muscles that will support the alignment and help keep it in place. There are many individuals that have felt instantly better after going to an upper cervical chiropractor.
Shoulders are used every day and when they hurt it certainly will get our attention. Injuries rarely happen at a convenient time, but it is important that we respect pain signals. To see the underlying cause, rather than just covering up the symptoms will lead to less problems down the road.
To schedule your NUCCA evaluation, click here.
Want to hear from people like you? Check out our reviews here.
Dr. Pete Tsiglieris of Advanced Spinal Care in Redwood City, California is an Upper Cervical Specialist trained by the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association (NUCCA). His upper cervical clinic also serves San Mateo, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Carlos, and Sunnyvale. They are uniquely trained to correct problems in the upper cervical spine (upper neck). This vital area is intimately connected to the central nervous system and problems in this area have been shown to be an underlying cause of a variety of different health problems, including migraines and other headaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck pain, back pain and shoulder pain and weakness. More information can be found on our website at https://bayareanuccacare.com/
