Sports-Related InjuriesExperiencing an injury during a sports game is nearly inevitable, which is the number one reason why it's crucial that you take precautions in regards to the possibility of injuries. Admittedly, not all sports target the same body parts. Knowing this fact alone is not enough. It’s imperative to put that knowledge into practice. Therefore, it is crucial to make use of various preventative methods for the various sports.
In any sport-related activity, injuries to any area of the spine are possible. Below is a list of injuries you are subject to in any type of sport.
Did you know that nearly 20% of all sports-related injuries involve the lower back or neck? Sports that require athletes to twist their lower back, such as one in which they have to load weights at the end of a range of motion, can result in a lower back injury. These types of sports include:
Upper back injuries are less common due to the fact that this area of the spine isn’t as movable and includes extra support. However, the chance still remains that an athlete can experience rib fractures, intercostal neuralgia, or intercostal muscle strains. These athletes may be involved in the following sports:
Your neck is the most fragile part of your body. Regular participation in sports can inflict a lot of strain on the muscles and ligaments in your neck. There is even a possibility that you may, at times, overextend your neck muscles, resulting in whiplash. The sports that may cause these types of injuries can include:
We understand the fact that each parent wishes for nothing more than the best for their child. This means that you desire for them to enjoy their childhood, experiencing things that you may not have had the chance to. However, there’s one thing that you don’t wish upon them and that is pain from a bodily injury.
Of course, this would mean that they receive proper care and treatment for any sport-related injury. It also includes taking extra preventative measures to aid in avoiding the possibility of injury.
If your child at any point experiences one of the aforementioned injuries, do not hesitate to consult an upper cervical chiropractor. Here at Advanced Spinal Care, we are trained to detect and care for any sort of misalignment incurred by an injury. With gentle techniques to correct the misalignment, we can ensure your child is back at it in no time!
To schedule a complimentary consultation call our Redwood City office at 650-595-0500 You can also click the button below.
if you are outside of the local area you can find an Upper Cervical Doctor near you at www.uppercervicalawareness.com.
Whiplash injuries should not be ignored due to the fact that they can eventually result in chronic physical damage and even psychological pain. You can’t just “sleep off” a whiplash injury, or “tough it out.” Complications grow worse when a whiplash injury is not cared for properly. Ultimately, physical pain concerts into psychological worry or anxiety due to the effects of the pain.
Consider some of the consequences that long-term whiplash injuries can cause:
The entire quality of one’s life can be reduced substantially by one whiplash-type injury. It can affect the body’s ability to heal, a person’s posture, and even normal head movements can be painful. Rather than ignoring the pain or taking medication and hoping it goes away on its own, seeking the assistance of an upper cervical chiropractor allows you to be proactive in the healing process.
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:
At Advanced Spinal Care, we use the NUCCA method of upper cervical chiropractic. This begins with an evaluation of the position of a person’s atlas and axis (the C1 and C2 vertebrae). This evaluation includes a patient history, a physical examination, and three-dimensional x-rays of the neck and head. If the whiplash injury caused a misalignment, this will be revealed and a treatment plan customized to your needs will be developed.
Once the misalignment is corrected, real healing can begin. The spine will no longer continue to suffer the degenerative effects of an upper cervical misalignment. Plus, many other symptoms that can be caused by such a misalignment will be eliminated. You may be surprised by just how many nagging symptoms were actually the result of a slight misalignment of the upper spine.
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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/
Two Case Studies on Neck InjuriesIn this blog we'll look at a couple of case studies of children who suffered traumatic brain injuries or mild spinal cord injuries published by upper cervical chiropractor Dr. Erin Elster. The first case study she reported is of an eight year old boy who hit his head when he fell on a school playground. We'll then look at a six year old boy who sustained an injury from a television falling off of a cabinet and hitting him on the head.
In Elster's first study, she reported that the arms and legs of the boy who fell on the school playground tingled, and he was diagnosed with a spinal cord injury. This led to loss of bowel control, which lasted for the next six months until his mother brought him in to Dr. Elster for an examination of his upper neck vertebrae.
During a digital infrared imaging and radiographic diagnostic, it was determined that he had sustained an injury to the upper neck. The severity of the impact of the fall most likely caused the displacement of his skull from his upper neck. This most likely led to the spinal cord injury, which then led to the injury to his bowels. His initial adjustment restored his bowels to normal activity.
In the case study of the boy who sustained the impact of the television that fell, he was lying on the floor when it fell on him. It fell on his face causing multiple fractures around his eye. Multiple reconstructive surgeries to his eye socket and sinuses followed this diagnoses.
After his surgeries and the fractures healed, his mother noticed behavioral changes in her son. He also suffered from double vision and continuous headaches. They consulted with numerous physicians and neurologists, all of whom determined the injuries were permanent and there was nothing they could do to reverse them.
Though, an examination by Dr. Elster revealed that the boy had sustained an upper neck injury, which was most likely due to the accident he suffered months earlier. It only took a few weeks of care before the double vision and headaches were completely gone.
Both of these case studies reveal that whether your child is playing with friends or just sitting and watching television, there is always that chance of them sustaining and injury to their upper neck. We know you want your kid to be able to be a kid, and we want your kid to be a kid. But it's difficult to be a kid when you suffer from health related issues that can be easily resolved by correcting any misalignments in your upper neck.
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/
A recent case study by Dr. Borkhuis indicates the tremendous results of a 3-year-old girl suffering with autism related symptoms, including acid reflux, vomiting and seizures.
A Thirty five month old girl presented into Dr. Borkhuis's office with the chief complaint of head pain. She also had a variety of other complaints all seemingly related to the autism spectrum disorder. She was born prematurely at 28 weeks weighing 2 lbs., 5 oz. and after struggling for 2 years with the child's seemingly abnormal behavior and significant developmental delays the parents decided to take her in for a thorough developmental evaluation. The Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers was administered and 5 critical items were failed.
Upper cervical chiropractic care was administered to the patient over a course of time and she had a complete resolution of the head pain, acid reflux, vomiting, frequent waking up during the night, and significant improvements in the ASD manifestations; calm behavior, increased eye contact, happier demeanor, improved attitude, and an initiation to sound out words.
After 5 months, the patient did not relapse in any of these areas. It was reported by her preschool teachers that she had a significant increase in focus and attention; as well. As more interest in toys, books, and playing more quietly.
The following two months, the patient experienced a significant relapse in acid reflux, vomiting, and waking up during the night presumably because she was not under chiropractic care. After resuming care, the acid reflux symptoms were resolved again within two weeks.
She continues to progress greatly neurologically as is evident with a significantly increased vocabulary, continued improvement in attention and focus, and complete lack of epileptic episodes.
Children with acid reflux, autism, seizures and other neurological conditions should be evaluated for a possible birth injury in the upper neck that is resulting in these symptoms.
NUCCA care is safe, gentle and effective at correcting these underlying upper neck problems and getting to the cause of a variety of different issues.
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/.
Neck Injuries and DizzinessVertigo, Dizziness, Disequilibrium and many other types of conditions can be directly related to old head and neck injuries that have never been properly addressed and the underlying damage to the upper neck has led to dysfunction in the ears, the balancing system of the body or both.
When the head or neck is injured the upper neck (Atlas & Axis) frequently become twisted and misaligned leading to a slight displacement of the head...sometimes by as little as 3/4 of a degree. Once the heavy head (10-14 lbs) is tilting to the side the brain has to compensate for that change through the righting reflex to keep the eyes and ears level with the horizon at all times.
The entire structure of the body will twist and tilt in order to compensate for those upper neck misalignments and head tilt. Eventually leading to pressure building up into the nerve system.
The area that is first impacted by these problems is the brain stem area, which is just basically a part of the brain that extends down into the spine and connects to the spinal cord. The brain stem area is a key to the balance of our bodies.
The upper neck area also has more pressure sensors than anywhere else in the body that feed information into the brain stem and the brain. Also the brain stem sends messages via the cranial nerves to the ears for balance as well. Blood flow is also affected when the brain stem function is altered.
When someone is suffering from vertigo, dizziness, or disequilibrium, the brain stem is frequently involved. Upper neck misalignments alter the brain stem function and can lead to these types of problems. When these old injuries are dealt with by the correction of the head position by a precise upper cervical corrective procedure such as NUCCA, the healing process can begin.
Holding the corrections is the key to healing, not having your spine manipulated 1000's of times!
Now not all dizziness, vertigo and disequilibrium is related to head and neck traumas. But if you have a history of accidents involving your head or neck, then an evaluation with a qualified upper cervical chiropractor is very important. If the underlying cause can be identified, what a difference it can make for your life!
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/
Researchers at the Hypertension Center at the University of Chicago Medical Center are reporting stunning reductions in the blood pressure of patients afflicted with hypertension following simple and painless NUCCA chiropractic care.
In the study – published in the March 2, 2007 issue of The Journal of Human Hypertension and featured on WebMD, Good Morning America and other sources – 50 patients with hypertension were divided into two groups of 25 each. One group of 25 received a NUCCA spinal correction to the atlas vertebra (uppermost bone in the neck). This vertebra holds up the head and only relies on soft tissue to maintain alignment. Misalignment, also known as subluxation, usually goes undiagnosed and causes no pain or discomfort. The other group of 25 received a similar procedure but with no adjustment being given. Researchers called this procedure the "sham adjustment." Since the type of adjustment given was very light force, the patients involved in this study did not know if they were receiving the real or sham adjustments.
After 8 weeks of care, the 25 people in the group receiving the real chiropractic adjustments all showed a significant reduction in blood pressure compared to the group that received the sham adjustment. Those patients who got the real adjustment showed an average of 14 mm Hg greater drop in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure count), and an average of 8 mm Hg greater drop in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom blood pressure number) over those who got the fake or sham adjustment.
X-rays confirmed that the chiropractic adjustments actually changed the position of the atlas vertebra among those in the study group. The study leader reported that the procedure had the effect of not one, but two blood pressure medications given in combination. And, his team reported no side effects whatsoever from the adjustment.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is widespread among adults in the United States. And, if uncontrolled, it can lead to heart and kidney failure or a stroke. According to the American Heart Association, nearly one in three adults suffers from hypertension. However, many are unaware that they are afflicted – making high blood pressure the ‘silent killer.’ This study offers so much hope.
Upper Cervical Chiropractic care is a maintenance program for the nervous system. If the nervous system is free of stress and operating at peak efficiency, it can lead the body to do incredible things. This study begs for further research. While man struggles to create new and better technologies on a daily basis, we continue to find that the human body is the greatest technology on today’s market – let’s take good care of it.
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/
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)When the body is put through the stress of repetitious movement, a number of unhealthy changes take place over time, including suffering from health issues that can include carpal tunnel syndrome, an ever growing concern. So many of us spend our days sitting at our desks, hunched over a keyboard for hours, or cashiering 8 to 10 hours a day, 5 days a week. Even musicians that play the guitar, garage mechanics, assembly workers, dentists and dental hygienists and general surgeons end up experiencing the debilitating effects of the carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms.
Carpal tunnel syndrome can include numbness, tingling and pain in the hand, wrist and arm. Although many of the symptoms associated with carpal tunnel syndrome are focused on the hands and arms carpal tunnel syndrome isn't necessarily a problem with the wrist so much as it is nerve problem. The median nerves which end up in the hand begin in the neck. That's why the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome including forearm, wrist, and shoulder pain and numbness and tingling can all be connected to a neck injury.
Eventually carpal tunnel syndrome will end up damaging muscles, tendons and various other soft tissues in the areas being used the most during repetitive actions and it doesn't just affect the hands either. Poor posture, along with repetitive movements can also affect the neck, shoulders and back as well. .
In many cases, the body's median nerve causes problems when it's compressed somewhere along its path which ends up replicating carpal tunnel symptoms. In most cases the compression takes place in the neck but can happen anywhere along the nerve’s path as it moves to your hand, causing carpal tunnel symptoms. Unlike a more obvious injury, carpal tunnel is undetectable and develops over time.
The best way to address carpal tunnel syndrome is to keep nerve pressure to a minimum. Nerve pressure frequently begins due to improper alignment between the head and neck. Upper cervical chiropractors are able to examine you for nerve irritation and take specific upper cervical x-rays in order to identify structural misalignments that may be leading to the nerve irritation of carpal tunnel syndrome.
Keeping the head in an upright and balanced position and the neck flexible, which will maintain circulation and nerve function in the arms and hands is a foundational step that must be addressed by an upper cervical specialist. But there also prevention approaches for you to take especially if you spend most of your time sitting and using a computer.
If you work at a desk, make it a point to properly situate your hands so that they stay level with the keyboard, not angled downward or resting on the edge of the desk. In addition, it is possible to develop other poor posture conditions, like repetitively leaning your head forward in which case it's important to adjust the monitor to make it easier to see.
Before you move forward with any specific treatment method, it's important to first confirm the location of the nerve compression. There have been a lot of patients who have had carpal tunnel surgery without experiencing any benefit because their carpal tunnel symptoms were actually caused from nerve compression somewhere else, an affliction referred to as a double crush syndrome.
The first thing that an experienced upper cervical chiropractor will do is examine your neck, looking for a possible misalignment. The nerves in the neck are connected to nerves in the fingers, hands and the wrists, and a cervical bone that's not in alignment can irritate the pathways making the wrists feel achy and weak, both carpal tunnel symptoms. In many cases, problems experienced in the extremities will clear up if the doctor finds an upper cervical misalignment and resolves the problem.
The upper cervical approach requires no popping, cracking or twisting of the spine unlike other general chiropractic manipulative procedures. The upper cervical specialist works with great precision and care to ensure that the misalignment is corrected for as long as possible. This decreases visits and improves results. Holding the adjustment is what allows the nerves to heal.
To find an upper cervical chiropractor in your area go to www.upcspine.com or if you are in the Redwood City California area to schedule your 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/
Chronic Whiplash InjuryTwo 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), during falls (down a flight of stairs, on an icy sidewalk), and many more!
German researchers Dr. Kaeser and Dr. Ettlin have found that a whiplash injury can lead to a variety of problems including dizziness, speech problems, throat problems and hearing loss
In the conclusion of the research article, these German medical doctors say that whiplash symptoms often respond to upper neck adjustments.
If a person (infant, child, or adult) experiences an accident, a proper spinal exam is necessary to assess whether a neck injury occurred. A NUCCA upper cervical chiropractic specialist uses specialized testing and specific x-rays of the upper neck to accurately assess a neck injury. If a neck injury is found, a specific adjustment by hand is used to correct the injured vertebrae. Correction of the neck injury can improve, reverse, and prevent numerous whiplash symptoms.
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/
PosturePoor posture can hamper the ability of the lungs to expand and is the primary risk factor in a number of injuries. After a while, poor posture begins to feel normal and proceeds to regress even further from good posture, this is a vicious cycle that leads to muscle tension that leads to even more slouching and slumping. When bad posture feels normal it will become even harder to correct. Who knew that a little slumping and slouching at your computer could lead to so much damage?
Computer use is definitely problematic when it comes to posture. Computer users are at risk of musculoskeletal disorders of the neck, shoulders and several other severe health conditions. Sitting at a computer for extended periods of time without considering posture deforms the cervical and thoracic spine. Most computer users as a whole don't sit with proper posture; we slouch, hunch over our desks, curl our legs under our seats, etc. This computer posture makes us get in the habit of bending over, even when we're not using our computers; unfortunately, most people today spend a lot of time working in these positions.
The most common problem that leads to neck pain is forward head and shoulder posture (when the neck leans forward, causing the head be in front of the shoulders). This position leads to a number of problems, including placing stress on the spine between the top area of the neck and skull as well as the base of the neck and shoulders. In addition, there's a decrease in the stability of the shoulder blades which results in alterations of the mobility pattern of the upper extremities. It can also cause an increase in the curve of the lumbar spine, leading to the forward tilting of the hips and a protruding stomach. Basically, sitting in this position puts stress on both the lower back and hip joints.
If you sit at a computer for several hours a day, it's very important that you cultivate healthy sitting habits. The spine isn't designed to endure extended loads of weight in a fixed position, and doing so will cause more complications to the spinal column to develop. You can help address the issue by providing your lower back and the lumbar area of your spine with optimal support (ergonomic office chairs, lumbar pillows, etc.). Also, every 15 minutes or so, stand up and move around a bit, doing a few overall body and neck stretches.
Our bodies are not designed to sit for long periods of the day. So, the more that you can stand and move around the better, there are even standing desks that are much better for your body and your productivity.
Consider seeing an upper cervical chiropractor to address underlying spinal issues and help improve your posture. Upper cervical chiropractic is a gentle, effective approach to preventing neck injuries that has been proven to not only alleviate headaches but improve posture and body balance. Upper cervical chiropractic is a popular choice when it comes to treating posture related problems because it's a precise and non-invasive approach that offers a natural alternative to chronic posture problems.
To find an upper cervical specialist in your area go to www.upcspine.com or if you are in the Redwood City, California area 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/
