These are exciting times at our clinic!

If you haven’t been in recently; now’s a good time to give us a call.

First and foremost, we are going beyond chiropractic and are transforming into a full-service Wellness Center.   After 16 years of practice, I’ve come to the realization that achieving true, lasting health (which includes being pain-free, mobile and flexible) is more than getting your spine adjusted and improving your posture.   While this is a good component of a wellness regimen, for some, it is not enough due to pre-existing chronic, systemic problems.

For example, someone who exhibits any form of gastrointestinal deficiency (gas, fullness, reflux) may not be getting adequate nutrient absorption and may therefore not heal properly from, let’s say, a lumbar disc bulge.

Or, someone who has built up toxins in their body over the years from ingesting them through the lungs, skin, and poor food choices may have a difficult time losing weight or fighting chronic fatigue.

In cases like these, nutritional intervention and lifestyle modification are needed to transform the body into a healthier state.  And that, dear patients, is now an integral part of our services.

We will now offer nutritional management of chronic, degenerative diseases such as metabolic syndrome (insulin insensitivity, obesity/excessive weight gain); chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia; cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders such as Chron’s Disease and IBS; and musculoskeletal conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, acute sprain/strains, and bone and joint weakness.   The system we use is Metagenics line of medical foods and nutraceuticals.   Metagenics is the only supplement company that is Triple-GMP (Good Manufacturing Processes) Certified for quality and is only available through health care providers.

Secondly, exercise rehabilitation methods are now emphasized equally to and in some cases, in place of, chiropractic adjustments.  Somatic therapy is specially designed movements that help “break” abnormal, neurologically controlled muscle patterns in the body.  I find that many cases of chronic back pain and stiffness are not just a matter of misaligned vertebrae.  Old injuries and repetitive movements/habits over years can literally program your muscles contract unevenly, resulting in pain and stiffness.  Like a broken record, the brain commands the muscles to maintain this abnormal contraction.  Somatic therapy “de-programs” this and re-sets the muscles to their original state.

Lastly, we will be offering weight loss, body contouring, cellulite reduction, and non-surgical face lifts to improve the outer appearance of the body.  We already have the cellulite reduction services at our location, which is quite popular; the other services will be in place shortly.

In the next few weeks, we will be launching a new website and FaceBook Fan Page, where we will update clients and the public on the latest developments.  An Open House is planned this Summer or early Fall– stay tuned!

Till next time,

Dr. Dan

October 2010 started a new phase in San Francisco Chiropractic.

I relocated my main practice a block and a half away to 369 Pine Street (at Montgomery), and opened a smaller satellite office on 447 Sutter Street (at Powell), two blocks from Union Square.  The idea was to geographically split the practice and serve a bigger section of San Francisco.  We’ll see mostly Financial District workers and residents at the Pine St. location; and tourists, retail and hospitality workers at our Sutter St. office.

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I am also emphasizing wellness care in my practice.  People forget, and often chiropractors forget, that chiropractic was originally developed as a way to stay healthy.  Sure, it can be effective for reducing musculoskeletal pain, but the more powerful benefit of chiropractic is keeping the spine flexible and properly aligned throughout life, whether you have pain or not, so that it does not shift out of place and encumber the central nervous system within.  Pressure to the spinal cord and nerves from misaligned vertebrae can disrupt optimal nerve function, leading to a host of problems besides pain.

It’s always a good time to do something good for your future health; no need to wait for the new year or some other milestone.  Exercising, eating healthy foods, reducing/properly managing stress, and keeping your spine fit by getting regular chiropractic adjustments is a sure way to an enjoyable life well into the future, free from disabilities.

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Chiropractic Care…A Growing Part of the Health Team (prnewswire.com)

Discs are strong ligaments that connect you vertebrae.  It is not uncommon to injure your disc from lifting something heavy without using proper precautions, or simply from not taking care of your back. 

Degenerative disc disease (DDD) is the general term used by chiropractors, orthopedic doctors and physical therapists to describe the gradual degradation (wear and tear) of the spinal discs.  Sometimes the condition is associated with a previous trauma like a car accident or sports injury, but DDD is known to occur in people who do not have such a history.  In these cases, aging, hereditary disposition, poor diet, smoking, lack of and adequate exercise have been implicated as the cause.

Persons suffering from DDD in the lumbar spine will experience nearly constant, deep pain in the lower back that does not respond to massage, exercise, stretches, and rest.  Analgesics and spinal manipulation may provide temporary relief. The disc bulges outwards stretching pain receptors embedded around the periphery, and in more serious cases the nucleus (jelly-like center) protrudes and presses on the spinal cord or nerve root (that forms the nerves that go to the legs), causing leg symptoms like pins and needles, loss of sensation and even leg weakness.  Fissures can also develop inside the disc, like rings of an onion separating, generating more pain.

Non-surgical spinal decompression may provide long term relief to some lucky patients experiencing DDD.  This treatment basically “pumps” the affected discs, very gently, creating negative pressure that draws in surrounding fluids and nutrients into the weakened disc.  If the patient is generally healthy, the body takes over and the discs heal themselves.

If you are experiencing re-occurring lower back pain that doesn’t seem to want to go away, you may be experiencing degenerative disc disease.  It’s important to act fast at the onset of such symptoms, because the sooner spinal decompression is implemented, the greater the chance of it working.

Call our appointment scheduling service at (415) 627-9077 for a complimentary spinal decompression consultation.

Dan Perez, DC

San Francisco Spinal Decompression

One of the nice things about having a blog is that you can go “off topic” once in awhile.

I think I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my sadness in the passing of Michael Jackson last week.  May he rest in peace.  His passing touched me, because I have this feeling that we grew up together– we’re the same generation, and I first got to know of him growing up as a kid in the late 60′s.  I remember watching his Jackson 5 cartoon and seeing him on Sonny and Cher and all those variety shows of the day.  His Off the Wall album topped the charts when I was in the 10th grade.

My sentiments are that Michael Jackson was a gift to the world.  He epitomized the song and dance routine like no one else before him, blending both art forms into a new one that was simply pure entertainment– exciting and stimulating to the visual and aural senses.  I can say with confidence that there will never be another entertainer of MJ’s caliber again.  I compare him to Bruce Lee, the late martial artist who died suddenly at age 34 in 1973.   In a sea of very talented individuals, both men eclipsed the rest and reigned supreme in a category all by themselves.

Yes, I know he had a controversial life; particularly the last half of his life.  His mannerisms and behavior were a bit too odd for some people.  But for me, personally, I look at the whole picture in matters like this.  I also believe in forgiveness, and not being overly judgmental.  Any my position is that Michael Jackson’s good made up for his shortcomings by a very wide margin.  He was an advocate for world peace, a humanitarian, an artist whose music brought people from all walks of life together.   He lived the life of a megastar battling internal demons.  But the joy he brought to millions while he was on this planet, his humanitarian contributions, and his gifts to charity are like a 1,000 megawatt light that drowns out those dark moments; and my memories of him will be fond.

Michael, thanks for the memories…

See a poignant video of Michael, circa 1979

For acute injuries (up to 3-4 days post injury) it’s best to apply ice. The reason being, injured soft tissues release several inflammatory compounds, some of which cause swelling and pain. Your body may overproduce these compounds after an injury, making it more painful than necessary. Lowering the temperature (icing) helps reduce the swelling by making blood vessels contract. Lowering the temperature also has an analgesic effect (lowers pain).

The proper method is to apply an icepack to the area (place a thin towellete between the icepack and skin to prevent iceburn), hold it down with Ace bandage (applying a mild compressive force), and let sit for 15-20 minutes. If your injury is on a limb, like your wrist or ankle, elevate it as well (so that it’s above your heart– lying down or sitting). Do this every two hours each day, up to six times a day.

When the swelling has gone down somewhat or after 4 days, try applying moist heat in between icing. Using a hot water bottle (with water heated to 150 degrees on your stovetop) wrapped in a folded, damp hand towel works well. Leave on for 15 minutes. Make sure to avoid skin burn by adding extra layers of towels as necessary. Heat will expand blood vessels and bring oxygenated blood to the injury site.

Dan Perez, DC

San Francisco Chiropractic

415.627.9077

Speaking for myself, the answer is “no.” The best way to address this common question is to examine your expectations from chiropractic treatment.. People go to chiropractors for different reasons. Obviously, most go because they want to have some sort of painful condition treated and resolved. Some go for periodic “tune-ups” in a proactive effort to prevent the onset of poor posture or back pain. Conceptually, this is the same as going to the dentist twice a year for prophylactic care (teeth cleaning) to prevent gum disease and tooth decay; or visiting your primary care physician for a general check up. And some seek periodic spinal adjustments because they believe in the organic connection between the spinal column and health. Chiropractic health models suggest that nerve interference due to spinal segment misalignments can actually lead to organic conditions like asthma and gastrointestinal disorders (nerves that help regulate the internal organs originate in the spine). There is anectodal evidence to support such a connection, but the issue remains unresolved and controversial in the research community.

Some patients are startled when I tell them that it may take 12-24 chiropractic treatments to resolve their condition, at a treatment frequency of 2-3x/week. But you must understand that in most non-traumatic cases of pain, by the time pain is felt, the soft tissues and joints have undergone morphological changes that take time to heal. In actuality, a 12-visit treatment prescription is not long at all, from a therapeutic standpoint. Most pharmaceutical prescriptions require several administrations in a single day, for several weeks. So, an antibiotic regimen of 2x/day for four weeks is 56 treatments!

Now, I am quite familiar with those chiropractors who recommend “lifetime” care with no particular goal in mind. While this is not the approach I take, I wouldn’t go so far to say that no one should get “lifetime” care. It just may benefit some people. My advice: use your judgment. If you are in good health, have no major problems with posture or flexibility, and relatively pain-free, you don’t need ongoing adjustments. But if you have a condition that flares up from time to time, or are in an occupation or activity that results in repetitive trauma to your back (construction workers, football players, runners, data entry, etc.), regular chiropractic treatment can be a godsend.

Dan Perez, DC

San Francisco Chiropractor

(415) 627-9077

Simply put, the human body really wasn’t designed to be sitting sedentary in front of a computer terminal. But, since computers have permeated everyday life at the same level as watching TV, the issue is of major concern.

I treat many cases of chronic and acute shoulder problems. What I notice from gathering information on body mechanics from these patients is that they have their keyboard and mouse too high. And, a distance as small as an inch can mean “too high”. This will cause you to subconsciously contract your upper trapezius and neck muscles in order to raise your arm to fit the keyboard. Over time, this contraction can lead to strain. Secondly, the glare of the monitor causes vision fatigue, which causes you to subconsciously bring your head closer to the monitor. When the center of gravity of the head (a 10-12 lb weight) moves forward of the spine, a lever-arm is created. This means that a force is generated at the back of your neck and upper spine to counteract the weight of the head.

So, make sure to keep your keyboard and mouse low enought that you don’t have to lift your shoulder in order to type. Keep your upper arm in line with your torso, and your elbow 90-110 degrees. Wrists straight.

Keep your head upright so that your ears are directly over your shoulders. Look away from your monitor and focus on an object at least 20 feet away to prevent lens fatigue. And, visit you chiropractor so that any spinal obstructions to this can be removed.

Dan Perez, DC

San Francisco Chiropractic

(415) 627-9077

The American Chiropractic Association defines chiropractic as a health care profession that focuses on disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system, and the effects of these disorders on general health. Chiropractic care is used most often to treat neuromusculoskeletal (i.e., nerves, muscles and joints) complaints, including but not limited to back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs, and headaches.

This is purposefully is a very broad definition. There are many chiropractic techniques within this definition. Most involve manual therapy; i.e. therapy done by hand. Like the martial arts, these techniques differ in style– some employ very light force while others use firm force; some utilize a hand-held instrument; and some require special tables to carry out the treatment.

Such a diversity of techniques has the effect of “clouding” the identity of chiropractic. Granted, on the surface it makes chiropractic appear ambiguous. But to me, the diversity makes perfect sense. It is symbolic of the diversity we see in humanity, from a physiological perspective. For example, large people may respond better to traditional spinal manipulation while more fragile frames may respond to softer force techniques. An analogy that best explains the virtue of the multitudes of chiropractic approaches is that there are many ways to cross the ocean, or prepare a gourmet dish. And not all of them are necessarily the “correct” way, so to speak.

So, if you are a new patient looking for a San Francisco chiropractor, don’t be dissuaded upon finding out that there are several kinds of chiropractic styles out there. I recommend that you first ask your friends, relatives or co-workers if they have any referrals. Secondly, you can check the State Board of Chiropractic Examiners website to verify that the chiropractor is in good standing. Lastly, see if you can get a complimentary evaluation at the office so you can get a feel for how the chiropractor runs his or her practice, and how the chiropractor relates to patients.

I made a Squidoo website that explains chiropractic in a nutshell, and how to find a good chiropractor.

Dan Perez, DC

San Francisco Chiropractic

Adding a blog to our website has been a goal of mine for a long time.  After dabbling with various blog platforms, I’ve decided to go with the very popular WordPress.  And I have to say, I’m glad I waited!

You see, blogging (the word blog is short for “web log”) has been around since the late 1990s.  It started out as a cool way to keep an online journal where visitors could comment, and the blog writer could engage in an online conversation with his or her visitors.   Blogging was thought of as a hobby, not much more.

But as the years passed, the collective creativity of the internet drove blogging to new heights.  First of all, it was quickly discovered that Google loves blogs (ranks them high for search words) because of their frequently changing content (new material).  Soon, people were blogging for commercial purposes.

Next, BIG businesses (Fortune 500) caught on much later.  Many corporate websites feature a blog, and use it as a way to announce news and relate to their customer base.

Now, in 2009, it looks like blogging is a great way to deliver news content, and it may be a contributing factor to the decline of traditional newspaper businesses.

The bottom line is that blogging is an efficient way to communicate information; whether you’re  a sports enthusiast blogging about your  favorite team, or a business blogging about new services and products.  Blogging  is appealing because it is understood to be semi-informal in nature (conversational)  so writing posts is easier.

As for this blog, I’ll be talking mostly about chiropractic, spinal health, nutrition, and other miscellaneous health topics.  I intend for each post to have practical benefit, because that is my style.  On occasion, I may blog about an off topic I find interesting that I think my readership would be interested in.

Dan Perez, DC