San Diego Chiropractic Blog

Whiplash and Neck Pain

Neck pain is common after a whiplash accident. The treatment that you receive (or don’t receive in some cases) following that accident impacts your spine and your health for the rest of your life.

Whiplash damages your joints and the muscles and ligaments that move and support them. Most of the time these injuries are painful immediately after the accident and other times they don’t become problematic until years later. Relieving pain and avoiding future episodes of related pain or disability requires getting treatment for your whiplash as soon as possible.

The forces involved in auto accidents are severe. Whiplash places forces on the muscles and ligaments that far exceed the amount of force they were designed to handle. Whiplash accidents tear muscles and ligaments resulting in swelling, pain, muscle spasms and eventually cause scar tissue formation. Scar tissue not only can become a source of pain but it severely restricts the range of motion of your spine as you age.

We all know older people (and sometimes younger people) who have to rotate their entire bodies in order to look behind them. Those people have limited range of motion of the joints in their necks. With rare exception, this limited range of motion is caused by scar tissue and arthritis that has accumulated from old whiplash injuries.

Chiropractic treatment helps with many different conditions and is exceptionally effective in resolving injuries related to whiplash injuries. In fact, chiropractic care is the perfect therapy for most injuries that are related to whiplash. Chiropractic care helps control the pain associated with torn muscles and ligaments and it is also very effective with breaking down excessive scar tissue that restricts the normal range of motion of your spine.

We have successfully treated hundreds if not thousands of patients who suffer from either current whiplash injuries or the later effects of those injuries in my San Diego chiropractic office. Chiropractic treatment combined with a stretching and exercise program and proper nutritional support can be the difference between chronic long lasting pain and a healthy pain free spine.

Sincerely,

Dr. Steve Jones

Click Here For Your San Diego Chiropractor

(619) 280-0554

Are you out of shape? Do you have trouble deciding where to begin with your efforts to regain your health? Have you set a date on which you are determined to begin a new diet and exercise program?

With our busy lifestyles, sometimes people find themselves so far out of shape that they don’t know how to begin with their efforts to turn their health around. In most cases trying to manipulate your diet and begin an exercise program at the same time quickly becomes overwhelming and ends with failure.

In my San Diego Chiropractic Office I encourage our patients who are interested in losing weight and improving their health to start simple – taking one step toward health at a time. I like to have my patients begin their journey toward better health by beginning to eliminate their worst dietary habits first. This plan involves reducing or eliminating;

1) Fast Foods

2) Soda

3) Caffeine

4) Canned Foods

5) Sugar

For most of my patients (and people in general), dietary issues are challenging. Diet probably has a much bigger impact on your health than you think. It seems so logical but true that you are what you eat.

Canned foods made the list above because they contain preservatives which contribute to chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation causes neck pain, headaches, low back pain and a host of serious health consequences. Fast foods are a huge energy drain. They are calorie dense but low in nutrients. That affects you because when you eat that burger and fries from the local fast food establishment that meal uses lots of energy to digest but you don’t get the nutrients that you body needs. The result is that you are tired after eating and hungry sooner because you are starved of the nutrients that your fast food didn’t supply. This tired feeling is usually remedied with coffee or some other caffeinated drink that leads to loss of sleep and adrenal stress which causes yet more fatigue.

An easy place to begin with your health goals is to pick a few dietary habits that you already know are bad and restrict or eliminate them. For example, if you drink soda – replace it with water, if you eat fast food – plan ahead and replace the fast food with a healthy salad or sandwich - you can do this with any bad dietary habit that you have. Once you eliminate one bad dietary habit – go to work on the next one. Before long you will be living a healthier lifestyle and you will feel the benefits.

The first step towards building a healthier body is to stop putting junk in it. Pick out a problem area in your diet and start changing today and you will be healthier tomorrow.

Yours in Good Health,

Dr. Steve Jones

Click Here For Your San Diego Chiropractor

(619) 280-0554

Do you suffer with neck pain and shoulder blade pain? If so, you are not alone.  My San Diego chiropractic clinic seems to have a deep supply of new patients with these complaints.  The good news is that with a little care the pain usually goes away!

There is a muscle that runs from the upper and middle vertebra in your neck down to the angle of the medial part of your scapula on each side that is usually responsible for this pain. This muscle is called the Levator Scapula and it is highlighted in red in the drawing below.

The Levator Scapula can be aggravated by a number of different things. In most cases postural stress from things like slouching over your computer or smart phone will pull that muscle causing stress on the joints and eventually irritation, inflammation, pain and spasm. In other cases, one of the joints has been irritated and the levator scapula has spasmed in an effort to protect the joint - this is common after auto accident injuries or sports injuries. Sometimes if the muscle is tight enough it will compress the nerves that feed your arms resulting in numbness, tingling and other symptoms.

Treatment for neck pain and shoulder blade pain can be difficult – especially if the pain is chronic. The first step is to get your pain evaluated by your chiropractor. Chiropractors specialize in conditions that affect your muscles and joints and are the best qualified professionals to guide your care. Treatment will most likely involve joint adjustments of the neck and upper back, various types of therapy to relax the muscle and some specific therapies for you to do at home.

If you are new to chiropractic and have a neck pain and shoulder blade pain we can help find a solution.

Yours in Good Health,

Dr. Steve Jones

Click Here For Your San Diego Chiropractor

(619) 280-0554

Does joint pain limit your ability to exercise?

Do you struggle with losing weight or maintaining your weight because joint pain prevents exercise?

Is joint pain causing weight gain?

Chiropractic care can help you make exercise less painful or pain free helping you lose weight and get into better shape! In my San Diego Chiropractic Center we work with patients everyday who use our health care services for the sole purpose of helping them lose weight and get into better shape.

That being said, I don’t want to miss-lead you - there isn’t a chiropractic adjustment that will stimulate your body to lose weight and tone muscle (at least not one that I am aware of). However, there are many people that don’t exercise because of chronic aches and pains that can often be helped with safe, conservative chiropractic treatment. If you avoid exercise because of joint pain - you may be able to take significant steps towards improving your health by utilizing chiropractic care to restore healthy, pain free range of motion to your stiff and aching joints.

Pain free!

My patients that struggle with their weight get out of shape for a variety of reasons. In some cases, neck pain, headaches or low back pain prevents consistent exercise leading to weight gain. In other cases, pain from specific injuries in your past that have not healed correctly can cause joint pain and stiffness resulting in limited activity and in some cases no exercise at all.

In most cases chiropractic care can reduce or completely eliminate joint pain, restore your joints’ range of motion and relieve some of the physical stresses of daily living that hamper your ability to exercise. You will find that exercising is much easier when you are not struggling with nagging pain and stiffness. With less joint pain, exercising becomes much easier giving you a better chance of attaining your weight and fitness goals.

Sincerely,

Dr. Steve Jones

Your San Diego Chiropractor

(619) 280-0554

Are you a text driver?  Shame on you!.

This Person is Texting While Driving – Not Good for Your Wallet or Your Life Expectancy.

Recent reports have exposed the dangers of texting while driving. These reports have led to new laws and regulations in my state of California that intend to help drivers avoid automobile accidents and the accompanying whiplash injuries and other more severe injuries or deaths. Since I treat many patients with whiplash type injuries in my San Diego Chiropractic Office I can verify that many of them were involved in accident with other people who are either texting or talking on the phone.

One of the most revealing studies regarding texting while driving came from the Virginia Tech Driving Institute. This study found that drivers who text while driving are 23 times more likely to cause an accident than those who don’t text while driving.  A separate report from the National Safety Council found that nearly 30% of all car accidents are caused by texting or talking on the phone (hands free or not).  Another recent report from the Department Of Transportation indicated that cell phones played a role in over 1.5 million accidents each year resulting in a half a million injuries and over 5000 deaths.

These statistics make you want to do nothing but drive while you are in the car – don’t they?  Whiplash injuries are serious and can result in neck pain, pain that radiates into your arms, middle back pain, lower back pain, headaches, etc.

Insure your own safety by avoiding texting while driving and watch out for other text-drivers!

Yours in Good Health,

Dr. Steve Jones

Click Here For Your San Diego Chiropractor

(619) 280-0554

Do you struggle with losing weight or maintaining your weight?

Are you finding it difficult to get into shape – especially if you are struggling with joint pain?

It should be no surprise that chiropractic treatment can help you lose weight and get into better shape by making exercise more comfortable or pain free. In my San Diego Chiropractic Practice we work with patients everyday who use our care for the sole purpose of helping them lose weight and get into better shape.

I don’t want to miss-lead you - there isn’t a chiropractic treatment that will stimulate your system to lose weight and tone muscle. There are many people, however, that don’t exercise because of various aches and pains that can often be helped with chiropractic treatment. If you are avoiding exercise because of joint pain you may be able to take significant steps towards improving your health through exercise by utilizing chiropractic care to restore healthy, pain free range of motion to your stiff or aching joints.

People get out of shape and gain weight for a variety of reasons. In many cases, acute neck pain, headaches or back pain prevents healthy exercise habits leading to de-conditioning and weight gain. In other cases, chronic pain from specific injuries in your past that have not healed correctly can cause lingering joint pain and stiffness resulting in limited activity or even no exercise at all.

In many cases chiropractic care can reduce or eliminate joint pain, improve your joints’ range of motion and relieve the physical stresses of daily living that may be interfering with your ability to exercise. You will find that exercising is much easier when it isn’t accompanied by nagging pain or stiffness. With less joint pain exercise becomes easier providing you with better chances of attaining your weight and or fitness goals.

Have a Great Day

Dr. Jones

Click here for your San Diego Chiropractor

(619) 280-0554

Does low energy effect you desire to exercise? Especially in the mornings? Of course fatigue is always magnified if you have neck pain or back pain at the same time.

I hear patients in my San Diego Chiropractic clinic complain about be too tired to exercise – especially in the mornings on a regular basis. Many of these patients also state that exercise after their work day is even more difficult.

One common thread that I see in these low energy patients is artificial stimulants. Most of these patients “can’t start their day without coffee”. This craving is part of a self fulfilling cycle that includes drinking caffeinated drinks during the day, eating foods that are low in nutrient density (read as fast foods / packaged foods), staying up too late at night and then sleeping poorly because of the caffeine that was consumed during the day. The fact that most of my patients are experiencing some sort of back pain or neck pain doesn’t help either as pain in itself is fatiguing.

This is a challenging cycle to break. The most logical way to real these habits in is to start by eating healthier and getting proper nutrition. Eating healthier will provide more nutrient dense food which will give you more energy. Once you start to feel the benefits of a healthier diet (should be a matter of a few days) you will have noticeably less fatigue and you can start to wean your self off of caffeinated drinks. I always recommend slowly getting off caffeine because many experts consider it the most abused non-prescription drug and it does tend to cause withdrawal symptoms if you rush this dependency break. You can see how all of this is coming together. Eating healthier foods, drinking less coffee and getting more sleep (at least 7 hours per night) will give you better energy allowing you to exercise more frequently and with greater intensity.

If you find yourself stuck in a cycle of fatigue, coffee, and low energy, the strategy described in the paragraph above can help you recapture a healthy, energized lifestyle. Lack of sleep will make you tired – drinking coffee will give you a boost while stressing your adrenal glands which in long run becomes a negative as far as energy levels go – and finally, skipping workouts results in a big energy drain as well.

The fix for this is simple. Get more sleep, don’t trade exercise for coffee and eat a healthier diet.

Sincerely,

Dr. Steve Jones

Click Here For Your San Diego Chiropractor

(619) 280-0554

There comes a point in every ones life when it is time to try something new. This is what we (chiropractors) have been seeing with our patients over the years. When you look at the vast range of doctors and what they specialize in, Chiropractors fill that slot that specializes in pinched nerves that typically cause neck pain, back pain, headaches etc.

Despite this general categorization that people associate chiropractors with, as recent as the early 1980s only about 5% of the U.S. population had visited a chiropractor. My last post gave some figures taken from a recent FSU study of Americans and their choices of healthcare providers and found that the percentage of U.S. residents that had been treated by a chiropractor had risen to nearly 45%. Of that 45% of people who had been to a chiropractor, over 90% reported a satisfactory experience and stated that they would return for chiropractic care in the future.

Aside from the fact that I am a Chiropractor and I know that my treatments are of considerable help to my patients, I am thrilled that some of the negative stigma regarding chiropractic care as a whole is fading. Between the many established benefits of chiropractic care and the many dangers of medications and other medical treatments (4000 times more dangerous according to the FSU report), public opinion has swayed to a supportive stance toward chiropractic treatment.

Chiropractic treatment plays an essential role in natural health care. I have practiced in San Diego for over 15 years. During that period, we have treated many patients for conditions that they had been treated for by their medical doctors with drugs, surgery and other uncomfortable procedures.

More often than not my office is the last stop for these patients. These people usually respond very favorably to our therapy, making improvements that were not realized with traditional medical treatment. I have always wondered how many patients take dangerous medications or undergo surgical procedures that would have experienced full recovery with natural chiropractic treatment.

Almost 100% of our population has been treated with traditional medical doctors. Only 45% of you have been to a chiropractor. Considering that nearly 80% of our adult population suffers with some form of neck pain or back pain, the percentage of patients who have been to a chiropractor are much to low considering how effective and safe chiropractic treatment actually is.

Next time you find yourself complaining of neck or back pain, do yourself a favor and seek out safe and effective chiropractic treatment.

More Coming Soon

Dr. Jones

Here’s To Your Health

Call (619) 280-0554 for an appointment
San Diego Chiropractic
Dr. Jones Your Mission Valley Doctor for :

• Whiplash Doctor
• Treating Whiplash Mission Valley SD
• Whiplash Treatment San Diego
• Whiplash Personal Injury Claims
• Work Related Injury
• Sport Injury Pain Relief

Sit Up, Stand Tall!!! We have all heard these commands from a parent, grandparent, teacher or our doctors.

I remember hearing this command when I was a kid and I always thought of it as adult badgering. That being said, there are good reasons to work on your posture. I find that poor posture contributes to the health issues of approximately half of the patients of my San Diego Chiropractic Center. The following list gives five reasons for you to work on improving your posture.

1) It doesn’t look good. Poor posture is unattractive making us appear to be tired, dis-interested and lacking in confidence.

2) It wears you down. Poor posture is due to muscular imbalance and weakness. For example, when our heads are jutted forward the muscles in our necks and upper backs have to work much harder. This extra work creates a stretch weakness that results in fatigue, muscle tension headaches, neck pain, back pain, etc.

3) It leads to pain. The pain from poor posture can be significant and even result in disability. Overworked, weakened muscles cause a build up of lactic acid resulting in muscular pain. Chronic postural stress can also cause joint pain and pinched nerves.

4) It makes you injury prone. Chronic postural stress causes sprain/strain injuries that can make ordinary house chores much more likely to result in injuries.

Over my nearly 20 years of practice I have seen patients cancel chiropractic appointments in favor of manicures, tanning sessions and for after-work drinks with their co-workers. Despite the fact that poor posture can have series health consequences, I understand that these consequences may not be what motivates people to correct their posture. If not for the negative health effects, work on your posture for vanity. Good posture will make you feel better and look better!

Jones Pain Relief Clinic
10415 San Diego Mission Rd
San Diego, CA 92108
Ph: (619) 280-0554

Here’s To Your Health

Call (619) 280-0554 for an appointment

San Diego Chiropractic

Dr. Jones Your Mission Valley Doctor for :

• Whiplash Doctor
• Treating Whiplash Mission Valley SD
• Whiplash Treatment San Diego
• Whiplash Personal Injury Claims
• Work Related Injury
• Sport Injury Pain Relief

I had a new patient that was visiting San Diego from Hawaii the other day. She was in her mid forties and had severe neck pain. She was referred to my chiropractic office in San Diego for treatment of neck pain that began after sleeping funny on the airplane.

The first thing out of her mouth when she walked into my office was “I need to tell you that I have never been to a chiropractor before and I am really nervous!”

I found out later on that she also told my assistant the same thing when she called for an appointment only at that time she used the word “scared”.

Of course my response was “why in the world are you in my office?” After all, she was on vacation, in pain and in a type of doctors’ office that she had never been to before and really wasn’t comfortable with.

It turns out the people that she was visiting were patients of mine and they thought that I could help her and she followed their lead. I also promised her that I would not recommend treatment if I wasn’t sure that I could help relieve her neck pain. I also promised her that I would keep every portion of my treatment within her comfort zone.

I examined her and found that she had the typical, “slept wrong” kind of neck pain. She couldn’t tilt her head backwards or turn it to the right side without wincing in pain. She definitely had a classic pinched nerve.

I asked her if she had done anything for it since it started hurting and she said that she had been using heat to help sooth it. I hear this often. People use heat because it is soothing. I explained to her that heat actually causes more inflammation and that she should switch to ice packs right away.

I could tell that she was getting more and more comfortable with me and she was getting more comfortable with being at the chiropractor.

I told her that getting a chiropractic adjustment would help restore her range of motion, that it probably wouldn’t hurt and that I would not need to see her more than 5 to 6 times based on what I saw in the examination.

With nervous anticipation, she let me adjust her neck. She let out a little yelp when I adjusted the joints on the right side of her neck and then immediately said “THAT FELT GOOD - IT FELT LIKE EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED”.

I ended up treating her three times - Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. She told me that she was completely healed after Tuesdays’ treatment but she wanted to get treated one more time “just to make sure”.

She told me that she gets the stiff neck five or six times a year and normally it takes about ten days to totally resolve. She was elated that it only took two days this time and she said that she was so happy that she tried chiropractic care.

The patient also said that she was going to find a chiropractor in Hawaii to begin maintenance treatments. I thought that was an excellent idea.

More Coming Soon

Here’s To Your Health

Call (619) 280-0554 for an appointment

San Diego Chiropractic

Dr. Jones Your Mission Valley Doctor for :

• Whiplash Doctor
• Treating Whiplash Mission Valley SD
• Whiplash Treatment San Diego
• Whiplash Personal Injury Claims
• Work Related Injury
• Sport Injury Pain Relief