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Treatment for Spinal Stenosis: How Can Chiropractic Care Bring Low Back Pain Relief

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Spinal stenosis involves a gradual narrowing process of the spinal canal. Your spinal canal is located in your lower back undergoes tremendous stress throughout your life. One of the many reasons why it is important to take care of your spine at all times as best as you can. As we age, the probability is higher for this narrowing process. When this space gets smaller it takes away room from the spinal cord and its nerves which are vital for proper function and can lead to problematic and uncomfortable symptoms. There are many actions that can cause spinal stenosis, all leading to one outcome of disrupting the function of the spine.

What Can Cause Spinal Stenosis?

 What Can Cause Spinal Stenosis? SF Custom Chiropractic, san francisco chiropractor

Degeneration Causes Spinal Stenosis:

Most people who are affected by spinal stenosis are over the age of 50. It can be caused by degenerative changes that soften the spinal canal which prevents its function of protecting your spinal cord. Herniated discs may also crack over time and some parts can make their way into your spinal canal and add pressure on your spinal cord.

Injuries Cause Spinal Stenosis:

Traumas and injuries can also cause spinal stenosis as it can be an abrupt change or even overgrowth within the spine. Car accidents and other forceful accidents can dislocate or fracture vertebrae and just like cracked herniated discs, can travel to your spinal cord causing disruption and pain. Bone Spurs from Osteoarthritis can form from wear and tear over time on your spine. These growths can also fill in that space in the spinal canal and add pressure to the nerves.

How to Remedy Spinal Stenosis:

These causes all have one thing in common, they invade the space in the spinal canal which puts unwanted pressure on the spinal cord. Our chiropractors will assess your issue and decide the best treatment for your spine. We will review 3 basic approaches.

    1. Conservative Medical Approach: This treatment involves resting the body in bed, analgesic specifically for pain relief for your spine, applying heat to the area, and utilizing muscle relaxants
    2. Conservative Chiropractic Approach: Our bread and butter, we use exercise and self-care techniques that help manipulate the body to healing itself and find relief
    3. Surgery: Surgery is an option and through removing those pieces disrupting the spinal canal will provide pressure release from the spinal cord. However, in most cases, symptoms return and surgery has been needed to repeat after a few years.

Seek Help for Spinal Stenosis & Natural Low Back Pain Relief with San Francisco Chiropractors

If you have a mild case of spinal stenosis, we believe we will be able to help you through our non-invasive natural approach. Chiropractic visits will help relieve your pain and maintain improvements of your condition. If you have any questions about our treatments or how we can help relieve your symptoms of spinal stenosis, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our staff and doctors .

Contact us to set up your consultation for pain relief today!

How Can I Fix My Bad Posture?

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You’ve heard it a million times; stand up straight, don’t slouch, keep your head up! We might have felt like it was nagging but, it was truly meant to benefit us in the long run. Having good posture goes beyond looking confident and graceful. Having your body in the right position makes sure that your spine is aligned to help your body function properly and move it’s best. So no matter what activity you are doing whether it is fitness related or even just during your daily routine, always keep your posture in mind. 

SF Custom Chiro, san francisco, chiropractor, posture, how to fix your posture

Is my posture really that bad?

Take a moment to evaluate your posture right now. Are you sitting or standing upright? Are you slouching? Are you in any pain? Now reassess your posture so that your spine is straight and shoulders are back. Try to relax and feel what proper posture feels like. If you made quite a few adjustments, your posture might have been worse than you thought. Even if you are thinking it is still “not that bad”, any time you are not practicing good posture, you deny your body the chance to function properly and give you the strength you need to perform your daily movements. Here are some tips to help you realign your body in the most common positions.

How to Fix Your Posture:

Tips to Fix Posture When Sitting:

Keep your head straight and do your best to not tilt your head up or down. Make sure your feet are flat on the floor, for you leg crossers we know this is a hard one. Working on making it a habit. If you sit for long periods of time every day or struggle with reminding yourself of your posture try using a posture corrector to help relieve that back pain and counteract slouching.

Tips to Fix Posture When Standing:

Keep your shoulders back, don’t stick your chest out but align it perpendicular to the ground. Use those ab muscles to help you stand up straight and don’t stand in the same position for too long, your body will get tired of it and resort to slouching. Keep moving.

Tips to Fix Posture When Lifting:

We’ve all heard stories of backs getting thrown out from lifting a heavy object. If an object is too heavy to get underneath to carry it, get some help. Be smart about your lifting and when you do, keep your back straight and upright and make sure your feet and knees are pointed in the direction of the object as you lift it. This will also help prevent low back pain and injuries.

Tips to Fix Posture When Walking:

While many of us like to multitask as we are walking from one place to the other we still need to be mindful of our posture. That means, lay off on the phone use while walking, your neck and back will thank you. Keep your chin parallel to the ground and don’t arch your back. When you step, hit the ground heel to toe.

Maintain a Healthy Back with Chiropractic in San Francisco

Improving your posture can take some time to develop those healthy habits. If you are experiencing chronic pain, come see us for chiropractic alignments to relieve your pain and help your body and posture stay aligned.

Ask us about Custom Orthotics. Often times the shape of our feet causes unbalance and we may need custom help.

Our team is dedicated to helping you live a healthy and happy active lifestyle. Give us a call at 415-639-9166 to schedule your first or next wellness appointment!

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What Causes Herniated Discs?

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Pain caused by herniated discs may seem to suddenly occur, however, it is usually coming from a process over time. The best way to treat herniated discs is to find the cause or source of the ruptured or slipped disc. Once your doctor understands the nature of your herniated disc they will be able to treat it appropriately. Your spinal discs protect your spinal cord and provide flexibility to the spine. They help you to move your head smoothly and give you proper range of motion. The most common herniated discs occur in the lower back and you may experience the low back pain and pain down your legs, some occur in the neck causing pain in the neck that can travel down your arms, and fewer occur in the chest. Herniated discs don’t happen overnight, here are some cause of herniated discs.  

Cause of Herniated Discs: Wear & Tear

Daily wear and tear on any ligament or part of the body can lead to pain. Also known as Degenerative Discs, our spinal discs can become worn out over time causing our spine to be weak and also become prone to injury. Usually it is the repetitive motions of flexion (bending forward) and twisting that cause the most wear and tear on the disc.  Don’t forget that our backs distribute and carry our entire weight all the time.

herniated discs, SF Custom Chiropractic

Cause of Herniated Discs: Injury To The Spine

A sudden injury like a car accident or even lifting a heavy object the wrong way can cause herniated discs. Sudden jerking movements or any movements that cause too much pressure on your discs will lead to that slipped or torn disc. This type of trauma can also easily cause herniated discs if they are degenerative and have been worn down.

Cause of Herniated Discs: Poor Health & Weight

We are always advocates for maintaining a healthy weight and keeping up with good nutrition. And yes, this also goes hand in hand with a healthy spine. Poor nutrition firstly, can lead to weight gain and that added weight can cause wear and tear on the discs at a faster pace, and secondly, poor nutrition means that your spine is not getting the proper nutrition to remain strong and healthy.

Pain Relief & Prevention of Herniated Discs

There’s no doubt that proper posture and spinal alignment should be a part of your daily life for a healthy spine. Keep your weight and nutrition in check and add daily back stretches and exercises instructed by an expert trainer, physical therapist or chiropractor can help protect your back and prevent injuries. Lumbar support braces, and ice are helpful for acute pain.  It was a herniated disc injury that lead Dr. Jacobs into the chiropractic profession, so he knows what it takes to get healed.  

Contact the wonderful doctors and staff at SF Custom Chiropractic to talk about your pain and your options for treating herniated discs.

What are Foot Levelers? How Orthotics Can Reduce Back Pain

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As you may or may not know, proper standing posture is incredibly important for a healthy spine and overall body balance. Your feet affect your entire body. We can’t help the way our feet grow, and it’s most likely not something you think about on a daily basis. If you have unlevel feet, it can cause misalignment or added pressure in different parts of your body disrupting its normal homeostasis. Strenuous activity, not using proper form when lifting weights or heavy objects, and improper posture, are all possible causes of low back pain. Back braces are a great temporary way to help alleviate pain while you wait to see your chiropractor for your treatment or custom orthotics.

foot levelers and custom orthotics, san francisco custom chiropractic , treat back pain with orthotics

What Are Foot Leveler Orthotics?

Custom orthotics or foot levelers help with flat feet, those with heel pain, low back and overall body imbalance. Orthotics are made to fit your unique foot. A scan is taken of your foot and that impression is used to make your custom orthotics to help improve balance to your body, reduce your back pain and relieve unwanted strains. You can still benefit from custom orthotics even if you are not experience pain. Remember pain is the last thing that shows up and first to go away.  Slight imbalances take much longer to show up as symptoms. Fatigue and pain may show up later down the road and orthotics will help prevent such imbalance. Foot levelers are also beneficial for athletes to help improve performance and total body wellness. We like Foot Levelers over other the kind of orthotics most podiatrist use because they are semi-rigid not rigid.  We have 26 bones in the our foot and are meant to allow us to walk, jump and run. Each bone is meant to have some motion not to be casted which happens with rigid orthotics.  The Foot Levelers provide guided support eliminating excessive motion of the feet but not restricting motion completely.  

Benefits of Foot Levelers and Orthotics:

  • Completely Customized
  • Achieve a Balanced Body
  • Stabilize Pelvis
  • Advanced Arch Support
  • Total Body Wellness
  • Reduce Pain
  • Daily Comfort

Where to get Foot Levelers & Custom Orthotics in San Francisco?

SF Custom Chiropractic customizes your foot leveler orthotics to specifically target your pain. We us a digital scan of your feet to get to most accurate look on how your orthotics will support your postural needs. See how foot levelers can improve your life!

If you’re in the San Francisco Bay Area (or near Santa Clara, CA), get in touch to schedule your consultation.

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How To Avoid Back Pain & Injury During the Holidays

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San Francisco, CA

The holidays are almost upon us, and we all likely still have many things to wrap up, from work to holiday shopping, to getting up the tree, and other festive traditions. The holiday time can also bring unwanted stress leading to the most common outcomes of neck and back pain. Here are some tips to help you make the rest of the holiday season more comfortable and enjoyable. 

back pain during the holidays SF Custom Chiro

Stretch to Prevent Back Injury When Decorating

Decorating you ask? With beautiful Christmas lights and elaborate decorations can come strain on your back. Climbing, bending, twisting, stretching your back to reach high and awkward places. Take a few minutes to get your body warm and stretched before you start putting up your Christmas display. A little bit goes a long way and your back will thank you for limbering up as you reach out from the top of your ladder to put the final touch on your Christmas tree.

Can You Avoid Back Pain When Traveling?

If you are traveling this holiday season, taking care of your back is probably the last thing on your to-do list. During long airplane flights or car rides, you are seated and confined which can add to your neck and back pain. There’s a reason neck pillows are popular to get yourself ready for travel. Don’t let traveling add to your stress while trying to enjoy your family time and festive activities. Especially for car trips, don’t be a stranger to rest stops to stretch your legs and back, and while on the plane, encourage yourself to stand up a few times when the seatbelt sign is off. After your travels, treat yourself to a chiropractic treatment to keep your body healthy so you can keep going. 

Overeating Can Put Pressure on Your Vertebrae & Cause Pain

Overeating probably sounds like a broken record this time of the year, however, the importance of making sure you don’t overeat is still just as high. Indulging during the holidays and partaking in serious overeating can, in fact, put pressure on your vertebrae leading to back pain. The more you eat, the more your stomach expands pushing away from your back which can cause your posture and alignment to shift. Keep your portions small when eating, not only will that help you eat less but is also healthier for your stomach to not reach the point of pain from overeating.

Let SF Custom Chiropractic Help You Take Care of Yourself

Take care of yourself this season and set aside time for a 5 or 10 minute walk, quick yoga, or even simple stretching to start your busy days. This time is helpful for your body and mind as you enjoy the busiest and joyous time of the year. Take care of yourself this holiday season and come visit us. Give yourself a gift of health and relaxation with an alignment, deep tissue massage, and total body wellness.

Check out how you can de-stress even further with a holiday deep tissue massage . If you would like to book an appointment, get in touch today.

Can Untreated Whiplash Can Turn Into Chronic Pain?

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San Francisco, CA

Being in a car accident is stressful and scary. Dealing with police reports, damaged cars, insurance, and keeping your fingers crossed that everyone is unharmed. With all of those things to take care of don’t forget to take care of you and your body. While you may be able to see visible damage to your car, you may not be able to see as clearly regarding your own body. Whiplash, being one of the most common injuries from car accidents also often goes untreated. A car accident is one of the more common instances however, whiplash can occur in other scenarios. Whiplash occurs when the head violently “whips” from one direction to another overstretching the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support the spine. Athletes who play contact sports might also experience whiplash. Leaving whiplash or any type of minor injury or chronic pain go untreated will likely result in long-term effects.

Symptoms of Whiplash

Whiplash symptoms may take just a few hours and up to a few days to appear and it is crucial to seek treatment as soon as you can. If your whiplash goes untreated you are putting your body at risk for long-term chronic pain. Some symptoms people experience are: 

  • Neck, shoulders, or head pain
  • Inability to sleep well
  • Irritability
  • Dizziness
  • Headaches

Benefits of Chiropractic Treatment for Whiplash

Who better to see than a Chiropractor if you have experienced some sort of trauma to your neck and spine. Seeing a chiropractor regularly after an accident will help you avoid long term effects that whiplash might create. The most common, chronic neck pain, can also spread through the back and shoulders. A neck brace can be helpful in the early stages of your injury as well as seeing your chiropractor.

Contact Your San Francisco Chiropractor for Whiplash Treatment

At SF Custom Chiropractic we treat all types of injuries, aches, and pains. Don’t put your health on the back burner and give us a call. From a deep tissue massage to chiropractic care, we will find the best treatment to get you feeling better and back to your life. Contact us today at to book an appointment at one of our multiple locations in the San Francisco Bay area, including the Financial District and Mission/Bernal Heights!

San Francisco Runners: Promote Better Performance & Recovery

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San Francisco, CA

Recovery, varies amongst athletes in how and when it’s done. It repairs, rests, and reenergizes your body so that you can continue training at a maximum capacity.

runner recovery SFCC

Recovery, however, does not always imply putting a halt to making fitness marks. An ice bath, foam rolling, stretching, massage may actually help more in performance than slowing down one’s progress.

Above all, sleep has been argued to be most essential to athleticism — and not just your typical 7-8 hour sleep span. Many olympic and world class athletes get 10-12 hours of sleep per night. Some athletes will even fit in a nap in addition to this long night’s sleep. Good routine sleep is very important.  Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time.  This allows an optimal environment for your body to heal.

Cheri Mah, a researcher at Stanford who has studied longer sleep and its effect on athletic performance, offers some tips for obtaining optimal sleep hygiene.

Sleep tips for runners

  • Maintain a consistent schedule (same time to go to sleep and wake up)
    • When transitioning from summer to fall, it can become easier to sleep in. Gradually, push back your bedtime over a few days, and then you wake-up time can adjust accordingly
  • Make the bedroom dark and quiet
  • Establish a pre-bed routine to wind down (stretching, reading, etc.)
  • Reduce hydration a couple hours before bedtime

Ways of promote better recovery and performance if you’re a runner

Before your running sesh:

  • If you choose to eat a meal, give yourself a few hours to digest. Otherwise, go for something that your system can easily absorb (e.g., a banana or dried fruit)
  • Drink at least 8 oz. of water a half hour out
  • Start your run with an easy stride, rather than going 100%. This will prevent more soreness
  • Track mileage with your shoes. After about 500 miles, soles will typically give, and it will be time to replace them

After:

  • Fit in a 3-5 minute cool down jog, followed by ten minutes of stretching. You can even incorporate this into your walk back to the car
  • Soak your legs in a ice bath for 7-10 minutes to treat inflammation.
  • Do “leg drains” by lying on your back with your legs extended vertically and feet and legs propped against a wall for three to four minutes. This allows clean blood to be pumped back into them. You’ll notice a difference!
  • Get a sports massage to flush out lactic acid and realign the muscles
  • Active Release Technique, which breaks up adhesions and realigns the muscles
  • Incorporate protein into your next meal to aid in the repair process

If you are a runner and looking to promote better performance and recovery, ask your San Francisco Custom Chiropractic chiropractor about Active Release Technique. For more information or to schedule an appointment at one of our Bay Area clinics, contact us here.

Driving & Back Pain

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Think back to how your doctor has advised against sitting for extended periods of time. The same caution becomes applicable to sitting in a car for several hours. Doing so can cause back pain due to poor body circulation and, therefore, oxygen loss. Some studies have even shown a direct link between sitting and obesity as the lack of physical activity cannot control your glucose levels and increases risk of diabetes.

Back pain driving

The major problem with service men and women that drive endlessly for work is that they are seated for too long. Vibration from a moving vehicle increases contractions of back muscles, resulting in back pain, and sitting inevitably encourages the body to slouch into a C-shaped posture. Sitting this way can roll the pelvis and create strain inside its ligaments. This strain and, thus, pressure on the intervertebral discs creates a huge amount of discomfort! The curve from slouching also pushes the head forward, and your neck muscles then have to exert more effort to keep the head held up. As one could image, blood flow from the head to the neck and further down the spine becomes restricted and a serious concern for injury.

Common lower back conditions associated with sitting for extended periods of time:

Sciatica

Sciatica arises from the compression of a nerve root in the lower spine. People suffering from the condition experience numbness along the sciatic nerve in the hips, legs, and feet (even the toes!). In younger adolescents, sciatica can occur from various conditions — a lumbar herniated disc or a degenerative disc disease being the most general.

Lumbar Herniated Discs

A common cause of sciatica is a herniated disc. Herniated disks are also called slipped or compressed disks. The disks rupture and irritate nearby nerves as their jelly-like center leaks. The discs function like cushions between the spinal vertebrae and minimize the impact of motion on the spinal column. They rupture when the gel-like center comes out of its external lining and presses on the sciatica nerve roots, causing sciatica or back pain.

Sacroiliitis

Sacroiliitis refers to the inflammation of either one or both of the sacroiliac joints, which are located at the point of contact between the lower spine and the pelvis. Sacroiliitis often results in pain in the lower back and buttocks that radiates down through one or both legs. The affliction can turn worse with continuous standing or climbing staircases. It is commonly seen in conjunction with injury and arthritis.

Simple remedies for reducing back pain while driving:

  • Take a break from driving, or sitting, every three hours
  • Always bend your knees when lifting items from inside to outside of your vehicle to reduce back strain
  • Maintain a proper posture while sitting and driving

If you suffer from back pain and are looking for treatment options, request an appointment here at one of our San Francisco locations.

Treating Muscle Knots With Active Release Technique (ART)

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Treating Muscle Knots With Active Release Technique (ART)

Active Release Technique (ART) is one reliable and universal way that chiropractors relieve patients of their pain through working out muscle knots. ART treatment is comparable to a deep tissue massage that breaks up adhesions and scar tissue in the soft tissues of the affected area. This technique is especially popular amongst athletes for performance and sports injuries because of its ability to target and respond to different severities and locations of the muscle adhesion or scar tissue.

How does Active Release Technique work?

When using ART, a chiropractor will begin by applying manual tension on a muscle to shorten it. The client being treated then actively lengthens the muscles by making sure that the muscle tension is held in place. The treatment may cause some initial discomfort, but it provides your body with the necessary relaxation and stretch to work through painful knots.
The main goal of an ART is to reduce fibrous adhesions while reestablishing the motions between fascia and muscles. ART creates tension on a scar tissue, which is a fibrous material created by our body to bind and connect injured tissue. However, scar tissue can sometimes bind surrounding structures, which will cause a muscle to become entrapped, pulled, and pinched under that adhesion. Even nerves can get trapped within the muscle and lead to more severe pain and associated symptoms. ART targets the injured soft tissue and restores its normal function before more painful and worrisome consequences arise.

You might consider ART a massage technique, but it is a lot more than that! A professional chiropractor follows 500 specific protocols, after becoming certified, to provide you relief through ART.

How is Active Release Technique different from other techniques?

ART technique is based on the active participation of the patient. A client will move an affected part of the body while a chiropractor presses the injured area. It is this collaboration that allows a chiropractor to feel the affected ligament or muscle as it moves under their contact.

What all can Active Release Technique treat?

ART treatment is highly effective in treating carpal tunnel syndrome, shin splints, shoulder pain, back pain, knee problems, sciatica, plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, and a number of others conditions that are a result of overused muscles.

What should I expect in an Active Release Technique session?

An ART session is a great balance between examination and treatment. While providing the ART technique, your chiropractor might use their hands to analyze the affected area in terms of tightness, texture, movement of muscles, nerves, tendons, and ligaments.

How to get Active Release Technique therapy?

Treating Muscle Knots With Active Release Technique (ART)

It is highly recommended to book your ART session only with licensed chiropractors, massage therapists, and doctors who have recent certifications in ART. A bonus to ART therapy is that it does not require any prescription, and you can easily get it by making an appointment with a certified ART provider. To book an appointment with us at one of our San Francisco Bay Area clinics, click here.

 

Pilates for a Healthy Spine: How Pilates Relates to Your Chiropractic Health

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Pilates for Chiropractic Health

Guest blog post by: Maiden Lane Studios

“You are only as young as your spine is flexible.” ~Joseph Pilates

Over the years the Pilates Method of exercise has become synonymous for not only toning and shaping dancer like bodies, but also easing back pain and preventing injuries. So, there are many obvious connections to your chiropractic healthcare. Many times the phrase “core strength” gets used to describe the method of movement because there is a major focus on building strength from the center of the body. Similarly, this is a term you will often hear your chiropractor use in treatment.

There is a direct link between spine health and core strength, but first let’s dive into what the core actually is.

The core is not just about abdominal muscles or having a “6-pack.” The core comprises a group of muscles in the body that should be equally balanced and strong. These muscles are: the rectus abdominis, the transverse abdominals, the obliques, the low back extensors, and the glute muscles. Essentially, the core is just about everything except the arms, legs, and head.

Pilates for Chiropractic Health

Pilates is a system of exercises that focuses on building strength from the core first. It places emphasis on working around what is called “neutral spinal alignment,” basically meaning that the anatomical correct alignment of the spine is the main focus on where strength is developed. This helps with the awareness of posture and how we sit and stand. When strength is built from this alignment, improperly overloading the joints with body weight (commonly seen in the low back) is significantly reduced, which helps to alleviate pain and the potential for future injury. As you can see, there are many similarities between the benefits and goals of Pilates and chiropractic work. There is also a focus on syncing the breath with movement that helps to develop a deeper mind to body connection and better body awareness.

Whether back pain or stiffness is present, or if you are looking to prevent the onset of injury, Pilates is a great option for exercise. If you are in the San Francisco area, consider checking out Maiden Lane Studios. Or, if you are ready to add massage or chiropractic care to your treatment regime, please get in touch to schedule an appointment with SF Custom Chiro.