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Chiropractic Better Than Drugs for Back Pain

In our Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA practice, Dr. Jamie Stern has helped many people recover from back pain. If you suffer from back pain, you've probably been tempted to take drugs to reduce the discomfort. You should understand that studies have shown that chiropractic is oftentimes a much healthier alternative than drugs when it comes to alleviating this particular type of pain.

In a 2013 report published in the medical journal Spine researchers included 101 subjects who had experienced back pain for more than 48 hours. Each one was then assigned to one of three groups. The first group, which consisted of 37 people, received chiropractic treatment and a placebo of the drug diclofenac. The second group of 38 individuals received sham chiropractic adjustments and the actual drug. The third group of 25 individuals served as the control as those subjects received sham chiropractic and also received the placebo, thus having no real treatment at all.

All of the participants who received some form of treatment, whether through chiropractic care or the NSAID, fared better than the control subjects who had no actual therapy. However, when the two active groups were compared to each other, the people who received chiropractic care had results that were "significantly better" than those who took the medications.

Chiropractic Promotes Natural Healing

Because chiropractic care is non-invasive and doesn't use drugs, it helps enhance healing without adverse effects. For instance, NSAIDs can result in ulcers, high blood pressure, and other serious health issues. Plus, the benefits of chiropractic care last longer as it's purpose designed to correct the source of the problem, not just treat the signs and symptoms.

If you're ready to get help for your back pain naturally, then chiropractic is for you. Make an appointment in our Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA office with Dr. Jamie Stern today at (415) 308-7636. We'll help relieve your back problems in a healthy way!

References

von Heymann WJ, Schloemer P, Timm J, Muehlbauer B. Spinal high-velocity low amplitude manipulation in acute nonspecific low back pain: a double-blind randomized controlled trial in comparison with diclofenac and placebo. Spine 2013;38(7):540-548.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome is a common condition after a car crash, and it's something that Dr. Jamie Stern sees often in our Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA office. Let's look at the root cause of thoracic outlet syndrome after a car accident and see how your chiropractor can help.

The thoracic outlet is a bundle of nerves and blood vessels that travel through your neck and shoulder to your arm. These vessels don't have a lot of space, so they travel underneath and between the strong bands of muscles that support your head.

In a collision, these muscles can be stretched and strained. If damaged, the muscles become swollen and tender, and they can develop scar tissue which restricts motion and puts pressure on the tissues of the thoracic outlet. Pressure on the nerves can cause tingling or pins and needles in the shoulder, elbow and even the hand. Pressure on the blood vessels can also cause problems in the arm.

Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA Thoracic Outlet Treatment

Chiropractic can be an effective way to treat thoracic outlet syndrome, as Dr. Jamie Stern will help improve mobility in your spine and restore normal nerve function in your neck and shoulder.

You don't have to suffer from thoracic outlet syndrome. Dr. Jamie Stern is conveniently located in Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA to help you heal, whether you've been in an auto collision or not. First, we'll do a careful assessment to determine the root cause of your problem, and then decide how to restore your body's natural functioning. Call us today at (415) 308-7636 if you have questions or would like to make an appointment.

Many people experience headache pain, and tension headaches are a common problem in our busy world. Postural problems and stress are common sources of tension headaches, and ones that Dr. Jamie Stern and the team here in our Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA chiropractic office have a lot of experience in treating.

Research Proves Chiropractic Eases Tension Headaches

The scientific literature confirms our findings: A 2016 study from Spain managed a group of 76 men and women with chronic tension headaches. The participants were divided into four treatment groups: 19 patients were treated with suboccipital inhibition (the doctor presses on the tight tissues at the top of the spine); 19 with chiropractic adjustments; 19 with both adjustments and suboccipital inhibition; and 19 received no treatment.

The authors discovered that the spinal adjustments were beneficial at relieving pain, and that the best results were found when adjustments were coupled with the suboccipital inhibition.

When we get stressed out, the nerves and tissues in the neck can be disrupted, resulting in pain. Chiropractic works by removing these strains and restoring the normal nerve function to the tissues.

We're Here to Help Patients Find Help From Tension Headaches

If you live in Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA and are struggling with any kind of headache, we're here to help you get relief. Call Dr. Jamie Stern today at (415) 308-7636 for an appointment or more information.

Citation

Espi-Lopez GV, Rodriguez-Blanco C, Oliva-Pascual-Vaca A, et al. Do manual therapy techniques have a positive effect on quality of life in people with tension-type headache? A randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Physical Rehabilitation Medicine 2016; February 29.

Chiropractic is centered on the philosophy of aiding your body to naturally heal through spinal adjustments and lifestyle changes that encourage overall health. For Dr. Jamie Stern, this involves working to restore your body's normal performance to avoid the need for medications or surgery. We find that most of our Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA patients are happy to find a natural answer for their health problems.

One benefit of chiropractic is that it helps people minimize or eliminate the use of drug treatments. Prescription medications are frequently issued to individuals who have back soreness. This is such a significant problem that the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) issued a report stating that opioid (painkiller) dangers outweigh the benefits when administered for back pain.

Some of the most common opiates, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, include hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet), morphine, and codeine. Numbers supplied by the AAN mention the fact that about half of the people taking these types of substances for a period of three months are still dependent on them five years later. This can further complicate the difficulty of back pain and healing, particularly if an narcotic dependency arises.

Compare that to chiropractic care which incorporates natural healing and the benefits are obvious. While a drug might be helpful at briefly relieving the discomfort of a health condition, it's not a real solution to the problem. Drugs can't fix your injured spine; it will only mask the pain.

Dr. Jamie Stern will first examine you to get to the root of your back problems and then work with you to solve the problem -- without any risky medications.

If you're ready for relief, naturally, give our Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA office a call at (415) 308-7636 to make an appointment with Dr. Jamie Stern.

References

• Risk of opioids outweigh benefits for headache, low back pain, other conditions. American Academy of Neurology;September 29, 2014.
• What are opioids? National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/prescription-drugs/opioids/what-are-opioids

We treat many car accident cases in in our Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA office, and a widespread symptom we see in our patients is back pain. Your chiropractor can be very helpful for back pain symptoms after a crash. Let's see what causes back pain and why chiropractic works.

During a rear-end motor vehicle accident, your car and car seat are rapidly accelerated forward against your torso. Since car seats don't perfectly align with the curve of your back, the seat can put uneven force on your lower back. This can cause some of your spinal vertebrae to move in one direction while an adjacent vertebrae might move in another direction. This differential movement can sprain or strain the structures that hold your spine together. These types of injuries can cause chronic back pain if not treated promptly. Fortunately, chiropractic is one of the most effective ways to treat back pain.

Dr. Jamie Stern has been helping patients in Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA since 2006, so we know what you're experiencing. We're here to help you, too. First, we'll do a careful assessment to establish the root cause of your problem, and then decide how to restore your body's natural functioning. Call us today at (415) 308-7636 if you have questions or would like to make an appointment.

In our Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA office, it isn't uncommon for us to see patients suffering with sciatica, and Dr. Jamie Stern has helped many of them heal with chiropractic. What makes chiropractic care so useful to those who suffer with this condition? First off, it reduces their recovery time and a Norwegian medical study confirms it.

In the article, which took place in a Norwegian hospital's orthopedic division, the authors looked at 44 patients who presented with abrupt low back pain that was identified as acute sciatica. The participants were all treated by a chiropractor, with the mean follow-up being two years after treatment.

The authors found that all but two patients returned to their jobs after receiving chiropractic treatment, which is a 95% success rate. What's more, the average period of time that the patients spent off work "was reduced by two thirds as compared with that associated with conventional medical treatment."

Considering that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that over 170,000 workdays were lost in 2013 due to employees dealing with back or spine-related issues, that is nearly 112,500 work days that could potentially be recovered each and every year solely by receiving chiropractic care. Not only would that increase work productivity, but it would also decrease costs to businesses and employees from lost work.

If you live in Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA and you suffer from sciatica, Dr. Jamie Stern is here to assist. Give us a call at (415) 308-7636 and we'll work with you to find the root cause of your sciatica and get you back on the road to recovery.

Orlin JR, Didriksen A. Results of chiropractic treatment of lumbopelvic fixation in 44 patients admitted to an orthopedic department. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2007;30(2):135-139.

Neck and headache pain are common problems that affect millions of men and women around the world. If you suffer from this type of condition, you're not alone. The good news is that chiropractic care is an excellent way to not only treat these common issues, but also help prevent future episodes.

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps With Neck Pain and Headaches

For many years, people with neck and headache pain in Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA have been helped by the chiropractic adjustments of Dr. Jamie Stern. Our experience is supported by a recent review done in Canada that found that non-surgical, non-drug solutions are the best choice for neck and headache pain.

The review looked at 15 studies from 1990 to 2015 and found that conservative treatment comprised of chiropractic adjustments, exercises, and stretches was advisable before resorting to drugs or more invasive procedures.

Past studies have shown that chiropractic is effective and safe for neck pain and many other health conditions.

We Can Help Patients Find Comfort From Neck Pain and Headaches

If you're suffering from neck pain or headaches, Dr. Jamie Stern and our staff are here to help you feel better. Give our Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA office a call today at (415) 308-7636 for an appointment today.

Reference

Varatharajan S, Ferguson B, Chrobak K, et al. Are non-invasive interventions effective for the management of headaches associated with neck pain? An update of the Bone and Joint Decade Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury Management (OPTIMa) Collaboration. European Spine Journal 2016; February 6:1-29.

There are many different kinds of headache, but one of the most common types is known as "cervicogenic headache," or headaches that start in your neck.

Dr. Jamie Stern sees a lot of patients in our Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA office who are struggling with recurring headaches. Fortunately, chiropractic adjustments can usually help, potentially reducing these types of headaches by 50 percent, and research confirms it.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps With Cervicogenic Headaches

A study was conducted involving 80 participants who reported experiencing at least five cervicogenic headaches during the prior three months. The goal was to see how effective chiropractic was for this type of head pain, as well as to determine the number of treatment sessions required to achieve a positive effect.

The subjects were split into four separate groups, so that each group was similar in age, gender, number of cervicogenic headaches, and their intensity. Of the four groups, two engaged in chiropractic treatments and two received light massage. Furthermore, one group assigned to each treatment received eight sessions and the other patients received double that amount.

Each person was assessed based on head pain, neck pain, and disability prior to the study and 12 and 24 weeks after treatment was complete. The authors found that those who received chiropractic as opposed to massage reported fewer headaches at the conclusion of the study. Furthermore, improvements were maintained when checked six months after treatment ended.

Additionally, patients who were taking medications for their headaches were able to lower their intake after completing the study. Those who received chiropractic adjustments had lower medication usage 24 weeks post-study.

We Can Help People Find Relief From Head Pain

Dr. Jamie Stern has helped many patients who were suffering from headaches in our Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA office. Call us today at (415) 308-7636 for more information or for an appointment.

Reference

Haas M, Spegman A, Peterson D, Aickin M, Vavrek D. Dose response and efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic cervicogenic headache: a pilot randomized controlled trial. The Spine Journal 2010; 10: 117-128.

Dr. Jamie Stern sees many people weekly in our busy Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA chiropractic office who are looking for relief from the pain and suffering they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the medical research confirms that chiropractic care is a successful way to treat herniated disc problems.

Don't Suffer! Dr. Jamie Stern and Chiropractic Care Helps With Disc Herniation

One particular research project involved 27 people, 8 male and 19 female, who had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirming a disc herniation in either their neck or lower back. The people reported that they were experiencing pain, reduced range of motion, and sensory problems bad enough to keep them off work.

Over the course of the research study, the individuals were treated using one of two common chiropractic methods: traction for herniated discs in the cervical area or flexion distraction for the patients who had herniation issues in the lumbar area.

Each individual was seen four or five times per week for the first two weeks, then three times weekly, and then as needed for the remainder of the study. Depending on the seriousness of the disc herniation, treatment ranged anywhere from six weeks to six months, with MRIs being conducted at a variety of stages to identify what impact, if any, the chiropractic care was having in regard to the disc herniation.

Research Proves Chiropractic Helps With Back Pain and Herniated Disc

The authors found that 80 percent of the participants experienced a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced pain and a reduction in other issues, such as numbness. Furthermore, 77 percent of these subjects also showed MRI evidence that their disc herniation was either reduced or resolved completely. This resulted in 78 percent of the study subjects being able to return to their place of employment and led the authors to conclude that chiropractic adjustments is both "safe and helpful" for disc herniations.

If you have a herniated disc and suffer from chronic back pain and are near Dr. Jamie Stern in Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA, contact our office today to see what chiropractic can do for you!

Reference
BenEliyahu, DJ. Magnetic resonance imaging and clinical follow-up: study of 27 patients receiving chiropractic care for cervical and lumbar disc herniations. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1996;19(9):597-606.

In our Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA practice, we see plenty of people who are suffering from back pain, and a few of these people have been informed they might need surgery to recover. Thankfully, Dr. Jamie Stern has helped many people get relief without the need for any type of surgery. The science confirms the success we see in our office. One medical study published in the medical journal Spine found that seeing a chiropractor as your first step in overcoming with your back issues may actually keep you off of the operating table.

In this scientific study, medical professionals from Dartmouth reviewed statistics from about 1,900 workers from Washington state who first saw either a surgeon or a chiropractor for their back-related issues. They then looked at three years' worth of follow-up medical data to find out whether the patients wound up having back surgery in an attempt to treat the issue.

What the researchers discovered was that about 43% of the men and women who first saw a surgeon for their back issues ended up in surgery in that 3-year time span, whereas only 1.5 percent of those who first consulted with a chiropractor had the same fate. The authors wrote:

"Even after controlling for injury severity and other measures, workers with an initial visit for the injury to a surgeon had almost nine times the odds of receiving lumbar spine surgery compared to those seeing primary care providers, whereas workers whose first visit was to a chiropractor had significantly lower odds of surgery."

These are impressive results. Visiting a chiropractor considerably decreases your odds of getting back surgery, plus the chiropractic patients in this report "had lower odds of chronic work disability" and they also had fewer expensive MRI tests.

Let's also keep in mind this important detail: this study was carried out by orthopedic surgeons from Dartmouth College, and printed in the world's most distinguished medical journal on spinal injuries.

Why You Should Avoid Surgery

Any surgical procedure has risks, but a serious downside related to spinal surgery is that there is a very high rate of failure. In an important analysis in the European Spine Journal, researchers wrote:

"Failed back surgery is a problem that has become sufficiently widespread to even warrant its own special conferences, with recent reviews reporting failure rates ranging from 5 to 50%."

The experts in this same study concluded:

"It is extremely difficult to identify unequivocal predictor factors that can be used to accurately predict the outcome of surgery."

As a chiropractor, Dr. Jamie Stern believes that surgery should be the absolute last choice for treating back pain. Chiropractic works to restore your spine to its normal function--without the need of high-risk surgery or drugs--and many research studies have confirmed the usefulness of chiropractic for back pain.

If you live in Sunnyvale & San Francisco, CA and you need relief for your back pain, give our practice a call today at (415) 308-7636 for a consultation or an appointment. We'll help get you back on the road to a pain-free life!

Studies

• Keeney BJ, Fulton-Kehoe D, Turner JA, Wickizer TM, Chan KC, Franklin GM. Early predictors of lumbar spine surgery after occupational back injury: results from a prospective study of workers in Washington State. Spine 2013;38(11):953-964.
• Mannion AF, Elfering A. Predictors of surgical outcome and their assessment. European Spine Journal 2006;15(Suppl 1):S93-S108.