Neck pain is a frequently encountered problem in society. It is associated with a significant decrease in quality of life and a significant increase in time off work, which is associated with a decrease in national economic productivity. Patients typically present to either their primary care doctor or the emergency room with complaints of moderate-to-severe… Read more »
My experience as a practitioner providing care to dry eye patients has led me to be significantly more cautious about the risk of potential damage to the ocular surface. Nowadays, I am much more judicious when recommending any type of eyelid surgery, especially with patients that have had laser vision correction. The majority of dry… Read more »
Dr. Jones, a busy local surgeon, presented with a six-week history of knee pain, which was not improved with aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication. A knee MRI showed moderate to severe osteoarthritis without a definitive surgical indication. Dr. Jones was offered an image-guided cortisone injection directly into the knee joint, and 48 hours after the… Read more »
Pain is a universal experience of the human condition. It has a protective function to notify us of damage occurring to the body so we may make changes and avoid further injury. In many cases, pain may continue beyond the usual tissue healing time and become a prolonged excruciating life-altering problem. We are in the… Read more »
Only in the past thirty years has stretching been widely accepted as a valuable part of exercise. In this country, many of us grew up playing sports with little to no stretching warm up or cool down, and for some (amateur golfers and equestrians come to mind), that routine – or lack thereof – continues… Read more »
Low back pain is a very common health problem for 60 to 70 percent of people, according to the World Health Organization. Studies suggest the highest incidence of low back pain starts when patients are in their 30s and increases until the age of 60-65. The 2010 Global Burden of Disease Study estimated that low… Read more »
Everyone experiences acute or short term pain during their life. 80% of the U.S. population experiences low- to mid-back pain while others experience persistent pain without relief. Why do some patients with acute pain overcome their pain while other patients develop long-term, debilitating pain? The answer lies in how the pain is perceived by the… Read more »
Everyone knows that icing injuries can be very beneficial. Fortunately, technology has advanced and the days of submerging into a tub full of chilling ice water have given way a simpler, more comfortable and more effective method, nitrogen driven whole body cryotherapy (Cryo). Medical doctors initially praised the benefits of Cryo on arthritis and inflammatory… Read more »
Fascia is the soft tissue component of the connective tissue system that permeates the human body. An integral part of the musculoskeletal system, fascia forms a whole-body, continuous, 3D matrix of structural support that also penetrates and surrounds all of the body’s vital organs, providing an ongoing physiological support for the body’s metabolically active systems.… Read more »
What are the most common ailments those over 65 share? To answer that question, we turned to gerontologist Gregory Pecchia, DO, FACOFP, from Eisenhower Medical Center which was recognized as “high performing in the area of Geriatrics” in the latest U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings. Dr. Pecchia has been practicing in the… Read more »
Over the last year approximately 20% of my patients came in with a primary complaint of low back pain. The patient can often pinpoint a moment when he lifted an object or moved a certain way, and all of a sudden had onset of pain that ultimately sent him to our clinic. Alternatively, other patients… Read more »
Is it hard to walk, stand or just move? Taking the weight off your joints and legs and practicing controlled movements through aquatic physical therapy is a great way to improve mobility without the limits of gravity and pain. The buoyancy of water has significant benefits that go beyond relieving pressure on your body. By… Read more »
When Terry Wahls, MD, was in the Valley in May, Susan Butler of Kinetix Performance Center invited her to try Cryotherapy. Dr. Wahls was not familiar with the treatment, but understood the benefits of extreme cold for inflammation, and often took ice baths for the restless leg syndrome that accompanied her multiple sclerosis. “Restless leg… Read more »
It is estimated that 30%, or 116 million, Americans are living with chronic pain, an active long-term pain syndrome that can commence after an illness, surgery, or from an unknown etiology. No matter how it begins it can wreak havoc on mind, body, and spirit. Chronic pain is associated with higher rates of anxiety and… Read more »
Bending forward to put on shoes, a quick reach to catch a falling pencil, or even simply rolling over in bed. Typically, the onset of new low back pain is initiated by a seemingly harmless activity; all of a sudden you go from high functioning to debilitating pain. As you begin to contemplate skipping work… Read more »
For most of her life, Connie Sandoval of La Quinta slept 3-4 hours a night. Her insomnia began at age 7 and became her way of life. Now 34, she has tried everything recommended and prescribed from melatonin, lavender, teas, and homeopathy, to sleeping pills, new mattresses, and targeted exercise. Nothing worked, until she found… Read more »
If you were watching the 2012 Summer Olympics, you saw many athletes walking around with colorful tape applied to various parts of their bodies. Many were experiencing aches and pains, while others just needed a little protective security for muscular support. This trendy looking modality is called Kinesiotape™. In 1973, Dr. Kenzo Kase, a well-known… Read more »
More than 45 million Americans suffer from chronic headaches or migraines with the pain impacting every aspect of their lives. Relief is commonly found in prescription and over-the-counter drugs which can unfortunately have long-term side effects. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and acupuncture have successfully treated headaches and migraines (as well as their underlying causes) for… Read more »
Low back pain is the fifth most common reason for individuals to visit their physician, and it will occur in approximately 80% of individuals at some point in their life.1 Nationally, those doctor visits cost an estimated $100 billion cumulatively in a given year.2 Often back pain can be easily relieved through physical therapy which… Read more »
Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and…headaches? When it comes to being all-American, having at least one episode of head pain occurs in 90% of the American population. Researchers who have studied the prevalence of headache in adults in the United States report a high correlation with complaints of neck pain. When a headache originates from… Read more »
