El Cajon Chiropractor - Plantar Fasciitis, Running and Chiropractic

Plantar Fascia

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the connective tissue that travels on the bottom of your foot from your heel to your forefoot.  It can also be known as a heel spur although they’re not necessarily the same.  You may experience pain in your heel or in your arch, usually worse first thing in the morning, that gets better once you take a few steps.  The pain may come and go throughout the day.  So what's causing this?

Our tendency is to locate the source of pain and then - rub it, poke it, heat it up, cool it down, inject it, or cut it out.  While any of these may be effective, they are treating the end result, and not the source of the problem.  This is akin to replacing your right front tire of your car every 3 months because it keeps wearing down.  The problem is that your front end is misaligned and the worn out tire is the outward symptom.

Pelvic subluxation making legs uneven

The most common cause of plantar fasciitis is a subluxation (mis-alignment) of the joints in the lower half of your body.  Now I know that the first thing you thought of was "the bones of my foot are misaligned?".  Ah, ah, ah...We need to go further up the chain.  Although the source of the misalignment may be in your foot, it is significantly more common for this to be occurring in the low back or pelvis.  When your low back or pelvis become subluxated, it alters your gait (walking or running pattern).  This causes 2 things: leg-length differences leading to muscle-length differences.  This leads to excessive pull on the plantar fascia due to the altered mechanics.  One leg becomes longer, there is reduced dorsiflexion (bringing foot up towards shin) in the leg, the achilles tendon becomes tight, the arch of the foot begins flattening, this creates increased distance between the forefoot and heel and increased tension on the plantar fascia.  If this added tension on the fascia is not lessened, the body begins to change the soft tissue of the fascia into stronger tissue - bone.  Voila!  A heel spur develops on the front of the heel bone because this is where the fascia inserts and is its weakest link.  A heel spur can not be removed except by surgery, so it is imperative to receive proper treatment at the onset of symptoms to prevent spur formation.  

The major medical treatments are surgery and cortisone injections.  I don't need to tell you the complications associated with surgery.  Cortisone, on the other hand is a steroid.  As with any steroid, continued use can lead to high blood sugar, diabetes, osteoporosis, personality changes such as anxiety or depression, and increased chance of illness or infection.  Cortisone is also used to suppress the immune system.  In fact, it works so well that it is often used following an organ transplant to prevent rejection of the organ.  It works by beating down the immune system to the point where it can form an attack against the foreign organ.

Here's what to do if you start to feel the symptoms of plantar fasciitis:

1. Get adjusted – if your pelvis or low back is out of alignment, you’re putting increased stress on the foot, you may not have proper nerve supply to the muscles of the foot and leg, and your walking/running biomechanics can be off.  This step is critical because it gets to the cause of the problem and doesn't just mask the symptoms.
2. Fill a small water bottle (the standard 16.9 oz. size) with water and freeze it.  Then, take it out and roll it under the bottom of your foot, front to back.  This does 3 things: it breaks up the scar tissue which has formed and the ice reduces inflammation & and decreases the pain.
3. Take omega-3 oils – Fish or krill oil are nature’s greatest natural anti-inflammatory.
4. Get a gel heel cup – This gives your heel some cushion and raises your heel slightly which takes tension of the plantar fascia.  If you know you already have a heel spur (from a previous x-ray), get a U-shaped heel pad which puts a small gap between the center of the heel and your shoe.
5. Try a natural topical analgesic – 4X/day.  Something with menthol works great, like Sombra or Biofreeze.
6. Stretch the plantar fascia – Do this by bending your toes back towards your shin.  First, while sitting, second while standing, if symptoms persist you made need a brace that will do this while you sleep.
7. Stretch the achilles tendon.  Do this by putting your foot in a toes up position against a wall or cabinet then leaning forward until you feel a stretch in your calf.  Alternate with your leg straight and with your knee bent - this works both muscles in the calf.

Plantar fascia stretch

Calf stretch

And remember as always - This stuff works folks!

Dr. Dennis Barker DC is a Chiropractor in the Community of Fletcher Hills serving the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee and all of San Diego County.

Visit us at www.fletcherhillschiropractic.com and www.facebook.com/fletcherhillschiro

El Cajon Chiropractor - Neck pain: Chiropractic vs. Pain killers

A recent study published in The Annals of Internal Medicine compared the effectiveness of Chiropractic care against over the counter pain killers and narcotics in treating neck pain.  The results? Of the 272 study participants, 82% of those receiving Chiropractic adjustments reported significant pain relief vs. only 69% in the medication group.  Here's the best part...the results were similar after 6 months and 12 months AND the Chiropractic patients reported greater satisfaction and overall function.  But that's not all...call now and you can relief from your neck pain with NO harmful side effects.  If you didn't already know, acetametophen has been tied to kidney damage with extensive use and narcotics are addictive.  So stop suffering needlessly with an achey neck and see your local Chiropractor. This stuff works folks!

Dr. Dennis Barker DC is a Chiropractor in the Community of Fletcher Hills serving the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee and all of San Diego County.

Visit us at www.fletcherhillschiropractic.com and www.facebook.com/fletcherhillschiro

El Cajon Chiropractor - Dr. Wayne Dyer and Chiropractic

Watch this video on the current state of our nation's health and the future of Chiropractic.

Dr. Dennis Barker DC is a Chiropractor in the Community of Fletcher Hills serving the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee and all of San Diego County.

Visit us at www.fletcherhillschiropractic.com and www.facebook.com/fletcherhillschiro

El Cajon Chiropractor - How much is your health worth?

I was recently reading an article in Time mageazine regarding how much the average American spends on certain items each year.  Read it here.  It made me think about how many times my patients told "I can't afford to come in this week" or people in agonizing pain telling me "I wish I could come and see you, but I just can't afford it.  Here are some great ways for you to save a little money to put towards your chiropractic care.

Average amount spent each year on:
Coffee - $1,092
Christmas gifts - $700
Cell phone (average) - $606
Cell phone (iPhone) - $1,900
Electricity - $1,419
Health insurance - $15,073
Pet (dog) - $1,542
Pet (cat) -  $1,183
Shoes - $370
Soda - $850
Watching sports - $100
Total for these categories - $24,835

Now obviously, I'm not asking anyone to go without health insurance or electricity nor am I telling you to take your pet to the pound.  An office visit at my office is $45.00.  If you buy a package of 12, you get a 20% discount.  Therefore for you to come into my office once a month for a year, to make sure that your nervous system was functioning at 100% of its capacity to help your body function at its full potential, it would cost you $432.  Now, if you bring your spouse, and you bring in your children on kids free day, it would cost you $864 for the year.  That means your whole family could have monthly checkups for an entire year.  So how much would you have to cut back you ask?  3.5%.  That's it.  Now I ask you, isn't it worth finding a way to cut back just 3.5% in these 11 categories to help your family be well?

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" - Benjamin Franklin

Stay healthy San Diego!

Dr. Dennis Barker DC is a Chiropractor in the Community of Fletcher Hills serving the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee and all of San Diego County.

Visit us at www.fletcherhillschiropractic.com and www.facebook.com/fletcherhillschiro

El Cajon Chiropractor - Headaches and how Chiropractic can help

I know what you're thinking - "My back doesn't hurt, what the heck is a Chiropractor going to do for my headache?"  You may not know that Chiropractors, just like medical doctors, are trained for diagnosis and treatment of common conditions such as headaches.  Chirorpactors are trained how to perform a myriad of techniques to adjust the body and put it into its best form to take care of itself.  Let's take a closer look at the most common headaches.

There are 5 main types of common headaches:

• Tension headache - Often felt either on both sides of the head like a headband squeezing the head or at the base of the skull and back of the upper neck.  These headaches can last anywhere from 30 minutes to nearly non-stop for a week.  Tension headaches are caused by tight muscles around the head and neck.



Sub-occipital muscles

• What your Chiropractor can do - Chiropractic adjustments to the neck will release muscle tension in the head and neck especially the sub-occipital muscles at the base of the skull.
• What you can do - These headaches are common in people who are in a static position all day such as sitting at a computer or driving.  Stretch your neck and go through all ranges of motion once every hour or so.

• Migraine headache - Can be on one or both sides and are usually felt as throbbing.  These can last from a few hours to 3 days.  You may also experience sensitivity to light or sound and can also experience nausea and vomiting associated with the headache.  These are usually caused by a decrease in blood flow to the brain.

• What your Chiropractor can do - The vertebral artery supplies blood to the brain.  Its course is straight upward through holes in the vertebrae of the neck.  When one of these vertebrae gets out of position, it can cause a kink in the hose so to speak, decreasing blood flow to the brain.
• What you can do - Feverfew is a medicinal herb from the Chrysanthemum family and is available over the counter at health food stores.  It has been used for centuries to treat headaches and had been helpful by numerous users.  Also, consult with your Chiropractor and get your neck adjusted.

• Cervicogenic headache - May or may not have accompanying neck pain.  The muscles around the neck are usually sore if pressed upon.  These headaches are commonly confused for migraine headaches as they can have an almost identical presentation including sensitivities to light or sound.  Many of these headache sufferers have had previous trauma to the neck like a car accident but this is not always the case.  Cervicogenic headaches are caused by irritation of the nerves coming from your spinal cord at the level of your neck and traveling to the head.

Pain referring from the neck muscles to the head

• What your Chiropractor can do - The nerves of your spinal cord exit through openings created by the bottom of one vertebra and the top of the one below it.  When the vertebra of your neck are misaligned, this opening is narrowed causing irritation or compression of the nerve exiting at that level of your neck.  Chiropractic adjustments are safest and most effective way to return these vertebrae to their proper position.
• What you can do - Loss of the natural cervical curve is extremely common, especially in those who have had previous neck trauma such as a car accident.  Chiropractic care as well as therapeutic stretching and strengthening can help return this natural curve.

• Sinus headache - Felt in the face and often, but not always, have accompanying congestion.  Pain feels like pressure between the eye brows or along the sides of the nose.  These are caused by congestion of the sinuses.

Areas of pain with sinus headache

• What your Chiropractor can do - Adjusting the neck will normalize nerve function of the nerves traveling to the face and sinuses.  Also, your Chiropractor can recommend supplements to help regulate your histamine levels and dry out your sinuses. 
• What you can do - Over the counter saline solutions or a neti pot will get saltwater into the sinuses and help to dry up the mucous.  Sinus infections can lead to serious complications, so they must be taken very seriously.

 

• Cluster headache - Felt on one side, usually around the eye.  Cluster headaches may last from 15 minutes to 3 hours and can come and go multiple times throughout the day.  The pain is sharp and boring and can be associated with runny nose, watery eyes, and redness of the eyes.  These headaches are caused by irritation of the nerves which travel to the face and eyes.

• What your Chiropractor can do - The trigeminal (tri-gem-in-al) nerve exits your brain from the brain stem.  The brain stem is located just behind the first two bones in your neck.  Getting a neck adjustment can help normalize nerve function and calm down irritated nerves going to the face.
• What you can do -Avoid alcohol as it is a big-time trigger for cluster headaches.  Stress is another trigger, so find some time to relax and take some time for yourself.

Dr. Dennis Barker DC is a Chiropractor in the Community of Fletcher Hills serving the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee and all of San Diego County.

Visit us at www.fletcherhillschiropractic.com

El Cajon Chiropractor - Kids ankles and feet: How Chiropractic can help chronic sprained ankles, being "pigeon toed", and clumsiness

Parents often become concerned when they notice their child running awkwardly, being "pigeon toed" (also known as in-toeing), or when they repeatedly sprain their ankles.  Your child my trip or fall more often than seems normal, you may notice them rolling their ankles inward (AKA excessive pronation), or their foot may have a "hooked appearance".  There are three conditions which can cause these problems and depending on which condition and the age of your child they may require intervention to correct.  The good news is that serious interventions such as wearing leg braces or surgery are not usually needed in these cases.

Excessive pronation

• Tibial torsion - This is fairly common condition where the tibia or "shin bone" has not rotated into the position where it will be during adulthood.  Tibial torsion is considered normal until the age of 7 years.  However excessive toe-in between 2 and 7 years my warrant consultation with a doctor.  Your child may have excessive pronation seen by weight bearing on the big toe side of the foot much more than the pinky toe side.
• What your Chiropractor can do - Your Chiropractor can adjust a subluxated (misaligned) joints in the legs and show you how to stretch the proper muscles while strengthening others.  Your Chiropractor may also be able to fit your child with custom shoe orthotics to help correct the excessive pronation.
• What you can do - Buy shoes with flexible soles and good arch support such as athletic shoes.  Also, getting your child involved in sports or activities which emphasize running such as soccer will help to strengthen the muscles of the legs and provide good muscle length.

• Femoral torsion - This is similar to tibial torsion except in this case the femur or "thigh bone" is the one that is out of position.  This is another common condition that usually resolves on its own by 8 years of age.  Again excessive pronation may be seen as well as bowing back of the knees and an excessive curve in the low back.
• What your Chiropractor can do - Chiropractic treatment will be similar to that of tibial torsion, adjustments/stretching/strengthening only focusing on the hip instead of the knee and lower leg.
• What you can do - Again good shoes are in order.  Sports in this case should include those that work out the hips such as bicycling, ballet, or gymnastics.  Also, encouraging your child to sit cross legged will stretch the muscles holding the leg in a toe-in position.
• Metatarsus adductus - This one is a little different than the other two in that it involves the feet instead of the legs.  In this case the toe-in occurs in the foot itself.  This condition is normal until 1 year of age is a common problem in school age children.



Metatarsus adductus

• What your Chiropractor can do - Adjusting will focus on the bones of the feet and orthotics may be used if the problem persists beyond 7 years of age
• Gently stretching your child's foot toward the pinky toe several times a day will help to loosen up the tight tissues.

In all cases, it is important to ensure your children's shoes are well-fitting with plenty of room and no stress points.  Also, having your child go barefoot more often encourages better motor control and position sense.

A note on Chiropractic adjustments: Many doctors, including those at Fletcher Hills Chiropractic use low-force techniques such as Activator technique that are much more gentle and less intimidating for children.  Ask your Chiropractor what techniques he uses.

This blog post is a review of an article from the March 12th issue of Dynamic Chiropractor by Dr. Mark Charrette.  Read the entire article here Dynamic Chiropractor

Dr. Dennis Barker DC is a Chiropractor in the Community of Fletcher Hills serving the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee and all of San Diego County.

Visit us at www.fletcherhillschiropractic.com

El Cajon Chiropractor - Is Chiropractic safe during pregnancy?

You may be wondering if Chiropractic is a good idea during pregnancy.  The answer is no, it's not a good idea, it's a GREAT idea!  Here's why:

• The average weight gain during pregnancy is 25-35 pounds, shifting your center of gravity forward.  This causes an increase in the natural curve of the low back and can lead to low back pain which is very common in the later months.  Chiropractic can help normalize that curve and provide low back pain relief
• Headaches, low back pain, & nausea are common during pregnancy but pain killers and many prescriptions are not able to be taken.  Chiropractic provides a great alternative.
• A misaligned pelvis can cause there to be less room for a developing baby to grow.
• The doctors at Fletcher Hills Chiropractic are trained to care for the expectant mother, infants and children, and those having trouble conceiving.
• Fletcher Hills Chiropractic has special adjusting tables which have a drop away piece to accommodate the pregnant belly all the way up to 9 months.
• We are trained in low force techniques which are more comfortable and less rigorous during pregnancy.
• Chiropractic can not only help you the physical changes of pregnancy but Chiropractic adjustments help to ensure proper nerve supply to hormone producing glands which aids in balancing your hormone levels.
• Other benefits include: maintaining a healthier pregnancy, controlling symptoms of nausea, reducing the time of labor and delivery, relieving back, neck or joint pain, and preventing a potential cesarean delivery

The bottom line is Chiropractic is 100% safe and provides much needed relief during your special time

Dr. Dennis Barker DC is a Chiropractor in the Community of Fletcher Hills serving the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee and all of San Diego County.

Visit us at www.fletcherhillschiropractic.com

El Cajon Chiropractor - TMJ/jaw pain

Dear Doc - Can Chiropractic help my TMJ or jaw pain?  A recent  study by the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics showed that Chiropractic adjustments greatly reduced pain associated with temperomandibular disorder (TMD).  TMD has replaced the previous term TMJ and means pain or decreased range of motion of the jaw joint.  The patients had decreased pain on opening, closing, and at rest and were even able to open their jaw further after treatment.  The best part is results were seen after just a few weeks and the relief lasted through re-examinations after 6 months and 12 months.  You can read the entire article here http://www.jmptonline.org/article/S0161-4754%2811%2900222-3/fulltext
Inside your temperomandibular joint - Your jaw bone connects to your skull at the TMJ.  There is small fibrous disc much like the discs in your spine that provides cushion and a surface for the jaw bone to glide over.  When this joint becomes subluxated (displaced) even slightly, the condyle (point) of the jaw "clicks" as it slips on and off this disc.  Your Chiropractor can adjust this joint, re-align the joint, and get rid of your clicking and discomfort.  This stuff really works folks, now go tell your friends!

Dr. Dennis Barker DC is a Chiropractor in the Community of Fletcher Hills serving the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee and all of San Diego County.

Visit us at www.fletcherhillschiropractic.com

El Cajon Chiropractor - Chiropractic and golf

Here's a sneak peak at a blurb from FHCC's April newsletter:
 

Ask the Doctor: Hey Doc, do you think Chiropractic can help my golf game?   
Well, here’s a question for you: what does every golfer wish he could do better?  Driving.  Every golfer knows that if he could get another 20-30 yards out of his drive, he’d have an easier lay up to the green.  We know that the power of the drive comes from the coiling and un-coiling of the shoulders & hips.  

    Now let’s say that you have less than optimal range of motion in your shoulders, spine, or hips.  That means that you are coiling or uncoiling less than you could be, maybe even 20 or 30 yards of drive worth.  

     The other thing that golfers want is to remain able to play.  Common injuries amongst golfers are knees, elbows, and low back.  Let’s go back to less than optimal range of motion.  Every area that is hypo-mobile forces another area to be hyper-mobile and puts extra stress on these joints as they are repeatedly pushed beyond their limits.  Chiropractic is the safest and most effective way to re-establish and maintain your maximum range of motion.

Dr. Dennis Barker DC is a Chiropractor in the Community of Fletcher Hills serving the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee and all of San Diego County.

Visit us at www.fletcherhillschiropractic.com

El Cajon Chiropractor - In the news : Statins

I have recently read 3 articles regarding the safety & efficacy of statin drugs for reducing cholesterol.  What these articles discuss is truly newsworthy.  Dr. David Seaman in the February 2012 issue of Dynamic Chiropractor discusses the misleading results of the JUPITER trial which was conducted to compare the reduction in cardiovascular events (heart attack, stroke, unstable angina, death) in 2 groups: those taking statins and a placebo group.  What was found was that 141 patients in the statin group had a cardiovascular event vs. 251 in the placebo group.  Pretty impressive, right?  The only thing is that there were 8,901 patients in each group.  When taken as a percentage, 1.6% of the statin group had an event vs. 2.8% in the placebo group.  So the drugs had a 1.2% greater reduction in events than the placebo group.  Not all that impressive.  That being said, statins are very effective in high-risk groups but their risk vs. reward is now being called into question.  Read the whole article here http://www.dynamicchiropractic.com/mpacms/dc/article.php?id=55781

The NY Times had this to add: "Widely prescribed statins can cause elevated blood sugar and problems with memory".  It has been suspected for years that statin drugs may cause muscle aches and memory problems, but newer studies suggest that taking statins can increase blood sugar levels.  In fact, the FDA has already had to add a warning the statin drug Crestor about the increased risk of diabetes.  Read the whole article here http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/29/new-safety-alerts-for-cholesterol-drugs/?scp=1&sq=statin&st=cse

An article by the well known web publisher Dr. Mercola, published way back in July of 2010, talked about this same subject.   Dr. Mercola talks about the mechanism of statins - "Statins are HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, that is, they act by blocking the enzyme in your liver that is responsible for making cholesterol (HMG-CoA reductase). The fact that statin drugs cause side effects is well established—there are now 900 studies proving their adverse effects, which run the gamut from muscle problems to increased cancer risk...

Your body NEEDS cholesterol—it is important in the production of cell membranes, hormones, vitamin D and bile acids that help you to digest fat. Cholesterol also helps your brain form memories and is vital to your neurological function. There is also strong evidence that having too little cholesterol INCREASES your risk for cancer, memory loss, Parkinson's disease, hormonal imbalances, stroke, depression, suicide, and violent behavior."  Read the whole article here http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/07/20/the-truth-about-statin-drugs-revealed.aspx

The following is a list of statins available in the United States:

• Advicor  (lovastatin with niacin) – Abbott
• Altoprev (lovastatin) – Shionogi Pharma
• Caduet [atorvastatin with amlodipine (Norvasc)] – Pfizer
• Crestor (rosuvastatin) - AstraZeneca
• Lescol (fluvastatin) – Novartis 
• Lipitor (atorvastatin) - Pfizer
• Mevacor (lovastatin) – Merck
• Pravachol (pravastatin) -- Bristol-Myers Squibb
• Simcor (niacin/imvastatin) – Abbott
• Vytorin (ezetimibe/simvastatin) – Merck/Schering-Plough
• Zocor (simvastatin) – Merck

I'd like to reiterate that I am not a medical doctor and I am not suggesting that you stop taking your medications.  I am simply presenting facts from several sources that do suggest that you consider your options, do your own research, talk to your doctor about making some lifestyle changes, and be your OWN health advocate.

Dr. Dennis Barker DC is a Chiropractor in the Community of Fletcher Hills serving the cities of El Cajon, La Mesa, Santee and all of San Diego County.
Visit us at www.fletcherhillschiropractic.com