West Hollywood Chiropractic: Lower Back Pain Stretches

I've recently shown you a great beginners stretch for the quadratus lumborum (QL), which is an oft overlooked cause of low back pain. When this muscle gets tight it can mimic some of the more severe causes of low back pain, and thus many experts, myself included, believe that a number of "failed low back surgeries" might be due to conditions of the QLs. So what to do?

First, it's crucial that you visit a sports chiropractor. If you are in West Hollywood, you can call my chiropractic office, and I will evaluate the source of your low back pain. You may need a chiropractic adjustment to your lumbar spine, sacrum or pelvis, as each is factor contributing to low back pain. And if your QLs are tight, then you will need to stretch.

Watch the beginners' QL stretch video here, and if you do not feel like you are getting a sufficient stretch, then try the more advanced low back pain stretches that I demonstrate in the video below. Remember that the QLs are for side bending among other actions, so the advanced stretch is essentially a side bender. Be mindful of your form, as is true with all exercises and stretches, and remember to roll your body back slightly as you stretch, and you should get great results.

Low back pain is never fun, but what complicates things and makes it harder to get relief is understanding the source of the pain. So, again, get in to see your West Hollywood sports chiropractor for your low back pain relief, exercises and stretches right away. That's the best way to get back on your feet quickly and feeling good again.

Chiropractic for Migraines: A Good Bet

Was recently asked to say a few words about migraines and what to do about them. First it's important to understand what migraines are. Migraines are severe headaches that have an unknown etiology--in other words, we are not exactly sure what causes them.

The symptoms of migraines are moderate to severe pulsating headaches, usually on one side of the head, with associated nausea, and very often with an aura--transient visual, sensory, language, or motor disturbances signaling the migraine will soon occur. Many people have a sensitivity to light, such that they have to draw the shades and spend the day (or days) in a dark room lying in bed. Women tend to be effected more than men by a 3:1 ratio.

I see plenty of migraine sufferers in my Los Angeles chiropractic clinic.  However, more often people come in complaining of migraines when in fact they have tension headaches instead. Tension headaches are a little easier to treat, since they are most often due to musculoskeletal issues (subluxation, muscle tension, etc). I have to ask incoming "migraine" sufferers if they have been diagnosed by a medical doctor, and if they are on medication. If the answer is no, my experience is that many of these people are having severe tension headaches, which can certainly be bad.

Most migraine sufferers have been dealing with their severe headaches for quite some time, and they have visited other doctors. While not a hard, fast rule, it is what I most often observe. When I ask about medication, if they tell me that they've tried Excedrin, and that it helps, that's a pretty good indication that we are dealing with migraines. If they say that regular pain meds, like Tylenol or Advil work, then it's probably not a migraine. Again these are not definite rules, just observations.

For tension headache sufferers, chiropractic care is phenomenal--I would say the success rates is in the 90 percentile. If the headaches originate from TMJ syndrome, then this needs to be addressed. Either way, a chiropractor is a pretty good choice for treatment.

For true migraines, the results of chiropractic are about 50/50. That's because sometimes migraine headaches are set off by certain foods--wines, cheeses, and other substances like MSG for example--or are vascular in nature. However, saying that, it is still a good idea to try chiropractic for migraine sufferers because it does, in fact, help some people.

I have a young man that sees me for chiropractic care who suffers from migraines a few times per year. He has auras, so he definitely knows when the migraine is coming. If he gets in early enough, the chiropractic helps cut the headaches off at the pass. If he does not, then he suffers for about three days, totally incapacitated--can't work, can't socialized, done.

We believe that by adjusting the spine, it allows blood vessels to open and flow freely. Further, chiropractic adjustments free the nervous system from functional interference and thus migraine sufferers get a return to normal function both vascularly and neurologically, thereby clearing up the headache.

So my advice to people suffering from migraines is to get into a chiropractor right away when symptoms first arise. If it turns out chiropractic alone doesn't do it, you might want to get checked by a medical doctor and get some migraine medication, which I understand from some of my clients that take them, they work pretty well in conjunction with the chiropractic care.

Hope that helps, Double L. Thank you for the great question.

Medical Monopoly Threatens Korean Health

If you want to get a sense of what's really wrong in health care today, look no further than the Republic of Korea (South Korea).  South Korea is currently a microcosm of the western world with regard to its health care policies, prejudices and oppressions.  Take the current persecution of chiropractic doctors and other health professionals not recognized by Korean law.

According to Dynamic Chiropractic:

A World Federation Chiropractic (WFC) press release dated June 30, 2011, the federation notes that the Korean Chiropractic Association, which once boasted upwards of 60 members, "is currently reduced to 17 members because of the hostile environment to chiropractic practice in Korea." According to the release, the two medical associations have been reporting chiropractors to the police for years and show no signs of letting up.

Sources in South Korea report that the Korean Medical Association (KMA) and Oriental Medical Doctors' Association (OMDA) are taking measures to rid the country of chiropractic and other alternative disciplines.  The associations are filing formal complaints against doctors of chiropractic and their clinics, and like in the U.S. decades ago, chiropractors are being jailed simply for practicing in accordance with their chosen profession.  Current KCA president, Dr. Taeg Su Choi, has been prosecuted five times since 2003.

Dr. Taeg Su Choi

Chiropractic came to Korea in the early 1990s, when Dr. Yong Serb Song, returned to his homeland from Palmer College of Chiropractic.  The founder and first president of the KCA, Dr. Song was convicted three times, while his son and daughter, fellow Palmer graduates Dr. Joonn-Han (Steven) Song and Su-Hie (Katrina) Song, have also faced prosecution.

Some convicted chiropractors, including Dr. Katrina Song, have appealed to the Constitutional Court, the WFC discloses.  Their argument has been that Koreans have a constitutional right to choose and receive natural forms of health care that relieve pain and suffering, and that chiropractors have a constitutional right to offer those services.  Freakin' amen and hallelujah!

This type of professional persecution is nothing new to American chiropractors, as many of our ancestors were jailed for providing the--gasp!--chiropractic adjustment.  Is anybody else amazed at how powerful a professional organization--like the AMA and KMA--can actually be?  I mean when otherwise upstanding citizens looking to help their fellow man by relieving pain and suffering are jailed, while medical mistakes that actually kill people, and pharmaceutical atrocities (like cooking books, manipulating data, putting out product that hasn't been approved) are turned the blind-eye, something's got to be seriously wrong.  Just incredible.

Chiropractors can help their Korean chiropractic brothers and sisters by donating to the KCA here.  Anyone else wishing to help can get more in formation and also donate here.  Let's not let another country go the way of the U.S. with a medical monopolization of health care.  Let the people have freedom of choice.

Neck Pain and Chiropractic

Neck pain is the most common thing I see in my Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood chiropractic clinic during the hot months of summer and fall.  Whether from sleeping with the air conditioner on or with a window open, that cold breeze can lead to an eight hour muscle spasm locking-up the neck for days, weeks or even months afterwards.

Neck pain, however, is not always that simple.  What I mean is that there are many different causes of neck pain and getting neck pain relief really depends on the proper treatment.  For that, you need to have a proper diagnosis.  Chiropractic can help with many forms of neck pain, but again, knowing what is causing the disorder will help the chiropractor provide the best chiropractic adjustment

Read this article written for my website drnickcampos.com to learn what you can do to get your neck pain properly diagnosed and treated, as well learning which neck exercises and stretches will be the best prevention.  Don't suffer from neck pain needlessly; read this article and you'll be that much closer to getting neck pain relief.

For a look at what a chiropractic neck adjustment looks like, watch the video.


 

Designed by Navy SEALs

Hey, try my new workout...designed by Navy SEALs.  Oh, and my new supplements...designed by Navy SEALs.  And I've got this great new chiropractic adjustment...yup, you guessed it, designed by Navy SEALs.  In fact, if YOU have anything you'd like to sell, just add the line "designed by Navy SEALs" to the title or label and voilà, instant top seller.

I'm laughing at all the stuff Navy SEALs seem to have time to design--from training programs (two major ones I've found--I guess Navy Seals North and South have competing workouts) to exercise equipment, to diets (swear), fighting two wars hasn't stopped this elite fighting force from providing YOU, the American consumer, a kick-ass fitness routine.

C'mon, anybody can be a Navy SEAL!  Just do the workout...see!

"Designed by Navy SEALs," along with "organic," "all natural," "hormone-free," and other BS labels are a way to market products.  Hey, I'm not knocking it, I'm just enjoying the absurdity of it all.  If you want to believe that your new program is designed by the Navy SEALs (as opposed to some dude who was simply in the Navy SEALs, and is now laughing all the way to the bank), then be my guest.  Just watch out for the Green Berets.

This blog brought to you by UC Berkeley Molecular Biologists.

West Hollywood Chiropractor Treating Upper and Mid-Back Pain

Upper back pain is becoming more and more common as computers play a bigger part in our daily lives.  I recently showed you how chiropractic adjustments can help relieve upper back pain.  Another useful approach to use in combination with chiropractic care is physiotherapy, including electric muscle stimulation, heat and deep tissue massage.

Sports chiropractors will use various modalities to help reduce muscle spasm and soreness of the upper and mid-back.  Electric muscle stimulation, or e-stim as it is sometimes called, helps reduce spasm by puttin the muscles in a brief and alternating contracted state.  This contraction/relaxation cycle is actually necessary to break the neurological disruption that is preventing the muscles from relaxing on their own.  Some medical doctors attempt to do this with muscle relaxant drugs (albeit through a different mechanism), but electric muscle stimulation is a physical modality to address a physical problem.  Watch the video above to see e-stim in action.

Heat helps by bringing blood to the area, which also allows muscles to relax.  Once the e-stim and heat therapy is complete, a session of myofascial therapy, or deep-tissue massage does wonders at breaking up knots, trigger points, sore areas, and any adhesions in the muscle tissue.  Then, the pièce de résistance, of course, is the chiropractic adjustment, which opens the stuck joint and brings normal movement back to the spine.


Watch the video to get a taste of what you can expect in a sports chiropractic office where you might be getting treated for upper and mid-back pain.  If you find yourself in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills or West Hollywood, please come visit my chiropractic office to get relief for your upper back pain woes.

Los Angeles Chiropractor on Low Back Pain

Low back pain is the most common ailment walking, er...limping into my Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and West Hollywood chiropractic office. Of all the spinal regions of the body, the lumbar spine, or low back is the most complicated when having to determine the source of pain.

Low back pain can be musculoskeletal, meaning from the joints, muscles or tendons (other tissues, too, but mainly these); or it can be from organic causes. Organic causes of low back pain include, but are not limited to cardiovascular disease, cancer, digestive disorders, kidney stones, and sexually transmitted diseases. Every one of these requires medical attention.

If your issue is caused by a musculoskeletal problem, then nobody better than a chiropractor to help relieve your low back pain. Chiropractors address more structures and tissues than any other bodywork specialist. We adjust the joints, work out muscle tension, strengthen weak muscles, lengthen short/tight muscles, and correct foot dysfunction. Furthermore, chiropractors are doctors, which means you'll get an accurate diagnosis AND treatment that goes beyond a drug quick-fix (I'm not knocking it, just clarifying the difference in solutions) in the same office (no out-referral).

When it comes to assessing and treating low back pain, nobody does it better than a chiropractor. Watch the video below to see a chiropractic adjustment for low back pain in action. If you are having low back pain, especially if it's been around for awhile, do not hesitate, go see a chiropractor for a real solution.

West Hollywood Chiropractor on Chiropractic Adjustments for Children

Most people think of chiropractic for pain relief, and it's great for that; but chiropractic is also necessary to keep the nervous system functioning optimally. That's why chiropractic adjustment for kids is essential.

It's rare for children to experience chronic pain the way adults do, although it does happen. More important, though, is that children are in the developmental phase of growth, and as such they are establishing neural pathways that will shape their future experiences and, thus, their lives. Chiropractic adjustments can aid in that development so that they fight infection easier, handle bumps and bruises better, and experience growth and neurological wellness unimpeded.

The nervous system takes in and processes information from the environment around us. So pediatric chiropractic adjustments, then, allow the nervous system to do what it does best--recognize, analyze and create responses with no interference. Think that is useful for a developing child?

I've been receiving chiropractic adjustments since I was seven--thanks mom! And that's exactly what I do for my children, too--provide them with healthy, optimally functioning nervous systems. If you and your children live the chiropractic lifestyle now--bravo! If not, try it--you've got nothing to lose, and everything to gain. It's safe (watch the videos: those are my most precious treasures, my daughters), effective, and it FEELS GOOD!

Pain Relief and Chiropractic Wellness in West Hollywood

Some people have no idea of what goes on in a chiropractic practice. "Cracking bones" is what the typical non-chiropractic person says a chiropractor does. But there is no truth to that. Cracking bones is not something we do, neither intentionally nor unintentionally--bones are pretty strong; I haven't met a chiropractor, yet, strong enough to do that.

In my Los Angeles chiropractic office we focus on pain relief, rehabilitation of injured areas like shoulders or knees, and then we place a major importance on using chiropractic care in a wellness sense. By freeing up stuck spinal joints (subluxations), the nervous system is allowed to function unimpeded, with no restrictions, which allows the body to operate at its most optimal level, and thus enhancing health.

Check out the video to get a better understanding of how I use chiropractic care to help people from Hollywood stars to athletes to accountants get the most out of their bodies, their health and their lives. If you are ever in the Beverly Hills or West Hollywood areas of Los Angeles, and you need a chiropractic adjustment, please come visit my office for highest quality chiropractic care available.

I Adjust My Girls

Yup, I adjust my children. Children need chiropractic, too. Keeps them healthy and functioning properly. Subluxations cause nerve dysfunction and dysregulation, so adjusted children function at their highest capacity and potential.

Delilah fell down the stairs Wednesday--did her best Chevy Chase tumbling impression. Three year olds are pliable and rubbery, so she's okay. Don't get me wrong, I don't recommend it, but...well, it happens. Thursday my wife brought her by the office for an adjustment. Check out the pics and you be the judge. Violet got her's too!

If you've got kids, the best thing you can do is get them started on chiropractic care early. Just saw a beautiful 16-week-old boy, Conner, in my office today. He wasn't all too pleased with my hands on him, but it's important to get him used to it now. Once he begins doing his own stair stunts, he'll be primed and ready for his after-tumble adjustments.

So visit your local chiropractic office today (if you are in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills or West Hollywood, I'm your chiropractor) and get yourself and your children adjusted. It's great for you and incredible for them. Believe me--my family's living it!

My Gift to My Family

As I've been keeping you all updated, Delilah, my daughter, has been sick. She's got a nasty cold, the one that many of you have probably had, too; you know, runny nose, incessant cough, fever. She has been better--that is, no fever--but the cough has been waking her (and us) at night. She sometimes coughs so much that she throws up. Much of that, I think is because she doesn't yet know how to blow her nose or clear her bronchioles, so she's swallowing all the mucus. When she vomits (it's more like an upchuck) it's a mucousy spittle.

Anyway, yesterday was pretty bad in that she hadn't slept but a few hours. The cough kept her up most of the night--it was awful. Since I hadn't adjusted her in awhile, I thought I'd check her neck. I had her turn her head left, then right--she had way more movement to the right. So we laid her down, and she struggled a bit. I told her that if she'd let me adjust her I would take her to Barnes and Noble at the Grove and we'd get that Gordon the Express Train from the Thomas the Tank Engine series. She let me. Bribery works really well, I've found.

So I went ahead and set her up, neck turned all the way to the left (see picture above), and with a quick move--crack!!!--her neck blasted, louder than I've ever heard in a child. Then came the tears. But I just reminded her of Barnes and Noble at the Grove, and of Gordon, and the crying lasted for all of about...oh, ten seconds.

I don't know if the chiropractic adjustment made her cold any better--her nose is still running today (anyway, that's health in my opinion, but that's another blog post, altogether)--but I'll tell you what happened immediately, she started getting sleepy, and shortly thereafter, she crashed. She stayed asleep for about three hours. And when she woke up, no runny nose, great appetite, very playful--I was psyched, to say the least.

Like I said, she's still battling the cold. Her nose is a little runny, and she coughed a bit last night; but it didn't keep her up. She got her Gordon the Express Train, and there were lots of smiles along with it. And she got her atlas (C1 vertebra) adjusted, which, cold or no cold, is good for her health. I'm so happy I have this gift to give to my family.

Montel Williams and Chiropractic

Television talk show host Montel Williams praised chiropractic on his show aired December 18, 2007. Montel, who suffers from multiple sclerosis (MS), said of chiropractic, "It’s the most amazing thing that has ever happened to me!”

Multiple sclerosis or MS is a painful, chronic, inflammatory disease that causes demyelination of the nerve cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Demyelination is the thinning or complete loss of the fatty layer--the myelin sheath--of the nerve cells, which is responsible for the conduction of electrical impulses down those cells. The name multiple sclerosis refers to the scars (scleroses--better known as plaques or lesions) in the white matter of the brain and spinal cord. MS has many symptoms, one of which is chronic pain. Montel Williams is no stranger to chronic pain.

According to the well-known talk show MC, he is in pain "24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year"; yet within just two weeks of chiropractic care he can "stand up straight without pain for the first time in over 5 years". However, it did not take two weeks for Montel to get relief. He says that he experienced almost instantaneous relief from his first chiropractic adjustment. Booyah!

Says Montel, "There is not a person who knows me that will not confirm this...I am walking differently; my pain is less; I have already regained strength in my left leg; my left leg has dropped back down--I found out that my pelvis was tilted--[my legs] are now the same length."

This is another huge plug for chiropractic. As my illustrious profession gets its fair share of knocks, it's wonderful to see superstar athletes like Johnny Damon, Tom Brady (read about him and Joe Montana, here) and Lance Armstrong (read the interview with his chiropractor) and well-known celebrities, like Madonna (scroll down for the picture of her getting adjusted in the film, Truth or Dare), Dr. Phil and now Montel Williams endorse chiropractic by telling their incredible success stories.

Bravo, bravo. More people need to experience the miraculous healing power of chiropractic care. And only when highly-regarded public figures stand up to tell their success stories will the masses follow. Thank you Montel for sharing your chiropractic story with the world.

What's the popping noise I hear during a chiropractic adjustment?

If you've ever wondered what the popping or cracking noise is when you receive a chiropractic adjustment, log onto: The Pop! for a detailed explanation.

In the news today: Omega-3 fatty acids reduce blood pressure: study. O.k. - if you're not taking omega-3 FAs today, the question is - why not? Please read my 2005 article: EFA's - Nature's Beauty Secret for Healthy Skin. There are so many benefits to taking this supplement that it really needs to be a part of your regular health regimen.

You know what's the biggest cause of missed work in the European Union's 27 member states? BACK PAIN!!! Well, you don't say? What about in America? Same here. Check out these facts from The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Isn't it fascinating that these countries - our own included - haven't adopted a chiropractic health plan benefit for all workers. Some company health insurance policies still don't cover chiropractic, and it's plain and simple foolishness. Chiropractic has been shown to significantly lower musculoskeletal pain symptoms. View some of the studies here. If your company is not providing you with access to chiropractic care, get on them. They'll improve productivity, decrease absenteeism, and ultimately create loyal employees (who wouldn't be grateful?) if they do.
Looks like medicine is looking at a performance enhancing drug to treat congestive heart failure. Sounds interesting anyway, but we'll have to wait for the conclusion.