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

Dr. Jung sees a lot of people in our Pinole office who are struggling with recurring headaches. Fortunately, chiropractic can usually help, potentially reducing these types of headaches by 50%, and research confirms it.

Research Proves 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 discover how effective chiropractic was for this type of head pain, as well as to determine the number of treatment sessions necessary to achieve a positive effect.

The subjects were divided 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 group 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 researchers 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.

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

We Can Help Patients Find Comfort From Head Pain

Dr. Jung has helped many people who were suffering from headaches in our Pinole office. Call us today at (510) 243-7500 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. Jung sees many people weekly in our busy Pinole chiropractic office who are searching for relief from the pain and agony they feel due to herniated discs. Our experience isn't unique; the scientific literature verifies that chiropractic is an effective way to treat herniated disc problems.

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

One particular study 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, limited range of motion, and sensory problems bad enough to keep them off work.

Over the course of the research period, the individuals were managed using one of two common chiropractic techniques: traction for herniated discs in the cervical area or flexion distraction for the men and women who had herniation issues in the lumbar area.

Each individual was treated four or five times per week for the first two weeks, then three times each week, and then as needed for the remainder of the study. Based on the severity of the disc herniation, treatment varied 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 reported that 80 percent of the patients experienced a "good clinical outcome," meaning reduced pain and a reduction in other symptoms, such as numbness. Additionally, 77 percent of these people also showed MRI evidence that their disc herniation was either reduced or resolved completely. This resulted in 78 percent of the study participants being able to return to their place of employment and led the researchers 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. Jung in Pinole, 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 Pinole office, we see a lot of patients who are suffering from back pain, and some of these folks have been advised they might need surgery to recover. Fortunately, Dr. Jung has helped many people get pain relief without the need for any type of operation. The scientific research confirms the success we see in our practice. One medical study published in the academic journal Spine found that seeing a chiropractor as your first step in dealing with your back pain may literally keep you out of the operating room.

In this scientific study, medical experts from Dartmouth reviewed statistics from 1,885 workers from Washington state who first saw either an orthopedic surgeon or a chiropractic doctor for their back-related issues. They then used three years' worth of follow-up medical data to determine whether the patients ended up having back surgery in an effort to correct the issue.

What the researchers discovered was that 42.7% of the people who first consulted with a surgeon for their back pain ended up having a surgical procedure 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 findings. Seeing a chiropractor considerably reduces your odds of getting back surgery, plus the chiropractic patients in this scientific study "had lower odds of chronic work disability" and they also had fewer expensive MRI tests.

Let's also consider this important point: this study was carried out by orthopedic surgeons from Dartmouth College, and published in the world's most prestigious medical journal on spinal injury.

The Risks of Surgery

Any surgical procedure has risks, but a major problem related to spine surgery is that there's 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. Jung believes that surgery should be the absolute last resort for treating back pain. Chiropractic works to restore your spine to its normal function--without the need of risky surgery or drugs--and many studies have demonstrated the efficacy of chiropractic for back pain.

If you live in Pinole and you need care for your back pain, give our practice a call today at (510) 243-7500 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.
  

Back Pain is a common symptom after a car accident, and it's something that Dr. Jung sees often in our Pinole office. Let's look at the root cause of back pain after an auto injury and see how chiropractic can help.

During a rear-end auto collision, 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 car seat can put inconsistent force on your 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 tissues that hold your spine together. These types of injuries can cause chronic back pain if not treated promptly. Thankfully, chiropractic is one of the most effective ways to treat back pain.

If you've been injured in a car crash and you're suffering from back pain, Dr. Jung is here to help. Dr. Jung will first determine what's causing your pain and then work to restore your body to its natural functioning. Ready to make an appointment? Give us a call at (510) 243-7500 and we'll get you back on the road to health.

When you're trying to sustain your family, take care of your household, and pay all of your bills on time, every day at your job counts. Work injuries can be a serious problem for many people, and we see many of these types of injuries in our Pinole office. Dr. Jung appreciates your situation and is here to help.

The benefits of chiropractic for work injuries are well-documented. A 2013 survey involving over 600 adults who were troubled with either back or neck pain found that the individuals who didn't see a chiropractor missed work at twice the rate of those who were seeing a chiropractor.

So, why don't more people use Chiropractic Care?

According to the respondents in this report, two of the primary reasons were that they thought they needed a medical referral for chiropractic care (which is typically no longer true) and they overestimated the costs associated with chiropractic treatment sessions by almost 70 percent.

The fact is, chiropractic patients actually spend less on care than medical patients, plus they are less likely to use drugs for their symptoms.

Dr. Jung Can Help Clients Find Relief From Chronic Pain

If you live in Pinole and you've been injured at work, we can help. Give our office a call today at (510) 243-7500 for an appointment.

References

"Thousands of Minnesotans with Back and Neck Pain Don't Seek Treatment." (2013, June 12). ChiroCare.

Since trauma to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is frequently quite painful, we do our best to help our Pinole patients find relief as quickly and effectively as possible. In fact, Dr. Jung will tell you that the medical literature shows just how much chiropractic can help ease discomfort in the TMJ.

Research Supports Chiropractic Helps With TMJ Pain and Discomfort

For instance, one study published in Physiotherapy Theory and Practice involved 15 patients with TMJ pain who were treated with neck adjustments, middle-back adjustments, and trigger point therapy via dry needling. Subjects were examined prior to these treatments and at two weeks and two months post-treatment. They reported positive results such as reduced discomfort, greater jaw movement, and lower impairment at both follow-ups.

Another group of researchers conducted a review of almost 800 papers involving manual and manipulative therapy for disorders such as TMJ and found similar findings. The authors concluded that there is a "fair...level of evidence" that chiropractic care can help ease pain associated with TMJ and other upper extremity disorders.

This is great news since the triggers of TMJ are largely unknown. While trauma to the jaw or neck can cause pain symptoms, there are other sources to consider as well, such as bruxism, osteoarthritis, and clenching of the jaw due to tension.

Dr. Jung Can Help People Find Comfort From TMJ Pain

No matter what is making your jaw hurt, call Dr. Jung today and schedule an appointment to come into our Pinole office. We'll do our best to help you smile pain-free!

Sources

• Gonzalez-Iglesias J et al. (2013, November). Mobilization with movement, thoracic spine manipulation, and dry needling for the management of temporomandibular disorder: a prospective case series. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice;29(8):586-95
• Brantingham J et al. (2013, March-April). Manipulative and multimodal therapy for upper extremity and temporomandibular disorders: a systematic review. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics;36(3):143-201
• Oral Care. WebMD. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/temporomandibular-disorders-tmd on November 2, 2015

We come across a large number of sports injuries in our Pinole clinic, and Dr. Jung is often able to help these athletes. Stanford Children’s Hospital reports that over 3.5 million children aged 14 and younger are hurt each year when playing sports. Add that to the close to 2 million adults hurt every year while engaged in sports-related activities, as reported by statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, and you can begin to see the importance of minimizing these types of common injuries. One way to potentially achieve that goal, as stated in a study published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, is to engage in regular chiropractic care.

In Australian Rules football, hamstring and other leg injuries are commonplace, frequently sidelining the players and affecting their team's likelihood of securing a win. One particular study was conducted using 59 semi-elite Australian Rules footballers to see how well chiropractic could reduce these injuries and help keep them playing.

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps in Treating Sports Injuries

For this study specifically, all of the participants got medical treatment. Additionally, half of them also received chiropractic sessions at the rate of 1 session each week for the first six weeks, biweekly sessions for the next three months, and one session per month for the final three months of the study. The other participants had no chiropractic intervention at all and acted as the control group to assess the benefits of chiropractic.

After 24 matches, researchers noticed a diminished number of lower limb muscle strains in the group that had received chiropractic care. Moreover, that same group also missed fewer matches connected to non-contact knee injuries. This lead the researchers to come to the conclusion that chiropractic should be made an addition to sports training programs to dramatically lessen the number of leg injuries.

Dr. Jung Can Help People Find Comfort From Sports Injuries & Help You Recover Faster

If you or your child plays sports and you would like to make sure more time is dedicated on the field as opposed to on the sidelines, call our Pinole office at (510) 243-7500 and schedule an appointment today. We will do our best to keep you in the game!

References

• Hoskins, W, & Pollard, H. (2010, April 8). The effect of a sports chiropractic manual therapy intervention on the prevention of back pain, hamstring and lower limb injuries in semi-elite Australian Rules footballers: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 11(64), doi:10.1186/1471-2474-11-64
• Misra, A. (2014, March 17). Common sports injuries: Incidence and average charges. Department of Health & Human Services.
• Stanford Children’s Hospital. (n.d.). Sports injury statistics.

Dr. Jung sees many back pain patients in our busy Pinole chiropractic office. Many of these people have some kind of spinal dysfunction that is causing them pain and distress. Fortunately, Dr. Jung has found that spinal decompression therapy is a great way to help these folks.

What is Spinal Decompression and How Can it Help Me?

Non-surgical spinal decompression is a treatment method that takes all of the positive benefits that one normally gets from chiropractic adjustments, traction, physiotherapy, exercise therapy, and myofascial release and merges them all into one.

The goal of this technique is to keep you out of the operating room, and that is exactly what it's done for a number of folks, as it has a reported 85% success rate.

Some of the problems spinal decompression helps with include generalized back pain, sciatica, herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, compression fractures, and joint pain.

Spinal decompression works by reversing the effects of wear, tear, and the force of gravity that compresses the intervertebral discs in your neck and back. The video below demonstrates how it works to alleviate stress on your back and helps reduce pain and disability.

Dr. Jung Can Help Patients Find Comfort From Chronic Back Pain

If you live in Pinole and you're struggling with back pain, spinal decompression treatment might be the solution. Call Dr. Jung today at (510) 243-7500 for a consultation or appointment.

According to research, about 5 percent of the population will experience painful conditions like frozen shoulder syndrome at some time in their lives. That makes shoulder pain a common problem and one that Dr. Jung sees in our Pinole office on a regular basis.

Research Shows Chiropractic Helps With Shoulder Pain

Generally speaking, this issue is more common for people in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, and it tends to affect women more often than men. While ice, heat, and gentle stretching can sometimes help alleviate the discomfort, so too can chiropractic adjustments.

For example, a study released in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine looked at 50 patients with frozen shoulder who were given chiropractic care. The duration of care varied from 11 days to 51 days, with 28 days being the average.

The authors found that almost all of the study participants fared extremely well with chiropractic care. The study found:

8 of the subjects reported 50-75 percent improvement
25 indicated improvement ranging from 75- 90 percent
1 participant had complete resolution of their frozen shoulder pain

Only one of the original 50 reported an improvement of 50 percent or less, so reports like this demonstrate just how beneficial chiropractic can be when it comes to decreasing shoulder pain and improving quality of life.

We Can Help Clients Find Comfort From Shoulder Pain

Let Dr. Jung help you relieve your suffering by contacting our Pinole office and scheduling your appointment today.

Resources

Murphy F et al. (2012, December). Chiropractic management of frozen shoulder syndrome using a novel technique: a retrospective case series of 50 patients. Journal of Chiropractic Medicine;11(4):267-272

Dr. Jung works with countless sciatica patients here in our Pinole office, and many of these individuals were afraid that they might need surgery to treat their pain. The most recent research reveals that a large number of people don't need surgery for this widespread issue, and that chiropractic is more successful at resolving sciatic nerve pain.

A typical surgery for sciatica is microdiscectomy, and in a 2010 study, specialists examined 80 individuals with sciatica who were referred for this operation.

Forty patients were then randomly sorted into one of two groups. The first group was to receive surgical microdiscectomy and the second group received chiropractic care.

Both groups improved; however, no noticeable difference in results was reported one year post-treatment between the surgery group and the chiropractic group. Furthermore, about 60% of the participating patients who could not find pain relief from any other treatment approach "benefited from spinal manipulation to the same degree as if they underwent surgical intervention."

Put another way, chiropractic offered the same positive benefits as surgery without needing to go through the higher levels of surgery-based pain or suffer through extended recovery times often affiliated with that particular treatment choice. Additionally, you also don't run the risks associated with surgical microdiscectomy, which includes nerve root damage, bowel or bladder incontinence, bleeding, or infection.

Surgery ought to be the last resort for sciatica pain. If you live in Pinole and you're suffering from back pain or sciatica, give Dr. Jung a call today at (510) 243-7500. We'll help pinpoint the origin of your pain and work hard to get you relief.

References

• McMorland, G et al. Manipulation or microdiskectomy for sciatica? A prospective randomized clinical study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2010;33(8):576-584.
• Solberg TK, Nygaard OP, Sjaavik K, Hofoss D, Ingebrigtsen T. The risk of "getting worse" after lumbar microdiscectomy. European Spine Journal 2005;14(1):49-54.