Did you have a recent accident or did you have one a long time ago?

 

Trauma

 

Trauma is the reason most people think we have pain. It isn't the number one reason that patietns come in to see me but it is high up there on the list!

So what is causing your pain? Was it as a result of a car accident you had recently? Maybe a slip and fall you had years ago? Very often, extremely severe traumatic injuries require the intervention of a surgeon especially when there are broken bones, damaged internal organs or when the soft tissues are severely torn. Those patients usually end up directly in the emergency room. 

Frequently however, patients who have been in minor to moderate traffic accidents, other types of accidents or for patients with minor to moderate sports or exercise related injuries, there can be severe pain with little immediately apparent structural damage. 

Especially in the case of motor vehicle accidents, symptoms may show up later and may not even be directly correlated to the recent accident. In a lot of these cases, physical medicine methods are the best solutions.

Would you like to learn more? Get the free #BePainFree ebook

Just Click Here.

The free ebook is called:

 #BePainFree - The Five Causes Of Back Pain And The Seven Keys To Lasting Relief

Regards in health,

Dr. Davia H. Shepherd

Saporito Chiropractic

 *Disclaimer: Please remember that it's impossible for me to diagnose you and treat you just by you reading one of my articles. I'm superwoman it's true, but even that is beyond my capabilities. So before you engage in any health and wellness activities, do consult your health care provider. Please know that we are happy to address your personal concerns, just call us in office to schedule your personal consultation; and thanks ever so much for reading. We appreciate you.

Is your snow shoveling technique killing your back?

We have had a few inches of snow recently with more on the way! With the snow has come a flurry of patients complaining of neck and back pain. As nice as it is to catch up with our patients that we haven't seen in a long time, in many cases, the pain could be avoided by adopting different and better snow removal techniques. Lets talk a little bit about how to remove snow in a way that reduces the risk of back pain.

1) Use a snow blower, get help or get professional snow removal
For many of our patient's who may already have serious back injuries, who may be elderly or otherwise indisposed, using a snow blower, getting help or using a professional service may be the best way to go.

2) Use the correct tools
There is evidence that using the ergonomic shovels can be beneficial when shoveling. Some shovels have curved handles. Others have handles with adjustable lengths. What this means for you is that there is less bending while shoveling which takes a lot of the pressure off the back. Opting for a shovel that is smaller and lighter is also advantageous.

3) Now it's time to warm up...
Yes! Before going out there to shovel you do need to warm up your cold muscles to prevent muscle strains. Take 5-10 minutes to warm up your neck, back and shoulders, low back and leg muscles with some gentle stretches. Don't forget that when your muscles are warm they are less prone to injury.

4) Proper lifting technique

Proper lifting technique is a theme that seems to be repeated in a lot of our articles. Whether it lifting while shopping, fall clean up or snow removal, the rules are the same: Try to do as little lifting as possible. If you can push the snow out of the way that is preferable. If the snow is piled high, take it a little at a time from the top. When lifting anything including a snow shovel face the thing you are lifting head on and bend at the hips and knees lifting with the legs and buttock muscles. Focus on small light loads for lifting. Be sure your grip of the handle is appropriate for you and hold the shovel you have lifted as close to your center of gravity as possible. Finally, avoid reaching and tossing.

5) Take breaks
I think this piece of advice is the one my patients find hardest to follow. It may also be the most important. Doing repetitive tasks for extended periods is the surest way to cause damage to muscles and joints. As much as we all want to just "get it done," it's better to take a break for a minute or two for every 5-10 min of shoveling. Mixing up tasks may also be helpful in relieving the stress put on joints by repetitively doing the same thing.

Be sure to use proper lifting techniques this snow season this will help you to have a safe, happy and healthy new year!

Regards in health!
Dr. Shepherd

PS: Did you see the eBook? It is free! Will you check it out?

Here's the link:

 #BePainFree - The Five Causes Of Back Pain And The Seven Keys To Lasting Relief

 *Disclaimer: Please remember that it's impossible for me to diagnose you and treat you just by you reading one of my articles. I'm superwoman it's true, but even that is beyond my capabilities. So before you engage in any health and wellness activities, do consult your health care provider. Please know that we are happy to address your personal concerns, just call us in office to schedule your personal consultation; and thanks ever so much for reading. We appreciate you.

Could The Last Straw Could Be The Real Reason You Have Pain?

 The last straw: Overuse

Most patients think that trauma is the leading cause of back pain but both the statistics and what we see in in our practice appears to suggest that overuse is the leading cause of back pain. 

Most of us have been working from home more than ever before. In practice we have been seeing a lot of patients who have given up their beautifully ergonomic workspaces at work for working from the sofa or dining table at home. Having the right chair, desk, standing desk, mousing surface, foot rest and things like that can make a big difference between pain and being pain free.

Most of our patients who come in with headache, neck pain and low back pain, come in because of sitting for hours without a break at work, because of doing repetitive tasks at work or at home (such as painting, snow shoveling or raking leaves,) and all without taking appropriate breaks. 

Sometimes it’s the new mom carrying her baby the wrong way, a patient sleeping on the wrong kind of bed, with the wrong kind of pillow or sitting in a workspace that’s not ergonomic. Overuse can be more serious than patients realize: Leading to problems with 

• disc herniation, 
• muscle spasms, 
• joint damage and even 
• nerve damage

Many patients remark, "But doc, I didn't do anything and it just started hurting for no reason." The truth is in very many cases, overuse is the reason.

Would you like more information on how you can help prevent pain caused by overuse?

Just Click Here.

The free ebook is called:

 #BePainFree - The Five Causes Of Back Pain And The Seven Keys To Lasting Relief

Regards in health,

Dr. Davia H. Shepherd

Saporito Chiropractic

 *Disclaimer: Please remember that it's impossible for me to diagnose you and treat you just by you reading one of my articles. I'm superwoman it's true, but even that is beyond my capabilities. So before you engage in any health and wellness activities, do consult your health care provider. Please know that we are happy to address your personal concerns, just call us in office to schedule your personal consultation; and thanks ever so much for reading. We appreciate you.

Is your pain just temporary or is it something more sinister?

Internal problems could be causing your pain

 

Back in the day I used to work in an inner city clinic. We saw a fair number of patients that did not have a primary care physician or who did not see their PCP regularly enough. That meant that we were often their first contact with the healthcare system, and they would come in when their back pain was excruciating, I mean at the point when they couldn’t bear it any more.

It was in this setting that I was able to see firsthand why waiting around with back pain is a bad idea. Some of these patients suffered from complaints ranging from gall bladder problems, pancreatitis and kidney issues to cardiovascular emergencies and even in one case: metastatic prostate cancer!

Delving further into the histories of these patients revealed that there were clues earlier on that would have been detected had they sought treatment earlier. These examples are just a few of what we have seen masquerading as back pain. 

The take home message on this one is: Just to be safe, see your primary care physician for your regular check up. If you find that you do have back pain, do not wait. Go to your healthcare provider. The truth is that your chiropractor, internist or family physician can properly diagnose your back pain and suggest the appropriate treatment. 

I invite you to learn more about the five main reasons people suffer from back pain. Will you get our free ebook? 

Just Click Here.

The free ebook is called: #BePainFree - The Five Causes Of Back Pain And The Seven Keys To Lasting Relief

Regards in health,

Dr. Davia H. Shepherd

Saporito Chiropractic

 *Disclaimer: Please remember that it's impossible for me to diagnose you and treat you just by you reading one of my articles. I'm superwoman it's true, but even that is beyond my capabilities. So before you engage in any health and wellness activities, do consult your health care provider. Please know that we are happy to address your personal concerns, just call us in office to schedule your personal consultation; and thanks ever so much for reading. We appreciate you.

Ever wonder why you are having pain?

The top five causes of back pain

 

We are Americans and Americans suffer from back pain! According to the CDC about 80% of patients will have back pain at some point.  80%! I don’t know about you but to me that’s a pretty big number. If you are reading this, that probably means that you or someone you know suffers from back pain.  Based on these numbers writing about back pain seems like an obvious topic. The key here is to remember that pain is a warning sign that something is WRONG, and that treating the source of the pain instead of masking the symptoms should be the priority.

So what causes back pain? Let’s use the most politically correct answer that we can here: “Well that depends!” Other doctors may break down the causes of pain in different ways, but for the purpose of simplicity lets break it down onto these five categories. Keep in mind that back pain is rarely caused by just one thing and these categories are just for discussion and may overlap. This list may also not be exhaustive.

1.      Internal conditions

2.      Overuse

3.      Trauma

4.      Degenerative changes

5.      Inflammatory conditions

If you suffer from back pain it’s a good idea to get in to see your health care provider sooner than later.  Here’s the deal. Even though many cases of back pain do end up being easily treated, there are sometimes when back pain can be a sign of something serious going on  the inside.

I invite you to learn more about the five main reasons people suffer from back pain. Will you get our free ebook? 

Just Click Here.

The free ebook is called: #BePainFree - The Five Causes Of Back Pain And The Seven Keys To Lasting Relief

Regards in health,

Dr. Davia H. Shepherd

Saporito Chiropractic

 *Disclaimer: Please remember that it's impossible for me to diagnose you and treat you just by you reading one of my articles. I'm superwoman it's true, but even that is beyond my capabilities. So before you engage in any health and wellness activities, do consult your health care provider. Please know that we are happy to address your personal concerns, just call us in office to schedule your personal consultation; and thanks ever so much for reading. We appreciate you.

Are you wasting money on supplements? ...5 ways to get the best from your supplements!

Discussions with our patients often include what supplements they are taking. Some patients complain that they aren't seeing the promised benefits form their supplement regimen and often the problem can be easily pinpointed and rectified!

Here are 5 tips for ensuring that the supplements being taken are doing what they should do and that they are not just a waste of money.

1. Is it really once daily?

Some supplements provide their best effect when taken as  a divided dose (twice or even three times daily) while others are easily dosed once daily. Read the instructions carefully and discuss the dosing with your health care provider to ensure safety and efficacy.

2. Is the dose only one pill?

Some supplements, especially whole food vitamins may require a number of pills be taken to arrive at the

correct dose. Many patients are accustomed to one a day vitamins and end up taking far fewer of these pills than would be able to provide the required effect. Check the directions for the correct dosing instructions.

3. Should it be taken with food?

Some supplements cannot be well absorbed unless taken with food. Other supplements may not be well absorbed when taken with food or may have reduced effectiveness when taken with some food or beverages. Talk to your healthcare provider about when best to take certain supplements to ensure the supplement is not loosing effectiveness. 

4. Taking it often enough?

Very often patients forget to take their supplements every day. Another common complaint is that patients forget to buy new supplements when they run out and so go for several days without their supplements. Not taking enough may not provide the results needed.

5. Does it work well alone?

Sometimes vitamins and minerals don't work on their own and need to be in combination to ensure their efficacy. Eg: Calcium and magnesium work well together. Vitamin D often is found in combination with K2. 

BONUS: Are all those supplements necessary anyway?

Many patients take supplements recommended by friends, family, the internet and other sources. Upon close examination of many supplement regimens there may be unnecessary supplements as well as supplements that may be contraindicated or may interact with other things they are taking. Having your health care provider evaluate your supplement needs is usually the best way to go about starting a supplement regimen.

Getting your nutrients from your food is always advisable however sometimes additional supplementation is necessary. Choosing natural, organic whole food supplements wherever possible is also shown to improve absorption and efficacy of many supplements.

To make it easier for our patients, you can now purchase your supplements on our blog or website. www.saporitochiropractic.com. Just click on the shop supplements link!

For more information or to schedule a Nutrition Therapy appointment, please call us at 860-596-1491.

Why I left my six figure career in big pharma to be your friendly neighborhood chiropractor

 

From as long as I can remember I always knew I was destined for healthcare but being a chiropractor is a second career for me. 

I started out early on thinking just like I imagine most pharmacologists and aspiring pharmacologists think: that I was going to be a super hero and develop a super-drug that cured something huge!  I worked in various divisions of three different large pharmaceutical companies and also one university all this for over a decade. Over the years though, you know, through research and interactions with actual patients, it became clear that about the majority of chronic conditions can be managed with lifestyle interventions. 

The more I spent time with actual patients, real people with real concerns, what stood out for me was that many of them (not all but many,) didn’t seem to need a new super drug at all. What became obvious was that most needed to learn how changing their lifestyles would influence their condition and they needed the tools to help themselves. I would have to say the search for a holistic solution started there.   

I did my research and found out that chiropractors are the number one holistic health care providers in the USA.  I also remembered the excellent results that friends and family had with their chiropractors over the years. I would eventually have my own very positive experience of my chiropractors helping me with my severe pain, and so my decision was made easily. I finally came home one day and told my husband that I wanted to quit my well paying job in pharmacology to go back to school. I knew about how the body functions, about biochemistry and pharmacology, but I needed to learn holistic patient care

I quit my lucrative job working for the pharmaceutical industry.  Like I said, I had been in the industry for over 10 years. Going back to school as a mature student posed its own challenges but I can truly say it was worth every moment. Chiropractic school proved to me that there is a growing movement of people who are willing to try more conservative options to care before pulling out the heavy hitters – the drugs, the surgery.

Choosing my specialty was easy.  Clinical nutrition: helping patients to live healthier lives and treating chronic conditions through nutrition therapy – well that was a no brainer for me, that’s what I had wanted all along! I have since made a commitment to dedicate the rest of my professional life to helping people realize that, they can live healthier pain free lives. And in this age of improper use of narcotic pain relievers, I offer patients an option for pain relief that is efficacious and 100% natural.

My reminder to you for 2021: 

You can live a happier, healthier and even longer life. It is possible for most patients with pain to #bepainfree! I invite you to CLICK HERE to get our Free Ebook: 

#BePainFree - The Top Five Causes Of Back Pain And The Seven Keys To Lasting Relief

Regards in Health,

Dr. Davia H. Shepherd

Saporito Chiropractic

PS: *Disclaimer: Please remember that it's impossible for me to diagnose you and treat you just by you reading one of my articles. I'm superwoman it's true, but even that is beyond my capabilities. So before you engage in any health and wellness activities, do consult your health care provider. Please know that we are happy to address your personal concerns, just call us in office (860-589-1491) to schedule your personal consultation; and thanks ever so much for reading. We appreciate you.