The hamstrings are a group of muscles along the back of the thigh that help bend the knee, extend the hip, and control the leg during everyday movement. While their role in walking, running, and other activities may be familiar, research suggests that hamstring flexibility may also be related to function in other areas of […]
Spinal Manipulation Supported for Tension-Type Headaches
Tension-type headaches are the most common type of headache. The pain is typically described as dull, aching, or pressure-like rather than throbbing, and it may feel as though a tight band is wrapped around the head. Some people also experience tenderness in the muscles around the head, neck, or shoulders. Episodes can vary considerably, occurring […]
How Overall Health Relates to Back Pain
The majority of low back pain cases are classified as nonspecific low back pain, meaning the pain is thought to have a musculoskeletal origin rather than an identifiable pathology such as infection, cancer, or fracture. While these cases often involve the joints, muscles, and other soft tissues of the lower back, research suggests that a […]
Whiplash Injuries: Changing Perspectives
Motor vehicles have been humanity’s primary methodology of transportation for only about a hundred years. Neck injuries from motor vehicle collisions are commonly referred to as “whiplash injuries.” Technically, “whiplash” would only pertain to the mechanism of injury rather than the type of injury. However, such a distinction is blurred by the public, by healthcare […]
Five Healthy Habits to Build in Young Adulthood
The habits developed in a person’s 20s and 30s can have a lasting impact on their health decades later. According to experts at Stanford Medicine, five key lifestyle habits established during young adulthood can help build a stronger foundation for healthy aging: Regular strength training. Early adulthood is when most people reach their peak bone […]
Trigger Points May Contribute to Chronic Whiplash Pain
Whiplash-associated disorders refer to a collection of symptoms—commonly neck pain, stiffness, headaches, dizziness, and reduced range of motion—that can develop after the neck is suddenly forced backward and forward, such as during a rear-end vehicle collision. It’s estimated that up to 50% of whiplash patients may continue to experience symptoms that last for months or […]
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Linked to Psychiatric Disorders?
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) occurs when the median nerve becomes compressed as it travels through the wrist, resulting in numbness, tingling, burning pain, and weakness affecting the thumb, index finger, middle finger, and thumb side of the ring finger. However, its effects can extend well beyond symptoms localized to the hand. Over time, CTS may […]
Potential Treatment Option for Morton’s Neuroma
Morton’s neuroma is a common condition caused by irritation and thickening of a nerve that runs between the metatarsal bones, most often between the third and fourth toes. As the nerve becomes irritated, it can produce burning pain, numbness, tingling, or a feeling that there is a small object inside the shoe. Although the exact […]
Jaw Mobilization May Improve Balance in Vertigo Patients
For people with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), dizziness often occurs when changing head position during everyday activities. The condition develops when tiny calcium crystals inside the inner ear become displaced and enter one of the semicircular canals involved in balance. As the head changes position, these crystals interfere with normal signals from the inner […]
Proprioception, the Pain Gate, and Chiropractic Care
Mark Sontag, MD, graduated from McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois), in 1983. His practice specialty is physiatry (physical medicine and rehabilitation). He practices in San Mateo, CA. In 2000, the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper profiled Dr. Sontag, as follows (1): Sharks’ Team Doctor Calls the Shots Menlo Park Physician Aims for Zero Pain Friends […]