Feel Better Forever - by Brian Dorfman

 

2013 and 2012 Columns

 

 

December, 2013       Head, Neck, and Jaw Connections

 

Claire had been experiencing pain, tension, headaches and popping sounds from her jaw for over ten years. She believes these symptoms originated with treatment she had sought for back pain in 2000. Her neck became a focus of treatment even though she was not experiencing any pain or discomfort in that area at the time.

 

November, 2013      Chew on This     

 

The jaw presents a unique situation for someone like me in that it is both extremely powerful and highly accessible.  Unlike the über-powerful hip joint, which is covered beneath layers and layers of muscle, the jaw is there for the taking, with little between it and me.

 

October, 2013          Override the Stress Response

 

An endless balancing act exists between the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), "fight or flight", and the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS), "relaxation response". These two systems act equal and opposite each other and regulate our breathing, heart rate, circulation, hormones, and digestion.

 

September, 2013      Focus on the Ankle

 

The ankle was used as an example, in our previous article, for how swelling can affect a joint.  So now, I'm going to back track a bit and go into an overview of the ankle joint, covering its unique features as well as it challenges and strengths.

 

August, 2013           The Underlying Cause  

 

Swelling is a common, yet rarely diagnosed, underlying cause of much physical discomfort. It is not something that gets photographed in X-rays, MRI's or CAT scans and as such, remains an invisible, untreated culprit. Unresolved swelling can lead to serious issues in the joints as well as in the digestive organs, and can severely damage the brain. The effects of swelling on different parts of the body is a huge topic with many ramifications, so for the purpose of this article I'm going to stick with swelling in the joints, which is something I have dealt with often in my 30 years of practice.

 

July, 2013               A Less Than Perfect Thumb

 

My son Avery jammed his thumb when he was about two years old.   I'm embarrassed to admit that it took a while for my wife, Nicole, and I to notice, and then wonder if he was actually born with a crooked thumb – (photos attest to the fact that he did once have a perfect thumb).

 

June, 2013               Lifetime Fitness

 

Anyone who has read my articles knows that I am a big advocate of stretching for preventing and resolving pain and injuries.  Unlike many activities, stretching is available to just about everyone, regardless of their athletic or physical abilities.

 

May, 2013               Have a Ball on Your Feet   

 

I've worked with thousands of feet over the years and have found that one very simple self-massage technique works to relieve tightness and pain in about 99% of all cases.  Whether you have a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis or Morton's neuroma or simply experience painful and tight feet, you can use this technique and get positive results. And it's got to be the least expensive therapy in town. All you need is a tennis ball and a floor.

 

April, 2013                Happy Feet

 

We usually don't give our feet much thought, unless they're hurting.  (Or we're getting a new pair of shoes or a pedicure perhaps.) But what I've noticed is that whether you're a pro athlete or work behind a desk, whether you walk a lot, drive a lot, or spend your time on the couch, the feet get tight.

 

March, 2013             Fixing a Shoulder

 

Here's a sketch of a shoulder case we fixed at BDK. And it was a serious one. But, like most other cases that come thru our doors, the situation was addressed with a combination of massage, biomechanic adjustment and stretching.

 

February, 2013         Stretching Your Shoulders   

 

This month I'll offer a few stretches to help keep your shoulders flexible, healthy and pain-free. If you are already experiencing discomfort or reduced range of motion these stretches can help work out the kinks.

 

January, 2013         An Alternative Approach for Resolving Shoulder Pain

 

The shoulder is a complex area in terms of the structure of the bones, joints, musculature, and attachments. It is more involved than the other areas we have written about, such as the lower back, hand, and wrist. In addition, the shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the body. And there's a trade off: the more mobile a joint is, the less stability it has.

 

December, 2012       A Quick Fix for Turf Toe    

 

Scott had played in 119 consecutive games since 2004, yet was off the field recently due to an injury to his big toe. Scott is in good company. Chargers LaDainian Tomlinson, Darren McFadden of the Oakland Raiders and 49ers Terrell Owens and Pierre Garcon of the Washington Redskins have all suffered the same fate.  

 

November, 2012      Relieve Lower Back Pain Without Steroid Injections

 

As I have written a - lot in these pages about lower back pain, its causes and cures, I feel compelled to address the current outbreak of fungal meningitis that has been linked to a steroid treatment for lower back pain.   In this procedure steroids are injected into the spinal column to reduce inflammation and the accompanying pain.

 

October, 2012          Resolving Neck Pain: A Case Study    

 

In this article I will present a case study of a patient who successfully resolved chronic neck pain using the methods outlined in my previous entry — stretching, biomechanic adjustment and massage.   Although Michael had tried many other treatment methods, ours was the only one to prove successful.  Yet I cannot take credit for his recovery — Michael was an active participant in his treatment and that made all the difference.

 

September, 2012      Stretches for a Healthy Neck

 

As mentioned in my previous article, small movements will have a big effect on the neck.   This principle underlies the stretches presented here.  The good news is that neck issues respond quickly and easily to correct positioning.  However, neck stretches are risky.

 

August, 2012            An Alternative Approach to Resolving Neck Pain

 

In general, I find that a similar set of principles guides the resolution of most neck disorders: extension and positioning. Extension of the neck and spine is needed to alleviate compression, just as extension in the lower back is necessary to alleviate pain in the lower back.

 

July, 2012                 Resolving Lower Back Pain: A Case Study

 

In finishing up our series on the lower back, here is a case study to help illuminate  lower back pain, its possible causes and what one woman has done to address it.

 

June, 2012               Stretches for the Lower Back

 

In following up on a blog article in a series on lower back pain, here is a short video detailing four stretches that you can do today to help your back feel better forever. As I stated in the previous post, lower back pain is consistently addressed, in the majority of cases, with postural alignment, massage and stretching.

 

March, 2012             Medical Misdiagnosis and Treatment Errors

 

Medical misdiagnosis and treatment errors are all too common in our health care system today.  In my last stint at the San Diego clinic, in early February, there were four new cases that fell into this category. As we saw a total of 10 new patients in that nine-day period, a full 40% were either misdiagnosed or provided ineffective treatment. You may think this is a strong claim to make without a medical degree, but I'm assured that my take on the situation is correct because we have, in fact, been able to resolve these cases that have eluded many others.

 

February, 2012         Resolving Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Case Study

 

n this article I will present a case study of a woman whose Carpal Tunnel Syndrome was alleviated through the methods of massage, stretching and biomechanic adjustment that I outlined in my previous two entries – A New Perspective on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Solutions.

 

January, 2012          Carpal Tunnel Solutions    

 

For this second article in our series on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome I will focus on prevention and self-care. Our original piece on this topic, which offered an alternative perspective on CTS, spoke about hand positioning and biomechanics as primary causes of CTS symptoms. One of the great things about such a perspective is that each individual is empowered to make simple adjustments in hand positioning and movement to prevent and alleviate pain and numbness.     

 

 

 

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