Chiropractic Update

Automobile Accidents: What to Expect

2009-11-03T17:26:00.000-08:00

Most of us have had the unfortunate luck to have been involved in a car accident. There are many common injuries that result from this type of accident such as:

1. Whiplash
2. Herniated disks
3. Headaches
4. Subluxated ribs
5. Fatigue
6. Mid and low back pain
7. Sciatica
8. And many more...

I'm writing about this now because I have recently been seeing quite a few patients come in with various degrees of injuries resulting from auto accident ranging from mild muscle strains to more severe disc injuries, severe headaches and serious knee injuries (from impact of the knee against the dashboard).

Sometimes symptoms begin 24-72 hours after the injuries occur.

Fast diagnosis and care after auto accidents are the best way to prevent lasting effects from your injuries. If you or a loved one get hurt after an auto accident make sure you contact me or your primary health care provider and begin treatment as soon as possible after the accident.

Dr. Eric
Website
310-993-8482

Golfer's Elbow

2009-10-10T13:28:00.002-07:00

Golfers' Elbow is the common term used to describe pain and discomfort in the medial epicondyle. Commonly referred as golfers' elbow for the high incidence of golfers who suffer from this condition due to the stresses put upon the elbow during the game of golf.

Last week I saw a new patient who came in solely for the treatment of of his golfer's elbow. As it turned out, not only did he have golfers' eblow, but he had an upper extremity bio-mechanical problem. We actually got more relief in the elbow by releasing his shoulder than by working on the actual elbow!

The key with this patient was understanding the entire upper extremity bio-mechanics!

Don't let injuries slow you down! If you have any questions regarding golfers' elbow, please call me. I'll be more than happy to see if I can help!

Dr. Eric

Wishing you the best!

Dr. Eric Nepomnaschy, D.C.
Bay Chiropractic and Rehabilitation
2116 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 450
Santa Monica, CA 90403
310-993-8482

Golfer

2009-10-10T13:28:00.001-07:00

Golfers' Elbow is the common term used to describe pain and discomfort in the medial epicondyle. Commonly referred as golfers' elbow for the high incidence of golfers who suffer from this condition due to the stresses put upon the elbow during the game of golf.

Last week I saw a new patient who came in solely for the treatment of of his golfer's elbow. As it turned out, not only did he have golfers' eblow, but he had an upper extremity bio-mechanical problem. We actually got more relief in the elbow by releasing his shoulder than by working on the actual elbow!

The key with this patient was understanding the entire upper extremity bio-mechanics!

Don't let injuries slow you down! If you have any questions regarding golfers' elbow, please call me. I'll be more than happy to see if I can help!

Dr. Eric

Wishing you the best!

Dr. Eric Nepomnaschy, D.C.
Bay Chiropractic and Rehabilitation
2116 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 450
Santa Monica, CA 90403
310-993-8482

TENSION HEADACHES

2009-10-07T14:54:00.000-07:00

TENSION HEADACHES

Tension Headaches are the most common type of headaches out there.
They can be debilitating and bring you to depend of prescription or over the counter medications. Recently I had the opportunity to help a young man who had been suffering from headaches for years and was getting them on the average of 5-7 days per week! This young man had a history of minor but chronic head trauma -As former professional defensive soccer player he was used to heading the ball over and over again-. Over the years, he'd tried prescription and over the counter medications only to get temporary help and no permanent solution to his problem. He has been treating with me for one month now, and I'm elated to say that since his second visit he has not had one headache!!!!

CHIROPRACTIC CARE:

* Remove subluxations (spinal joint restrictions)

* Remove nerve interference

* Release muscle tension

* Restore the body to health

If you know anyone who has chronic headaches, let them know we may be able to help.

Dr. Eric
310-993-8482
www.drericnepo.com

Spinal mis-alignments and Back Pain

2009-09-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

Spinal mis-alignments, otherwise known as subluxations can cause back pain, neck pain and a variety of other problems. When the vertebrae are out-of-alignment they not only cause pain but also affect how the nerves that come out of the spine work. A pinched or irritated nerve can cause muscle pain and dysfunction and it may also affect how the organs and tissues that particular nerve supplies work.

In recent studies, pinched nerves in the neck were shown to increase blood pressure.

If you are suffering from back pain, neck pain, or you want to be pro-active in your health, call my office for a spinal check up.

Common signs that you might have a subluxation are:

* headaches
* neck/back pain
* shoulder pain
* numbness and/or tingling down the arms and fingers or your feet
* restricted range of motion
* tension in your muscles
* neck pain or discomfort coupled with increase blood pressure

Dr. Eric
www.drericnepo.com
310-993-8482
2116 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 208
Santa Monica, CA 90403

Headaches

2009-09-10T08:59:00.000-07:00

Headaches can be debilitating. The most common type of headaches are called "tension" headaches.

According to the CDC, up to 80% of all headaches originate in the neck. Chiropractic can help relieve headaches by reliving pressure on the nerves that come out the suboccipital and cervico-thoracic junctions that are usually the culprit of the headaches.

If you know anyone who suffers from headaches and is tired of popping Tylenol, Advil or other meds that only address the symptom, please pass along my number. There may be a drug-free solution to their problem.

Dr. Eric
310-993-8482
www.drericnepo.com

Rotator Cuff Injuries - Shoulder Pain

2009-09-04T14:01:00.000-07:00

Shoulder pain is commonly associated with rotator cuff injuries.

What is the Rotator Cuff?
The rotator cuff is composed of four muscles that wrap around the head of the humerus (arm) and provide both movement and stability to the joint. When injuries occur it's important to understand the patients muscle imbalances, posture and the cause of the injury in order find the best treatment protocol.

When the injury is due to repetitive stress, as most injuries tend to be, understanding the mechanical stress is key to finding the appropriate solution.

Common Treatments:
Myofascial release, muscle strengthening and stretching are the most effective ways to treat minor to moderate injuries. Passive modalities such as ultrasound therapy and electrical muscular stimulation are also used, but usually reserved for acute or very chronic conditions.
Chiropractic adjustments also help restore proper motion to the joints (gleno-humeral, scapular-thoracic articulation and sterno-clavicular joint) allowing the entire shoulder complex to function better.

If you know anyone who has shoulder pain, let them know we may be able to help.

Dr. Eric

New Office

2009-08-07T14:38:00.000-07:00

So, I'm all settled in the new office and excited to continue to grow a practice based on good health.

Chiropractic is much more than pain relief. Chiropractic is based on how structural alignment (restrictions) affects the surrounding structures. By detecting and correcting spinal restrictions you can actually prevent problems, and improve how your body works.

I look forward to the opportunity to help you thrive,

Dr. Eric

below are pictures of the new office!

Neck Pain and subluxations

2009-06-19T14:15:00.000-07:00

Neck Subluxations
Ok, in the past I have talked about the intervertebral subluxation complex, which as a reminder is when the vertebrae in the spine are mis-aligned or restricted in motion and affects how the nerves that come out of that specific area work.

When subluxations happen in the neck they can cause all kinds of problems, some that you can feel such as pain, numbness and tingling, and some that you can't feel like increased blood pressure.

Common signs that you might have a cervical (neck) subluxation are:

* headaches
* neck pain
* shoulder pain
* numbness and/or tingling down the arms and fingers
* restricted range of motion
* tension in your muscles

Unfortunately, sometimes subluxations can occur without causing any immediate clear symptoms such as pain. These types of subluxations affect the overall health and wellness of the patient, causing that patient to not live up to his full potential.

Routine chiropractic examinations and adjustments are important to identify and remove subluxations in your spine that may be causing you to live in a sub-optimal state.

If you haven't had your spine checked lately, call the office today for an appointment and lets keep you in the best state you can be.

Dr. Eric
www.drericnepo.com
310-993-8482

"Nothing changes if nothing changes". - unknown

Immunity and Chiropractic

2009-06-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

So summer is here, and apparently so is the flu. Often patients don't want to come into the office if they have the flu or are sick. That is the perfect time to come in. Chiropractic adjustments relieve subluxations that maybe be preventing your body from fighting disease. In fact, untreated subluxations may be the cause of a weaken immune systems that makes you susceptible to develop symptoms.

Remember, viruses and bacteria are all around us and on us. Only when our bodies are weak do this viruses and bacteria develop into symptoms and disease.

Have you had your spine checked lately?

Dr. Eric
Bay Chiropractic and Rehabilitation
310-993-8482
www.drEricNepo.com

My Cousin Sciatica

2009-04-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

Sciatica is referred to an inflammation of your sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. It begins in your lower back and travels down your pelvis, thigh, knee, calf, ankle, foot and toes. When inflamed, it can cause a multitude of symptoms from pain, to numbness, tingling, and/or weakness anywhere along the path of the nerve.
Patients will sometimes experience low back pain, while others only experience pain or tingling in one toe!

What causes SCIATICA?
Irritation or the sciatic nerve can be cause by variety of pathways, from a spinal misalignment, to ruptured disc, to a sports injury or car accident among other things.

Chiropractic can help!
In many cases chiropractic is the best choice of treatment for sciatica! Chiropractic adjustments have been show to relieve symptoms of sciatica by reliving pressure on the nerve and re-establishing the proper bio-mechanics on the lumbar spine.

Will chiropractic always help?
As much as I want to be able to help everyone, sometimes patients need more invasive care, such as surgical intervention.
In cases where the nerve is severely impinged upon by a ruptured disc, severe degeneration or other causes, a consultation with a neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon will be required.

If you have any questions on Sciatica please do not hesitate to call me. If I can't help you, I will be more than happy to refer you to the appropriate health care professional than can take care of your needs.

Dr. Eric

Custom Orthotics

2009-03-25T09:26:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
Have you ever wondered why your feet hurt?
Foot pain is a common problem problem for many of us. As I sit here in my office and open a box that contains my two new pairs of custom orthotics I recall the time when foot and leg pain was as common to me as the air I breathe.

Once upon a time I got inspired to start running. To my surprise two weeks into it I began experiencing foot pain and shin pain. Things got so bad that I had to give up training. Two years later, I told the story to my chiropractor and he told me that the problem was due to my collapsed arches (Flat feet) and that I could probably benefit from custom orthotics.

Seven years later and countless miles of running behind me which includes the completion of the L.A. Marathon in 2006 I can tell you that I am very grateful for my orthotics.

Over the last few years, I have helped many patients deal with foot, ankle and knee pain both with and without custom orthotic therapy.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing foot pain, knee pain, or low back pain that is recurring and is not getting better, orthotic or chiropractic therapy may be the right answer for you.

Feel free to contact me with any questions at drericnepo@gmail.com, 310-993-8482, or visit my website at www.drericnepo.com

Chiropractic and the World....

2009-01-18T20:37:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, I just traveled to Costa Rica for a little R&R, and it was there were I found a great boost to my profession. Everywhere I went I met people from many different places, from the local Ticos to Americans, Canadians and Argentineans (among others). As we struck conversations the topic of what do you do always came up. When I told people I was a Chiropractor I got an overwhelming response from people. Aside from every one nearly falling on the floor and begging for an adjustment (really), people really appreciated what we do as chiropractors.
In California, we are lucky that there is a large number of Chiropractors, but in many places such as Costa Rica, there are few.

I'm happy to be back and to get back to helping you be as healthy as you can be.
If you have any questions about chiropractic and if it can help you, please don't hesitate to call me.

Best,

Dr. Eric
www.drEricNepo.com

New Years Resolutions

2008-12-29T10:38:00.001-08:00

Dear Friends,
now it's the time when most people think about "new year's resolutions", which as you know, nobody keeps (and by nobody I mean the majority of people). The reason that most people don't make it is that they set unrealistic goals for themselves. For example, someone who never works out and is really busy, and loves chocolate covered doughnuts decides to become a fitness buff and work out 6 days a week. LIKELY? NOT! This person should probably commit to working out two to three times per week, and would probably benefit from a group work out environment in order to be accountable and also make it fun.

So here are some tips to make your new years resolutions stick:

1. Set realistic goals, and when at all possible make your goals fun! (if you are not having fun, why do it?)
2. Draw a diagram of how to achieve your goals, step by setp.
3. Don't skip steps (self sabotage)
4. Make yourself accountable.
5. Reward yourself for the completion of each goal.

Let me share one of my personal goals: I used to practice yoga two to three times per week for years. I loved it and enjoyed the benefits of yoga. I somehow branched away from yoga when my favorite teacher retired and started to practice other forms of exercise such as running, rock climbing and tennis. Now I would like to start yoga again. I know that 2-3 times per week will be very unrealistic of me at the moment, so my goal is to begin practicing yoga once per week in 2009. Thats once a week, four times a month, fifty two times a year. Doesn't sound hard right?

Well, wish me luck as I wish you luck and good health for 2009.

Dr. Eric

Back pain, chest pain and your ribs

2008-11-24T13:40:00.000-08:00

Subluxation: a joint that is either out of it's normal alignment, restricted in motion or both, which may lead to pain and reduced overall joint and body health.

A subluxated rib is often responsible for a multitude of symptoms such as back pain, chest pain, and pain when taking a breath.
Often patients may feel like they are having a heart attack if the subluxated rib is on the upper left side. The pain is usually described as a sharp shooting pain that increases when taking a deep breath, and may radiate (travel) to the side or front of the thorax.
The reason for this is that the ribs attach to the vertebra in the back and wrap around your thorax attaching either directly to the sternum or indirectly to the sternum via the cartilage. On the inside of each rib there is a nerve called the intercostal nerve that travels along with the rib. A subluxated rib usually causes this nerve to get "pinched" and become inflamed and painful.

Muscle spasms can occur due to pain in the area around the subluxated rib.

How do we treat it? Usually a chiropractic adjustment is the treatment of choice. The chiropractic adjustment gets the rib back in proper alignment, usually significantly reducing the pain.

If you are suffering form back pain, maybe you have a subluxated rib. Call today for consultation and treatment 310-993-8482.

For more info on chiropractic care, visit my my website.

Best!

Dr. Eric

L.A. Marathon Date Pushed

2008-11-17T09:35:00.000-08:00

Ok, so the new date for the L.A. Marathon is May 25th. This is good news for many of you who had some injury setbacks and were unable to meet the February race date. So, for those of you who were injury free, take it easy and maybe take advantage of the extra time to improve your pace by adding some speed workouts and/or hills.

For those of you who were injured, start slow. You have plenty of time to build up your strength and endurance.

The L.A.Roadrunners will be coming up with an updated training plan soon.

Good luck and see you at the finish line!

Dr. Eric

Running Injuries Lecture

2008-10-17T09:28:00.000-07:00

If you are interested, this Saturday (10/18) I will be giving a lecture to the L.A. Roadrunners on common running injuries, and stretching. The lecture will start around 9:45AM and will last approximately 30 minutes.

The lecture will be located at an Elementary School just south of the corner of Main Street and Abbot Kinney in Venice. (you can't miss it). I will be at the Gym. Feel free to stop by and bring a friend if you like.

Dr. Eric
Click here to view my website

Vitamin D - Got some?

2008-10-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

Today in the Health Section of the LA Times there as a brief note by a reader on vitamin D and it's impact on arthritis pain.
One reader reported tremendous benefits from increasing her Vitamin D.
Vitamin D is a very complex vitamin with multiple benefits. Since it has a huge impact on bone health, it's not surprising that an increase in it's intake helped with arthritis pain.
In order to learn more about vitamin d go to http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp

Are you in need of more vitamin D?

Book Review

2008-10-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is not necessarily a chiropractic related blog, but it did come about from the recommendation of on one of my patients.

I just finished the book Three Cups of Tea. I highly recommend anyone to read this book. I'm not even going to try to attempt to describe the book, but I can tell you that you can only learn and be inspired by work of Greg Mortenson and the Central Asia Institute.

This is not fiction, which is why it makes it all more powerful. I hope you enjoy the read,

Dr. Eric

Want to Cleanse and loose weight?

2008-10-03T14:10:00.000-07:00

I often get asked if I know of any cleanses, and what I think about them. In todays society our diet is full of things we probably shouldn't be eating. We've gotten away from wholesome organic home cooked meals, to ready-made, preservative and chemical filled foods, and fruits and vegetables grown in nutrient depleted soils.

A cleanse is a way to give your body a break from all the junk we eat, and let it "reset" (for lack of a better word).

One of my favorite cleanses is from a company called Standard Process. They have this great 21-day cleanse, which instead of starving you (like other cleanses do) allows you to eat as much of you want of fresh fruits and vegetables, plus you take 2-3 tasty shakes per day. In addition to that, you take organ support whole food supplements in order to NOT deprive your body of essential nutrients while you cleanse. This cleanse was designed as an organ detox cleanse. The byproduct of the cleanse is usually 8-20 pounds worth of weight loss in 3 weeks!.

If you are interested in purifying your body, loosing weight, or both, call my office at 310-993-8482 and set up an appointment to discuss how this cleanse can help you too!

For more information on my practice and myself visit www.drEricNepo.com

Best!

Dr. Eric

150 times per Second! Wow

2008-09-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to start making custom orthotics (arch supports) with my new Metascan by Footmaxx! This software scans your step 150 times per second to create a true custom arch support for you!

Custom Arch Supports can help with:
-foot and ankle pain
-plantar fascitis and shin splints
-back pain and more.

If you have any questions on arch supports, the Metascan or any other sport injuries, call me or make an appointment www.drEricNepo.com

Dr. Eric

Track your steps! Gadget Review

2008-09-24T10:35:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
so, I just got a new iPhone and just downloaded this cool FREE application called Trailguru. This cool gadget lets you track your mileage, time, altitude change, speed, time moving, time stopped, and more. Once you record a run, trek, walk, you can then send it to the website and create an account to track your workouts, miles done, etc.

There are some downsides to the application. For example, to use it, it has to be in the "foreground" of the iPhone, so in essence it does not allow you to use the rest of the phone while tracking. But if you are in the hills, or working out, you shouldn't be talking on the phone anyways, right?!!!!

I hope you enjoyed the review. For more info on Trailguru, visit their website or look them up on your iPhone.

For more information on my practice, visit www.drEricNepo.com

Dr. Eric

Chiropractic and Knee Pain

2008-09-22T15:39:00.000-07:00

Even though surgical intervention may be the right answer for many suffering from knee pain, conservative chiropractic and physiotherapy may be just as effective, or better in some cases. Today, in the health section of the L.A.Times there was a great article on the efficacy of arthoscopyc surgery and knee pain.
The jest of the article states that in many cases, conservative care fares much better than surgical intervention.
I have seen many patients with knee pain in my office, and for the most part, I've been able to help them get back to their respective activities. For a full copy of the article go to see full article.

Common treatments for knee pain include:
- Myofascial release
- Mobilization of the joint
- Kinesiotape
- Therapeutic Ultrasound
- Custom arch supports (orthotics)

For more information on how chiropractic can help you visit my website
or email me at dreric@drericnepo.com

Open House

2008-09-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

Tonight, Friday September 19th we are having an open house at the office from 7-9pm. Come meet the docs and have a drink. We look forward to seeing you.

We are located at 900 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 450, Santa Monica, 90401

For more info on my practice and a map to the office visit my website

Dr. Eric
Santa Monica Chiropractor

Stress-Fractures in Runners

2008-09-17T13:07:00.000-07:00

L.A. Marathon training season is in full force now, and so are the injuries that happen as a result of training. Commonly I see sprained ankles, knee pain, hip pain and low back pain.

Last week, a 35 year old female came into my office complaining of left knee pain. She started training for the marathon a few weeks ago. Her orthopeadic examination was unremarkable, and my initial diagnosis was of tendonitis/bursitis of the knee. Her persistent pain, and lack of response to two sessions of myofascial release, chiropractic care and passive modalities led me to order radiographs of this patient's knee and tibia. Sure enough, the patient had a stress fracture of the tibia.

Knowing when to see a doctor is important. If you are training and you experience abnormal pains, always seek professional care. Stress fractures are usually seen when people drastically increase the level of training or change training surfaces.

Remember, pain is just the way your body tells you there is something wrong.

For more information on sport injuries, chiropractic and general health visit my website at www.drEricNepo.com