<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Health Archives - Intouch Chiropractic</title> <atom:link href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/category/health/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link></link> <description>At Intouch Chiropractic, your journey to better health is addressed with advanced diagnostics and world-class treatment protocols.</description> <lastBuildDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2026 15:40:39 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3</generator> <image> <url>https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/cropped-it-logo-bg-1a-1-32x32.jpg</url> <title>Health Archives - Intouch Chiropractic</title> <link></link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <item> <title>Is It Bad to Crack Your Own Back or Neck?</title> <link>https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/is-it-bad-to-crack-your-own-back-or-neck/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dr. Devin Young, DC]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 14 Oct 2026 17:05:11 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Back Pain]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Chiropractic]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Neck Pain]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://sandiegonucca.com/?p=6322</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Twisting at your desk, rolling your neck after a long drive, popping your knuckles against the back of a chair: most people have a go-to move for getting that satisfying...</p> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/is-it-bad-to-crack-your-own-back-or-neck/">Is It Bad to Crack Your Own Back or Neck?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-6323 size-full" src="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/is-it-bad-to-crack-your-neck.jpg" alt="" width="1536" height="1024" srcset="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/is-it-bad-to-crack-your-neck.jpg 1536w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/is-it-bad-to-crack-your-neck-300x200.jpg 300w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/is-it-bad-to-crack-your-neck-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/is-it-bad-to-crack-your-neck-768x512.jpg 768w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/is-it-bad-to-crack-your-neck-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px" /></p> <p>Twisting at your desk, rolling your neck after a long drive, popping your knuckles against the back of a chair: most people have a go-to move for getting that satisfying crack. It feels like relief. But is it actually doing anything helpful, or could it be causing harm?</p> <h2>What Causes the Cracking Sound</h2> <p>The popping sound comes from the small joints in your spine, which are surrounded by fluid that helps them move smoothly. When you twist or stretch a joint past its normal range, tiny gas bubbles in that fluid shift or burst. That’s the sound you hear as cracking. Nothing is actually breaking or snapping into place; it’s a normal, mechanical response to movement.</p> <h2>Is Cracking Your Back Actually Bad for You?</h2> <p>Cracking your back or neck occasionally, as part of normal movement like stretching or twisting, isn’t considered dangerous. The concern is more about how often and how forcefully you’re doing it. Cracking the same joint repeatedly, or using force to make it pop, can gradually stretch the ligaments that hold that joint in place. Over time, a joint that’s been stretched too loose can become less stable.</p> <p>Frequent cracking can also be a sign that something else is going on, since healthy, well-aligned joints usually don’t demand constant popping to feel normal.</p> <h2>Why You Feel the Urge to Crack</h2> <p>The urge to crack usually comes from a joint that feels stiff or restricted. Cracking it briefly stretches the joint capsule, which can feel like relief for a few minutes. That relief doesn’t last long, though, because the stretch doesn’t fix whatever caused the stiffness in the first place. This is why people who crack their back or neck often find themselves wanting to do it again within an hour or two.</p> <h2>Self-Cracking vs. a Professional Adjustment</h2> <p>If you feel like you need to crack your neck or back several times a day, or the relief barely lasts before the tightness comes right back, that’s worth paying attention to rather than just living with it.</p> <p>One reason the relief doesn’t last is that self-cracking isn’t very precise. It targets whatever joint feels most restless at the moment, which is often the joint that’s already the most mobile, not the stiff one that actually needs attention. A <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/nucca-chiropractic-vs-regular-chiropractic/">professional adjustment by a chiropractor works differently</a>: it’s based on a specific assessment of which joint or area is actually misaligned, so the correction addresses the source of the stiffness instead of the joint that happens to be easiest to twist.</p> <h2>How Intouch Chiropractic Can Help</h2> <p>We practice <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/nucca-chiropractic/">NUCCA chiropractic care</a>, which doesn’t rely on popping or cracking at all. It uses a gentle, precise correction at the top of the spine to restore proper alignment, based on a detailed assessment of your specific misalignment. For people who find themselves cracking their neck or back out of habit, addressing the actual alignment issue behind that urge may reduce how often you feel the need to crack your neck or back in the first place.</p> <h2>Frequently Asked Questions</h2> <h4>Is it bad to crack your knuckles too?</h4> <p>Cracking your knuckles works on a similar principle and hasn’t been shown to cause arthritis, despite the common myth. Like back and neck cracking, doing it occasionally isn’t a concern, but relying on it constantly may point to an underlying stiffness worth addressing.</p> <h4>Can cracking your neck cause a stroke?</h4> <p>This is rare, but it’s not impossible. Forceful or high-velocity neck movements, particularly aggressive self-cracking, carry a small risk of affecting blood flow through the neck. Gentle, professional care avoids this risk entirely, since it doesn’t involve the same forceful twisting.</p> <h2>Addressing the Cause</h2> <p>If cracking your back or neck has become something you do several times a day just to feel normal, it may be worth coming into our San Diego office to find out why. Call us today at 619-756-7510 or schedule your consultation online. Our office is located at 2425 Camino Del Rio S #100, San Diego, CA 92108.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/is-it-bad-to-crack-your-own-back-or-neck/">Is It Bad to Crack Your Own Back or Neck?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>What Is Text Neck, and How Do You Fix It?</title> <link>https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/what-is-text-neck-and-how-do-you-fix-it/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dr. Jeanett Tapia, DC]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 05 Oct 2026 20:35:32 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Back Pain]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Neck Pain]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://sandiegonucca.com/?p=6318</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Your head weighs somewhere around 10 to 12 pounds when it’s sitting straight up on top of your spine. That’s not a small amount of weight, but your neck and...</p> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/what-is-text-neck-and-how-do-you-fix-it/">What Is Text Neck, and How Do You Fix It?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-6319 size-full" src="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/text-neck-image.jpg" alt="" width="1536" height="1024" srcset="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/text-neck-image.jpg 1536w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/text-neck-image-300x200.jpg 300w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/text-neck-image-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/text-neck-image-768x512.jpg 768w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/text-neck-image-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px" /></p> <p>Your head weighs somewhere around 10 to 12 pounds when it’s sitting straight up on top of your spine. That’s not a small amount of weight, but your neck and shoulders are built to hold it up without much effort. The trouble starts the moment you tilt your head forward to look down at your phone. That small shift in angle makes a big difference, and the strain on your neck climbs fast. When you do that dozens of times a day, day after day, you end up with what’s known as text neck.</p> <h2>Why Looking Down Puts So Much Strain on Your Neck</h2> <p>Think about holding a bowling ball close to your chest. It’s manageable. Now hold that same ball straight out in front of you with your arms extended. It feels a lot heavier, even though the ball hasn’t changed at all. Your neck works the same way with your head. When your head sits directly over your shoulders, your neck muscles don’t have to work very hard to hold it upright. When you tilt your head forward to look at a phone, your neck has to work much harder to hold that position.</p> <p>The further forward your head tips, the more strain your neck takes on. A small tilt isn’t a big deal for a few seconds, but holding that tilt for minutes at a time, over and over throughout the day, leads to the pain and stiffness we’re calling text neck.</p> <h2>How Everyday Phone Habits Add Up</h2> <p>Text neck doesn’t come from one long stretch of time spent looking down. It comes from picking up your phone dozens of times throughout the day and tilting your head down each time, even if it’s only for a minute or two.</p> <p>A quick message here, a few minutes of scrolling there, checking a notification while you’re walking or waiting in line. None of these moments feel like they make a difference on their own. But added together over the course of a full day, and repeated day after day, they put your neck through far more strain than most people realize.</p> <h2>Common Signs of Text Neck</h2> <p>Text neck usually shows up as stiffness or a dull ache in the neck and upper back, especially after a day of heavy phone or computer use. Some people also notice the tightness spreading into their shoulders. Headaches that start at the base of the skull are common too, since the muscles at the back of the neck connect directly to that area.</p> <p>Another common sign is a harder time turning or tilting your head as far as you normally could, particularly by the end of the day. These symptoms rarely show up all at once or feel severe right away. They build slowly, tracking closely with how much time you spend looking down each day.</p> <h2>Who Notices It Most</h2> <p>Text neck shows up most often in people who spend a lot of time on a phone or a computer during the day. That includes people working at a desk or laptop for long stretches, people who use their phones heavily for work, and people who spend a lot of time texting or scrolling on social media. It’s also become common among younger people who’ve grown up with a phone in hand most of the day.</p> <p>In San Diego, this might look like commuters checking their phones on the trolley or in traffic, remote workers moving between a laptop and a phone all day, and anyone bouncing between meetings while replying to messages in between.</p> <h2>Simple Ways to Protect Your Neck</h2> <p>A few adjustments can make a real difference. Try holding your phone up closer to eye level instead of letting it rest down in your lap or on your desk, since that keeps your neck in a more neutral position instead of tilted forward. If you’re working at a desk, raising your screen so it sits closer to eye level helps for the same reason.</p> <p>Taking short breaks during long stretches of scrolling or texting helps too. Looking up, rolling your shoulders back, and gently stretching your neck every so often gives those muscles a chance to reset instead of holding the same position for hours at a time. Building strength in your upper back also helps over time, since stronger muscles there make it easier to hold good posture throughout the day without your neck doing all the work.</p> <p>These changes are small and easy to fit into your day. Stick with them consistently, and they will begin to add up, just like the bad habits that caused the strain in the first place.</p> <h2>When It’s More Than Stiffness</h2> <p>Some tightness after a long day of screen time is common and usually nothing to worry about. It’s worth paying closer attention, though, if the pain doesn’t ease up after a day or two, if headaches keep coming back regularly, or if you notice numbness or tingling that travels into your shoulder or arm. Those signs suggest something more than ordinary neck muscle fatigue and are worth having checked.</p> <h2>How Intouch Chiropractic Can Help</h2> <p>Posture problems like text neck often become more noticeable when there’s already a misalignment in the spine. If your neck isn’t properly aligned to begin with, hours of forward head posture puts even more pressure on it than it would otherwise.</p> <p><a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/nucca-chiropractic/">NUCCA chiropractic care</a> focuses on restoring proper alignment at the top of the spine. It uses a gentle, precise correction rather than the twisting or cracking associated with general chiropractic adjustments. For people dealing with text neck, better alignment means the neck is in a stronger position to handle the daily strain of looking down at screens.</p> <p>For muscles that are already sore and tight from hours of poor posture, laser therapy is another option we offer to help reduce inflammation and speed up recovery.</p> <h2>Frequently Asked Questions</h2> <h4>Is text neck a real medical condition, or just a nickname?</h4> <p>It’s a widely used nickname rather than an official diagnosis, but the strain and symptoms it describes are real. Doctors and chiropractors commonly see the pain and stiffness that come from repeated forward head posture, even if “text neck” isn’t a formal medical term.</p> <h4>Can text neck cause permanent damage?</h4> <p>Occasional forward head posture isn’t likely to cause lasting harm. Years of consistent poor posture, though, can contribute to more significant strain on the neck and spine over time, which is why it’s worth addressing the habit sooner rather than later.</p> <h4>How do I fix my posture if I think I already have text neck?</h4> <p>Start with the basics: hold your phone higher, take regular breaks from looking down, and pay attention to your screen height at your desk. If pain or stiffness has become a regular problem despite those changes, a chiropractic evaluation can identify whether an underlying alignment issue is part of what’s going on.</p> <h2>Give Your Neck a Break</h2> <p>Phones and screens aren’t going anywhere, but the strain they put on your neck doesn’t have to be permanent. If stiffness, tightness, or headaches have become a regular part of your day, we’d like to help you figure out what’s going on. Call us today at 619-756-7510 or schedule your consultation online. Our office is located at 2425 Camino Del Rio S #100, San Diego, CA 92108.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/what-is-text-neck-and-how-do-you-fix-it/">What Is Text Neck, and How Do You Fix It?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>A Spinal Health Guide for Biotech and Lab Workers in San Diego</title> <link>https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/a-spinal-health-guide-for-biotech-and-lab-workers-in-san-diego/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dr. Jeanett Tapia, DC]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2026 22:30:54 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Back Pain]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Low Back Pain]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://sandiegonucca.com/?p=6314</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Lab work is physically demanding in ways that aren’t always obvious. Long stretches at the bench, precise hand movements, and hours spent looking through a microscope all add up over...</p> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/a-spinal-health-guide-for-biotech-and-lab-workers-in-san-diego/">A Spinal Health Guide for Biotech and Lab Workers in San Diego</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-6315 size-full" src="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/lab-and-biotech-pipetting-image.jpg" alt="" width="1536" height="1024" srcset="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/lab-and-biotech-pipetting-image.jpg 1536w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/lab-and-biotech-pipetting-image-300x200.jpg 300w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/lab-and-biotech-pipetting-image-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/lab-and-biotech-pipetting-image-768x512.jpg 768w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/lab-and-biotech-pipetting-image-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px" /></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lab work is physically demanding in ways that aren’t always obvious. Long stretches at the bench, precise hand movements, and hours spent looking through a microscope all add up over the course of a work week. Many biotech professionals spend part of their day at a desk, reviewing results, writing up notes, or catching up on email between experiments, so the strain isn’t limited to just one kind. Here, we’re focusing specifically on the part of the day that happens at the bench, since that’s where a lot of the spinal strain unique to lab work comes from, and for a large share of San Diego’s biotech workforce, that’s a significant part of the workday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bench work comes with its own set of postures and repeated motions, and they put strain on your spine in ways that don’t come up at a regular desk job.</span></p> <h2>The Postures Lab Work Actually Requires</h2> <p>A day at the bench involves a mix of positions that desk work simply doesn’t. Leaning into a biosafety cabinet or fume hood to reach equipment or samples means holding an extended, forward-tilt posture for long stretches. Looking through a microscope means holding your head and neck in a fixed, hunched position, sometimes for hours at a time. Standing at a bench that’s the wrong height for your body, whether too high or too low, forces your shoulders, neck, or lower back to compensate the entire time you’re working. And running samples often means repeating the same small hand and wrist motions sometimes for an entire workday.</p> <p>Each of these on its own might not seem like much. Combined and repeated day after day, they add up to a real amount of strain on the neck, shoulders, and back.</p> <h2>Why Pipetting Is Harder on Your Body Than It Looks</h2> <p>Pipetting looks like a small, simple motion, but it’s easy to underestimate how much strain it puts on your body. Each transfer involves pressing down on a plunger with your thumb, and a single experiment can involve hundreds of repetitions. Over the course of a project, that adds up to thousands of the same small motion, which puts real strain on the thumb, wrist, and forearm over time. This kind of repetitive strain injury is a well-documented risk for lab workers who pipette heavily.</p> <p>The strain doesn’t stop at your hand, either. Holding a pipette usually means keeping your shoulder slightly raised and your arm reaching forward or up, especially at benches that aren’t set up at the right height. Held long enough, that shoulder position causes tension that travels into your neck and upper back.</p> <h2>Microscope Neck and Bench Posture</h2> <p>Looking through a microscope for an extended period requires holding your head in a fixed, forward, downward position, often for far longer than it feels like. That sustained position puts steady pressure on the muscles at the back of your neck. Precision work also requires staying still, so the position tends to be held more rigidly than it would be otherwise, which adds to the strain.</p> <p>Bench height problems compound this. If a bench sits too low, you end up hunching forward to reach your work. If it sits too high, your shoulders are elevated the entire time you’re working. Either way, your body is holding an unnatural position for hours, and you usually don’t feel the strain from the microscope or the bench until later in the day, or sometimes not until the next morning.</p> <h2>Why the Strain Builds Without You Noticing</h2> <p>Lab work tends to be precise, focused work, and that focus is part of why the strain builds without much notice. When you’re concentrating on getting a measurement right or watching a reaction closely, you’re not thinking about your posture. Hours can pass this way before you stand up and realize how much tension has built up in your neck, shoulders, or back.</p> <p>How long you stay still in one position without shifting is a major cause of back and neck pain. Holding an awkward posture for an hour puts strain on your body that shows up later on, when you’re finally moving around normally again.</p> <h2>Practical Adjustments for the Lab</h2> <p>A few adjustments can meaningfully reduce the strain, even within the constraints of lab protocols. Adjusting your chair or the bench itself, when possible, so your shoulders stay relaxed rather than raised can make a real difference during long pipetting sessions. Taking short breaks between sets, rather than pipetting continuously for an entire protocol, gives your hand and wrist a chance to recover before the strain builds up. Alternating which hand you use for pipetting when your protocol allows it spreads the repetitive strain across both sides of your body instead of concentrating it on one.</p> <p>For microscope work, positioning the eyepieces at a height that lets you look straight ahead rather than down reduces the strain on your neck significantly. And when reaching into a biosafety cabinet or fume hood, keeping materials as close to you as possible cuts down on how far you have to reach, which reduces the strain on your shoulders and upper back.</p> <p>Some of these, like adjusting bench or eyepiece height, are one-time setup changes. Others, like taking breaks and alternating hands, are habits you’ll need to keep up day to day. Both fixes matter for reducing strain over a long research day.</p> <h2>How Intouch Chiropractic Can Help</h2> <p>Precision work like pipetting and microscopy relies on a steady hand and consistent focus, both of which get harder when your neck, shoulders, or back are stiff or in pain. Addressing strain isn’t just about comfort, it also supports the kind of steady, controlled movement that good lab work demands.</p> <p>NUCCA chiropractic care focuses on restoring proper alignment at the top of the spine. It uses a gentle, precise correction rather than the twisting or cracking associated with general chiropractic adjustments. For San Diego lab and biotech professionals dealing with repetitive strain from bench work, <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/nucca-chiropractic/">better spinal alignment</a> gives your neck and upper back a stronger foundation to handle the repeated posture pressures the job requires.</p> <p>For muscles that are already sore and tight from long stretches at the lab bench, <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/laser-therapy/">laser therapy</a> is another option we offer to help reduce inflammation and speed up recovery.</p> <h2>Frequently Asked Questions</h2> <h4>Can pipetting really cause long-term injury?</h4> <p>Repeated pipetting over months or years can contribute to strain in the thumb, wrist, and forearm, along with tension in the shoulder and neck from the posture involved. The risk increases with how many repetitions you’re doing and how long you’ve been doing them, which is why breaks and proper technique matter more than they might seem to.</p> <h4>Is it normal for my neck to hurt after a long day at the microscope?</h4> <p>Some stiffness after an unusually long session is common, especially if you’re not used to that much continuous microscope work. Neck pain that shows up regularly after normal lab days, or that lingers well into the next day, is worth having evaluated.</p> <h4>What’s the best way to prevent strain from lab work?</h4> <p>A combination of habits helps most: adjusting your bench and chair height to reduce awkward postures, taking short breaks during repetitive tasks like pipetting, alternating hands when your protocol allows it, and paying attention to symptoms early rather than waiting for them to become severe.</p> <h2>Protect Your Ability to Do Precise Work</h2> <p>Your hands, neck, and back are central to the work you do every day. If strain from bench work has become a regular part of your routine, we’d like to help you address it before it becomes a bigger problem. Call us today at 619-756-7510 or schedule your consultation online. Our office is located at 2425 Camino Del Rio S #100, San Diego, CA 92108.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/a-spinal-health-guide-for-biotech-and-lab-workers-in-san-diego/">A Spinal Health Guide for Biotech and Lab Workers in San Diego</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>10 Daily Habits That Protect Your Spine Long Term</title> <link>https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/10-daily-habits-that-protect-your-spine-long-term/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dr. Devin Young, DC]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sat, 13 Jun 2026 17:13:20 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Back Pain]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://sandiegonucca.com/?p=4756</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Protecting your spine long term does not require major lifestyle overhauls. It requires consistent daily habits. The right posture, the right movement patterns, the right nutrition, and the right professional...</p> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/10-daily-habits-that-protect-your-spine-long-term/">10 Daily Habits That Protect Your Spine Long Term</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Protecting your spine long term does not require major lifestyle overhauls.</p> <p><strong>It requires consistent daily habits.</strong></p> <p>The right posture, the right movement patterns, the right nutrition, and the right professional support… all of these things contribute to spinal health.</p> <p>The patients we see at <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/">Intouch Chiropractic in San Diego</a> who age with healthy, pain-free spines are almost always people who built these habits early and stuck with them. In this blog post, we’ll cover 10 of the daily habits you can employ to make sure your spine stays nice and healthy.</p> <h2>Why Your Daily Routine Shapes Your Spine’s Future</h2> <p>The spine is not a static structure. It responds constantly to the forces you place on it every single day. Sit hunched for eight hours, load your discs with poor lifting mechanics, and skip hydration… and you are accelerating disc degeneration whether you feel it right now or not.</p> <p>Spinal discs do not have a direct blood supply, which means they rely entirely on movement and pressure changes to absorb the nutrients they need to stay healthy. What you do (and don’t do) throughout the day either feeds that process or starves it.</p> <p><strong>The good news is that the reverse is also true.</strong> Patients who commit to spine-supportive habits regularly demonstrate better disc height on imaging, fewer episodes of acute pain, and a significantly lower likelihood of needing interventional treatment down the road.</p> <p>These ten habits are the foundation of everything we recommend to our patients.</p> <p><img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-2083 aligncenter" src="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/patient-chiro-care-intouch-chiropractic-california-2.jpg" alt="Chiropractor Jeanett Tapia meets with a San Diego patient at the Intouch office" width="960" height="768" srcset="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/patient-chiro-care-intouch-chiropractic-california-2.jpg 960w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/patient-chiro-care-intouch-chiropractic-california-2-300x240.jpg 300w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/patient-chiro-care-intouch-chiropractic-california-2-768x614.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /></p> <h2>The 10 Habits We Recommend for Spinal Health</h2> <h3>1. Sit With Intentional Posture</h3> <p>Sitting is one of the most compressive positions your lumbar discs experience. Slouching forward shifts your center of gravity, dramatically increases intradiscal pressure, and places chronic strain on the posterior ligaments of the spine. Make a habit of sitting with your feet flat on the floor, your lumbar spine supported, your shoulders relaxed back, and your screen at eye level. A chair with proper lumbar support is one of the <em>best</em> investments you can make in your spinal future.</p> <h3>2. Break Up Sitting Every 30 to 45 Minutes</h3> <p>Even perfect posture becomes damaging when held without interruption. Static loading (holding any one position for too long) reduces circulation to the spinal muscles and limits the fluid exchange discs depend on. Set a timer and stand, walk, or stretch for two to three minutes every 30 to 45 minutes throughout your workday. <strong>This simple habit is one of the most powerful things you can do to protect your discs over time.</strong></p> <h3>3. Strengthen Your Core Every Day</h3> <p>Your core muscles are the primary stabilizers of your lumbar spine. When they are weak, the vertebrae, discs, and ligaments absorb forces they were never designed to handle alone. A <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/5-exercises-to-strengthen-your-core-and-stop-lower-back-pain-from-prolonged-sitting/">daily core routine</a> does not need to be long, 10 to 15 minutes of planks, dead bugs, bridges, and bird dogs is enough to build the deep stabilizing strength that protects your spine through every activity you do. Weak core muscles are among the most consistent findings we see in patients with <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/what-we-treat/chronic-back-pain/">chronic lower back pain</a>.</p> <h3>4. Lift With Your Legs Every Single Time</h3> <p>The mechanics of improper lifting are simple and destructive: when you bend at the waist and reach forward to pick something up, your lumbar discs absorb a compressive force that can be many times your body weight. The correct pattern is to hinge at the hips and knees, keep your chest up, engage your core, and keep the object close to your body as you stand. This applies to everything, not just heavy loads at the gym. Consider this advice when lifting grocery bags, laundry baskets, and toddlers. One bad lift can trigger a herniation that takes months to resolve.</p> <p>You’d be amazed at how many patients we see in our San Diego office after they improperly lifted something that seemed easy!</p> <h3>5. Hydrate Your Discs</h3> <p>Spinal discs are approximately 80% water when healthy. This water content is what gives them their shock-absorbing capacity and their height. As discs dehydrate (from age, inactivity, and chronic compression) they lose height, become brittle, and are far more susceptible to herniation and degeneration. Drinking adequate water throughout the day (aim for half your body weight in ounces as a starting point) supports the passive fluid exchange that keeps discs plump and functional. This is one of the simplest and most underused spine health strategies there is.</p> <h3>6. Sleep in a Spine-Neutral Position</h3> <p><strong>You spend roughly one-third of your life asleep.</strong> <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/the-best-sleep-positions-for-your-back/">The position you sleep in either allows your spine to recover and decompress</a>, or it maintains the same mechanical stress that accumulated during your day. Back sleepers should place a pillow beneath their knees to preserve the lumbar curve. Side sleepers should keep a pillow between their knees to prevent the top hip from rotating forward and twisting the lumbar spine. Stomach sleeping is the one position we strongly advise against. Stomach sleeping forces the cervical spine into prolonged rotation and places the lumbar spine in extension, both of which create compressive stress throughout the night.</p> <h3>7. Stretch Your Hip Flexors and Hamstrings Daily</h3> <p>Chronically tight hip flexors (nearly universal in people who sit for work) tilt the pelvis forward and create an exaggerated lumbar curve that compresses the posterior elements of the spine continuously. Tight hamstrings pull the pelvis into posterior tilt, which flattens the lumbar curve and increases disc stress at the lower segments. A daily stretching routine targeting both muscle groups is one of the most direct ways to reduce the cumulative mechanical load on your lumbar spine. <strong>Even five to ten minutes daily produces measurable improvements in flexibility and postural alignment over several weeks</strong>.</p> <h3>8. Maintain a Healthy Body Weight</h3> <p>Every additional pound of body weight carried in the abdomen translates into several additional pounds of compressive force on the lumbar discs at L4-L5 and L5-S1, the segments most commonly involved in disc herniation and degeneration. Maintaining a healthy weight through a combination of regular movement and anti-inflammatory nutrition is not just a cardiovascular health issue. It is a direct spinal load management strategy. Our patients who achieve and maintain a healthy weight consistently report reductions in chronic back pain and their imaging often reflects improved disc health over time.</p> <h3>9. Set Up an Ergonomic Workstation</h3> <p>For the majority of our San Diego patients who work at a desk, the workstation is where most spinal damage accumulates. Monitor height, chair height, keyboard position, and desk depth all interact to either support or undermine your spinal alignment for hours each day. Your monitor should be at eye level so your head stays level, not tilted forward or down. Your elbows should rest at roughly 90 degrees. Your lower back should have contact with lumbar support. If your current setup does not meet these criteria, it is worth investing some time to adjust it. The compounding effect over years of work is significant.</p> <h3>10. Schedule Regular Chiropractic Evaluations</h3> <p><strong>The spine does not give obvious warning signs until problems are already well established.</strong> Misalignments develop gradually, disc degeneration begins silently, and postural distortions accumulate over years before they become symptomatic. Regular chiropractic evaluations allow us to identify and address these issues before they progress into acute episodes or chronic conditions. Think of it the same way you think about dental cleanings or annual physicals: maintenance care is exponentially more effective and less costly than crisis care. At Intouch Chiropractic, we offer both <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/nucca-chiropractic/">NUCCA Chiropractic</a> and <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/spinal-decompression/">Spinal Decompression Therapy</a> to support long-term spinal health at every stage.</p> <h2>Signs Your Spine Needs Professional Attention</h2> <p>Daily habits are powerful preventive tools, but they are not a substitute for professional care when damage has already occurred. Watch for these warning signs:</p> <ul> <li>Persistent lower back or neck pain lasting more than two to three weeks</li> <li>Pain, numbness, or tingling that radiates into the arms or legs</li> <li>Morning stiffness that takes more than 30 minutes to resolve</li> <li>Pain that worsens consistently with sitting, standing, or bending</li> <li>A history of disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, or sciatica with recurring symptoms</li> <li>Postural changes you can see — one shoulder higher than the other, a forward head position, or an uneven gait</li> </ul> <p>These are not signs to manage on your own with stretching and hope. They are signals that the underlying structure needs to be evaluated by a professional who can identify what is actually happening in your spine and address it at the source.</p> <p><!-- SECTION 4: HOW OUR OFFICE SUPPORTS LONG-TERM SPINE HEALTH --></p> <h2>How We Support Long-Term Spine Health in San Diego, California</h2> <p>At <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/">Intouch Chiropractic in San Diego’s Mission Valley</a>, our approach to long-term spinal health combines three evidence-based therapies that address different layers of the problem.</p> <ol> <li>NUCCA chiropractic care restores the precise alignment of the upper cervical spine, which has a cascading effect on the alignment of the entire spinal column. When the atlas is misaligned, compensatory patterns develop all the way down to the lumbar spine. This means the low back problems many patients come to us with actually originate at the neck.</li> <li>For patients with existing disc damage, our DRX9000 Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression creates the negative intradiscal pressure needed to retract herniated disc material, restore disc height, and rehydrate degenerated discs. This provides a structural reset that allows the daily habits above to actually maintain the gains.</li> <li>We also offer <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/mls-laser-therapy/">MLS laser therapy</a> to reduce inflammation and accelerate soft tissue healing throughout the spine.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Together, these tools give your spine the best possible foundation for long-term health.</strong></p> <h2>Frequently Asked Questions About Daily Habits for Spinal Health</h2> <h3>How long does it take for these habits to make a noticeable difference?</h3> <p>Most patients report noticeable improvements in pain levels and energy within two to four weeks of consistently practicing these habits. Structural changes, such as improved posture and increased flexibility, typically become visible within six to twelve weeks. The long-term benefits to disc health and spinal alignment accumulate over months and years of consistent practice.</p> <h3>Can these habits prevent disc herniation?</h3> <p>Yes, in many cases. <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/what-we-treat/herniated-bulging-discs/">Disc herniation</a> most commonly results from a combination of chronic compressive loading, dehydration, and a single mechanical stress event, like a poor lift. Building the habits above reduces all three risk factors simultaneously. While no habit can guarantee complete prevention, patients who follow these guidelines consistently face significantly lower risk of both initial herniation and recurrence.</p> <h3>Is chiropractic care safe for long-term maintenance?</h3> <p>Yes. NUCCA chiropractic care in particular is one of the gentlest forms of spinal adjustment available. Unlike traditional manual manipulation, NUCCA uses extremely light, precise corrections at the upper cervical spine with no twisting or cracking. Many of our patients have been under maintenance NUCCA care for years and report consistent improvements in overall well-being, pain levels, and quality of life.</p> <h3>What if I already have degenerative disc disease… is it too late for these habits to help?</h3> <p><strong>It is never too late to improve spinal health.</strong> Disc degeneration is a progressive condition, but its progression is not inevitable. The same habits that prevent degeneration also slow its advancement and, in combination with professional treatment like spinal decompression, can actually support structural improvement. Patients with established degenerative disc disease who adopt these habits consistently report meaningful reductions in pain and significant improvements in function.</p> <blockquote><p><em>“I can’t say enough great things about Intouch Chiropractic. From the moment you walk in, the staff is welcoming, professional, and genuinely caring. The doctors are incredibly knowledgeable and take the time to explain everything clearly, which makes you feel confident and comfortable with your care. The NUCCA approach here is precise, gentle, and effective. Every visit made a noticeable difference, and the results speak for themselves. This office truly puts patients first, and it shows in every interaction. I’m beyond grateful for the care I received and highly recommend this office to anyone looking for real healing and outstanding chiropractic care.” – <a href="https://share.google/jZvB2w3gyeDXvoUF5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Intouch Chiropractic Review by Carolina H.</a></em></p></blockquote> <h2>Start Protecting Your Spine Today</h2> <p>Whether you are currently pain-free and want to stay that way, or you are managing a disc condition and looking for a path forward, the team at Intouch Chiropractic in San Diego is here to help. We will evaluate your spine, identify any underlying structural issues, and create a personalized care plan that combines professional treatment with the daily habits that make it last. Call us today at <strong>619-756-7510</strong> or <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/schedule-appointment/">schedule your consultation online</a>. We are located at 2425 Camino Del Rio S #100, San Diego, CA 92108.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/10-daily-habits-that-protect-your-spine-long-term/">10 Daily Habits That Protect Your Spine Long Term</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Chiropractic Care for Athletes: Injury Prevention & Peak Performance</title> <link>https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/chiropractic-care-for-athletes-injury-prevention-peak-performance/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dr. Jeanett Tapia, DC]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 18 Feb 2026 20:34:17 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Chiropractic]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Nucca]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://sandiegonucca.com/?p=3976</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Whether you’re a weekend warrior, competitive athlete, or professional player in San Diego, your body endures significant physical demands that can lead to injury, chronic pain, and diminished performance. At...</p> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/chiropractic-care-for-athletes-injury-prevention-peak-performance/">Chiropractic Care for Athletes: Injury Prevention & Peak Performance</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Whether you’re a weekend warrior, competitive athlete, or professional player in San Diego, your body endures significant physical demands that can lead to injury, chronic pain, and diminished performance.</p> <p>At <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/">Intouch Chiropractic in San Diego</a>, we’ve seen firsthand how specialized chiropractic care transforms athletic potential by addressing the root causes of musculoskeletal dysfunction rather than simply masking symptoms.</p> <p><strong>As a sports chiropractor in San Diego</strong>, our approach focuses on optimizing spinal alignment, enhancing nervous system function, and creating individualized treatment plans that help athletes prevent injuries before they sideline their training or competition.</p> <p>The connection between proper spinal alignment and athletic performance is profound. When your spine and upper cervical region are misaligned, nerve signals become compromised, affecting everything from muscle coordination and reaction time to flexibility and recovery speed.</p> <p>Through our <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/nucca-chiropractic/">NUCCA chiropractic technique</a> and comprehensive sports medicine approach, we help San Diego athletes achieve peak performance by restoring proper biomechanics, reducing inflammation, and accelerating healing processes.</p> <blockquote><p>“I have had multiple injuries over the years and can always count on Intouch Chiropractic to help me heal! Both doctors do amazing work and they always have the latest technology. Their advanced laser therapy is incredible. I feel better already after only 2 visits.” – <a href="https://share.google/E8HJrnzBIvncucRH9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Intouch Chiropractic review by Elsa G.</a></p></blockquote> <p>In this guide, we’ll explore how chiropractic care serves as a cornerstone of injury prevention, explain the specific benefits for athletes across all sports, and share how our evidence-based methods at Intouch Chiropractic can help you perform at your absolute best while staying injury-free throughout your athletic career.</p> <h2>Why Athletes Need Specialized Chiropractic Care</h2> <p>Athletes place very specific, repetitive demands on their bodies, so their care needs to be just as specialized.</p> <p>As a sports chiropractor in San Diego at Intouch Chiropractic, we look beyond general spine care to understand how your particular sport, position, and training schedule affect your joints, muscles, and nervous system. This allows us to design targeted plans that support both immediate performance and long-term durability so you can keep training, competing, and progressing with confidence.</p> <p>Key reasons athletes benefit from specialized chiropractic care include:</p> <ul> <li>Repetitive movements and high-impact forces create joint restrictions and muscle imbalances that need precise assessment and correction instead of one-size-fits-all care.</li> <li>Proper spinal and upper cervical alignment supports efficient nerve communication, which improves coordination, reaction time, and overall neuromuscular control during sport.</li> <li>Restoring healthy biomechanics reduces abnormal stress on ligaments, tendons, and cartilage, lowering the risk of overuse injuries and breakdown over a long season.</li> <li>Regular chiropractic care can enhance range of motion and flexibility, so athletes can move more freely, generate power efficiently, and perform complex movements with less restriction.</li> <li>Evidence suggests that aligned joints and balanced muscle function contribute to faster recovery after practices, games, and minor injuries, which is critical when training loads are high.</li> <li>A sports chiropractor can help manage pain without relying on medications, focusing on underlying mechanical issues so athletes can stay clear-headed and compliant with anti-doping rules.</li> <li>Professional and collegiate teams increasingly use chiropractic as part of integrated sports medicine programs because it helps keep athletes on the field and performing closer to their potential.</li> <li>Our NUCCA-based approach and advanced diagnostics help us identify subtle misalignments and movement patterns that standard exams can miss, giving San Diego athletes a more precise roadmap for staying healthy and progressing in their sport.</li> </ul> <h2>What are the Best Chiropractic Treatments for Athletes?</h2> <p>Athletes need care that does more than just “crack” the spine. Here at Intouch Chiropractic, we combine precise upper cervical work with advanced, noninvasive technologies to help San Diego athletes move better, recover faster, and stay in the game with less reliance on medication or invasive procedures.</p> <p>Our signature combination of NUCCA upper cervical care, <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/spinal-decompression/">non-surgical spinal decompression</a>, <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/laser-therapy/">laser therapy</a>, and <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/shockwave-therapy/">shockwave therapy</a> allows us to target different layers of an injury, from irritated nerves and discs to stubborn soft tissue, while always keeping your sport and performance goals in mind.</p> <p><iframe title="Exploring NUCCA Upper Cervical Care at Intouch Chiropractic - How it Works and Who it&apos;s For" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1178624747?dnt=1&app_id=122963" width="1080" height="608" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin"></iframe></p> <h3>NUCCA Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care</h3> <p>NUCCA is a gentle, highly specific form of upper cervical chiropractic that focuses on correcting subtle misalignments at the top of the neck where the head meets the spine.</p> <p>For athletes, this area is critical because even a small shift can throw off balance, posture, and body mechanics, which may translate into slower reaction times, poorer coordination, and increased strain on muscles and joints throughout the body. By restoring head and neck alignment without twisting or forceful popping, NUCCA helps optimize nervous system function, which can support better movement patterns, improved body awareness, and more efficient power transfer in sport-specific motions such as swinging, sprinting, cutting, or rotating.</p> <p><a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/nucca-chiropractic/">Learn more about NUCCA.</a></p> <h3>Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression</h3> <p>Non-surgical spinal decompression uses a computer-guided traction table to gently create space between the vertebrae and reduce pressure on spinal discs and nerves.</p> <p>This is especially valuable for athletes who deal with disc bulges, herniations, sciatica, or chronic low back pain from years of lifting, running, or impact, because it addresses the source of nerve irritation rather than just numbing the pain. By improving disc hydration and reducing mechanical stress on the spine, spinal decompression can help athletes tolerate higher training volumes with less flare-up, extend the longevity of their spine, and return more comfortably to movements like deadlifting, jumping, and rotational loading.</p> <p><a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/spinal-decompression/">Learn more about spinal decompression.</a></p> <h3><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3641" src="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/laser-therapy-close-up-of-back-1024x683.jpg" alt="Intouch Chiropractic patient has laser therapy performed on his back" width="1024" height="683" />Class IV Laser Therapy</h3> <p>Class IV laser therapy delivers concentrated light energy into tissues to promote circulation, cellular activity, and local healing responses in muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints.</p> <p>For athletes, this can be a powerful tool to calm stubborn inflammation, reduce pain, and speed tissue repair in problem areas such as knees, shoulders, ankles, and lower backs that take a beating in practice and competition. We often pair laser sessions with NUCCA or decompression to help San Diego athletes bounce back more quickly from acute strains and chronic overuse injuries so they can resume training with less downtime and fewer setbacks.</p> <p><a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/laser-therapy/">Learn more about laser therapy.</a></p> <h3>Shockwave Therapy</h3> <p>Shockwave therapy uses controlled acoustic waves to stimulate blood flow, break up adhesions, and trigger a healing response in chronically irritated soft tissues.</p> <p>This treatment is particularly helpful for athletic conditions like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, patellar tendon issues, and stubborn muscle tightness that has not responded well to stretching or standard therapies. By addressing deep soft tissue problems that limit force production and range of motion, shockwave therapy helps athletes regain confidence in explosive movements, tolerate higher-intensity training, and reduce the risk of recurring flare-ups during their season.</p> <p><a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/shockwave-therapy/">Learn more about shockwave therapy.</a></p> <h3>Integrated, Athlete-Focused Care</h3> <p>While each treatment has unique benefits, the real power for athletes comes from combining them in a personalized plan that reflects your sport, position, and current injury status. We routinely pair NUCCA adjustments with spinal decompression, laser, or shockwave therapy to support both structural alignment and soft tissue recovery, which is exactly what most active bodies need to perform at their best over the long term.</p> <p>If you are an athlete in San Diego and want to explore treatment options to keep you at the top of your game, <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/schedule-appointment/">contact Intouch Chiropractic today</a>.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/chiropractic-care-for-athletes-injury-prevention-peak-performance/">Chiropractic Care for Athletes: Injury Prevention & Peak Performance</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Chiropractic Care for Athletes: Recover Faster from Sports Injuries</title> <link>https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/athletes-recover-faster-from-sports-injuries/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dr. Devin Young, DC]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 25 May 2025 14:59:06 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Chiropractic]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://sandiegonucca.com/?p=518</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Athletes constantly push their bodies to the limit, making them more susceptible to injuries and prolonged recovery times. From weekend warriors to full-time competitors, chiropractic care for athletes offers a...</p> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/athletes-recover-faster-from-sports-injuries/">Chiropractic Care for Athletes: Recover Faster from Sports Injuries</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Athletes constantly push their bodies to the limit, making them more susceptible to injuries and prolonged recovery times. From weekend warriors to full-time competitors, chiropractic care for athletes offers a holistic, drug-free approach to healing and performance enhancement that can help you get back in the game faster than ever.</p> <p>At our <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/">chiropractic office in San Diego, CA</a>, we regularly see athletes of every skill level with a wide range of injuries. We love working with athletes, because by nature they are determined and eager to do the work necessary to get back to their sport!</p> <p>The majority of athletes put their bodies through tough workouts. For this reason alone, it is critical for athletes to keep their bodies in top shape to prevent sports injuries. According to a study in The Journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation, 30% of athletes showed increased athletic performance when tested on balance, reaction time, and agility after 12 weeks of chiropractic care. Plus, chiropractic care has also been shown to improve coordination and speed in athletes.</p> <p>In this blog post, we’ll get into more detail on chiropractic care for athletic injuries, including the benefits of such therapy and the types of injuries we regularly see at Intouch Chiropractic.</p> <h2><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2200" src="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Upper-Cervical-NUCCA-Chiropractor-Intouch-Chiropractic-San-Diego-California-1024x683.jpg" alt="San Diego Chiropractor Dr. Devin Young explains treatment with a vertebrae model" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Upper-Cervical-NUCCA-Chiropractor-Intouch-Chiropractic-San-Diego-California-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Upper-Cervical-NUCCA-Chiropractor-Intouch-Chiropractic-San-Diego-California-300x200.jpg 300w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Upper-Cervical-NUCCA-Chiropractor-Intouch-Chiropractic-San-Diego-California-768x512.jpg 768w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Upper-Cervical-NUCCA-Chiropractor-Intouch-Chiropractic-San-Diego-California-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Upper-Cervical-NUCCA-Chiropractor-Intouch-Chiropractic-San-Diego-California-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Upper-Cervical-NUCCA-Chiropractor-Intouch-Chiropractic-San-Diego-California-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Why Athletes Choose Chiropractic Care</h2> <p>Chiropractic care is rooted in the understanding that optimal musculoskeletal and nervous system function is essential for peak performance. Expert chiropractors, like the team at Intouch, are trained to assess, diagnose, and treat neuromusculoskeletal disorders—issues that commonly affect athletes, such as muscle strains, joint sprains, and back pain.</p> <p>By focusing on spinal alignment and joint health, our chiropractic care helps restore balance, reduce pain, and improve mobility, all of which are crucial for athletic recovery and performance.</p> <p>More and more professional athletes are chiropractic patients because they realize that it helps them maximize their athletic performance. Major newspapers and magazine articles feature Arnold Schwartzeneger, former boxing champ Evander Holyfield, and football stars such as Emmit Smith, Joe Montana and Aaron Rodgers proclaiming the benefits of chiropractic care and the impact that it has had on their careers.</p> <p>Our own <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/about/our-chiropractors/dr-devin-young-dc-dccjp/">Dr. Devin Young</a> is proud to be the chiropractor for many runners, including Boston Marathon Champion, Meb Keflezighi. In fact, it is not uncommon for professional and college teams to have a team chiropractic on the sidelines.</p> <p>Some of the benefits of a chiropractic care for athletes are:</p> <ul> <li>Improved performance</li> <li>Greater endurace</li> <li>Increased range of motion</li> <li>Faster recovery timee</li> <li>Improved blood flow</li> <li>Decreased risk of injury</li> <li>Better posture</li> <li>Decreased joint pain</li> <li>Better flexibility</li> <li>Greater focus and concentration</li> <li>Improved immune function</li> </ul> <p>The cumulative effects of consistent, small stresses over years can result in the same type of trauma that a severe sudden stress can. The great majority of sports injuries are not spinal injuries, but musculoskeletal injuries such as sprains, strains and stress fractures.</p> <p>On the other hand, acute trauma such as fractures, dislocations or complete ligament tears are also possible. Although injury prevention and conditioning is important, they are often overlooked over the spirit of winning. While this seems illogical, the human drive to win many times becomes a priority instead of taking care of yourself.</p> <div id="attachment_595" style="width: 778px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-595" class="size-large wp-image-595" src="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/intouch-chiropractic-nucca-san-diego-california-meb-keflizighi-nyc-marathon-2017-e1607388752688-768x1024.webp" alt="San Diego chiropractor Dr. Devin Young and Meb Keflezighi at the NYC marathon" width="768" height="1024" srcset="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/intouch-chiropractic-nucca-san-diego-california-meb-keflizighi-nyc-marathon-2017-e1607388752688-768x1024.webp 768w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/intouch-chiropractic-nucca-san-diego-california-meb-keflizighi-nyc-marathon-2017-e1607388752688-225x300.webp 225w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/intouch-chiropractic-nucca-san-diego-california-meb-keflizighi-nyc-marathon-2017-e1607388752688.webp 800w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><p id="caption-attachment-595" class="wp-caption-text">San Diego chiropractor Dr. Devin Young and Meb Keflezighi at the NYC Marathon</p></div> <p>Let us help you be proactive in maintaining your health and treating injuries to keep you at peak performance!</p> <p>Next, let’s cover some of the common treatments we recommend to the patients we see who make participating in sports a major part of their life.</p> <h3>Chiropractic Therapies Offered at Intouch Chiropractic for Athletes</h3> <p>At Intouch Chiropractic, we offer a wide range of chiropractic therapies that can help you heal and recover. The main therapies we offer (and that we have seen many athletes utilize in the past), include:</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/nucca-chiropractic/">NUCCA Chiropractic</a></li> <li><a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/spinal-decompression/">Spinal Decompression</a></li> <li><a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/laser-therapy/">Laser Therapy</a></li> <li><a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/mls-laser-therapy/">MLS Laser Therapy</a></li> <li><a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/shockwave-therapy/">Shockwave Therapy</a></li> </ul> <p>The approach we take with you is highly dependent on your needs. No two athletes are the same! We will work with you to develop a plan that best fits your needs.</p> <blockquote><p><em>“Intouch Chiropractic is truly the best. They have helped our entire family and we have referred many of our friends to them. They too have been greatly helped. Going to Intouch has been life changing. Both doctors are caring, knowledgeable, and helpful. The staff there is very kind and friendly also! I really can’t say enough good about them!!”</em> – <a href="https://g.co/kgs/9oGfZac" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Intouch Chiropractic Review by Debra S.</a></p></blockquote> <h2>The Chiropractic Approach to Sports Injuries</h2> <p>The chiropractic approach to sports injuries is getting treatment as quickly as possible, and not waiting for it to just go away on its own. It rarely does!</p> <p>Chiropractic care gives an athlete an edge over their competition; allowing a higher level of function and performance and decreased risk of injury- it’s Meb Keflezighi’s secret!</p> <p>So what are you waiting for? Don’t wait until you are injured to see your chiropractor. <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/schedule-appointment/">Contact Intouch Chiropractic today to schedule an appointment</a>.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/athletes-recover-faster-from-sports-injuries/">Chiropractic Care for Athletes: Recover Faster from Sports Injuries</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>What Does a Migraine Feel Like?</title> <link>https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/what-does-migraine-feel-like/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dr. Devin Young, DC]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 12 Mar 2025 16:24:17 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Chiropractic]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Headaches]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Migraine]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Nucca]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://sandiegonucca.com/?p=566</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/what-does-migraine-feel-like/">What Does a Migraine Feel Like?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <div id="fws_6ad7573788866" data-column-margin="default" data-midnight="dark" class="wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_row top-level" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; "><div class="row-bg-wrap" data-bg-animation="none" data-bg-animation-delay="" data-bg-overlay="false"><div class="inner-wrap row-bg-layer" ><div class="row-bg viewport-desktop" style=""></div></div></div><div class="row_col_wrap_12 col span_12 dark left"> <div class="vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col no-extra-padding inherit_tablet inherit_phone flex_gap_desktop_10px " data-padding-pos="all" data-has-bg-color="false" data-bg-color="" data-bg-opacity="1" data-animation="" data-delay="0" > <div class="vc_column-inner" > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_text_column wpb_content_element " > <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Migraines are a form of severe headache that affect about 15% percent of the population globally. Also, many migraine sufferers experience pain that can be debilitating to the point of jeopardizing one’s career.</p> <p>It’s more than an ordinary headache, and according to the Mayo Clinic:</p> <p>A migraine can cause an extreme pulsing sensation or a throbbing. Migraines usually only affect one side of the head. It’s often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and severe sensitivity to sound and light.</p> <p>Secondly, migraine attacks may cause severe pain for hours or days, and can be so extreme that the pain may prevent you from going to work or school.</p> <p>Plus, warning symptoms known as aura can occur before or along with the migraine attack. These can include blind spots, flashes of light, and/or tingling on one side of the face or in your arm or leg.</p> <p>If you’ve ever wondered if you’re suffering from a migraine and <strong>what a migraine feels like</strong>, keep reading.</p> <h2><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-397" src="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/intouch-chiropractic-sandiego-ca-headaches-and-migraines-scaled-e1619024735870.webp" alt="A woman sits on her bed holding her temples and having a bad headache" width="800" height="534" srcset="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/intouch-chiropractic-sandiego-ca-headaches-and-migraines-scaled-e1619024735870.webp 800w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/intouch-chiropractic-sandiego-ca-headaches-and-migraines-scaled-e1619024735870-300x200.webp 300w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/intouch-chiropractic-sandiego-ca-headaches-and-migraines-scaled-e1619024735870-768x513.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />What it Feels Like to Have a Migraine Attack</h2> <p>A migraine is much more than just a headache. It typically involves intense, throbbing pain, often on one side of the head, accompanied by a range of other symptoms.</p> <p>Here’s what migraine headaches typically feel like:</p> <h3><strong>Intense Pain</strong></h3> <ul> <li>Severe, throbbing or pounding headache, usually affecting one side of the head</li> <li>Pain that worsens with physical activity</li> <li>Migraine pain can last anywhere from 4 hours to 3 days</li> </ul> <h3><strong>Sensory Disturbances</strong></h3> <ul> <li>Increased sensitivity to light, sound, and smells</li> <li>Visual disturbances (aura) in some cases, such as flashing lights, blind spots, or zigzag lines</li> </ul> <h3><strong>Nausea and Digestive Issues</strong></h3> <ul> <li>Nausea affects about 80% of people with migraines</li> <li>Vomiting occurs in about half of migraine sufferers</li> <li>Some may experience stomach aches and diarrhea</li> </ul> <h3><strong>Other Common Migraine Symptoms</strong></h3> <ul> <li>Feeling dizzy or faint</li> <li>Neck pain or stiffness</li> <li>Poor concentration and fatigue</li> <li>Feeling hot or cold and sweating</li> <li>Increased need to urinate</li> </ul> <p>Many people describe the experience of having a migraine as debilitating, often making everyday activities impossible during an attack. The symptoms can vary between individuals and even between attacks for the same person. Some may experience warning signs hours or days before the headache phase, such as mood changes, food cravings, or increased yawning<span data-color="oklch(var(--dark-background-color-300)/var(--tw-bg-opacity))">.</span></p> <p>After the headache subsides, many people report feeling extremely tired, while others might feel unusually refreshed or energetic. This post-headache phase, known as the postdrome, can last up to a day.</p> <p><a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/migraines-headaches-difference/">Learn more about the differences between headaches and migraines at our blog.</a></p> <p>Now that we’ve covered what migraines feel like, let’s get into how to <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/what-we-treat/migraines/">assess and treat migraines</a>.</p> <blockquote><p> <em>“I suffer from chronic daily migraine which also ties into my TMJ (tight jaw). Within days I had markedly improved mental clarity. I had my first day without pain about 3 weeks in. Now I have so much more energy and I’m feeling great. I’ve definitely switched from a skeptic to a believer! Not to mention how kind and professional Dr’s. Young and Tapia and their staff are.”</em> – <a href="https://g.co/kgs/f2XC8o5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Intouch Chiropractic Migraine Treatment Review by Laura L.</a> </p></blockquote> <h2><span style="font-size: 16px;">Take Inventory of Your Symptoms</span></h2> <p>When tackling any medical issue, it’s a good idea to keep track of symptoms. Using a journal, spreadsheet, or other system that works for you, record your habits and experiments to help determine what’s working and not working. Here’s a few things to consider:</p> <h3>Chemical:</h3> <ul> <li>Are there certain foods that trigger or calm your migraines?</li> <li>Based on recommendations from your healthcare team, have you made an honest change to your diet and noted any changes?</li> <li>If you are using medications, are you using them as advised and recorded their effects?</li> </ul> <h3>Mechanical:</h3> <ul> <li>How is your body moving? Are you flexible?</li> <li>Do you spend long periods of time in one position driving, on the computer, reading, or in some other sedentary position?</li> <li>Have you been prescribed exercises? Do you actually do them?</li> </ul> <h3>Emotional:</h3> <ul> <li>Migraines are associated with stress. What are the stressors in your life?</li> <li>How do you mange stress?</li> <li>Do you actively engage in self-care? Also, how and when do you take care of your emotional needs?</li> </ul> <p>Taking inventory of your symptoms and health habits will help you and your healthcare team come up with a plan to address your migraines.</p> <h2>Holistic Approaches that Work</h2> <p>Assessing whether therapies like acupuncture and chiropractic care are effective in treating migraines is challenging. However, when surveying chiropractic care studies, scientists stated that studies had problems with methodology. These studies concluded that “the evidence to support spinal manipulation is poor and insufficient to support its use.”</p> <p>Indeed, while complex, it is simpler to study the use of medication than methods that rely on the practitioner’s experience and skill. One can look at the results of a 5mg or 10mg dose of medicine, compare it with a placebo, and make conclusions.</p> <p>How does one deliver exactly the same “dose” of acupuncture or chiropractic care to patients and then measure the results? It’s definitely more challenging that studying a pill. It is difficult to standardize holistic care and to measure it scientifically.</p> <p>In spite of challenges to measuring the value of chiropractic care, research conducted by a group in Australia did summarize their study results and stated that chiropractic therapy was often effective. They found that “22% of participants reported more than a 90% reduction of migraines as a consequence of the 2 months of chiropractic. Approximately 50% more participants reported significant improvement in the morbidity of each episode.”</p> <p>Anecdotal evidence, which would be completely inadmissible in a scientific forum, also points to chiropractic care being an effective aid for <a href="/blog/chronic-migraines-help-without-drugs-or-surgery/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chronic migraines without drugs or surgery</a>. On a website where people self-reported the effect of chiropractic care, 29% of respondents (129 of 542), all symptoms were eliminated. Contrasted with only 13% who claimed no benefit at all.</p> <h2>Conclusion: Migraines</h2> <p>We are each responsible for our health. Be bold and do your research when looking for solutions to your migraines. Each person is unique, so be honest with your doctors, give them as much information as you can to help them use all of their training to help create a custom solution that fits your needs.</p> <p>Want expert help? Call our office today at (619) 756-7510 or <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/schedule-appointment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>request an appointment here</u></a>.</p> <p>***</p> <p>Guest Blogger Bio: Martha de Forest is a dual degree engineer and certified integrative hypnotherapist. She has been married for over 30 years and has raised two daughters.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/what-does-migraine-feel-like/">What Does a Migraine Feel Like?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Chronic Migraine Treatment: Help Without Drugs or Surgery</title> <link>https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/chronic-migraines-help-without-drugs-or-surgery/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dr. Devin Young, DC]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 12 Feb 2025 18:07:34 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Chiropractic]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Headaches]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Migraine]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Nucca]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://sandiegonucca.com/?p=749</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Chronic migraines can be debilitating. There’s no predicting when an intense migraine will strike and if it comes at the wrong time, it can destroy productivity and enjoyment. People who...</p> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/chronic-migraines-help-without-drugs-or-surgery/">Chronic Migraine Treatment: Help Without Drugs or Surgery</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Chronic migraines can be debilitating. There’s no predicting when an intense migraine will strike and if it comes at the wrong time, it can destroy productivity and enjoyment.</p> <p>People who have been suffering from regular and persistent migraines are eager for help. But the best treatments for chronic migraines aren’t always clear. And every treatment is not always the right treatment person to person.</p> <p>Before taking any drugs or even considering surgery, non-surgical interventions should be examined. In this blog post, we’ll cover a <strong>drug-free and non-surgical chronic migraine treatment</strong> to consider. If you are someone who suffers from this type of headache, keep reading to find help!</p> <p>First, let’s start with the basics before getting into <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/what-we-treat/migraines/">the drug-free and non-surgical chronic migraine treatment</a> we recommend.</p> <h2><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-397" src="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/intouch-chiropractic-sandiego-ca-headaches-and-migraines-scaled-e1619024735870.webp" alt="A woman sits on her bed holding her temples and having a bad headache" width="800" height="534" srcset="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/intouch-chiropractic-sandiego-ca-headaches-and-migraines-scaled-e1619024735870.webp 800w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/intouch-chiropractic-sandiego-ca-headaches-and-migraines-scaled-e1619024735870-300x200.webp 300w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/intouch-chiropractic-sandiego-ca-headaches-and-migraines-scaled-e1619024735870-768x513.webp 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />What are Chronic Migraines?</h2> <p>The <a href="https://ihs-headache.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>International Headache Society</u></a> defines chronic migraines as more than fifteen headache days per month during a three month period in which more than eight of those days are migrainous, without medication abuse.</p> <p>Got that?</p> <p>That can sound complicated. But really, there are three main factors that, when met, constitute “chronic migraines”:</p> <ol> <li>15+ headaches per month</li> <li>Migraine lasts 4+ hours</li> <li>8+ days with migraine symptoms</li> </ol> <p>If your experience meets all of these characteristics, you are probably suffering from chronic migraines.</p> <p>At the end of the day, you just want migraine relief. You likely don’t really care about the details or specifics if you can’t get out of bed for half of the month! You go from one doctor to the next hoping that the next medication will get you by.</p> <p>Let’s continue on and investigate drug-free and non-surgical chronic migraine treatments that you can explore today.</p> <h2>Chronic Migraine Help Without Drugs or Surgery</h2> <p>At the <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/">Intouch Chiropractic office in Mission Valley of San Diego, CA</a>, we regularly see patients who experience regular, persistent and painful migraines. Many of these patients have tried all of the typical pharmaceutical interventions, but still can’t find relief.</p> <p>It’s no wonder that many patients are skeptical when they set foot in our office. We are usually not your first stop and you have tried every single medication on the market and have had every procedure done. You are frustrated, we understand. We wish we would have met you sooner.</p> <p>One of the main techniques we use at Intouch Chiropractic is called “NUCCA”. NUCCA stands for the National Upper Cervical Chiropractic Association. The techniques involved in NUCCA are much different than the typical chiropractic experience you probably imagine.</p> <p>There is no twisting of your spine, popping or cracking during a <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/how-we-help/nucca-chiropractic/">NUCCA chiropractic treatment</a>. The adjustments are gentle and light, but the effects are profound.</p> <p>Recent research supports what we see in our office every day: happy, symptom-free, former chronic patients. Once under care, patients always ask, “why didn’t my doctor tell me about NUCCA and chiropractic?” It’s true! NUCCA helps thousands of patients nationwide just like you overcome chronic and severe migraines once and for all. We are happy to help one patient at a time.</p> <p><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-251 size-full" src="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/it-nucca-1.jpg" alt="San Diego Chiropractor Dr. Devin Young performing a NUCCA adjustment on a patient" width="938" height="688" srcset="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/it-nucca-1.jpg 938w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/it-nucca-1-300x220.jpg 300w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/it-nucca-1-768x563.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 938px) 100vw, 938px" /></p> <p><strong>So, how does NUCCA help migraines?</strong></p> <h3>NUCCA Chiropractic and Chronic Migraines</h3> <p>Oftentimes, the cause of chronic migraine headaches has to do with a misalignment in the upper cervical spine. Misalignments in the top of the spine can disrupt the body, reducing blood flow and putting pressure on the nervous system.</p> <p>The core aim of NUCCA is to realign the upper cervical spine and allow these bodily processes and systems to function better. By restoring blood flow, reducing nerve irritation and alleviating muscle tension, NUCCA is a proven method for treating migraines.</p> <p>And the evidence isn’t just anecdotal!</p> <p><a href="https://nucca.org/chronic-migraine-sufferers-find-significant-improvement-nucca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>Clinical studies also prove this out</u></a>, showing a reduction in migraine symptoms for patients who have undergone a NUCCA adjustment.</p> <blockquote><p>“<em>Dr. Young and his staff have been wonderful. After my first visit I was actually pleasantly surprised to not have a screaming headache at the end of the day. Such an amazing experience to get some help without taking meds that have harmful effects in the long run, something I really appreciate. Don’t get me wrong, meds have their place and I’m an advocate for making sure to follow doctor’s orders. However, I wanted to see if I could be helped with appropriate adjustments before adding meds or surgery to my needs. I know my body has a good system to heal, it sometimes just needs a reminder. Dr. Young and his team helped to remind my body to help itself get stronger</em>.” – <a href="https://g.co/kgs/VuK7SJw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Intouch Chiropractic Review by Becky W.</a></p></blockquote> <h2>Chronic Migraines and Getting Help</h2> <p>One of the primary obstacles we have seen is that patients just learn to live with their chronic migraines. They believe they have tried everything already. Sometimes, it has become part of their identity.</p> <p>It’s cliche, but don’t give up! You haven’t tried everything until you have tried NUCCA Upper Cervical Care.</p> <p>At Intouch Chiropractic in San Diego, our doctors get excellent results with chronic patients consistently. Wouldn’t you like to have your life back? To be able to do simple things like play with your kids? Go to work or out to dinner with your friends<a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/schedule-appointment/">? Give us a call and set-up an appointment today</a>. You aren’t your diagnosis. <strong>Get your life back!</strong></p> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/chronic-migraines-help-without-drugs-or-surgery/">Chronic Migraine Treatment: Help Without Drugs or Surgery</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>Is Sitting All Day Bad for You?</title> <link>https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/10-harmful-things-sitting/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dr. Devin Young, DC]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 17 Jan 2025 13:25:23 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Back Pain]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Chiropractic]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Headaches]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Low Back Pain]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Nucca]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://sandiegonucca.com/?p=701</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/10-harmful-things-sitting/">Is Sitting All Day Bad for You?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <div id="fws_6ad7573789fe0" data-column-margin="default" data-midnight="dark" class="wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_row" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; "><div class="row-bg-wrap" data-bg-animation="none" data-bg-animation-delay="" data-bg-overlay="false"><div class="inner-wrap row-bg-layer" ><div class="row-bg viewport-desktop" style=""></div></div></div><div class="row_col_wrap_12 col span_12 dark left"> <div class="vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col no-extra-padding inherit_tablet inherit_phone flex_gap_desktop_10px " data-padding-pos="all" data-has-bg-color="false" data-bg-color="" data-bg-opacity="1" data-animation="" data-delay="0" > <div class="vc_column-inner" > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_text_column wpb_content_element " > <p>In the 21st century, jobs that require us to sit in front of computers for eight hours a day are commonplace. Whether you hold one of these types of jobs, or find yourself sitting for long periods of time anyway, you may have wondered… <strong>is sitting all day bad for you?</strong></p> <p>Sitting for prolonged periods of time can be detrimental to health, and can cause health problems ranging from vascular disease to physical injury and/or pain.</p> <p>In this blog post, the expert team at <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/">Intouch Chiropractic</a> will weigh in on this question and provide tips on how to better integrate motion into a normal day of sitting.</p> <p>First, let’s answer the question that brought you here.</p> <h2><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-776" src="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/istock-1317232980-1024x683.jpg" alt="A woman sits at her laptop clenching her neck in pain on either side with her hands" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/istock-1317232980-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/istock-1317232980-300x200.jpg 300w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/istock-1317232980-768x512.jpg 768w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/istock-1317232980-900x600.jpg 900w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/istock-1317232980.jpg 1254w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Is Sitting Down All Day Bad for Health?</h2> <p><strong>The short answer is yes, sitting all day is bad for health.</strong> The human body was not designed for such prolonged periods of sitting, and so it logically follows that too much sitting may have harmful effects on health.</p> <p>There are a wide variety of potential health issues one might experience from a sedentary lifestyle of constantly sitting and no movement. Many of the patients we see at our San Diego office come in to seek <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/what-we-treat/">chiropractic treatment on their neck and/or back</a> as a result of years and years of sitting all day at work. Too much time behind a desk has far worse consequences for our health, performance, and energy than we ever thought!</p> <p>Sitting is so common in our society, that at some point, some even called it the “new smoking.” Ouch. Not sure if that is an accurate comparison, but prolonged sitting does have some pretty serious consequences. While we’re seated, a lot of changes happen.</p> <p><strong>Here are 10 of the most common health issues that happen from such prolonged sitting:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Blood sugar rises</li> <li>Muscles become tighter</li> <li>Metabolism slows down</li> <li>Blood flow to the heart slows</li> <li>Hormonal changes occur</li> <li>Heart disease and diabetes risk increase</li> <li>Lower back pressure increases</li> <li>Posture is compromised</li> <li>Back and spine injuries can increase</li> <li>Chronic pain may set in</li> </ol> <p>Although we may not be able to eliminate sitting altogether, we can certainly minimize it. We do our best to keep our bodies moving throughout the day to make sure we are keeping our spines and bodies healthy.</p> <p>There are a few simple things you can integrate into your daily routine to make sure that you don’t spend the entire day in a seated position. Here are some of the top recommendations from the team at Intouch Chiropractic in San Diego.</p> <h2>4 Tips for Integrating Movement Into a Day of Sitting</h2> <p>There are a countless number of small changes you can make to ensure you are getting even a little physical activity during a normal day that requires you to sit for hours.</p> <p>Here are four extremely easy ways to break up sedentary behavior with physical activity that will have positive effects on posture, heart and physical health, and your mental well being.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Drink more water</strong>. Making it a point to drink more water during a typical day is a good hack for introducing more movement into your day. Not only will you have to continue getting up to refill your cup or water bottle, but it will also increase the frequency of bathroom trips during your day. So, drink more water and move around more!</li> <li><strong>Take phone calls or meetings while walking.</strong> If you regularly have meetings or phone calls you need to join during your work day, use that time to get up and walk around. And if you have in-person meetings with coworkers, propose that some of them be done while walking!</li> <li><strong>Get a standing desk. </strong><a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/standing-desk-benefits/">Standing desks</a> are becoming an increasingly popular way for people to break up periods of sitting. Some of the best standing desks allow you to program in different preset heights, making it extremely easy to switch between sitting and standing throughout the day.</li> <li><strong>Explore the Pomodoro Technique. </strong>One of the best hacks for breaking up excessive sitting is also one of the best hacks for increasing productivity! <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Pomodoro Technique</a> is a time management strategy that introduces periods of rest in between periods of focus. Try a <a href="https://pomofocus.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pomodoro Timer</a> and during the rest periods, get outside and walk around in the sun!</li> </ul> <p>And, of course, if you have a pet you can take it for a few short walks in the day – they’ll love it!</p> <blockquote><p> <em>“The entire team here is incredible. They are extremely accommodating and the therapy has allowed me to live more pain-free. I highly recommend!!” – <a href="https://g.co/kgs/hkSyXgn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Intouch Chiropractic Review by Scott K.</a></em> </p></blockquote> <h2>The Health Effects of Sitting All Day, in Conclusion</h2> <p>Unfortunately, sitting is an unavoidable necessity of life in modern society. But, life doesn’t have to be complicated! Make a few changes to your routine to minimize the hours of sitting at work, in the car, or at home.</p> <p>Your back will thank you for it years down the road!</p> <p>And if you are struggling from health issues as a result of too much sitting, <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/schedule-appointment/">contact Intouch Chiropractic today</a>. Call our office today at (619) 756-7510 or <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/schedule-appointment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>request an appointment here</u></a>.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/10-harmful-things-sitting/">Is Sitting All Day Bad for You?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> <item> <title>6 Standing Desk Benefits: How to End the Sedentary Work Day</title> <link>https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/standing-desk-benefits/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Dr. Devin Young, DC]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 16 Jan 2025 17:56:46 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Wellness]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://sandiegonucca.com/?p=753</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/standing-desk-benefits/">6 Standing Desk Benefits: How to End the Sedentary Work Day</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <div id="fws_6ad757378aba9" data-column-margin="default" data-midnight="dark" class="wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_row" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; "><div class="row-bg-wrap" data-bg-animation="none" data-bg-animation-delay="" data-bg-overlay="false"><div class="inner-wrap row-bg-layer" ><div class="row-bg viewport-desktop" style=""></div></div></div><div class="row_col_wrap_12 col span_12 dark left"> <div class="vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column column_container vc_column_container col no-extra-padding inherit_tablet inherit_phone flex_gap_desktop_10px " data-padding-pos="all" data-has-bg-color="false" data-bg-color="" data-bg-opacity="1" data-animation="" data-delay="0" > <div class="vc_column-inner" > <div class="wpb_wrapper"> <div class="wpb_text_column wpb_content_element " > <p>Here’s a question for you to consider: how many hours do you spend seated each day?</p> <p>The sudden and massive shift to remote workplaces and the work-from-home culture has led millions to increase the amount of time they sit in front of screens each day. Unfortunately, this increase in sedentary lifestyles has led to an increase in reports of back pain and neck pain. At our Intouch Chiropractic office in San Diego, California, we regularly see patients who are suffering from back and/or neck pain as a result of prolonged sitting.</p> <p>Hours of sitting at a desk in an uncomfortable position can lead to what is known as Sitting Disease – a combination of negative health impacts that come from sitting all day:</p> <ul> <li>Increased Back & Neck Pain</li> <li>Risks For Heart Disease & Weight Issues</li> <li>Higher Rates of Type 2 Diabetes</li> <li>Reduced Mental Health</li> <li>Shorter Life Expectancy</li> </ul> <p>Learn more about the <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/10-harmful-things-sitting/">health effects of sitting and tips for better habits</a> at our blog.</p> <p>Fortunately, you can fight back against the impacts of sitting at a desk by switching up your workspace with a more health-conscious option: a standing desk.</p> <p>Standing desks have grown in popularity in the past few years as people have looked for ways to improve their health, while boosting their productivity. Coming in both adjustable and static styles, standing desks offer tons of benefits.</p> <p>In this blog post, we’ll look at the six main benefits associated with a standing desk.</p> <h2>The 6 Main Benefits of Switching to a Standing Desk</h2> <p>Have you been considering making the move to a standing desk, but not sure if the benefits outweigh the cost?</p> <p>To help you make the move to a healthier choice, here are the <strong>top six benefits of a standing desk</strong>.</p> <h3>1. A Standing Desk Can Reduce Back Pain & Strain</h3> <p>You’ve likely dealt with back pain at some point in your life. In fact, back pain or strain is an issue that nearly 80% of adults will experience at some point in their lives.</p> <p>Those who suffer from occasional or chronic back pain will often make the choice to purchase a big, comfortable office chair to help reduce their strain. Unfortunately, today’s modern office chairs may be doing more harm than good for your back pain.</p> <p>Studies continue to show that switching to standing desks can help reduce the amount of strain on backs. One particular 2011 study – <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2012/11_0323.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">known as the “Take-a-Stand Project”</a> – reported that those who stood while they worked for at least an hour each day saw a 54% reduction in their upper back and neck pain.</p> <p>Now imagine what would be possible if you invested that same amount of time – or more – each day with a high-quality standing desk!</p> <h3>2. Standing Desks May Decrease the Risk of Heart Disease</h3> <p>Not only has science studied the impacts of standing while working on your back, but research has shown that standing can improve your heart health! In fact, these studies have decades of science at their disposal.</p> <p>A study printed in the 1958 British Medical Journal surveyed bus company employees about the impacts of sitting and standing while on the job. The study found that those who were seated while driving for the majority of the day experienced a risk of developing heart disease twice as often as those that stood more often for their job.</p> <p>The findings have held true. Continued research has continued to report that workers who lead a daily sedentary lifestyle are more likely to have heart and cardiovascular health issues. Yet, with a simple change in daily activity, that risk can be greatly reduced.</p> <h3><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-2599" src="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/woman-at-a-standing-desk-pexels-1024x683.jpg" alt="A young woman works on her laptop while using a standing desk, from Pexels" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/woman-at-a-standing-desk-pexels-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/woman-at-a-standing-desk-pexels-300x200.jpg 300w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/woman-at-a-standing-desk-pexels-768x512.jpg 768w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/woman-at-a-standing-desk-pexels-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/woman-at-a-standing-desk-pexels-900x600.jpg 900w, https://sandiegonucca.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/woman-at-a-standing-desk-pexels.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />3. Standing Desks Are Great for Weight Loss & Management</h3> <p>Standing desks are also great for those who are looking for an easy addition to their weight management or weight loss program. When standing and working, your body is more fully engaged in physical activity, which means you are actively burning calories.</p> <p>In some cases, you may find that you will <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-24532996" target="_blank" rel="noopener">burn nearly 50 extra calories each hour that you stand and work</a>. At that rate, it’s easy to see how you can potentially burn nearly 750 extra calories each week!</p> <p>Over an entire working year, switching to a standing desk could help increase your activity levels and burn nearly 30,000 extra calories. The numbers add up, as that is close to the equivalent of running ten marathons in a single year.</p> <p>All that activity for simply switching to a standing desk? The health benefits are totally worth it!</p> <h3>4. A Standing Desk Can Improve Your Mood</h3> <p>A major issue facing office employees is the rising rates of anxiety and depression. While there are many factors to consider when looking at mental health, one aspect that many agree on is the overall feeling of “blah” that comes from being seated all day.</p> <p>Increased sedentary working days have shown to contribute to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental struggles. The same “Take-a-Stand Project” reported that of those interviewed, individuals who switched out their seated workspace with a standing desk said that they were happier, healthier, and felt less stressed at their workplace.</p> <p>Ensuring that employees are cared for in both their physical and mental state can offer plenty of benefits for an organization. Giving the option to office workers to have standing desks can be a great investment in your team’s moods, health, and satisfaction!</p> <h3>5. Standing Desks Are Great Energy Boosters</h3> <p>Not only can a standing desk bring a boost to mood, but they are a great way to increase your overall energy.</p> <p>It’s hard to imagine, but you can actually get worn out from sitting all day; similar to how you feel after a day-long car trip! When you sit at a desk all day, your body’s blood sugar plummets. Low blood sugar may have you reaching for a sugary snack which only deepens the feeling of exhaustion.</p> <p>With a standing desk, you will keep your mind and body engaged in your current activities. This will in turn help you brain to stay “switched on,” and your energy levels will remain high during times when you usually dip into a tired state.</p> <h3>6. Use a Standing Desk to Boost Your Productivity</h3> <p>Finally, there is nothing more important in the workplace than feeling accomplished and effective. If you are looking for a way to increase your productivity, a great way to hack your workplace is with a standing desk!</p> <p>Whether you find yourself answering emails, making phone calls, or hosting video chats, standing up while you work will help you increase your productivity. The feeling of standing helps to hone in your mind and body to whatever you are focusing on, which will keep you awake and alert. Combine this with your overall increased health and mood, and you will start to see your daily work improve in efficiency and effectiveness.</p> <p>Not bad for a simple switch to standing!</p> <blockquote><p> <em>“Best team and office. NUCCA improved the quality of my life in a matter of weeks. I hope NUCCA becomes the standard for non-invasive cervical spine intervention. These are the best people to go to.” – </em><a href="https://g.co/kgs/Si32z9K" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Intouch Chiropractic Review by Meg S.</em></a> </p></blockquote> <h2>Take a Stand With Intouch Chiropractic</h2> <p>At Intouch Chiropractic, our commitment to our patients is to provide the latest and most impactful information related to your overall health and well-being. With simple lifestyle changes such as moving to a standing desk, you can dramatically improve your daily workplace experience and reduce a number of chronic aches and pains.</p> <p>Making the switch to a standing desk brings many benefits to your health. This simple switch can completely change your workplace environment. While a standing desk can be a bit to get used to, over time the benefits of using this type of desk far outweigh the negative health consequences.</p> <p>With standing desks becoming more mainstream, there are new types and styles coming on the market that fit nearly any workplace environment or style. Our team is always working to improve the lives of our patients though non-invasive, drug-free treatment options for their pain and discomfort.</p> <p>Want expert help? Call our office today at (619) 756-7510 or <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/schedule-appointment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><u>request an appointment here</u></a>.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div></div> <p>The post <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com/blog/standing-desk-benefits/">6 Standing Desk Benefits: How to End the Sedentary Work Day</a> appeared first on <a href="https://sandiegonucca.com">Intouch Chiropractic</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> </item> </channel> </rss>