Santa Claus knew who to call on Christmas Day because his back was hurting after a hard night delivering packages! He had heard about Dr. Alff’s expertise and also about the Pro-Adjuster; a computerized spinal adjusting instrument that can realign the spine and relieve back pain; without any twisting, cracking or popping!  Santa felt like a new man after his adjustment!  The Ventura Spinal Care Center was glad to help out ol’ Saint Nick!

Did you know that at any given time, over 31 million people in the US suffer from back pain?  It’s true.  In fact, 80% of all Americans will have back problems and back pain at some point in their lives. 
Why is this?   
I think it’s because we were never taught to take care of our back on regular basis…like how we take care of our teeth.  The simple fact is most people neglect their spinal health.  They take a “reactive approach” which means they do nothing until a problem is …

Have you ever considered how important your hamstrings muscles are in relationship to the low back?  Most people do not think about those tight muscles on the back of the upper leg / thigh as having much to do with low back pain (LBP).  However, it is one of the most important muscles groups to keep loose both as a means of improving current low back trouble as well as preventing future LBP.  Think of the hamstrings as a stabilizing guide wire that keeps us upright.  When we bend over …

Just returned from a trip to Costa Rica and had a great time flying over the rain forest on a one kilometer zipline!  Took the camera along so in case you never get a chance to do this, you can enjoy the ride!  The wind was really blowing hard so the noise that you hear is the wind buffeting me as I fly along.

Enjoying la pura vida (the pure life) in Costa Rica.  The locals (Ticos) live life without “artificial ingredients”.  This is similar to the Chiropractic philosophy which also …

 
“Do you think a back brace will help my condition?”  This is a question that is frequently asked me because I specialize in treating low back pain.  The answers typically vary, as there is support for and against the use of a brace when low back pain is present.  In a Feb. 2009 study, the use of an elastic lumbar belt was studied in a group of subacute low back pain patients for its effect on functional capacity (lift and carry types of activities), pain intensity, and the effects on …

I found some new information on stress from the American Chiropractic Association that I thought would be of value to you and your family.
A new Associated Press-AOL Health Poll confirmed that millions of Americans are suffering from stress-related pain and headaches as they find themselves struggling with tough economic times.
In light of these alarming new survey results, patients may wish to consider the benefits of chiropractic care for the treatment and prevention of stress-related headaches and muscle pain, says the American Chiropractic Association (ACA).
“In today’s economy, financial …

An article in the Ventura County Star on March 1, 2009 really caught my attention. The headine says “Health Plan Changes Can Deny Senior’s Medication” The article explains how some senior citizens are running into trouble getting their medication paid for by Medicare. It profiles a woman who lives locally existing on a $1,000 a month. The problem she faces, however, is that she takes about 20 different drug presciptions!
This definitely is an unfortuate circumstance that is shared by many, many people in this country. I don’t know …

Have you ever considered who is the best suited to treat back pain? Since there are so many treatment options available today, it is quite challenging to make this decision without a little help. To facilitate, a study looking at this very question compared the effectiveness between medical and chiropractic intervention.
Over a 4-year time frame, 2780 patients were followed (initial, 2-week, 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 month intervals) with questionnaires. Both acute (symptoms 7weeks) low back pain (LBP) patients were treated using conventional …

Certain low back conditions give rise to more than just low back pain. For example. leg pain can be more intense than low back pain, even though the cause of the leg pain is coming from the low back. When this happens, many patients complain that they have “sciatica” which refers to radiating pain that starts in the low back and extends down into the leg. When the intensity of leg pain is worse than the low back, it can make patients wonder …

….THAT IS CAUSED BY A HERNIATED DISC, DEGENERATIVE DISC, SPINAL STENOSIS OR FAILED BACK SURGERY ANY LONGER!
By Dr. Steven Alff, D.C.
Do you, or someone you know suffer with back pain? If so, this may be the most important thing you have ever read.
After 27 years of helping thousands restore their health through chiropractic, I noticed that I was seeing some patients that were not responding to chiropractic care because they were suffering with degenerated or herniated discs in their lumbar spine. Knowing there had to be a …