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Why is breathing important could be the most critical question you ask yourself today. It is an automatic process that we perform up to 20,000 times a day. Through the process of cellular respiration, every cell in the body inhales oxygen and exhales carbon dioxide. Essentially, the cells need a constantly refreshing supply of oxygen to produce the energy that keeps you going. An impaired flow of oxygen can lead to cellular dysfunction, damage and cell die-off. Cognitive function, emotional well-being, physical performance, and sleeping are the most essential parts of the body’s daily existence and all of these can be made better or worse by respiration. At Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we want to help you breathe well and often, so that all the essential functions of your body can benefit. 

Chiropractic’s role in breathing centers around the diaphragm, the dome-shaped sheet of muscle that controls our breathing patterns. This sheet of muscle also separates the chest from the abdomen and its function is closely linked to the health and stability of the spine. When you breathe in, this muscle contracts until it reaches the top of the abdomen, at which point the lower ribs lift and the thoracic cavity expands; this entire process is crucial to receiving a full breath of air.

This process can be impeded by a number of factors including weakness or overuse of the accessory muscles, poor posture, lack of awareness about proper breathing techniques, or injuries that prevent you from taking a full breath. So the real question you should ask yourself is: are you getting enough oxygen with each breath. At Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we would like to see everyone breathing at their full potential. If you need help in this endeavor, give our office in Sacramento a call and schedule an appointment today. 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C. 

The piriformis is a muscle that runs adjacent to the sciatic nerve, underneath the glutes, and the muscle’s proximity to the nerve is why sciatica is commonly associated with piriformis syndrome (PS). Piriformis syndrome commonly befalls runners and characteristically feels like a dull aching or soreness in the butt, stiffness in the region around the base of the spine and at the tops of the femurs made worse by sitting for long periods of time. PS can also cause sciatica when a dysfunction with the muscle puts the sciatic nerve under pressure. If no other reasonable cause for the sciatica can be determined through MRI or CT scans  (i.e. herniated disc, abnormalities in the lower vertebrae, or degenerative bone diseases), it is worth considering piriformis syndrome as the cause of your recurrent sciatica. For people diagnosed with sciatica derived from PS, chiropractic treatment is excellent for correcting dysfunction in the muscle and easing the tension and pain associated with sciatica. 

There are certain stretches such as the piriformis stretch and the straight-leg raise stretch that put the piriformis muscle under tension and can help us determine exactly what is misfiring. At Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we focus on releasing the region from tension with trigger point therapy and utilize stretching and strengthening exercises that help to improve range of motion and keep the piriformis muscle from impinging on the sciatic nerve. 

If we can simultaneously strengthen the muscle while releasing the chronic tightness, we can make significant improvements in the functioning of the piriformis muscle and thus, alleviate symptoms of sciatica that may be associated. 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C. 

The pain of sciatica can be nightmarish: tingling and numbness in the lower extremities, pain and stiffness in the lower back; it can be difficult enough just to stand up out of bed. What if there was a way to quickly alleviate some of the pressure from your sciatic nerve so you could get on with your day? Stretching is the most reasonable answer, and there are specific stretches that can be done from your bedroom to help you start off the day or wind it down and get to sleep. As with any stretching routine, the emphasis should be on consistency: repeating these stretches regularly helps to condition the tissues surrounding the issue to combat stiffness and pain. 

When your muscles are tight, such as the piriformis, which runs under the glutes, it can cause impingement to the sciatic nerve. Through stretching, we can release these muscles and thus, the sciatic nerve, from tension.

1. Lie supine with legs extended and lift your right leg in the air, supporting it with your hands. 

• Pull your right knee across your body toward the opposite shoulder.
• Once you reach a point of resistance, hold for 30 seconds and release.
• Switch legs, 3 reps per leg. 

2. Lie supine with knees bent and feet flat. 

• Lift the right leg and cross the ankle over the left knee.
• With both hands, pull from behind the left knee, lifting your legs toward the chest while simultaneously pushing the right knee away from the chest. 
• This motion should create a resistance; don’t push unto pain. 
• Hold 30 seconds, then release.
• Repeat 3 times with each leg.

Muscle tension is an unavoidable reality as we get older. However, if it is causing you sciatic nerve pain, it is worth doing something! Sciatica can be caused by a number of conditions including subluxation, herniated disc and muscle strain. At Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we are experts in helping people fight back against the incursion of sciatica in their life; give our office a call and schedule an appointment to find out how we can help you today!

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C.

The stiff neck is a syndrome of adulthood; as we get older and our bodies tighten, a natural outcome is a stiff and sore neck with no discernible cause. Common examples of this condition include the dull and persistent pain that plagues people at work (and after work), waking up with a crick in the neck, or feeling stiff and sore when you wake up. In fact, nonspecific neck pain is the most common cause for neck complaints and it is almost always due to mechanical and postural dysfunctions.

If you are feeling a pain the neck, we look between the occipital bone, cervical and thoracic vertebrae and the shoulder joint for dysfunction. Common symptoms include restricted range of motion, stiffness, pain which can spread to the arms and fingers and sometimes the pins and needles sensation which indicates nerve irritation. The body can resolve most incidences of neck pain by itself in a matter of week given enough attention to rest and rehabilitation.  At our office in Sacramento, we use modalities including chiropractic adjustment, massage and trigger point therapy and spinal traction to respond to your specific condition. We can show you gentle exercises and stretches and offer nutrition and posture counseling to help you join in the fight for your neck’s health

Nonspecific neck pain is a major cause for disability in America and at Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we recognize that it does not have to be this way! Taking the health of your neck (and the rest of your body) seriously means being proactive about keeping muscles supple, vertebrae in alignment and managing the mental and physical stress that accumulates throughout life.

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C. 

Drinking water is a powerful and neglected way of influencing your overall well-being. As a chiropractor, we would like to see people drinking more water because it helps people lose pounds and maintain a healthy weight, reducing the burden on the joints and structures of the human body, especially in the lower back. The lumbar region bears the largest burden of the upper body’s weight and if the core is not established as an additional stabilizer, each extra pound significantly adds to the strain of the intervertebral discs in the lower back. So how does water help with weight management? 

• It is a psychological trick: drinking water makes you feel more full without a single calorie added, helping to reduce your appetite.
• It is a matter of efficiency: drinking water helps your body burn calories. Resting Energy Expenditure refers to the amount of calories burned while resting. Under this metric, drinking water boosts REE significantly after intake.
• The calorie-free benefit cannot be stressed enough. Yes, soda is refreshing, but most brands come with calories, chemicals, and sugars which convert to fat. Water is just as refreshing and has none of the negatives on the side. If you are itching for something with bubbles, try sparkling water!

At Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we would like people to think of each glass of water as an investment in their long term health. Give our office a call and let us help you discover how easy it is to welcome healthy habits back into your life. 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C.

Scar tissue is a part of the body’s natural healing response, especially to severe injury and often times surgery. Why then is it so problematic? In this respect, it is in the same category as chronic inflammation: too much scar tissue can create a drag on your well-being. The process is simple: when cells are destroyed through injury, whether they be in organs, muscles or connective tissue, new cells must be formed in the same region, just the same way that a cut or puncture on the skin will eventually heal over but leaves a scar. Apply this concept to the inside of the body and you have scar tissue. The problem is that the new tissue is only about 60% as elastic as the original material, meaning that an area with a lot of scar tissue is going to be a lot stiffer and achier than it originally was. 

If left unchecked, scar tissue will form an adhesion to other tissues in the area, essentially trapping joints and making them much stiffer than their original design. When left untreated, these trigger points become fibrotic with scar tissue and this is where we step in at Espinosa Family Chiropractic. The problems associated with scar tissue build up respond very well to chiropractic modalities including the Graston technique, the Active Release Technique and Myofascial Release. Even simple massage works to get into trigger points and break up the scar tissue that is accumulating. 

Scar tissue is an inevitability for most people: even the seemingly innocuous task of typing can cause scar tissue build up because of repetitive micro-traumas. If you are suffering from a loss of range of motion or pain due to scar tissue build up, give our office in Sacramento a call and schedule an appointment today. 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C. 

Commitment is a sensitive subject for many: whether it be committing to a relationship, a job, or a new life experience, we all struggle, falter and succeed at different points in our life. However, one thing that is always worth the commitment, no matter the sacrifice, is the health of your body and mind. It’s not cliche to say this because far too few of us actually take this commitment seriously; as we get older, and we let our levels of activity fall off while we sit more than ever, the process of degeneration begins. While nutrition, mental health and other considerations such as injury or a degenerative condition all play a part, something we should never forsake is exercise, because it is a factor that is within our control.

When it comes to exercise, commitment is more important than intensity. While some people treat the gym as a kind of church, not everyone is born with the drive to dedicate hours out of their week to the gym. If you are one of these people, there is no problem, but you still need to be getting regular exercise to keep the excess pounds off, keep the pain at bay, keep your mind clear and to preserve the longevity of your one and only body. At Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we believe in the power of the individual and we want to help you starting now! We help by:

Helping you develop a personal health strategy: If you are struggling with where to start, give our office a call. We can help you determine exactly what you want to reap from a fitness plan including a lower, healthier weight, a more balanced spine, a stronger more stable core and more conditioned muscles. 

Starting slow: let us help you recover lost range of motion and get you back to doing the basic calisthenics that every body is capable of. Chiropractic adjustment alleviates pressure from nerves allowing you to focus on working out pain free. 

Keeping you accountable: we are your biggest fans, but we also want to see you go forth and prosper with your health. Let us help you establish health and well-being as top priorities in your life today by calling our office to schedule an appointment. 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C. 

Lower back pain is epidemic and on the rise in America for so many reasons: more jobs than ever require days spent deskbound with poor posture, book-ended by a commute and followed by hours spent sitting in unsupportive furniture watching television for relaxation. In short, we are sitting more than ever and setting ourselves up for failure, and the one entity suffering the most might be our lower backs. 

The lumbar region is home to a network of nerves which diverge from the spinal cord at this point and influence a variety of functions including the mechanics of hip and knee movement. The five vertebrae which make up the lumbar are the largest bones in the spine and for good reason because they bear the weight of the body and absorb the shocks and stress of daily life. 

Our ignorance and helplessness regarding lower back pain means that it is now one of the most common complaints at the doctor and is responsible for significant portions of lost productivity in the workplace. At Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we believe that this whole faulty system begins with a lack of education and we are here to help.

• For someone starting with the advantage of a healthy lumbar, we help with prevention: muscle strengthening, attention to posture and proper body mechanics are the keys to keeping your lower back pain-free into old age. 
• For people with chronic lower back pain, we can help pinpoint the cause and being the rehabilitation process. Whether you need a chiropractic adjustment, a massage to improve circulation, or help learning corrective exercise, we are here for you. 

Your lower back is one of the unsung heroes in your body. Few people learn to appreciate their lower back until it starts causing them trouble. If chronic low back pain is a mainstay in your life, call our office today so we can start you on the way to healing today. 

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C. 

Breakfast is your best friend, whether you like it or not. Studies show that people stay alive longer, with less depression and likelihood for developing certain diseases when they have a morning munch. The logic is plain: it is called breakfast because you are breaking the fast from the night before. Just like your brain needs clean proteins and certain minerals before bed to sleep restfully, it also needs nutrients to make the transition from night to day, and to help you function productively with low levels of stress. An ideal breakfast should be balanced nutrition-wise and should be consumed within 2 hours of waking; this means that the coffee/croissant/cigarette diet may need to go if you want to start feeling your best. 

Breakfast benefits:

• Weight management. Fasting through breakfast leads you to crave more calories later in the day and thus you eat more when you are exerting yourself the least, leading to a realistic outcome of weight gain. 
• Satiate body’s energy needs. The brain may be able to get by with a coffee, but this leaves your body at a deficit. Every cell in your body needs to be nourished in order to make you feel your most productive. 
• Cognitive function. Likewise your brain needs consistent nutrition to function with low stress. The brain is a muscle and breakfast fortifies glucose levels in the body, allowing the brain to perform its essential functions, such as memory, more effectively.

Finally, eating breakfast is linked to living longer. When changing your morning meal habits, focus on quality and consistency. Think of your nutrition and state of mind as running fluid, parallel courses; just as you don’t want your mood or state of mind to be fluctuating through peaks and valleys, so you want your nutrition to be consistent, delivering the right amount of nutrients throughout the day. If you need someone to hold you accountable for achieving any health plan, give our office a call. We can help you start feeling great today.

Dr. Raymond Espinosa, D.C.