Chiropractic Care for Arthritis

The word “arthritis” means “joint inflammation” and is often used in reference to rheumatic diseases. Rheumatic diseases include more than 100 conditions, including gout, fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and many more. Arthritis medications help suppress the immune system and slow the progression of the disease, but Dr. Kent Carlomagno believes in the alternative holistic approach with chiropractic adjustments and exercises.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis may include painful swelling, inflammation, and stiffness in the fingers, arms, legs, and wrists occurring in the same joints on both sides of the body. Symptoms of osteoarthritis may include joint pain and progressive stiffness that develops gradually. For chronic symptoms or to provide relief from severe episodes of pain from arthritis, manipulation may be recommended. The goal of manipulation is to restore or to enhance joint function. It’s important when receiving chiropractic care to remember that an accurate diagnosis of arthritis is necessary in order to develop a treatment plan.

If you suffer from arthritis, give us a call today. To learn more about the services provided at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, visit www.summitchiro.net for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kent Carlomagno in San Rafael, CA, call 415-721-7520.

Keep Your Spine in Line

Keeping your spine healthy is the key element to living a long, active life. Over time, the spine can become misaligned with daily use, causing dysfunction in the form of acute or chronic pain. One of the most important things about body mechanics and posture is alignment. Alignment refers to how the head, shoulders, spine, hips, knees and ankles relate and line up with each other. To keep proper alignment, Dr. Kent Carlomagno recommends avoiding the following positions or movements:

• Having a slumped, head-forward posture


• Bending forward from the waist


• Twisting of the spine to a point of strain


• Twisting the trunk and bending forward when doing activities such as coughing, sneezing or lifting heavy objects

If you have questions regarding spinal alignment give us a call today. To learn more about the services provided at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, visit www.summitchiro.net for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kent Carlomagno in San Rafael, CA, call 415-721-7520. 

Spinal Screening at Summit Chiropractic

At Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, Dr. Kent Carlomagno is certified to conduct spinal screenings for scoliosis. The purpose of spinal screenings is to detect the signs of abnormal curves of the spine at their earliest stages so that the need for treatment can be determined. The major objective of the scoliosis screening is to prevent the progression of spinal deviations that may affect overall health.

Scoliosis testing usually begins with a physical exam aka a spinal screening. This includes the forward-bending test, a simple test in which the patient bends forward at the waist, arms hanging loosely and palms touching, while Dr. Kent Carlomagno looks for unevenness in the back or ribs. If the findings of the spinal screening show a significant spinal curve, an X-ray of the spine may be taken to get a more precise measurement of the spinal curve. Screening can lead to early treatment and may prevent curves from getting worse.

If you have questions regarding a spinal screening or scoliosis give us a call today. To learn more about the services provided at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, visit www.summitchiro.net for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kent Carlomagno in San Rafael, CA, call 415-721-7520. 

Cold Laser Therapy at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center

Chiropractic care often incorporates many different modes of treatment. By utilizing holistic and non-invasive practices in addition to chiropractic adjustments, chiropractors are able to help patients heal from a myriad of issues, including soft tissue injuries, spasms and illnesses. Cold laser therapy is one common method employed in chiropractic, and at our practice in San Rafael, CA, Dr. Kent Carlomagno can employ this technique to best serve you.

Cold laser therapy is an excellent treatment that is often used to treat a variety of conditions and pains, including injuries from auto accidents or other accidents. It is called a cold laser because the laser operates at a wavelength that will not increase the thermal temperature of the area it is contacting. While patients cannot feel the laser, its effects are incredibly beneficial. The laser interacts with tissue, stimulating biological processes that help in healing, tissue repair, increased blood flow and the reduction of swelling and pain. 

Cold laser therapy is an effective treatment for back and neck pain, as well as inflammatory conditions, including arthritis, tendinitis and sprains. It has also been known to help with shoulder and neck injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, muscle and joint pain and more.

If you are suffering from soft tissue injury or pain, chiropractic methods are non-invasive and do not rely on drugs to reduce your pain. Increase your overall health and wellness with at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center by calling (415) 721-7520. For more information, please visit www.summitchiro.net. 

Dr. Kent Carlomagno Treats Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome can be an incredibly expensive work-related injury, with the potential to cost an employee who has it over $30,000 in medical bills and work absences during their lifetime. Occurring most often in adults, women especially, that have jobs in the manufacturing, sewing, cleaning or meatpacking industries, carpal tunnel syndrome is a repetitive strain condition that causes pain and numbness in the fingers and thumb. While painful and debilitating, carpal tunnel syndrome doesn’t have to rule your life. Here at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, Dr. Kent Carlomagno alleviates patients’ pain and helps them heal.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a problem that affects the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand. When this nerve becomes compressed in the carpal tunnel, where the nerves, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels travel through the wrist, it can result in numbness, weakness and pain. Common symptoms include burning, tingling, numbness and itching in the palm, thumb, index and middle fingers. Some people describe their fingers as feeling useless and swollen even if they don’t appear to be. Symptoms can first appear while sleeping since many people sleep with flexed wrists. As symptoms worsen, they may appear during the day and result in weaker grip strength and decreased sensitivity to hot and cold.

To treat carpal tunnel syndrome, you don’t need surgery. Dr. Carlomagno can provide an alternative method of treatment by using chiropractic care in addition to a chiropractic traction/distraction device. This method allows him to reshape the carpal tunnel and remove the pressure from the median nerve, alleviating your pain.

If you’re suffering from wrist, forearm and hand pain related to carpal tunnel syndrome, schedule an appointment with our office in San Rafael, CA by calling (415) 721-7520. For more information, visit www.summitchiro.net. 

Chiropractic and the Immune System

From the food we eat to the air we breathe to the water we drink, viruses and bacteria are everywhere. However, just because we come into contact with these germs doesn’t mean we are going to get sick. If that were true, we would constantly have a cold or flu. We are not sick all the time because the “germ theory” that most people use to explain disease is outdated. A carry-over from the early 1800s, this theory proposes microscopic organisms cause disease, but that isn’t the whole picture.

It is not enough for germs to simply be present to cause disease. To get sick, your body must provide a hospitable environment for the bacteria and viruses to reproduce, and this depends on many factors, including the health of your lungs, the function of your immune system and your overall health. Since the nervous system controls the proper function of your lungs, immune system and all other organs and systems in your body, chiropractic care can effectively help prevent disease.

At Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, we strive to help patients maintain the integrity of their nervous systems, which are largely housed in the spinal column. Dr. Kent Carlomagno uses spinal adjustments to align his patients’ spines and remove interference from the nervous system. This has a beneficial effect on the entire body, not just the back and neck.

Whether you suffer from constant illness or are looking to improve your overall wellness, we can help you at our San Raphael, CA office. Call (415) 721-7520 to schedule an appointment. For more information, visit www.Summitchiro.net.