Tips for Staying Active with a Desk Job

Working at a desk for forty hours or more per week contributes to a lot of sitting down. Those who sit at a desk for their job need to be conscious of avoiding a sedentary lifestyle. This is why Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center of San Rafael, CA wants to offer tips for staying healthy with a desk job.

A sedentary lifestyle can lead to weight gain, stress, heart disease, and other health problems. Take these tips to help you move around more during the day.

While at work it is important to take breaks not only for your brain, but for your body. Standing up and walking around just for a couple of minutes will get your blood flowing better and allow your body to get out of the same position. Try getting up from your desk once every hour. You could go to get a drink, visit a co-worker’s desk instead of emailing them, or just go for a stroll down the hallway. It’s a quick way to refresh your body and your mind.

Take the elevator to your office? Try replacing the elevator with the stairs. If it is a reasonable climb, you can get your heart rate up several times a day this way. It’s also a surprisingly good workout for your legs once you start doing it all the time!

To schedule a consultation with us at our San Rafael, CA office, call Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center at (415) 721-7520 or visit our website, www.summitchiro.net. 

Cryotherapy

For those suffering with spasms and haven’t found the relief they’re looking for, it might be time to look into cryotherapy. At Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, we have adopted this new technology in order to better treat our patients.

Cryotherapy is a procedure that helps numb painful areas as well as provides a cooling relief to the affected soft tissues. Cold temperatures are applied to the painful area to decrease the flow of this fluid into the tissues and slow the release of chemicals that cause pain. Cold decreases feeling in an area by reducing the ability of the nerve endings to conduct impulses.

Cold compresses are used to reduce bleeding and swelling within the injured tissue and is best used within 48 hours of your injury. Cryotherapy should not be used for patients who have the following:

• Circulation problems


• Are unconscious


• Those who cannot feel cold (numbness)


• Allergies

For those who do qualify, cryotherapy is a great solution for your back spasm and soft tissue injury problems. Cryotherapy is an excellent solution when it comes to reducing swelling and further injury in the early stages of the healing process.

Interested in cryotherapy? Make an appointment with Dr. Kent G. Carlomagno by calling (415) 721-7520. You can also visit www.summitchiro.net to learn more about therapeutic exercises and other services Dr. Carlomagno offers.

Neck Pain Causes and Treatment

Neck pain is a chronic condition that millions of Americans live with on a daily basis. In most cases, neck pain is caused by an injury such as whiplash, but there can be many other causes to this pain. Your neck, also called the cervical spine, begins at the base of your skull and contains seven small vertebrae. While your neck can move in nearly every direction, this flexibility makes your neck very susceptible to pain and injury.

You can sustain whiplash anytime there is a sudden acceleration-deceleration force that causes the rapid forward and backward movement of the head and neck. This can occur during a car accident or even during contact sports. While most people involved in a car accident recover quickly without and chronic pain, some will experience symptoms for years after the injury.

Though whiplash is one of the most common causes of neck pain, there are also other factors that can play into your pain:

• Old age – degenerative disorders like osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease affect the spine as your grow older


• Daily life – having poor posture, being obese or having weak abdominal muscles can disrupt spinal balance causing neck pain


• Injury – when you make a sudden move involving your neck , your muscles react by tightening and contracting, causing muscle fatigue which can result in pain and stiffness

During your procedure, Dr. Carlomagno will perform exams to locate the source of your pain. Once determined, Dr. Carlomagno will either perform neck adjustments in order to improve the mobility of the spine and restore range of motion. Neck adjustments can also increate movement of the adjoining muscles, improving back function altogether. 

First Visit

When you come into our office, we want you to be comfortable. If you’ve never been to a chiropractor, you should know what to expect when you visit our beautiful Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center facility in San Rafael, CA. Our staff has trained extensively in the care of patients and our chiropractor, Dr. Kent G. Carlomagno has over 20 years of chiropractic experience. He specializes in helping people regain their spinal health, including care of difficult, chronic and acute injuries.

Before you even come in for your appointment, make sure to visit our website for information about all the services and technologies we offer at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center. You’ll also find useful information about general chiropractic care and you can even download pre-appointment forms to fill out before you come to our office, this means less time in the waiting room! Dr. Carlomagno is a dedicated doctor who was inspired to become a chiropractor after suffering life-altering injuries that resulted from a car accident. 

We want to make your first appointment as relaxing as possible. While many believe that chiropractic adjustments are painful, you should know that these adjustments are not painful, in fact, they can be quite soothing. Dr. Carlomagno maintains that he’s not healing patients; he’s just making the adjustments that help the body heal itself. With that in mind, remember that you’re coming in to relieve your pain, so any procedure that Dr. Carlomagno performs will go towards alleviating your pain. It doesn’t matter if you have headaches, stress related symptoms or you hurt your back walking down the stairs, Dr. Carlomagno is there to hear your concerns and relieve you of your pain.

If you would like to come in for an appointment, please give us a call or visit www.summitchiro.net for more information. We hope to see you soon!

Stress and Chiropractic Care

The nature by which we live our lives is constantly in flux, often times this can cause a lot of unwanted stress in our day-to-day lives. In most cases, stress causes negative health effects such as high blood pressure, damage to muscle tissues, damaged immune system and many other negative effects if left untreated. Not many people realize that there are non-substance methods to reducing stress. One of the best options available to patients is chiropractic care. We treat stress with a number of chiropractic techniques to revive patients and relieve them of the negative effects stress causes.

Dr. Kent G. Carlomagno is able to provide a drug-free, non-invasive treatment for many types of pain and inflammation caused by stress. When the body is under stress, the brain signals the adrenal glands to produce hormones, including cortisol and epinephrine. These hormones trigger the body's "fight or flight" response. The chiropractic adjustments completed by Dr. Carlomagno should be enough to convince the brain to turn off this response that is triggered by stress.

Chiropractors work primarily with the spine, home of the nerve impulses that travel from the brain to the rest of the body. Through chiropractic adjustments, Dr. Carlomagno is able to release muscle tension and help the body return to a more balanced, relaxed state. Adjustments also reduce spinal nerve irritation, and improve blood circulation. A healthy and balanced spine is one key to effectively managing stress. Though Dr. Carlomagno cannot make a job less stressful or improve patient’s home life, he can provide patient’s with how they handle stress and help the body cope with stress.

Benefits of Chiropractic Adjustments

 

Stress and strain have a big impact on our health.  Physical labor, exercise, sports, and even routine activities like housework can strain our bodies and result in injury.  As this stress builds, whether from minor activities or more severe incidents like auto accidents and slip and falls, your risk of injury increases.  Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center provides San Rafael, CA chiropractic patients with adjustments to alleviate this stress and promote the overall function and wellbeing of the body.  Dr. Kent Carlomagno utilizes adjustments and manipulations at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center that focus on the root cause of the pain.  San Rafael, CA patients benefit from chiropractic care that addresses the underlying problem rather than simply covering up or numbing the painful symptoms.

Chiropractic care is based on the understanding that all of the systems throughout the body are connected.  While a patient may experience pain in one area, the source of the pain could be due to misalignment, imbalance, subluxation or blockage in an entirely different location.  Spinal misalignments in particular can cause varied pain throughout the body.  Through chiropractic adjustments and manipulations, you can realign your spine and reduce tension and stress.  Dr. Carlomagno offers chiropractic adjustments that adjust the vertebrae and gently prompt the spine back into alignment.  San Rafael, CA patients are able to find relief and optimize their health through adjustments and manipulations of the spine.

For more information on chiropractic adjustments in San Rafael, CA, visit www.summitchiro.net or call (415) 721-7520 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Kent Carlomagno at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center.

Shoulder Injuries

Athletes can suffer a wide range of injuries, from strains and sprains to tendinitis and pulled muscles, and their joints are especially susceptible to problems. One of the most common injuries to occur, especially in athletes who perform frequent overhead motions, is a rotator cuff tear. The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder to provide movement and stability. The tendons of these muscles attach to the top of the humerus, which is where most tears occur, although muscles are sometimes involved. At Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center in San Rafael, CA, Dr. Kent Carlomagno treats a variety of pains and ailments, including orthopedic injuries like rotator cuff tears, and he can help you heal with chiropractic care.

Rotator cuff tears can be caused in several different ways: by direct blows to the shoulder, by falling on the arm while it is outstretched and by having your arm yanked. In addition, impingement (tendinitis), where the rotator cuff tendons rub against the shoulder blade, can also cause the rotator cuff to become inflamed, frayed and weakened. People most susceptible to rotator cuff injuries include swimmers, tennis players, baseball players and other participants in activities that involve a lot of arm movement overhead. Your risk for injury is also higher if you are over the age of 40 since muscles and tendons lose elasticity as you age.

If you have torn your rotator cuff, you do not need to rely on steroid injections or surgery to ease the pain. With chiropractic care, you can be treated with holistic therapies, including chiropractic massage, cryotherapy, ultrasound and Microcurrent Therapy. These therapies promote healing and reduce pain and inflammation. Additionally, chiropractic adjustment and targeted exercises can be used to restore mobility and range of movement. In about six to eight weeks, you will notice a significant improvement.

If you are suffering from pain in your shoulder, schedule an appointment with Dr. Kent Carlomagno of Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center in San Rafael, CA. He can relieve your pain and increase your overall health and wellness. 

Sciatica

If you are suffering from sciatica, you know that the pain can travel from your lower back to your buttocks and hips to your legs and all the way to your feet. For some San Rafael, CA patients the pain can be so intense and constant that it impacts their quality of life. Fortunately, patients can find sciatica pain relief from Dr. Kent Carlomagno of Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center through spinal decompression therapy, gentle chiropractic adjustments and effective therapies such as microcurrent therapy.

The sciatica nerve is a long nerve that runs from the lower back to the feet. When irritated or inflamed, it can cause shooting pains that run the length of the nerve. The sciatica nerve can become irritated or inflamed for a number of reasons, including a herniated disk or bone spur that is compressing the nerve. Dr. Carlomagno helps reduce or eliminate the pain associated with sciatica in San Rafael, CA primarily through chiropractic manipulations and manipulations.

In addition to chiropractic adjustments, therapeutic massage is also a treatment that sciatica patients find extremely helpful for short-term and long-term sciatica pain relief. Dr. Carlomagno wants to remind patients that they need not suffer from sciatica pain because chiropractic care can help. Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center is accepting new patients for sciatica relief as a natural pain relief alternative.

To learn more on how you can experience sciatica pain relief, visit www.summitchiro.net or call Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center at (415) 721-7520 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Kent Carlomagno in San Rafael, CA.

Microcurrent Therapy

At the Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, Chiropractor Dr. Kent Carlomagno offers a number of treatments and technologies in addition to spinal adjustments at his San Rafael, CA office. One such example is Microcurrent Therapy for the treatment of muscle spasms.

Muscle spasms can be an unfortunate and painful side effect of injuries and chronic back and neck pain. If left untreated, muscle spasms can worsen over time. Microcurrent Therapy at Dr. Carlomagno’s San Rafael, CA office aims to relieve immediate symptoms of a muscle spasm while also promoting healing.

Microcurrent Therapy involves applying small, sticker-like pads known as electrodes. The device has a remote that when triggered, will send mild current to the desired muscles. The current is not painful, but does produce some tingling sensations when delivered.

The current causes the muscle is similar to the messages the central nervous system sends to the muscle fibers, causing them to quickly contract. While this may seem counterproductive, the fast contractions help to fatigue the muscle. The added fatigue stops the muscle from further contracting. Additionally, the fast contractions cause the body to release pleasure-inducing endorphins, which can relieve pain due to the contractions. The muscle stimulation also boosts blood circulation to the affected areas, which helps promote healing.

In a short therapy session, patients can experience relief from muscle spasm pain and facilitate healing at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center in San Rafael, CA.

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. 

How Can Chiropractic Help Piriformis Syndrome?

Located deep in the buttock, below the gluteus maximus, the piriformis muscle extends from the sacrum to the outer hip bone and is responsible for stabilizing the hip joint and lifting and rotating the thighs away from the body. When this muscle is in pain, it can often be confused with sciatica because it produces a similar pain in the lower back and into the legs. This pain is called piriformis syndrome and is caused when the piriformis muscle becomes shortened or tightened or when the muscle spasms and becomes inflamed. When inflamed, the muscle can put pressure on the sciatic nerve that runs beneath it. If you are experiencing pain, tingling or numbness in your lower back, buttocks and legs, Dr. Kent Carlomagno can relive your pain and restore you to health.

A common factor that leads to the development of piriformis syndrome is the performance of activities with excessive weight bearing, changing direction and running. This means that many athletes, namely runners and weight lifters, suffer from this condition. Externally rotating the hip for extended periods of time is another factor. This is most often seen in ballet dancers and those who walk with their feet turned outward. Misalignment of the pelvis bones can also be involved.

Chiropractic adjustments, stretching and strengthening exercises can be combined with inferential microcurrent therapy to treat piriformis syndrome to reduce spasms and tightness and help the muscle heal. If caused by the way you walk, foot orthotics may be necessary.

To schedule an appointment at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center in San Rafael, CA, call (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.

Chiropractic and Exercise in San Rafael, CA

Whether you are suffering from a chronic condition or just hoping to maximize your body’s potential, combining chiropractic care with home exercise is a great way to improve your health and increase your overall wellness. And at our office in San Rafael, CA, Dr. Kent Carlomagno can help you develop an exercise plan that will improve your health and overall quality of life.

Exercise is incredibly beneficial to our bodies, especially when combined with chiropractic treatment. Many studies have shown that it is an effective way to manage both acute and chronic lower back pain, as well as other conditions, helping patients keep moving and feel better. In addition to helping with injuries, regular home exercise also keeps the muscles in proper tone, promotes circulation and can help your body function better as a whole.

Strengthening your muscles has direct and indirect benefits on your health, including increasing your ease of movement, improving posture and stabilizing your joints, as well as decreasing your risk of falls and injuries. Including exercise as one of his 12 rules for longevity, Dr. Carlomagno recommends at least 15 minutes of exercise a day.

To see how chiropractic and exercise can improve your life, schedule an appointment at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center. Just call 619-440-4035. For more information, visit www.summitchiro.net.

Treat Lower Back Pain with Dr. Kent Carlomagno

The lumbar vertebrae in the lower back are larger than any others in our spine and are responsible for supporting the weight of the entire upper body. Although these vertebrae are strong enough to withstand powerful forces from the lower back muscles during lifting, bending and twisting, it is still common to experience lower back pain and injuries.

The cause of lower back pain is usually a muscle, nerve, ligament or spinal injury, such as a herniated disc. Poor posture and degenerative diseases can lead to lower back pain as well. This is because poor posture can accelerate wear and tear on the spine during movement, while degenerative diseases, such as arthritis, can cause structures in the spine to break down and put pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. Nerve pressure in the lumbar spine can then cause pain and symptoms to spread from the back to the buttocks, legs and feet because the nerves that exit the lumbar spine travel to these areas.

If you’re experiencing lower back pain, you don’t have to resort to surgery or rely heavily on pain medication for relief. At Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center in San Rafael, CA, many patients find that their pain can be effectively treated through chiropractic practices, including adjustments, therapeutic exercise, electrical muscle stimulation and spinal decompression. These methods can alleviate tension, relieve pain and help restore proper movement.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kent Carlomagno, call (415) 721-7520. For more information on the chiropractor and his services, please visit www.summitchiro.net.

Disc Herniation is San Rafael, CA

Many of our patients who seek out chiropractic care at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center in San Rafael, CA do so for a herniated disc in their spine. While commonly referred to as a slipped disc, this condition actually occurs when the disc—the soft cushion between each of the vertebrae in your spine—ruptures or splits. This can happen as a part of a natural degeneration over time, if the discs become dehydrated and brittle or due to an auto accident. Whichever the reason, Dr. Kent Carlomagno can use chiropractic methods to treat the condition in a safe and non-invasive manner.

If you are experiencing neck pain, back pain, stiffness, tingling, weakness or other symptoms that a doctor has diagnosed as a symptom of a disc herniation, receiving chiropractic treatment can help alleviate your pain and increase your body’s ability to heal itself. Typically, treatment involves manual manipulation and adjustment of the spine. Dr. Carlomagno does this by using his hands to gently flex the spinal to stimulate the surrounding nerves and tissue that are causing the pain. This will help increase range of motion and decrease pain and other symptoms of a herniated disc. When the spine is aligned properly, it is able to function at its highest level, which benefits the rest of your body.

If you’ve hurt your back in an accident or if you’re suffering from natural disc degeneration, you don’t have to rely on painkillers or resort to surgery to relieve your pain. With the help of chiropractic, you can relieve your pain and heal naturally. Call (415) 721-7520 to schedule an appointment. For more information, please visit www.summitchiro.net.

Treat Your Neck Pain at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center

The muscles that make up our necks are used constantly throughout the day, and when the movement of these muscles is inhibited, it can be incredibly frustrating and painful. Whether the pain is chronic or the result of a recent accident, patients shouldn’t try to tough out their neck pain.  At our practice in San Rafael, CA, Dr. Kent Carlomagno can treat your pain and improve your overall quality of life with chiropractic care.

Neck pain can be caused by a variety of factors, including trauma from an accident or unnecessary stress and strain on the muscles due to poor posture. Whether your neck pain is a result of spinal misalignment from daily activity or from an auto accident, we can help. Using his hands, Dr. Carlomagno will adjust your spine with quick movements that move the vertebrae back in place. This removes interference to your body’s natural healing ability and allows it to start functioning more efficiently. Additionally, chiropractic treatment can remove some of the strain placed on your neck muscles, alleviating any pain.

To find relief from pain, you can schedule an appointment at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center by calling (415) 721-7520. For more information, please visit www.summitchiro.net.

Dr. Kent Carlomagno and Senior Care

Many seniors experience problems related to misalignment in the spine, and these seniors can benefit greatly from chiropractic care, which offers pain relief, increased range of motion, increased balance and coordination, decreased joint degeneration, increased health and wellbeing and decreased incidence of falling.  All these benefits can greatly improve a senior’s quality of life and keep them out of nursing homes, and at our office in San Rafael, CA, Dr. Kent Carlomagno has the skills and experience to increase his patients’ overall health and longevity.

Chiropractic care is one of the safest forms of health care available to seniors looking to increase their health. Pain relievers merely mask the problem; chiropractic care treats it. Because the nervous system communicates between the brain and the rest of the body through passages in the spine, if vertebrae become misaligned, it can have a systemic effect on the entire body, from the muscles to the immune system. Spinal misalignment, nearby soft tissue injuries and other issues can interfere with the nervous system’s ability to properly relay information, inhibiting the body’s ability to function at optimum levels. At Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, Dr. Carlomagno can identify and treat spinal misalignment with low-force adjustments that will help aging bodies feel increased energy, comfort and health.

To find out how our services can help you, call (415) 721-7520. For more information, please visit www.summitchiro.net.

Chiropractic X-rays at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center

If having an X-ray done before your chiropractic treatment worries you, you should know that the FDA actually suggests not refusing X-rays. This is because the risk of not having an X-ray is greater than the small risk of exposure to radiation. X-rays allow chiropractors like Dr. Kent Carlomagno to determine that there are no fractures, cancer, malformations or other contraindications in your spine, ensuring that all chiropractic treatment performed is safe and not harmful. By studying your spine on X-ray before treatment, Dr. Carlomagno can provide effective adjustments that relieve your pain and increase your overall health in San Rafael, CA.

Although radiation is a valid concern, X-rays may not give off as much radiation as you think. In fact, flying long distances can actually expose you to more radiation than some X-rays, and a chest X-ray is typically only equal to the amount of radiation you would be exposed to in 10 days of your daily life. However, if you receive frequent X-rays, it can be smart to monitor your radiation exposure by recording how many X-rays you receive and how often. Be sure to take into account which body part is being X-rayed since different body tissues can absorb radiation in different ways.

X-rays of the arms and legs, or extremities, expose you to less radiation than chest X-rays, while lower torso X-rays exposes you to more radiation than chest X-rays. At Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, we mainly utilize spinal X-rays, which expose a patient to about 1.5 millisieverts of radiation or six months of normal background radiation. However, these X-rays are not performed frequently enough to put you at risk.

To schedule a chiropractic evaluation, call (415) 721-7520. For more information, please visit www.summitchiro.net.

Dr. Kent Carlomagno Treats Ear Infections

Ear infections are a common affliction, especially in children, and are often a result from another illness, such as a cold. Whether bacterial or viral, ear infections can cause ear pain, fever and irritability, and if these infections become a chronic issue, they can even cause hearing damage and associated speech and developmental problems in children. While ear infections tend to be treated with antibiotics in most cases, if the infections occur regularly, chiropractic can be a more effective and less harmful way to treat the condition. At our office in San Rafael, CA, Dr. Kent Carlomagno has the skills and experience to effectively help you or your child.

Before you take another round of antibiotics or opt for surgery, schedule an appointment with our practice in to relieve your pain and regain your health. You don’t have to resort to having tubes placed in your ears to relieve the pressure and pain of chronic ear infections; studies have shown that regular chiropractic treatment can effectively treat the condition. Chiropractic care can decrease the frequency of ear infections by mobilizing drainage of the ear and strengthening the immune system to recover quickly and prevent future infection. One study even showed that 80 percent of participants who received chiropractic care did not contract another ear infection for the rest of the entire six-month duration of the study.

To learn more about how chiropractic can help your health, visitwww.summitchiro.net. To schedule an appointment at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, call (415) 721-7520.

Headaches and Chiropractic in San Rafael, CA

Headaches are one of the most common complaints that we hear from our patients, and although they can be caused by many different factors, mechanical problems in the neck and upper back tend to be a leading cause. This type of headache is called a tension headache, and chiropractic treatment can be very effective at alleviating and preventing them. At our office in San Rafael, CA, Dr. Kent Carlomagno can provide you with spinal adjustments to effectively restore your neck and back to proper function to eliminate and prevent further pain.

Tension headaches are a result of muscle tension in the neck and upper back, which irritates the nerves that control blood flow to the brain. This can cause you to feel pain in your upper neck or the back of your head, as well as in your head’s frontal region, sinus region, top or sides. These headaches can present as a throbbing, as an ache or just as a constant pain. Spinal adjustments can relieve the pain by improving the alignment and movement of the cervical vertebrae in the neck and taking undue stress off the neck and back muscles. This then relieves the pressure and irritation that causes your headaches.

From car accidents to stress to poor posture, there are a variety of factors that can contribute to the type of spinal misalignment that interferes with the neck’s ability to function properly. Muscles in the neck and back can become tight from stress, work, lack of sleep, sinusitis or trauma, and this tightness can cause a subluxation, which then further increases muscle tension. Regular chiropractic treatment allows you to correct the damage done by daily stress and trauma and prevent tension headaches altogether.

To schedule an appointment at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, call (415) 721-7520. For more information, please visitwww.summitchiro.net.

Sports Injuries in San Rafael, CA

Athletes are constantly striving to improve their performance, often pushing themselves and their bodies to their limits. However, while rigorous training and strict diets allow their abilities and performances to be improved, without chiropractic care, these athletes will not be able to reach their peak physical forms and may suffer injuries that will leave them on the sidelines. This is why Dr. Kent Carlomagno works closely with many athletes to help them recover quickly and fully from any sports-related injuries while also helping prevent any more in the future.

Even with meticulous care, musculoskeletal injuries during training or play can occur. If you find yourself suffering from an injury or nagging pain, chiropractic might be the best option for you. With the ability to treat sports injuries at their root, Dr. Carlomagno can eliminate the cause of your injury, rather than just treat its symptoms.

Since the body is an integrated system of interconnected networks, misalignment of the spine can lead to injuries in seemingly unrelated areas. By treating your entire body as a whole and paying special attention to the spine, joints, muscles, nerves and tendons, chiropractic can help sports injuries heal more completely and prevent further injuries from occurring.

Chiropractic should be a part of every athlete’s routine to ensure that the body reaches optimal function. Whether you’re suffering from an injury or not, if you’re an athlete, schedule an appointment at our practice in San Rafael, CA by calling (415) 721-7520. For more information about Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, please visit www.summitchiro.net.

Cryotherapy at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center

Here at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, we are dedicated to relieving our patients’ pain and restoring them to optimal health. Without relying on drugs or invasive procedures, we can treat many injuries and ailments with holistic methods, and one such way that our practice does this is with cryotherapy.

Pain and muscle spasms are common responses to soft tissue injuries, and if you’re suffering, cryotherapy can provide pain relief and sooth irritation in the injured tendon, ligament or muscle. This simple and inexpensive technique treats pain with the application of ice, cold towels, ice massages and compresses to reduce the temperature of affected tissues. Surface cooling of the irritated area constricts your blood vessels, numbs the tissue and makes it difficult for muscles to hold contraction, so cryotherapy can effectively reduce nerve transmission and relax muscle spasms for temporary relief.

Cryotherapy can also reduce swelling or inflammation after an injury. If applied after trauma, the injury and resultant pain can be reduced and largely prevented. For maximum effectiveness, cold compresses should be applied frequently for short periods of time.

If you have recently suffered an injury or are experiencing acute pain, it is important to receive care as soon as possible. Drugs are not the only way to treat pain. You can stop by our office for beneficial and holistic treatment, as well as continue cryotherapy at home.

Schedule an appointment with Dr. Kent Carlomagno in San Rafael, CA by calling (415) 721-7520. For more information, please visit www.summitchiro.net.

Dr. Kent Carlomagno and Anti-aging Medicine

Anti-aging medicine is a fast-growing specialty in the medical field that focuses on the development of optimum wellness and longevity. As a form of aggressive, preventative health care, this relatively new specialty goes beyond the mammograms and testing for cholesterol that traditional medicine focuses on. Doctors of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine employ advanced technologies to increase the length of a patient’s life while also improving the quality of that life, and with the help of Dr. Kent Carlomagno in San Rafael, CA, you can increase your life by 20 to 30 productive years.

At Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, we strive to extend the human lifespan by limiting illness and disability that accompanies the end of one’s life, while also extending health and vitality in middle age. Including both lifestyle choices and hormone replacement therapies, anti-aging medicine utilizes antioxidants and vitamin supplements in order to reduce free radical damage. With the help of a physician and clinical testing, your hormone levels and blood chemistry can be analyzed to help you to make proper lifestyle choices and receive the care you need for a longer life.

With the help of Dr. Carlomagno, you can live a long and healthy life. For more information about the doctor, the practice or the program, please visit www.summitchiro.net. To schedule an appointment, call (415) 721-7520.

Achieve Better Health by Decreasing your Stress

From work deadlines and bills to family drama and annoying coworkers, stress invades our lives on a daily basis, and while we can’t completely eliminate stressors from our lives, we can learn to handle them better. Although some people are able to naturally deal with stress more effectively than others, everyone can benefit from working with a chiropractor. 

Regular chiropractic care, which improves nerve and spinal function, has a dramatic impact on improving your emotional, mental and physical states, which all determine how we deal with stress. While stress is known to interfere with our immune systems, studies have shown that those who receive regular chiropractic care have 200 percent greater immune competence than those who do not receive chiropractic care and 400 percent greater immune competence than those with cancer and other serious diseases. This means that chiropractic care can reduce the negative effects that stress has on our bodies and put us in a better state for dealing with future stressors.

Although we can’t remove the stress from your life, we can help you respond better to it. By removing interference caused by misalignment or subluxation, Dr. Kent Carlomagno can normalize your nervous system function and, therefore, increase the function of your entire body.

If you feel like stress is taking a toll on your life, we can help at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center. To schedule an appointment with the chiropractor and rid yourself of stress’s negative effects, call (415) 721-7520. For more information, visit www.summitchiro.net.

DTS Therapy Instead in San Raphael, CA

Virtually every movement we make uses our back muscles or those adjoining them, which means that any injury to our back can be unbearable. When suffering from a back injury, you may experience numbness, weakness and reduced function in your limbs, and this can interfere with the quality of your daily life. If physical therapy hasn’t worked to remove your pain and surgery seems like it might be your only option, Dr. Kent Carlomagno can help. Whether you are suffering from lower back pain, sciatica, a pinched nerve, neck pain or degenerative discs, DTS therapy may provide the relief you are looking for while providing an alternative to surgery.

DTS therapy uses gentle forces to decompress the spine and improve blood flow and nutrient exchange in the injured area. Therapy usually spans less than 20 minutes, three times a week for a month before transitioning from passive to active treatment. In the beginning, therapy consists of several cycles of stretch and relaxation, and many patients find relief in as few as six to 10 treatments. Most are released from treatment after eight weeks.

At Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, we combine DTS therapy with exercise and other complementary therapies to accelerate healing and alleviate pain. These therapies include heat, muscle stimulation, ultrasound and cold therapy. Our goal is to not only help your spinal discs heal but also to enhance your muscles’ control and support of your back and neck.

To schedule an appointment at in San Raphael, CA, call (415) 721-7520. For more information, please visit www.summitchiro.net.

Microcurrent Therapy at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center

In addition to chiropractic adjustments and treatment, many chiropractors choose to use a variety of holistic and non-invasive procedures to help increase their patients’ health and decrease their pain. Microcurrent therapy is once such procedure. It utilizes low-level electrical currents and is applied in short therapy sessions, which are excellent for facilitating the healing of both acute and chronic pain. In San Rafael, CA, we use this type of therapy as a compliment to chiropractic treatment for increasing the speed of our patients’ healing while also decreasing their pain and rate of illness and injury.

Each tissue in your body has its own electrical frequency, and these frequencies can be disrupted by an injury. Microcurrent therapy alleviates pain and inflammation and helps the tissue heal by restoring tissue to its normal cellular frequency. It does this by sending a very small amount of current to the injured area. If you are suffering from muscle spasms, the current can help relax the muscle and return it to its normal state. The therapy also increases protein synthesis and ATP, which is the energy that fuels biochemical function at the cellular level. Both help accelerate healing. 

Treatment usually involves several sessions and can benefit a range of conditions, from arthritis, headaches, fibromyalgia, headaches and neck pain to neuropathy, sciatica, shingles, slow-healing wounds, tendon and ligament pain and back pain. 

If you are looking to increase your health or treat soft-tissue injuries or another conditions caused by an accident, chiropractic and microcurrent therapy can greatly benefit you. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Kent Carlomagno by calling (415) 721-7520. For more information, please visit www.summitchiro.net.  

Children’s Chiropractic in San Rafael, CA

Today more and more parents are seeking chiropractic care for their children, and with so many health issues beginning with birth, it’s not hard to see why. Colic, breathing problems, nursing difficulties, sleep disturbances, allergic reactions and chronic infections can often be traced back to the nervous system stress created by the spinal and cranial misalignment that occurs during the birthing process. Chiropractic care provided by Dr. Kent Carlomagno can correct this misalignment and improve your infant or child’s health in San Rafael, CA.

Chiropractic care can benefit an infant soon after birth and all throughout their childhood. As an infant grows, there are many activities—learning to hold up the head, sitting, crawling, walking—that can cause more spinal misalignments to occur. As your child is mastering these activities, Dr. Carlomagno can check and correct their alignment to keep them healthy and happy.

As the child grows older and begins to participate in regular childhood activities, such as skating or riding a bike, small but significant subluxations can develop, which, if neglected, can lead to more serious problems later in life. Subtle trauma caused during childhood can affect development, making correction necessary for a long and healthy life.

Pediatric chiropractic care can enhance your child’s health and promote proper development. Come to Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center to help your child live a healthier life. Call (415) 721-7520 to schedule an appointment. For more information, please visit www.summitchiro.net. 

Dr. Kent G. Carlomagno Treats Workers Compensation Cases

If you’ve been injured at work and traditional medicine isn’t doing enough to help you, chiropractic is a great solution for dealing with injuries and their underlying causes. Medical doctors tend to treat symptoms, but chiropractors treat pain and injuries at their root, and in San Rafael, CA, Dr. Kent Carlomagno works with workers compensation cases to heal patients’ bodies and help them achieve maximum health.

The difference between treating the symptoms of an injury and fixing the underlying cause is the difference between temporary pain and a chronic issue. By using adjustments, exercises and other holistic services, Dr. Carlomagno can increase your wellness and treat what medicine often can’t. Chiropractic is known to help a variety of injuries and disorders by treating the spine and nervous system, as well as the alignment of the body, which has a profound effect on the entire body. By removing impairments from the nervous system, such as subluxations and misalignment, the body is able to communicate between its systems better and heal itself from its injuries and ailments. From carpal tunnel syndrome to joint, back and neck pain, chiropractic treatment can help you recover from your work injuries.

If you are looking to begin your healing process after a work injury, it’s time to schedule an appointment with Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center. We can help you improve your health and overall quality of life with chiropractic care. Just call (415) 721-7520. For more information, please visit www.summitchiro.net.   

Whiplash

Whiplash is a term applied to injuries that occur to the neck when it is whipped in one direction and then jerked in another. Although this injury is common during auto accidents, it can also be incredibly damaging. Many whiplash injuries involve sprains—which happen when the ligaments that support, protect and restrict vertebral movement are torn—and strains—which occur when muscles and tendons in the neck are stretched beyond their normal limits. Even the discs between vertebrae in the cervical spine can be torn with whiplash, resulting in disc herniation.

The most common symptoms of whiplash include pain and stiffness in the neck and headaches at the base of the skull, and these symptoms can last for weeks or months, and even years if left untreated. Here at Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, Dr. Kent Carlomagno can provide quality chiropractic care to accelerate healing and ensure that your injury does not persist. With adjustments and soft-tissue treatment, he can help control your pain and reduce any muscle spasms.

If you’ve been in an automobile accident, our office in San Rafael, CA can ensure that your accident doesn’t cause you pain long after it’s over. Call (415) 721-7520 to schedule an appointment. For more information, visit www.summitchiro.net.

Custom Foot Orthotics

If you’re having issues related to walking and alignment, custom foot orthotics are a great way to alleviate pain and take stress off your body. Whether you have issues with lower back pain, knee pain or foot pain, orthotics help realign the bones within the foot and ankle and reduce strain on the back, neck, shoulders and hips. At our practice in San Rafael, CA, Dr. Kent Carlomagno utilizes custom orthotics in addition to chiropractic adjustments to relieve his patients’ pain and help their bodies heal.

Orthotics are a great option for those with any issues or discomfort related to walking or imbalance in the body. They can be worn on a daily basis and during most activities to take undue stress off your joints and ensure that your body is aligned and moving properly. In addition to relieving pressure on your hips, neck, back and shoulders, orthotics help distribute your weight properly and take further pressure off of your toes, bunions and other areas of the foot.

Custom orthotics are a great investment in your biomechanical health and overall wellness, and Summith Chiropractic and Longevity Center an help you get them. Fitting in your shoe much like an insole, orthotics are an easy and beneficial way to increase your health on a daily basis.

To schedule an appointment, call (415) 721-7520. For more information, visit www.summitchiro.net.    

Sports Injuries

Athletes can suffer from a wide range of injuries, from strains and sprains to tendinitis and pulled muscles, but their joints are especially susceptible to problems. One of the most common injuries to occur, especially in athletes who perform frequent overhead motions, is a rotator cuff tear. The rotator cuff is a group of four muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder to provide movement and stability. The tendons from these muscles attach to the top of the humerus, and this is where most tears occur, although muscles are sometimes involved. At our office in San Rafael, CA, Dr. Kent Carlomagno treats a variety of pains and ailments, including sports injuries, like rotator cuff tears.

Rotator cuff tears can be caused by direct blows to the shoulder, by falling on the arm while it is outstretched and by having your arm yanked. Impingement (tendinitis), where the rotator cuff tendons rub against the shoulder blade, can also cause the rotator cuff to become inflamed, frayed and weakened.

People most susceptible to rotator cuff injuries include swimmers, tennis players, baseball players and other participants in activities that involve a lot of arm movement overhead. Your risk for injury is also higher if you are over the age of 40 since muscles and tendons lose elasticity as you age.

If you have torn your rotator cuff, you do not need to rely on steroid injections or surgery. With chiropractic care from Summit Chiropractic and Longevity Center, you can be treated with holistic therapies to promote healing and reduce pain and inflammation.

To schedule an appointment, call (415) 721-7520. For more information, visit www.summitchiro.net.