We give patients what THEY want!

Imagine this.  You go into a restaurant… a rather expensive one.  You sit down and when the waiter or waitress comes over to you - THEY TELL YOU WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO EAT AND PAY FOR!

Even worse, they tell you that you can only eat today if you commit to eating there several times a week for the next few months.

What would you do if your food server told you that?  You’d probably get up and walk out…

 Right?

You would go to a restaurant where you can order whatever you want, have it prepared just the way you like it, and you could come back whenever you want… or never again.

What does all this restaurant talk have to do with you and why our practice is so busy?

 Quite a bit.

You see – there are two basic types of doctors.  The first type dictates your care.  They examine you and tell you exactly what your care plan is going to be.

This is not a bad thing.  They are trained professionals and should be giving you what they believe is the best possible treatment plan.

But, that does not mean they are always right… or that treatment plan is the best for YOU.

That’s Why In This Office, We Try Hard To Be Different.

We examine patients and tell them exactly what is going on.  But, we also listen to our patients and take into consideration YOUR input.

The most important thing is WHAT YOU WANT, not necessarily what we think is best.

That’s why we customize our recommendations and work with YOU to give YOU exactly what YOU want.

In other words… we treat you as if you were a member of our family.  We always ask ourselves…

If This Patient Was My Relative What Would I Do?

That means – we do not try to make you commit to long term treatment plans.

Who wants to commit to something they don’t know they are going to like?

For that reason, you can try a few visits and see if it really is for you.  If it is… and you are getting the results you want, then you can keep going until the desired results are achieved… and you can stop whenever you want.

Our goal is to give you what you came in for – as fast as possible.

Everyone reacts to care a little differently – so you may get out of pain really fast and not need any more care.

Most patients want what we call, “Relief Care.”  They come in with some kind of ache or pain and we get them out of pain.  It’s pretty simple.

And here’s something really important: we do not get upset or lecture you if you have not been in to see us in a while.

We completely understand that you have a life and you may not need care. In fact – WE THINK THAT IS GOOD!

…and yes, we also love it when patients drop back  in – it’s a sign they love what we do.

And, I literally mean “drop in.”  Patients love that we do not have appointments so they can come when they want and fit us into your busy schedule.  Once again, we are here for you, not the other way around.

Have you ever had neck or back pain and considered Chiropractic… but feared you’d be required to commit to long term Chiropractic Care?

You are not alone.

Even though there is plenty of research backing up Chiropractic, some patients just can’t afford the time or expense of  long-term, corrective care Chiropractic.

That’s why we now offer “pay-per-visit” Chiropractic for your neck pain or back pain.

This means you can call and come in on the same day and get exactly what you want… an affordable drugless solution for your aches and pains.

Our mainstream approach has gotten us featured along with many medical doctors and spine surgeons on Spine-Health.com… one of the most visited online back pain information websites in the country.

So, if you, your spouse, or a friend is complaining of aches and pains, rest assured that you can come in and get the care you want and can afford.

Give us a call at 215-938-8500. We’ll take good care of you.  Or just stop by, because…

We have a new walk-in policy for established and new patients.

Simply show up during our open hours and we will work you right in!

Our walk-in policy allows our patients to easily come in for treatment, even the same day symptoms arise. This is beneficial in reducing recovery times from an injury.  Why wait days or even weeks for an appointment elsewhere?

Also, you may have noticed… We changed our name to “Huntingdon Valley Pain Relief Center”.

Our new name accurately describes our practice focus.  We may have a new name, but you can expect to receive the same great service and top-notch chiropractic care!

Also, we’re excited to tell you that…We have completely remodeled our office!

Come in and experience the difference… more spacious, completely private treatment rooms, bright new lighting, fresh paint, and a refreshment/snack area for patients.

Lastly, I want to remind you that you are always welcome back no matter how long it’s been since we last saw you.  We are here to help you in any way we can and will be happy to see you!

Hope everything is going well and we’ll see you soon!

Sincerely,

Dr. Ken Goldman, D.C.

P.S. If you are not in pain and would like to still get a check-up… or… you are in pain and would like a treatment or two… just give us a call (or simply drop in) and we promise we’ll get you in immediately.  We always welcome walk-in visits, and are here for your convenience and promise prompt service!

I just wanted to spend a moment to detail some of our new and exciting changes in our practice…

1) Our practice name has changed to “Huntingdon Valley Pain Relief Center”. This name more accurately describes our focus and will help eliminate any confusion among newer clients.

2) We are in the process of remodeling our whole office. Some of the changes include: new walls, fresh paint, a snack & beverage area for patients, new ceiling & lighting, and more. Stop in… have a snack and drink on us. You’ll see and feel the difference.

3) We have a new “Walk-In” policy. This means that if you are a new or established patient, you can simply come in during our open hours and you will be taken care of very quickly. If you still want to make appointments, that’s fine with us. Just remember that appointments are optional.

If you are in pain, give us a call or simply stop in. You know we’re here to help. And remember that you can stop in any time, whether you are in pain or not. I’d be happy to see you.

So I would like to extend warm wishes for a wonderful holiday season and a happy new year… from myself and my staff. We hope to see you soon.

Dr. Goldman attended a continuing education seminar and became certified in instrument adjusting.  He was instructed by three top chiropractic doctors in the country and deepened his skill and education in the utilization of the Impulse IQ adjusting instrument.

This is the next generation in adjusting instruments, which allows Dr. Goldman to provide patients with an outstanding adjustment experience.  Dr. Goldman is one of the few doctors in the area using the Impulse IQ instrument and the only Certified Impulse IQ Chiropractor in Huntingdon Valley.

In the hands of a skilled certified doctor, the Impulse IQ instrument delivers multiple, safe and precise impulses every second in order to correct joint dysfunction and relieve pain.

COMPUTERIZED ADJUSTMENT

High-tech computerized adjustments with Impulse iQ® actually precisely measure how the spine is moving during the treatment so that just the right amount of care can be provided.

YEARS OF RESEARCH

Over five years of research have gone into the development of the Impulse iQ Adjusting Instrument® to create gentle and specific chiropractic adjustments that are safe and effective for patients of all ages.  High-tech computerized adjustments with Impulse iQ® actually precisely measure how the spine is moving during the treatment so that just the right amount of care can be provided.

CONTROLLED FORCE

Impulse iQ® has three different force settings for different parts of the body and to treat patients of all ages. The controlled low force thrust of Impulse® make treatments comfortable.

EXTREME SPEED

Impulse iQ® is twice as fast as other adjusting instruments and 100x faster than manual chiropractic adjustments. The gentle thrust is faster than the body’s tendency to tighten up and resist the adjustment.

Have you tried nearly everything to stop the pain? Have you tried pain killers, physical therapy, squeezing rubber balls, using wrist braces, ice, heat, and stretches without success?

Sometimes, doing those things can be all you need to get rid of the pain. But often times it isn’t enough, and eventually you will become so frustrated with your nagging pain, that you believe getting surgery is the only solution.

In most cases, your wrist pain is caused by a combination of joint dysfunction and abnormal muscle tension in your forearm. In many cases the joint problem has its origin in your neck. This is largely overlooked by many physicians, who are trained only to examine the specific area of pain.

In some cases you may have been misdiagnosed and don’t really have carpal tunnel syndrome at all. The problem may actually have its root in your cervical spine (your neck) and/or your forearm.

You can find out what is truly causing your wrist and hand pain today.

Call our office or just stop in for a consultation and examination with myself. No appointment needed. You are always welcome.

During our consultation and examination, I would examine your whole spinal area, and most likely be able to quickly diagnose your condition. Then I will determine if you are a good candidate for care at our office.

If you qualify for treatment at our center, I will recommend a combination of chiropractic adjustments (of the spine and wrist), laser therapy treatments, and other natural therapies to help get you out of pain and get you back to enjoying normal activites again.

Why suffer, when a natural, safe, and quick solution is right within your grasp?

If you answered “yes” to any of the wbove questions, you may have one of the most common causes of neck pain and headaches. I see this problem in my practice almost on a daily basis. And there is usually a quick fix for it too.

The culprit may be a myofascial trigger point (muscle knot) in one of your muscles between your neck and upper back/shoulder area.

The most common muscle trigger points I see in my practice pop up in these muscles: the trapezius, the elevator scapula, the rhomboid. If you have a “fired up” trigger point in one of these muscles, you will have pain, stiffness, and will not be happy.

The most common causes of these trigger points includes: muscle strain, repetitive poor posture, whiplash, stress overload, and/or spinal joint dysfunction.

Injuries(even small ones) from years ago, such as car accidents, falls, sprains/strains, can be the cause of your neck pain today.

But the solution can be simple, virtually painless, and fairly quick. You’ll need to take action.

What makes trigger points so tricky, is the fact that they send out pain to other areas of the body. This means that your trigger point in your shoulder area can create pain in your neck and head.

It’s my job to find out the cause of your pain, and develop a natural solution to get you out of pain and back to life as quick as possible.

Over years of practice, I have developed the skill to locate hidden trigger points in your neck and back. Through a consultation and exam I can also figure out possible causes and develop of plan to help you get out of pain and avoid a possible relapse.

If you are suffering with unrelenting neck or back pain, call our office today for a no-hassle, no-pressure, consultation & examination with me (Dr. Goldman). I look forward to meeting you, helping you become pain-free, and getting you back to life.

Statistics have indicated that back pain will affect around 80% of all people at some time in their life.  Back pain can range from the lower back area to the upper back and shoulder blade area.  Back pains are especially bad when they impact every day functions such as walking, bending, sleeping, or sitting.  Americans spend billions of dollars every year fighting their back pains.  Is there any way to prevent it?  Here are five simple ways to help prevent back pain.

1. Eat Right.  Excess weight puts more stress on your lower spine and contributes to injuries.  Animal-based foods (all meats, poultry, fish, and dairy) contribute to a pro-inflammatory diet and also lead to the production of chemicals that fuel the pain process.  Eating a healthy, whole food, and plant-based diet will reduce pain and inflammation, and can help reduce your back pain.
2. Minimize Stress.  Life is stressful!  Everyone experiences stress of some degree or another.  Excess stress causes muscles to tighten and interferes with the normal healing process.  Prolonged stress leads to homone imbalances of the stress glands of the body – the adrenal glands.  These glands secrete hormones that regulate many body functions including: sleep, digestion, weight gain, estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, immune system, arthritis, allergies, heart function, fatigue… to name a few.  These glands can be checked easily in our office and can usually be balanced/repaired through diet and supplements.
3. Maintain Good Posture and Ergonomics.  Maintaining good posture means keeping the body in a balanced and neutral position as much as possible.  Avoid stressful and damaging prolonged postures where ever you are.  Moat people use computer work stations both at home or at work.  These can be a problem if the ergonomics aren’t set up correctly.  Screens should be centralized and keyboards should be positioned where the height allows your arms to be bent at 90 degrees.  Some lower back pillow is recommended if you are sitting for long periods.  Frequent breaks to move and stretch can also help maintain body posture and balance.
4. Perform Healthy Exercises Regularly.  Regular cardiovascular exercise is important to help maintain good cardiovascular health, manage weight, and reduce stress.  But nothing replaces targeted spine-specific exercises to focus on your core.  Some of the bast exercises for your core also involve balance and muscle endurance.  Some examples are:
• Quadruped – on hands and knees.  While holding abdominals in tight (hollowing), alternate straightening opposing arm and leg and holding for 5 seconds.  Repeat 20 times.
• Bridge – on back.  Lift pelvis, torso, and shoulder blades off floor and hold for 30 seconds.  Repeat.
• Plank – pushup position supported on the forearms rather than hands.  While keeping abdominals in tight (hollowing), hold your body straight for 30 seconds.  Repeat.
• One Leg Balance – standing.  Keep abdominals in and balance on one foot (stork stand) for 30 seconds.  Switch legs and repeat.
5. Get Adjusted By Your Chiropractor.  Everyday activities, stress, and toxins take their toll on our bodies.  Our joints and muscles tighten, become restricted, and become imbalanced.  Adjustments help to retore normal joint motion and can rebalance your spine and body.

Our office will be closed on Monday, July 4th 2011.  We will reopen on Tuesday, July 5th at 9:00 am.

Have an amazing Independence Day!

The Patient

• 52 year old female with a history of lower back pain, mid back pain, sleep difficulties, and digestive troubles
• Patient is overweight by 30 pounds
• The patient had a traumatic spinal injury from a slip and fall 3 years ago, that was corrected by spinal surgery

The Patient’s Complaints

• Moderate to severe lower back pain, hip pain bilaterally, and pain down the back of the thighs
• The patient has difficulty walking normally and must use a cane due to her disturbed gait and balance

Snapshot of My Examination Findings

• Past surgical reports, X-ray evaluations, and MRIs were reviewed and revealed moderate to severe degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine and showed the site of the surgery at L5S1.
• Patient demonstrates a loss of balance while standing and walking
• Guarding (protective movement and positioning) of the lower back and lower extremity
• Multiple areas of spinal subluxations (jammed spinal bones that irritate the nervous system) with focal tenderness to the lumbar vertebrae when pressed
• Painful range of motion of the lumbar spine in flexion and extension (worse in extension)
• Painful muscular fibers and trigger point activity around the lumbosacral spine and the hip areas bilaterally
• Positive orthopedic test for sciatic nerve irritation

My Diagnosis

• Lumbar Spine and Disc Degeneration
• Pain and Instability of the Lumbosacral Spine
• Subluxations of the Spine and Hip area, dysfunction and pain
• Sciatica

My Recommendations

• A course of 12 visits of integrative care to include the following:
• Chirporactic adjustments of the spine, and hip areas
• Myofascial release to the lower back, hips, and lower extremity areas performed by massage therapist
• Progressive therapeutic exercises targeting the lower back and core, with a focus on restoring normal balance
• Ice the lower lumbar spine at home as needed for 15 minutes per hour

The Prognosis

• Fair

Discussion

Lower back pain can be caused by many different things.  Causes range from simple joint dysfunction or sprain/strains, to joint degeneration or even internal organ disease.  My exam was critical in determining that this patient’s pain had a biomechanical cause.  It was the joints, muscles, and nerves that were involved.

Post-surgical cases can be the most difficult, due to internal weakness at and around the prior site of the surgery.  In this case, the weakness centered in the patient’s lumbosacral spine and in her core.  Following surgery she had rehabilitation, but the exercises she had learned were not continued. In time, she became de-conditioned, overweight, and developed a weak and unstable core.  This resulted in chronic back pain that is marked by episodes of aggravations and recovery.

One of the best solutions for chronic lower back pain, is chiropractic care with core stabilization exercises.  This combination can help keep the spine healthy and prevent repeated relapses.

Upon following our advice and treatment schedule, this patient has had an approximate 50% improvement in 4 weeks of care, with less pain,  improved balance, and increased range of motion.  She has had moments where she was able to walk without limping, but she still has a way to go.

Our Approach To Post-Surgical Chronic Lower Back Pain

If you were a new patient visiting our office, we always start with a thorough case history, consultation, and examination.  I may recommend diagnostic studies (x-ray or MRI) if I need more information. At this point, if I determine that care is appropriate and you decide to begin care, I will design a treatment plan for you.  If at any time I discover something beyond the scope of my practice, I won’t hesitate to contact your primary care provider to discuss a possible referral to another healthcare provider.

We follow a very effective  treatment strategy based on the letters ASR.  They stand for:

• A – Adjust (whole-body adjustment techniques)
• S – Support (spinal pelvic stabilizers and other joint supports)
• R – Rehabilitate (targeted exercise therapy/physical rehab)

Our Wellness Program Options

• Relief Care – We offer short-term plans for fast pain relief and recovery.  When many people seek care in our office they have one goal… relief.  So that’s where we start!  During this initial stage of intensive care, we have the following obligations: 1) To uncover the underlying cause of the health problem.  2) To suggest a care plan to produce the fastest results possible.  3) To offer ways patients can participate in their recovery.  4) To explain the value of exercise, nutrition and other aspects of wellness.

• Rehabilitative Care – We offer comprehensive plans for optimal recovery following injury.  Many of our clients want to continue corrective care into the next phase of care – the rehabilitative phase. Wisdom has taught us that long-lasting pain relief can be achieved only when complete healing occurs and your body returns to optimal function. This part of the healing process usually involves therapeutic exercises. We provide one-on-one coaching through this phase of care and focus on flexibility, strength, endurance, balance, and core-conditioning.

• Supportive/Wellness Care - We offer ongoing plans to help keep you active and feeling great.  Many of our clients enjoy regular chiropractic “checkups” and/or massage because they have found that they feel better, have more energy, and enjoy life more.

• Weight Loss & Detox Programs – our 30-day “Quick-Start” program can help you lose weight fast, detoxify, regain your energy, and enjoy life again!  Experience one-on-one counseling and personal attention from our holistic nutritionist, Stephanie Brabazon.  We may also use laser auriculotherapy to help you lose weight.  Laser therapy is non-invasive, requires no needles, and is painless. We see many overweight people that have tried diets but have failed because they have difficulty curbing their appetite and cravings. Our program helps to curb your appetite, depress hunger cravings, stimulate your metabolism to burn off extra calories, and correct internal body hormonal imbalances.

Our Passion

It’s our passion to help you feel great and be your best!

After meeting with Dr. Ken Goldman and discussing your heal goals, we will put together aspecific treatment plan just for you.  We have many natural therapies to consider – chiropractic, massage, exercise, nutritional counseling, and laser therapy techniques.  This strategy sets us apart from many other health practitioners, and gives our patients the best opportunity to achieve superior health.

We will do our best to find the cause of your problem and correct it.  If at any time we discover something beyond the scope of our practice, we won’t hesitate to refer you to another healthcare professional.

We accept most health insurance plans and provide a variety of affordable payment options (even for those without health insurance coverage).  We also accept car accident cases, work injuries, personal injuries, and sports injuries.

We don’t want you to have to resort to dangerous medicines, injections, or surgery.  Our approach is to use chiropractic care and other natural therapies (such as massage, rehab exercises, or nutrition) to correct your back pain quickly and  naturally.

Balancing Calories
	●	Enjoy your food, but eat less.
	●	Avoid oversized portions.
	Foods to Increase
	●	Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
	●	Make at least half your grains whole grains.
	●	Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
	Foods to Reduce
	●	Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals ― and choose the foods with lower numbers.
	●	Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

Some of the USDA’s recommendations are sound, and the web site has some good information if you poke around.  One good piece of advice is to make half of your plate fruits and vegetables.  However, there are some glaring weaknesses in their recommendations and also quite a bit of confusion.  It seems that they came up with a very diplomatic program that wouldn’t offend anyone – especially the big food industries.  The only industry they may have offended is the “sugary drink” people.

Here are some of the glaring problems I discovered:

• Dairy is included as a requirement at every meal.  Dairy is a dietary non-factor.  Although containing some nutrients, dairy products are very  low in overall nutrition compared to many other food choices and are not just not essential.  Many cultures (such as China) have gotten along fine without much dairy at all, and have very strong bones and teeth!
• They recommend only half of your grains be whole grains.  I would like it to be 100%.  Why did the USDA stop at 50%?
• They recommend a mystery food group called “Protein”.  Most people quickly think of meats, poultry, and fish.  It’s as if the USDA is saying that vegetables aren’t a good source of protein, when in fact they are the best source.  Dark green leafy and solid vegetables contain more protein per calorie than lean beef!  Look to the elephant or the horse – powerful bones and muscles, and completely vegetarian.  They also don’t mention how much protein we need each day… perpetuating the “protein-myth”.
• They don’t clarify what lower sodium foods are.  They just say to “compare… and choose the foods with lower numbers”.
• They completely ignore legumes, nuts, and seeds on the plate, but can be found if you dig into the site under “Protein Food Group”.
• They ignore plant-based sources of calcium – which are actually the best choices, and instead only cover dairy-based foods.

If you really want to enjoy amazing health, you have to make some big changes.  Changes that make a big difference, and changes that are sustainable.  Although perhaps a bit of an improvement over the last Food Pyramid, the recommendations of our government don’t go far enough to make much of a difference.  There’s too much room for mediocrity.  The government has let us down again.  Surprised?

Here are two better solutions that you can use as a food guide instead of the “ChooseMyPlate” deal:

From the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine - www.PCRM.org

The “PowerPlate” is a simple guide that gets right to the point.  Here’s another guide for the person looking for some more detail…

From Dr. Joel Fuhrman - www.drfuhrman.com

If you would like to talk to someone in our office for advice on weight loss or healthy eating, feel free to give us a call at 215-938-8500, and ask for Dr. Ken Goldman or Stephanie Brabazon, our holistic nutritionist.