Intervertebral discs are influential in affording your body its range of motion. Discs are named based on their location in the spine: cervical, thoracic and lumbar. Discs in the cervical region support the weight of the head and allow it to move while in the lower region, lumbar discs support the weight of the upper body and allow for a reasonable amount of compression. As we age and our spines grow weary of repetitive motions, the discs can tear, creating pressure on the associated nerve tissue. Symptoms depend on the location and severity of the condition, which makes it critical to receive a proper diagnosis.

• Lumbar herniated discs are among the most common, because of their crucial positioning in the spine. The lumbar region is responsible for supporting the body’s weight and general flexibility. As we grow, more weight creates more compression on these discs. When the compression reaches a breaking point, the discs can tear. Lumbar herniated disc pain is generally local to the tear, but can radiate to the lower body and cause sciatica if the sciatic nerve is affected.

• Cervical herniated discs are also common, as they also play a crucial role in the body’s functioning. The pivot point located in the cervical vertebrae allows us to move our head from side to side. This repetitive motion can wear down the vertebrae over the years, causing herniation. Pain associated with cervical herniated discs can be felt in the neck, head, shoulders and arms.

• Thoracic herniated discs are the least common but are no less significant. often, they are caused by direct trauma – a car accident, sports injury or persistently poor posture. Pain from a thoracic herniated disc can be felt in the upper and lower body.

Herniated discs are a common injury that comes with aging and degeneration of the spine. As such, most herniated discs will heal themselves naturally. Chiropractic offers you treatment that helps facilitate the recovery and minimalize pain. At Scorca Chiropractic Center, we have expertise diagnosing and treating herniated discs at any region in the spine. Call our office in Fremont at (510) 656-9077 or e-mail at [email protected] if you think you may be suffering from a herniated disc.

Dr. Francis Scorca, D.C.

The human body is a biological wonder of inter-connectivity. From a chiropractic perspective, the spine is a common denominator for many of the functioning systems of the body; in particular, it is a channel for the nervous system, facilitating signals to and from all parts of the body. But a lesser known relationship exists between the spine and the respiratory system. 

Consider the connection between the spine and respiratory system, whereby subluxation, or misalignment, of vertebrae in the neck can impact the functioning of the breathing muscles, creating asthmatic effects. Nerves exiting the spinal column between the third, fourth and fifth vertebrae of the neck make up the phrenic nerve, which aids the functioning of the diaphragm. When pressure is introduced to these nerves, through misalignment of the associated vertebrae, performance of the diaphragm is impaired and breathing is impacted. Accessory muscles to the diaphragm also require unhindered nerve flow to work optimally.

The respiratory system and spine share an intricate and intimate relationship. At Scorca Chiropractic Center, we help asthma sufferers by correcting physical abnormalities that may be contributing to poor respiratory system functioning. We correct subluxations in the cervical region with gentle adjustments, relieving pressure on the nerves and allowing the diaphragm to operate free of interference. Relaxing the neck muscles and relieving tightness from the chest cavity is another prerogative that can be achieved through adjustment and massage therapy. By restoring full nerve function, improvements to the respiratory system can be effected over time, reducing the severity and frequency of asthma attacks. Call our office in Fremont at  (510) 656-9077 or e-mail at [email protected].

Dr. Francis Scorca, D.C.

Innate human posture does not look like someone spending eight hours slumped in front of a computer screen, concentrating so hard they forget to ever stretch or rest. But for many people in the Fremont area, this is their postural reality, and it is not doing them any good! Posture is the position of the body, as all of its moving parts relate to each other. For many people this is an unconscious state of being that has devolved into a lazy, unsupportive position that puts uneven pressure on the body, causing pain and even headache.  

It works like this: your drive to get the job done has suckered you into slouching. You don’t realize it, but if a picture were taken of you at that very moment, you would see yourself in a very harmful position: head and chin leaned forward, shoulders scrunched and back rounded. All the weight of your head is now straining your neck and shoulder muscles creating painful spasms that refer pain to the nerves in your head. This is an example of how posture can influence headaches.

Fortunately, posture is in your control. If you are like most people, improving posture on your own may be difficult or daunting. This is where we step in; at Scorca Chiropractic Center, we provide you with an examination that determines whether muscle tightness, misalignment and structural weakness may be caused by poor posture. It is important to correctly diagnose your postural faults before attempting to correct them. We address muscle strain and misalignment with chiropractic adjustment and massage therapy to heal any damage that has been caused.  By consulting you on workplace and lifestyle habits, we can form an accurate picture of your posturing throughout the day and make suggestions to help you institute easy, healthy changes.

We are dedicated to helping you improve your poor posture to relieve unnecessary pain and dysfunction. By making you aware of how your posture creates problems, we can institute a plan that will effect musculoskeletal balance, putting minimal stress on the joints and relieving headache pain. Call our office in Fremont at (510) 656-9077.

Dr. Francis Scorca, D.C. 

A good night’s sleep is crucial to a healthy life, including the management of headaches.  Inadequate sleep, oversleeping and changes in sleeping patterns are all linked to chronic head aching. There is a positive correlation between headaches and sleep disorders: As headaches become more frequent and severe, sleep disorders increase. The most common sleep disorders linked to headaches are insomnia and sleep apnea, but other disorders such as jaw clenching, restless leg syndrome and narcolepsy are also common. Restful sleep is productive sleep: a boon to your health that can be hard to find in our fast-paced lives. We want to help you sleep better to fix your headaches.

Misalignments, known as subluxations, in the cervical vertebrae are directly related to sleep disorder. Anxiety, stress and depression are leading causes of sleep interruption. Subluxations in the cervical vertebrae can interfere with proper functioning of the limbic system, which is responsible for the regulation of mood. Keeping this region correctly aligned and free of undue pressure on the nerves will go a long way in helping you sleep well. By allowing uninterrupted nerve flow to the surrounding muscles in the neck, painful muscle spasms can be eliminated and muscles will be more relaxed, promoting better sleep. 

 At Scorca Chiropractic Center, we offer you expertise in the treatment of sleep related issues caused by physical disharmony and emotional distress. Our treatment is centered on correcting physical abnormalities that may be blocking you from receiving the benefits of restive sleep. Your particular sleep problem requires a unique solution. We will consult with you to determine whether lifestyle habits may be contributing to your sleep impediment.  Call our office in Fremont today at (510) 656-9077.

Dr. Francis Scorca, D.C.

There is no uniform cause of tension headaches: stress, spinal misalignment, hormonal imbalance and fatigue, among many other factors, have all been documented to cause the dull, persistent pain of a tension headache. One thing upon which all sufferers agree is that chronic head-aching is detrimental to their well being. Many people opt for the quick fix of aspirin, treating the symptoms and postponing the pain but neglecting the causes. What if you could forego the painkillers and treat your headaches with massage? Massage is a wonderfully relaxing and powerful form of therapy that can fight tension headaches.

The main benefit of massage is that it relaxes tense muscles and improves circulation, increasing the flow of nutrient-rich oxygen to areas that may be ischemic, or lacking proper blood flow. By loosening up muscles that have learned to be permanently tight, we treat painful muscle spasms. When headaches sufferers receive massage on a regular basis, their body is supported in its endeavor to relax. Relieving tension in the muscles promotes mental relaxation and reduces stress, a key factor in chronic headaches.

A major problem that long-term sufferers of headaches must solve is determining the underlying cause of their pain. At Scorca Chiropractic Center, we are experts in the detection of headaches caused by neck, shoulder and back pain. These may be a direct result of physical trauma or a problem that has built up over time. Getting a chiropractic examination goes a long way in helping to narrow down and identify the source of your headaches. Together, we can create a wellness plan to address your headaches, combining traditional chiropractic care with the powers of massage therapy. Call our office in Fremont at (510) 656-9077 or e-mail us at [email protected] to schedule an appointment today.

Dr. Francis Scorca, D.C. 

When it comes to the overwhelming pain of migraines, there is no sovereign remedy. At Scorca Chiropractic Center, we have expertise in treating migraines with causes originating in the spine. Misalignment of the spine, however slight, causes irritation to the associated nerves, which send and receive signals to and from the brain. When a nerve is irritated or inflamed, it causes interference with normal functioning and can lead to chemical imbalances in the brain that are linked to migraines. By returning the spine to proper alignment, we reduce and eliminate pressure on the nerve, helping to relieve migraines. Adjustments are gentle and help your tensed muscles to relax. Spinal adjustment is a positive feedback system that has been shown to reduce migraine frequency, severity and duration.

Read More

A headache is essentially your body’s way of communicating that something is wrong. People spend significant amounts of money to treat the symptoms of headaches but forget to seek out the underlying cause. Headaches become problematic when they affect normal life and limit activity. They can become chronic: tension headaches that feel like a tight band of pain behind the eyes, pounding pulsing in the center of your head and migraines which cause nausea, light sensitivity and debilitating pain.

Read More

Trauma from a car accident can cause pain in the head, ranging from mild and dull to pounding and pulsing, to more severe migraine type headaches. Whiplash, as it whips the neck forward and backward, damages the tissues in the neck, and the pain can manifest itself in the head. Because the head pain is originating from a neck injury, chiropractic treatment can be very useful in treating whiplash. Establishing and maintaining the proper alignment of the neck and back can reduce the pressure and pain in your head. Massage techniques can increase blood flow in the region of damaged tissues, bringing oxygen and nutrients to the healing process that increase the speed of recovery.

Read More

You have recently been in an auto accident. You are most likely now dealing with the fallout of a life-altering collision: who will pay for the damage and how? A jumble of insurance paperwork and phone calls, police reports, how to get to and from work. You are feeling out of sorts and you may not even know you have sustained an injury. It is easy to forget, during this period of hassle and headache, that it is important to seek care for your body.

At Scorca Chiropractic Center, we are on your side. We are here to provide you with a full musculoskeletal examination that will identify indicators and symptoms of the recent trauma. We provide x-rays to explore the full extent of the impact and determine whether structural damage has occurred. We are primarily concerned with providing you a high level of gentle and safe care and maintaining documentation of the proper medical reports that will ensure your rights with the insurance company. It is important to get a full examination before you sign a settlement, as your injury may not be fully healed. An example of a condition that appears and worsens, sometimes long after auto-accidents occur is post-traumatic osteoarthritis.

Read More