Catalina Medical Center: Blog

You may have heard of people turning to acupuncture to quit smoking or to assist in their weight loss journey, but it does much more than those two things. Acupuncture can be used to treat headaches, bursitis, low back pain, asthma, Fibromyalgia, and myofascial pain to name a few more. Acupuncture is based on a theory that energy, called chi (say “Chee”), flows through and around your body along pathways called meridians. To begin the acupuncture process here at Catalina Medical Center, our doctors will give you an exam and ask questions about your pain and range of mobility. Acupuncturists believe that illness occurs when something blocks or unbalances your chi. The technique itself is done by placing very thin needles into your skin at certain points on your body. This is done to influence the energy flow.  Not everyone is a good candidate for acupuncture, which is why it is important to schedule a consultation first. If you have questions or concerns regarding acupuncture, please gi...

If you suffer from year-round allergies, hypersensitivity in your nasal passages may be too much to bear. With allergies, come itchy eyes, frequent headaches, coughing, sneezing, and many more irritating symptoms. You may think of chiropractic treatment as a last resort, but at Catalina Medical Center, our doctors utilize chiropractic adjustments to treat patients who suffer from allergies. Chiropractic adjustments are powerful in treating allergy symptoms because they help improve our central nervous system. Chiropractic treatment releases the pressure on the nervous system allowing the immune system to work more effectively. Since the beneficial effects of this treatment are very well documented, it’s no surprise that many chiropractic patients report a reduction in allergy symptoms. If you have questions or concerns regarding chiropractic care, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at our practice, visit www.catalinamedical.com for more information. To schedule,...

The doctors at Catalina Medical Center heal patients dealing with problematic spinal discs using spinal decompression therapy.  Non-surgical spinal decompression therapy is a safe, targeted treatment for any discs wreaking havoc on a patient’s spine or nerves.  Injured discs in the neck and back cause pain, but can also affect the rest of the body.  Herniated discs often have direct impact on the central nervous system, causing more pain to the extremities.  Our doctors can determine if spinal decompression is appropriate for your issue. Spinal decompression is performed with equipment that resembles a table but has moving parts.  Depending on the location of the issue, patients lie on their back or stomach, and are attached to the equipment with padded straps so distraction forces can be applied to the spine.  The treatment alternates between applying distraction forces to the vertebrae and periods of partial relaxation.  The result is the vertebrae slowly and gently separating from e...

We’ve all seen massage advertised by spas as an indulgence or pampering, but the long-practiced therapy has many health benefits and has helped many patients of the Catalina Medical Center heal.  Combining chiropractic treatment with massage therapy helps improve a patient’s overall musculoskeletal health and functionality. Another benefit of massage therapy is it releases toxins built up in the muscles, which can then exit the body. This purge of toxins is important for chiropractic patients and anyone with injuries because it helps the body heal itself. Chiropractic massages are still performed in a calm, soothing environment.  Relaxation cannot heal injuries on its own but is still important to overall health, especially for patients with chronic pain or stress.  Your massage therapist can target problem areas, or focus on relaxing certain muscles in order to help your chiropractor perform an adjustment. Regular massage also increases circulation and flexibility, which makes this th...

At Catalina Medical Center, a patient’s first visit will involve a few special steps so that we can get to know you and your lifestyle habits. In addition to filling out new patient forms, the most important part of your appointment will be your chiropractic examination from one of our doctors. An initial chiropractic exam will typically have three parts – a consultation, case history, and a physical examination. During the consultation, you will meet with one of our doctors to discuss your duration and frequency of symptoms, as well as your areas of pain and what makes the pain feel better or worse. Your case history will include questions about your family health problems, dietary habits, past history of other treatments and occupational history. Once our doctor is able to provide you with a diagnosis, a treatment plan will be developed from there. Being well-prepared for your appointment will ensure that the doctor has all of the needed information to provide the best possible care ...

When people think of back problems, probably the first image that comes to mind is the stooped posture often seen in older people. At the Catalina Medical Center in Redondo Beach, we want our patients to know that this painful ailment is not an inevitable part of aging, but is something that can be treated through chiropractic. The most common cause of spinal curvature in the elderly is osteoporosis. This disease is the result of bone breaking down without enough new growth to replace it. Over time, the vertebrae become so weak that they can be cracked easily by common movements with the patient hardly even aware of it. All those little cracks add up to the vertebrae collapsing, causing the afflicted to lose height and stoop over. Anybody can get osteoporosis, but it is more common in women. One good way to prevent it is to maintain high levels of calcium intake. But at our office, we can also prescribe therapeutic exercises for strengthening the muscles supporting the spine and provid...

At the Catalina Medical Center, we provide comprehensive, non-invasive treatments for a number of ailments affecting the spine and soft tissues of the limbs. Injuries to the muscle, tendon, and ligament groups are common, which is especially sad since a lot of them could be avoided if people knew how to warm up properly for a work-out. One of the worst mistakes you can make before exercising is stretching a limb that is still “cold.” While stretching is important, the kinds of static stretches in which a person holds a pose for a time should be saved until the cool-down. When warming up, stretches should be dynamic, meaning that they involve continuous movement. Some examples of these are arm circles, high kicks, and lunges with a twist. Yoga is particularly well-known for its large number of dynamic stretches. Some athletes target the particular part of the body they are planning to work most during the session, but regardless, warm-ups will take about five minutes to be effective. No...