Thursday, April 2, 2020

HINDSIGHT OF 2020

www.drkimberlybensen.com
                                                   HINDSIGHT OF 2020

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the State of California deem that Doctors of Chiropractic are an extremely valuable asset to the healthcare infrastructure, providing essential services to patients, limiting the strain on the urgent and emergency care systems during this healthcare crisis, thus they are part of the essential critical infrastructure workforce.

And now as more of you are sheltered in, working from home with poor ergonomics, increased device use, isolated, not able to go to the gym or group exercise classes, sedentary, and bombarded by negative media and stressful hype, you may need chiropractic services now more than ever.

The TMJ Therapy and Chiropractic Suites are open and operating in 'Safe Mode'.
This means:
-All surfaces that can be touched are being sanitized before and  after a patient visit
-Only one patient at a time in the clinic
-Only patients with no exposure to COVID and no symptoms can be treated here
-Doctor wearing mask, gloves, and following personal safety hygiene protocols
   
We have control over our how we feel, if vigilant we can easily control the ABC's of wellness.         'A' stands for your attitude, 'B' stands for behaviors, and 'C' for choices.

Recognizing the ABCs pertaining to the 3 factors that influence the natural stasis of good health, are thoughts, toxins, and traumas.

What choices are you making? What behaviors are you practicing? What is your general outlook and attitude about life? These will either enhance or undermine your natural state of wellness.

Even in best of times these can be difficult to manage, and now as the world is in crisis mode, it is going to take a more concerted effort to be vigilant. Now is the time, control what you have control over, and let go of the rest. The choice is yours.

    Thoughts: Stay in the present moment. Focus on the positive.
Do your thoughts contain any of these? Delete and replace!
Global issues, American infrastructure worries, individual and family health concerns, loss of income, anxiety, less freedom, frustration, social isolation, impeded sleep, no religious service attendance, no extended family functions, too much immediate family interface, worries, fretting about past issues, projecting negative future scenarios, insecurity, etc.

  Toxins: Use your time to cook local, organic, healthy recipes.
Are you consuming any of these?
Easy to grab foods (processed, pesticides, chemicals, additives),
comfort foods (higher in sugars, carbohydrates, salt, unhealthy fats), alcohol, over the counter medicines, tobacco.
   
    Traumas: Be aware of body position and move frequently
These behaviors aren't helping!
Dining table ergonomics, decreased activity, increased static postures, tossing and turning at night, increased use of devices, more sofa time, sedentary.

I'm finding more and more of my patients are telling me they have found a personal silver lining to this sheltering time. From the benefits of less pollution, less commuting, less money being spent, to a clearer understanding of their priorities, connecting at a deeper level with loved ones, being more creative, planning fun activities with the family, getting nagging projects completed, to learning something new. Don't spend this time or your valuable energy on any negative aspects.

What is going to be your silver lining and personal 'Hindsight of 2020'?

I'm looking forward to helping you and your family with your ABCs!
Text 408-839-3454 to schedule your private appointment today.

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Body positioning and muscle balance:

 Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJD) is a multi-factoral condition consisting of some or all of these components:  Joint subluxations, body positioning, muscle imbalance, neurologic interference, nutritional considerations, occlusion, and psychosocial/psychosomatic characteristics.

Let's take body positioning and muscle balance into consideration on this post.

Where ever the head is in space, the jaw follows, hanging from the skull by gravity and muscle tension.
 

Research unequivically shows that precise and complex balance of the head and neck muscles must exist to maintain proper head and TMJ position. To understand the effects the muscles have on each other and their bony attachments, know that there are many, many pairs of muscles that are work together from the head/cranium, neck, and shoulder girdle in stabilizing or moving the TMjoints. These muscle attachments on the bones are cranio-mandibular, cranio-vertebral, mandibulo-hyoid, and hyoclavicular-thorasic. This is a highly coordinated, complex neuro-muscular event to synchronize the muscular-pulley type system of stabilization and movement of cranium and jaw.

Each of the major muscles acts like an elastic band. The tension provided must precisely contribute to the balance that maintains the desired head position. If one elastic band stretches, breaks, or is permanantly contracted by scar tissue, the balance of the entire system is disrupted and the head position is altered. When one is compromised, another can compensate, causing abnormal movement patterns. To fully assess the cause of the TMJ dysfunction, all associated structures must be evaluated, above and below the jaw.

The correlation between primary TMJD and the cervical spine dysfunction is well documented in the research. And therefore, the neck/cervical spine must be addressed in evaluation and treatment protocols of TMJD.

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Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Victim of TMJ pain?  No more!

Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction is a multi-factoral condition consisting of some or all of these components:  Joint subluxations, body positioning, muscle imbalance, neurologic interference, nutritional considerations, occlusion, and psychosocial/psychosomatic characteristics.

Unless all of these contributing aspects are addressed at the same time, resolution is fleeting.

The TMJ Therapy addresses all aspects at the same time, empowering you with knowledge and solutions to address what you have control over. 

Lets take joint subluxation into consideration on this post.

Research states that subluxation (or misalignment) of the TMjoint is fairly frequent.
Subluxation can produce symptoms you are experiencing: clicking/popping, pain, limited movement, etc.  Subluxations is the speciality of Chiropractors.

Chiropractic care is a systems-based, whole-person approach to health care.  It incorporates the recognition that all aspects of the body are interrelated and interdependent and that organisms have powerful self-healing mechanisms. The primary aim of chiropractic health care is to support and, when possible, improve the natural functions and processes inherent to life. This is accomplished through manual procedures including mobilization and manipulation (4), or adjustments, using their hands or a small instrument to apply a controlled, specific, high velocity thrust, with a low level force to a joint that has abnormal movement patterns, fail to function normally, are hypermobile or hypomobile, or dyskinetic (also called a subluxation) (4). The goal of the chiropractic adjustment is to reduce the subluxation and correct structural alignment, improving musculoskeletal joint range of motion, the body's physical ability to function, while decreasing nerve irritability.(5)  Often DCs incorporate physiotherapy modalities and procedures, lifestyle counseling, nutritional advice and supplements, and other measures. (3)

A joint can become subluxated and malfunctional as a kinesiopathogical joint lesion (usually hypomobility) that develops as a consequence of:  Micro and/or macro traumatic causing tissue injury and the associated inflammatory response; degenerative changes in muscular and connective tissues, decreased descending inhibitory pathway activity due to aberrant psychological states; dysafferentation (i.e., increased nociception and decreased mechanoreception which can be caused by some or all of the above. (14)



"You mean it's TMD???"

When you've gotten so many diagnosis from so many specialist, and the 'band aid' symptom relievers are piling up with no resolution...

Time to quit covering up the symptoms, and unravel the cause.  That takes time, and effort.
Effort on the part of the practitioner AND the symptom sufferer.  Are you ready to work a little and never have to experience / fall victim to these debilitating symptoms?

With relatively little cost and time, the solution is as close as your next bite of bagel!

The TMJ Therapy is the solution!  Created to get to and eliminate the root cause of the problem.

Friday, October 21, 2016

Right to the source of pain and dysfunction


James H.
San Bruno, CA

5.0 star rating 10/19/2016

For decades I've had this nagging discomfort on my traps where the muscle keeps pulling and tugging and have seen four chiropractors and countless massage therapists to address it with mixed results.   Dr Bensen did some deep work to break down the scar tissue and give the area a chance to heal.  After two excruciating sessions, the discomfort has disappeared!!!!!   I'll take 10 min of the most intense pain I've felt in my life for long term relief - no need for pain patches, massage, or adjustments any more !!  Dr Bensen has a deep and functional understanding of the body and gets right to the source to address it and nips the pain in the bud within a few sessions vs others who try to hook you into coming forever. Thank you Dr Bensen for my new pain free life!!

Thursday, August 20, 2015

More of Patient's recommendations


  • Amy W.
  • Los Gatos, CA
7/13/2015
I had problems with my hearing (for which my ENT specialist was no help), headaches and pain in my face, jaw, and neck . . . thankfully, I was referred to Dr. Bensen!  She recognized that my symptoms stemmed from problems with the TM Joint. After just a few sessions, I'm feeling WAY better, I'm much more conscious of when I clench my jaw, my headaches are pretty much gone, and I have several new (better) habits!  Dr. Bensen has a great personality, which just makes it all even more pleasant.  I highly recommend her.


 
Dana S.
Campbell, CA 
 7/31/2015
I suffered from TMJ for 17 years! As an adult it got much worse with long dental appointments and the stress of life.
A year before seeing Dr. Bensen, I had Botox to relieve  the pain of my TMJ. Pain that went down my back and arms! Botox worked for about 8 months but when it wore off I was in dying pain!!! My dentist Dr. Aida Galan did the Botox but would not do it again as she had just discovered a new way, Dr. Bensen's way!
When I saw Dr. Bensen for the first time I was in tears with pain. Really I was crying. She gave me an evaluation that Saturday and followed with a treatment later that same day.
A month later.. Ive seen her twice a week and I can say I am 80% better! I was in super bad shape before. She has taught me how I am throwing my body off, how to fix it and has given me treatments that have aided in getting normal and healthy. Many of her treatments are not fun (actually a bit painful massaging) But the most affective treatment I have ever had from a doctor!

Monday, April 27, 2015

A Patients Remarks

"I think Dr. Kimberly Bensen is a genius, who can fix theTMJ problems when no one else even has any clue of what is wrong.  She is also very kind to spend tine after the treatment showing me the correct posture, the right nutrition and stress management to eradicate the root cause of my problem and to make sure I stay well. Dr. Bensen is a real TMJ expert who delivers results.

I had ear pain, jaw pain and headaches.  I could not brush my teeth without pain or bleeding of my cheek, the tooth brush could not reach my molars (because the jaw wouldn't open enough) and my hearing loss got worse.  When I tried to massage my cheek, it got swollen. I had gone to countless ENT doctors, audiologist, neurologists, internist, and even acupuncturist and a chiropractor.  No one could help me, because no one could find anything wrong.

Recently a friend referred me to his dentist.  I rushed to the doctor, even though I was shocked to learn that a jaw problem might have something to do with a dentist.  After he examined me, the dentist concluded that my problem was too complicated and beyond his ability.  So,, he calle dup his orthodontist friend, who could not help me either, but referred me to dr. Bensen.

Dr. Bensen thoroughly examined me and make some adjustments.  I felt a lot better that day.  after my third treatment, I could brush my teeth with ease, no longer biting on my cheek or tongue.  The ringing in my ears was gone and the number of headaches reduced.  I could not believe it.  Just a few clicks with her activator?  It was magical to me.

Thanks to Dr. Bensen's treatments and education, with better habits, nutrition and more awareness of my jaw position and my posture, I am join envy my hearing will improve in the future."

Susan W.