David Perna, D.C.

With all the different types of pain relievers available at the corner drug store, you'd think headache sufferers would have a solution to their problem. However, such is not the case and headaches continue to be a great burden on society. What's more, it seems many doctors may even under-diagnose this common problem. A 2008 [..]

Most states require drivers to carry various types of insurance to protect themselves as well as others who may be involved in an unfortunate accident. Drivers (and the institutions that may carry the car's loan) generally think of the vehicle first when deciding on appropriate coverage. While it's difficult to think about, you need to [..]

A Commonly Overlooked Component In Unresolved Back Pain In 1895, German physicist Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen discovered x-rays and radiographs. Soon thereafter, radiographs of the spine began to appear in prominent healthcare research and literature. Later in 1916, Harvard Orthopedic Surgeon Robert W. Lovett, MD, published the third edition of his book Lateral Curvature of the Spine [..]

We all know it's important to maintain good back health by doing things that help strengthen it and avoid the things that cause harm. This is just common sense. But just what are the "things" we need to avoid and what are some simple activities we can do to prevent back problems from occurring in [..]

The old expression "the straw that broke the camel's back" is quite appropriate in regards to many human diseases. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a disease caused by the compression of the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel in the wrist, though patients can experience carpal tunnel symptoms if there is nerve interference [..]

In 2007, Lyrica was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of fibromyalgia symptoms.Lyrica was originally used to treat neuropathic (nerve) pain associated with shingles or diabetes. Since many suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms in the United States alone (at least 3-6 million), it's little wonder that patients may be [..]

There are several types of headaches and what causes them can range from the mundane (too little sleep) to the dangerous (a brain tumor). Some of the most common types of head pain are tension-type headaches and migraines. If commercials on television are any indication, headaches caused by sinus problems also seem to be quite [..]

Although whiplash injuries are quite common, research is only beginning to describe the diverse symptoms that can develop when the neck has experienced trauma. Even a minor whiplash injury, such as may occur while playing sports, can have a significant impact on the delicate structures of the neck. Position sense or balance is how we [..]

British Medical JournalMarch 10, 2007;334:527-531Allan I Binder, consultant rheumatologistPresenting Features of Cervical SpondylosisSYMPTOMS* Cervical pain aggravated by movement* Referred pain (occiput, between the shoulder blades, upper limbs)* Retro-orbital or temporal pain (from C1 to C2)* Cervical stiffness—reversible or irreversible* Vague numbness, tingling, or weakness in upper limbs* Dizziness or vertigo* Poor balance* Rarely: syncope, migraine, [..]

Clinical NeurophysiologyFebruary 2007 Feb;118(2):391-402Haavik-Taylor H, Murphy BOBJECTIVE:To study the immediate sensorimotor neurophysiological effects of cervical spine manipulation using somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs).METHODS:Twelve subjects with a history of reoccurring neck stiffness and/or neck pain, but no acute symptoms at the time of the study were invited to participate in the study.An additional twelve subjects participated in [..]

Integrating Connective Tissue and Nervous System MechanismsMedical HypothesesVolume 68, Issue 1, January 2007, Pages 74-80Helene M. Langevin and Karen J. ShermanThe primary author is from the Department of Neurology, University of Vermont, College of Medicine.FROM ABSTRACTAlthough chronic low back pain (cLBP) is increasingly recognized as a complex syndrome with multifactorial etiology, the pathogenic mechanisms leading [..]

Assessing the Efficacy of Medication, Acupuncture, and Spinal Manipulation for Chronic Mechanical Spinal Pain SyndromesJournal of Manipulative and Physiological TherapeuticsJanuary 2005, Volume 28, Number 1Reinhold Muller, PhD, Lynton G.F. Giles, DC, PhDThis study is a follow-up to the study in Spine, July 15, 2003, which showed the short-term superiority of chiropractic adjustment over Celebrex, Vioxx, and acupuncture [..]