David Perna, D.C.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are a common condition characterized by pain and discomfort while chewing, which is estimated to affect about 10% of adults to some degree. As with many musculoskeletal conditions that come on gradually and don’t require emergency care, treatment guidelines recommend conservative care as an initial treatment approach, of which doctors of chiropractic [..]

Whiplash associated disorders (WAD) encompass a cluster of symptoms—dizziness, mental fog, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and/or comprehending, light/noise sensitivity, memory loss, nervousness/irritability, sleep disturbance, anxiety/depression, and more—that result from a sudden acceleration and deceleration that injures the soft tissues of the head and neck. While each case is unique and can require a tailored treatment plan [..]

While musculoskeletal conditions that affect the body are often thought of in terms of pain and disability, it’s not uncommon for psychological factors to be present, which can complicate matters and prolong the patient’s suffering. For example, in a 2019 study that included 252 patients with chronic low back pain, researchers observed that those with [..]

In a chiropractor’s ideal world, people would do everything possible to reduce their risk for a condition like low back pain, and in the event a low back injury occurs, they’d seek care right away. Barring any red flags that necessitate a referral to a specialist or a trip to the emergency room, the patient [..]

Chiropractors have a public and health care (scientific) perception as the “go to” provider for low back pain and neck pain. This was confirmed in a large recent review of the chiropractic profession. It was published in the journal Spine in December 2017, and titled (1): The Prevalence, Patterns, and Predictors of Chiropractic Use Among [..]

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition that occurs when the contents from the stomach reflux back up into the esophagus—the tube that transfers food and drink from the mouth to the acidic environment of the stomach-leading to a foul burning taste in the throat and the chest pain known as heart burn. Standard treatment [..]

The rapid acceleration/deceleration of the head and neck that occurs during a whiplash event can injure the various soft tissues of the head and neck, leading to a cluster of symptoms referred to as whiplash associated disorders (WAD). While features of WAD like neck pain and headache are well known, there are other symptoms that [..]

Dizziness affects about 15-20% of adults to some extent each year, and it is one of the most common reasons for emergency room visits. One of the three systems that works to help us maintain balance is the proprioceptive system that is made up of mechano-receptors located in our joint capsules, muscles, and more that [..]

In addition to being the largest joint in the body, the knee is also very complex and consists of several components that all work together to help us stand, walk, run, jump, and climb. The patella, or kneecap, is located in the front of the joint at the distal end of the femur and rides [..]

When it comes to a condition like carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), we often look at it from the standpoint of risk factors, potential causes, and treatment options. However, there’s a perspective that’s often overlooked: the experience of the patient as they navigate the process from diagnosis to treatment outcomes. In a 2022 study, researchers conducted [..]

The thoracic portion of the spine the longest part of the spine and is made up of twelve vertebrae (T1-T12), which lies between the cervical spine (C1-C7) and the lumbar spine (L1-L5). The thoracic spine protects the very important spinal cord that begins in the brain and runs down to approximately T12 where the cord [..]

Background Information Mild traumatic brain injuries are also known as concussions. It is estimated that these injuries have a prevalence of 3.8 million per year in the United States (1). Despite this high incidence, mild traumatic brain injuries and concussions are one of the least understood injuries facing the sports healthcare and the neuroscience communities [..]