David Perna, D.C.

Infantile colic (IC) is a distressing common childhood condition that affects 5-20% of infants. The condition is characterized by excessive crying, fussing, and irritability during the first five months, often with no obvious cause. Over the last fifty years, researchers have sought to understand the cause of infantile colic. Some hypotheses include formula intolerance, an [..]

In the October 31, 2019 issue of the financial-political magazine Forbes, there is a brief article recommending the reading of a book on sleep by Dr. Matthew Walker. The author of the article is John Doerr, a venture capitalist with Kleiner Perkins. Mr. Doerr prefaces his review by noting that “Leaders from the worlds of [..]

Several studies have found that a treatment approach that combines specific exercises with spinal manipulation, mobilization, and nutrition is often ideal for reducing pain and improving function in patients with low back pain. But how does your doctor of chiropractic know which low back exercises to recommend and which to avoid? The answer: it depends. [..]

A myofascial trigger point (TP) is a hyper-irritable area in skeletal muscle that is commonly detected by palpating (feeling with the fingers). Although more sophisticated ways exist for locating TPs—ultrasound, microdialysis, electromyography, infrared thermography, and MRI—palpation remains the most utilized due to its simplicity, efficiency, and low cost. For patients with migraine and tension-type headaches, [..]

When people suspect they have carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), it’s typical that their first thought is that their condition will require surgery and a lengthy recovery. While surgery may be warranted in emergency situations, treatment guidelines encourage patients to seek non-surgical options first. So how do non-surgical approaches like manual therapy interventions —provided in a [..]

While the anatomy of the shoulder allows for a wide range of motion and movement, it comes at the cost of a less stable joint, especially for those who routinely perform activities that require lifting the arms. This is likely why shoulder pain is one of the leading reasons patients seek chiropractic care, trailing behind [..]

Whiplash associated disorders (WAD) describes a constellation of symptoms that can arise following a motor vehicle collision (MVC), sports collision, or slip and fall. The typical initial treatment approach for WAD is non-surgical care, but what does the research say is the best non-surgical approach? To start, most (if not all) studies on WAD center [..]

The American Sleep Association reports that 50-70 million adults in the United States (US) have a sleep disorder. Poor sleep is associated with several adverse health outcomes, including an elevated risk for musculoskeletal pain. Though the exact mechanisms are not fully understood, the current research suggests the relationship between musculoskeletal pain and sleep disturbance is [..]

The Management of Spine Pain Syndromes Through the Understanding and Treatment of the Spine as a Single Functioning Unit It is convenient to divide and discuss the human spinal column into four regions: Cervical spine (neck) Thoracic spine (middle back) Lumbar spine (low back) Pelvis (the base of the spinal column) Although this classification is [..]

It’s common to see older adults with a slumped posture, and though there are many possible reasons for this, perhaps the most common cause is a condition called spinal stenosis. The Mayo Clinic notes that spinal stenosis can result from wear-and-tear that narrows the spinal disks. This narrowing can place pressure on the nerve roots [..]

Cervical dysfunction is often a cause or contributing factor of headaches, especially those that occur following a sports injury, slip and fall, or motor vehicle collision. The results of a 2019 study suggest that headaches may also indicate when a patient has a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). In the study, researchers asked 121 children [..]

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a condition that occurs when pressure is applied to the median nerve as it passes through the wrist resulting in symptoms such as tingling, numbness, and weakness. Outside of an emergency leading to a sudden onset of such symptoms—like a broken wrist—surgery is rarely advised as a first-line treatment. In [..]