David Perna, D.C.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a condition that arises when the median nerve becomes compressed as it travels through the bony tunnel made up of the eight small carpal bones of the wrist. Its symptoms include pain, numbness, and tingling in the thumb, index, middle, and thumb-side half of the ring finger. If the pressure [..]

The shoulder is a unique joint because it has a great range of motion. Unfortunately, that benefit is negatively balanced with poor stability. This is likely why between 20-25% of the population is afflicted with shoulder pain at some point in life. One of the greatest challenges in managing shoulder pain of musculoskeletal origin (it [..]

Some studies have suggested that 85% of all whiplash injuries occur from rear-end collisions. So, what are some different ways that we might be able to avoid injury if such an event occurs? HEADREST: It's important that your headrest is high enough so that your head and neck doesn't roll over it in a collision, [..]

Many of us have had problems associated with dizziness from time to time and have not thought much about it. But when dizziness happens frequently, lasts a long time, or is severe, it definitely gets our attention and forces us to get it checked out. BACKGROUND: To determine how common dizziness is and the personal [..]

Health, Productivity,Absenteeism, Injury PreventionIn 2003, an important study was published in the journal Spine, titled (1):Chronic Spinal Pain:A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Medication,Acupuncture, and Spinal ManipulationIn this study, researchers from the National Unit for Multidisciplinary Studies of Spinal Pain at the University of Queensland, Australia, randomly assigned 115 chronic spine pain subjects into three treatment options:Medication: [..]

Chronic LBP (cLBP) is a BIG problem in our society, accounting for about 33% of work-related disability. So, what is the best management strategy for cLBP? One study looked at the effectiveness of spinal manipulation therapy (SMT) using three groups of patients with cLBP. Each group received either: 1) “sham” spinal manipulation (twelve treatments of [..]

Though there are many different type of headache, many involve both the upper cervical region (the neck) and the head. Between the muscles that attach to the head and neck, the ligaments that hold the vertebrae together, the blood vessels that allow blood to flow to and from the head, and the nerves that allow [..]

Is there a relationship between carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and body mass index (BMI)? A 1994 study focused on 949 patients who presented with right arm numbness and tingling. In the study, the patients underwent electromyography and nerve conduction velocity (EMG/NCV)—the “gold standard” of tests to diagnose nerve injuries in conditions such as CTS. Researchers [..]

The four compartments of the knee (anterior/front, medial/inside, posterior/back, and lateral/outside) are like dominos. Meaning, when one is injured, the others “start to fall.” This is due to compensatory changes in function—when one compartment is problematic, this places added strain or stress to other compartment(s). Hence, managing knee conditions often requires work on multiple compartments. [..]

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is also becoming a “hot topic” as it relates to motor vehicle collisions (MVC). The question is: how often is TBI missed? The simple answer is: FREQUENTLY! This is due to the fact that attention is often drawn toward other injuries such as a neck injury or a limb injury. One [..]

This certainly is a provoking question! Interestingly, there appears to be some fairly convincing evidence that intermittent fasting can have a dramatic effect on both diabetes management (and possibly play a role in preventing the condition) in addition to increasing longevity. In 2013, researchers looked at this approach in a British Journal of Diabetes & [..]

Chronic Headaches, Balance Problems, Brain Fog, and MoreChiropractic clinical practice acknowledges that there is a unique and important relationship between the alignment of the skull and the upper cervical spine. Nearly all chiropractic techniques (specific treatment approaches) treat alignment problems of the upper cervical spine, but many chiropractors only treat the upper cervical spine, a testament to [..]