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The following articles have been published by or about
Dr. Jason Hahn, D.C. and/or Hahn Chiropractic & Wellness Centers, P.C.
To read an article, simply click on its title.
Good Health...Good Sports
Backpacks and Back Pain
Flexing Your Gardening Muscles
Getting to the Root of the Issue
Hahn Adds Innovative Services for Patients
Tips for Maintaining Optimal Health During Sports Season
Wellness Center Offers State of the Art Services
The Power of Sweat
Herniated Disc? Spinal Stenosis? Failed Back Surgery?
A Revolution in Back Pain Relief
Is Hormone Imbalance Affecting Your Health?
Good Health…Good Sports
Dr. Jason Hahn, D.C. It’s time for Spring sports again, when the spirit of teamwork and good sportsmanship thrive here in the hill country. Sports offer a wide variety of benefits for our children, including physical fitness, coordination, a sense of commitment, and self esteem to name a few. However, in order to optimize the positive effects of sports participation and minimize the chances of injury, there are a few simple guidelines parents can keep in mind.
First, making sure that players are properly warmed up can prevent many injuries. Make sure your youngster arrives to practice and games with plenty of time to warm up. This can be simply running around the field, jogging in place, or doing the old favorite, jumping jacks, for at least ten minutes. Stretching all the major muscle groups prior to game or practice helps to maintain correct posture and to prevent muscle sprains and strains. It also helps to lengthen muscles, increasing the body’s range of motion.
Second, good nutrition is vital to athletic fitness. It is important to eat a healthy meal before play. Avoid foods that are high in fat, as they can affect digestion, slow metabolism and leave you with that sluggish feeling. Vitamins can also help supplement the diet. Taking a multi-vitamin and Vitamin C daily is a good start. Vitamin B and Amino Acids can help to decrease pain from contact sports, and Thiamine can help to promote healing. However, you should always check with your physician before starting a vitamin routine. For older athletes, keep in mind that kids under the age of 18 should avoid performance-enhanced supplements, such as creatine. A better choice would be to include weekly weight-training and body conditioning sessions.
Third, be sure that your athlete is well-hydrated for both practice and games. Water is always a good choice, and sports drinks work great to rehydrate the body as well. I tell most of my patients to use this simple equation… take the body weight and divide it in half, and that’s how many ounces of water they should be drinking daily, especially when participating in activities of physical exertion. (For example, a 100-pound person should drink at least 50 ounces of water daily.)
Fourth, a good night’s sleep is essential to fend off fatigue and irritability.
Fifth, a yearly physical can help to ensure your athlete is fit and ready to play, before the season even begins.
In closing, a little prevention goes a long way, and following these guidelines should give your athlete a jumpstart on a happy, healthy season. This article appeared in:
Bulverde Community News
February 2003
Backpacks and Back Pain
by Dr. Jason Hahn, D.C. It’s back-to-school time again and soon kids will be carting their books and schoolwork to and from school and in between classes. Backpacks are clearly the most convenient way to do this. However, recent studies are reporting that backpacks can lead to back pain. In order to accommodate the burden of heavy backpacks, students are hunching their bodies forward and lowering their heads, which can lead to needless back, neck, and shoulder pain.
Obviously, there’s no sense in getting rid of your child’s backpack. But there is a lot of sense in following a few guidelines to ensure the proper use of backpacks to prevent back pain: - Make sure your child’s backpack weighs no more than 5 to 10 percent of his or her own weight. A heavier backpack will cause your child to bend forward, supporting the excessive weight on his or her back rather than on the shoulders.
- Make sure to adjust the straps correctly so that the backpack does not hang more than 4 inches below the waistline. When the backpack hangs too low, it increases the weight on the shoulders and causes your child to lean forward when walking.
- Choose a backpack with individualized compartments to help in positioning the contents effectively.
- Choose the appropriate size of backpack, according to what your child needs. The more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry, and the heavier the backpack will be.
- Instruct and encourage your child to wear both shoulder straps. Lugging the backpack around on one shoulder can cause a disproportionate shift of weight to one side, which can lead to muscle spasm and low back pain.
- Choose a backpack with wide, padded straps. Non-padded straps can dig into your child’s shoulders.
- Ask your child to clean out his or her backpack regularly to remove un-necessary contents. If your child’s backpack is still too heavy, talk to the teacher and see if your child can leave the heaviest books at school, bringing home only the lighter hand-outs and workbooks.
- While switching to a rollerpack, or backpack on wheels, might seem like a good alternative, you should make this choice cautiously. In crowded hall-ways, they can cause dangerous trips and falls.
Undoubtedly, backpacks are a useful tool for students. And by following these simple guidelines, you can help keep them from becoming a burden that leads to back pain. This article appeared in:
Bulverde Community News
August 2003
As spring returns, with sunny days and bursts of color springing to life all around, many are drawn to stretch their legs and enjoy the outdoors once again. In particular, many are inspired to nurture their gardens, tidy their lawns, and plant in their pots. While gardening is an enjoyable and rewarding experience, it is also a sometimes taxing physical activity. Therefore, just as in other physical activities, such as sports, it is important to prepare the body for gardening and to be conscious of proper technique in order to prevent unnecessary injury. The best way to prevent injury is to stretch prior to beginning garden tasks and again after the work is done. This prepares muscles for physical stress by lengthening them, making them more agile, and increasing blood flow throughout the body, and can help alleviate stiffness afterwards by keeping muscles from tightening up. Key muscles used in gardening are found in the back, upper legs, shoulders, and arms. To warm-up these muscles, simply take a few minutes to do the following stretches: While sitting, prop one foot on a chair or stool in front of you and lean forward until you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh, the hamstring muscle. Hold this position for 15 seconds. Repeat this stretch on each leg at least two times. While standing, and balancing yourself against a chair if needed, grab the front of your ankle from behind and pull the heel toward your buttocks. This will stretch the front of your thigh, or quadriceps. Hold this stretch for 15 seconds, and repeat on each leg two times. While standing, raise hands above your head with your fingers interlocked and lean to each side for 10 seconds. Repeat this stretch three times on each side. Wrap your arms around your waist, as if you are giving yourself a hug, and rotate to one side as far as you can without discomfort. Hold this stretch for 10 seconds and repeat on each side three times. Use these stretches to relax your muscles after your work is complete as well. Remember to continue breathing in and out rhythmically as you stretch to keep the flow of oxygen through your body. Do not bounce or jerk your body, and always stretch only as far as you can without pain. And remember, the time required to complete this series of stretches is minimal, especially when considering the inconvenience and pain an injury can cause. While gardening, it is important to remain aware of your body movement and posture to further prevent injury. Kneel, for example, rather than bending when reaching in the garden. Keep your muscles and body balanced by alternating your stance and movements frequently. In other words, try not to sit in one position doing a repetitive motion for a long period of time. When lifting equipment or plants, or when shoveling, be sure to bend at the knees, not the back, and use your leg and arm muscles to do the work, not the back muscles. When mowing the lawn, use your weight to push the mower; don’t stretch the mower far out in front of you. Take frequent breaks to relieve the strain on muscles, and when possible, use ergonomically correct tools. If you do feel muscle aches and pains after garden work, and maybe did not complete the warm-up and cool-down stretches, you can apply a cold pack to the area for the first 48 hours or apply a heat pack after 48 hours. If discomfort persists, you may want to consider chiropractic care. By all means, enjoy the weather and the burst of energy that spring can bring! Just remember to give your body the same nurturing attention you give your garden. Jason Hahn, a 1994 graduate of Smithson Valley High School, owns the Hahn Chiropractic & Wellness Center in the Bulverde Ridge Medical Business Park on Hwy. 281 between Hwys. 1863 and 46. After graduating from the Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, he returned to his roots and opened his own practice in 2001.
This article appeared in Bulverde
Community News
Getting to the root of the issue Did you know adolescent acne can be caused by lead or copper poisoning, as well as a zinc deficiency, or that arthritis pain can be caused by lead cadmium or mercury poisoning? If so, how would you find out if such mineral imbalances were occurring in your own body and possibly causing health-related issues? Many are choosing to have a hair analysis conducted, and in its endeavor to help patients “maintain optimum health naturally” Hahn Chiropractic & Wellness Center is now offering this service. Hair analysis involves measuring the mineral content of your hair because mineral content of the hair reflects the mineral content of the body’s tissues.Hair has the advantage of long-term memory. It's a permanent record, like tree rings. A three-inch strand of human hair will give a six-month history of what's going on in the body since head hair grows at a rate of about a half an inch a month. For example, if your hair reveals a calcium level that is elevated two or three times normal, then your calcium level within your body may be elevated also. If elevated, excess calcium can cause arteriosclerosis or hardening of the arteries. A low calcium level could mean the existence of osteoporosis, periodontal disease, muscle cramps, etc. In addition, other conditions that may result or be aggravated by mineral imbalances include depression, headaches, hypertension, arthritis, hyperactivity, hypoglycemia, anemia, thyroid disturbance, diabetes and others. Americans alone are exposed to more than 70,000 chemicals daily, with 14,000 of those chemicals in our food supply. The hair analysis is an excellent tool to identify specific chemical toxins within the human body, and vitamin and mineral deficiencies caused by them. Common causes for mineral imbalances include improper diet, taking vitamins and minerals that are not compatible with your current body chemistry, medications, birth control pills, stress, accumulation of toxic chemicals from the environment, job or hobby, or inheritance of mineral patterns from parents. People who would benefit from a hair analysis include those who are ill and no explanation can be found, or when the cause seems to be found but the therapy is not completely effective. Hair analysis gives medical professionals another option when screening for medical issues. * Information for this article was gathered from Analytical Research Labs, Inc. and the website of Dr. Janet Starr Hull. Dr. Jason Hahn, a member of the American Academy of Spinal Physicians, is dedicated to helping patients maintain optimum health naturally. Benefits of his state-of-the-art facility include massage therapy, yoga classes, rehabilitation therapy, and nutrition counseling. A full vitamin/supplement center is also available at the clinic. If you are in need of chiropractic care or a hair analysis, call the Hahn Chiropractic & Wellness Center for an appointment at (830) 980-BACK. The Wellness Center is located at 32635 Hwy. 281 North, suite 100 in Bulverde. It is open Mon-Fri from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and 3:00-6:00 p.m. Let Dr. Jason Hahn help you keep your body in optimal shape naturally.
This article appeared in School Life
Hahn Chiropractic adds innovative services for patients Constantly striving to help patients maintain optimum health naturally, the Hahn Chiropractic & Wellness Centers have added several new therapies to their repertoire, particularly pleasing to those who want to improve their body’s health and appearance. Patients can now enjoy the benefits of Infrared Sauna Therapy and Cellutec Cellulite Treatments. Infrared Sauna Therapy allows users to relax and rejuvenate their bodies while burning up to 600 calories in just 30 minutes. Additional benefits of using the sauna include pain management and detoxification. People suffering from arthritis, fibromyalgia, certain skin conditions and chronic fatigue syndrome can also reap benefits from the innovative therapy. Treatments with the Cellutec machine can help with cellulite reduction, lymphatic drainage, skin toning, and exfoliation. The non-invasive therapy treats the skin, scalp, tissue, muscles, lymph nodes and circulatory system. In addition to these new services, the Hahn Chiropractic Clinic & Wellness Center also invites you to discover the benefits of massage therapy, yoga classes, a rehabilitation facility, cold laser therapy, and nutrition counseling, to include a full vitamin/supplement center. The 4,000-square foot facility in the Bulverde Ridge Medical Business Park has state-of-the-art equipment and a staff that lives on the “love concept.” “We designed this clinic around the patients so that when they’re on the table, there is a quietness around them,” said Dr. Hahn. “We’ve got music in every room, and with the state-of-the-art equipment, it would be hard to find a clinic that could do more for patient care.” Specifically, the facility has four therapy bays, two massage therapy rooms, a rehab center, two adjusting rooms, four treatment rooms, a new patient exam room and a spacious waiting area. The clinic is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and 3-6 p.m. For more information, check out the clinic’s website, www.hahnchiropractic.com, come by and see the facility for yourself at 32635 Hwy. 281 North, suite 100, or give Dr. Hahn and his staff a call at (830) 980-BACK.
This article appeared in School Life
Tips for maintaining optimal health during sports season
By Dr. Jason Hahn, D.C. Hahn Chiropractic & Wellness Center It’s time for Spring sports again, when the spirit of teamwork and good sportsmanship thrive here in the hill country. Sports offer a wide variety of benefits for our children, including physical fitness, coordination, a sense of commitment, and self-esteem, to name a few. However, in order to optimize the positive effects of sports participation and minimize the chances of injury, there are a few simple guidelines parents can keep in mind.
First, making sure that players are properly warmed up can prevent many injuries. Make sure your youngster arrives to practice and games with plenty of time to warm up. This can be simply running around the field, jogging in place, or doing the old favorite, jumping jacks, for at least ten minutes. Stretching all the major muscle groups prior to a game or practice helps to maintain correct posture and to prevent muscle sprains and strains. It also helps to lengthen muscles, increasing the body’s range of motion.
Second, good nutrition is vital to athletic fitness. It is important to eat a healthy meal before play. Avoid foods that are high in fat, as they can affect digestion, slow metabolism and leave you with that sluggish feeling. Vitamins can also help supplement the diet. Taking a multi-vitamin and Vitamin C daily is a good start. Vitamin B and Amino Acids can help to decrease pain from contact sports, and Thiamine can help to promote healing. However, you should always check with your physician before starting a vitamin routine.
Third, be sure that your athlete is well-hydrated for both practice and games. Water is always a good choice, and sports drinks work great to rehydrate the body as well. I tell most of my patients to use this simple equation… take the body weight and divide it in half, and that’s how many ounces of water they should be drinking daily, especially when participating in activities of physical exertion. (For example, a 100-pound person should drink at least 50 ounces of water daily.)
Fourth, a good night’s sleep is essential to fend off fatigue and irritability.
Fifth, a yearly physical can help to ensure your athlete is fit and ready to play, before the season even begins.
A little prevention goes a long way, and following these guidelines should give your athlete a jump-start on a happy, healthy season. Jason Hahn, a 1994 graduate of Smithson Valley High School, owns the Hahn Chiropractic & Wellness Center in the newly-constructed Bulverde Ridge Medical Business Park on Hwy. 281 between Hwys. 1863 and 46. After graduating from the Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas, he returned to his roots and opened his own practice in 2001.
This article appeared in School Life
Wellness Center offers state-of-the-art services The Hahn Chiropractic & Wellness Center is definitely on the grow. In addition to recently moving into a new 4,000 square foot facility, the practice has also hired a new doctor to help with the ever-increasing patient flow. On Dec. 6, Dr. Jason Hahn and his staff relocated to the newly-constructed Bulverde Ridge Medical Business Park, located adjacent to Hahn’s old building on Hwy. 281. The building is also home to the Family Clinic of Bulverde, while an allergist and MRI center will open for business in early 2005. “We should have been up here six months ago based on patient flow,” said Rose Hahn, who oversaw much of the relocation. “But we are really expecting this new facility to cut the waiting time in half because we have twice the number of rooms and twice the equipment.” Specifically, the new facility offers four therapy bays instead of two previously; two massage therapy rooms, a rehab center with exercise equipment where yoga classes will be offered, two adjusting rooms instead of one, and four treatment rooms. The new space also offers a new patient exam room and a spacious waiting area. “We designed this clinic around the patients so that when they’re on the table, there is a quietness around them,” said Dr. Hahn. “We’ve got music in every room and state-of-the art equipment. It would be hard to find a clinic that could do more for patient care.” Another new addition that Dr. Hahn is very excited about is cold laser therapy. “It is a very expensive but good piece of equipment,” said Hahn about the tool that was recently approved by the FDA (Food & Drug Administration). The laser can be used to treat chronic and acute pain. Cold laser therapy is used for persons suffering from back and neck pain, musculoskeletal pain, joint pain associated with arthritis, fibromyalgia, tendonitis, neuropathy, achilles tendon pain, migraine headaches, sprains and strains, carpal tunnel and other associated pains. Cold laser therapy also treats conditions such as TMJ, reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) and other inflammatory and scarring conditions. Cold laser therapy increases serotonin levels which allow the body to heal itself. Cold laser therapy is non-thermal and noninvasive. Completed in one to three sessions, cold laser therapy is not only significant in reducing treatment times, it is cost effective as well. “We’ve used the laser about 25 times so far with really amazing results,” said Hahn. If you are in need of chiropractic care, call the Hahn Chiropractic & Wellness Center for an appointment at 830-980-BACK. Let their caring staff, state-of-the-art equipment and brand-new facility help you keep your body in optimal shape naturally.
This article appeared in School Life
The Power of Sweat Though we often try to avoid perspiration, sweating is quite beneficial to the body. It is in fact one of the body’s essential and most important detoxification mechanisms, serving to flush the body of a wide variety of toxins. A good sweat can help reduce the body’s harmful accumulation of lead, nickel, mercury, sulfuric acid, cholesterol, cadmium and sodium, in addition to many other desirable health benefits. For centuries, many cultures have recognized the benefits of inducing sweat, from the sweat lodges of native cultures to the more elaborate Roman saunas. Perhaps today more than ever, people are in need of “a good sweat”, as we are increasingly exposed to environmental and dietary toxins and at the same time tend to drink less water and experience much less occasion to produce significant amounts of sweat. Modern saunas can provide an excellent solution to this problem. By elevating the body’s temperature, the sauna triggers the thermoregulatory system, increasing the heart rate, cardiac output, and dilation of the blood vessels, which in turn stimulates an increased sweat response. This cumulative process provides the many benefits associated with use of a sauna. Today, cutting-edge Infra-Red Sauna technology can maximize the sweat-inducing effect, producing greater results in less time. Its benefits are vast, including detoxification of heavy metal and environmental toxins; improved immune system function; cleansing and rejuvenating of the skin; relief from rheumatism, arthritis, and muscle pain; improved cardiovascular functioning; and aid in weight loss, as it burns up to six hundred calories in a thirty minute session. As an added benefit, it increases endorphins, which are the “happy hormones”, providing a sense of satisfaction and relaxation. Hahn Chiropractic & Wellness Centers, P.C. has recently added the Infra-Red Sauna to its menu of services in an effort to provide the most advanced means of maintaining optimum health naturally. For more information, please call 830-980-2225.
This article appeared in School Life
Herniated Disc? Spinal Stenosis? Failed Back Surgery?
A Revolution in Back Pain Relief If you or someone you care about is suffering from debilitating back pain, a revolutionary new treatment just may be the answer you’ve been looking for. In the past, once initial care options such as pain medication, chiropractic care, and physical therapies had been exhausted, the only alternative was spinal surgery. Now, with the introduction of Spinal Decompression Therapy, patients can experience remarkable relief from back pain without the risk, expense, or recovery time associated with spinal surgery. Moderate to severe back pain is often times a result of disc degeneration, herniation, or bulge, as well as pinched nerves. Spinal Decompression Therapy is a safe, non-invasive answer for disc-related syndromes. Using advanced, FDA-approved technology, this therapy gently distracts the spine, taking pressure off the discs and joints, and enhances the natural healing process by improving blood flow and nutrients into the injured area. Conditions such as Sciatica, Chronic Low Back Pain, Bulging or Herniated Discs, Spinal Stenosis, Facet Syndrome, and Failed Back Surgery can all be treated utilizing this innovative approach. In fact, clinical studies have shown Spinal Decompression Therapy to be 86% effective in treating herniated discs and degenerative discs. Spinal Decompression Therapy is revolutionizing the treatment of back pain. In the Journal of Neurological Research VOL 23, NO 7, October 2001 issue, researchers stated that "For any given patient with low back and referred leg pain, we cannot predict with certainty which cause has assumed primacy. Therefore surgery, by being directed at root decompression at the site of the herniation alone, may not be effective if secondary causes of pain have become predominant. Decompression therapy, however, addresses both primary and secondary causes of low back and referred leg pain. We thus submit that Decompression therapy should be considered first, before the patient undergoes a surgical procedure which permanently alters the anatomy and function of the affected lumbar spine segment." Always seeking to provide the utmost in progressive care, Hahn Chiropractic & Wellness Centers, P.C. has recently added Spinal Decompression Therapy to its facility located on Hwy. 281 North. Specifically, the clinic is utilizing one of the most advanced spinal decompression tables on the market, the SpineMed, which incorporates a modern pelvic restraint system that increases the efficiency of the application of force to the patient’s spine, making it more comfortable and suitable for a broader spectrum of patients than decompression tables that use a traction box, pulleys, drums, ropes, and pelvic harnesses. Treatment sessions are usually less than 40 minutes, during which patients may view the progress of their treatment on an LCD screen or entertain themselves by watching a DVD. The treatment is safe and painless, and many patients experience tremendous relief in as little as 6-12 sessions. At a fraction of the cost of back surgery, Spinal Decompression Therapy is not only a safe, non-invasive approach to treating disc-related syndromes, it is cost-effective. In an effort to ensure that relief from debilitating back pain is accessible to patients who need it, Hahn Chiropractic & Wellness Centers, P.C. is also now offering Care Credit. If you are suffering from back pain or pain radiating down the leg, you owe it to yourself to look into Spinal Decompression Therapy. If you would like more information, please call 830-980-2225. By Jason Hahn, D.C.
This article appeared in the March, 2007 issue of School Life
Is Hormone Imbalance Affecting Your Health? Fatigue, depression, anxiety, abdominal fat, sleep disturbance, hot flashes, headaches, mood swings…these are just a few of the many possible symptoms associated with hormonal imbalance. As our bodies’ chief chemical messengers between cells, hormones govern growth, development, and mental and physical functions; when hormonal deficiencies or excesses occur, numerous undesirable symptoms, disorders and diseases can arise. Factors such as the aging process and/or an unbalanced lifestyle can affect the delicate balancing act that exists amongst the body’s hormones in both men and women. Females experience a significant fluctuation of hormone levels throughout their lives during menstrual cycles. While PMS symptoms are natural and relatively manageable for many women, some women experience far more debilitating symptoms that could be a sign of excessive hormonal imbalance. As women approach the onset of menopause, hormonal imbalances can become even more symptomatic, which is why many menopausal women are now seeking relief through hormone therapy. The key hormones associated with both menstrual and menopausal symptoms are estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHE-A’s, and cortisol. These hormones work together in harmony; as one increases, another naturally decreases. Therefore, if one hormone is being over-produced, it will cause the other to be under-produced, and vice versa. Hormone therapy seeks to determine which hormones have become dominant and which have become deficient, and then supplements the body with the necessary hormone in order to restore hormonal balance. In the past, synthetic hormone replacements have been the main option given to women, but today a more natural alternative is available – plant-derived bioidentical hormones. However, it is not only women who can suffer from hormonal imbalance. Testosterone, a key hormone for mental and physical energy in men, wanes during the aging process, and this effect is only amplified by heightened stress levels. Increases in estrogen levels during this time period can intensify testosterone imbalance as well. For men, this age-induced hormonal fluctuation is called andropause. Like menopause, andropause symptoms can be managed through hormone replacement therapy. An unbalanced lifestyle can affect hormone levels for both men and women at any age. In particular, high levels of stress can cause significant symptoms of hormone imbalance as the adrenal glands become overactive in response to repeated stressful situations, producing excessive levels of cortisol. This can lead to adrenal fatigue and even imbalances of estrogen/progesterone, when the high demand for cortisol causes the body to use progesterone to make extra cortisol. Besides other common symptoms of hormonal imbalance, frequent high stress levels can weaken the immune system, leaving the body far more susceptible to common colds and flus. The best way to determine if you have a hormonal imbalance, whether it be due to the aging process or an unbalanced lifestyle, is to have a saliva or blood test performed. These tests detect dominance and/or deficiencies in a number of key hormones and can be the starting point in determining a healthy approach to restoring hormone balance with your physician. Natural alternatives to synthetic hormone replacement therapy are now available and include both bioidentical hormone supplementation and diet and lifestyle changes. Hahn Chiropractic & Wellness Centers, P.C. is now offering saliva and blood testing for hormone imbalance, as well as consultation and supplementation to assist in natural management of symptoms. If you suspect you may have a hormonal imbalance and would like more information, call 830-980-2225.
By Jason Hahn, D.C.
This article appeared in the April 2007 issue of School Life.
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