Commercial Drive - East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC - "What to Expect on Your First Visit with Dr. Chan"

So many people have this question when seeing a new Chiropractor or even a Chiropractor for the very fist time. I thought I would write this post so you can get a good understanding of what to expect on your first visit with me.

First off, the first visit will take about 40-45 minutes. We will start off with a history of your complaint(s). A history is your opportunity to tell me what's going on. Along with questions I ask you, the goal is to find out; How did it start? how long has it been going on? has it happened before? what areas are affected? does anything make it better/worse? do you have medical issues that may affect treatment? does it affect your work/activities? and so on.

The idea is asking poignant questions and getting your account of the issue can help with the overall diagnosis. A trained doctor can have a very good idea of the problem based on the history alone. But most importantly, I need to assess if Chiropractic is right for you. If I uncover things in the history that concern me or things that need further investigation, I will recommend you consult your family physician or suggest other therapies like Physiotherapy or massage. If I think that another therapy is more appropriate for you, I will tell you.

If on the other hand, I think that Chiropractic can help you, I will also tell you. More on this later. The next step is the physical exam and orthopedic testing. The physical exam will give me a better idea of your status right off the bat. I will check for; areas of pain, if the pain radiates or travels to other areas, range of motion/stiffness in the affected areas, muscle strength in the affected areas, etc. I will also check for neurological signs that include reflexes, sensation and strength to assess the health of your nervous system.

Finally, I will use a series of orthopedic tests. Orthopedic tests are used in order to narrow down the diagnosis. These tests can be very helpful to distinguish where the problem is really coming from and what structures or tissues are involved.(To give you insight on how Chiropractors or any doctor for that matter thinks, when a patient presents complaining of symptoms or pain, there are probably a few possibilities of causes. So Chiropractors are trained to narrow down the possibilities until we find the most likely cause of your complaint. Kind of like playing a detective. If we can rule out possibilities one by one, we will often be left with the most probable cause)

For an example, here's a video that demonstrates a specific orthopedic tests called; Yeoman's test. This test is used to see if the source of a patient's low back pain is coming from the Sacroiliac joints that make up your pelvis. 

Once we've completed the physical exam. I will explain to you what my diagnosis is and the reasoning behind it. Then I will explain to you how Chiropractic can help you. When you understand the diagnosis and are comfortable with everything discussed, we can begin treatment.

We will then proceed with soft tissue and massage work. This not only feels good but can help to relieve tension in the muscles that almost everyone can relate to. After this, I will use a series of Chiropractic adjustments to correct your complaint, relieve pain, improve mobility and restore function. 

But before the session is over, I will often leave the patient with stretches and exercises they can perform at home to help speed their recovery. NOTE: In my office, this is pretty much a requirement. I believe everyone should be active and along with Chiropractic treatments, you can positively affect your outcome if you set aside some time to stretch and exercise. Although I can't force you to exercise, I know it will definitely help so I strongly recommend it.

I guess that pretty much sums up what to expect from your first visit to my office. But if you have any questions or comments, leave me a note below and perhaps we could get a group discussion going!

As always, if you're in the Commercial Drive neighborhood of East Vancouver stop by my office or go visit my website;COMMERCIAL DRIVE - EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN DC!!! 

Commercial Drive - East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC - "Excess Ibuprofen Ups Stroke Risk"

This article is directly related to a study that appeared a few days ago suggesting a link between heavy usage of Ibuprofen (commonly known as Advil) and risk of stroke. The corresponding research was done by a team of scientists from Switzerland. The team looked at 31 clinical trials involving 116,429 patients. They had each taken one of seven commonly-used painkillers. The study, published in the British Medical Journal, found that those who had taken ibuprofen over a long period of time were almost three times as likely to suffer a stroke.

The painkiller was also shown to raise significantly the risk of heart attacks and deaths caused by heart disease.This study also suggested that Ibuprofen carried the same risk of stroke and death from heart disease as a drug called, Vioxx, which was pulled from the market in 2004 amidst serious safety concerns.

Professor Peter Jüni, of the University of Bern, said: ‘We looked at patients taking these drugs three to four times a day. ‘They were mainly being treated for osteoarthritis with a few who had rheumatoid arthritis. A lot of them are elderly who are already have lots of risk factors and these will then be duplicated with these painkillers.

‘In terms of stroke, ibuprofen doesn’t look very good. If I was in chronic pain I would not take it as the risks are just too high. I would look at the different options.’

In my practice, I see lots of patients in acute and chronic pain and lo and behold, many have been taking Advil before they seek my care. In reality, many of these same patients do not wish to continue taking these medications. They arrive at my office looking for a better solution to their ailments that doesn't require medication. Chiropractic has helped many patients not only resolve their acute pain but to also manage and treat chronic pain as well. Now to be thorough it has to be stressed that the dosage of Ibuprofen in these studies was very high. How high you ask? Well the researchers believe people at most risk would have to take 4 pills daily for a matter of months or even years. So take the results with a grain of salt. I think the take home message is to remind people that although painkillers like Advil (Ibuprofen) are available off the shelf and without a prescription, be careful! Advil is not candy and if you need to take it for an extended period of time to manage pain, maybe it's time to look at alternatives!

In the Commercial Drive area of East Vancouver? Want more information? Click the link here;COMMERCIAL DRIVE - EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN DC!!!!

Commercial Drive - East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC - "$300 Billion - The Cost of Obesity"

This article I came across is a sobering reminder of the economic impact of a poor lifestyle and lack of exercise. Obesity is a well known social problem that is only becoming more prevalent as time goes on, especially in the western world.The total cost of obesity and being overweight is $270 billion in the US and $30 billion in Canada.

The $300 billion total cost in the United States and Canada is the result of: increased need for medical care ($127 billion); loss of worker productivity due to higher rates of death ($49 billion); loss of productivity due to disability of active workers ($43 billion); and loss of productivity due to total disability ($72 billion), said the Society of Actuaries (SOA).

For more detail, the standard used here is the Body Mass Index or BMI. A person is considered overweight if their BMI score is between 25 - 29.9. Obesity is considered a score of 30 or higher. 

"Overweight and obesity have been shown to increase the rate of several common adverse medical conditions, resulting in this extraordinary economic cost to society," study author Don Behan said in a SOA news release.

The findings are so grim and important to overall society that researchers are strongly urging insurance companies to offer incentives for people to lose weight. Another SOA survey found that 83% of respondents would be willing to follow a healthy lifestyle program if their insurance providers offered such incentives. 


Forgive me but it disappoints me to no end to think that people need 'incentives' to improve their own health. This is a message that I relay to my patients on a daily basis, "you must keep moving!!". Not just because many of my patients recover faster with appropriate activity and exercise but because it's has so many other health benefits.


If you're in the Commercial Drive neighborhood of East Vancouver, stop by the clinic or visit the website at;COMMERCIAL DRIVE - EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN DC!!!

Commercial Drive - East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC - "Who You Calling Fat?........."

I know that this is the time of year where new years resolutions to become healthier and lose weight abound. So I came across this article about our neighbours to the south that I thought would be interesting. It seems that even though countless research has shown that obesity is a huge, and growing problem, only a small percentage of people surveyed would call their diet, "unhealthy". 

Hmmmm, doesn't seem to make sense does it? Well, here's more about the article. The survey conducted by Consumer Reports found that only 1 in 10 people surveyed called their diet, "unhealthy". What's more, while four in 10 admitted being "somewhat overweight," just 11 percent said they were very overweight or obese — a direct contradiction of previous weight measurements taken by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which show that 68 percent of Americans are overweight or obese.

 "There does seem to be a disconnect," between reality and the answers most of us give when asked questions about our diet, how much exercise we get and our weight", said Molly Kimball, a registered dietitian at Ochshner's Elmwood Fitness Center in New Orleans.

The authors believe the culprit is a disconnect of what we "think" we're doing and what's actually going on. Many advertisers have lead us to believe that we are making healthy choices by choosing "reduced calories" products or eating so called, "healthy choices". However, the secret is to look behind the box and get a real idea of what you're eating. If sugar, corn syrup or the like is listed as one of the first three things in the ingredients list, there's no way it's healthy for you. Regardless of what kind of labeling is on the front of the package. 

Another thing that researchers have found is that we have a poor grasp of portion size. Many people claim to get the recommended 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day. But do  you know what a 'serving' really looks like? Well, to give you an idea, a 'serving' or 'portion' size is about the size of your fist. Hmmmmm. Now be honest with yourself. Are you really consuming 5 'servings' of fruits and vegetables in your day?

The moral of the story is the intention of becoming healthier and losing weight is far more than just will power alone. Anyone can be motivated to exercise and eat healthy for a few weeks but you need more than that. You need to do some research, get a little bit of education and most importantly, be honest with yourself.

In my clinic I stress the importance of a healthy lifestyle including diet and exercise. Most importantly, people need to be reminded that being "healthy" is much more than not feeling pain.

In the Commercial Drive neighbourhood of East Vancouver? Stop by the clinic or visit the website;COMMERCIAL DRIVE - EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN DC!!!!

Commercial Drive - East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC - "Headaches? What Your Body May Be Telling You"

This is a problem I see a lot of in my clinic. For the most part I can often diagnose associated tension in the muscles of the neck and shoulders. In addition to tell tale trigger points and observations relayed by the patient, Tension type headaches is the usual diagnosis.

Tension type headaches are often associated with; stress, poor posture, lack of exercise/stretching, activities etc. They often feel like they start at the back of the neck and may radiate to other parts of the head, including the face. Many patients report suffering from these headaches in significant times of stress or due to spending too much time on a computer. After ruling out serious problems involving the joints of the cervical spine or nerves, we can do a lot to give these headache sufferers much relief. I also advise appropriate stretches and postural changes that can also offer great improvements.

Now the other common types of headaches that I see in practice are migraines. Migraines are often debilitating, intense headaches that can be associated with the following; sensitivity to light/sound, a visual disturbance (Aura), nausea and a pounding/throbbing type pain.

Migraines are vascular in nature meaning they may not be related to muscle tension. In fact research shows that migraines may have other triggers that you many not have thought of before such as; certain foods (ie. chocolate, caffeine), hormonal changes, loud sounds, bright lights, depression, strong odors etc.

But regardless of the cause, pay attention to your headaches because they might be trying to tell you something! "A headache can be a symptom of a simple organic disorder, a serious or complicated disorder, or it can be individually characteristic, like a tension headache or a migraine," said Dr. Seymour Diamond, director of the Diamond Headache Clinic and director of the inpatient headache unit at Saint Joseph Hospital in Chicago. "There are multiple causes or variations of headaches."

"The headache can be a message from your body," Beck said. "You don't want to just treat the headache with medicine. You want to play detective and figure out what is causing the headache."

Now a word of caution; the two types of headaches mentioned above are most common in my practice, however there are other, more serious causes of headaches. Therefore if your headache is associated with the following, make sure you get your family doctor to check it out or even visit the emergency room.

The list includes headaches associated with; serious trauma (car accident, sports injury), a headache that doesn't respond to medication, a headache like you've never experienced before, one that wakes you up from sleep, one accompanied by a fever and a headache that involves confusion or nerve symptoms.

As the headline suggests, don't ignore your headaches!! It may be your body's way of telling you that somethings wrong. Make sure you pay attention to it and tell your doctor/Chiropractor all the details involved with your headache. Often times a Chiropractor can offer you significant relief with your headaches, even giving you tips on how to avoid one all together! But if there is something more serious behind your headaches, a Chiropractor can shed some light on that too.

If you're in the Commercial Drive neighborhood of East Vancouver, stop by or visit the website here;COMMERCIAL DRIVE - EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN DC!

Commercial Drive - East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC: "FYI: Can I Still Exercise with Back Pain?"

The answer to this question is a resounding; "YES!" But, I do have to include a word of caution though. Back pain should be assessed by a Doctor or qualified health care provider. Medical Doctors or Chiropractors would be first to mind because the vast majority of back pain sufferers will present to these offices first. If everything is considered, examined and you are cleared for exercise, then go for it.

Now depending on your individual situation, your doctor/Chiropractor can give you a specialized exercise program that will suit your needs. Some patients should avoid high-impact or strenuous exercise at first, just to minimize the chance of re-injury. However, the current understanding of back pain is that activity and exercise is preferred over long periods of bed-rest and just 'lying around'.

The following are some tips on getting started;

- Go see your doctor/chiropractor first! Rule out any serious causes of your back pain and get the OK first. Sometimes patients need more involved medical care ie. a surgery. So don't delay on getting the appropriate diagnosis.

- The goal of an exercise program is to improve overall health (cardiovascular, strength, endurance, co-ordination, function) while minimizing stress on the back.

- Start with very low impact or no-impact exercises first such as biking, swimming and walking first. (Personally, I also recommend the elliptical machine as well to some patients)

- Once the acute pain subsides, you should consider building stronger muscles as well. The areas most important for back pain sufferers include the back, leg and abdominals

- Start slow! you can always increase the difficulty or intensity of exercise later. Try not to do too much too soon and hurt yourself in the process!

- Yoga and Tai Chi are great exercise for people that are looking for something easy on the body that can also improve flexibility and function. But take it easy! (See the above tip!)

- You should aim to participate in good cardiovascular exercise for about 20-60 minutes 3-4 times a week for good overall health.

Remember if exercise is causing you pain, stop immediately and consult with your doctor/chiropractor again. Seek their advice so you can stay safe!

I think that activity and exercise is so important to a patient's overall health and recovery from back pain. In my practice I try to engage my patients in exercise and stretches almost from the first visit if possible. I remind them that like brushing their teeth, regular exercise is an important habit to have. If you are looking after your teeth on a daily basis, doesn't it make sense to look after the rest of your body as well????

If you're in the Commercial Drive neighborhood of East Vancouver stop by the office or visit the website here;COMMERCIAL DRIVE - EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN DC!!!!!

Commercial Drive - East Vancouver Chiropractor; Dr. Dominic Chan DC - "Chiropractic Reduces Overall Health Costs"

This article was written in conjunction with two studies that appeared in the journal; Archives of Internal Medicine. What the study's authors wanted to find out was the impact that Chiropractic has on the overall health care system. It appears that Chiropractic may be the best option compared to traditional medical care for back pain!

Researcher Dr Antonio P Legorreta (University of California, Los Angeles School of Public Health) and his colleagues reviewed the health expenditure records of nearly 2 million people with health care plans. The comparison they wanted to study further was simple, " what was the difference between people who's plans included Chiropractic care to those who didn't?"

(NOTE: Dr. Legorreta's group compiled the data from nearly 2 million policy holders. That is a staggering number to study and helps to strengthen the findings of the article) 

This study "offers a tantalizing glimpse into possible large-scale economic benefits obtained through access to chiropractic coverage by large groups of insured patients," comments an accompanying editorial [ 2 ]. Drs Jose Ness and Nicole Nisly (University of Iowa, Iowa City). The researchers poured over four years of health care records and found that the 700,000 health plan members who had access to Chiropractic care, had lower overall health care costs compared to the 1 million members who didn't. In addition, the people who had Chiropractic coverage also had lower costs associated with; X-rays, MRI's, hospitalizations and surgeries.

The numbers break down like this;

Utilization per 1000 episodes	Patients with chiropractic coverage	Patients without chiropractic coverage
Plain radiographs	17.5	22.7
Low back surgery	3.3	4.8
Hospitalizations	9.3	15.6
Magnetic resonance imaging	43.2	68.9

Access to managed chiropractic care may reduce overall healthcare expenditure in several ways, say Legorreta et al. For example, there seems to be a substitution of Chiropractic for traditional medical care, particularly for spinal conditions, and Chiropractic appears to have lower costs than traditional medical care, they note. "The estimated cost saving appears to more than offset the amount spent to cover the associated costs of the Chiropractic benefit," they observe.
In their editorial, Ness and Nisly say the new study: "raises the intriguing possibility that Chiropractic may in fact be the more economic approach to the management of the ill-defined, recurrent, and often refractory symptom of back pain."
"One of the study's greatest strengths clearly lies in the sheer magnitude of the sample investigated, resulting, to our knowledge, in one of the largest analyses ever performed on economic impact of chiropractic," they add.
I think this is a clear indication that Chiropractic has very beneficial effects not only to the health of patients but the overall health system as well. However it is important to note that while this study was large in scope it may not have been very specific. In other words it did not give an indication as to what groups or types of patients could benefit most from Chiropractic.

None the less, this is obviously a very good starting point and helps to answer the question, ".....can Chiropractic help?"

In the East Vancouver neighborhood of Commercial Drive? Stop by or visit the website;COMMERCIAL DRIVE - EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN DC!!!!

1. Legorreta AP, Metz RD, Nelson CF, et al. Comparative analysis of individuals with and without chiropractic coverage. Arch Intern Med 2004; 164:1985-1992.
2. Ness J and Nisly N. Cracking the problem of back pain: is chiropractic the answer? Arch Intern Med 2004; 164:1953-1954.