Most patients consult our office because they have an ache or a pain. Their goal? Relief. That's our first objective.

We'll conduct a thorough examination, revealing areas of spinal dysfunction. Based on the findings of your examination, we will prepare and offer a care plan designed to give you the best results in the shortest amount of time. Our goal is to go beyond the short-term relief and work to correct the underlying issues.

When you begin your road to recovery, visits are frequent. Each visit builds on the one before, so keeping your appointments will help you get the best results.

Often what happens next changes everything.

After a series of visits, you'll start feeling better. And, in feeling better, you might decide to cut back on your visits or stop treatment altogether. But, if you continue your treatment, we'll be able to treat your muscles, and soft tissue that left untreated could cause a relapse.

When you continue your care, visits will become less frequent, and progress will be less dramatic. However, the healing continues, and you move into what we call "Wellness Care." In this phase, your body is supported to do and feel its best.

We also understand that sometimes you don't have a choice about when you end your care. Whatever you choose, we're here to serve and help support you in your decision.

Your health affects everything you do and everyone you know. With so many people depending on you, it makes sense to invest in your health.

A program of chiropractic checkups can help you be the caring parent, the loving spouse, the understanding friend, or the dependable employee.

Invest in your health. You're worth it!

To schedule an appointment with one of our doctors, please give us a call at 541-343-5633.

There are many, many causes of subluxations (misalignments in the vertebrae) that can inhibit optimal health. While they are not avoidable, it helps to recognize these causes so that treatment can be sought when they occur.

Here are five common causes of subluxations and what you can do to feel better.

1. Sleeping 'Wrong' — We've all experienced this, waking up in the morning with a crick in the neck, a sore back, or even a stiff shoulder, all from sleeping 'wrong.' All it takes is keeping your body in an awkward position for a period to make the subluxation happen. When we're asleep, we don't know this is happening until it's too late.
2. Desk Work — Our bodies are not meant to be stationary for long periods of time and this holds especially true with desk work. If you have a desk job, chances are your body suffers from frequent subluxations which might be further compounded if you also have posture issues.
3. Long Car Rides — No matter what the manufacturers say, there's no such thing as a comfortable car seat, especially if you have to sit in it for long periods of time either with a commute or long-distance travel. If you're unable to make frequent stops to get out and stretch, this can be problematic for your alignment.
4. Mowing the Lawn — Pushing and pulling a mower can cause significant trauma to your back and the connective muscles and tissues, especially if you have a large yard, steep terrain, or excessive grass growth to deal with.
5. Carrying a Purse — Purses have become catch-all containers for all things we deem necessary for our day-to-day comings and goings. Whether your purse is carrying your wallet and makeup or more substantial items like a laptop or books, the extra weight carried on one side of your body is enough to wreak havoc on your back. Do this every day, and the damage adds up.

What to do if you've suffered one of these subluxations:
If your body isn't feeling quite right due to one of these common subluxation causes, relief is just a phone call away. At Pure Life Chiropractic, we can provide an assessment of what is going on with your spine, address and make suggestions for how to adjust your daily living so you'll have better spinal health, and provide the necessary treatment (typically an adjustment) so you'll start to feel better.

​Please give us a call to schedule your appointment today at 541-343-5633.

So often we see and hear about professional athletes who suffer traumatic, and sometimes career-ending injuries. However, it's not just the pros who get injured. More often than not, it's the everyday person who sustains injuries while practicing and playing the sports they love. It's the weekend warriors, amateur athletes, and those living active lives that run the risk of getting hurt.

Generally speaking, when you have a proper warm up, a good sense of maintaining form, and you use appropriate equipment, your chances of playing safely are quite high. Yet, injuries can and do still happen when you least expect due to accidents and underlying conditions that might necessitate treatment. And, it's not just adults who get injured. While we often think kids are resilient, nearly two-thirds of adolescent injuries are sports related.

Typically injuries arise from excessive training, inappropriate training methods, or using exercise equipment that your body isn't able to handle. However, structural abnormalities and muscle imbalances or weakness can also lead to injury in the ankles, knees, elbows, shoulder or spine.

Sports injuries are also caused by traumatic force to a joint while in motion causing hyperextension, hyperflexion, or subluxations. These types of injuries can cause significant pain and debilitation, keeping you away from the sports you enjoy. Chiropractors can help prevent and manage sports-related injuries.

Chiropractic Treatment for Sports Injuries
Chiropractors are trained to assess, diagnose and manage sports-related injuries as part of their core competencies. In fact, through a comprehensive history and physical examination, chiropractors can help determine the cause of pain and dysfunction as well as recommend an appropriate plan of management. Conservative care offered by chiropractors, dependent on the injury and mechanism, may include joint manipulation and mobilization, soft tissue therapies, adjunct modalities, rehabilitation, and individualized exercises and lifestyle advice. This care approach aims at restoring proper function, enhancing the healing of damaged tissue, and reducing your pain. Chiropractors can also help you to determine the best strategy for returning to play so you don't end up getting injured again.

Preventing Sports Injuries
Injury prevention is key. Before starting a new exercise program or sport, visit your chiropractor to determine what measures can be taken to prevent injury or enhance performance. If you have subluxations or imbalances, getting these corrected will help your success in the sports you love.

If you're an athlete, we'd love to help keep you on the field, track, ice, in the pool, on your bike, etc. Please give our office a call today.  541-343-5633

In today's world, with all the pressures put upon us from work, family and social obligations, we're running on empty at best. Fatigue is normal, and relief often comes in forms not so good for our bodies. Without realizing it, time flies by, and we're merely existing, not living. The good news is that you don't have to live like this. We each have the power to make choices that support the five pillars of health, explained below.

Pillar #1 Positive Mental Attitude
Your own internal words and thoughts directly influence you and guide your success through the day. To accomplish the other four pillars and anything else in life, a positive mental attitude is critical. Belief in yourself is step number one.

Pillar #2 Proper Working Nervous System
Your body relies on the nervous system for every function it performs. It's what enables your heart to beat, your lungs to breathe, your stomach to digest, etc. without you even having to think about it. Your brain is sending messages down your spinal cord and through nerves coming out of every level of the spine. These go to every last organ, muscle, tissue, and cell of the body. Because your nervous system controls all aspects of your body, it's important that all flow of energy is free and clear.

Pillar #3 Proper Exercise
Regular exercise keeps your brain and joints healthy. As long as you're moving, you're doing good for your body. All it takes is 20-30 minutes of simple walking to make a difference. The benefits of exercising daily are numerous including strengthening your muscles, improving your joint mobility, it reduces stress, helps you lose weight, and improves your cardiovascular health.

Pillar #4 Proper Nutrition
Our bodies naturally crave nutritious, high-quality foods. Unfortunately, with stress and life's pressures, we've succumbed to the convenience of fast food, large portions, refined carbs, and processed foods. As best as you can, switching to a habit of eating a well-balanced diet will help give you more energy, sleep better, heal damaged tissues and organs, and maintain proper weight. When you fuel your body with healthy food, you fuel it for better performance.

Pillar #5 Proper Rest and Relaxation
Last but not least, our bodies need downtime to recharge the batteries. But it's about getting the right amount of sleep. Too much sleep can be just as unhealthy as too little. Ideally, 6-8 hours will give your body what it needs. When you give your body the rest it needs, it can relax, decrease stress, and heal.

Learn more about how chiropractic care can help support your journey to better health and keep you on the right path with the five pillars of health. Come see us at Pure Life Chiropractic today, located in Eugene, Oregon. 541-343-5633

It's just how it works — you get hurt, but relief is not there when you need it. Whether it's a sprain or sore muscles from a workout, locating an ice pack so you can apply it quickly can be a challenge if you're not at home. That's where Biofreeze can be of help — it's a pain relieving analgesic that provides the same effect as ice, in a convenient, portable form.

Biofreeze is useful for treating not only sprains and sore muscles, but also arthritis and other types of joint pain. It comes in gel, spray or roll-on form, and is a type of cryotherapy (cold therapy). Its active ingredient is menthol (from the mint family of plants), which causes your brain to interpret the nerve signals being sent as a sensation of cold, triggering a reduction in inflammation.

The cold therapy of Biofreeze works by causing ligand molecules to attach themselves to your nerve’s cold receptors, which effectively helps to numb the area, interfering with pain signals traveling to the brain. The menthol in Biofreeze also induces vasodilation, which increases blood flow to the injured area, allowing cellular waste products to be swept away more efficiently and for healing oxygen and nutrients to be delivered to the cells.

Besides menthol, Biofreeze contains other herbal ingredients including Ilex Paraguariensis (also known as Yerba mate, a plant native to South America with antioxidant properties), Arnica, Calendula, Aloe, Boswellia, Green Tea, Burdock, Lemon Balm, and vitamin E.  All of these natural ingredients have been used for centuries to treat tissue injuries such as bruises, sprains, and strains.  Camphor, another ingredient in Biofreeze, has both numbing and antiseptic properties.

How do you use Biofreeze?
You can massage Biofreeze gel into your skin (or apply it with the roll-on or spray) up to four times a day. It can also be useful for any therapy, such as chiropractic care or physical therapy. When applied ahead of time, Biofreeze can help relieve the pain that would have interfered with you getting the most out of your treatment.

Biofreeze is available for purchase at our chiropractic office in Eugene. Next time you're in to see us, ask about getting some to help with your healing.

We've all experienced a slip and fall accident. They're a part of life and sometimes impossible to avoid. But, as frequent as slip and fall accidents occur, there is a disconnect when it comes to seeking treatment. People tend to downplay the significance of the trauma, assuming the pain will go away and that it's no big deal. However, the injury could be more severe than you think and getting checked when the injury occurs helps prevent future issues.

Common causes of slip and fall accidents:

1. Wet floors and walkways.
2. Ice and snow.
3. Cluttered aisles and fallen merchandise.
4. Damaged floors and floor coverings.
5. On stairways, loose or damaged handrails.
6. Slippery flooring materials.
7. Elevators and escalators.
8. Inadequate lighting.
9. Landscape hazards such as pebble-size gravel, mulch, and loose sand.
10. Damaged sidewalks.

Treatment Options:
Treatment options vary depending on the type of injury sustained from a slip and fall accident. Chiropractic care, especially when coupled with x-rays, can be beneficial to address any subluxations resulting from the accident. Treatment from other medical professionals may also be helpful if the injuries are more severe.

Soft tissue injuries are not visible which can make treatment more difficult to determine. These types of injuries could include minor ankle and wrist sprains to devastating tears in tendons and ligaments. Chiropractic care coupled with massage therapy or physical therapy may be the best route.

If you hit your head, it's important to seek medical care. Even if you thought it was just a little bump, a minor head injury could quickly turn into a medical emergency. If there is swelling, bleeding, or even a brief loss of consciousness you may have a concussion. Minor concussions usually clear up on their own, but more serious brain injuries can permanently alter your ability to function. Head injuries cannot be diagnosed based on symptoms alone, and some very serious head injuries produce only minimal symptoms at first. No matter how inconvenient it is or how “fine” you feel, your first stop after a head injury should be to your doctor. New technology is available that enables a physician to determine the degree of brain injury more precisely than ever before.

If your slip and fall accident causes cuts and abrasions, they can look quite severe, but typically these injuries are often less worrisome. Leg and arm abrasions are common, as are wounds to the head and hips. In most cases, these injuries only require superficial treatment, and perhaps some stitches. Seeking treatment from your primary care doctor could be beneficial as well as a visit to your chiropractor.

Not as often as other injuries, but sometimes spinal cord injuries during a slip and fall accident. But when they do occur, these injuries are almost always life-threatening and demand immediate medical care, as well as ongoing treatment. You'll want to see your physician as soon as possible. After a determination that there is no further risk to the spinal cord, treatment with a chiropractor can help align the spine so the muscles and vertebrae don't move back into a position where damage can occur.

Lastly, broken bones can result from a slip and fall accident and can be quite painful. Whether you sustain a minor fracture or a severe break requiring surgery, the tissue surrounding the broken bone(s) may also be damaged, necessitating long-term therapy to prevent chronic pain and neuromuscular dysfunction. After seeking a diagnosis from your physician and x-rays, a combination of chiropractic care, physical therapy, and massage therapy can get you back to feeling better.

If you suffer a slip and fall accident in Eugene, Oregon, please give our office a call. The doctors at Pure Life Chiropractic can help assess and provide treatment to get you back to feeling better. Call us today! 541-343-5633

​Stabilizing your shoulders are a group of muscles commonly known as the rotator cuff. As we age, it is possible for these muscles to become strained and cause pain. Additionally, falling or other traumas to the shoulder can cause injury to the area. Winter is a time of year when this type of injury can occur more frequently. From snow sports such as snowboarding to something as simple as slipping on ice, it is vital to recognize when you may have an injury to your rotator cuff. If you suspect injury, follow these tips to help treat the pain. 

RICE and Anti-inflammatory medication
Rest — Give your shoulder a break. Try to limit activities that require you to use the injured shoulder for a couple of days. 
Ice — Apply ice to the injured area to reduce inflammation. 
Compress — Apply a compress to control swelling.
Elevate — Do your best to elevate the area above the level of your heart.

Take over the counter anti-inflammatory medication (as needed), such as ibuprofen, to help reduce inflammation and pain. 

Stretches/Exercises
Pendulum Swings — Bend at your waist using a table for support. Let the injured arm hang freely. Begin swinging your injured arm in a circular direction from one foot to the other. After about 5 minutes switch directions. Again bend at your waist using a table for support. Swing the injured arm from front to back ensuring that you are limiting resistance. Do this for 5 minutes. 

Doorway Stretch — Standing in a doorway, place one hand on each side of the opening. Slowly lean forward into the opening shifting your weight to your toes. Once you start to feel a light stretch, stop to avoid over stretching. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds and repeat 2-3 times. 

Cross-arm Stretch — Standing with good posture and your shoulders relaxed, pull one arm across your chest as far as you can and hold for around 30 seconds. Repeat the stretch on the opposite side. Do this stretch 2-3 times. 

If your pain continues to worsen or does not go away, make sure to give us a call. The trained staff in our Eugene chiropractic office can evaluate your injury and create a plan to alleviate your pain. 541-343-5633

A golf swing is an extremely athletic movement that involves the entire body and can cause injury to almost any body structure. Whether you’re an occasional golfer, a serious amateur, or a professional, you’re likely to experience low back pain at some point in your golfing life.

In terms of frequency, low back pain is followed by pain in the shoulders, neck, wrists, elbows, ankles, and knees. Effective treatment requires a proper diagnosis based on thorough evaluation of the patient.

Here are some points to consider:

• Low back pain — Roughly 80% of people will experience low back pain during their lifetime, so it’s no surprise that golfers suffer here. That said, rotation and repetition are two bugbears for back injuries, so, combine that with a powerful swing and we can see how problems arise.
  
  A slightly wider stance will allow more movement to go through the hips and take some of the pressure off your back. Ice and a warm bath can probably help, but if you’re in pain you should consult a trained professional.
  
  
• ‘Golfer’s Elbow’ — The hand muscles are incredibly powerful, and when you are gripping something strongly the tendons are under strain. The problem arises when you combine the gripping force with a powerful swing, generating sheering forces that can build up and cause inflammation that weakens the area. Like any overuse injury, ice is an immediate remedy, but should be followed up with rest and a consultation to review your biomechanics.
  
  
• Shoulder pain — The shoulder is an incredible joint. It is shallow, allowing you an astonishing range of movement, where muscles must move the arm and stabilize the joint at the same time. If one thing goes wrong, it doesn’t take long for this coordination to unravel and some nasty injuries to occur.  With a rotator cuff problem, for example, getting back your full, pain-free range of movement can be complicated. Shoulder pain should not be ignored. If your shoulder is sore, you need to get it treated – early intervention could save you months of trouble.

How Can Our Eugene Chiropractic Doctors Help?
If you are suffering from a pain that is strongly associated with your golfing, it’s a good idea to take a golf club to your consultation, where our chiropractors can study your movements and give you some pointers for mitigating the postural contributors to your problem.

A golf swing involves a powerful spiral force that travels from feet to crown. The body needs to be fit and elastic to control that kind of rotation. Our chiropractic care service will begin with the spine, or core, because that’s often where we find the origin of many problems.

​Many people have core stability issues, which can also predispose them to back injuries, leading to a chain of events where the body can no longer compensate and further injury occurs.

If you’re suffering from acute or chronic back and neck pain caused by a golf injury, contact Pure Life Chiropractic right away. Call us at 541-343-5633 to learn how these gentle and safe treatments will help get you back on your feet and back into your golf game!

Did you know that there is a multitude of advantages to be gained by blending chiropractic care and therapeutic massage? These techniques work together to ensure quicker healing. And, they are particularly effective after a car accident.

Let’s look at what each of these actually do.

Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care will treat muscle disorders and problems with the nervous system. You can expect physiotherapy, gentle spinal manipulation, and rehabilitation. In some cases, we might also use additional techniques, like electrical stimulation and traction, which gently stretches the spine.

Therapeutic Massage
Therapeutic massage focuses on alleviating tightness and pain. If you have poor posture, or suffer from tight muscles and muscle spasms, this will really help. Massage techniques will work on deep muscles and also the connective tissue around them, providing you with fast relief as well as ongoing health benefits.

Combining Chiropractic Care and Massage
Massage therapy and chiropractic care work in tandem. If you have back and neck pain, massage therapy can increase the success of chiropractic treatments. Together, they will relax your muscles and calm your nervous system. They are both great for helping to relieve pain. We are dedicated to your ongoing health, so the massage therapist and chiropractor will work to address the source of your pain, as well as alleviating the symptoms.

At Pure Life Chiropractic, located in Eugene, our chiropractors are specially trained in spinal and postural rehabilitation. Our practice specializes in pediatric chiropractic care and we are professionals with expertise in post-injury rehab, using cutting-edge equipment to care for our patients.

We also offer holistic care through lifestyle advice, nutrition counseling, massage therapy, and much more.
Dr. Nyberg and Dr. Penninger will listen carefully to your description of how the symptoms arose, and your medical history, before assessing your symptoms and injuries, and recommending a treatment plan that is customized for your optimal recovery.

Blending chiropractic care and massage can provide the ideal results for patients experiencing chronic pain and other musculoskeletal conditions.

If you’re suffering acute or chronic back and neck pain, contact Pure Life Chiropractic today. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about how these gentle and safe treatments will help you get back on your feet, so that you can enjoy a pain-free life again.

If you've suffered a motor vehicle accident, chances are you may have a combination of injuries -- both known and unknown. Because of this, it is imperative that you get seen as soon as possible to begin treatment. Delaying this only allows the injuries to set in causing chronic pain and potentially other issues, especially if the injury is hidden.

But it was just a little fender bender — I don't think I'm hurt.
It doesn't take a big accident to cause injury. While most people won't dispute the forces involved in a high-speed collision, most don't realize that these forces also apply in low-speed impacts. Let's break it down. A typical vehicle weighs about 2,000 pounds. A collision with a vehicle of this size at 10 miles per hour will result in an average impact force of about 3.7 tons. Consider a larger vehicle of about 3,000 pounds, colliding at the same speed, will produce an even larger impact force of about 5.6 tons In either situation, this is a significant blow to one’s neck and back.

Does it matter what direction I am hit from?
The direction of the force makes a difference to how your body is affected. Whiplash can happen from any angle but is most common from front/back collisions vs. the side. People in rear-end collisions are also at risk of absorbing more force than others because of a principle known as “magnification of acceleration.” This principle, in simple terms, means that the occupants of a car will accelerate much faster than the car being impacted and so will absorb much of the force involved — over 5 tons worth in the example given above. And those who are hit from the side often suffer from being twisted, causing significant back issues.

How can chiropractic help?
Consulting a chiropractor is always a smart move after having a motor vehicle accident. A chiropractor can treat injuries to the neck/whiplash, back, soft tissue, and he or she can help you loosen stiff muscles. Even if you don't hurt right away, it's good to be evaluated because the pain can surface days or even weeks later. And, be sure to inquire about insurance covering the expense of your treatment. All drivers in Oregon are required to carry personal injury protection (PIP) coverage and this is used to pay for medical expenses.

For more information about how our chiropractors can help treat auto injuries following a car accident, please call Pure Life Chiropractic in Eugene, OR today at (541) 343-5633.