expert type icon EXPERT

Stephanie Morales

Chiropractor

Dr. Stephanie Morales is a chiropractor practicing in San Jose, CA. Dr. Morales specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating conditions associated with the neuromusculoskeletal system, while improving each patients functionality and quality of life. Conditions treated include sciatica, neck pain, and arthritis pain, among many others. Dr. Morales seeks to reduce pain and discomfort through manipulation and adjustment of the spine.
5 years Experience
Stephanie Morales
  • San Jose, CA
  • Palmer Chiropractic West
  • Accepting new patients

What is the fastest way to relieve ankle pain?

Hi there, thanks for the question! Depending on when the injury occurred, I recommend to "rice" it - Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate the injured ankle. Keep it moving without READ MORE
Hi there, thanks for the question! Depending on when the injury occurred, I recommend to "rice" it - Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate the injured ankle. Keep it moving without a lot of weight on it (meaning don't run; walk on even ground). If the injury is older than a couple of days, ice won't help too much as the tissues are already past the inflammation phase. Keep the ankle mobile because as the tissues heal, the body likes to protect itself by making a "cast" with the connective tissue. If you keep the ankle moving in normal directions, the tissues will follow that movement and adapt to that movement.

Sincerely,
Dr. Morales, D.C.

How do you unlock your hip flexors?

Hi and thanks for the question. A good hip flexor stretch is to do a lunge with the affected leg and with the same sided arm reach up to the ceiling/sky. Doing that a couple of READ MORE
Hi and thanks for the question. A good hip flexor stretch is to do a lunge with the affected leg and with the same sided arm reach up to the ceiling/sky. Doing that a couple of times a day should open them up. As for daily activities, aim to stand or move around more often during the day. It may be that you sit for too long, which shortens the fibers of the muscles making them tight in the long run.

I hope that helps!

Sincerely,
Dr. Morales, D.C.

Can a chiropractor help with upper thigh pain?

Hi there, thanks for the question! I'm inclined to say yes. Contact your local chiropractor who offers soft tissue services, there may be a muscle dysfunction that keeps you from READ MORE
Hi there, thanks for the question! I'm inclined to say yes. Contact your local chiropractor who offers soft tissue services, there may be a muscle dysfunction that keeps you from long-term relief. Routine adjustments will help keep the muscles from becoming hypertonic (too tight). I hope this helps!

Sincerely,
Dr. Morales, D.C.

What can I do for muscle soreness around my thighs?

Hi! Muscle soreness can be from many things. I'd be inclined to ask more about the surface you are walking on (soft surfaces are ideal), the shoes you are wearing (old shoes are READ MORE
Hi! Muscle soreness can be from many things. I'd be inclined to ask more about the surface you are walking on (soft surfaces are ideal), the shoes you are wearing (old shoes are not helpful), and stretches you are doing (it's possible you aren't stretching what you need to, neglecting the muscles that actually need it) in order to help prevent this from happening.

Typically I recommend warm epsom salt soaks for about 15min for sore muscles. You can get this at any drug store, please follow the directions. What this does is brings out the inflammation from the muscles and gets it to calm down. Doing this 1-2x a week should help. Please remember to drink lots of water too, that plays a role in flushing out the natural pain and inflammatory chemicals your body produces. I hope this helps!

Sincerely,
Dr. Morales, D.C.

Why do chiropractors recommend ice?

Hi and thanks for the question! Sometimes the joints and surrounding tissues are going through a stage of healing which if using ice, can help speed up the process. The healing READ MORE
Hi and thanks for the question! Sometimes the joints and surrounding tissues are going through a stage of healing which if using ice, can help speed up the process. The healing is due to the adjustment breaking up the micro-adhesions around the joint and the muscle attachments. This is common when the tissues haven't been given the degrees of freedom needed over an extended period of time. It's a good way to reduce any swelling to the area, allowing better movement/use.

Sincerely,
Dr. Morales, D.C.

What helps back pain at night?

Hi and thanks for the question! This can be a simple answer, however I'd like to know more about the condition/pain before advising further. The reason being, there are many things READ MORE
Hi and thanks for the question! This can be a simple answer, however I'd like to know more about the condition/pain before advising further. The reason being, there are many things that can cause back pain. I'd advise you to make an appointment with your local chiropractor to discuss this further.

Sincerely,
Dr. Morales, D.C.

Is it normal to be sore after the chiropractor?

Hi there and thank you for the question. I'd have to know more about what the visit entailed because if they did muscle work/soft tissue, then yes I'd expect there to be soreness, READ MORE
Hi there and thank you for the question. I'd have to know more about what the visit entailed because if they did muscle work/soft tissue, then yes I'd expect there to be soreness, however if that wasn't done, no that's not normal.

Sincerely,
Dr. Morales, D.C.

How do chiropractors and massage therapists work together?

Hi there thank you very much for this question! While Chiropractors make sure the joints of the spine have the degrees of freedom they are supposed to, the Massage Therapist helps READ MORE
Hi there thank you very much for this question!

While Chiropractors make sure the joints of the spine have the degrees of freedom they are supposed to, the Massage Therapist helps to 'reset the muscle memory' of the body by relieving tension. The lack of overall tension allows the body to move naturally.

I hope that helps.

Sincerely,
Dr. Morales, D.C.

How long after a chiropractic adjustment do you feel better?

Hi and thanks for the question! Yes, sometimes this can happen. I don't have the details of the case, i.e., how long had you been suffering with this pain, what is the history READ MORE
Hi and thanks for the question!

Yes, sometimes this can happen. I don't have the details of the case, i.e., how long had you been suffering with this pain, what is the history of injuries of the area, how old you are, what is your daily life like, and more... What you need to understand is that the chiropractic adjustment is not a "one and done" kind of treatment, it usually takes a couple of adjustments and a couple of months of stretching and working out certain muscle groups to see long-lasting results.
Thanks again for the question, good luck on your wellness journey.

Thank you,

Dr. Morales

Do you feel immediate relief after chiropractic adjustment?

Hi there and thanks for the question! Sometimes yes, and sometimes no...I wish it could be more simple, but it really depends on the details of the case. Without knowing those READ MORE
Hi there and thanks for the question!

Sometimes yes, and sometimes no...I wish it could be more simple, but it really depends on the details of the case. Without knowing those details, it's very difficult to say whether you'll find immediate relief. Chiropractic is not a "one and done" treatment, it takes time to undo the trauma induced by bad daily postures.


Thank you,
Dr. Morales

Is ice good after chiropractic adjustment?

Thank you for the question. I would suggest ice depending on how the adjustment went. I'm sure the attending Doctor will advise on after-care instructions. Thank you, Dr. Morales READ MORE
Thank you for the question. I would suggest ice depending on how the adjustment went. I'm sure the attending Doctor will advise on after-care instructions.

Thank you,
Dr. Morales

Can a chiropractor help in treating pain due to weight gain?

Hello and thanks for this question. The way a Chiropractor can help is to keep the joints around the injured area(s) mobile in order to avoid chronic muscle hypertonicity; which READ MORE
Hello and thanks for this question. The way a Chiropractor can help is to keep the joints around the injured area(s) mobile in order to avoid chronic muscle hypertonicity; which can cause arthritic changes in surrounding joints if left too long in one position, namely in incorrect positions. I would additionally recommend low impact activities such as walking on soft ground, swimming (now that the weather is nice), as well as eating a healthier diet. Nutrition really is the key to unlocking all of the energy stored as fat in the body, in conjunction with the cardio-type of activities mentioned above. I hope you found this helpful.

Sincerely,
Dr. Morales, D.C.

Can I visit a chiropractor to get my sinuses drained?

Hi there, thanks for the question. Yes, I would call ahead of time and confirm that the doctor you are scheduling with knows how to do this - not all chiropractors are familiar READ MORE
Hi there, thanks for the question. Yes, I would call ahead of time and confirm that the doctor you are scheduling with knows how to do this - not all chiropractors are familiar with draining sinuses.

Sincerely,
Dr. Morales, D.C.

What are the possible causes of hip pain?

Hi there and thanks for the question. Hip pain can be a handful of things, it depends on what you were doing a couple of days prior to this onset of pain. The source can be anything READ MORE
Hi there and thanks for the question. Hip pain can be a handful of things, it depends on what you were doing a couple of days prior to this onset of pain. The source can be anything from crossing your legs for too long, sleeping on your side in a hard/stiff bed, falling, sitting for too long in an odd position; it would be best for you to be evaluated by a Chiropractor in order to find the root cause and take it from there.

Sincerely,
Dr. Morales, D.C.

I am having pain around my hamstrings. Can I see a chiropractor for this?

Hi and thanks for the question. Yes, the right Chiropractor will be able to help with this soft tissue discomfort - simply call ahead to make sure the office you are going to will READ MORE
Hi and thanks for the question. Yes, the right Chiropractor will be able to help with this soft tissue discomfort - simply call ahead to make sure the office you are going to will indeed address the issue; some Chiropractors do not handle soft tissue complaints.

Sincerely,
Dr. Morales, D.C.

My mother suffered Bell's Palsy and is now recovering. Can a chiropractor help at this stage?

Hi there! Thank you for the question. I would proceed with caution, only because we don't know the causation of the condition is and putting movement into the cervical joints may READ MORE
Hi there! Thank you for the question. I would proceed with caution, only because we don't know the causation of the condition is and putting movement into the cervical joints may trigger the symptoms. I would call your local Chiropractor and see if they are familiar with the condition.

Sincerely,
Dr. Morales, D.C.

I have arthritis with severe pain in my knees. Should I see a chiropractor?

Hi and thank you for the question! Yes that is exactly what the Chiropractor you see should be doing...providing exercises that help manage the pain and possibly give you alternative READ MORE
Hi and thank you for the question!

Yes that is exactly what the Chiropractor you see should be doing...providing exercises that help manage the pain and possibly give you alternative ways to perform daily activities which help you avoid repetitive stresses/traumas.

Sincerely,
Dr. Morales, D.C.

Swelling in knee areas?

Hi there, thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear you are experiencing this issue. Without seeing diagnostic studies, it's hard to say whether or not you should stop READ MORE
Hi there, thank you for your question.

I'm sorry to hear you are experiencing this issue. Without seeing diagnostic studies, it's hard to say whether or not you should stop working. I would recommend staying off of your feet as much as possible in order to reduce the swelling of the knees. The swelling is a sign that something in your knees isn't quite right structurally or you keep repeating the same motions which exacerbate the problem. In order to further assess, I'd need to see you in person and get to know more about the history of pre- and post-surgery rehab done, what the other doctors found, and all of the diagnostic studies available such as radiographs and MRI studies. This will help me triangulate the issue and come up with a treatment plan of action. In order to reduce swelling in the interim, I'd recommend using ice to reduce inflammation, for about 5-10min. as you elevate your feet.
I hope you feel better soon.

Sincerely,

Dr. Morales, D.C.

How do I know if my back pain is serious?

Hello and thanks for the great question! Back pain can be due to a handful of different things varying from a simple back spasm or spinal misalignment, to disc issues, kidney READ MORE
Hello and thanks for the great question!

Back pain can be due to a handful of different things varying from a simple back spasm or spinal misalignment, to disc issues, kidney stones, or other visceral ailments/conditions. I'd need to know more about the origins of this back pain and perform a diagnostic exam before saying if the back pain you are experiencing is serious or not. Even in the case of a simple spasm, allowing the inflammatory process to happen for too long (meaning more than 1-2 days) can lead to mobility and range of motion issues down the road.
I hope you feel better soon.

Sincerely,

Dr. Morales, D.C

Why won't my lower back pain go away?

Hi there, thanks for the question. Yes, chiropractic care can help with lower back pain; however, it would be great to get some more insight as to how this began and what you've READ MORE
Hi there, thanks for the question.

Yes, chiropractic care can help with lower back pain; however, it would be great to get some more insight as to how this began and what you've done, minus medications, in order to heal yourself. What were you doing 3 weeks ago which incurred this pain? Have you started working out recently? What kind of exercises have you been doing? These are the kinds of questions I'd be asking you when you come in the office.
I hope you feel better soon.

Sincerely,

Dr. Morales, D.C