Showing posts from January, 2021
When lower back pain presents many want to retreat to the couch, bed and just lay down, but doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, and spine specialists do not recommend this course of action . What they do recommend, other than treatment, is to engage in the easiest forms of exercise on the spine and back muscles. Staying sedentary is one of the worst things an individual can do to their back. When the back is aching exercise can usually help. This is because the muscles, ligaments, tendons are being stretched and not just staying still, which lets inflammation build up and swell. Moving keeps the blood flowing, allowing for broader healing and recovery. However, back pain relief can be a challenge. Various treatment options exist because there are a variety of causes. The key is figuring out which type is best for each individual and their specific condition. An individual needs to know the cause of their type of back pain, as this determines which exercises should or shoul
When spinal misalignments happen the body experiences soreness, inability to rotate the neck, or after sitting/standing in one position for too long hip and leg discomfort/pain. This is why spinal alignment is so crucial to healthy living. These examples help to illustrate the delicate balance required in the spine to maintain optimal health, stay pain-free, prevent injury, and the ability to conduct everyday chores/responsibilities without the fear and anxiety of setting off pain symptoms. Understanding how pain is processed Pain is a complex sensation. Neural pain receptors, also known as nociceptors detect harmful stimulation/s in the form of: Body Temperature changes Mechanical forces and pressure on the body Chemical changes in the body brought on by inflammation or cell damage How the signal transmits from the stimulated nerve and how it is perceived depends on the upper levels of neural activity in the body. Specifically, the spinal cord, brainstem, and the brain. Examples
Chiropractic prevention for degenerative disc disease . In between the bones of the spine or the vertebrae are the protective shock-absorbing intervertebral discs . These protective cushions naturally begin wearing down or degenerating as the body ages. The common term for this is degenerative disc disease or DDD. It is not a disease, but the body's natural aging process. The reason it is called degenerative disc disease is that it is a condition of the spine with deteriorating effects. One of the things seen in degenerative disc disease and aging of the spine is that the soft disc, made up of a vast amount of water, slowly begins to dry out and dehydrate . The protein/sugar that is within the disc begins to dry out and that starts a degenerative domino effect along with tearing of the outside rings of the disc. Causes and Risk Factors The most common cause of disc degeneration is aging. With age comes the loss of fluids/water. This means the discs get thinner and provide less
Cauda equina syndrome is an emergency that needs to be treated as soon as possible . It is a form of spinal nerve compression , but if left untreated, it can lead to permanent paralysis of one or both legs and permanent loss of bowel/bladder control . Lower back pain after sitting for too long or improperly lifting something heavy happens to most if not all of us. However, sometimes pain in the lower back can be an indicator of something more serious . Especially, for individuals that are dealing with or managing back pain. One condition is cauda equina syndrome. It’s not like sciatica or arthritis, but it does have specific symptoms that individuals should be aware of. Cauda Equina Syndrome The term comes from Latin that means horse’s tail . The cauda equina forms the group of nerves that run through the lumbar spinal canal . Generally, the condition means two things: There is nerve compression of most of the lumbar spinal canal Compression symptoms like numbness or weakness in th
Chronic inflammation is quite common and can cause a variety of painful back conditions. Fortunately, chiropractic treatment can extinguish the inflammation at its core/root cause and bring long-lasting relief . Inflammation can be a significant factor in causing body and back pain. The proper and lasting treatment goes beyond anti-inflammatory medications. The objective is to extinguish the inflammation completely. Inflammation The number of diseases associated with chronic inflammation is increasing exponentially. An estimated 60% of Americans deal with at least one chronic condition caused completely or in part by inflammation. Inflammation is the body's immune response to something that is not right in the body. Typically, there is: Swelling Redness Warmth/heat signaling an inflammatory response from injury or infection Chronic inflammation can present through a series of symptoms, including: General fatigue Pain throughout the body Off feeling/not focused Inflammatory cond
Whiplash is one of the most devastating cervical/neck spinal injuries. Rapid acceleration and deceleration can be so powerful that it bruises, tears the muscles, ligaments, soft tissue, and herniates the neck's discs. Chiropractic relief can take care of initial and late-onset symptoms. As symptoms develop, they typically take the form of radiculopathy pain . Depending on the severity of the whiplash the types of symptoms that can occur include: Swelling of the face Neck pain Shoulder and arms aching and pain Hands can swell and ache Loss of mobility Numbness or complete loss of feeling Symptoms can get worse indicating progressive nerve damage If left untreated the individual can face long-term, chronic spine problems. Injury Medical Chiropractic Relief focuses on treating the whiplash, radiculopathy, and herniated discs at the source. After assessing the symptoms and the severity we can develop the most optimal treatment plan for the individual. Radiculopathy Radiculopathy is
Fibromyalgia is a musculoskeletal condition that consists of pain symptoms and fatigue that can make diagnosis a challenge. Through chiropractic therapeutics, individuals can find relief from pain, fatigue, inflammation, and improve their quality of life. Individuals dealing with fibromyalgia and searching for answers should consider consulting a chiropractor to determine what treatment options will provide the most benefits. Treatment can be as much of a challenge without clear underlying issues. This often leads to frustration when trying to develop a treatment plan that works. Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgia is characterized by: Body aches and pain Tender points in muscles General fatigue Accompanied issues include : Headaches Anxiety Depression Sleep issues Poor concentration It is believed that fibromyalgia causes the brain and spinal cord to transmit amplified/overresponsive signals . The exaggerated response of the neural pathways in the spine and body generate chronic pain . This
Spinal disc herniation and bulging discs have nearly identical symptoms and can present almost in the same way. Both cause localized pain, nerve impingement, and are treated similarly with chiropractic. In most cases spinal disc herniation is not painful, it is the material that leaks out of the disc that causes pinching, inflammation, and irritates the nerves around the area, causing radicular pain . Radicular pain/nerve root pain radiates/spreads to other areas of the body, like the low back to down the leg or from the neck down the arm. Leg pain from a pinched nerve usually leads to sciatica. A spinal disc itself can be the source of pain if it is dehydrating or degenerating causing pain and instability in the spinal segment, which is known as degenerative disc disease . Disc degeneration pain tends to include chronic, low-level pain around the disc and infrequent episodes of severe pain . Spinal Disc Herniation Differences and Similarities Spinal disc herniation and bulging disc
Natural medicine for dealing with stress and taking initial steps can also help prevent and alleviate stress pain. With age, the body becomes more vulnerable to emotional and physical stress. The spine endures the effects of stress and can lead to back and/or neck pain . Chronic stress can also lead to chemical imbalances in the brain and overreaction/s. This produces a Hyperarousal or anxious state of mind. If frequent bouts of anxiety or stress are occurring the body is signaling that balance needs to be restored. Steps to Control Stress Take frequent physical and mental breaks Throughout a day, there can be several and various stressful situations. Not letting the stress build-up is a skill that needs to be practiced. Every 50 minutes of work, take a 10-minute break to reduce any stress . This will increase productivity. In the middle or last break, practice deep breathing. Inhale slowly until the air reaches the bottom of the stomach. Exhale slowly like a balloon slowly rele
The new year offers a blank slate to better our lives and try new things that will help us achieve our life goals. Health goals can be achieved through chiropractic treatment and nutritional coaching. Improving one's health is one of the quickest ways to boost the body and mind's quality of life. Health Goals and A New Year Individuals set health goals only to forget about them after a few weeks or months. When setting goals that don’t stick, the biggest issue is the focus is on the wrong process to achieve these goals . Individuals tend to aim for goals that are doable but too advanced to jump right into. Much like someone that has never worked on home renovation, but decides they can knock out a kitchen, or bathroom remodel in two weeks. This is where training comes in to learn how to go about achieving these goals properly and in a healthy fashion. Common goals include: Weight loss Maintaining a healthy diet Regular exercise Increased energy Stress management skills impr
General Disclaimer
The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.
We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to contact us.
Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
phone: 915-850-0900
Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*
