Many individuals in the United States suffer from chronic pain without understanding the source of their painful symptoms or why these have triggered from the start. A healthcare professional can help a patient understand their chronic pain but it’s important for the person to first comprehend the function of their own body.
Why does chronic pain occur?
To understand chronic pain, you need to comprehend the anatomy of the nervous system. Throughout the body, the nervous system transmits messages to and from the brain, and it’s a system is very complex and intricate.
The central nervous system primarily consists of the the spinal cord and the brain. Branching off the spinal cord is the peripheral nervous system; both the central or peripheral nervous systems can be impacted by neuropathic pain, a kind of chronic pain which is commonly caused by a malfunction of the nerves.
Anatomy of Chronic Pain
The peripheral nervous system has 31 pairs of nerve roots which stretch from the spinal cord to the various areas of the body. These nerves help you feel (those are the sensory nerves) and move (those are the motor nerves). Following is a graph that shows you just how many pairs of spinal nerves are at each level of the spine.
SPINAL CORD
31 Pairs � Spinal Nerves
Cervical
8 pair
Thoracic
12 pair
Lumbar
5 pair
Sacral
5 pair
Coccyx
1 pair
The peripheral nervous system is further divided into:
The somatic nervous system, which has nerves that go into the musculoskeletal system (bones, ligaments, joints, tendons) along with the epidermis. It is what helps you feel pain.
The autonomic nervous system, which operates on the “involuntary” functions of the body. That means that it makes sure that your heart keeps pumping and your food is digested by you without even thinking of it.
Nociceptors are yet another important part of your nerves, and you want to understand them if you would like to know certain forms of chronic pain. Nociceptors are receptors at nerve endings, that function when something occurs that causes pain and they’re triggered. If you slam your finger in the car door, the nociceptors on your finger will turn on and send a pain message through the nerve to the spinal cord and forth into the brain. Two minutes until you slammed your finger, however, the nociceptor was not active because there was no stimulus (or harm) to make it react.
It is believed that a single cause of chronic pain may be due to malfunctioning nociceptors. They may be constantly sending pain messages even if there is no direct cause. Continuing the above example, state that your finger is treated after you slammed it but you still continue to feel discomfort. The nociceptors in the nerves of your finger might be malfunctioning within this case. This could result in chronic pain symptoms.
Symptoms of Chronic Pain
Chronic pain, long-term, persistent pain, is a very subjective experience, however, we can’t mention something as categorical as, “all chronic pain patients will experience chronic pain this way.” Instead, it’s more likely to say that chronic pain can take on many forms and may manifest into a variety of symptoms. Such may include:
throbbing
aching
shooting
electric
burning
sharp
feeling stiff
feeling tight
feeling sore
Chronic pain may result in other issues, especially social and emotional ones. Pain may:
Result in sleeplessness,
Drain you of energy,
Lead to depression,
Make you not want to do activities you typically like,
Weaken your immune system because a lot of your body’s energy is spent dealing with all the pain.
Lots of these other issues build off each other, which means you might hear the term “vicious cycle” when speaking about chronic pain. For instance: The pain makes it hard to sleep through the night, and that means you’re excessively tired the following day. You don’t want to go to work since you’re so tired, or do anything else. Your self-esteem begins to draw out even more, as you are not too active, in the end even withdrawing from social events.
To acquire the very best remedy for chronic pain, you must take inventory of just how much it is affecting your life–outside the physical pain. You can’t simply take care of the chronic pain on your own. Seek for a solution along with the help of medical professionals and your physician can assist you to live your own life coping with chronic pain.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
Exercise, together with a balanced nutrition and plenty of sleep, are the basis of overall health and wellness. For some individuals, however, chronic pain can prevent them from engaging in physical activities. As a matter of fact, researchers recommend people to participate in exercise to improve their pain symptoms.
Can exercise help with chronic pain?
Chronic pain is persistent, or constant pain, which could last for weeks, months, even years after the origin of the symptoms have healed. Chronic pain can range from mild to severe. It may continue day after day or come and go. Chronic pain can interfere with your life, keeping you from doing what you have to do everyday. It may take a toll on your own self-esteem and cause you to feel depressed, angry, stressed, anxious and frustrated.
The stress of persistent chronic pain takes a toll on the entire body; muscles tighten and become rigid, making even the simplest tasks difficult and/or impossible. Our inclination to stop moving in the presence of pain is a human reflex, however, it deconditions muscles and perpetuates pain. The more you hurt, the less you move, the less you are able to accomplish tasks. A sedentary lifestyle increases pain and makes for poor overall wellness. But, physical activity can work against pain, reducing the risk for heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and many other diseases.
Exercise for Chronic Pain
A progressive physical fitness regimen can provide benefits for your body and mind, putting you on a course to a brighter future, restoring your functionality, and elevating your mood. A sizable quantity of research bears this out. An analysis of 33 distinct studies concluded that exercise reduces pain and improves physical functionality linked to atherosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia, some of the most common causes of chronic pain. Additionally, it generates similar benefits for other debilitating conditions, such as neck and back pain, as well as chest pain after breast surgery. Even something as simple as walking, which stimulates blood circulation and increases endorphins, can help to suppress the symptoms of chronic pain in the body.
6 Ways Regular Exercise Affects Chronic Pain
It decreases pain.
It enhances energy levels and reduces fatigue.
It uplifts mood and lessens feelings of depression.
It enriches joint health.
It raises overall daily functionality.
It will help to control weight (when combined with a healthy diet).
While fitness has been ultimately proven to be beneficial towards chronic pain relief, not just any exercise will offer these positive outcomes. Movement is good medicine, although pursuing even the least demanding movement may seem unfathomable when pain fatigues you. Although you might not feel the motivation or energy to exercise, the kind of activity you participate is the thing which will restore your performance and can boost your pain tolerance. Exercising may be hard and cause some discomfort, but it should never be so strenuous that it’s harmful.
Any brand new exercise program should be undertaken only with the guidance of your doctor or a qualified healthcare professional, preferably one who’s experienced with your type of pain. Physical therapists are licensed professionals who hold either a Doctor of Physical Therapy (D.P.T.) or a Masters of Physical Therapy (M.P.T.) degree. A fantastic therapist may guide you through movements which do not intensify your pain or lead to damage or injury to joints and muscles. An experienced healthcare professional can show you how you can move and help you to securely push your limitations, resulting in extensive rehabilitation than you might achieve on your own.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
Chronic pain, lingering, persistent pain, may not respond well to conventional therapy options. If such is the case, you may want to try complementary and alternative medications (CAM). CAM is a phrase used for practices and therapies that are not currently considered part of conventional medicine. However, pain relief is found by many patients.
For everyone in the exact same manner, they may not work like any other remedies, so because you determine what works best for life and the pain, you may need to try CAM therapies. Complementary and alternative treatments can either complement (used in conjunction with) or become an alternative to traditional “Western” medicine.
For chronic pain, you might want to try:
Acupuncture/Acupressure
As per a recent research published in the British Medical Journal, acupuncture is effective in treating chronic neck pain. In a questionnaire ran for neck pain patients on treatment options, patients reported that they were more satisfied with acupuncture than with traditional injections.
A German study also recently found that acupuncture was more effective than conventional non-surgical therapy options (physical therapy, medication, and exercise) for low back pain. The findings of the study were published in the September 24, 2007, version of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Developed in China, acupuncture utilizes needles, without a medicine. to care for your chronic pain. Practitioners feel that you’ve got an energy force called your Chi (it may also be spelled Qi, however, both forms are pronounced “chee”). You can develop illness, like back pain when this force is blocked. You want to free up your body stations, which professionals call your meridians. Acupuncture works to restore a healthy flow of Chi.
Acupuncture needles are nearly as thin as strands of hair follicles. According to your symptoms and diagnosis that is exact, the needles will be inserted by a practitioner. The professional will aim points that are exact within the meridians of your body, and the needles will be left in for 20-40 minutes. It’s been indicated that acupuncture needles cause your body to release specific neurochemicals, like endorphins or serotonin, and they help in the healing process.
Acupressure works like acupuncture since it focuses on these meridians. Instead of needles, the pro uses fingers his/her thumbs, and elbows.
Herbal Remedies/Supplements
Research before attempting any herbal remedies and speak with your physician. There might be side effects which you’re unaware of or a herbal remedy could interfere with other treatments.
Since there are many types of chronic pain, it’s difficult to list all possible remedies or supplements that may help reduce your kind of pain. Your best alternative is to speak to somebody with the proper knowledge on herbal remedies and how they work. But until you get started taking a nutritional supplement or an herbal remedy, talk to your physician.
Massage
Massage is a way to unwind from dealing with a strain of pain throughout your entire body, which is tense. It can help relieve muscle inflammation and pain which may be caused as a result of chronic pain. Physical therapists or massage specialists will know the best, most recommended type of massage for your specific chronic pain.
Mind-Body Therapies
Our thoughts are powerful items, and also therapies can help you learn how to use your head to control your perception of pain and other ailments. Mind-body remedies include:
Meditation
Relaxation techniques
Hypnosis
Mind-body therapies can teach you how to pay attention to the signs that your body is sending you. Biofeedback is a good instance of this. Through relaxation training and methods, you understand how to control your body reactions which could aggravate your chronic pain. Calm muscles that are stressed, among other things, slow your pulse, and you can learn to lower your body temperature, all which can help control chronic pain.
Chiropractic Care for Chronic Pain
If you have chronic back pain, Chiropractic care may be a treatment alternative for you. Various chiropractic care remedies can help you manage chronic pain. Chronic pain is and it does not reply to the normal pain control methods. Chiropractors can cure pain. They utilize a variety of non-surgical treatments, such as spinal manipulation, to address chronic pain symptoms, like inflammation and muscular tension.
How Does a Chiropractor Manage Chronic Pain?
Before you go to a chiropractor it’s important to know just what is causing your pain. A doctor of chiropractic�will perform some tests in addition to a physical exam to assist him or her to diagnose your pain. Your chiropractor will create a treatment plan when you’re diagnosed with a chronic pain condition. Your treatment plan may include spinal manipulation, manual therapies, and therapeutic exercises.
Work with your chiropractor to come up with a treatment plan. You should be able to gradually increase your daily activities, once your pain is totally addressed. Chiropractic treatments primarily utilize manual manipulations and chiropractic adjustments, especially along the different levels of the spine, to treat a variety of injuries and/or conditions affecting the individuals original spinal health. Treatment may vary depending on the diagnosis.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
Question: I’ve had back pain for awhile and I was able to function through it for a time. But now it’s taking its toll on me, as well as my family. I never believed in chiropractors, but now I’ll try anything. What should I ask my physician about chiropractic?
El Paso, TX. Chiropractor, Dr. Alexander Jimenez has seen this scenario all too often and is happy to inform anyone about chiropractic care and it’s benefits.
About two out of every three people will likely experience significant low back pain at some point. A doctor might suggest any range of potential treatments and therapies. But one that almost is never considered is a referral for spinal manipulation.
It seems doctors have been mistaken for initial treatment of lower back pain.�It may be time for doctors to rethink their chiropractic biases.
Spinal Manipulation:
Along with other less traditional therapies like heat, acupuncture and meditation, chiropractic appears to be as powerful as any other medical treatments doctors prescribe and as safe, if not safer.
Physicians are traditionally wary of spinal manipulation (applying pressure on bones and joints), in part because the practitioners are often not doctors. Patients with back pain don’t seem as skeptical. A survey from 2002 through 2008 found that over 30 percent sought chiropractic care, significantly more than those who sought massage, acupuncture or homeopathy.
Researchers have been looking at the evidence supporting spinal manipulation for a while. Nearly 35 years ago, a systematic review assessed the available research found that there may be some short-term benefits from the process. Two reviews from 2003 agreed for the most part, finding that spinal manipulation worked better than a “sham procedure”, or placebo, but no better or worse than other options.
Recently, in The Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers looked for new studies since 2011, in addition to those that had been performed before.
Evidence from 15 randomized controlled trials, which included more than 1,700 patients, revealed that spinal manipulation minimized their back pain of about 10 points on a 100-point scale. The evidence from 12 randomized controlled trials that overlapped of almost 1,400 patients showed that spinal manipulation also resulted in improved mobility and function.
In February, in Annals of Internal Medicine, another systematic review of non-pharmacologic therapies generally agreed with the recent trials. Based on this review, and other evidence, the American College of Physicians released new clinical practice guidelines for the noninvasive treatment of back pain. They recommended that patients should try spinal manipulation, heat, massage and acupuncture as first-line therapies.
What If The Spinal Adjustment Causes Other Injuries:
Because of the fear of those injuries, physicians are hesitant to refer patients to chiropractors or physical therapists for care. However, in the studies outlined above, there were no serious adverse events reported. It is possible to find stories of injury to the spine from improper adjustments, but these are rare, and almost never involve the lower spine.
What About The Cost:
Some doctors are concerned about the cost of chiropractic, especially since many insurance carriers don’t cover chiropractic. Seeing a chiropractor costs more than taking many non-narcotic pain medications. However, more invasive interventions cost a lot of money. In addition, studies have proven that, in general, users of complementary and alternative medicine spend less for back pain compared to users of only traditional medicine.
Medication and surgery may also result in injuries and prescription pain medicines, like opioids, may result in huge costs, particularly when they’re misused.
Some physicians are uncomfortable that they do not have a clear picture of how spinal manipulation actually works. The reality is that doctors don’t understand why a number of other therapies work either.
Back pain is still the issue and no matter what you do, chiropractic is definitely an option to consider.
Chiropractic: Alternative Approach To Treating Chronic Pain
Pain is defined as a physical discomfort caused by illness or injury. Most cases of pain are temporary, or they disappear once the source of the symptom is treated or healed, however, what happens when the pain becomes persistent?
How can you diagnose chronic pain?
Diagnosing chronic pain can be a long procedure. Because there are lots of possible causes behind the painful symptoms, the health care provider may need to conduct a variety of examinations and tests to attempt to find the source of your own pain. Below are a few of the methods the physician may try to diagnose chronic pain.
Medical History
Your doctor will take a comprehensive health history, going over any injuries, illnesses, and medical problems that run in your family. It is essential to be thorough so that the doctor can take a look at the full assortment of causes because chronic pain can generally be a result after injury or illness.
You’ll also have to be very particular about your pain: description, frequency, intensity, duration, activities that make it worse, even whether it is better at a certain time of day, etc.. It may be a good idea to initiate a pain journal where you record details of your pain. You’ll be better able to share information with the healthcare professional.
Physical, Neurological, and Mental Health Exams
For the physical examination, the physician will see your range of movement (that is how well and how much you can move specific joints), posture, and general physical condition. He or she will make note of any movements that increase or cause you pain.
The neurological examination will test your nerves, so this test is particularly critical for chronic pain. The doctor will test your reflexes, muscle power, and how well it is possible to feel. The physician might test if you can feel a touch in your skin. That may indicate nerve damage if you can’t. The healthcare provider will see whether your pain is currently spreading through the examination, �or whether you came in complaining of back pain.
Because chronic pain frequently has an emotional or psychological element, you might have to have a mental health examination. This is to check for symptoms such as stress or depression, that could develop alongside pain. The health exam may also give your doctor a complete picture of your overall health and wellness.
Diagnostic Tests
To see if there is an injury or identifiable illness causing your chronic pain, the healthcare professional will need to conduct diagnostic tests. For the imaging evaluations (x-rays, MRIs), you may have to go to an imaging center to have these done; the results will probably be sent back to your physician, who will interpret them for you.
Some possible diagnostic tests include:
Blood evaluation: Your doctor may be able to tell if you have specific forms of arthritis or a disease based on a blood test.�A blood test also allows the doctor to check your liver and kidney functions.
Bone scan: To help your doctor detect spinal problems such as osteoarthritis, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, fractures, or illnesses (which can all lead to chronic pain), you could have a bone scan. You will have a small amount of radioactive substance. That can travel through your blood flow and be absorbed by your bones. An area where there is abnormal action, like an inflammation, will absorb substances. A scanner can detect the quantity of radiation from all your muscles and also show the “hot spots” (the areas with more radioactive material) to help your doctor figure out where the issue is.
CT scan: A CT scan, which stands for computerized axial tomography, reveals the bones, but in addition, it reveals the soft tissues and nerves.
EMG: An electromyography (EMG) will check if your muscles are responding well to nerve stimuli.
MRI: An MRI, which stands for magnetic resonance imaging, shows the bones, but in addition, it shows the soft tissues and nerves. MRIs do not expose you to radiation by using magnets to get the picture.
Myelogram: To see whether you have a spinal canal or spinal cord disorder, maybe nerve compression causing weakness and pain, you might need a myelogram. In this evaluation, you’ll have a special dye injected into the fluid that surrounds your spinal cord and nerves. Then you’ll have a CT scan or an x-ray. The image will offer a detailed anatomic picture of your spine of the bones, which will assist your doctor.
NCV: A nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test will help the doctor evaluate your nerves and ascertain if there is any damage. This test is done together using the EMG test.
Nerve block: When the doctor suspects that a particular nerve is damaged and that is what is causing your chronic, they may do a nerve block. This is a special type of injection that may help identify if the nerve is the source of pain.
X-ray: This gives your doctor a clear picture of your bones.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
Question: I work at a desk all day and have started to feel pain in my neck, back, shoulders and arms. Can chiropractors help with sitting posture and general posture?
El Paso, TX. Chiropractor, Dr. Alexander Jimenez provides insight into proper sitting posture and general posture through chiropractic.
Have people asked you about using a posture brace to help correct their sitting habits? Chiropractic patients with moderate posture problems, meaning that they may be chronic but are not tied to any spinal column or other medical condition, may benefit from a posture back brace to improve this condition. There are a number of great ones available, and you can see more information about some of the top ones here.
A patient such as this will almost certainly enjoy the quick referral as well as the relatively fast results, and chiropractors get an easy opportunity to help people, which explains why many enter the profession in the first place.
But if the patient does have an underlying chiropractic ailment, a back brace will probably do little if any good. These issues are usually easily diagnosed using a quick examination, and afterwards, treatment is relatively straightforward as well.
Diagnosing Conditions
All good exams begin with thorough health history, because in most cases, family history is among the most powerful indicators about current issues.
Next, observe the individual’s gait, as how someone walks shows a number of issues. For instance, those who stand or walk with their legs abnormally spread might have fallen arches. Because the bottom of the foot isn’t in appropriate contact with the floor, the whole body has been thrown off kilter, resulting in poor posture. While it isn’t really a chiropractic condition, fallen arches are, as simple as, a referral to an orthopedist.
Moreover, if the patient is experiencing pain, the location can be an indicator as to where the muscles may be weak and there is too much strain on the spine or a different region of the body. Muscle weakness is among the leading causes of poor posture. So, follow-up tests that measure muscle strength and range of movement are usually a good idea.
If the gait examination signals issues in a particular area of the body, the professional should concentrate further diagnostic efforts in that region.
Ultimately, one of the most simple and effective evaluations is just holding a yardstick or comparable object against the patient’s back, so the two of you can definitely see any abnormalities. This comprehensive approach generally describes some of the very frequent chiropractic posture issues, including:
Tissue Damage:
If the neck, lower back, mid back, or any other area is weak and/or inflexible, the individual will probably not see very much posture improvement until these conditions are adjusted and the muscles have been strengthened.
Kyphosis:
Hunchback is a degenerative spine condition that’s very prevalent in women over 60. While more advanced cases may be life threatening and may require spinal fusion surgery, most men and women respond well to therapeutic adjustments and other treatments.
Scoliosis:
This condition is much like genetically-induced kyphosis, since there’s no cure but there are several therapies available. In extreme cases, surgery may be necessary.
Un-Level Pelvis/Pelvic Tilt:
A pelvic tilt, a lower sacral base, and a femur head discrepancy can indicate a lower extremity source, but not�whether it is an anatomical or functional short leg. A clinical postural exam with lower extremity screening is the only way to make this determination.
Forward Head Posture:
The anterior positioning of the cervical spine. This posture is sometimes called Scholar’s Neck, Wearsie Neck, Hunch & or Reading Neck.It is a posture problem that is due to several factors including sleeping with the head raised too high, prolonged use of computers and cellphones, lack of developed back muscle strength and deficiency of nutrients like calcium. Potential negative effects include tingling and numbness in the arms, and a burning pain between the shoulder blades.
Treatment
As stated previously, back braces frequently mend postural issues, like slouching. As for structural problems, like scoliosis, more aggressive treatments are needed.
Conventional treatment consists of:
Heat
Massage
Stretching
Strength exercises
Supportive braces
There are a number of biofeedback tools that accurately evaluate patient progress.
As a chiropractor, your patients count on you to get much better. That almost always means accurately assessing the problem, which also means a quick and capable referral or an aggressive and well thought out therapy regimen.
Millions of people live with some form of back or neck pain every day. While most of these are only temporary and resolve on their own, many others will continue to experience painful symptoms long after the source of their pain has been treated or healed. Unfortunately, the exact cause of chronic pain is often misunderstood.
What causes chronic pain?
First of all, what is chronic pain? It is technically defined as pain that lasts for 12 weeks or longer, even after the pain is no longer acute (short-term, acute pain) or the injury has healed. Naturally there are numerous causes of chronic pain that can influence any level of the spine, cervical (neck), mid back (thoracic), low back (lumbar), sacral (sacrum) or a combination of levels (eg, lumbosacral).
Common Causes of Chronic Pain
Back pain, among one of the most common forms of chronic pain, is a great example to use for this particular cause. Let’s say that over time and through normal wear and tear, you’ve worn out the cartilage that surrounds the joints in your spine (the facet joints). The joints subsequently become swollen, and you develop osteoarthritis in the spine. This inflammation makes it quite painful for you to move, and it is a source of pain. Your damaged facet joints and cartilage may have developed into chronic pain. That’s only one example. Other common back pain causes include:
Trauma or injury:�In a car accident, injury and trauma can occur and it might still cause pain once it’s healed.
Bad posture: Years of slumping over can cause parts of your spine to wear out faster resulting in chronic pain.
Obesity: It’s well-documented that excessive weight puts strain and pressure on the spine. It can wear quicker or simply not work out as well, possibly leading to chronic pain.
Aging: Various areas of the spinal anatomy, as well as other joints, may wear out over time (a process called degeneration). There is no guarantee that spine degeneration will be debilitating, however: it depends on how it is affected by the degeneration process, to begin with.
The medical community is not certain severe (short-term) pain occasionally develops to chronic, (long-term) pain after the original pain source was treated. It is possible to learn more about chronic pain, in addition to other kinds of chronic pain, such as fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis.
Chronic Pain Due to Nerve Damage
Nerves can be damaged or injured in a variety of ways. For instance, a nerve root may be pinched by a herniated disc, causing pain. After healing the herniated disc, the pain can persist because of �the initial nerve damage. Nerves may be injured by arachnoiditis (inflammation of a tissue that protects the nerve roots), arthritis (again, the inflammation may compress the nerve), diabetes, cancer, Lyme disease, an infection, and more. Nerves may have trouble relaying essential neurological communications between the brain and the rest of the body, if they’ve been damaged. One theory about pain is that the nerves don’t stop sending pain signals to the mind, even after the source of pain exists.
Unknown Causes of Chronic Pain
As you can tell from the preceding two sections, there’s a good deal of doubt when it comes to chronic pain. Through study, the community is starting to better understand pain and its causes, but they can’t pinpoint a cause for chronic pain. That does not mean that they can’t help you find pain relief and approaches to take control of your life again. It’s possible to achieve this with the proper diagnosis and treatments, although it’ll be a process.
Accurate Diagnosis
Obtaining an accurate diagnosis of the cause of your neck or back pain is essential for the result of your treatment plan. Depending upon the severity and cause of your chronic pain, you may have to seek the help of other healthcare professionals, such as pain medicine specialists, spine surgeons, neurosurgeons, physical therapists and/or chiropractors. Over time your pain may need to be reevaluated, and might vary in the way it is managed.
Your chronic neck or back pain treatment generally includes a combination of therapies to optimize outcomes. Some of the treatments your doctor prescribes and recommends may include:
Physical Therapy: Stretching and strengthening muscles is critical in treating chronic back or neck pain. Your physical treatment may include ice, heat, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), ultrasound, and myofascial release.
Chiropractic Care: Based on your diagnosis, chiropractic care may be recommended by your physician. Studies have shown that two weeks of manipulation by a chiropractor may bring about significant improvement in some patients with chronic low back pain and referred leg pain, or sciatica.
Medications: There are many prescription drugs to treat inflammation, pain, muscle spasms, and pain. Furthermore, there are medications to treat conditions that often accompany chronic pain, such as medication to assist you alleviate depression, sleep, and decrease anxiety.
Procedures: Your doctor may recommend spinal cord stimulator spinal injections, drug pump, or spinal column operation. You can acquire a second opinion if you are not certain regarding the treatment program recommended.
Coping skills: Never underestimate the ability of the mind. Your mood and mental prognosis can impact your degree of pain. Assess with a professional to find out relaxation and coping skills.
Complementary Treatments: Doctors recommend acupuncture and other forms of traditional Chinese medicine. Speak to your doctor.
Fitness and Chronic Pain
While there’s some things you can’t stop from affecting your chronic pain, like the cellular changes which reduce muscle mass and/or bone density, it is possible to take steps to improve fitness which may benefit your symptoms.
It’s known that patients with chronic neck or back pain may not feel like going to the gym, being active or even following a house exercise program. However, being active can help improve chronic pain because during exercise, the body releases endorphins, your body’s natural painkiller.
Furthermore, by teaming up with your physical therapist, it is possible to start to construct abdominal muscles, essential for the core strength which helps support your spine of your body. Several studies show that aerobic exercise is successful in maintaining the integrity of the intervertebral discs in the lower spine, which can lessen back pain.
Were you aware that by losing even 5 to 10 pounds you can reduce back pain? It is true. Carrying around extra weight translates to added stress. In many cases, a difference can be made by early and aggressive therapy of chronic back or neck pain. But keep in mind that knowledge is power: Be certain that you understand your options.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .�
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
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