by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Healthcare Providers, Spine Care
According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, or NIOSH, more than 24 percent of all injuries associated with the workplace and illnesses requiring individuals to miss days from work are due to back complications. As a matter of fact, healthcare workers have 4.5 times as many back injuries caused by overexertion than any other type of worker.
In addition, a performance improvement alliance consisting of more than 2,600 U.S. hospitals and more than 84,000 other healthcare sites known as Premier, national statistics demonstrated that six of the top ten professions with the highest chance for back injuries are nurse�s aides, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, health aides, radiology technicians, and physical therapists. Among nurses, more than one one third of back complications are associated with the handling of patients and the frequency in which they are required to manually move patients. From a worldwide perspective, back injuries to nurses have a point prevalence of approximately 17 percent, an annual prevalence of 40-50 percent, and a lifetime prevalence of 35-80 percent.
These are only the accounted rates for reported incidents as many individuals working under healthcare jobs can experience back pain and other symptoms and never receive medical attention. Back complications are a world-wide issue as other studies from Greece, China, and Denmark have recently showed the relation between nurses and back injuries, to name a few.
Dr. Alex Jimenez D.C.,C.C.S.T’s insight:
Nurses provide a valuable service to many individuals but, at the end of the day, healthcare workers most often experience work-related injuries and symptoms that can affect the lifestyles of many nurses. In fact, healthcare workers have 4.5 times as many back injuries caused by overexertion than any other type of worker. For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at (915) 850-0900.�
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by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Healthcare Providers, Work Related Injuries
Prolonged standing and walking for healthcare workers can cause or aggravate previous health complications and soft tissue injuries and its effects can usually become instantly noticeable. An abundance of individuals often experience swollen or painful feet or legs, bunions or bony bumps that develop on the joint at the base of the big toe, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, varicose veins, knee complications, low back pain, neck and shoulder stiffness, poor posture and the effects that follow, restricted blood flow, heightened risk of knee or hip arthritis and, muscle soreness and fatigue.
Through many healthcare jobs, as well as with other types of jobs, standing is frequently a normal component within a healthcare worker�s day but, when the physical layout or work practices of a task require individuals to reach across wide surfaces in uncomfortable positions or repetitively participate in tasks without breaks, individuals may be at a higher risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries or conditions. Additionally, standing can be much worse when the individual has limited space to move around or while working on hard surfaces and/or wearing unsuitable footwear.
Dr. Alex Jimenez D.C.,C.C.S.T’s insight:
For many individuals, standing for extended periods of time is a major part of the job. Standing for a large part of the day is a well-known story for cashiers, bank tellers, restaurant servers, mail sorters, and retail salespeople, but most commonly, healthcare workers.�Overall health is important for everyone and prevention is the key for ultimately achieving complete well being especially for healthcare providers who wholeheartedly focus on treating and helping�others. For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at (915) 850-0900.�
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by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Healthcare Providers, Personal Injury, Work Related Injuries
According to a recent Public Citizen Report, the healthcare workplace is one of the most common industries where injuries or illnesses occur, with 653,000 nurses, aides, orderlies and others, become injured or fall ill every year. Approximately 45 percent of all workplace incidents in the United States which result in lost workdays occur in the healthcare sector. Among attendants, orderlies, and nursing aides in a 2011 study, the incidence rate of injuries requiring days off work was 486 cases per 10,000 employees, over four times higher than the national average for all workers.�
More musculoskeletal injuries are suffered by orderlies, attendants, nurses and nursing aides than workers in any other industry. Back injuries in the healthcare industry are estimated to cost over $7 billion every year.
Although healthcare workplaces are considered to have a higher risk of injury or illness than any other type of workplace, OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) offers a few inspections of healthcare facilities. The authors of the report additionally explained that when OSHA does find safety problems, there�s often not much they can do as a result of the absence of much needed safety standards.
In 2010, there were 152,000 workplace injuries and illnesses in the manufacturing sector in comparison to a massive 653,000 in healthcare.
OSHA is attempting to better address the injury rates among nursing home workers with a National Emphasis Program (NEP), which will focus on addressing ergonomic stressors, falls, trips, slips, and workplace violence, as well as tuberculosis and blood borne pathogens.�In conclusion, the report recommends for OSHA to considerably increase its number of inspections of healthcare facilities as well as pursue binding standards in order to ensure that workers are protected from the risks of developing musculoskeletal injuries and/or disorders and other types of threats that could greatly affect the overall wellbeing of healthcare workers.
Dr. Alex Jimenez D.C.,C.C.S.T’s insight:
Healthcare workers are constantly helping individuals with both their physical and emotional complications requiring medical attention. While patients are recovering from their injuries or illnesses, healthcare providers can occasionally experience issues at the workplace. In fact, injuries and illnesses among healthcare workplaces are relatively higher than those in other workplaces. For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at (915) 850-0900.�
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by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic
Fibromyalgia is one of the most common chronic pain conditions presently affecting many individuals. According to the American College of Rheumatology, approximately 1 in 50 Americans currently suffer from fibromyalgia. The condition can be challenging to properly diagnose and it can cause chronic symptoms which can last up to several months and even years. Fibromyalgia is commonly characterized by widespread body pain which may usually develop tenderness that can cause pain with the slightest amount of applied pressure.
Individuals who�ve been diagnosed with the condition have a variety of traditional and alternative treatment options available. Managing the symptoms of fibromyalgia through traditional approaches include anti-inflammatory prescriptions, sleep medications, and muscle relaxers. Many individuals generally prefer to use natural remedies instead of or in addition to traditional medications, such as vitamin therapy, acupuncture, and meditation. But, one of the most common treatments that people with fibromyalgia seek is chiropractic care. Chiropractic treatment offers many benefits towards relieving the condition and its painful symptoms.
The most challenging complication pertaining to individuals who suffer from fibromyalgia involves the constant and persistent pain, which can often affect the entire body for weeks or months. Despite initially seeking care for their symptoms, many individuals receiving chiropractic care for their fibromyalgia pain may experience overall health benefits as well.
Through chiropractic treatment, a chiropractor will focus on adjusting the spine and improving the body�s natural alignment by also providing a variety of soft tissue manual manipulations. Chiropractors can help individuals with the condition in order to reduce the painful pressure points usually associated with fibromyalgia. A variety of people diagnosed with fibromyalgia look for relief through chiropractic treatment options and find a decrease in the tender spots.
Chiropractors are also able to restore an individual�s natural range of motion by adjusting the body�s joints and helping them reduce their body�s stiffness as a result of the condition.�By working with a chiropractor to loosen the joints and manage the tender areas, individuals suffering from the condition can gradually begin to enjoy deeper sleep and stay asleep longer.�A treatment regimen should be built on a case-by-case basis designed to the specific needs of an individual.
Dr. Alex Jimenez D.C.,C.C.S.T’s insight:
It�s important for individuals who are diagnosed with fibromyalgia to learn that there are many treatment options available to them for pain management. Chiropractic care is a valuable tool for treating the symptoms of fibromyalgia. For individuals who commit to their treatments, they will be able to experience the benefits of less pain, greater mobility, and better sleep. For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at (915) 850-0900.�
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by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic
Pain, stiffness, tenderness, and swelling in joints. Osteoarthritis most often affects the knees, hips, hands, and spine. Rheumatoid arthritis usually begins in small joints in the hands and feet, then spread to larger joints. In addition to pain and swelling, rheumatoid arthritis can cause fever, tiredness, and weight loss. If you have a type of knee arthritis in which the wear and tear is harming the middle of your joint � called medial-knee arthritis � special insoles could help. Lateral-wedge insoles are thinnest at your instep and yours widest at the outer edge of your foot, realigning your feet and your lower legs in a way that can reduce some of the twisting that wears down knee joints. Your doctor can tell you which type you have. Everything from genetics to joint injuries to age-related changes in cartilage-protecting enzymes plays a role. But there�s plenty of evidence that you can cut your risk significantly with the simple, proven strategies here.
Dr. Alex Jimenez D.C.,C.C.S.T’s insight:
Pain, stiffness, tenderness, and swelling in joints. Osteoarthritis most often affects the knees, hips, hands, and spine. Rheumatoid arthritis usually begins in small joints in the hands and feet, then spread to larger joints. In addition to pain and swelling, rheumatoid arthritis can cause fever, tiredness, and weight loss.��If you have a type of knee arthritis in which the wear and tear is harming the middle of your joint � called medial-knee arthritis � special insoles could help. Lateral-wedge insoles are thinnest at your instep and yours widest at the outer edge of your foot, realigning your feet and your lower legs in a way that can reduce some of the twisting that wears down knee joints. Your doctor can tell you which type you have. Everything from genetics to joint injuries to age-related changes in cartilage-protecting enzymes plays a role. But there�s plenty of evidence that you can cut your risk significantly with the simple, proven strategies here.
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by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Veterans
�Healthcare in the U.S. and the VA has operated on a �find it, fix it� reactive disease model,� Gaudet said in a recent interview. �What we�re undertaking is truly a paradigm shift that promotes health and wellness.�
As compared to initiating with a patient�s suggested complication or attempting to identify a condition early in its development, Tracy Gaudet believes healthcare providers should begin by understanding the veteran and their ambitions. She explains that medical staff at the VA shouldn�t be asking, �what�s the matter?�, rather, they should be asking, �what matters to you?�. The goal of complete health at the VA is to assist all veterans in order to determine their basic health achievement goals and desires and to also help them focus on all the areas of their lives that affect their health and don�t allow them to reach those goals.
�It�s not just a �feel good� program,� Gaudet noted, �but an approach informed by evidence that makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches as well as emphasizing self-care at all points along the spectrum of health and disease.�
This approach often takes veterans out of the clinic. The nine-week, peer-to-peer program emphasizes on guiding veterans through various questions to encourage them to discuss why they want to be healthy, what they want to accomplish and the kinds of relationships they want to have. According to Tracy Gaudet, the results have been astounding. Many veterans have found meaning and purpose in their lives again and connected to healthier lifestyles through these new programs being available at Veterans Affairs clinics. Veterans can then follow through with other available programs to help them reduce stress like meditation or they can increase their overall fitness levels. Additionally, as their health improves, the cost of caring for them drops. The complete health approach encourages veterans to make continuous changes in their health and life which may involve working on their closest relationships.
Dr. Alex Jimenez D.C.,C.C.S.T’s insight:
Many medical staff members at the Veterans Affairs Medical Clinics, such as Tracy Gaudet, MD, have been inspired to change their approach to medicine as well as transform the way they handle care to best provide veterans and active duty service members with the best possible benefits and opportunities to improve their health. The VA now focuses on granting veterans the ability to enhance their overall wellness and achieve their goals for well being. For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at (915) 850-0900.
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by Dr Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-BC, CFMP, IFMCP | Chiropractic, Integrative Functional Wellness, Integrative Medicine
Lt. Col. Scott Griffith, MD, and Army�s pain management consultant, quoted in a recent interview, �Chronic pain can be very challenging so we focus a lot on their functionality, being able to restore their function as well as bringing their pain down to the extent that we can. Even for people who cannot have their pain eliminated, many of them can have an improvement in the quality of their life.�
For military healthcare providers, managing acute and chronic pain has become a tremendous problem than ever before. In a June 2014 report in JAMA Internal Medicine, of 2,597 evaluated individuals, researchers found that 44 percent of troops experienced chronic pain symptoms after being deployed for combat while 15.1% of those individuals reported regularly using opioids. Furthermore, Veterans Affairs administrators gave a testimony before a Congress hearing that chronic pain was among the most common medical complication in veterans returning from the last decade of conflict. The frequent cause for chronic pain is due to musculoskeletal injury, which is usually unrelated to battlefield wounds. Causes for musculoskeletal injury include training and job performance with the use of increasingly heavy protective equipment as well as sports and recreation.
The challenge for federal medicine providers still lies on relieving chronic pain symptoms among active duty military members and veterans while also decreasing the chance of opioid addiction and abuse among individuals. In 2003, the Defense & Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management (DVCIPM) was established to support and regulate pain research and education as well as improving pain management methods. Six years later, the Army surgeon general organized a pain task force membership that included representatives from military services, TRICARE and VHA, to give guidance and approval for a comprehensive pain management strategy. That same task force distributed a report in May 2010 recommending the military to use a holistic, multimodal and multidisciplinary approach to pain management, including complementary and alternative medicine.
Through the project, the VA will analyze the extent and cost-effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine utilization among veterans being treated at the Veterans Affairs Medical Clinics for musculoskeletal disorder-related pain and other related conditions. On a wider spectrum, changes in drug development are giving clinicians other means to helping active-duty service members and veterans as well as others avoid opioid addiction.
Dr. Alex Jimenez D.C.,C.C.S.T’s insight:
Both acute and chronic pain relating to trauma from an injury, have constantly been a common complication among troops. Fortunately, in recent years, efforts by the United States Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs officials to solve the issue of pain among active duty service members and veterans have started offering a larger variety of non-drug alternative methods. For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at (915) 850-0900.�
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