According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), approximately 31 million Americans deal with some form of low back pain. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to lessen the pain you are experiencing. Taking care of yourself � including maintaining a healthy weight and regular exercise � can help prevent back pain. And when you do experience back pain, chiropractic treatment and stretching can often ease your symptoms.
Contents
Prepare for Stretching
Before we get to the stretching, we recommend preparing for your stretching session so you can stretch comfortably and safely. Tips for stretching include:
Ease into it. Stretching should be done gently and smoothly, traveling from stationary to a position slowly and carefully. Avoid bouncing, which can tear muscles.
Stretching should not hurt. You should not feel significant pain when you stretch. As you move into your stretch, listen to your body and stop before you start to feel pain. Stretching should feel good, not painful.
Wear comfortable clothing. Wear loose clothing that will allow you the full range of motion.
Choose an area to stretch that is flat and clean. Choose an area that will be comfortable and well-suited for your activity.
Use padding when necessary. If you are going to be stretching on a hard surface, a little padding can make things much more comfortable.
Hold each stretch 15-30 seconds, and repeat at least 2 times. Holding a stretch lets the muscles elongate, and repeating the stretch improves your results. Repeat the stretch four times for maximum benefit.
Modify to fit your needs. Everyone must work within their limitations. When you try a stretch and you find it is not working for you, try to modify it to suit your needs. You can find modifications to most popular stretches online.
Three Stretches that Are Great For Back Pain
1. Children’s Pose
The name Child�s Pose comes from yoga, where this stretch is often used to begin each session of stretching. Child�s Pose is so popular because it is gentle and effective, and just about anyone can do it.
To do Child�s Pose, get down on your hands and knees. To begin with, place your knees slightly wider than hip-width. Flatten the tops of your feet to the floor, toes pointing behind you. Slowly move your hips back over your feet. Once you have rested your buttocks on your ankles, stretch your arms out in front of you. Feel your lower back stretch out as you hold the pose.
2. Knees/Chest
Lying on your back, use your hands to pull your knees up to your chest, rounding out your back in the process. You can interlace your fingers to hold your knees in position. If you like, hug your knees more tightly to your chest and rock left to right. To enhance the stretch, slowly bring your chin towards your chest.
3. Spine Twist
Lying on your back, stick each hand out to the side of your body to create a T shape. Bring the right knee up to your chest while keeping the left leg straight on the floor. Use your left hand to gently pull your knee higher, then pull the knee across your body to the left. Try to keep your right shoulder on the floor. Repeat on the left side.
Contact For Customized Stretches
If you are suffering from back pain, please schedule an appointment to meet with our chiropractic team. We can help design a custom stretching plan to help you ease your back pain.
El Paso Back Clinic Chiropractor Personal Injury Attorney Recommended
The effectiveness of chiropractic care for headaches has been proven by many research studies, which is good news for the 90% of Americans who suffer. Chiropractic is not only excellent for treating headaches, but is gentle, non-invasive, does not require medications, and is known for being free of side effects.
Contents
Chiropractic A Gentle, Effective Treatment
Headaches can range from mild to debilitating, and all the stages in between. Some people suffer from headaches only occasionally, while others are constantly dealing with headaches. Unfortunately, standard medical care can only do so much to treat headaches � and the treatments often come with side effects, such as those caused by pain medications.
Chiropractic takes a different approach than traditional Western medicine. Instead of treating the symptoms, chiropractic attempts to get to the source of the problem. Using non-invasive treatments, chiropractic works to help the body heal itself � which it can do surprisingly well when the conditions are right. Chiropractic strives to create these ideal conditions.
Headache Types
The two most common types of headaches most people suffer from include:
Tension
Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. The pain of a tension headache can range from fairly mild to severe. Although some headache sufferers describe tension headaches as similar to having a painful band around their heads, the symptoms of tension headaches can vary significantly from individual to individual. Symptoms of tension headaches include:
Pain that is constant, not throbbing
A feeling of tightness in the temples, forehead, back of the head, side of head or combination of these
Neck pain and stiffness
Tension headaches, as the name indicates, are caused by tension in the body � often in the neck and upper back.
Migraines
Migraine headaches, while less common than tension headaches, are still a major issue for a large portion of Americans. It is estimated that approximately 13 percent of the population suffers from migraines.
Symptoms of migraines include:
Throbbing pain
Pain is often on one side of the head
Sensitivity to light
Nausea
Vomiting
Migraines are still not fully understood by the medical community. Research has shown what happens in the brain during migraines, and there are a number of triggers that are known, but research is ongoing to determine exactly what is happening and what causes these debilitating headaches.
How Chiropractic Helps
Research has shown that chiropractic can help headache sufferers, particularly those that suffer from tension headaches. There are a number of ways that chiropractic can improve symptoms, including:
Adjustments
The spine and the muscles, ligaments, and tendons that surround it are prone to injury and misalignment, which can cause significant tension, nerve pain, and associated health issues. Subluxations, also referred to as spinal misalignments, can put pressure on nerves and cause muscles to tighten and even spasm. All of this can lead to considerable tension. Tension can result in headaches.
Chiropractic adjustments realign the spine, relieving pressure on nerves and helping muscles to relax.
Lifestyle
While chiropractic adjustments can do a great deal to help relieve tension headaches, migraines are often most effectively treated through lifestyle adjustments. Changes in diet and avoidance of known triggers are considered the best way to avoid migraines and minimize symptoms.
Chiropractic care includes lifestyle advice to help patients navigate their health issues effectively, including migraines.
No matter what the season is, there’s always time to get outside and be active, as long as, the weather cooperates. Hiking is great exercise while getting to take in nature in the process. Now add chiropractic maintenance into the mix, and you have a formula for optimal wellness!
Contents
The Benefits
Hiking is a great cardio workout that can help improve your blood sugar levels as well as your blood pressure. It can also decrease your risk of heart disease.
What�s more, walking qualifies as a weight-bearing exercise so it helps guard against osteoporosis by improving bone density. If you hike on a regular basis, you will find that your weight is better managed, your core is stronger, your mood is better, and your balance is improved.
As you hike, anxiety and stress will melt away. You will look better, feel better, and function better. The good news is, the more you do it, the more benefits you�ll see.
The more you work, the more you can work. As your body gets stronger, you will find that you can go farther and even challenge yourself on some of the more difficult trails. Just the act of moving will make you feel better, but get ready to get hooked!
Chiropractic/Hiking Mean Healthy Results
Incorporating regular chiropractic care into your life helps keep everything working as it should. When you are backing that care with cardiovascular exercise, you greatly increase the benefits of both.
Chiropractic care is also focused on whole-body wellness, so your chiropractor may recommend certain lifestyle changes or a special diet to support your hiking routine. If you get hurt, or even sore, from your hikes, chiropractic can help manage the pain or eliminate it completely.
You will heal faster so you can get back on the trail sooner. What�s more, chiropractic will increase your performance faster and your body will work much more efficiently. Combining the two creates a powerhouse that will provide you with fantastic health benefits for a very long time.
Hiking Tips
When you set out to hike, you might feel great and want to get started right away. However, there are some things you need to pay attention to so that you can be sure your hike is productive and safe. There�s nothing like a knee, ankle, or back injury to mess up a great hiking routine. Stick with these tips to avoid any problems.
A good warm up before your hike will improve your performance on the trail and reduce your risk of injury. Take a few minutes to warm up your muscles and stretch a little. Your body will thank you.
Choosing the right shoes will greatly improve your hike. Look for footwear that is supportive, fits well, and allows your foot and ankle to work as they should. You will feel a good pair of shoes all the way up to your back � same as you�ll feel bad ones.
Don�t try to conquer the toughest trail right off the bat. Start slow and work your way up to more challenging trails and longer hikes. For instance, you may want to start on a fairly level surface and gradually work up to areas with uneven terrain or even hills.
If balance is an issue (or even if it�s not), you may want to add poles. They can help keep you balanced but do double duty by providing a great upper body workout.
Consider making chiropractic a part of your lifestyle. There are many great benefits that chiropractic offers that extend far beyond a simple treatment for pain. It is something you should be including in your regular health maintenance. If you aren�t convinced, take a look at these chiropractic benefits and see for yourself.
Contents
Sleep Better
Sleep is a huge problem in the US; people just aren�t getting enough of it. According to the CDC, 1 in 3 adults in America do not get enough sleep.
Getting chiropractic care on a regular basis can help you get more restful, restorative sleep. Studies show it is even effective on insomnia. This happens for a variety of reasons. Chiropractic relieves pain, helps you relax, and improve your overall wellbeing, allowing you to rest.
Be Less Prone To Injury
Spinal alignment is important. When your spine is not aligned it can throw your entire body off balance, putting stress on your joints, tendons, and ligaments.
Seeing your chiropractor on a regular basis can help keep your spine aligned and your body balanced which will decrease your injury risk.
Have More Energy
When your body is functioning at an optimal level, you feel better and have more energy. When your spine is misaligned, it impacts your entire body.
Your organs do not function as they should, and you tend to feel sore, stiff, and get tired easily. Regular chiropractic treatments can turn it all around and you�ll have lots of energy to boot.
Be More Resistant To Illness
Did you know that regular chiropractic care can help you have a strong immune system? In fact, people who see a chiropractor regularly are more resistant to illness than people who don�t.
One study showed that there is a strong link between regular chiropractic treatments and a strong immune system. Just one more reason to book an appointment and set up a treatment schedule with your chiropractor.
Be In A Better Mood
Regular chiropractic care helps to keep your hormones balanced by triggering an increase in the production of dopamine which boosts the mood. If you suffer from depression, anxiety, and even mental fog, chiropractic can help.
Be More Flexible
Regular chiropractic care helps keep the joints supple so that you are more flexible and have a better range of motion. This helps with balance and improves your athletic performance.
The good news is, most people notice this benefit after the very first treatment. This happens because your body is in balance once your spine is properly aligned.
Have More Protection From Various Health Conditions
Many people are realizing the tremendous health benefits of regular chiropractic care and are incorporating it into their wellness routines. It is widely published through studies and professional journals that chiropractic patients have lower incidences of many chronic conditions like hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and more.
And Better Manage Pain
Yes, we had to say it, mainly because pain management is what most people think of when they hear chiropractor. Study after study has shown that chiropractic care is indeed a very effective way to manage pain.
In many cases, it eliminates it altogether. What makes it so appealing is that it is completely natural with no invasive procedures or medication. Whether you have pain from an injury or condition, or you are just having aches and pains from aging and just living, making chiropractic care a part of your lifestyle will help you stay on the right track.
The sciatic nerve is the largest and longest nerve in the human body. It connects the lower extremities to the central nervous system. Any type of compression or impingement can cause sciatic nerve pain. A herniated disc, misalignment of the spine, and other spinal health issues can cause symptoms of sciatica.
Sciatic nerve pain, or sciatica, is a collection of symptoms characterized by low back pain, tingling sensations, and numbness which radiate down the length of the legs and into the feet. Dr. Alex Jimenez helps many patients from all walks of life find pain relief. Chiropractic medicine specializes in treating sciatica. EP Back Clinic patients give their testimonies, as to how Dr. Jimenez is the best chiropractor for sciatica pain.
EP Back Clinic
We are blessed to present to you�El Paso�s Premier Wellness & Injury Care Clinic.
As El Paso�s Chiropractic Rehabilitation Clinic & Integrated Medicine Center,�we passionately are focused on treating patients after frustrating injuries and chronic pain syndromes. We focus on improving your ability through flexibility, mobility and agility programs tailored for all age groups and disabilities.
We want you to live a life filled with more energy, positive attitude, better sleep, less pain, proper body weight and educated on how to maintain this way of life.
I assure you, I will only accept the best for you�
If you have enjoyed this video and we have helped you in any way, please feel free to subscribe and recommend�us.
When it comes to chiropractic care, we believe in it, we�ve seen how great it works, and there are plenty of happy patients that can testify to its effectiveness.
However, there are some nay-sayers who believe that medical treatments are the only way to treat health care concerns and health conditions. While we do believe that medical treatments do indeed have their place, we also know for a fact that chiropractic offers far more benefits, provides faster results for many conditions including pain management, and provides farther reaching care that goes to the heart of the problem instead of just treating the symptoms.
If you�ve chosen to incorporate chiropractic care into your health plan, you�ve made a very wise decision. There are many benefits that chiropractic patients enjoy that those who choose a more medical-centric way do not. Here are three great advantages that chiropractic care will provide � and they�re big ones.
1. Chiropractic treats the root of the problem.
Modern medicine certainly has its place. It has helped many people. However, it tends to be rather short-sighted when dealing with many conditions.
Chiropractic, on the other hand, seeks to find the root of the problem, to address the reason the patient is having the problem and correct it.
For instance, if a patient came in with back pain, a medical doctor may prescribe painkillers and invasive treatments. Their goal is to stop the pain.
However, a chiropractor will try to find out why the patient�s back is hurting and address the cause while treating the pain without medications or invasive procedures.
2. Chiropractic is completely natural and noninvasive.
Chiropractic is entirely natural, using spinal adjustments and other techniques, combined with nutritional advice, lifestyle recommendations, and all-natural supplements.
�The others� are more reliant on medications that are often largely synthetic and have unpleasant, even dangerous side effects. Some medications are even addictive. Surgeries and other invasive procedures can leave you with difficulty in mobility and limited range of motion as you heal.
When you visit a chiropractor for your back pain, he or she will not only adjust your spine, they will also talk to you about your daily activities, habits, even how you sleep. They will make recommendations about things you can do to prevent the pain and strengthen your back. It may mean making some changes or doing some special exercises, but your treatment will be tailored specifically to you and your needs.
3. Chiropractic treats the body as a whole.
Medical treatments tend to treat what�s hurting right now but rarely look beyond that to see how the whole body is affected. What�s more, they don�t tend to look at what is causing the problem, treating the body in parts.
This is unnatural and not the best way to combat pain and many health conditions. It may work for a while, but eventually, issues in the body will manifest in other areas as well.
For instance, a problem with the hip may manifest as knee pain. The doctor treats the knee but does not address the hip (which is the cause of the problem). Eventually, the hip worsens, and the back, knee, and ankle become affected. The hips and other joints on the other side may also become affected as the body tries to compensate.
Chiropractic treats the body as a whole, not as parts. It finds the cause of the problem and addresses that while also treating the part that is in pain.
Chiropractic also looks at lifestyle, diet, habits, even relationships so see where you could have stressors or things that could be posing a risk to your health, making your condition worse or more difficult to treat.
*Auto Accident Injury* Treatment | El Paso, TX (2019)
Mr. Fred Foreman is a club basketball coach in El Paso, TX. When he first started the 6 Day Detox Kit,�Mr. Foreman had to change his diet and lifestyle habits.
Mr. Foreman discusses his experience with the 6 Day Detox Kit with Dr. Jimenez and expresses how much the nutritional program has helped improve his energy and performance, and overall health. Mr. Foreman recommends this kit to anyone that’s ready for a healthy change.
The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the human body and its main function is to connect the feet to the CNS. The painful symptoms associated with sciatic nerve pain, or sciatica, can tremendously affect a person’s quality of life.
Sciatica, or sciatic nerve pain, is caused by the compression of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the low back, down each leg, and into the feet.
Dr. Alex Jimenez focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of a variety of health issues associated with the musculoskeletal and nervous systems.
Chiropractic care is an alternative option that utilizes spinal adjustments and manual manipulations to safely and effectively correct any spinal misalignments, or subluxations, which may be causing painful symptoms like sciatic nerve pain or sciatica. Dr. Jimenez is the non-surgical choice.
El Paso Back Clinic
We are blessed to present to you El Paso�s Premier Wellness & Injury Care Clinic.
As El Paso�s Chiropractic Rehabilitation Clinic & Integrated Medicine Center,�we passionately are focused on treating patients after frustrating injuries and chronic pain syndromes. We focus on improving your ability through flexibility, mobility and agility programs tailored for all age groups and disabilities.
We want you to live a life filled with more energy, positive attitude, better sleep, less pain, proper body weight and educated on how to maintain this way of life.
I assure you, I will only accept the best for you�
If you have enjoyed this video and we have helped you in any way, please feel free to subscribe and recommend us.
Dr. Alex Jimenez Discusses the Basics of Methylation Status and Activity
Methylation is the process of producing and/or developing a “one-carbon metabolism” from methyl, or CH3, groups. The main methyl donor group utilized for DNA methylation activity is known as s-adenosyl-L-methionine, or SAMe. Other methylation donors, such as MTHFR, COMT, and DNMT, will also use SAMe as their co-factor when regulating DNA methylation status.
According to healthcare professionals, DNA methylation occurs numerous times per second and it is in charge of a variety of bodily functions. Because methylation happens continuously throughout the human body, our overall health and wellness can determine whether we will be involved in healthy methylation activity or some sort of compromised methylation status.
Contents
DNA Methylation in the Human Body
DNA methylation is involved in a variety of fundamental processes throughout the body, such as cell division or DNA and RNA synthesis, early CNS development to address neural tube defects, epigenetic regulation of gene expression, immune cell differentiation, neurotransmitter biosynthesis and metabolism, such as that of dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and acetylcholine, histamine clearance, detoxification and hormone biotransformation, cellular energy metabolism, phospholipid synthesis, and myelination of peripheral nerves, among other processes.
The biochemical pathway chart above demonstrates the metabolism of methylation donors as well as their basic function, including that of MTHFR. Several methyl donors are also demonstrated to interchange reversibly while several methyl donors are only demonstrated to transfer into one-way pathways. Insufficient co-factors or vitamins and minerals associated with these can cause imbalances and deficiencies when regulating DNA methylation status. The methylation cycle works together methylation donors to recycle homocysteine into the by-product of that process. The compounds, such as the nutrients, minerals, and enzymes involved in this reaction also shown in the biochemical pathway above.
Basics of Methylation Status & Activity
Methylation can be affected by genetic as well as external and environmental factors. Our extended exposure to these otherwise harmful factors can even alter an individual’s epigenome. DNA methylation occurs at CpG regions through the utilization of DNMT enzymes associated with gene repression to become five different methylation groups.
A variety of DNMT’s are in charge of maintaining and regulating DNA methylation status and activity. DNMT1 is in change of controlling DNA methylation patterns. DNMT3A and DNMT3B are in charge of producing new methylation triggers and they’re also involved in genomic imprinting during embryonic development. Methylation begins to occur during the early perinatal period, where we inherit our parent’s methylation marks.
Understanding how DNA methylation status is influenced by our health and wellness is fundamental to promote methylation support. The utilization of supplements and/or medicine can help improve DNA methylation, however, there may be a risk of side-effects. Nutrition and lifestyle modifications are safe and effective options to help improve overall DNA methylation.
Promoting methylation support is an essential process towards maintaining overall health and wellness. DNA methylation is involved in a variety of bodily functions. Maintaining and regulating healthy methylation can help prevent a variety of health issues, as we will discuss in the next series of articles. The purpose of the following article is to introduce the basics of DNA methylation. It’s fundamental to understand how nutrition, lifestyle habits, supplements and even medicines, can improve DNA methylation as well as to promote overall health and wellness.
Dr. Alex Jimenez D.C., C.C.S.T. Insight
Smoothies and Juices for Methylation Support
While many healthcare professionals can recommend nutritional guidelines and lifestyle modifications to improve methylation support, there are several options you can try yourself at home. As described above, methylation support supplementation should be determined by a healthcare professional. Smoothies and juices are a fast and easy way to include all the necessary nutrients you need for methylation support without any side-effects. The smoothies and juices below are part of the Methylation Diet Food Plan.Sea Green Smoothie
Servings: 1
Cook time: 5-10 minutes
� 1/2 cup cantaloupe, cubed
� 1/2 banana
� 1 handful of kale or spinach
� 1 handful of Swiss chard
� 1/4 avocado
� 2 teaspoons spirulina powder
� 1 cup water
� 3 or more ice cubes
Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until completely smooth and enjoy!
Berry Bliss Smoothie
Servings: 1
Cook time: 5-10 minutes
� 1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen, preferably wild)
� 1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
� 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed or chia seed
� 1 tablespoons almonds
� Water (to desired consistency)
� Ice cubes (optional, may omit if using frozen blueberries)
Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy. Best served immediately!
Sweet and Spicy Juice
Servings: 1
Cook time: 5-10 minutes
� 1 cup honeydew melons
� 3 cups spinach, rinsed
� 3 cups Swiss chard, rinsed
� 1 bunch cilantro (leaves and stems), rinsed
� 1-inch knob of ginger, rinsed, peeled and chopped
� 2-3 knobs whole turmeric root (optional), rinsed, peeled and chopped
Juice all ingredients in a high-quality juicer. Best served immediately!
Ginger Greens Juice
Servings: 1
Cook time: 5-10 minutes
� 1 cup pineapple cubes
� 1 apple, sliced
� 1-inch knob of ginger, rinsed, peeled and chopped
� 3 cups kale, rinsed and roughly chopped or ripped
� 5 cups Swiss chard, rinsed and roughly chopped or ripped
Juice all ingredients in a high-quality juicer. Best served immediately!
Zesty Beet Juice
Servings: 1
Cook time: 5-10 minutes
� 1 grapefruit, peeled and sliced
� 1 apple, washed and sliced
� 1 whole beet, and leaves if you have them, washed and sliced
� 1-inch knob of ginger, rinsed, peeled and chopped
Juice all ingredients in a high-quality juicer. Best served immediately!
Protein Power Smoothie
Serving: 1
Cook time: 5 minutes
� 1 scoop protein powder
� 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
� 1/2 banana
� 1 kiwi, peeled
� 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
� Pinch of cardamom
� Non-dairy milk or water, enough to achieve desired consistency
Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender until completely smooth. Best served immediately!
ProLon� Fasting Mimicking Diet
Balanced methylation support can be achieved through proper nutrition. The ProLon� fasting mimicking diet offers a 5-day meal program which has been individually packed and labeled to serve the foods you need for the FMD in precise quantities and combinations. The meal program is made up of ready-to-eat or easy-to-prepare, plant-based foods, including bars, soups, snacks, supplements, a drink concentrate, and teas. The products are scientifically formulated and great tasting. Before starting the ProLon� fasting mimicking diet, 5-day meal program, please make sure to talk to a healthcare professional to find out if the FMD is right for you. The ProLon� fasting mimicking diet can help promote methylation support, among a variety of other healthy benefits.
Many doctors and functional medicine practitioners can recommend nutritional advice and/or guidelines to help improve DNA methylation. Proper nutrition and lifestyle habits can ultimately help improve DNA methylation. The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal and nervous health issues as well as functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
Curated by Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topic Discussion: Acute Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most prevalent causes of disability and missed days at work worldwide. Back pain attributes to the second most common reason for doctor office visits, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections. Approximately 80 percent of the population will experience back pain at least once throughout their life. Your spine is a complex structure made up of bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles, among other soft tissues. Injuries and/or aggravated conditions, such as herniated discs, can eventually lead to symptoms of back pain. Sports injuries or automobile accident injuries are often the most frequent cause of back pain, however, sometimes the simplest of movements can have painful results. Fortunately, alternative treatment options, such as chiropractic care, can help ease back pain through the use of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, ultimately improving pain relief.
Formulas for Methylation Support
XYMOGEN�s Exclusive Professional Formulas are available through select licensed health care professionals. The internet sale and discounting of XYMOGEN formulas are strictly prohibited.
Proudly, Dr. Alexander Jimenez makes XYMOGEN formulas available only to patients under our care.
Please call our office in order for us to assign a doctor consultation for immediate access.
If you are a patient of Injury Medical & Chiropractic Clinic, you may inquire about XYMOGEN by calling 915-850-0900.
For your convenience and review of the XYMOGEN products please review the following link.*XYMOGEN-Catalog-Download* All the above XYMOGEN policies remain strictly in force.
***
Our military members put their bodies through tremendous stress every day. Add to that minor to serious trauma and there is a strong case for chronic pain. This pain affects our veterans and soldiers on a daily basis, and interferes with their normal activities and impacts their ability to perform their regular jobs.
Too often, doctors dismiss the pain as �something you just have to live with� and write prescriptions for narcotics that impair and incapacitate the patient. There are better ways to manage a good bit of the chronic pain that members of the military live with each day. We’ll explore one way, mainly chiropractic, in today’s article.
Contents
Chronic Pain & Military Members
The regular demands of being a soldier, coupled with the stress that is prevalent, particularly among active duty military personnel, can create a perfect storm of sorts for chronic pain. When they are advised to tough it out or arrive at that option on their own, they usually do not get the medical attention they need. This can lead to exacerbation of the issue, compelling the soldier to seek treatment only when the pain is severe, or the condition is serious.
Single event trauma is all too common in this arena and plays a large part in the pain they experience, as does surgeries to correct injuries or trauma. However, the cumulative stress can have a detrimental effect on not just the condition and the pain, but the patient�s perception of the pain. In other words, it can cause them to experience the pain more acutely and have greater difficulty in managing it.
These issues are a part of the military and they aren�t likely to change. A chiropractor can help military personnel manage their pain, prevent injury, and regain flexibility and range of motion. It can be a solution that makes all the difference.
Alternative Treatments To Combat An Epidemic
Right now in the United States, opioid abuse has become an epidemic, yet doctors can rarely find viable alternatives that don�t have the dangerous and uncomfortable side effects � and that are not addictive. In truth, painkiller use is a growing problem with veterans and active military alike, mainly due to issues with substance abuse.
While their medications do relieve pain, the cost is just too great in many cases. Many people who take these pain pills report that they would live from pill to pill, their lives revolving around their next dose. That is why chiropractic is such an attractive option.
Chiropractic For PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common condition among active military and veterans. Studies have found that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is very effective in treating PTSD.
Matter of fact, chiropractic care has received very high marks in this area. Typically, it involves combining chiropractic with some conventional approaches in an effort to bring relief to the patient.
Through specific spinal manipulations called vestibular rehabilitation treatment (VRT), the body is brought back into balance. This technique has been proven very effective among individuals who have brain injuries that are combat related. In one study, patients who received VRT for two weeks reported a significant decrease in PTSD symptoms, including depression and anxiety.
An Army report recommended the use of alternatives to pain drugs, including chiropractic care, massage, and acupuncture.
Chronic Pain & Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care is a highly effective way to manage chronic pain and help speed healing from injuries. It is safe, non-invasive, and does not require any medication.
The chiropractor will use specific spinal adjustments and other techniques to bring the body back into alignment. A balanced body heals faster and experiences less pain.
The patient may also receive recommendations regarding lifestyle changes and dietary advice from their chiropractor which can help speed up the results and bring them to a place of less pain or no pain much faster.
IFM's Find A Practitioner tool is the largest referral network in Functional Medicine, created to help patients locate Functional Medicine practitioners anywhere in the world. IFM Certified Practitioners are listed first in the search results, given their extensive education in Functional Medicine
