Back Clinic Chiropractic. This is a form of alternative treatment that focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of various musculoskeletal injuries and conditions, especially those associated with the spine. Dr. Alex Jimenez discusses how spinal adjustments and manual manipulations regularly can greatly help both improve and eliminate many symptoms that could be causing discomfort to the individual. Chiropractors believe among the main reasons for pain and disease are the vertebrae’s misalignment in the spinal column (this is known as a chiropractic subluxation).
Through the usage of manual detection (or palpation), carefully applied pressure, massage, and manual manipulation of the vertebrae and joints (called adjustments), chiropractors can alleviate pressure and irritation on the nerves, restore joint mobility, and help return the body’s homeostasis. From subluxations, or spinal misalignments, to sciatica, a set of symptoms along the sciatic nerve caused by nerve impingement, chiropractic care can gradually restore the individual’s natural state of being. Dr. Jimenez compiles a group of concepts on chiropractic to best educate individuals on the variety of injuries and conditions affecting the human body.
For individuals dealing with fibromyalgia, can incorporating acupuncture as part of integrative treatment help with pain relief?
Introduction
The musculoskeletal system helps the various muscles, tendons, and ligaments be mobile while stabilizing the vertical pressure. The upper and lower extremities work together, enabling the host to be mobile without feeling pain and discomfort. However, many individuals have dealt with pain, whether it is acute or chronic, at one point in their lives. When the body is dealing with pain, the response signal from the brain will show where the pain is located, which causes muscle soreness. To that point, the immune system will start to heal the affected area naturally. However, when a person has an autoimmune disease, the body will be impacted for no reason, which then causes the immune system to release inflammatory cytokines to healthy cells and muscular structures. When this happens, it can affect their quality of life and cause painful sensations to the musculoskeletal system, forcing individuals to seek treatment. Today’s article focuses on the correlation between the musculoskeletal system and fibromyalgia and how treatments like acupuncture can help reduce the pain-like symptoms that are caused by fibromyalgia. We talk with certified medical providers who utilize our patients’ information to provide acupuncture treatments to lessen the overlapping risk profiles associated with fibromyalgia. We also inform and guide patients on how various treatments can help reduce the pain-like symptoms related to fibromyalgia. We encourage our patients to ask their associated medical providers intricated and important questions about the pain-like symptoms they are experiencing from fibromyalgia. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., incorporates this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
The Musculoskeletal System & Fibromyalgia
Have you been experiencing tingling sensations in your arms, legs, feet, and hands? Do you feel your muscles and joints lock up and feel stiff constantly in the morning? Or have you been dealing with unquestionable pain in your body that is affecting your daily routine? Many of these pain-like symptoms are associated with an autoimmune disease known as fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is often characterized by widespread chronic musculoskeletal pain that is associated with neurosensory disorders. People with fibromyalgia will have musculoskeletal pain symptoms from muscle and joint stiffness to fatigue and myofascial pain. (Siracusa et al., 2021) This is because the vagus nerve in the parasympathetic autonomic nervous system is in constant “fight or flight” mode, which causes many individuals to become hypersensitive and experience amplified painful sensations. This forces the muscle fibers in the musculoskeletal system to develop tiny nodules known as trigger points in the soft tissues. This causes muscle pathophysiology as a primary mechanism that mediates the onset of symptoms that pertain to fibromyalgia. (Geel, 1994) Unfortunately, fibromyalgia is a challenge to diagnose when comorbidities factors start to overlap and can play a role in this autoimmune disease.
Fibromyalgia is an autoimmune condition that increases a person’s sensitivity to pain while including multiple tender points at specific areas of the body, causing widespread chronic musculoskeletal pain. Many individuals dealing with chronic musculoskeletal pain are unaware of the proper pathway to care as it generates a negative impact on pain, disability, and quality of life. (Lepri et al., 2023) Since fibromyalgia is associated with musculoskeletal pain, it can be combined with myofascial pain syndrome since both are characterized by muscle tenderness. (Gerwin, 1998) However, there are numerous treatments available to reduce the painful effects of fibromyalgia and help restore a person’s quality of life.
From Inflammation to Healing- Video
Do you feel muscle pain and tenderness in various areas of your body? Do you feel muscle and joint stiffness in your upper and lower extremities? Or do you feel numbing or tingling sensations in your arms, hands, legs, and feet? Many people dealing with these pain-like issues are experiencing an autoimmune disorder known as fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a challenging autoimmune disorder to diagnose. However, the symptoms are often correlated with muscular pain. This can cause many individuals to reduce their quality of life. Fibromyalgia can cause the body to be hypersensitive to pain and can cause chronic inflammation of the joints. However, some treatments are non-surgical, cost-effective, and can help provide the pain relief many people deserve. The video above explains how various non-surgical treatments can help reduce inflammatory and pain effects on the body through various treatments that can be combined to minimize the pain-like symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Acupuncture Reducing Fibromyalgia Pain
When it comes to treating fibromyalgia and reducing pain-like symptoms, many people will seek out non-surgical treatments to manage and improve the symptoms correlating with fibromyalgia. Acupuncture can help ease the pain-like symptoms that are affecting the body and reduce the myofascial trigger points correlating with fibromyalgia. Since acupuncture originated in China, it is one of the most popular sensory stimulation therapies that are non-surgical; acupuncturists who are highly trained use various techniques to insert and manipulate fine needles to stimulate specific anatomic trigger points in the body to restore balance to the body. (Zhang & Wang, 2020) For individuals dealing with fibromyalgia pain, acupuncture can be combined with other therapies as part of the individual’s personalized treatment plan. Acupuncture helps improve muscle pain caused by fibromyalgia.
Additionally, acupuncture can assist in regulating the somatosensory function of the body and reduce symptoms of muscle stiffness while enhancing a person’s quality of life. (Zheng & Zhou, 2022) Fibromyalgia is a chronic autoimmune disorder that can affect the musculoskeletal system and can cause unbearable pain to many people by disrupting a person’s quality of life. When combined with other therapies, acupuncture can provide a significant positive effect on managing fibromyalgia and enhancing a person’s quality of life. (Almutairi et al., 2022)
References
Almutairi, N. M., Hilal, F. M., Bashawyah, A., Dammas, F. A., Yamak Altinpulluk, E., Hou, J. D., Lin, J. A., Varrassi, G., Chang, K. V., & Allam, A. E. (2022). Efficacy of Acupuncture, Intravenous Lidocaine, and Diet in the Management of Patients with Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis. Healthcare (Basel), 10(7). doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10071176
Geel, S. E. (1994). The fibromyalgia syndrome: musculoskeletal pathophysiology. Semin Arthritis Rheum, 23(5), 347-353. doi.org/10.1016/0049-0172(94)90030-2
Gerwin, R. D. (1998). Myofascial pain and fibromyalgia: Diagnosis and treatment. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil, 11(3), 175-181. doi.org/10.3233/BMR-1998-11304
Lepri, B., Romani, D., Storari, L., & Barbari, V. (2023). Effectiveness of Pain Neuroscience Education in Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain and Central Sensitization: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 20(5). doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054098
Siracusa, R., Paola, R. D., Cuzzocrea, S., & Impellizzeri, D. (2021). Fibromyalgia: Pathogenesis, Mechanisms, Diagnosis and Treatment Options Update. Int J Mol Sci, 22(8). doi.org/10.3390/ijms22083891
Zhang, Y., & Wang, C. (2020). Acupuncture and Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain. Curr Rheumatol Rep, 22(11), 80. doi.org/10.1007/s11926-020-00954-z
Zheng, C., & Zhou, T. (2022). Effect of Acupuncture on Pain, Fatigue, Sleep, Physical Function, Stiffness, Well-Being, and Safety in Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Pain Res, 15, 315-329. doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S351320
Can individuals dealing with neck pain incorporate acupuncture as part of their health and wellness treatment to relieve headaches?
Introduction
As part of the musculoskeletal system, the neck allows the head to go into full rotation without feeling discomfort or pain. The neck is part of the cervical spine region and is surrounded by numerous ligaments, muscles, and tissues that help protect the spinal cord and the spinal column. However, the neck is also the most susceptible to injury neck to back pain as it is one the top three complaints many individuals suffer from at some point in their lives. When people experience neck pain, numerous causes can contribute to developing neck pain, while pain-like symptoms like headaches contribute to the body. This causes many individuals to seek treatment and find the relief they are looking for to reduce neck pain while continuing their daily routine. Today’s article looks at how neck pain is associated with headaches and how treatments like acupuncture can help with neck pain and reduce the painful effects of headaches. We talk with certified medical providers who utilize our patients’ information to provide acupuncture treatments to lessen the impact of headaches caused by neck pain. We also inform patients how multiple non-surgical treatments can help reduce headaches and pain-like symptoms associated with neck pain. We encourage our patients to ask their associated medical providers intricated and important questions about the pain-like symptoms they are experiencing from neck pain. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., incorporates this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
Neck Pain & Headaches
Have you been experiencing unexplained stiffness along the sides of your neck? Do you feel a dull ache at the base of your neck or skull after looking down at your phone for an extended period? Or do you experience frequent headaches that are constant throughout the day? Many people dealing with these pain-like issues are associated with neck pain that is affecting their quality of life. Neck pain is amongst the top three complaints many people have experienced at some point. Neck pain has common presenting symptoms that are diagnosed, and the prevalence is much higher in older adults due to degenerative spinal changes in the facet joints and spinal discs. (Childress & Stuek, 2020) Many individuals experience common musculoskeletal pain conditions like muscle strains and stiffness when this happens. At the same time, neck pain can also be associated with neurological conditions that cause overlapping risk profiles, forcing many individuals to miss out on important events. Neck pain is a multifactorial musculoskeletal condition affecting many individuals as it induces them to miss work. This is because various modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors contribute to developing neck pain. (Kazeminasab et al., 2022) These risk factors can range from physical inactivity to poor posture, causing overlapping risk profiles that can trigger neck pain to advance over time.
So, how are headaches associated with neck pain? When a person is experiencing a headache, many would often think that the headaches are caused by not eating enough food or drinking enough water. Those are some of the factors that contribute to headaches, but they can also be due to the stress and comorbidities that are associated with neck pain. This is due to the risk factors many individuals don’t realize contribute to neck pain. Factors like the forward head position from smartphone usage cause tension on the cervical structures, generating potential degeneration and tearing of the neck structures. (Maayah et al., 2023) As repetitive motions affect the neck structure more over time, the nerve roots that surround the spine and spread through the upper extremities can become aggravated, and cause referred pain to different areas of the body, leading to headaches. When dealing with headaches associated with neck pain, they will feel stress, affecting their productivity. The headaches can range from acute to chronic, depending on the severity. Fortunately, many individuals dealing with headaches associated with neck pain will seek treatment to reduce the pain-like symptoms and feel the relief to return to their daily routine.
Healing After Trauma- Video
Many individuals who are dealing with neck pain often deal with headaches as a sign that risk factors are in play, like poor posture, slouching, or traumatic injuries that can affect their ability to work or participate in activities. This can cause many people to feel miserable and decrease their quality of life, thus causing them to seek out treatment for their pain, hence why many individuals opt for non-surgical treatments due to them being affordable and personalized. Non-surgical treatments range from chiropractic care to acupuncture, depending on the severity and location of where the pain is in the body. The video above shows how non-surgical treatments can help many individuals positively influence healing after a traumatic injury and restore a person’s well-being.
Acupuncture For Neck Pain
Non-surgical treatments are excellent for individuals trying to find the relief they seek in their neck pain. As stated earlier, non-surgical treatments are cost-effective and tailored to the person’s pain. Acupuncture is a form of non-surgical treatment that can help reduce the comorbidities associated with neck pain. Acupuncture is a medical practice in which highly trained, licensed, and certified professionals use solid, super-thin needles to be placed at specific points to treat the body. What this does is that when the needles are penetrating the points, it will begin to open any blockage or excess energy to flow correctly, restore balance to the body, and relieve the individual’s symptoms. (Berger et al., 2021) Some of the beneficial results that acupuncture can provide individuals with neck pain is a reduction of pain and disability to the neck while treating referred pain that is causing overlapping risk profiles to induce headaches. (Peron et al., 2022)
Acupuncture Relieving Headaches
Since headaches are associated with neck pain, acupuncture can help relieve the headaches from progressing further and enable many individuals to get back to their routine. Some overlapping risk profiles contributing to headaches include trigger points on the neck muscles that can cause non-dermatomal referral pain and discomfort. (Pourahmadi et al., 2019) When an acupuncturist is treating individuals for their headaches, many individuals will begin to feel the relief after a few consecutive sessions, and, combined with physical therapy to strengthen neck and shoulder muscles, will notice that the pain has been reduced significantly. Acupuncture is a safe, helpful, and available alternative treatment that is beneficial for many individuals dealing with headaches associated with neck pain. (Urits et al., 2020) By incorporating acupuncture as part of a person’s treatment plan, they can begin to feel the relief they deserve while also being more mindful of how they are treating their bodies to prevent pain-like symptoms from returning.
References
Berger, A. A., Liu, Y., Mosel, L., Champagne, K. A., Ruoff, M. T., Cornett, E. M., Kaye, A. D., Imani, F., Shakeri, A., Varrassi, G., Viswanath, O., & Urits, I. (2021). Efficacy of Dry Needling and Acupuncture in the Treatment of Neck Pain. Anesth Pain Med, 11(2), e113627. doi.org/10.5812/aapm.113627
Childress, M. A., & Stuek, S. J. (2020). Neck Pain: Initial Evaluation and Management. American Family Physician, 102(3), 150-156. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32735440
Kazeminasab, S., Nejadghaderi, S. A., Amiri, P., Pourfathi, H., Araj-Khodaei, M., Sullman, M. J. M., Kolahi, A. A., & Safiri, S. (2022). Neck pain: global epidemiology, trends and risk factors. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, 23(1), 26. doi.org/10.1186/s12891-021-04957-4
Maayah, M. F., Nawasreh, Z. H., Gaowgzeh, R. A. M., Neamatallah, Z., Alfawaz, S. S., & Alabasi, U. M. (2023). Neck pain associated with smartphone usage among university students. PLOS ONE, 18(6), e0285451. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285451
Peron, R., Rampazo, E. P., & Liebano, R. E. (2022). Traditional acupuncture and laser acupuncture in chronic nonspecific neck pain: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 23(1), 408. doi.org/10.1186/s13063-022-06349-y
Pourahmadi, M., Mohseni-Bandpei, M. A., Keshtkar, A., Koes, B. W., Fernandez-de-Las-Penas, C., Dommerholt, J., & Bahramian, M. (2019). Effectiveness of dry needling for improving pain and disability in adults with tension-type, cervicogenic, or migraine headaches: protocol for a systematic review. Chiropr Man Therap, 27, 43. doi.org/10.1186/s12998-019-0266-7
Urits, I., Patel, M., Putz, M. E., Monteferrante, N. R., Nguyen, D., An, D., Cornett, E. M., Hasoon, J., Kaye, A. D., & Viswanath, O. (2020). Acupuncture and Its Role in the Treatment of Migraine Headaches. Neurol Ther, 9(2), 375-394. doi.org/10.1007/s40120-020-00216-1
For individuals dealing with neck or arm pain and migraine headache symptoms it could be a splenius capitis muscle injury. Can knowing the causes and symptoms help healthcare providers develop an effective treatment plan?
Splenius Capitis Muscles
The splenius capitis is a deep muscle located on the upper back. Along with the splenius cervicis, it comprises the superficial layer – one of the three – of intrinsic back muscles. The splenius capitis works with the splenius cervicis, a smaller muscle located below it, to help rotate the neck and lower the chin to the chest, known as flexing. Maintaining a healthy posture is important because it helps keep the head in a neutral position.
Starting at the midline of the spine at C3 to T3, the splenius capitis spans the levels between the 7th cervical vertebra to the 3rd or 4th thoracic vertebrae, which varies for different individuals.
The muscle inserts at the nuchal ligament, which is a strong ligament of the neck.
The splenius capitis muscle angles up and out, attaching to the skull.
The splenius capitis and cervicis cover the vertical paraspinals, which are deeper and comprise the intermediate layer of the intrinsic back muscles.
The splenius muscles look like a bandage for the paraspinals and the vertical muscles that comprise the deepest layer.
The splenius muscles hold these deeper layers in the correct position.
These muscles start at the center of the spine and together form a V shape.
The sides of the V are thick, and the central indentation is shallow.
Pain
It’s common for individuals to experience pain associated with injury to the splenius capitis. This type of pain is known as splenius capitis syndrome. (Ernest E, Ernest M. 2011)
Symptoms
A headache stemming from injury often mimics a migraine headache. Symptoms of splenius capitis syndrome include: (Ernest E, Ernest M. 2011)
It’s recommended to contact a healthcare provider if experiencing symptoms that interfere with daily activities or quality of life. A healthcare provider will:
Can individuals with osteoarthritis incorporate spinal decompression therapy to restore spinal mobility and quality of life?
Introduction
As the body ages, so does the spine, as the spinal disc between the joints and the bones starts dehydrating from constant compression through repetitive motions. The many environmental factors contributing to this degenerative disorder can vary within the person and lead to arthritic conditions within the upper and lower extremities. One of the most common types of arthritis is osteoarthritis, and it can affect many people worldwide. Dealing with osteoarthritis in their joints can cause numerous pain-like symptoms that correlate with other body conditions, causing referred pain. However, many treatments can help slow the process of osteoarthritis and relieve the body from the pain-like symptoms of the joints. Today’s article looks at how osteoarthritis affects spinal mobility and how treatments can restore spinal mobility from the effects of osteoarthritis. We talk with certified medical providers who utilize our patients’ information to provide various treatments to reduce the impact of osteoarthritis on the joints. We also inform patients how multiple treatments can help slow down the degenerative process of osteoarthritis. We encourage our patients to ask their associated medical providers intricated and important questions about the pain-like symptoms they are experiencing from osteoarthritis. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., incorporates this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
How Does Osteoarthritis Affect Spinal Mobility?
Have you noticed morning stiffness after a good night’s rest? Do you feel tenderness in your joints after some light pressure? Or do you feel limited mobility in your joints, causing a restricted range of motion? Many of these pain-like scenarios are correlated with osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disorder that has affected many individuals, including older adults. As stated earlier, when the body ages, so do the joints, bones, and spine. Regarding osteoarthritis, the joints will degenerate through natural wear and tear around the cartilage. Osteoarthritis affects multiple joints like the hips and knees, which are the most common, and the spine, and causes numerous sensory-motor dysfunctions. (Yao et al., 2023) When the cartilage around the affected joints starts to deteriorate, the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis causes a disturbed cytokine balance of the proinflammatory cytokines to initiate a vicious cycle that causes cartilage and other intra-articular structure damage around the joint. (Molnar et al., 2021) What this does is that when osteoarthritis starts to affect the joints, it can lead to numerous referred pain-like symptoms.
However, although osteoarthritis can affect the joints, naturally, numerous environmental factors do play a part in the development of osteoarthritis. Physical inactivity, obesity, bone deformities, and joint injuries are some of the causes that can progress the degenerative process. The symptoms that are associated with these environmental factors include:
Pain
Joint stiffness
Tenderness
Inflammation
Swelling
Grating sensation
Bone spurs
Many individuals dealing with pain-like symptoms caused by osteoarthritis will explain to their primary doctors that the pain varies in duration, depth, type of occurrence, impact, and rhythm. This is because the pain from osteoarthritis is complex and multifactorial. (Wood et al., 2022) However, many individuals can look for the help they need to reduce the pain-like issues caused by osteoarthritis through treatments that can slow down the degenerative progress.
An In-depth Look At Spinal Decompression-Video
When it comes to seeking treatment to reduce the effects of osteoarthritis, many individuals seek out treatments that are cost-effective and safe for older individuals. Non-surgical treatments could be the solution many individuals seek to reduce the progress of osteoarthritis. When people experiencing osteoarthritis go to non-surgical treatments, they find out that the pain is decreased, their range of motion is increased, and their physical function has improved. (Alkhawajah & Alshami, 2019) At the same time, non-surgical treatments can be combined with other therapies to the individual’s personalized treatment plan. No-surgical treatments can range from chiropractic care to spinal decompression as they work on gently realigning the spine through traction and help reduce joint and muscle pain. The video above gives an in-depth look at spinal decompression and how it can benefit individuals who are in pain.
Spinal Decompression Restoring Spinal Mobility From Osteoarthritis
Since spinal decompression is a form of non-surgical treatment, it can help slow down the process of osteoarthritis. Spinal decompression incorporates traction to gently pull on the spine, allowing the discs and joints to be lubricated and permitting the natural healing process to occur. This is because the surrounding muscles that protect the joints are being stretched gently and the vertebral disc space is being increased to allow the disc to be rehydrated and the protrusion to recede back to its original position. (Cyriax, 1950) Spinal decompression can help slow down the degenerative process of osteoarthritis, and when combined with physical therapy, the surrounding muscles, tissues, and ligaments are strengthened.
In contrast, joint and spinal mobility and flexibility are increased. Spinal decompression can also help many individuals reduce their chances of surgery, as consecutive sessions can help provide pain relief and functional improvement to the spine. (Choi et al., 2022) When people regain their spinal mobility back to their bodies from spinal decompression, they can make small changes in their daily routine to slow down the degenerative process of osteoarthritis.
References
Alkhawajah, H. A., & Alshami, A. M. (2019). The effect of mobilization with movement on pain and function in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized double-blind controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, 20(1), 452. doi.org/10.1186/s12891-019-2841-4
Choi, E., Gil, H. Y., Ju, J., Han, W. K., Nahm, F. S., & Lee, P. B. (2022). Effect of Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression on Intensity of Pain and Herniated Disc Volume in Subacute Lumbar Herniated Disc. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 2022, 6343837. doi.org/10.1155/2022/6343837
Molnar, V., Matisic, V., Kodvanj, I., Bjelica, R., Jelec, Z., Hudetz, D., Rod, E., Cukelj, F., Vrdoljak, T., Vidovic, D., Staresinic, M., Sabalic, S., Dobricic, B., Petrovic, T., Anticevic, D., Boric, I., Kosir, R., Zmrzljak, U. P., & Primorac, D. (2021). Cytokines and Chemokines Involved in Osteoarthritis Pathogenesis. Int J Mol Sci, 22(17). doi.org/10.3390/ijms22179208
Wood, M. J., Miller, R. E., & Malfait, A. M. (2022). The Genesis of Pain in Osteoarthritis: Inflammation as a Mediator of Osteoarthritis Pain. Clin Geriatr Med, 38(2), 221-238. doi.org/10.1016/j.cger.2021.11.013
Yao, Q., Wu, X., Tao, C., Gong, W., Chen, M., Qu, M., Zhong, Y., He, T., Chen, S., & Xiao, G. (2023). Osteoarthritis: pathogenic signaling pathways and therapeutic targets. Signal Transduct Target Ther, 8(1), 56. doi.org/10.1038/s41392-023-01330-w
Can individuals dealing with myofascial pain syndrome in their bodies find the relief they are looking for through acupuncture?
Introduction
The musculoskeletal system has numerous ligaments, joints, soft tissues, and muscles that allow the body to be in motion without feeling pain or discomfort. The musculoskeletal system has upper and lower body portions, and each quadrant has a specific job it needs to do. The head works with the neck for the upper body portions to allow it to turn and be mobile. The shoulders work with the arms and hands to allow flexibility while stabilizing the neck. For the lower body portions, the hips and legs stabilize the upper body’s weight and help the different quadrants flex, extend, and rotate without pain. However, when traumatic or normal forces start to affect the body, it can lead to pain and discomfort, depending on the severity. When this happens, it can cause the muscle fibers from the upper and lower body portions to become tight and form tiny nodules known as trigger points to cause myofascial pain. This causes many individuals to be in constant discomfort and feel pain in different body locations. However, there are numerous treatments that can reduce the pain from the trigger points and restore muscle function to the body. Today’s article examines how myofascial pain syndrome affects the body, how non-surgical treatments like acupuncture can reduce trigger point pain, and how acupuncture can restore body function. We speak with certified medical providers who incorporate our patients’ information to provide various treatments to reduce the effects of myofascial pain syndrome on the body. We also inform patients how non-surgical therapies like acupuncture can help restore body function that is caused by myofascial pain. We encourage our patients to ask intricated questions to our associated medical providers about the pain-like symptoms they are experiencing from myofascial pain syndrome that is affecting their bodies. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., utilizes this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
Myofascial Pain Syndrome Affecting The Body
Do you feel pain radiating in certain locations in your body, affecting your daily routine? Are you feeling any complaints in your back, knees, elbows, or shoulders? Or do you have mobility issues that are affecting your gait and making you feel unstable? Many of these issues that people are experiencing are known as myofascial pain syndrome, and it can cause overlapping risk profiles in the musculoskeletal system. Myofascial pain syndrome is a problematic musculoskeletal pain originating from the muscles and surrounding fascia. (Tantanatip & Chang, 2023) This common musculoskeletal condition causes localized pain in certain body areas or referred pain to various muscle locations. When a person is dealing with myofascial pain syndrome, their muscles in the upper or lower body quadrants will become overstretched and tight through repetitive motions that can cause tiny nodules known as trigger points that can be a source of where the pain might originate from. When people are dealing with myofascial pain syndrome in their bodies, they will inform their primary doctors that they are experiencing pain in different locations in their bodies that are causing them pain. The doctor then will ask the individual numerous questions and examine where the pain is occurring. The doctor will also take note of the person’s daily routine, allowing the doctor to diagnose that myofascial pain syndrome is at play.
When myofascial pain syndrome affects body function, it can come in the forms of nociceptive pain and neuropathic pain. When the muscle fibers in the upper and lower extremities are dealing with trigger points, the surrounding nerve roots that provide the sensory-motor function to the arms and legs can become irritated, causing spot tenderness, referred pain, and nerve root compression that can cause the muscles to succumb to muscle trauma and muscle overload. (Fernandez-de-Las-Penas et al., 2023) To that point, myofascial pain syndrome can affect a person’s quality of life as the mechanisms of the comorbidities combined with the psychological stressors that are impacting the muscles might sensitize the trigger points. (Sabeh et al., 2020) However, when the pain becomes excruciating in the muscles that are caused by myofascial pain syndrome, many individuals will start to seek treatment to not only reduce the pain but also restore their body functionality.
The Non-Surgical Approach To Wellness- Video
Have you been dealing with radiating or localized pain in different body locations? How about experiencing mobility issues when moving your upper or lower extremities? Or do you experience stability issues from walking from one location to another? Many of these pain-like scenarios are associated with myofascial pain syndrome that is affecting the musculoskeletal system. When the human body is dealing with myofascial pain syndrome, it can be difficult to diagnose due to the affected muscles causing referred pain. At the same time, when a person is dealing with myofascial pain syndrome is not finding treatment to reduce the pain, it can lead to major health problems like:
Mobility impairment
Muscle pain and hypersensitivity
Nerve issues
Neurological issues
When people with myofascial pain syndrome are looking for treatment, they are looking for cost-effective treatments that can be combined with other therapies that can help reduce the pain and restore body function to the extremities. Non-surgical treatments can be the solution for many individuals because they are cost-effective and can be personalized. The video above shows how non-surgical treatments like chiropractic care can help restore the body through manual and mechanical manipulation that can stretch and locate the trigger points while restoring body function to the extremities.
Acupuncture Reducing Trigger Point Pain
When a person goes in for non-surgical treatments for their myofascial pain syndrome, acupuncture could be the answer. Acupuncture is an Eastern medical practice from China performed by highly trained licensed professionals. So, how can acupuncture help alleviate trigger point pain from myofascial pain syndrome? Acupuncturists use solid, super thin needles to place them in specific points in the body to reduce the referred pain-like symptoms causing issues. This causes the myofascial trigger points to become inactive and, reduces intramuscular hypertension, relieves uneven musculoskeletal pull, and improves mechanical balance in the upper and lower extremities. (Lin et al., 2022)
Acupuncture Restoring Body Function
Acupuncture is traditionally used to restore the normal flow of energy to the body. Still, in the modern era, it has been shown to have multiple positive effects on the central and peripheral nervous systems. So, since myofascial pain syndrome is both nociceptive and neuropathic, the effects of acupuncture can change the pain’s perspective while causing the body’s natural healing process to be restored. (Kelly & Willis, 2019) At the same time, acupuncturists can gently prick and stimulate the affected tendon with the myofascial to induce a muscle twitch to relax the tight muscle. (Qiu et al., 2023) This allows the body to relax and helps reduce the chances of trigger points returning to the muscle facia. For individuals who are looking for treatment for their myofascial pain syndrome, incorporating acupuncture could be the solution to restore body function to the musculoskeletal system.
References
Fernandez-de-Las-Penas, C., Nijs, J., Cagnie, B., Gerwin, R. D., Plaza-Manzano, G., Valera-Calero, J. A., & Arendt-Nielsen, L. (2023). Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A Nociceptive Condition Comorbid with Neuropathic or Nociplastic Pain. Life (Basel), 13(3). doi.org/10.3390/life13030694
Lin, X., Li, F., Lu, H., Zhu, M., & Peng, T. Z. (2022). Acupuncturing of myofascial pain trigger points for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore), 101(8), e28838. doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000028838
Qiu, X. H., Yang, X. Y., Wang, Y. Y., Tian, S. L., Yan, Y. B., Xu, A. P., Fu, F., Wen, F. Y., Yang, Y., Zhang, Y., Zhang, Y. Q., Yang, Z. W., Xu, C., Sun, Q. H., Wu, X. L., Dai, X. Y., Li, N., & Cheng, K. (2023). Myofascial acupuncture versus routine acupuncture for mechanical neck pain: a protocol for a multicentre randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, 13(8), e068129. doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2022-068129
Sabeh, A. M., Bedaiwi, S. A., Felemban, O. M., & Mawardi, H. H. (2020). Myofascial Pain Syndrome and Its Relation to Trigger Points, Facial Form, Muscular Hypertrophy, Deflection, Joint Loading, Body Mass Index, Age and Educational Status. J Int Soc Prev Community Dent, 10(6), 786-793. doi.org/10.4103/jispcd.JISPCD_328_20
For individuals experiencing pelvic pain, can incorporating acupuncture help alleviate and reduce low back pain?
Introduction
In the musculoskeletal system, the upper and lower body portions have jobs to allow the host to be in motion. The lower body portions provide stability and maintain proper posture, which can help the surrounding muscles be strong and protect the vital organs. The skeletal joints in the body help ensure that the person’s body weight is evenly distributed. For the musculoskeletal system, the pelvic region in the lower body portion helps with stabilization and provides normal urinary function to the body. However, when normal and traumatic factors begin to affect the lower portions of the body, it can lead to pain-like issues that can cause some visceral referred pain to the lower back, and it can make many individuals think they are experiencing lower back pain, which is one of the symptoms associated with pelvic pain. When many individuals are experiencing pelvic pain associated with lower back pain, many will opt to seek treatment to reduce the pain-like symptoms and restore their body function. Today’s article looks at how pelvic pain is associated with low back pain and how treatments like acupuncture can help reduce pelvic pain associated with low back pain and provide relief. We speak with certified medical providers who incorporate our patients’ information to provide various treatments to ease low back pain correlated with pelvic pain. We also inform patients how non-surgical therapies like acupuncture can help reduce the effects of pelvic pain. We encourage our patients to ask intricated questions to our associated medical providers about the pain-like symptoms they are experiencing correlating with pelvic pain that is also causing issues in their lower backs. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., utilizes this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
How Pelvic Pain Is Associated With Low Back Pain?
Have you experienced excruciating pain from excessive sitting that is causing pain in your lower back or pelvic region? Do you feel stiffness in your lower back and pelvic region due to poor posture? Or are you experiencing intense cramping around your pelvic area? When many individuals are dealing with these pain-like issues, it is correlated with pelvic pain. Now, pelvic pain is a common, disabling, persistent pain that is associated with comorbidities that are multifactorial and are often centralized pain. (Dydyk & Gupta, 2023) At the same time, pelvic pain is a challenge to diagnose due to being multifactorial and sharing the numerous nerve roots that are spread out and intertwined with the lumbar region. To this point, this causes referred pain to the lower back and causes many individuals to think they are experiencing lower back pain when, in actuality, they are dealing with pelvic pain. This is due to the pelvic floor muscles becoming weak, which can cause many individuals to develop poor posture, leading to low back pain over time.
Additionally, when the pelvic region is misaligned due to repetitive motions that cause lower back pain, it can cause the surrounding muscles to be overstretched and loose around the sacroiliac joints. (Mutaguchi et al., 2022) When this happens, the surrounding muscles surrounding the hips and lower back may weaken, leading to anterior pelvic tilt and causing alterations to the lumbopelvic area.
Since the lumbopelvic area is in the lower body portions, it can cause alterations to the body’s skeletal structure, leading to lower back pain. When an increasing number of individuals deal with spinal deformity, they will maintain a standing position while preventing their central gravity from moving forward by using their pelvic muscles to compensate for their weight. (Murata et al., 2023) When this happens, it causes the surrounding core muscles and back muscles to overstretch, which then causes the accessory muscles to produce more energy and do the primary muscles’ jobs. This causes urinary and muscle issues that cause tomato-visceral referred pain in the musculoskeletal system. However, there are numerous ways to reduce pelvic pain associated with low back pain while restoring pelvic function and restoring muscle strength to the surrounding core muscles in the pelvic region.
Is Motion Key To Healing- Video
Have you been experiencing any muscle stiffness around your hips, lower back, or pelvic region? Do you feel you have a limited range of motion in the morning, only for it to feel better throughout the day? Or are you experiencing bladder issues that are correlated with low back pain? Many of these pain-like scenarios are associated with pelvic pain and can cause common back pain issues that cause many individuals to be hunched over and be in constant pain. Since pelvic pain is a multifactorial musculoskeletal disorder, it can be associated with comorbidities that can cause issues to the lumbar region of the spine and affect the body’s mobility. However, numerous treatments can reduce the effects of pelvic pain and restore low back mobility to the body. When it comes to looking for treatments, many individuals will look for therapies that are cost-effective and can help reduce the referred pain that is associated with low back and pelvic pain. The video above shows how non-surgical treatments can help restore mobility to the lower extremities.
Acupuncture For Pelvic & Low Back Pain
When it comes to non-surgical treatments, many individuals will seek cost-effective treatments. Treatments like chiropractic care, spinal decompression, and massage therapy can help reduce low back pain, but for pelvic pain, many individuals will seek out acupuncture. Acupuncture is a medical practice performed by a highly trained professional that uses solid but thin needles in specific body areas. So, for individuals dealing with pelvic pain, acupuncture can help restore the balance of energy that is associated with the internal organs that are causing the pain. (Yang et al., 2022) Acupuncture can help restore power to the pelvic region by redirecting the energy to the body and helping reduce impairment and functional disorders. (Pan et al., 2023) Acupuncture can minimize low back pain by selecting certain trigger points that can influence the areas between the hips and back to unblock circulation back to the muscle. (Sudhakaran, 2021) When many people start incorporating acupuncture as part of their personalized treatment plan, they can utilize it with other therapies to feel better and improve their health.
Murata, S., Hashizume, H., Tsutsui, S., Oka, H., Teraguchi, M., Ishomoto, Y., Nagata, K., Takami, M., Iwasaki, H., Minamide, A., Nakagawa, Y., Tanaka, S., Yoshimura, N., Yoshida, M., & Yamada, H. (2023). Pelvic compensation accompanying spinal malalignment and back pain-related factors in a general population: the Wakayama spine study. Sci Rep, 13(1), 11862. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-39044-2
Mutaguchi, M., Murayama, R., Takeishi, Y., Kawajiri, M., Yoshida, A., Nakamura, Y., Yoshizawa, T., & Yoshida, M. (2022). Relationship between low back pain and stress urinary incontinence at 3 months postpartum. Drug Discov Ther, 16(1), 23-29. doi.org/10.5582/ddt.2022.01015
Pan, J., Jin, S., Xie, Q., Wang, Y., Wu, Z., Sun, J., Guo, T. P., & Zhang, D. (2023). Acupuncture for Chronic Prostatitis or Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Pain Res Manag, 2023, 7754876. doi.org/10.1155/2023/7754876
Can working individuals with low back pain incorporate nonsurgical treatments to reduce limited mobility and provide relief?
Introduction
Many working individuals will slowly develop low back pain due to excessive standing or sitting, physical demands that cause them to lift heavy objects, or improper footwear that causes them to be imbalanced. Since the spine is part of the musculoskeletal system, the spinal discs in the lumbar region are the most susceptible to being compressed. They can be one of the issues why many individuals tend to develop lower back pain. Low back pain is common for working individuals and is a multifactorial musculoskeletal disorder that causes many working people to miss out on work. However, many people with low back pain often seek treatment to reduce the pain and help them get back to work. Today’s article looks at the causes of low back pain and how nonsurgical treatments can help reduce low back pain and restore mobility to the body. We speak with certified medical providers who incorporate our patients’ information to provide various treatments to ease low back pain. We also inform patients how nonsurgical treatments can help restore mobility to the body while giving numerous techniques to reduce the chances of low back pain returning. We encourage our patients to ask intricated questions to our associated medical providers about the pain-like symptoms they are experiencing correlating with their backs. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., utilizes this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
The Causes For Low Back Pain
Do you feel stiffness in your lower back after a hard workday? Do you experience muscle aches or pain in your lower back after picking up a heavy object? Or do you experience limited mobility and stiffness over time after excessive standing or sitting at your job? Many individuals in these pain-like scenarios have experienced low back pain at some point in their lives, and it has impacted them to miss out on work. Since many people worldwide have experienced low back pain at some point in their lives, it has become a common problem that has become the leading cause of disability and is often associated with high cost. (Chou, 2021) Low back pain is a multifactorial condition that is specific or non-specific depending on the severity of the person’s experience. Non-specific low back pain often refers to when there isn’t a particular disease or structural reason for the pain to occur. This causes many people to go into early retirement due to losing their ability to work and become a socio-economic burden when seeking treatment. (Chenot et al., 2017) Specific low back pain is due to repetitive trauma and overusing the surrounding muscles that can cause the spine and spinal disc to be constantly compressed. This causes musculoskeletal pain symptoms and affects the rest of the lower extremities. (Will et al., 2018)
Some of the causes that low back pain is associated with can range from normal environmental factors to traumatic injuries that many working individuals have endured. Since low back pain is one of the leading causes of lost workdays around the world, some of the common causes that are contributed to low back pain include:
Mechanical strain
Obesity
Poor body mechanics
Trauma
Repetitive motions (twisting, bending, or lifting)
Herniated disc
Spinal stenosis
These pain-like causes can affect the upper and lower extremities and, when not being treated, lead to pain-like symptoms from radiating pain to limited mobility. However, when many people decide that enough is enough and want to get the treatment they need, they will seek out something that is not only affordable but can reduce the pain while restoring mobility.
The Power Of Chiropractic Care-Video
Nonsurgical Treatments For Low Back Pain
When it comes to seeking treatment for low back pain, many individuals are looking for something that is not only cost-effective but can help reduce the pain-like symptoms associated with the lower back. Nonsurgical treatments can help reduce low back pain and are cost-effective for many individuals including working individuals. Treatments like acupuncture, chiropractic care, and spinal decompression have various techniques and methods to provide pain relief to many individuals dealing with low back pain. Knowing the prevalence of the multiple pathologies of low back pain, a detailed history, and physical examination maneuvers allow doctors to accurately and quickly classify the most common causes of low back pain. (Kinkade, 2007) This will give them a better understanding of what kind of low back pain treatment they need to restore mobility to their bodies.
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care is a nonsurgical treatment that incorporates manual and mechanical manipulation to realign the body out of subluxation from low back pain. Chiropractic care can be incorporated into a person’s health and wellness treatment plan as it can help improve pain and disability associated with low back pain. (Bussieres et al., 2018) Chiropractors combine various techniques to stretch and strengthen weak muscles around the lower back and reduce low back pain intensity and disability. (Vining et al., 2020) Chiropractic care can also work with other forms of therapies to reduce the chances of low back pain from returning.
Spinal Decompression
Spinal decompression is another form of nonsurgical treatment that can help the lumbar spine through gentle traction and help decompress affected spinal discs from causing mechanical back pain. Spinal decompression can also alleviate the referred pain-like symptoms from the nerve roots involved in the lumbar region while rehydrating herniated discs. Spinal decompression can also help many individuals have their lumbar range of motion back and improve their pain and endurance while restoring their quality of life. (Amjad et al., 2022) Just like chiropractic care, spinal decompression can be combined with other therapies to strengthen the surrounding muscles and ligaments.
Acupuncture
With low back pain being a common problem for many individuals, sometimes it could be due to aggravated nerve roots along the surrounding muscles that are causing referred trigger pain correlating with low back pain. When that happens, many individuals will seek out acupuncture to reduce the pain and improve their quality of life. (Baroncini et al., 2022) Acupuncture can reduce the inflammatory effects caused by inflammation associated with low back pain and can increase mobility in the sacroiliac joint to improve mobility. (Sudhakaran, 2021) Depending on the source of pain in the back, acupuncture can help reduce the pain and provide relief. Many individuals seeking treatment for their lower back can incorporate these treatments to improve their health and restore their quality of life.
References
Amjad, F., Mohseni-Bandpei, M. A., Gilani, S. A., Ahmad, A., & Hanif, A. (2022). Effects of non-surgical decompression therapy in addition to routine physical therapy on pain, range of motion, endurance, functional disability and quality of life versus routine physical therapy alone in patients with lumbar radiculopathy; a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, 23(1), 255. doi.org/10.1186/s12891-022-05196-x
Baroncini, A., Maffulli, N., Eschweiler, J., Molsberger, F., Klimuch, A., & Migliorini, F. (2022). Acupuncture in chronic aspecific low back pain: a Bayesian network meta-analysis. J Orthop Surg Res, 17(1), 319. doi.org/10.1186/s13018-022-03212-3
Bussieres, A. E., Stewart, G., Al-Zoubi, F., Decina, P., Descarreaux, M., Haskett, D., Hincapie, C., Page, I., Passmore, S., Srbely, J., Stupar, M., Weisberg, J., & Ornelas, J. (2018). Spinal Manipulative Therapy and Other Conservative Treatments for Low Back Pain: A Guideline From the Canadian Chiropractic Guideline Initiative. J Manipulative Physiol Ther, 41(4), 265-293. doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2017.12.004
Chenot, J. F., Greitemann, B., Kladny, B., Petzke, F., Pfingsten, M., & Schorr, S. G. (2017). Non-Specific Low Back Pain. Dtsch Arztebl Int, 114(51-52), 883-890. doi.org/10.3238/arztebl.2017.0883
Vining, R., Long, C. R., Minkalis, A., Gudavalli, M. R., Xia, T., Walter, J., Coulter, I., & Goertz, C. M. (2020). Effects of Chiropractic Care on Strength, Balance, and Endurance in Active-Duty U.S. Military Personnel with Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Altern Complement Med, 26(7), 592-601. doi.org/10.1089/acm.2020.0107
Will, J. S., Bury, D. C., & Miller, J. A. (2018). Mechanical Low Back Pain. American Family Physician, 98(7), 421-428. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30252425
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