It’s a frequent occurrence: You twist or tilt your head to the side and your neck cracks. You could be asking yourself why your neck does that but more importantly, is it something to be concerned about?
Rest assured that, typically, neck-cracking is nothing to worry about. However, there are a few exceptions when popping in the neck may be an indication of a more serious issue. It’s worth learning about the signs of unhealthy neck cracking.
Crepitus: Benign Joint Cracking
Whenever a joint in the body creates a cracking, popping, or grinding sound or feeling, this is referred to as crepitus. Experts think that crepitus is caused by gas bubbles in the synovial fluid of the joint being formed or bursting. Crepitus is considered benign, and studies haven’t shown any signs that it may cause joint damage or raise risk for arthritis.
A surefire indication that a neck crack is the end result of crepitus would be to repeat the motion that caused it and see if it happens again. Otherwise, the crack was probably crepitus. It requires about 20 minutes to the gas bubbles to reform.
When Neck Cracking Becomes a Concern
Generally speaking, neck cracking probably does not indicate a problem. However, a doctor ought to be consulted if neck cracking communicates some of the following symptoms:
Pain or swelling. Neck crepitus with pain or swelling could indicate osteoarthritis or some other kind of process .
Recent accident or injury. If the neck is creating new cracking or grinding sounds after trauma following a car crash or a fall, then that may signal a structural change which may need proper care.
Frequent or constant. If the neck crepitus is continuous, the joint is moved, then that could signal an issue in function, especially when accompanied by pain.
Recent surgery. Sometimes the neck develops crepitus after surgery in the cervical spinal column. While they could be normal and nothing to worry about, hey need to be mentioned to the surgeon in case.
Could Neck Cracking Cause More Serious Issues?
Some individuals regularly crack their neck on purpose, either due to a nervous habit or perhaps to bring some therapeutic relief from neck tightness. As such, it’s typical for people to wonder if by cracking the neck, the joints can be worn down and lead to arthritis.
The medical literature indicates that repeatedly cracking the neck, or some of the synovial joints throughout the body, doesn’t increase an individual’s risk for developing arthritis at those joints. Some studies suggest negative effects, such as loosened ligaments, could potentially result from this, however.
While quite infrequent, there are reports of vertebral artery dissection leading to a stroke following specific forms of manipulation of the cervical spine. This is likely to happen if the patient seeks treatment from a health care professional who doesn’t practice spinal manipulation. As a normal precaution, anyone experiencing concerning symptoms like nausea, nausea, lightheadedness, numbness, tingling, or other troubling symptoms not listed here, should consult with a qualified medical professional immediately.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
You’ve perhaps heard of functional medicine, the medical care strategy that requires a “systems” perspective of health by focusing on the sources of dysfunction in the body as well as also the interactions among genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors. Functional nutrition fits within this framework to analyze how food “functions” inside our own bodies to both provide nourishment but also to influence the body’s health (or disease) itself.
Beyond basic fuel, how does food help generate health each day?
Food is one of the most basic and potent inputs we provide our bodies, a clear and impactful message to our biochemistry. It’s one of several links between our internal and external environments. More than two thousand decades ago, the Greek physician Hippocrates offered the famous quote, “Let medicine be thy food and thy food be thy medicine.” Now it is a rallying cry for supporters of food nourishment. What should this mean for you?
Nutrition as a Part of Functional Medicine
If it comes to health care, too often we put energy, time and cash. We’ll never envision optimal health and well-being at this route. When we get to the underlying causes of our physical dysfunction (e.g. insulin resistance, high blood pressure, inflammatory conditions), we suddenly gain a panoramic view of what feeds (sometimes actually speaking) our dysfunction and that which, consequently, can nourish or excite it toward optimal operation.
Functional nutrition at its best both examines the balance of our personal dietary landscape to see how well we’re nourishing our bodies’ needs and targets specific foods that might have especially potent impact to tackle the delicate and not-so-subtle dysfunctions that we harbor.
As an example, if you have an inflammatory condition or your blood markers reveal higher than normal inflammatory amounts, you will not only need to be sure to steer clear of inflammation-promoting foods but also make the most of this anti-inflammatory effectiveness of certain foods (e.g. turmeric, omega-3’s found in fatty fish and caliber omega nutritional supplements, cruciferous vegetables, berries, etc.). Functional nutrition emphasizes that specific decisions can function to your own personal benefit and that your nutrition should get the job done for you.
Goals of Functional Nutrition
Functional nutrition should enhance your health status, improve vitality, satiety, and ability to heal from injury or illness. When our choices start to include fresh, fibrous, and minimally processed foods, our dietary patterns start to work in our favor in many respects when compared to diets of highly-processed, nutrient-poor foods. From there, proper individualized recommendations might help us incorporate targeted/therapeutic food choices that are additional.
Functional nutrition should foster resilience in spite of numerous challenges we experience as we age and accumulate stresses (i.e. physical and psychological decline, sleep deprivation, various kinds of psychological distress). Age-related functional decline is an inevitable part of the human life cycle. In the last few generations we’ve seen some of the biggest gains in average population life expectancy along with the fastest increases in debilitating chronic disease observed. For people to satisfy their quests to live a ‘better-than-average’ lifetime, they must stay more resilient than ever in the surface of the multiple stressors modern life gifts. Quality nutrition helps us avoid these conditions, and Practical Nutrition guidance/therapy can help us manage them or dial them back if we affected.
Maybe most powerful, comprehending functional nutrition can help us realign our relationship with food. When we think about food as medicine, our paradigm on eating may change. We can better appreciate the impact of our daily choices. We can examine the backdrop of these options with a different view we make the decisions we do. The range broadens to real life program, how functional nutrition can fit inside our lifestyle performance.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
Migraine headaches, a clinical study involving 11 migraine patients and NUCCA care was recently conducted. Let’s take a look at the results and reveal the benefits of NUCCA care and how the study was conducted.
Method Of Study: Migraine Headaches
The 11 patients in the study had never experienced upper cervical chiropractic care before. All were subject to having migraine headaches and were required to have at least 10-26 days with a headache for the previous four months. Additionally, at least eight of those headache days per month required a 4 out of 10 or higher for pain. While many candidates had either a concussion, auto accident or both, candidates who experienced trauma in the past year were excluded.
NUCCA professionals used various kinds of testing to evaluate the patients. Supine Leg Check Screening tested patients� for visible signs of one leg being shorter, which may indicate atlas misalignment. Gravity stress analyzers were used, as well as, calipers for detecting asymmetry in the pelvis were used. A typical NUCCA radiograph series also includes three x-rays a lateral cervical film (side view), a nasium film (back view), and a vertex film (top view) to identify specific misalignments.
According to these diagnostic methods, the practitioner then prepares an alignment specifically designed for the patient involving the patient’s position, the stance of the practitioner, and the suitable force vector for atlas correction. Patients were given between one and five corrections.
Outcome: Migraine Patients
Headache days per month decreased for patients on average. 14.5 headache days per month was the norm. After one month of NUCCA treatment, patients experienced 11.4 headache days per month. At the conclusion of the two-month study, patients were down to 8.7 headache days per month.
Quality of life measurements in three categories also improved radically within the course of two months:
Restrictive enhanced from 38.4 to 73.5
Emotional improved from 53.3 to 81.2
Physical improved from 54.1 to 86.8
MIDAS score (which measures migraine headaches in the form of level of disability caused) improved from a mean of 46.7 to only 14.6.
While further studies are necessary to offer a quantifiable method of documenting the physiological changes which take place because of the corrections, the results speak for themselves as to the advantages of NUCCA for migraine headaches, especially those with a history of neck or head trauma.
Chiropractic & Headaches
Eliminate Headaches And Migraines Juice Recipe
Headaches and migraines. The only thing you want is for it to vanish. Here is a juice that immediately eliminates headaches and migraines! Try this juice recipe out, in addition to getting an adjustment!
Headaches and migraines are often the result of stress, poor diet, poor posture, emotional tension or exposure to environmental toxins. People reach for over-the-counter medications to help ease the pain, but there are much safer and natural ways of getting rid of headaches.
This juice is loaded with minerals such as magnesium and calcium, two crucial components in helping prevent and alleviate headaches. A juice as opposed to these foods in solid form will help nutrients reach the bloodstream faster, alleviating headaches and migraines in a jiffy!
5 stalks celery
1 cucumber
1 cup parsley
2 granny smith apples
3-4 cups leafy greens (ex. spinach, arugula)
Two inches ginger root
1 lime
METHOD:
Blend all ingredients in a juicer, blender, food processor and enjoy immediately to preserve freshness and antioxidants!
You slouch in your chair as you finish a report while at the office. When you get home, you want to unwind, so you spend a couple of hours weeding your garden with your back hunched forward. Then, at the end of the day, you end up experiencing back pain. Why? As it turns out, your posture may be contributing to back pain.
How does bad posture provoke back pain?
You may not feel any ill-effects after sitting with poor posture for a few hours, but over time the stress that poor posture puts in your spine can result in anatomical changes to the structure of your spine. This in turn can provoke back pain through the constriction of nerves and your blood vessels. In addition, the pressure from poor posture can lead to back pain by inducing issues with the intervertebral discs, your muscles, and joints.
Back pain caused by poor posture may have some of the following characteristics:
Back pain that worsens at certain times of the day
Pain that starts in your neck and goes down to your upper and lower back
Pain that subsides after shifting positions while sitting or standing
Sudden back pain which coincides with a new job, a new office chair, or even a new automobile
Maintaining Proper Posture
If poor posture can result in back pain, then it logically follows that proper posture can help you avoid back pain. Here is how to keep a good posture while lifting, sitting, and walking:
Walk Tall
It’s easy to forget about your posture when you’re working out or running errands, but your posture is no less important once you’re walking than when you’re sitting. While walking, it’s very important to look straight before you and to keep your head balanced straight above your backbone. In addition, remain tall (avoid drooping your shoulders) while you are walking, and make sure to land on your heel and then gently roll forward to push off the front of your foot.
Sit with Support
If you’re like most people, you sit for at least eight hours daily. With this much of your daily life spent sitting down, it’s very important that you sit with proper posture. One common posture mistake lots of men and women make is the “office seat hunch,” in which a person sits at the front of the seat and hunches ahead to reach their computer screen.
Rather than hunching forward, here is the way to sit with proper posture in your office:
Keep your back flush from the seat with your shoulders tall along with your mind level over your backbone.
When sitting at a desk, then keep your arms bent at a 75 to 90 degree angle at the elbows.
Keep your knees level with your hips or sit with your knees slightly over your buttocks if seated at a desk.
Keep your feet flat on the floor. If you are unable to reach the floor, you can utilize a footrest.
Lift Carefully
Improper lifting techniques may lead to injury on the joints, tendons, and disks in your back. To assist you when avoiding back pain, here are three simple guidelines for lifting both heavy and light objects:
Keep your chest forward. To ensure you keep your spine straight while lifting, bend your hips, not your back, and keep your chest out.
Lead with your hips. Lead with your hips to prevent putting additional strain on your back, when changing directions while lifting.
Keep weight near your body. Keep the object you are lifting close to your body.
These techniques can help prevent event ease symptoms of back pain associated with poor posture. However, if back pain becomes chronic or persistent, an underlying injury or condition may be causing the symptoms. Make sure to seek proper medical attention from a back pain specialist, including chiropractic care.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
Back pain myths are like any other, however, your mom was not totally wrong; hunching can certainly be bad for your back. But the opposite is true as well. Strain can be also caused by sitting up for too long without a break. If you work make sure that your chair is at a height where your knees are at a 90-degree angle, your feet can rest flat on the ground, and you have back support. Make sure that you stand up, stretch, and take a walk several times each day to keep from becoming stiff or causing injury.
Myth 2: You Need The Firmest Mattress Possible.
Back pain sufferers can actually experience increased pain if their mattress is too firm since it puts more strain on heavy points like the hips and shoulders. On the other hand too soft a mattress could lack the support required to allow proper movement. In both instances, the person wakes up stiff and in pain. Studies show that a medium-firm mattress provides the right amount of support to help prevent injury.
Myth 3: Back Pain Is Caused By Exercise.
A poll by the North American Spine Society revealed this as the number one back pain myth. Sure, if you don’t work out then try to win a competition, you could experience injury. You can help prevent back pain by preparing your body and workouts with proper warm-up and great stretching exercises. (Take a cue from professional athletes that factor stretching and warm ups in their everyday routine.) Strengthen your back by strengthen your core, through exercises focused on�strengthening your stomach and back muscles as well as cardio.
Myth 4: Back Pain Is An Unavoidable Side-Effect Of Getting Older.
Getting older does not mean life has to be painful. While there are aches and pains that come with an aging body, staying physically healthy (see Myth #3) through exercises that keep our bodies strong, flexible and limber are a huge benefit. There are several exercise options to try, T�ai Chi, Pilates, yoga and treatment options which range from acupuncture to physical therapy to advanced treatment options both surgical and nonsurgical. Bottom line is you do not have to live with back pain.
Myth 5: Back Pain Came Out Of Nowhere.
Another back pain myth is sufferers often claim one wrong twist or simply bending over was the cause of their injury. But that was likely the result of several other factors. Overdoing a workout, using poor technique when lifting heavy objects, bad posture, and especially weight gain can all put strain on the spine and lead to “out of nowhere” spasms. As with more serious conditions such as joint and disk disorders a spine doctor is recommended to find the source of the pain.
Myth 6: A Hot Bath Can Bring Relief
There are few things as relaxing as a nice spa, but doing so after injuring your back may actually make your situation worse by increasing inflammation. Doctors recommend applying ice to the area for 20 minutes at a time during the first two or three times in order to reduce pain and inflammation. An exception, people who suffer from chronic pain can find relief taking a warm bath. Play it safe and check with your doctor for the best treatment.
Myth 7: If I See A Doctor, I’ll Probably Have Surgery.
Most people will experience some level of back pain in their lifetime, but the overwhelming majority will find relief through modifications such as over the counter anti-inflammatory medicines, exercise, physical therapy, or even just by waiting it out. In actuality, spine surgery is recommended for a small percentage of patients and until all other treatment methods have been tried. These patients often suffer from degenerative spine or joint problems that cause pain that is chronic. Whether you understand the origin of your pain or not, a fear of surgery shouldn’t prevent you from seeking medical help.
Dietitians at Integrative and Functional Medicine (DIFM) is a specialty clinic group of nutrition professionals whose center philosophy centers around a holistic, personalized approach to healing and health. Members incorporate many different nutrition remedies such as brain/body modalities in clinical practice supplements and whole foods.
How is nutrition a part of integrative and functional medicine?
Integrative medicine is the practice of medicine that reaffirms the value of the connection between professional and patient, focuses on the entire individual, is informed by evidence, and makes use of all appropriate therapeutic approaches, healthcare professionals, and areas to achieve optimal health and healing.
Functional medicine addresses the underlying causes of illness utilizing a systems-oriented approach and engaging both practitioner and patient at a healing partnership. Functional medicine involves understanding complex, chronic disease’s origins, prevention, and therapy. Hallmarks of a functional medicine approach include:
Patient-centered care. The focus of functional medicine is on care boosting health beyond the absence of illness; as a positive energy. By listening to the patient and studying his or her narrative, the practitioner tailors treatments that address the unique needs of the individual and brings the individual relief.
An integrative, science-based health care strategy. Functional medicine professionals seem “upstream” to think about the intricate web of interactions in the individual’s history, physiology, and lifestyle that can cause disease. The distinctive genetic makeup of each individual is considered, combined with both internal (brain, body, and soul) and external (physical and social environment) variables that affect overall functioning.
Integrating best medical clinics. Functional medicine integrates traditional Western medical practices with what is sometimes regarded as “choice” or “integrative” medicine, creating a focus on prevention through nutrition, diet, and exercise; use of the latest diagnostic techniques; and prescribed combinations of drugs and/or botanical medicines, supplements, therapeutic diets, detoxification programs, or stress-management practices.
Functional Medicine and Nutrition
Functional medication has, for years, been the promoters and teachers of using food as medicine. According to the Institute for Functional Medicine, “functional nutrition highlights the value of top quality meals and phytonutrient diversity to deal with clinical imbalances and move people toward the maximum expression of health. Advanced nutrition evaluation and a comprehensive functional medicine based history leads to a personalized therapeutic intervention made to promote optimal health and protect against diet- and lifestyle-related disease.”
Integrative and functional medicine nutritionists have been uniquely trained and have many years of experience incorporating the art and science of integrative and functional nutrition treatment. They understand that giving you a standard diet plan based on a diagnosis is just not enough to foster optimum recovery. After all, one size does not fit all and they strive to provide the maximum quality of individualized nutrition care to all of our patients.
Practice-Based Evidence for Nutrition
Practice-based evidence promotes the worth of their wisdom and evidence gained by the professional’s clinical observations and experiences. The Dietitians in the Integrative and Functional Medicine (DIFM) practice group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has developed Standards of Practice (SOP) and Standards of Professional Performance (SOPP) in Integrative and Functional Medicine. The SOP addresses the Nutrition Care Process (NCP) and actions related to person-centered care. The SOPP are statements that describe a level of behaviour in the role.
The Integrative and Functional Medicine Nutrition Therapy (IFMNT) Radial was established within an integrated conceptual framework to assist in IFMNT practice. The structure of this IFMNT Radial allows for the analysis of interrelationships and interactions. The Radial depicts that food is still a source of information that affects, and is influenced by, the five areas also as a factor in disease and health.
The five key areas include: lifestyle, systems (signs and symptoms), heart imbalances, metabolic pathways, and biomarkers. Surrounding the Radial are currently precipitating. The SOP, at the June 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, is along with the IFMNT Radial.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.
Ergonomics in the work place. Back pain is one of the most frequent work-related injuries and is often brought on by ordinary work activities like sitting in an office chair or heavy lifting.� the study of the workplace as it relates to the worker – helps prevent back pain and back injury and help maintain a healthy back.
The objective of an ergonomics program in business is to adapt the workplace to a specific worker, determined by the job description, required tasks, and physical make up of the employee performing these tasks.
Non-accidental injury, where pain occurs as a result of normal activities and needs of the task. This might occur from sitting in an office chair or standing for too long in one position.
Accidental injury results when an unexpected event triggers injury during the task. A load that changes as it is being lifted, and fall and a slip or hitting one’s head on a cabinet door or slips are typical examples. These injuries can jolt other joints, back, and the neck with consequent muscle strain or tearing of soft tissue at the back.
Occupations which are physically demanding and require repetitive lifting (such as in nursing or heavy industry) are at greatest risk for both non-accidental and accidental spine injury. For instance, a number of health workers have problems because patients are of weight and different stature with needs. Often, the patients need help changing position, rising from a chair and walking. Similarly, the physical effort needed to release a trapped individual or save a life is unpredictable. The same problems occur in the building industry where consistencies of tasks are a challenge.
Office Chair Back Injuries
Individuals who sit most of the day, like those working in a computer while sitting in an office chair, are also at high risk for non-accidental spine injury. Office ergonomics, or computer ergonomics, can help minimize the risk such as the dangers associated with prolonged sitting in an office chair, and carpal tunnel syndrome, such as lower back pain, neck strain, and leg pain.
Office Chair: Ergonomics To Reduce Back Pain?
This guide summarize the use of ergonomic concepts, mechanical apparatus and decent body mechanics (biomechanics) that can contribute to reducing back injuries in the work environment for several jobs. Significantly, staying strong, physically fit and flexible improves the probability of preventing back injuries.
There are certain basic ergonomic tips which may help an employee avoid back pain or back injury:
Develop a job description based on the forces within a particular work environment, the time spent performing the task and the biomechanics (which define human moves and seated posture in an office chair) used in the task.
Use body posture as a tool which may be changed to fit the job demands with minimal stress on the muscles, ligaments, bones and joints.
Learn and use proper body mechanics to restrict extra mechanical stress in completing the job.
Maintain fitness and flexibility and create a reserve of strength.
Identifying Poor Posture And Risks
Many potentially harmful situations that lead to back injury can be identified and avoided by following four basic rules of thumb:
Prolonged static posture is your enemy. The healthy body can only tolerate staying in one position for around 20 minutes. That is sitting at a movie theatre, in a desk in an office chair, or on an airplane becomes uncomfortable after a short time. Standing in one area, such as standing on a floor at an assembly line tends to cause back pain. Holding the same position gradually reduces elasticity in the soft tissues (muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the back). Stress builds up and causes discomfort and/or leg discomfort back.
The remedy is simple. Whether you are sitting in an office chair or standing in a line, change positions frequently. Just move. Stand or sit, stretch, have a short walk. After returning to the standing or sitting posture, use an alternate posture for only a couple minutes and some.
Frequent or repetitive stretching to the end range of motion or embarrassing, angled positions can liquefy the joints. Unlike jobs that need seating in an office chair, jobs that require motion can cause discomfort. Such tasks involve lifting overhead lifting from the floor, moving loads, or utilizing force or twisting while managing material and which signal back injuries might be on the way.
Heavy loads offer greater risk. It is important to have the proper tools or get help if the job requires moving objects.
Fatigue�from sitting in an office chair, from work or from insomnia can make people move more awkwardly. If one is overtired or feels fatigued, it is advisable to avoid lifting heavy objects alone or quickly.
These ergonomic rules of thumb will help the worker and their backs. Otherwise the worker is at risk of sustaining or aggravating a back injury.
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
The 11 patients in the study had never experienced upper cervical chiropractic care before. All were subject to having migraine headaches and were required to have at least 10-26 days with a headache for the previous four months. Additionally, at least eight of those headache days per month required a 4 out of 10 or higher for pain. While many candidates had either a concussion, auto accident or both, candidates who experienced trauma in the past year were excluded.
Headaches and migraines. The only thing you want is for it to vanish. Here is a juice that immediately eliminates headaches and migraines! Try this juice recipe out, in addition to getting an adjustment!
Individuals who sit most of the day, like those working in a computer while sitting in an office chair, are also at high risk for non-accidental spine injury. Office ergonomics, or computer ergonomics, can help minimize the risk such as the dangers associated with prolonged sitting in an office chair, and carpal tunnel syndrome, such as lower back pain, neck strain, and leg pain.
Many potentially harmful situations that lead to back injury can be identified and avoided by following four basic rules of thumb:
These ergonomic rules of thumb will help the worker and their backs. Otherwise the worker is at risk of sustaining or aggravating a 
