If getting through life without stress is a goal, it�s possible that expectations have been set a little too high.
While it�s an excellent idea to limit stress as much as possible, it�s next to impossible to eliminate it completely. But is stress really that harmful? Or is it more like poor posture or back pain � an inevitable part of life that is uncomfortable but relatively harmless in most cases?
Actually, these three common ailments can bring about a bit of pain and ill health to life. And it�s also possible that they feed off of each other. If you live in an environment, where stress, bad posture, and back pain are rampant, take a look at how they are connected and what you can do to feel some relief.
Improper Posture Complications
First, it�s important to understand where bad posture originates. Most people have great posture as kids, but it suffers greatly with age. This could be from poor habits, such as excessive TV time or inactivity, or it could be from long commutes and hours spent in desk chairs. Once poor posture is a habit, it pulls on the shoulders, rounds the upper back, and can cause restrictions in the vertebrae of the spine. All of these contribute to pain and discomfort that are hard to correct without assistance.
Posture and Stress
Stress may come about from various places in life including work, family situations, and finances. Once the body is stressed, it tenses. The tighter and more inflexible the body becomes, the more difficult it is to regain a relaxed, proper posture. When combined with a posture that is already suffering, the symptoms that come with either, such as body pain, headaches, and insomnia, can intensify.
The Connection Between Back Pain, Stress and Posture
Tension in the vertebrae, tense joints and muscles, and inflexibility in the body are linked to back pain, naturally. Both poor posture as well as stress can enhance back pain and make it feel stronger and occur more frequently. And without help in the causes of the pain, the three work in a frustrating cycle. Poor posture and stress lead to back pain, and then back pain forces poor posture and more stress.
Solving the Issues
One of the best things to do to alleviate stress and back pain, as well as regain good posture, is to change lifestyle habits. Exercise, strength training, and support devices all work wonders. Another great option is to get regular chiropractic care. Since residents of Houston are unlikely to escape work or long commutes anytime soon, it can feel as though back pain is here to stay, but it doesn�t have to be. Chiropractors can use spinal manipulation to release the tension in the spine and enhance overall health. Need a great place to go? Try The Joint Chiropractic. With walk-in visits and affordable pricing, getting care is easier than ever. There really can be an end to the cycle mentioned above, and it may begin with a quick trip to The Joint today.
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 .
Additional Topics: Preventing Spinal Degeneration
As we age, it’s natural for the spine, as well as the other complex structures of the spine, to begin degenerating. Without the proper care, however, the overall health and wellness of the spine can develop complications, such as degenerative disc disease, among others, which could potentially lead to back pain and other painful symptoms. Chiropractic care is a common alternative treatment option utilized to maintain and improve spine health.
Your physician may suggest taking drugs to help deal with the pain from degenerative disk disease, or DDD. The severity of your symptoms ascertains what drugs you might need, plus, it makes a difference if your pain is acute or long-term.
Severe pain is, in addition, called a flare up; a sudden onset of pain.
Chronic pain is long-term, and you’re prone to possess long-term pain than intense pain as degenerative disc disease advances.
As with any drugs or medicines, you should not take anything without first consulting with your healthcare professional to see if it’s the best option for you. Most likely, you will proceed through a progression of drugs, first attempting over the counter medicines. Stronger drugs may be prescribed by a healthcare specialist if those don’t work. You may need spinal injections that send a stronger medicine, if those don’t help.
Over-the-Counter Medications for Degenerative Disc Disease
Acetaminophen: Tylenol is an example of acetaminophen, a sort of drug that’s turned out to be an excellent pain reliever. Your physician may call this an analgesic, but most people refer as a painkiller to acetaminophen medications. It doesn’t help reduce inflammation, though. By essentially blocking the perception of pain of your brain, acetaminophen works, plus it may help pain flare-ups that may come with DDD.
Over the counter non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): These will reduce swelling (or inflammation) while relieving your pain; that’s how NSAIDs differ from acetaminophen. If an over the counter NSAID is a choice for you, you’ve lots to select from. You can use ibuprofen (eg, Advil), aspirin, or aproxen (eg, Aleve).
By taking an NSAID, you are really building up an anti-inflammatory effect in the body, therefore it’s required to take it for awhile. If you take them just when you’ve pain that is certainly, NSAIDs won’t be as powerful. Because they build up in your own body and work to limit inflammation, NSAIDs are better for chronic pain sufferers.
Prescription Drugs for Degenerative Disc Disease
Anti-depressants: Antidepressants may be effective drugs for treating pain since they block pain messages on their strategy to mental performance as astonishing as it might seem. They could also help increase your body’s production of endorphins, an all-natural painkiller. Finally, antidepressants can also assist you to sleep better, which can be a major headache for people in persistent pain.
Muscle relaxants: If you have chronic back pain caused by muscle spasms, a muscle relaxant, which should help prevent the spasms may be needed by you. Muscle relaxants could also help you sleep.
Agents that are neuropathic: If you have nerve pain, your physician may prescribe a drug that especially targets the nerves. Neurontin (gabapentin) is a good example.
Opioids (narcotics): In only under careful supervision, and the most extraordinary cases, your doctor may prescribe an opioid. Vicodin is an example of a narcotic.
Prescription NSAIDs: NSAIDs that are more powerful can be taken by you than the over-the-counter variety, if your doctor believes this is best for your pain.
Medication/Drug Precautions
As with all medicines, your doctor’s guidance must be followed by you exactly. Never blend over the counter and prescribed drugs without first consulting with your physician. Also, as your physician determines things to prescribe, if you are using any herbal nutritional supplements make sure to tell him or her, as well as every other prescription medications you’re taking.
Spinal Injections for Degenerative Disc Disease
Epidural steroid injection: That is only one of the very common shots. In lots of people, an epidural steroid injection is successful to reduce low back pain caused by a herniated disc; among the affiliated conditions with DDD. An epidural steroid injection (ESI) targets the epidural space, which will be the space enclosing the membrane that covers the back and nerve roots.An epidural steroid injection sends steroids�very powerful anti-inflammatories�right to the nerve root(s) that is inflamed. This is really a pain management treatment, therefore it’s best to have an injection-trained pain management specialist perform the injection under fluoroscopy (real time xray). You could need two or three injections; generally, you need to not have that because of the possible side effects of the steroids.
Facet joint injection: Also referred to as a facet block, facet joint injections are useful if one (or maybe more) of your facet joints are causing pain. A steroid drugs (powerful anti inflammatory) is injected into the joint’s protective capsule. Reduce joint pain and the medication works to ease inflammation.
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: Whole Body Wellness
Maintaining overall health and wellness through a balanced nutrition, regular physical activity and proper sleep is essential for your whole body�s well-being. While these are some of the most important contributing factors for staying healthy, seeking care and preventing injuries or the development of conditions through natural alternatives can also guarantee overall health and wellness. Chiropractic care is a safe and effective treatment option utilized by many individuals to ensure whole body wellness.
Upper back pain is a common spinal disorder, which causes pain and discomfort. Joint dysfunction and muscle irritation can be the common cause of this problem. Sometimes injuries can cause upper back pain.
A fracture of vertebrae, poor posture, and pressure on spinal nerves can be the causes of upper back pain. Many people suffer from the back ache especially upper back pain or thoracic spine. It can be chronic and very uncomfortable as it is associated with multiple ligaments, tendons and nerves in upper back.
When any of these associated ligaments or tendons becomes inflamed or irritated, it may result upper back pain. This can disrupts the life of many people but relief can be found through exercise and natural remedies. Some common symptoms of upper back pain include anxiety, depression, fatigue, headache, morning stiffness, neck pain, shoulder pain, redness, warmth or swelling of the back, stress, insomnia and much more. There are many ways to relieve upper back pain and promote spinal health:
Steps to Relieve Back Pain & Other Symptoms
Take rest: You should take a break if your back hurt a lot. You can return to your activities after taking break for few minutes. You should also avoid the things like carrying heavy weight and many more that make your pain worse.
Use ice pack or a heating pad: Heat can be helpful in reducing muscle stiffness and back ache. Ice is also equally effective in reducing swelling and pain. You can switch back or forth between cold or heat unit you find what makes you feel better.
Exercise: There are so many exercises that help strengthen your muscles in stomach, shoulder and back. These muscles mainly help support your spine and improve your spinal health. Strong muscles of back help reduce pain, improve body posture, keep your body in balance and decrease chances of injuries.
Practice good posture: Sometimes stress on your back muscles may be the main cause of upper back ache and poor posture may be the reason of stress on back.
Eat nutritious food: Healthy eating habits, plenty of calcium and vitamin D in your diet may help prevent backache. Calcium is an essential nutrient that strengthens your bones and muscles.
Stay hydrated: Staying hydrated is very significant in maintaining elasticity of soft tissues and fluidity in joints.
Take Orthoxil Plus capsules and oil: Orthoxil Plus capsule is highly beneficial and effective remedy for upper back pain. It possesses herbal and natural ingredients which helps repair damages. These pills work effectively promote healthy spine. The pure and natural ingredients check osteoporosis, progression of arthritis, and disc degeneration and many more issues. These capsules improve overall health and reverse ill effects of bone disorders, nutritional deficiencies, medical conditions that deplete muscles, ligaments, discs and bones. You can also use Orthoxil Plus oil to massage the affected area. You can take few drops of this oil to massage the painful area. It helps get rid of pain and improve your spinal health.
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 .
Additional Topics: Preventing Spinal Degeneration
As we age, it’s natural for the spine, as well as the other complex structures of the spine, to begin degenerating. Without the proper care, however, the overall health and wellness of the spine can develop complications, such as degenerative disc disease, among others, which could potentially lead to back pain and other painful symptoms. Chiropractic care is a common alternative treatment option utilized to maintain and improve spine health.
Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Alexander Jimenez reveals what the popping sound is during a spinal adjustment.
Chiropractic Care &�Back Pain
Has this happened to you? You are at the chiropractor getting treatment for your own back pain, and during a spinal adjustment, a sizable popping sound is heard by you. It seems somewhat alarming, does not it? Rest assured, though: That pop within a chiropractic spinal adjustment is totally ordinary.
During a back adjustment, your back experiences rapid, mild stretching of the spinal joint, which means you may hear a snapping or popping sound. This really is brought on by little pockets of air or bubbles, which are in the fluid that surrounds your joints. When joint tissues are extended throughout a chiropractic adjustment, the pockets of atmosphere “pop,” which creates that cracking sound you hear.
Following this treatment, you could feel in your back for more movement. But, the muscles may still be raw and tight.
Your chiropractor might also incorporate other chiropractic care treatments like muscle therapy. You must notice more back pain relief with each session.
Your chiropractor could also advocate preventive care, including specific exercises, and he/she might give you ergonomic tips on the best way to accurately bend and lift, in addition to how to take good care of your back while at your desk (if you work in a office). Doing specific exercises and maintaining good posture might help keep movement that is healthy in your back.
Is Chiropractic Care Right For You?
It is crucial that you consider that chiropractic care is not a cure all for all conditions that are back. Some backbone conditions that cause back pain may require a combination of treatments, or other treatments, for example surgery and drugs.
But in the event you have a condition that causes pain back and you need to test a non-operative treatment, chiropractic care can be an excellent treatment choice for you personally. But remember, you need to not be alarmed by a popping noise during a spinal adjustment�it’s ordinary in chiropractic care.
Chiropractic care is an alternative treatment option you may want to consider for degenerative disc disease, or DDD.
The first steps a chiropractor will take to treat degenerative disc disease involves carefully diagnosing a disc-related complication. Back pain is a main symptom of DDD and 3 main causes are looked at by the chiropractor.
Degeneration in the spinal joints might be disturbing the mechanisms of the spine.
Thinning and degenerative discs might be bulging and putting pressure on spinal nerves.
Spinal stenosis can cause back pain and leg pain.
Diagnosing Degenerative Disc Disease
At your first exam, you�ll go throughout your past medical history with the chiropractor and he/she will discover areas of restricted joint motion, disc injury, muscle spasms and ligament injury by performing a few easy tests.
Your chiropractor will even look at how you walk as well as your entire posture and movement capabilities. Those details will help them understand your body mechanics and how your spine moves.
You may also need an imaging test, like an x-ray or MRI.
After the assessment, the chiropractor will diagnose your condition and create a treatment strategy to reduce back pain and other symptoms of DDD.
Chiropractic Treatments for DDD
The goal of chiropractic care for DDD would be to enhance joint mechanics by reducing inflammation and improving spinal motion. The chiropractor could also focus on enhancing the function of the intervertebral discs�but that if you do not have disc degeneration that is innovative.
To help treat your degenerative disc disease symptoms, your chiropractor may use spinal manipulation, also called spinal adjustment. There are multiple kinds of spinal manipulation. Some common ones are:
Particular spinal manipulation: Your chiropractor will identify the joints which might be restricted or those that reveal unusual motion. He/she will work to restore movement to the joints using a gentle thrusting technique.
flexion-distraction technique: This kind of spinal manipulation uses a gentle, non-thrusting technique; it�s normally used to treat spinal stenosis and herniated discs.
Device-assisted manipulation: This technique works on the handheld device. Without thrusting directly to the spine, the chiropractor applies mild force.
Manual therapy can also be utilized to greatly help treat degenerative disc disease symptoms. Examples of manual therapy techniques are:
trigger point treatment: Tight painful points are identified by the chiropractor and gets direct pressure on those points to alleviate stress.
manual joint stretching and resistance techniques: Your chiropractor may use any of these methods to relieve pain and also other DDD symptoms.
instrument-assisted soft tissue therapy: An example of this type of manual therapy is the Graston technique, which uses an instrument to reduce pain and other symptoms.
In addition to spinal manipulation and manual therapy techniques, your chiropractor may use other kinds of therapy to help reduce inflammation caused by degenerative disc disease. Examples are:
interferential electrical stimulation: A low frequency electrical current can be used to stimulate your muscles to lessen inflammation.
ultrasound: Ultrasound will help reduce pain, stiffness, and muscle spasms by sending sound waves deep into your muscle tissues. This creates a mild heat that improves circulation.
Your chiropractor could also urge therapeutic exercises, which may help augment your other treatments. With chiropractic care, prevention is essential, and remedial exercises can prevent your DDD symptoms.
Benefits of Chiropractic for Degenerative Disc Disease
Your chiropractor will work hard to treat your degenerative disc disease and address your DDD symptoms all. But chiropractors treat the �whole individual��not only your symptoms that are particular. Your chiropractor may prepare you on stress management, nutrition, and lifestyle goals in addition to treating your degenerative disc disorder symptoms.
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: What is Chiropractic?
Chiropractic care is an well-known, alternative treatment option utilized to prevent, diagnose and treat a variety of injuries and conditions associated with the spine, primarily subluxations or spinal misalignments. Chiropractic focuses on restoring and maintaining the overall health and wellness of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Through the use of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, a chiropractor, or doctor of chiropractic, can carefully re-align the spine, improving a patient�s strength, mobility and flexibility.
Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Alexander Jimenez breaks down how pinched nerves cause back and neck pain.
You hear people say it a lot:
�I have a pinched nerve, and wow, it hurts.�
But what exactly is a pinched nerve? How does it cause back pain or neck pain? What are the symptoms of a pinched nerve�beyond pain? And most importantly, what can you do about a pinched nerve? Learn the basics of pinched nerves here.
Pinched Nerves: A Common Cause of Back & Neck Pain
What Is A Nerve?
Nerves are your body�s messengers. They transport signals to and from your brain�messages like �Move this toe� or �Ouch, that cactus needle really is sharp.� You have a central nervous system, which is made up of your brain and spinal cord. You also have a peripheral nervous system, which is the system of nerves that branches off the brain and spinal cord.
What Do Nerves Look Like?
If it helps, think of nerves like a garden hose (except they aren�t green). They have an outside membrane that transports those electrical messages. Inside nerves, there�s a fluid that nourishes and replenishes the outer membrane.
You�re Getting on My Nerves
When a nerve gets pinched, the messages and the nourishing fluid don�t flow quite as well as they should (still helpful to think of a garden hose here). A pinched nerve can start sending the �Ow, pain� message to the brain, and it can also have trouble communicating clear messages, possibly leading to weakness, numbness, or tingling.
What Can Pinch a Nerve?
As a nerve exits the spinal canal, it can be pinched by a herniated disc or a bone spur. Bone spurs, also known as osteophytes, are bony bumps that can develop on a spinal joint over time. They can push into the spinal nerve, as you can see in this illustration (red = pain generator, of course).
What Does a Pinched Nerve Feel Like?
A pinched nerve mostly feels like pain. If you have a pinched nerve in your low back, it can cause pain to travel (or radiate, in doctor-speak) down your leg. You may also know that as sciatica. A pinched nerve in the neck can create pain that shoots down your arm. Other symptoms of pinched nerves include muscle spasms, burning, tingling, and a hot/cold sensation.
Now the Good Stuff: Pinched Nerve Treatments
Pinched nerve treatments fall into two categories: what you can do at home (self-care) and what your doctor may prescribe for you.
Pinched Nerve Self-care #1: Heat and Ice
Heat and ice can work wonders on a pinched nerve. Switch between 20 minutes of heat and 20 minutes of ice�and remember that you shouldn�t put the heat and ice packs directly on your skin.
Pinched Nerve Self-care #2: Get a Massage
The muscles around a pinched nerve can become tight, so having a professional massage therapist work the painful area can bring pain relief. You may also consider a handheld massager.
Pinched Nerve Self-care #3: Take a Walk
Let�s say it�s your low back�a pinched nerve in your low back�that�s hurting you. A nice, easy stroll is a good way to stay active and address your pain. Gone are the days of extended bed rest for back pain: doctors now are more likely to recommend you exercise and stretch to help relieve your pain.
When Should You Call a Doctor?
If you try the self-care thing and yet your pinched nerve pain persists, you should consider calling the doctor. If you�ve been in pain for more than a couple of days, schedule an appointment. You should also call the doctor if you experience a very sudden onset of weakness, or if you experience profound numbness. Losing bowel and/or bladder control is also a good reason to call the doctor.
How a Doctor Treats a Pinched Nerve
The doctor will try to diagnose the cause of your pinched nerve, and then the doctor will be able to develop a treatment plan. That plan may include prescription pain medications, physical therapy, or cortisone injections. But keep this in mind: the treatment plan will be specifically tailored for you, and it�s in your best interest to follow it closely.
There is significant excitement among surgeons as well as among patients following the recent FDA, or Food and Drug Administration, release of the Charit� Artificial Disc (DePuy Spine, Inc.). The delight among patients with degenerative disc disease comes from the perception that there’s now a safe way to eliminate pain from degenerative discs while also maintaining normal movement. Several patients have developed advanced stages of disc degeneration requiring an additional fusion process or have heard about others with similar difficulties getting fusion processes before, who still continue with constant pain or had more than one effort at fusion. They’ve also discovered the successful results following disc arthroplasty in Europe which has been highly publicized by the media in America.
Lumbar Fusions and Other Discoveries
That is certainly an exciting new addition to the variety of therapies and methods for treating degenerative disc disease. An almost amazing quantity of progress has been made when looking at the way in which the evaluation and treatment for degenerative disc disease has developed over recent years. Many healthcare professionals are now able to recognize disc disorder with MRI and pain generators with discography and facet blocks. Now they could be performed through incisions that are barely observable either anteriorly through the abdomen or through the back where only a decade past, lumbar fusions were being performed through substantial posterior incisions. With the usage of instrumentation that is presently available, achievement rates for one amount fusions approach 90 to 95 percent. Regrettably, not every patient who has degenerative disc disease and contains a successful fusion has a successful clinical result. There’s still a number of patients for whom fusion will not effectively relieve pain.
Risks of Disc Replacement
Disc replacement arthroplasty has the prospect of the treatment of most of the spinal motion segment illnesses which are currently being treated both successfully and not by one of the numerous fusion techniques. At this comparatively early phase of disc replacement development, many healthcare specialists don’t know all of the issues which will be encountered following these procedures. Because the surgical strategy is via the abdomen either retroperitoneal or transperitoneal, in other words, around or through the gut, there are several foreseeable complications including vascular injury, thrombophlebitis, or vein inflammation accompanied by blood clot formation, nerve root injuries, injury to the ureter, and retrograde ejaculation in men.
It’s also known that several disc replacements have failed and have been converted to some fusion with varying clinical consequences. Removing artificial discs, especially at the L4-5 level, poses a substantial risk of vascular injury due to scarring round the prosthesis. Surely, it’s known that artificial joints produce wear debris where that is obviously not an issue with fusion and an inflammatory reaction which could escalate over time.
Early Results of Procedure
Spine specialists and other healthcare professionals in general are very positive and excited about total disc arthroplasty, and suitably so. Appropriate training via cadaveric labs and courses will help minimize the learning curve of the procedure, to avoid other possible complications. There will without a doubt be many improvements and modifications in the prosthetic layouts.
Early results are surely encouraging in the hands of the investigational surgeons but are fraught with the numerous problems common to the creation of a procedure that is new. Total disc arthroplasty is likely to be an option that is better than fusion for several degenerative disorders of the lumbar spine as layout advancements continue being made and as further encounter defines the indicators because of its use.
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 .
Brain injuries are common complications in our modern world. Approximately 2 million individuals experience a head injury in the United States alone each year. Although most brain or head injuries are not considered life threatening, they could sum up to billions of dollars in annual revenue. Brain injuries are often categorized according to patient response. Only 1 out of 4 reported brain injuries are considered moderate or severe.
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