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.
Back problems and discomfort symptoms are a common ailment that many types of healthcare providers diagnose and treat it. Can knowing a little about what each back pain specialist does and what they have to offer help in choosing a provider?
Back Pain Specialists
Nowadays individuals have options for treating back pain. Primary healthcare providers, general practitioners, pediatricians, and emergency room workers are usually the first to examine the injury or problem. If they are unable to properly diagnose or treat the injury, they will refer the individual to a specialist. Specialists include:
Osteopaths
Chiropractors
Orthopedists
Rheumatologists
Neurologists
Neurosurgeons.
They specialize in chronic conditions and diseases like arthritis or problems like herniated discs. Complementary and alternative providers treat individuals solely or with help from a care team. They look at the whole body and focus on improving overall function.
Family and General Practitioners
When neck or back pain begins a regular doctor that’s usually a family or general practitioner/GP or primary care provider PCP is a recommended place to start. They will:
Order diagnostic tests.
Recommend exercises and stretches.
Prescribe medication.
Refer the patient to a physical therapist or other back pain specialist.
However, studies suggest general providers can be uninformed and slow to adopt new back treatments. (Paul B. Bishop, Peter C. Wing. 2006) It is recommended to research possible treatment options, ask a lot of questions during an appointment, and ask or request a referral to a specialist.
Pediatricians
Pediatricians diagnose and treat children. They cover a wide range of issues including back problems and injuries. As with a general practitioner or primary care provider, a child’s pediatrician is the place to start. Depending on the child’s needs, they’ll refer them to the proper specialist.
Emergency Healthcare Providers
When there is serious neck or back trauma, individuals need to go to the emergency room. Trauma can include automobile collisions, sports accidents, work accidents, and/or personal home accidents. Someone with a possible spinal injury should not be moved. (W Yisheng, et al., 2007) Go to the ER if there is back pain with loss of bowel or bladder control, or the legs become progressively weaker. These are symptoms of an emergency condition known as cauda equina syndrome. (American Association of Neurological Surgeons. 2023)
Orthopedists
Orthopedists and orthopedic surgeons treat the musculoskeletal system, which includes:
Muscles
Bones
Joints
Connective tissues
Cartilage
Common orthopedic issues include:
Repetitive stress injuries
Sports injuries
Bursitis
Tendonitis
Ruptured discs
Nerve impingement
Scoliosis
Osteoporosis
Osteoarthritis
Orthopedics can overlap with other specialties. As orthopedists and rheumatologists both treat arthritis and orthopedic surgeons and neurosurgeons do some of the same procedures that include spinal fusions and discectomies.
Rheumatologists
A rheumatologist treats autoimmune, inflammatory, and musculoskeletal conditions that can include different types of arthritis, lupus, and Sjogren’s syndrome. A primary care provider may refer a patient to a rheumatologist if they have symptoms that include:
Sacroiliitis – inflammation of the sacroiliac joint at the base of the spine.
Axial spondylosis – a form of spinal arthritis.
Axial spondylosis – spinal arthritis that causes the bones to fuse together.
Rheumatologists can also treat spinal stenosis or advanced osteoarthritis as they overlap with orthopedists.
Neurologists
A neurologist specializes in the function of the nervous system. They treat disorders of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves that include:
Parkinson’s disease
Multiple sclerosis
Alzheimer’s disease
Chronic back or neck pain
They are experts in the origins of pain. (David Borsook. 2012) However, a neurologist does not perform spine surgery.
Neurosurgeons
A neurosurgeon specializes in nervous system surgical procedures that include the brain, spine, and spinal cord. However, neurosurgeons do not provide overall treatment for back pain because they are usually the last to be seen after exhausting all other treatment options.
Osteopaths
An osteopath is a licensed physician who practices medicine using conventional treatments and osteopathic manipulative medicine. They have the same education as an MD plus 500 hours of musculoskeletal system studies. (National Library of Medicine. 2022) They take the same exams and are licensed as an MD. Many osteopaths are primary care providers. For back pain, they will focus on:
Posture rehabilitation and training.
Stretching
Therapeutic massage
Spinal manipulation
The goal is to relieve pain and muscle tension, increase mobility, and improve musculoskeletal function.
Physiatrists
Physiatrists are holistic providers that focus on physical function. They can be thought of as a primary care provider plus a physical therapist. These back pain specialists provide rehabilitation for various types of conditions and injuries including:
Back pain
Sports injuries
Stroke
Often they will coordinate a team of specialists to develop a targeted treatment plan.
Chiropractor
Chiropractic is a hands-on alternative medicine. The goal is to restore neuromusculoskeletal function by realigning the spine to its proper form. They do this with spinal manipulations, non-surgical mechanical decompression, traction, and massage techniques. (Michael Schneider, et al., 2016)
The purpose of most chiropractic adjustments is to relax and retrain tight muscles and increase flexibility.
Chiropractic helps to relieve stiff muscles and restore range of motion.
Individuals may not be referred to a chiropractor if they:
Have loose-joints
Have connective tissue problems or conditions.
Have osteoporosis/thinning bones
All types of back pain specialists provide various forms of therapy that may be able to help.
Spinal Decompression in Depth
References
Bishop, P. B., & Wing, P. C. (2006). Knowledge transfer in family physicians managing patients with acute low back pain: a prospective randomized control trial. The spine journal : official journal of the North American Spine Society, 6(3), 282–288. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2005.10.008
Yisheng, W., Fuying, Z., Limin, W., Junwei, L., Guofu, P., & Weidong, W. (2007). First aid and treatment for cervical spinal cord injury with fracture and dislocation. Indian journal of orthopaedics, 41(4), 300–304. https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5413.36991
Schneider, M., Murphy, D., & Hartvigsen, J. (2016). Spine Care as a Framework for the Chiropractic Identity. Journal of chiropractic humanities, 23(1), 14–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.echu.2016.09.004
Individuals with fixed sagittal imbalance, a condition where the normal curve of the lower spine is greatly reduced or absent altogether that can cause pain and difficulty balancing. Can chiropractic treatment, physical therapy, and exercise help improve the condition?
Fixed Sagittal Imbalance
The condition is commonly known as flat back syndrome and can be present at birth or can happen as a result of surgery or a medical condition.
Individuals with flat back syndrome position their head and neck too far forward.
A major symptom is difficulty standing for long periods of time.
Symptoms
The spine has two curves. The lumbar spine in the lower back and cervical spine in the neck curve inward. The thoracic spine in the upper back curves outward. The curves are part of the spine’s natural alignment. They help the body balance and maintain the center of gravity.
If these curves begin to disappear the body can have trouble and difficulty standing up straight.
The loss of curvature causes the head and neck to pitch forward, making it hard to walk and do regular normal activities.
A chiropractor and/or physical therapist can recommend exercises and other forms of treatment. (Won-Moon Kim, et al., 2021)
Life-Changing Chiropractic Relief
References
Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Flatback syndrome.
National Health Service. Common posture mistakes and fixes.
Lee, B. H., Hyun, S. J., Kim, K. J., Jahng, T. A., Kim, Y. J., & Kim, H. J. (2018). Clinical and Radiological Outcomes of Posterior Vertebral Column Resection for Severe Spinal Deformities. Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society, 61(2), 251–257. https://doi.org/10.3340/jkns.2017.0181
Kim, W. M., Seo, Y. G., Park, Y. J., Cho, H. S., & Lee, C. H. (2021). Effect of Different Exercise Types on the Cross-Sectional Area and Lumbar Lordosis Angle in Patients with Flat Back Syndrome. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(20), 10923. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182010923
Can combining chiropractic treatment with the common therapies of medication, exercise, and/or physical therapy help relieve sciatic endometriosis pain symptoms?
Sciatic Endometriosis
Sciatic endometriosis is a condition in which endometrial cells (tissue that resembles the lining of the uterus) grow outside of the uterine lining and compress the sciatic nerve. This places stress and pressure on the nerve causing back, pelvic, hip, and leg pain, especially before and during the menstrual cycle. It can also cause pain, irregular periods, and infertility. (The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2021)
These areas of endometrial tissue growth are also known as lesions or implants.
Women with sciatic endometriosis often experience leg pain and weakness around the time of their menstrual cycle. (Lena Marie Seegers, et al., 2023)
Sciatic endometriosis can also cause pain when urinating, during a bowel movement, during sex, and fatigue, and irregular vaginal bleeding.
The abnormal growth may be caused by higher-than-normal levels of estrogen.
Researchers believe that endometriosis is related to retrograde menstruation, which causes menstrual blood to flow back into the pelvis instead of out through the vagina. (World Health Organization. 2023)
Sometimes, the cells grow in the area of the pelvis right above the sciatic nerve. (Adaiah Yahaya, et al., 2021)
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body and travels down the back of each leg. (Johns Hopkins Medicine. 2023)
When endometrial lesions place pressure on the sciatic nerve, they can cause irritation and inflammation leading to severe pelvic pain, which makes it harder to conceive. (Liang Yanchun, et al., 2019)
Symptoms
Some women with endometriosis experience no symptoms or misinterpret the symptoms as typical premenstrual syndrome/PMS signs. The most common signs and symptoms of sciatic endometriosis include:
Difficulty walking or standing.
Loss of sensation, muscle weakness, and reflex alteration.
Limping.
Balance problems.
Bloating and nausea.
Constipation or diarrhea before or after a period.
Painful, heavy, and/or irregular periods.
Bleeding between periods.
Pain during sex, urination, and bowel movements.
Pain in the stomach, pelvis, lower back, hips, and buttocks. (MedlinePlus. 2022)
Weakness, numbness, tingling, burning, or dull aching sensations in the back of one or both legs.
Endometriosis, including sciatic endometriosis, typically cannot be diagnosed with a pelvic examination or ultrasound by themselves. A healthcare provider may need to perform a biopsy using laparoscopy and discuss menstrual cycles, symptoms, and medical history.
The laparoscopy procedure involves making tiny incisions and taking a tissue sample with tools attached to a thin tube with a camera. (MedlinePlus. 2022)
Imaging tests, like magnetic resonance imaging/MRI, and computed tomography/CT scans, can help provide essential information about the location and size of any endometrial lesions. (The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. 2021)
Treatment
Symptoms can sometimes be temporarily relieved with over-the-counter/OTC pain relievers. Depending on the condition and severity a healthcare provider may prescribe hormonal treatment to prevent new endometrial implants from growing. These can include:
Hormonal birth control.
Progestin – a synthetic form of progesterone.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone – GnRH agonists.
If pain persists or worsens, individuals may need to undergo surgery to remove the tissue.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Endometriosis.
Seegers, L. M., DeFaria Yeh, D., Yonetsu, T., Sugiyama, T., Minami, Y., Soeda, T., Araki, M., Nakajima, A., Yuki, H., Kinoshita, D., Suzuki, K., Niida, T., Lee, H., McNulty, I., Nakamura, S., Kakuta, T., Fuster, V., & Jang, I. K. (2023). Sex Differences in Coronary Atherosclerotic Phenotype and Healing Pattern on Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging. Circulation. Cardiovascular imaging, 16(8), e015227. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCIMAGING.123.015227
World Health Organization. Endometriosis.
Yahaya, A., Chauhan, G., Idowu, A., Sumathi, V., Botchu, R., & Evans, S. (2021). Carcinoma arising within sciatic nerve endometriosis: a case report. Journal of surgical case reports, 2021(12), rjab512. https://doi.org/10.1093/jscr/rjab512
Johns Hopkins Medicine. Sciatica.
Yanchun, L., Yunhe, Z., Meng, X., Shuqin, C., Qingtang, Z., & Shuzhong, Y. (2019). Removal of an endometrioma passing through the left greater sciatic foramen using a concomitant laparoscopic and transgluteal approach: case report. BMC women’s health, 19(1), 95. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-019-0796-0
MedlinePlus. Endometriosis.
Center for Endometriosis Care. Sciatic endometriosis.
Chen, S., Xie, W., Strong, J. A., Jiang, J., & Zhang, J. M. (2016). Sciatic endometriosis induces mechanical hypersensitivity, segmental nerve damage, and robust local inflammation in rats. European journal of pain (London, England), 20(7), 1044–1057. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.827
Siquara de Sousa, A. C., Capek, S., Howe, B. M., Jentoft, M. E., Amrami, K. K., & Spinner, R. J. (2015). Magnetic resonance imaging evidence for perineural spread of endometriosis to the lumbosacral plexus: report of 2 cases. Neurosurgical focus, 39(3), E15. https://doi.org/10.3171/2015.6.FOCUS15208
Can non-surgical options be beneficial for many working individuals with low back pain than surgical therapeutic options?
Introduction
Many working individuals will experience pain in their lower backs due to their demanding workloads that are causing unwanted pressure load on the lumbar region of the spine. With the spine’s main job to support the body’s upper and lower quadrants, many individuals with demanding jobs are either constantly sitting down at their desks or carrying heavy objects to different locations. With low back pain being a normal problem for everyone at some point, many individuals find temporary solutions to relieve the pain, only to repeat the factors. To that point, this leads to chronic musculoskeletal disorders that can cause referred pain to the lower and upper extremities and can be pricey when going into treatment. However, there are numerous options for working individuals that are cost-effective and safe on their lower backs. Today’s article examines how low back pain affects the working individual and how non-surgical treatment options vary with surgical possibilities when dealing with low back pain. Coincidentally, we communicate with certified medical providers who incorporate our patients’ information to ease low back pain associated with musculoskeletal disorders. We also inform them that there are non-surgical options to reduce the effects of low back pain and restore their quality of life. We encourage our patients to ask amazing educational questions to our associated medical providers about their musculoskeletal symptoms correlating with low back pain. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., incorporates this information as an academic service. Disclaimer
How Does Low Back Pain Affect The Working Individual?
Have you been dealing with constant radiating pain in your lower back, legs, or feet after a long workday? Do you feel pain when moving around, only to find relief when resting? Or do you and your loved ones feel muscle aches and strains when stretching in the morning? Many individuals, especially working individuals, deal with low back pain daily when dealing with these musculoskeletal issues. Low back pain is extremely common for working individuals as it can affect their job performance and be an economic burden when treated. Low back pain is a multifactorial problem that has an increased rate of affecting individuals and contributes to the growth of numerous health problems. Low back pain can cause many individuals to miss work due to the lack of clarity on the causes, treatments, and factors contributing to this musculoskeletal disorder. (Pai & Sundaram, 2004)
So, how would low back pain affect the working individual? Since many people have demanding jobs, it can cause the surrounding muscles, ligaments, and tissues in the lumbar region to be overworked, and the spinal discs degenerate over time. When there are unrelenting changes within the spine, it can be associated with affecting the lumbar structures of the spine to degenerate over time. This, in turn, causes the lumbar spine to go through biochemical changes that can generate pain-like symptoms in the lumbar region and cause structural changes to the spine, leading to lower back pain. (Benoist, 2003)
Additionally, there are many causes and factors that many working individuals will do that lead to low back pain. Normal factors like improper lifting, stepping wrong, or sitting down excessively can contribute to lower back pain. At the same time, traumatic factors like accidents, injuries, or playing sports can also lead to lower back pain. When musculoskeletal conditions like low back pain become an issue, it can become a major burden to health and social care systems for many individuals, with indirect costs that can be pricey when treated. (Woolf & Pfleger, 2003)
Chiropractic Care After Accidents & Injuries-Video
Now, with low back pain being a nuisance to many, individuals will seek out treatment to reduce the pain they are experiencing in their lower back and mitigate the residual symptoms they have been dealing with in the other body extremities. Sadly, low back pain, especially in its chronic state, can become a diagnosis of convenience for many people, affecting their socioeconomic, work, and psychosocial lifestyles. (Andersson, 1999) Many individuals will seek out numerous treatment opportunities to reduce low back pain. Surgical treatments for low back pain are great for individuals when regular home therapies don’t work but can be pricey. Many will opt for non-surgical therapies when it comes to finding cost-effective treatments for treating low back pain. Non-surgical treatments, including chiropractic care and spinal decompression, are excellent for treating low back pain. Pain specialists like chiropractors and massage therapists utilize various techniques (mechanical and manual) to realign the body and stretch out the affected muscles that are affected by low back pain. The video explains how these treatments can reduce low back pain associated with accidents and injuries.
Non-Surgical Options For Low Back Pain
As stated earlier, non-surgical treatments can help reduce low back pain and can be combined with other therapies to manage the pain. Non-surgical treatments can be personalized to the person’s pain and can provide pain relief to the body. When individuals undergo a non-surgical treatment, pain specialists incorporate mechanical and manual manipulation to restore joint and spinal motion to the lower back. (Park et al., 2023) Additionally, individuals with low back pain include an exercise regime to effectively increase the person’s range of motion while increasing the person’s chances to return to normal daily activities and work. (van Tulder et al., 2000)
Non-Surgical Options Vs. Surgical Options
There is a vast difference between non-surgical and surgical options for treating low back pain. Anyone can personalized non-surgical options to provide more effective improvement in reducing pain, restoring lumbar range of motion, and improving back muscle endurance within a few sessions. (Amjad et al., 2022) Now, when home remedies and non-surgical options do not reduce pain, surgical options are only effective for low back pain. This is due to the psychological component that causes individuals to have persistent back pain that is not causing the relief that the person needs. (Corp et al., 2021) But both options are excellent when reducing low back pain as many doctors tell their patients to be more mindful about how they are using the muscles in their bodies and make small changes to reduce the chances of the pain from returning. When many working individuals start to think more about their pain and how to minimize its chances of returning, they can continue to live life to the fullest pain-free.
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. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-022-05196-x
Corp, N., Mansell, G., Stynes, S., Wynne-Jones, G., Morso, L., Hill, J. C., & van der Windt, D. A. (2021). Evidence-based treatment recommendations for neck and low back pain across Europe: A systematic review of guidelines. Eur J Pain, 25(2), 275-295. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejp.1679
Park, S. C., Kang, M. S., Yang, J. H., & Kim, T. H. (2023). Assessment and nonsurgical management of low back pain: a narrative review. Korean J Intern Med, 38(1), 16-26. https://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2022.250
van Tulder, M., Malmivaara, A., Esmail, R., & Koes, B. (2000). Exercise therapy for low back pain: a systematic review within the framework of the cochrane collaboration back review group. Spine (Phila Pa 1976), 25(21), 2784-2796. https://doi.org/10.1097/00007632-200011010-00011
Can traction therapy help many individuals dealing with low back pain reduce inflammation and improve quality of life?
Introduction
When many individuals do everyday activities, if they are not careful, they can cause pain-like issues such as muscle strain, stiffness, and aches in different locations in the upper and lower portions of their bodies. When this happens, it can lead to the body’s natural defense, known as inflammation. Inflammation is the immune system’s natural defense to heal the affected area in the body naturally. However, depending on the severity of the issue causing the person to be in pain, inflammation can be beneficial or harmful. When many individuals start to make repetitive motions to their bodies, it can cause the muscle and tissue fibers to be overstretched and ache. To that point, these repetitive motions to the body could potentially lead to low back pain. Have you or your loved ones experienced inflammatory effects that lead to low back pain? When this happens, many individuals seek non-surgical treatments to reduce inflammation in the lower back, which can help restore their quality of life. Today’s article post looks at the correlation between inflammation and low back pain and how non-surgical treatments like traction therapy can reduce inflammation and restore a person’s quality of life. Coincidentally, we communicate with certified medical providers who incorporate our patients’ information to ease low back pain associated with inflammation that leads to the development of musculoskeletal disorders. We also inform them that non-surgical treatments like traction therapy can help reduce the chronic inflammatory effects in the body. We encourage our patients to ask amazing educational questions to our associated medical providers about their symptoms correlating with low back pain. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., incorporates this information as an academic service. Disclaimer
Inflammation Correlating With Low Back Pain
Do you often experience muscle aches in your lower back after a long, hard workday? Do you feel your skin is so hot to the touch that it is causing your muscles to ache constantly? Or did you injure your back due to improper lifting, so the pain is unbearable? Many individuals don’t often realize that the scenarios they are doing in their daily lives correspond to the development of low back pain. Low back pain is a multifactorial musculoskeletal disorder with many symptoms that are often correlated with inflammation. Inflammation is the body’s immune defense that starts to heal the affected area where the body has succumbed to injuries. Inflammation can be beneficial and harmful in its acute and chronic form while correlating with low back pain. When it comes to low back pain, its factors can lead to lumbar disc herniation, which then can be highly associated with inflammation. (Cunha et al., 2018) This is due to the surrounding nerve roots being entrapped, and the adverse symptoms of the lower back start to stimulate the nerve fibers to evoke inflammation, leading to pain-like issues in the lower extremities. When the lower extremities are associated with lower back pain, the lumbar components will start to degenerate over time, activating the inflammatory cytokine pathways that can directly damage the nerves and lower nociceptors, causing pain to the legs and lower back. (Li et al., 2021) When inflammation correlates with low back pain, it is a recurrent condition that many individuals seek treatment from their primary doctors. (Von Korff & Saunders, 1996) When this happens, many individuals incorporate these treatments to reduce inflammation and restore their quality of life.
Fighting Inflammation Naturally-Video
When inflammation is correlated with low back pain, many individuals will seek affordable treatment that works with their hectic schedules. Non-surgical treatments can work around a person’s schedule and are cost-effective. Treatments like traction therapy, massage therapy, chiropractic care, physical therapy, and spinal decompression are all non-surgical treatments that utilize manual and mechanical manipulation to relieve people suffering from low back pain and reduce the effects of inflammation affecting the lower extremities. These non-surgical treatments can relieve many individuals after a few consecutive sessions and slowly reduce the inflammatory effects. The video above shows how non-surgical treatment can help restore the body while naturally reducing inflammatory outcomes in a personalized treatment plan.
How Traction Reduces Inflammation
When it comes to treating low back pain correlating with inflammation, traction therapy, a form of non-surgical treatment, can be beneficial in reducing these pain-like issues. The pain specialist first assesses individuals with inflammation correlating with low back pain as they note where the pain affects them in their bodies. Afterward, they will be strapped into a traction machine, gently pulling their spines to reduce pain involving the aggravated nerves and muscles. The intervertebral discs will also be increased during traction to improve the spinal disc height. (Andersson, Schultz, & Nachemson, 1983) This allows the affected nerve roots to stop pain signals from affecting the lower extremities and promote healing. Traction therapy can even decompress the nucleus pulposus, one of the effects of low back pain, by pulling it back to its original position. (Ramos & Martin, 1994) This, in turn, reduces the inflammatory effects and allows the body to heal itself naturally.
Traction Therapy Restoring Quality Of Life
When many individuals incorporate traction therapy, it can restore their quality of life. Traction therapy can help reduce the symptoms of inflammation and pain by minimizing the chances of needing surgery. (Wang et al., 2022) Traction therapy can also be combined with manual therapy to stretch and strengthen the surrounding weak muscles and help restore the joint’s mobility. (Kuligowski, Skrzek, & Cieslik, 2021) To that point, many individuals dealing with inflammation correlating with low back pain can notice their pain being diminished and be more mindful of what habits are the root causes of their pain and how to reduce them from causing the pain to return.
References
Andersson, G. B., Schultz, A. B., & Nachemson, A. L. (1983). Intervertebral disc pressures during traction. Scand J Rehabil Med Suppl, 9, 88-91. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6585945
Cunha, C., Silva, A. J., Pereira, P., Vaz, R., Goncalves, R. M., & Barbosa, M. A. (2018). The inflammatory response in the regression of lumbar disc herniation. Arthritis Res Ther, 20(1), 251. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13075-018-1743-4
Kuligowski, T., Skrzek, A., & Cieslik, B. (2021). Manual Therapy in Cervical and Lumbar Radiculopathy: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 18(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18116176
Li, W., Gong, Y., Liu, J., Guo, Y., Tang, H., Qin, S., Zhao, Y., Wang, S., Xu, Z., & Chen, B. (2021). Peripheral and Central Pathological Mechanisms of Chronic Low Back Pain: A Narrative Review. J Pain Res, 14, 1483-1494. https://doi.org/10.2147/JPR.S306280
Ramos, G., & Martin, W. (1994). Effects of vertebral axial decompression on intradiscal pressure. J Neurosurg, 81(3), 350-353. https://doi.org/10.3171/jns.1994.81.3.0350
Wang, W., Long, F., Wu, X., Li, S., & Lin, J. (2022). Clinical Efficacy of Mechanical Traction as Physical Therapy for Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Meta-Analysis. Comput Math Methods Med, 2022, 5670303. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/5670303
Can lumbar traction therapy alleviate an individual’s lower back pain by restoring weak trunk muscles over time?
Introduction
The trunk muscles are the body’s main stabilizers that support upper body weight and stabilize the lower body weight. These muscles work with the lumbar back muscles so the individual can maintain good posture and be mobile when in motion without pain. However, when traumatic or normal forces start to affect the trunk muscles, it can lead to unwanted musculoskeletal pain that can lead to a life of disability and affect their performance in their routine. Weak truck muscles can lead to low back pain issues while causing referred pain to the lower extremities. However, many individuals are finding ways to strengthen their trunk muscles by slowly integrating core exercises and going to non-surgical treatments to reduce the pain they have been experiencing. Today’s article looks at how weak truck muscles correlate with low back pain and how non-surgical treatments like lumbar traction can reduce pain associated with weak trunk muscles. Additionally, we communicate with certified medical providers who incorporate our patients’ information to ease low back pain associated with weak trunk muscles, causing many musculoskeletal issues in the lower body. We also inform them that non-surgical treatments can help re-strengthen the truck muscles. We encourage our patients to ask amazing educational questions for our associated medical providers about their symptoms correlating with weak trunk muscles. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., incorporates this information as an academic service. Disclaimer
Weak Trunk Muscles Correlate With Low Back Pain
Do you often experience low back pain after carrying a heavy object from one location to another at work? Do you slouch more than usual when you are relaxing at home? Or have you noticed that you can’t hold a plank for less than 30 seconds during a workout? Many individuals dealing with these issues in these scenarios could be dealing with weak core muscles that can lead to low back pain. Since low back pain is a common problem that many people have, some of the correlating factors could be weak trunk muscles. Weak trunk muscles in the body can be due to the body naturally degenerating, causing the intervertebral disc to deteriorate. When the water content and spinal disc height begin to go through mechanical changes from unwanted pressure loads, it can cause the intervertebral discs to bulge out of the spine more and cause the surrounding ligaments and muscles to deal with more stress and become weak over time. (Adams et al., 1990) When the trunk muscles weaken, the lower extremities will start to develop musculoskeletal conditions that can lead to pain. Spinal disorders develop over time when normal or traumatic forces begin to affect the quality and quantity of the trunk muscle functions for its range of motion, strength, and endurance when a person is doing normal activities. (Allen, 1988)
So how would weak trunk muscles and low back pain have this relationship to affect a person’s spine? When muscle activity begins to be reduced within the trunk region, symptoms like stiffness and pain can cause postural shrinkage to the spinal disc in the lumbar region. (Cholewicki, 2004) Additionally, when dealing with low back pain, their trunk muscles undergo structural changes that can affect their stability. These changes can lead to reduced movement speed and range of motion, which then causes many of the accessory muscles to compensate for the pain that the person is experiencing. (Van Dieën, Cholewicki, & Radebold, 2003) However, numerous individuals will opt for a treatment plan to reduce low back pain and also help strengthen weak core muscles.
Can Core Exercises Help With Back Pain?-Video
When it comes to strengthening and restoring weak muscles to reduce low back pain, many individuals will try exercising to lessen the pain they are experiencing in their lumbar spine and strengthen their weakened core muscles. The video above indicates that including core strengthening workouts in a workout routine can be essential to pain management. Exercising alone can be challenging without the right motivation, but it can be included in a personalized treatment plan that can be effective and customizable to manage lumbar impairment. (Li & Bombardier, 2001) Many individuals opt for non-surgical treatments due to their cost-effectiveness and how safe it is on the spine to reduce muscle weakness within the trunk muscles.
Lumbar Traction Restoring Weak Trunk Muscles
When dealing with weak trunk muscles correlating with low back pain, incorporating non-surgical treatment could be the answer to reducing the pain they have been experiencing. Non-surgical treatments like lumbar traction, spinal decompression, massage therapy, physical therapy, and chiropractic care utilize mechanical and manual techniques to reduce pain in the upper and lower body portions, help stretch out shortened and tight muscles, and kick-start the body’s natural healing process. Since lumbar traction is a non-surgical treatment, it can help restore muscle strength within the trunk region. Lumbar traction can be used manually or mechanically to increase intervertebral disc space, decrease mechanical stress, and reduce muscle spasms. (Wegner et al., 2013) When many individuals feel relief from their pain and strengthen their trunk muscles gradually, they will notice a difference in their routine and continue to be pain-free after a few session treatments.
References
Adams, M. A., Dolan, P., Hutton, W. C., & Porter, R. W. (1990). Diurnal changes in spinal mechanics and their clinical significance. J Bone Joint Surg Br, 72(2), 266-270. https://doi.org/10.1302/0301-620X.72B2.2138156
Cholewicki, J. (2004). The effects of lumbosacral orthoses on spine stability: what changes in EMG can be expected? J Orthop Res, 22(5), 1150-1155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orthres.2004.01.009
Li, L. C., & Bombardier, C. (2001). Physical therapy management of low back pain: an exploratory survey of therapist approaches. Phys Ther, 81(4), 1018-1028. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11276184
Van Dieën, J. H., Cholewicki, J., & Radebold, A. (2003). Trunk Muscle Recruitment Patterns in Patients With Low Back Pain Enhance the Stability of the Lumbar Spine. Spine, 28(8), 834-841. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.brs.0000058939.51147.55
Wegner, I., Widyahening, I. S., van Tulder, M. W., Blomberg, S. E., de Vet, H. C., Bronfort, G., Bouter, L. M., & van der Heijden, G. J. (2013). Traction for low-back pain with or without sciatica. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2013(8), CD003010. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003010.pub5
How does innovated non-surgical treatment help assist individuals with cervical spinal pain to reduce headaches?
Introduction
Do you or your loved ones often experience headaches that don’t disappear? Do you often feel your shoulder and neck muscles ache after looking down at your cell phone? Or do you feel aches after being slouched for an extended period? Many of these scenarios correlate with referred pain in the cervical spinal region, which can develop into neck pain. The neck region is located in the upper body portion and provides mobility for the head without pain and discomfort. The neck region also has surrounding muscles and ligaments that support the spine and protects the thyroid and spinal cord. However, just like the back region, it is susceptible to pain as many individuals can overstretch the neck muscles, and it can cause referred pain to the shoulders and head, leading to pain-like symptoms that can lead to a life of disability. However, non-surgical treatments can minimize the pain and help strengthen the surrounding muscles in the neck region. Today’s article focuses on how cervical spinal pain connects with headaches and how decompression can reduce headaches while relieving neck pain. Additionally, we communicate with certified medical providers who incorporate our patients’ information to reduce cervical spinal pain associated with headaches, causing many musculoskeletal issues in the upper body portion. We also inform them that non-surgical treatments can help relieve headaches and provide relief to the neck region. We encourage our patients to ask amazing educational questions for our associated medical providers about their symptoms correlating with cervical spinal pain. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., incorporates this information as an academic service. Disclaimer
Cervical Spinal Pain & Headache Connection
Throughout the world, neck pain (cervical spinal pain) is the second most common problem that can affect many individuals throughout their lives. It can lead to a life of disability and pain if not treated immediately. Many individuals often experience non-specific neck pain, as it can be through a postural or mechanical basis that can cause muscle strain in the surrounding muscles or compress the spinal canal to cause headaches that can last throughout the entire day. (Binder, 2008) Additionally, neck pain, like back pain, is a multifactorial disease with common risk factors like lack of physical activity, duration of computer usage, and perceived stress. (Kazeminasab et al., 2022) Many of these risk factors are normal as they can also affect the surrounding muscles in the lower back region and shoulder region, as many people often do repetitive motions that can naturally be overstretched and cause pain-like issues to the neck region. With neck pain connected with headaches, it can cause overlapping risk profiles and be costly. Neck pain associated with headaches can be a frequent and expensive occupational health problem as symptoms of pain, disability, reduced life quality, and, for adults, time lost for work. (Ben Ayed et al., 2019)
The correlation between headaches and neck pain is that the spinal canal is compressed from traumatic forces that can lead to cervicogenic headaches. Cervicogenic headaches usually aggravate neck mobility, thus reducing the ROM of the neck. (Verma, Tripathi, & Chandra, 2021) This can lead to many individuals suffering from migraine-like headaches and muscle stiffness in the upper regions of the body. When many individuals are dealing with headaches associated with cervical spinal pain, many will find treatments to mitigate the pain-like symptoms affecting the upper body region.
The Benefits Of Stretching-Video
When it comes to neck pain, it can be either acute or chronic depending the factors that cause it or the severity of the pain. Many individuals sought treatment that can alleviate the pain in the upper regions that are non-surgical and beneficial to their health and well-being. Non-surgical treatments can help stretch the tight and short muscles in the neck region and can reduce headaches affecting the person. Additionally, having the neck muscles professionally stretched by a massage therapist can relieve the neck and reduce headaches. The video above explains the benefits of stretching and describes how many people don’t stretch their bodies often to prevent pain-like issues from reoccurring in the future.
Spinal Decompression For Cervical Pain
Non-surgical treatments are excellent when it comes to reducing neck pain. When relieving neck pain, healthcare professionals must use the best available evidence to enhance clinical decision-making and improve the quality of care for people with neck pain. (Misailidou et al., 2010) Spinal decompression can help many people with neck pain by reducing the issues through gentle spinal traction. What spinal decompression does for the cervical spine is that it can realign the disc that is aggravating the neck region and causing headaches by stretching the surrounding muscles. This causes muscle improvement for the neck as it can change the patient’s pain outcome. (Youssef et al., 2019) Additionally, spinal decompression is safe, cost-effective, and gentle on the spine as it can be combined with other therapies to mitigate any residual pain that can relieve the neck and back. (Flynn, 2020) Many people who incorporate spinal decompression as part of their routine can benefit from their outcome as they return to their routine.
References
Ben Ayed, H., Yaich, S., Trigui, M., Ben Hmida, M., Ben Jemaa, M., Ammar, A., Jedidi, J., Karray, R., Feki, H., Mejdoub, Y., Kassis, M., & Damak, J. (2019). Prevalence, Risk Factors and Outcomes of Neck, Shoulders and Low-Back Pain in Secondary-School Children. J Res Health Sci, 19(1), e00440. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31133629
Flynn, D. M. (2020). Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: Nonpharmacologic, Noninvasive Treatments. American Family Physician, 102(8), 465-477. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33064421
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. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12891-021-04957-4
Misailidou, V., Malliou, P., Beneka, A., Karagiannidis, A., & Godolias, G. (2010). Assessment of patients with neck pain: a review of definitions, selection criteria, and measurement tools. J Chiropr Med, 9(2), 49-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcm.2010.03.002
Verma, S., Tripathi, M., & Chandra, P. S. (2021). Cervicogenic Headache: Current Perspectives. Neurol India, 69(Supplement), S194-S198. https://doi.org/10.4103/0028-3886.315992
Youssef, J. A., Heiner, A. D., Montgomery, J. R., Tender, G. C., Lorio, M. P., Morreale, J. M., & Phillips, F. M. (2019). Outcomes of posterior cervical fusion and decompression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Spine J, 19(10), 1714-1729. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2019.04.019
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