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.
Viscerosomatic Gut Bloating: Everybody has healthy bacteria in the gut, but it can get thrown off balance with unhealthy bacteria that start taking over. Stress, viruses, and antibiotics can disrupt healthy bacteria levels. The bacterial balance known as the microbiome in the intestines is an essential factor in body wellness. The connection between intestinal and overall health is an important one as the gut is responsible for producing serotonin, a primary chemical necessary for emotional wellbeing. A viscerosomatic reflex is an organ/s causing pain to show up in the area where the injured, infected, dysfunctional organ is or, as referred pain in other areas of the body. Stress and unhealthy foods contribute to weight gain, organ stress, and chronic pain.
Viscerosomatic Gut Bloating
Bloating
Bloating is the feeling of pressure or gas in the abdomen. Distention refers to the physical expansion of the abdomen. However, these symptoms can present separately or in combination. Bloating can be a symptom on its own but often presents alongside other gastrointestinal disorders like:
After eating, flatulence, belching, bloating, and distention are a normal part of the digestive process. These issues are not considered problems until they cause pain and/or disrupt everyday life.
Stress
Stress can cause inflammation in the digestive tract, increasing pain receptors and distress-related bloating. Stress can disrupt the normal microbiome, creating intestinal dysbiosisand bacterial overgrowth. This can lead to digestive problems and symptoms that include bloating. This can be partly from excess gas production causing the sensation of bloating and physical distention combined with stress, creating an increased perception of bloating.
Foods Can Cause Inflammation
Animal products can cause inflammation because meat, poultry, and fish contain endotoxins/lipopolysaccharides found in the outer membrane of bacterial cells. These compounds are classified as toxins as they can cause health problems. No matter how these foods are cooked or prepared, the endotoxins are still present, absorbed into the body, and can trigger immune responses like inflammation. Eggs can cause inflammation because they contain high levels of cholesterol and arachidonic acid, which is an acid that is part of the inflammatory response. Excess cholesterol in the blood can trigger inflammation as well.
Dairy products can also trigger the inflammatory response in individuals that don’t produce the lactase enzyme, which breaks down the lactose in dairy products, are intolerant of casein and whey, two proteins in cow milk, or from the hormones and antibiotics given to cows to stimulate milk production and prevent infection. Dairy consumption has been linked to an increased risk of cancer and inflammatory conditions that include:
Acne
Asthma
Type 1 diabetes
Arthritis
Multiple sclerosis
Other Causes of Bloating
Other health conditions can present with visceral gut bloating and distention. This includes disorders and other underlying causes that include:
Musculoskeletal disorders can increase bloating and abdominal distention and can be triggered by stress. Two include:
Abdominal Muscle Dysfunction
These are abnormal contractions of the diaphragm and belly muscles that can occur after eating that can cause the nervous system to create a sense of bloating.
This viscerosomatic reflex leads to unhealthy postures and enlargement of the abdominal muscles that can worsen bloating sensations.
Exercises can be recommended to retrain the muscles to contract, usually after eating, which can help reduce bloating.
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
Stressful situations naturally cause muscles to tighten, leading to increased contractions in the pelvic floor muscles.
These muscles control the bladder, bowel, and sexual function.
The opposite can happen when the pelvic floor muscles become too relaxed. This can make it difficult to have regular bowel movements.
Increased tone and/or over-relaxed muscles can lead to various symptoms, including bloating.
Chiropractic and Health Coaching
The nervous system controls the digestive process. Properly aligning the spine releases the stress and strain on the bones, muscles, and nerves to work correctly. Chiropractic body adjustments, diet/lifestyle adjustments, supplemental recommendations, and exercises can reduce the underlying causes of viscerosomatic gut bloating. Digestive problems such as:
Chronic heartburn
Gas
Constipation
Diarrhea
Bloating
Irritable bowel syndrome
Chiropractic offers a medication-free approach to treating digestive issues.
Descompresion Espinal DRX9000
References
Dragan, Simona, et al. “Dietary Patterns and Interventions to Alleviate Chronic Pain.” Nutrients vol. 12,9 2510. 19 Aug. 2020, doi:10.3390/nu12092510
Fifi, Amanda C, and Kathleen F Holton. “Food in Chronic Pain: Friend or Foe?.” Nutrients vol. 12,8 2473. 17 Aug. 2020, doi:10.3390/nu12082473
Lacy, Brian E et al. “Management of Chronic Abdominal Distension and Bloating.” Clinical gastroenterology and hepatology: the official clinical practice journal of the American Gastroenterological Association vol. 19,2 (2021): 219-231.e1. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2020.03.056
Mari, Amir et al. “Bloating and Abdominal Distension: Clinical Approach and Management.” Advances in therapy vol. 36,5 (2019): 1075-1084. doi:10.1007/s12325-019-00924-7
Rice, Amanda D et al. “Decreasing recurrent bowel obstructions, improving quality of life with physiotherapy: Controlled study.” World journal of gastroenterology vol. 24,19 (2018): 2108-2119. doi:10.3748/wjg.v24.i19.2108
The body is a set of complex systems, including bones, organs, nerves, muscles, and tissue. Breathing disorders are increasing, including chronic bronchitis, asthma, emphysema, and other conditions. Viscerosomatic reflexes include poor breathing quality brought on by allergies, breathing disorders like COPD that can cause intense coughing, sneezing, hunching, arching of the back, and heaving that causes back pain and referred pain.
The brain sends electronic impulses to the different areas of the body through the spine/nervous system. If the nerves get shifted, stretched, compressed, or knocked out of position, the brain could start sending messages of pain and discomfort, which can also cause other body systems to malfunction. If the body is constantly transmitting pain signals, it can disrupt sleep, dietary habits, and overall well-being. Misalignment can disrupt the information delivered by the nervous system, leading to inflammation, irritation, and imbalances in the body.
Regular chiropractic maintains the nervous system to operate the way it was designed. Proper alignment of the spine and body will improve the nervous system’s health and function, encouraging the brain to release endorphins achieving pain relief, and leading to optimal health. When the nervous system performs optimally, the other systems will follow, including better breathing quality.
Poor Breathing
Breathing difficulties are widespread with various causes that include:
Allergies
Environmental pollutants
Viral and bacterial infections that cause inflammation
An overactive immune response can all contribute to poor breathing quality.
Individuals might not notice that their breathing quality is poor but instead notice they are:
Frequent exhaustion
Having to stop constantly in the middle of activities.
Experience brain fog.
Memory issues/forgetfulness.
Physical performance – endurance, flexibility, and muscle is deteriorating.
The breathing quality impacts how well the body’s systems can carry out their essential functions and be prepared for unexpected events. The body adjusts oxygen intake capacity in line with the energy required to perform physical activity. All bodily systems, including the cardiovascular, immune, and muscular systems, depend on the respiratory system to generate energy.
Immune protection against viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other diseases.
Chiropractic
A crucial part of the respiratory system’s function is transporting nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. Chiropractic treatment releases tension by moving muscle fascia and the spine that may have become stuck, compressed, or shifted out of position, causing poor posture and injury. Chiropractic eliminates toxins and cellular waste from tight, knotted areas by breaking up stagnant tissues.
Circulation Improvement
Chiropractic increases circulation, allowing fresh blood, lymphatic fluid, nutrients, and oxygen to enter the deprived tissues. These regions include:
Muscles in the shoulder, neck, back
Bones and joints across the spine
Body tissues
Ligaments
Tendons
Chiropractic treatment can be manual/mechanical traction/decompression, combined with therapeutic tissue massage, exercise, and diet recommendations.
Decompression De La Espalda
References
McCarty, Justin C, and Berrylin J Ferguson. “Identifying asthma triggers.” Otolaryngologic clinics of North America vol. 47,1 (2014): 109-18. doi:10.1016/j.otc.2013.08.012
Purnomo, Ariana Tulus, et al. “Non-Contact Monitoring and Classification of Breathing Pattern for the Supervision of People Infected by COVID-19.” Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) vol. 21,9 3172. 3 May. 2021, doi:10.3390/s21093172
Schend, Jason, et al. “An Osteopathic Modular Approach to Asthma: A Narrative Review.” The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association vol. 120,11 (2020): 774-782. doi:10.7556/jaoa.2020.121
The body requires the heart in the cardiovascular system to pump oxygen-riched blood to all the muscles, tissues, and organs to keep it functioning. While the heart pumps the blood to the body, the lungs in the pulmonary system help the body by making the host breathe in the fresh air, remove the gases from the body, and helps delivers oxygen to the body cells. When issues begin to affect the lungs and the heart, it can cause the individual to develop cardiovascular disorders and a lung condition known as asthma to disrupt the body and cause pain to the individual. Today’s article looks at what asthma is, how it affects the body, and how somatic issues from asthma can affect the cardiovascular system. We refer patients to certified providers specializing in cardiovascular and pulmonary treatments that help those suffering from asthma attacks. We also guide our patients by referring to our associated medical providers based on their examination when it’s appropriate. We find that education is the solution to asking our providers insightful questions. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer
Can my insurance cover it? Yes, it may. If you are uncertain, here is the link to all the insurance providers we cover. If you have any questions or concerns, please call Dr. Jimenez at 915-850-0900.
What Is Asthma?
Have you experienced chest pains that are causing issues in your arms? How about the shortness of breath that causes you to have difficulty breathing? Do you have trouble sleeping due to waking up coughing or breathing rapidly? These are the signs and symptoms of you experiencing an asthma attack. Research studies have defined an asthma attack as a chronic disease that causes inflammatory narrowing of the air pathways to the lungs. When a person starts to suffer from an asthma attack, it can cause the lung capacity volume to be weakened and produce an excessive amount of mucus in the airways. Many factors like genetics, allergens, obesity, stress and environmental exposures can trigger a person to have an asthma attack. When these factors begin to affect the lungs, it can cause an overlap of other risk profiles to affect the body.
How Does It Affect The Body?
The lungs help the body intake fresh air and exhale the gases. The lungs provide an autonomic innervation that has a typical casual relationship to the autonomic innervation of the heart. This causal relationship also works with the parasympathetic innervation of the vagus nerve and the prominent sympathetic innervation of the spine’s thoracic region. With the lungs providing the functionality of breathing in the body, it is considered a musculoskeletal act in the service of a visceral system requirement that straddles the somatovisceral interface. Regarding individuals with asthma, research studies have shown that it can cause somatic symptoms like chest pains, cold hands and feet, and blurred vision. These somatic symptoms can affect the lungs and increase the risk associated with cardiovascular diseases.
The Difference Between Somatic & Visceral Pain- Video
Have you noticed chest pain frequently occurring and causing muscle stiffness in your arms? Are you gasping constantly that it irritates your throat? How about the shortness of breath that makes it difficult to sleep? You could be experiencing an asthma attack that can trigger somatovisceral issues that affect the body. The video above explains the difference between somatic and visceral pain affecting the body. Somatic pain is when the muscles trigger the organs, while visceral pain is the opposite, where the internal organs affect the muscles. When asthma affects the airway muscles, it can cause the heart muscles to work extra harder, causing chest and upper-mid back pains in the body.
Asthma Causing Somatic Issues To The Cardiovascular System
The heart and lungs have a casual relationship as the lungs help the body to breathe in the fresh air, and the heart takes the oxygen-riched blood to supply the rest of the organs, muscles, and tissues in the body. Through the sympathetic system, the heart communicates with the parasympathetic, sympathetic, and sensory pathways that allow the coordination of the cardiac tone, causing the heart to accelerate its beat in the body. When an asthma attack begins to affect the cardiovascular system, research studies have found that the sudden restriction of the airflow pathways from an asthma attack is a development for upcoming cardiovascular issues. The heart muscles will coincidentally begin to strain as the sensory innervations cause immense pain. The sudden constriction of the airways during an asthma attack can also affect the thoracic spine and reach the heart. One of the ways to reduce cardiovascular issues that affect the thoracic spine is spinal manipulation. Research studies have found that manipulating the thoracic spine can help increase the motion of the thoracic cage and enhance the arterial airflow supply to regulate heartbeat and lung capacity.
Conclusion
Asthma is a chronic disorder that causes inflammation and narrows the air pathways that restrict oxygen from entering the heart. The lungs and the heart have a casual relationship to the body, providing oxygen and blood flow to the organs, muscles, and tissues to function correctly. When exposed to environmental factors, it can cause restriction to the airway pathways to the lungs, causing wheezing and coughing motion that can cause somatic visceral dysfunction in the cardiovascular system and the thoracic spine. When this happens, treatments like chiropractic therapy can manipulate the thoracic spine and restore the air pathways to improve cardio and lung capacity.
References
Hashmi, Muhammad F, et al. “Asthma.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 16 Feb. 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430901/.
Kaminskyj, Adrienne, et al. “Chiropractic Care for Patients with Asthma: A Systematic Review of the Literature.” The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, Canadian Chiropractic Association, Mar. 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2829683/.
Pollevick, Matias E, et al. “The Relationship between Asthma and Cardiovascular Disease: An Examination of the Framingham Offspring Study.” Chest, American College of Chest Physicians, Apr. 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8501004/.
Ringsberg, K C, et al. “Psychological Differences between Asthmatics and Patients Suffering from an Asthma-like Condition, Functional Breathing Disorder: A Comparison between the Two Groups Concerning Personality, Psychosocial and Somatic Parameters.” Integrative Physiological and Behavioral Science : the Official Journal of the Pavlovian Society, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1993, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8117581/.
Children, teens, and adults participate in organized and recreational sports activities for fun, exercise, and social benefits. Individuals and parents are used to scrapes, bumps, bruises, sprains, and strains. However, internal abdominal injuries from the body colliding with another player or object are less common but dangerous. Abdominal injuries make up less than 4 percent of sports injuries but can be severe when they occur. These injuries are common in sports like wrestling, gymnastics, soccer, basketball, football, skiing, snowboarding, BMX freestyle, motocross, skateboarding, ice/field hockey, and lacrosse. Early symptoms are not always obvious or apparent and can be mild or seem to go in a different direction away from the abdominal region, which is why it is essential to know what to look for.
Internal Abdominal Injuries Athletes
There are about 3oo 000 abdominal sports-related injuries. Kids and young athletes risk injuring their abdominal organs because their abdominal wall is thinner and still in development. However, internal abdominal injuries to the stomach, small and large intestine, spleen, liver, and kidneys can and do happen in adults.
Injury Types
Sports-related internal abdominal injuries are considered rare, but studies suggest they are increasing. The most common sites include:
Liver
This causes pain in the upper right side of the abdomen.
The right lobe is the one that gets injured more often because it is bigger and presses against the ribcage.
A torn liver can cause severe bleeding.
Shock can develop from the bleeding, causing heart palpitations, rapid breathing, shortness of breath, and a pale, grey, and/or sweaty appearance.
The liver and spleen are the most commonly injured organs in sports. They are filled with blood and can get bruised, or ruptured, and can cause severe bleeding when torn or cut. Bleeding in the abdomen can irritate the diaphragm, which can cause pain in the shoulder. Sometimes shoulder pain is the only symptom making it difficult to diagnose and because bleeding can take time to develop, the symptoms might not present for several hours.
Spleen
This causes pain in the upper left side of the abdomen.
The spleen filters around 10% of the body’s blood supply every minute.
A torn spleen can cause rapid and life-threatening internal bleeding.
Kidneys
The kidneys can be injured by a blow/hit to the back or flank that causes bruising or laceration.
This injury can cause flank/side pain, blood in the urine, nausea, and/or vomiting.
Abdominals
A single organ or multiple organs can be injured.
This can be the pancreas, diaphragm, stomach, gallbladder, bladder, or intestines.
Bruising discoloration or bruising, particularly around the belly and flanks.
This can cause abdominal pain with movement that does not get better that could be accompanied by fever, nausea, or vomiting.
Running into an object, another player, or falling hard can cause bruising, laceration, or create a tear/opening of a bowel wall. Symptoms can be delayed days to weeks after the injury when inflammation or infection develops.
Recognizing Internal Injuries
Signs and symptoms to look for include:
Abdominal pain
Bruising around the abdominal area.
Tenderness over the injured area.
Rigid abdomen.
Left-arm and shoulder pain.
Right-sided abdominal pain and right shoulder pain.
Blood in the urine.
Cold, sweaty skin.
Nausea and vomiting.
Rapid heartbeat.
Low blood pressure.
Loss of consciousness.
Treatment
Chiropractic focuses on whole-body health and can help with abdominal injuries. The nervous and digestive systems are interconnected, meaning that damage could lead to viscerosomatic reflexeseven if not directly injured. If internal damage or bleeding has occurred, individuals will be referred to a specialist, surgeon, or another emergency medical professional. If internal damage is ruled out, a chiropractic treatment plan that includes adjustments, massage therapy, manual and mechanical decompression, exercises, stretches, and health coaching will help with tissue injuries and problems that are causing gastrointestinal distress.
Spinal Non-Surgical Decompression
References
Arumugam, Suresh, et al. “Frequency, causes and pattern of abdominal trauma: A 4-year descriptive analysis.” Journal of emergencies, trauma, and shock vol. 8,4 (2015): 193-8. doi:10.4103/0974-2700.166590
Barrett, Cassie, and Danny Smith. “Recognition and management of abdominal injuries at athletic events.” International journal of sports physical therapy vol. 7,4 (2012): 448-51.
Kucera, K. L., Currie, D. W., Wasserman, E. B., Kerr, Z. Y., Thomas, L. C., Paul, S., & Comstock, R. D. (2019). Incidence of Sport-Related Internal Organ Injuries Due to Direct-Contact Mechanisms Among High School and Collegiate Athletes Across 3 National Surveillance Systems. Journal of athletic training, 54(2), 152–164. doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-271-17
Slentz, Cris A et al. “Effects of aerobic vs. resistance training on visceral and liver fat stores, liver enzymes, and insulin resistance by HOMA in overweight adults from STRRIDE AT/RT.” American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism vol. 301,5 (2011): E1033-9. doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00291.2011
Everyone has headaches at some point throughout their lives, which can be excruciating, depending on the severity. Whether it is a heavy workload that causes a person to have severe tension on their foreheads, allergies that cause immense pressure in between the sinus cavity in the middle of the face, or common factors that seem to cause a pounding sensation in the head, headaches are no joke. Often, headaches seem to go away when it’s in their acute form but can become chronic when the pain doesn’t go away, causing issues to the eyes and muscles. Today’s article looks at how headaches affect the body and how they can become a somatovisceral problem for many individuals. We refer patients to certified, skilled providers specializing in neurological treatments that help those individuals that are suffering from headaches. We also guide our patients by referring to our associated medical providers based on their examination when it’s appropriate. We find that education is critical for asking insightful questions to our providers. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer
Can my insurance cover it? Yes, it may. If you are uncertain, here is the link to all the insurance providers we cover. If you have any questions or concerns, please call Dr. Jimenez at 915-850-0900.
How Headaches Affect The Body
Do you feel a pounding sensation in your forehead? Do your eyes seem to become dilated and sensitive to light? Do both arms or hands seem to lock up and have a pins-and-needles sensation that feels uncomfortable? These signs and symptoms are various forms of headaches affecting the head. The head helps protect the brain from damage as the neuron signals from the central nervous system are connected to the cervical regions of the spine. When factors like lifestyle habits, dietary food intake, and stress affect the central nervous system, they begin to co-mingle to form various forms of headaches. Each form of headache continuously shifts in many suffering individuals to never sit still for their clinicians to capture their specific profile. Some of the multiple headaches include:
Tension headaches
Migraines
Stress headaches
Sinus pressure
Clustered headaches
When headaches begin to affect the neck and head, research shows that these headaches cause a convergence between the cervical sections of the spine and the skull base. This becomes a mediator for the neck and head to develop referred pain. Referred pain is known as pain that occurs in one section of the body than where it is located. For example, say someone has been through a traumatic injury that causes them to have whiplash in their neck; that pain in their neck muscles can mimic a headache affecting one side of their head. Additional information has mentioned that migraine headaches can cause chronic inflammatory issues in the gut-brain axis, causing dysfunctional autonomic and enteric nervous systems and affecting the body.
How The Body Deals With Migraines-Video
Have you experienced throbbing in various sections of your face? Do you feel your muscles tense up around your neck or shoulders? Or does your body feel exhausted that noise seems to cause immense pain? The various forms of headaches can cause many problems not only in the neck but in the body as well. The video above shows what happens to the body when a person is suffering from a migraine. Research studies have noticed that individuals suffering from migraines will develop associated somatic comorbid symptoms like anxiety and depression, making migraine headaches more frequent. At the same time, being the top three of the most common forms of headaches, migraines may share a common underlying mechanism involving the overlapping profiles of the cerebrovascular system that is equivalent to a repetitive stress disorder affecting the central nervous system.
How Headaches Are A Somatovisceral Problem
Research studies have found that the severity of the headache in a person, especially in women, causes a synergetic relationship that causes somatic symptoms and depression to be so high. This is due to the overlapping risk profiles that affect the mechanisms of the sympathetic nervous system, causing the production of cervicogenic headaches and chronic migraines to form. This is because the junction of the brain stem and the spinal cord is called the trigeminocervical nucleus and overlaps the nociceptive cells. When this happens, The close anatomic pain fibers from the cervical spine and the trigeminal system start to be aggravated; it creates pain impulses from the neck to the head, causing headaches to be interpreted.
Conclusion
Overall, headaches are no joke when they start to affect the body and cause mimic pain in different parts of the body. When various factors begin to cause somatic issues that tense the muscles but also affect the surrounding nerves, it can cause headaches to form and become excruciating. Different forms of headaches can affect other regions of the face and can go away for a short period in their acute form. However, in its chronic condition, it can cause the body to be in so much pain. Finding ways to prevent headaches from progressing further can benefit the individual.
References
Castien, René, and Willem De Hertogh. “A Neuroscience Perspective of Physical Treatment of Headache and Neck Pain.” Frontiers in Neurology, Frontiers Media S.A., 26 Mar. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6443880/.
Cámara-Lemarroy, Carlos R, et al. “Gastrointestinal Disorders Associated with Migraine: A Comprehensive Review.” World Journal of Gastroenterology, Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 28 Sept. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5037083/.
Maizels, Morris, and Raoul Burchette. “Somatic Symptoms in Headache Patients: The Influence of Headache Diagnosis, Frequency, and Comorbidity.” Headache, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2004, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15546261/.
Tietjen;Brandes JL;Digre KB;Baggaley S;Martin V;Recober A;Geweke LO;Hafeez F;Aurora SK;Herial NA;Utley C;Khuder SA;, G E. “High Prevalence of Somatic Symptoms and Depression in Women with Disabling Chronic Headache.” Neurology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 9 Jan. 2007, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17210894/.
The lower half helps stabilize the body and provides movement from the legs and rotation in the hips. The lower abdominal organs help control bowel movement while the muscles allow movement by regulating internal abdominal pressure. Combined with the back muscles, the lower abdomen can keep the body stable while protecting the lumbar section of the spine. When external factors begin to affect the lower back or disrupt the lower abdominal organs, it can trigger different symptoms that correspond to other sections of the body, like knee or leg pain being associated with menstrual cramping in the lower abdominals or even having pelvic pain that is an associated mediator to having constipation. Today’s article looks at pelvic pain, how it affects the lower abdominals, and ways to treat pelvic dysfunction in the body. We refer patients to certified, skilled providers specializing in chiropractic treatments that help those suffering from pelvic pain. We also guide our patients by referring to our associated medical providers based on their examination when it’s appropriate. We find that education is critical for asking insightful questions to our providers. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer
Can my insurance cover it? Yes, it may. If you are uncertain, here is the link to all the insurance providers we cover. If you have any questions or concerns, please call Dr. Jimenez at 915-850-0900.
How Does Pelvic Pain Occur?
Have you suffered from frequent urination or irregular periods? Have you felt excruciating pain when bending down? Or feeling muscle weakness in the lower extremities of the body? Many of these symptoms are correlated to pelvic pain and can trigger different symptoms affecting the body’s lower half. Research studies have mentioned that pelvic pain in its chronic form is a non-cyclic pain located in the pelvis, and the multiple causations can make it difficult to source where the pain is coming from. The overlapping profiles of pelvic pain can be traced through the numerous nerve pathways that are connected to the spine that can become aggravated and become the mediators for pelvic pain. For example, a person having low back pain might experience uncontrollable urinary discharge in their pelvic region. This could be due to the lower sacral nerve root being impaired and causing an overlap of the profiles resulting from mechanical legions to the lumbar spine, thus increasing the risk associated with the pelvis.
How Does It Affect The Lower Abdominals?
The pelvic region ensures that the body’s lower half is stable and protects the lower abdominal organs from disruptive factors like pelvic pain. Research studies have shown that pelvic pain is a relatively common pain associated with comorbidities affecting the body. Some of the various associated symptoms of pelvic pain can cause a correlation to disturbances of the bladder and sexual function in both sexes while also triggering abdominal and low back pain. Additional research studies have found that chronic pelvic pain can cause a correlated issue with PBS or painful bladder syndrome. What PBS does is that it can make a person have a frequent need to urinate and can cause the pelvic muscles to become tense and sensitive. This coincidentally causes the lower sacral nerves to be aggravated and become a mediator for the genital region to be hypersensitive.
Pelvic Pain Overview-Video
Are you feeling stiffness or tenderness in the groin region? How about going to the bathroom constantly? Or have you been experiencing low back pain? Many of these symptoms correlate to pelvic pain and other symptoms associated with the body. The video above overviews pelvic pain and how it affects the body’s lower extremities. The pelvic region consists of lower sacral nerve roots connected to several different nerve pathways that correspond to the primary nerves and provide an extensive neurological connection to the other areas in the pelvis. When mediators cause an increased risk in the pelvic region, the pelvic splanchnic nerves start to trigger muscle dysfunction in the lower abdominal organs. This causes numerous combinations of symptoms and disorders that causes overlapping of profiles in the body. The lower sacral nerve that is aggravated in the pelvic region could be the causation of pelvic and leg pain.
Treatments For Pelvic Dysfunction
Since the pelvic region has many nerve roots that are intertwined and connect to the major nerves in the spinal cord, it can become aggravated by accompanying the lower lumbar and upper sacral nerve roots to be impaired. Research studies have found that pelvic pain can cause an overlap in risk profiles that involves either the visceral or somatic system and the encompassed structures that help the nervous system form a causal relationship to the spine and lower extremities. When the nerve roots become irritated and affect the pelvic region, treatments like chiropractic therapy and physical therapy can help relieve the pelvic area and even help alleviate other symptoms. Physical therapy helps strengthen the hip and abdominal muscles from becoming weak and can reduce overlapping pathologies. Chiropractic therapy can help manipulate the L-1 through 5 vertebrae in the lumbar region of the spine, causing low back pain and bladder dysfunction. Research studies have mentioned that spinal manipulation can help reduce lower sacral nerve root compression triggering low back pain associated with leg pain. This overlap of risk profiles may cause pelvic pain affecting the body and causing organ dysfunction.
Conclusion
The lower half of the body consists of the lower abdominal organs and the pelvic region that allows bowel movement and keeps the body stable when in motion. When external factors begin to affect the lower back or the lower abdominal organs, it can cause a triggering effect on different sections of the body. Pelvic pain can affect the internal organs in the lower abdominal and pelvic region and cause comorbidities affecting the body’s lower back and bladder function. Treatments that help strengthen the hips and abdominal muscles or manipulate the spine to reduce the encased nerves trapped in the pelvic muscles will provide relief to the body’s lower extremities and improve functionality.
References
Browning, J E. “Chiropractic Distractive Decompression in Treating Pelvic Pain and Multiple System Pelvic Organic Dysfunction.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 1989, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2527938/.
Dydyk, Alexander M, and Nishant Gupta. “Chronic Pelvic Pain – Statpearls – NCBI Bookshelf.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 11 Nov. 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554585/.
Grinberg, Keren, et al. “New Insights about Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS).” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, MDPI, 26 Apr. 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7246747/.
Hwang, Sarah K. “Advances in the Treatment of Chronic Pelvic Pain: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Treatment.” Missouri Medicine, Journal of the Missouri State Medical Association, 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6143566/.
Lee, Dae Wook, et al. “Chronic Pelvic Pain Arising from Dysfunctional Stabilizing Muscles of the Hip Joint and Pelvis.” The Korean Journal of Pain, The Korean Pain Society, Oct. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5061646/.
The body relies on the gut system to help regulate its homeostasis and metabolize the nutrients for the immune system. The beneficial gut bacteria help maintain the intestinal walls from developing chronic issues and affecting the entire body. The gut system also provides information to the central nervous system through the spinal cord to the brain. The neuron signals help transport the information to all the corresponding muscles, tissues, and organs that require the gut system to stay healthy and functional. When the gut develops issues, the related muscles, tissues, nerves, and surrounding organs begin to feel the effects, causing the body to be dysfunctional. When this happens, many individuals will start to suffer pain and go to their physicians to find relief. Today’s article focuses on the sympathetic nervous system, how it affects the body, and how gut disorders can disruptively affect the sympathetic nerves in the surrounded torso area. We refer patients to certified, skilled providers specializing in gastrointestinal and chiropractic treatments that help those suffering from gut disorders and bodily pain. We also guide our patients by referring to our associated medical providers based on their examination when it’s appropriate. We find that education is critical for asking insightful questions to our providers. Dr. Alex Jimenez DC provides this information as an educational service only. Disclaimer
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The Sympathetic Nervous System
Have you been feeling stressed throughout the entire day? Do symptoms of inflammation tend to flare around the abdominal area or the abdominal organs? Do your muscles seem to tense up more than they should, even in their relaxed state? All of these signs and symptoms that affect the abdominal region of the body are all connected to the sympathetic nervous system in the body. Research studies have defined the sympathetic nervous system as part of the autonomic nervous system, a central nervous system component. The best way to describe the sympathetic nervous system is that it activates the adrenal glands to produce the hormone adrenaline causing the body to be in a “fight or flight” mode. The sympathetic nerves also help regulate the alpha and beta receptor activity of the various corresponding organs that stimulate the blood vessels surrounding the body, causing a relationship of the organs to the muscles.
How Does It Affect The Body?
As part of the autonomic system, the sympathetic nervous and parasympathetic systems help the body achieve homeostasis by exerting influences over the organ systems. Research studies have shown that this causes the organ systems to upregulate and downregulate the various functions that each muscle needs. Some of the tasks that the sympathetic nervous system that activates these organs include:
An increased metabolism
Decreased GI motility
An increased heart rate
An increase in movement and strength
Suppression in the immune system
Constriction of the large arteries and veins
Increase glucose production
Additional studies have noticed that the neurons in the sympathetic nervous system help prepare the body for various physical activities that affect the organs. This causal relationship between the organs and muscles helps redirect the blood flow to different body parts. The sensory impulses of the somatic tissue will then correlate to the spinal cord’s thoracic and lumbar spinal regions. When these nerves become irritated, it can coincidently cause a direct overlap on the muscles and visceral organs surrounding the nerves, changing their functionality. This causes somatic dysfunction to create the impression of overlapping profiles affecting the internal organs.
An Overview Of The Sympathetic Nervous System-Video
Have you experienced knee pain while having issues in the pelvic region? How about feeling pain in the lower abdomen that triggers spinal stiffness in the lumbar parts of the back? Or have you noticed any pain from the testicular area is relieved after a spinal manipulation? These symptoms are mediators of the sympathetic nervous system when internal organs are damaged. The video above explains the sympathetic nervous system and how it functions in the body. When the body suffers from traumatic forces or ordinary factors, it can cause an increased risk of other associated problems that can also affect it. The afferent fibers from the sympathetic nervous system can carry the pain signals from the somatic and visceral tissues that converge at the common synaptic site that is within the spinal cord. Research has stated that the somatic nociceptive signals can disrupt the gastrointestinal tract due to stress from various locations in the gut system. When this happens, it can cause an overlap of risk profiles in the entire body.
How Do Gut Disorders Affect The Sympathetic Nerves?
The way the gut system works is that it provides homeostasis to the body by regulating the immune system. When the sympathetic nerves are intertwined with the gut system and the spinal cord, research studies show that the sympathetic innervation to the GI tract helps regulate the motility, secretion, and blood flow by correlating to the nervous system’s activity and modulating GI inflammation. When the guts system begins to suffer from disorders affecting the entire body, it can trigger alarm points to the meridians that closely associate with one or more internal organs in the gut system. These alarm points are coincidentally represented as the first instances of visceral pain or tenderness to the somatic structures. When this happens, many physicians will notice that visceral pain involvement overlaps with referred pain, correlating with the individual’s history and other signs of dysfunction. This is a technique called nerve tracing, where physicians follow the line of tenderness from a painful region of the body to the spine, like how GI issues can cause musculoskeletal pain and disturb the visceral tone.
Conclusion
The body requires the gut to maintain homeostasis and help regulate the immune system. The gut system also provides information to the central nervous system by letting the neuron signals transport the sensory-motor functions through the sympathetic nervous system to make the body functional. The sympathetic nerves help provide organ activation to the body that can help prepare the body for various activities. When the sympathetic nerves become irritated, it can cause the muscles and organs to be triggered and change their functionality. This can make the surrounding organs and muscles have an increased risk associated with other disorders that affect the body and correlate to different symptoms. When individuals inform their primary physicians about these symptoms, it gives them a better understanding of these disorders’ causation.
References
Alshask, Mark N, and Joe M Das. “Neuroanatomy, Sympathetic Nervous System.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 14 May 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK542195/.
Boezaart, Andre P, et al. “Visceral versus Somatic Pain: An Educational Review of Anatomy and Clinical Implications.” Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, July 2021, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34145074/.
Cervi, Andrea L, et al. “Neural Regulation of Gastrointestinal Inflammation: Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System.” Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic & Clinical, U.S. National Library of Medicine, May 2014, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24412637/.
LeBouef, Tyler, et al. “Physiology, Autonomic Nervous System.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 8 May 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538516/.
Waxenbaum, Joshua A, et al. “Anatomy, Autonomic Nervous System – Statpearls – NCBI Bookshelf.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 29 June 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539845/.
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