Back Clinic Chiropractic Spine Care Team. The spine is designed with three natural curves; the neck curvature or cervical spine, the upper back curvature or thoracic spine, and the lower back curvature or lumbar spine, all of which come together to form a slight shape when viewed from the side. The spine is an essential structure as it helps support the upright posture of humans, it provides the body with the flexibility to move and it plays the crucial role of protecting the spinal cord. Spinal health is important in order to ensure the body is functioning to its fullest capacity. Dr. Alex Jimenez strongly indicates across his collection of articles on spine care, how to properly support a healthy spine. For more information, please feel free to contact us at (915) 850-0900 or text to call Dr. Jimenez personally at (915) 540-8444.
Massage is a popular therapy used to relieve fluid retention, spasms, inflammation, muscle tension, pains and stiffness. Other benefits include improved circulation (blood and lymph), general flexibility, range of movement, and increased tissue elasticity (eg, scar tissue).
Another kind of massage contains full-body massage, which often leaves the patient feeling relaxed and free of anxiety.
How Can Massage Function to Relax Muscles?
As the therapist uses their hands or specialized tools to rhythmically knead, wipe, and stroke (effluerage) muscles, circulation is stimulated. Blood flow is essential to helping muscles eliminate waste products, such as lactic acid, that may accumulate in muscles from spasms and delivers oxygen and nutrients.
Following trauma, muscles may act as mini-splints like a cast on a broken arm to safeguard and limit motion. An average example is somebody who uses a computer for a prolonged time period without taking a break to stretch the neck. The result: a stiff, aching neck and occasionally pain. Taking regular breaks to rub (mini-massage) and stretch the neck will boost circulation to the muscles.
What’s Swedish Massage?
This really is one of the most famous types of massage in America. Often, a lotion or oil is used to lessen skin friction. The therapist combines light stroking in one way with deep pressure in another to loosen muscles. The treatment expedites blood flow to flush uric acid, lactic acid, and other waste products from the muscles. Ligaments and tendons are stretched, increasing their suppleness. Nerves are excited and relaxed, and anxiety is relieved. The general goal is to loosen muscles.
What Is Deep Tissue Massage?
Long-term muscle tension is targeted by this technique. The therapist’s strokes are slower, using more direct pressure and friction. Determined by the texture of the deeper layers of tissue and muscle felt, the therapist occasionally adjusts intensity, strokes, and their hand positions to work the tissues to release tension.
What Is Myofascial Release?
Myofascial release, or soft tissue mobilization, is a therapy used to release tension in the fascia. Fascia are sheets of fibrous tissue that encase and support muscles. Following injury, the fascia and muscles may shorten limiting the flow of blood. The techniques used in myofascial release loosen muscle tension and break up fascial adhesions.
What’s Trigger Point and Myotherapy?
The treatment goals include alleviating muscle spasms, enhancing circulation, and releasing trigger points.
The therapist extends the muscle using a technique called Stretch and Spray as trigger points are released. This technique incorporates a superficial cooling agent such as Fluori-Methane, a local anesthetic that depresses nerve reaction. The anesthetic is sprayed over muscles as they may be softly stretched, soothing tight muscles.
Are There Other Kinds of Massage?
There are many kinds of massage; only a few are mentioned here. Shiatsu is an old oriental treatment predicated on acupressure, as is Jin Shin Jyutsu. Reiki is a Japanese type of massage that attempts to correct the entire body’s energy.�Rolfing can be uncomfortable; the goal is to adjust the muscle fascia to its fullest extension.
A Word of Caution
Speak to your doctor, before getting a massage for back pain or neck pain. She or he may have the ability to refer you to a licensed or certified massage therapist.
Sciatica is medically defined as a series of symptoms, particularly pain, which often extend along the sciatic nerve. The symptoms generally begin in the lower back, radiating down the buttocks and legs, through the back of the thighs and into the calf and foot.
The characteristic symptom of pain associated with sciatica can manifest abruptly or may develop gradually over time. Individuals diagnosed with sciatica describe the pain as a sharp, shooting or electric shock-like in nature. Movement of the lower extremities can aggravate the pain and it may be evenly distributed along the leg, although there can be specific spots where the pain may be more intense. Other symptoms reported by sciatica sufferers include tingling sensations and numbness in the distribution of the sciatic nerve.
Sciatica is commonly caused after an injury or condition results in the irritation and inflammation of the structures surrounding the lumbar region of the spine, which may in turn lead to the compression or impingement of the sciatic nerve and/or the surrounding nerve roots. The added pressure can be due to a variety of common injuries and conditions, including: ruptured intervertebral discs, spinal stenosis or the narrowing of the spinal canal.
Anatomy of the Sciatic Nerve
The sciatic nerve is the longest and widest nerve in the body, measuring approximately three-quarters of an inch in diameter. It originates in the sacral plexus; a network of nerves found in the lower back, along the lumbosacral region of the spine. The lumbosacral spine refers to the area where the lumbar spine and the sacrum come together. The sciatic nerve and it’s nerve root branches’ primary function is to allow movement and provide feeling in the thigh, knee, calf, ankle, foot and toes.
The sciatic nerve itself can be found running through the low back or the lumbar region of the spine. The nerve roots in this area are found along the L4 and L5 vertebrae. The sciatic nerve also travels through the pelvic region or sacrum.
In most individuals, the sciatic nerve runs under the piriformis muscle, the important muscle which is in charge of moving the thighs from side to side. The sciatic nerve then descends from the piriformis muscle, through the buttocks and the back of the thighs. By the area behind the knee, the sciatic nerve branches out into smaller nerve roots which continue traveling down and into the feet.
The sciatic nerve is part of the body’s nervous system, a complex network of nerves responsible for transmitting signals of sensation along with sensations of pain to other areas of the body. With sciatica, an injury or condition, such as a herniated disc, which causes irritation and inflammation along the tissues and other structures surrounding the sciatic nerve, can compress and apply unnecessary pressure to the nerve roots, radiating pain down the legs.
The sciatic nerve exits the sacrum in the pelvic area through a nerve passageway known as the sciatic foramen. At the upper part of the sciatic nerve, two branches form: the articular branches; and the muscular branches. The articular branch goes to the hip joint while the muscular branch serves the leg flexor muscles to enable movement. Other complex nerve structures are also involved: the peroneal nerves; and the tibial nerves. The peroneal nerves originate from the nerve roots along the L4 and L5 vertebrae of the spine and in the S1 and S2 vertebrae of the sacrum. After the peroneal nerves exit the pelvis, they travel down the front and side of the leg into the outer side of the knee and foot. The tibial nerves originate from the nerve roots at the L4 and L5 as well as the S1 through S3 vertebrae of the spine. The tibial nerves travel in front of the knee and down into the foot. When the sciatic nerve becomes compressed or impinged, it can cause painful symptoms along these pathways, characteristic of sciatica.
Should Sciatica be Treated with Surgery?
Most patients diagnosed with symptoms of sciatica can experience relief from non-surgical treatments, such as chiropractic care, and surgical interventions are generally not required to treat it. However, when the compression or impingement of the sciatic nerve manifests more serious symptoms, it may be necessary to receive further advice from a healthcare professional on the best form of treatment you should follow.
Severe symptoms such as: bowel or bladder dysfunction; advanced stages of spinal stenosis; neurological dysfunction including severe leg weakness; and intense symptoms where non-surgical treatments are no long effective; could indicate the need for surgery to treat sciatica.
The two common spinal surgeries for sciatica are:
Discectomy and microdiscectomy. With both of these procedures, the surgeon removes all or part of a herniated disc which may have been applying pressure against the sciatic nerve, causing your symptoms. The difference between the procedures is that a microdiscectomy is a minimally invasive surgery. The surgeon uses microscopic magnification to work through a very small incision using very small instruments. Because the surgery is minimally invasive, many patients recover quicker from this type of surgical procedure.
Laminectomy or laminotomy: These procedures both involve a part of the spine called the lamina, or the bony plate which functions to protect the spinal canal and spinal cord. A laminectomy involves the removal of the entire lamina; a laminotomy involves the removal of only a part of the lamina. These procedures can create more space for the nerves, reducing the risk of the nerves being compressed or impinged.
Over-the-counter medication, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs, can help reduce the irritation and inflammation of the body which may relieve the symptoms of pain. These however are only considered temporary treatments and the source of the individual’s sciatica should be addressed to promote overall health and wellness. Be sure to consult your healthcare provider on the best treatment option for your sciatica.
For more information, 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.
Living with chronic back or neck pain can lead to depression, feelings of worry, nervousness, hopelessness, as well as other mental health-associated symptoms. Your pain medicine physician or your back specialist may refer you to a psychologist or psychiatrist. Referring you doesn�t mean your physician believes your pain is all in your mind! Rather, he/she is taking an optimistic step in treating you as a whole individual � by treating both the physical and psychological pain.
Chronic Neck &�Back�Pain Is Complicated
As someone living with chronic pain caused spondylosis, degenerative disc disease, spinal cord injury or some other back problem, you understand pain is a complicated issue, and treatment requires the expertise of a spine�specialist. Perhaps your pain management plan features a blend of treatments � medication for neuropathic pain, a periodic epidural spinal shot, a muscle relaxant, or physical therapy. Treatment of stress, nervousness, and depression (there are various types) needs the same level of expertise but from somebody who focuses on managing mental health problems.
Depression & Chronic Pain
Are you aware that depression and chronic pain often go together? Depression is a critical condition, and nothing to be embarrassed of. It has been reported that as many as 50% of individuals with chronic pain are depressed.1 So, if you are depressed, you’re far from being alone.
The signs and symptoms of depression can manifest themselves differently in each individual, but tiredness, sleep disruption, changes in eating habits, listlessness, and feelings of hopelessness are all quite common. Aches and pains are a very common symptom of depression notably, depression can lead directly to neck and long-term back pain.
Treating Depression & Pain
Two classes of antidepressants often used to treat depression in those that experience chronic pain are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Generally prescribed SSRIs include and fluoxetine (Prozac) and sertraline (Zoloft), whereas usually prescribed SNRIs include duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine (Effexor). These drugs have now been demonstrated to be effective and safe for handling depression in the context of continual pain, but like all medicines, they come with some risk of unwanted effects. As always, be sure to go over these drugs in detail together with your physician before beginning any treatment regimen that includes them, and inform your physician of all of the medicines (including over the counter medicines), herbal remedies, and nutritional supplements you’re currently taking so as to avoid any negative drug interactions.
Moreover, or in addition to medications, other types of treatment may include:
Talk therapy, more officially called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The focus of CBT is to help the individual manage their situation and may include learning how to problem solve, thus engaging the individual to alter specific thought patterns to your more positive outlook, and conquering�fears.
Practice relaxation techniques such as meditation or breathing exercises.
Routine exercise might help curb feelings of worry, stress as well as depression. Exercise causes the entire body to release endorphins, which can cause you to feel much better and may reduce pain perception too.
Back pain is one of the most common complaints reported by a majority of the population. Affecting many people temporarily or for an extended period of time at least once throughout their lifetime, back pain is generally the result of trauma from an accident, injury or due to an aggravated medical condition. But, can an improper diet based on refined sugar and processed fat cause back pain?
Researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the Icahn School of Medicine believe that consuming an excess amount of these foods can cause inflammation in the body which may gradually degenerate the intervertebral discs, cartilaginous joints found between each vertebrae that act as shock absorbers and ligaments for all the movements of the spine. The degeneration of these structures may lead to back pain and other spinal complications.
Furthermore, an improper nutrition is also associated with the development of type 2 diabetes, another factor which may cause changes to the spine that could also lead to back pain and other painful symptoms.
�We hope to identify reasons why diabetes and poor diet can result in age-accelerated spinal pathologies,� declared co-investigator Deepak Vashishth, PhD, Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Director of the Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. �If we identify specific molecules necessary in this process, we can use this information to develop future treatments to slow or prevent these degeneration processes.�
Poor Nutrition Damages Essential Molecules
The researchers developed the research study because there are several safe, effective and minimally invasive treatments available to help improve the symptoms of back pain. The purpose of the evaluation was to determine what exactly happens in the body, as a result of an improper diet, to cause the degeneration of the intervertebral discs and eventually back pain. The study was also designed to provide them with additional information on how they could prevent or avoid this process from occurring in the first place.
Investigator James Iatridis, PhD, Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Orthopaedics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City explained, “Basic science studies on mice suggest a possible connection between diets high in advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, type 2 diabetes and spinal degeneration but this association has never before been proven.”
Advanced glycation end products, or AGEs, are proteins or lipids which become damaged as a result of being coated in excess sugars. Evidence suggests that a diet high in processed foods, such as fried foods, plays a huge role in the development of AGEs. In addition, research has demonstrated that the formation of advanced glycation end products over a period of time can cause tissues and other structures of the body to deteriorate, increasing inflammation which could lead to the degeneration of the intervertebral discs in the spine as well as contribute to the development of other diseases, including diabetes, atherosclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease.
Type 2 Diabetes and Back Pain
Moreover, Investigator James Iatridis, PhD, and his team began investigation the relation between type 2 diabetes and spinal degeneration. The disease is commonly referred to as an age-related condition, because it is believed to accelerate the cell aging process in many humans. “Studies have also shown that individuals with diabetes experience poorer recovery outcomes after spine surgery than those without diabetes,” he added.
In the first section of the project, researchers at Mount Sinai raised a group of mice on a diet focused on foods high in AGEs, similar to a human’s fast food diet. The research study also included both regular mice and mice genetically modified to reduce their ability to get rid of AGEs in their body. This was utilized to allow researchers to see whether the mice experienced disc degeneration or developed changes in the vertebrae of the spine to prove if advanced glycation end products play a key role in these degenerative alterations.
At Rensselaer, researchers would analyze how tissue and other structures from healthy intervertebral discs compared to that of degenerated intervertebral discs. Essentially, they were to study whether a drug that blocks the effects of a diet high in AGEs could provide protection against the degeneration of the structures of the spine in mice.
In conclusion, studying the tissue of humans can be challenging because people lead very complicated lifestyles with a variation of more than simply a diabetes status. These differences make it difficult to directly identify whether an improper diet and type 2 diabetes can actually cause back complications using only human research studies. Findings in both mice and human studies would support a link between diet, diabetes and spinal degeneration.
The study is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Findings will be published periodically over 5 years with the study concluding in 2021.
Make sure to consult a healthcare professional regarding any nutritional and/or medical concerns you may have before attempting and/or following any of the techniques listed above to avoid injury and/or complications.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Whole Body Wellness
Overall health and wellness can be achieved by following a proper nutrition and engaging in regular exercise and/or physical activities. While these are some of the most common ways to ensure whole body health and wellness, visiting a qualified and experienced healthcare professional can also grant your body additional benefits. Chiropractic care, for instance, is a safe and effective alternative treatment option utilized by people to maintain well-being.
Pain in the upper and/or mid back is not as common than lower back or neck pain. The upper back is called the thoracic spinal column, and it is the most secure part of the spine. The reach of movement in the upper back is limited because of the backbone�s attachments to the ribs (rib cage).
Upper back pain is generally caused by soft tissue injuries, like sprains or strains, muscle tension caused by bad posture, or looking downward for long time spans (eg, texting, mobile phone use).
Pain
Tightness
Stiffness
Muscle spasm
Tenderness to touch
Headache
What causes or leads to upper back pain?
An episode of upper back pain can be actuated by distinct moves and actions, including:
Twisting
Excessive bending
Whiplash or alternative neck injury
Lifting improperly
Poor muscle tone
Persistent movements, overuse
Contact sports
Carrying a load that is heavy
Smoking
Being overweight
Poor posture�working at the computer for�a long time without taking a break to walk around and extend, or in general can promote upper back pain. Both muscle fatigue and muscle pull, which often result from poor posture, can trigger the pain.
So what can I do about it?
Usually, upper back pain is not a cause for worry; however, it can be uncomfortable, painful, and inconvenient. Also, if pain develops suddenly and is serious�such as from an injury (eg, fall)�and, certainly if pain and symptoms (eg, weakness) progressively worsen you should seek medical attention.
Generally, the next home treatments can help relieve back pain that is upper.
Short term rest
Mild�Stretches
Over the counter medicine, for example ibuprofen, (Motrin�), naproxen sodium (Aleve�), or acetaminophen (Tylenol�). Take with food, and don’t take more than the recommended dose.
Use a cold pack that is commercially available or fill a plastic bag with ice and seal it wrap it. Apply to the painful area for 20 minutes every 2-3 hours for the first 2 to 3 days.
Heat (after the very first 72 hours). After using moist heat, gently stretch the muscles to enhance mobility and alleviate stiffness.
Your physician may prescribe drugs, like a muscle relaxant or perform trigger point injections to greatly help break up muscle spasms. He or she may also recommend physical therapy to increase flexibility, mobility and alleviate pain. Other treatments your doctor may suggest include acupuncture and chiropractic care.
Most cases of upper back pain resolve in 1 to 2 weeks without additional treatment. When you’re able to perform them without pain restart your regular activities slowly. Don�t rush matters, however: you could interfere with your healing and risk reinjury.
As always, abrupt or severe pain ought to be dealt with promptly.
Many people frequently seek medical attention to treat symptoms of back pain. Approximately three in four adults will experience some sort of back pain throughout their lifetime. Back pain is identified as a painful symptom which originates along the spine.
From acute back pain to chronic back pain, the symptoms can often vary. Acute back pain is characterized as a severe but temporary pain. Chronic back pain generally occurs on a daily basis and can go on for an extended period of time. Some individuals may experience severe symptoms while others may experience mild, deep, achy, burning or electric-like symptoms. These symptoms are typically manifested in conditions such as lumbar radiculopathy.
Back Pain and Other Symptoms
Back pain can also be accompanied by a variety of other symptoms, including tingling sensations, numbness, stiffness, achiness and weakness. Some physical activities may also aggravate back pain. Sitting, walking, standing, bending oveer and twisting at the waist are several types of movements which can worsen symptoms of back pain. Depending on the region of the spine affected and the diagnosis or cause, the symptoms may vary.
Many healthcare professionals specializing in back pain who can help diagnose the source of the individual’s symptoms. The spine is divided into several regions, the thoracic, lumbar, lumbosacral or sacrum. The symptoms of back pain may differ depending on which area of the spine is affected.
The thoracic spine is the upper and mid areas of the back, where the ribs attach to the spinal column.
The lumbar spine refers to the low back.
The lumbosacral is the low back, sacrum, and the tailbone, also known as the coccyx.
The sacrum refers to the part of the spine that located at the back of the pelvis.
The spine is a complex structure consisting of approximately 17 vertebral bones, extending between the upper back and tailbone, joints, the sacrum and tailbone. The spine is also surrounded by fibrous and muscular supporting structures, intervertebral discs, the spinal cord and nerve roots, and blood vessels. An injury such as a back sprain or strain caused by improperly lifting and twisting simultaneously, can often be a cause for back pain.
However, not all forms of back pain are caused by trauma or injury. Many back issues are congenital, meaning they occur at birth, degenerative, age-related, disease-related and they may also be associated with improper posture, obesity or unhealthy lifestyle habits, such as smoking. In some instances, the symptoms of back pain may be worse than the actual injury or condition. More over, when should you seek medical attention for back pain?
If you cannot stand upright.
Fever accompanies pain.
There is loss of bladder or bowel function or control
Leg pain and/or weakness progressively worsens.
And the pain is relentless or worsens.
Many patients with back pain have described feeling afraid and anxious, which is often also a normal symptom that can generally manifest with complications. Most people who experience upper, low or lower back pain, even down into one or both legs, will know when it�s time to seek medical care.
What to Expect from a Healthcare Specialist
Whether your back pain is mild or severe, temporary or chronic, and whether the symptoms require urgent medical core or not, make sure to seek medical attention to receive a proper diagnosis for your back pain. Once you’ve visited your healthcare provider, below is what you can expect from them.
A review of your medical history, including the medical history of immediate family members to determine if they’ve also had back issues. Some back problems, such as scoliosis and osteoporosis, may develop genetically.
Full discussion of when back pain started, what you were doing when pain began, current pain severity and characteristics, how pain may have changed since it began, and other similar questions. Your doctor wants to learn as much about your pain and symptoms before he examines you.
Physical examination evaluates your vital signs, such as your heart rate. It is not unusual for your blood pressure to be elevated as a result of pain. The doctor examines your spine, feeling for abnormalities and areas of tenderness.
Neurological examination will involve assessing sensation and function. The doctor may employ the pin prick test to determine if feeling is the same on both sides of the body. Function, flexibility and range of motion are also evaluated while you walk, bend forward and backward and during other movements. The doctor may also test your reflexes as well.
After a thorough examination, the healthcare professional may be able to determine the source of your back pain and other symptoms. To obtain more information about your specific back issue and to help confirm the diagnosis, the doctor may order an x-ray, CT scan, or MRI. Sometimes lab tests are ordered too. Keep in mind that an accurate diagnosis is essential to a well-developed treatment plan.
For more information, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
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.
About 80% of patients visiting a chiropractor receive some type of spinal manipulation, while chiropractors offer a number of treatments for musculoskeletal conditions. Spinal manipulation is a distinctive type of hands on treatment (manual therapy) that’s different from several other kinds of manual therapy such as massage and mobilization. While chiropractors sometimes consult with spinal manipulation as an “alteration” or a part of an adjustment, the term spinal manipulation is simpler to define, more accurate, and more widely used global.
What’s Spinal Manipulation?
Spinal manipulation is the use of a force (a rapid, shallow push) to spinal joints that moves the goal joint or nearby joints slightly beyond their normal range of movement. Spinal manipulation is often accompanied by an audible “pop”. This can be considered to be dissolved gas discharged from joint fluids with a quick drop in pressure. This gas abruptly joins into little bubbles, making a popping sound. Studies have demonstrated that it is not always essential to hear the audible pop for a spinal manipulation to work.
Chiropractors perform the majority of spinal manipulations in the US, followed by osteopathic physicians, physical therapists, and medical doctors.
What is the Aim of Spinal Manipulation?
Restore function to mechanical disorders of the spinal column and the aim of spinal manipulation is to reduce pain in.
Your chiropractor is trained in this highly-specialized form of manual therapy and may discover if your condition is suitable for this type of treatment. Spinal manipulation continues to be demonstrated to be most successful when coupled with lifestyle adjustments, as well as active treatments, such as stretching and exercise.
What Conditions Does Spinal Manipulation Treat?
While the precise mechanism through which spinal manipulation works is doubtful as of this time, numerous theories are being studied, including stretching tight muscles, stimulating the nervous system, unlocking trapped spinal joints and freeing entrapped joint folds.
Spinal manipulation was proven to be safe and effective for specific types of recent start neck and back malady, along with for more lasting or recurring musculoskeletal ailments. Your chiropractor is trained to identify any serious underlying conditions that might preclude spinal manipulation or perhaps manual treatment in virtually any form. She or he would then refer you to the appropriate medical specialist.
In conclusion, your chiropractor is extraordinarily trained to determine if you are a candidate for spinal manipulation and can also offer alternative kinds of manual therapy, together with active self-treatment recommendations.
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