Back Clinic Chronic Pain Chiropractic Physical Therapy Team. Everyone feels pain from time to time. Cutting your finger or pulling a muscle, pain is your body’s way of telling you something is wrong. The injury heals, you stop hurting.
Chronic pain works differently. The body keeps hurting weeks, months, or even years after the injury. Doctors define chronic pain as any pain that lasts for 3 to 6 months or more. Chronic pain can affect your day-to-day life and mental health. Pain comes from a series of messages that run through the nervous system. When hurt, the injury turns on pain sensors in that area. They send a message in the form of an electrical signal, which travels from nerve to nerve until it reaches the brain. The brain processes the signal and sends out the message that the body is hurt.
Under normal circumstances, the signal stops when the cause of pain is resolved, the body repairs the wound on the finger or a torn muscle. But with chronic pain, the nerve signals keep firing even after the injury is healed.
Conditions that cause chronic pain can begin without any obvious cause. But for many, it starts after an injury or because of a health condition. Some of the leading causes:
Arthritis
Back problems
Fibromyalgia, a condition in which people feel muscle pain throughout their bodies
Infections
Migraines and other headaches
Nerve damage
Past injuries or surgeries
Symptoms
The pain can range from mild to severe and can continue day after day or come and go. It can feel like:
A dull ache
Burning
Shooting
Soreness
Squeezing
Stiffness
Stinging
Throbbing
For answers to any questions you may have please call Dr. Jimenez at 915-850-0900
Can individuals receive a full night’s rest by recognizing sleep disturbances to only get proper muscle function and improve their health?
What Causes Sleep Disturbances?
As many people are in a constant state of motion and trying to complete their tasks, they will feel extremely exhausted and tempted to take a quick nap on their bed. However, a short nap can sometimes turn longer and thus affect a person’s sleep schedule. At the same time, when the body is ready to go to sleep, sometimes the mind is wide awake, causing people to become more tired throughout the day. These types of sleep disturbances can not only affect the person but also affect the body as well. In today’s article, we will be looking at what causes sleep disturbances, how improper sleep affects the muscles in the body, and how to incorporate various ways to reduce sleep disturbances. We discuss with certified medical providers who inform our patients how various sleep disturbances can affect the individual and the body. While asking informed questions to our associated medical providers, we advise patients to include various techniques to reduce sleep disturbances that can impact the musculoskeletal system. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., encompasses this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
How often do you feel general aches and pains in your upper and lower extremities that make you sluggish? Do you experience constant headaches that make it difficult to get out of bed? Or do you feel stiffness in your neck, shoulder, and back in the morning that goes away throughout the day? When it comes to the correlation between what causes sleep disturbance to the body, it can vary from person to person, depending on the situation. Let’s say a person is dealing with a stressful situation that causes them to be unable to get a good night’s rest; that would be known as a sleep disturbance. Sleep disturbances, by definition, are causes that can impact a person’s fundamental aspects of their sleep hygiene. (Cormier, 1990) Understandably, everyone is trying to practice good sleep hygiene; however, when environmental factors cause overlapping risk profiles to develop into sleep disturbances, they can affect the body. These can range from cognitive disorders to musculoskeletal conditions and chronic conditions.
How Does Improper Sleep Affect The Muscles & Body?
When classifying sleep disorders that can cause improper sleep in the body, four major categories can be the issue. They are:
Disorders that initiate and maintain sleep
Excessive somnolence disorders
Sleep-wake schedule disorders
Various dysfunctions are associated with sleep (Weitzman, 1981)
These four categories can cause many people to develop improper sleeping habits that can affect their bodies and muscles. Symptoms like fatigue correlate with poor sleep quality and can increase muscle pain intensity. At the same time, many individuals dealing with fatigue can experience muscle pain intensity associated with comorbidities that can make a person feel miserable. (Boggero et al., 2022) Environmental factors affecting the musculoskeletal system can correlate with metabolic disorders and thus affect sleep. Additionally, improper sleep and disturbances have been interplayed with metabolic disorders that can increase the risk of obesity, hypertension, insulin resistance and cause many people to have improper sleeping habits and, which, in turn, affects their musculoskeletal system. (Wei et al., 2022) Some of the effects of improper sleep that can affect muscle include:
Muscle weakness
Instability
Muscle pain
Discomfort
However, when people start to decide to try to improve their sleep schedule and reduce sleep disturbances, many people start to look for ways to get a full night’s rest.
Chronic Pain Chiropractic Care- Video
Ways To Reduce Sleep Disturbances
When trying to improve sleep quality while reducing disturbances, many people start to find ways to incorporate proper sleeping habits. Since sleep’s ultimate goal is to help individuals maintain and improve physical and mental health, many can achieve long-term sleep improvement through appropriate sleep hygiene and modifications. (Baranwal et al., 2023) Some of the ways many people can reduce sleep disturbances are the following:
Exercise
Sleeping on the right mattress
Establish a bedtime routine
Limit electronic screen time
Reduce eating and drinking caffeinated drinks before bed
Incorporating these small changes allows the individual to have proper sleeping habits and reduce overlapping risk profiles affecting the body and musculoskeletal function.
Finding The Right Mattress
Everyone knows that finding the best mattress is important for a good night’s rest. It is also important for people to find the right mattress to stay asleep and reduce musculoskeletal conditions. When it comes to finding the right mattress, it is important to ensure that the mattress’s firmness plays a huge role in improving a person’s sleep quality and reducing pain and disability for people dealing with sleep disorders associated with musculoskeletal conditions. (Caggiari et al., 2021) This allows the individual to have few sleep disturbances and helps them have that full 8 hours of sleep.
Reduce Screen Time
The next way to reduce sleep disturbances is by reducing screen time to prevent it from affecting sleep habits. Since many people are more technologically advanced, it is hard not to doom scroll at night. When many people are on their phones in bed, it can lead to sleep onset latency and cause issues like daytime tiredness. (Brautsch et al., 2023) The best way to reduce tiredness and sleep issues at night is by allowing 30 minutes to digitally disconnect and place any electronic away from the bed to ensure that the 8 hours of sleep is met. This, in turn, allows the brain to turn off and disassociate from anything digital or social media. When it comes to incorporating proper sleep habits, making small changes in a person’s routine can become beneficial in the long run as not only the body can relax but also the muscles.
References
Baranwal, N., Yu, P. K., & Siegel, N. S. (2023). Sleep physiology, pathophysiology, and sleep hygiene. Prog Cardiovasc Dis, 77, 59-69. doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2023.02.005
Boggero, I. A., Pickerill, H. M., & King, C. D. (2022). Fatigue in Adults with Chronic Arthralgia/Myalgia in the Temporomandibular Region: Associations with Poor Sleep Quality, Depression, Pain Intensity, and Future Pain Interference. J Oral Facial Pain Headache, 36(2), 155-163. doi.org/10.11607/ofph.2944
Brautsch, L. A., Lund, L., Andersen, M. M., Jennum, P. J., Folker, A. P., & Andersen, S. (2023). Digital media use and sleep in late adolescence and young adulthood: A systematic review. Sleep Med Rev, 68, 101742. doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2022.101742
Caggiari, G., Talesa, G. R., Toro, G., Jannelli, E., Monteleone, G., & Puddu, L. (2021). What type of mattress should be chosen to avoid back pain and improve sleep quality? Review of the literature. J Orthop Traumatol, 22(1), 51. doi.org/10.1186/s10195-021-00616-5
Cormier, R. E. (1990). Sleep Disturbances. In H. K. Walker, W. D. Hall, & J. W. Hurst (Eds.), Clinical Methods: The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations (3rd ed.). www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21250242
Wei, Z., Chen, Y., & Upender, R. P. (2022). Sleep Disturbance and Metabolic Dysfunction: The Roles of Adipokines. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(3), 1706. doi.org/10.3390/ijms23031706
Can individuals dealing with scoliosis incorporate various exercises and stretches to improve their posture and reduce pain?
What Is Scoliosis?
More often than anything, many people have tried to maintain proper posture to prevent musculoskeletal and spinal conditions from forming. However, it can be difficult to maintain an appropriate posture when strenuous environmental factors come into play. This can range from being in a hunched position to developing spinal conditions that can affect the curvature of the spine. One of the most well-known spinal conditions many people can develop through numerous risk factors is spinal scoliosis. Spinal scoliosis is often defined as a curvature deviation in the normal vertical spinal line. (Janicki & Alman, 2007) This causes the spine to develop an S or C curve in the thoracic or lumbar portion of the spine, leading to overlapping risk profiles in the body and causing pain-like symptoms that can make a person feel miserable. Today’s article looks at scoliosis, how it affects the body, and how various exercises can help manage scoliosis. We discuss with certified medical providers who inform our patients how non-surgical treatments, like various exercises, help manage symptoms associated with scoliosis. While asking informed questions to our associated medical providers, we advise patients to include various exercises and pain management techniques to reduce pain-like symptoms correlating with scoliosis. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., encompasses this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
How Does It Affect The Body?
Since scoliosis is a spinal deformity condition that affects the spine, it can happen at any age and is categorized into four group forms:
Congenital (Presented by birth)
Neuromuscular (Resulted from cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy)
Idiopathic (The common spinal condition)
Degenerative (Adult-onset scoliosis)
Within these four groups of scoliosis, some of the pain-like symptoms can vary depending on the size of the curve and how far the progression leads to overlapping risk profiles in the thoracic and lumbar spine portions. (Aebi, 2005) Some of the symptoms that are associated with scoliosis are back pain. Many individuals with scoliosis, especially adolescent individuals, have back pain associated with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis due to increasing age, injuries, and how severe the spine is curved. (Achar & Yamanaka, 2020) Additional symptoms that many individuals experience with scoliosis that can affect their bodies have specific features that cause pain. Individuals with scoliosis often have increasing asymmetrical pain when standing for prolonged periods and residing at rest, thus mimicking sciatica pain. (Zaina et al., 2023) This is because pain is one of the biomarkers for scoliosis. When pain starts to affect the body, issues like muscle dysfunction, concave disc pressure, asymmetrical facet joint strains, and a high BMI (body mass index) become the main mechanical parameters in the body. They are assessed by doctors when being examined. (Ilharreborde et al., 2023) When individuals are being assessed by their doctors to manage scoliosis, non-surgical treatments can help manage the pain-like symptoms and restore joint stability and mobility to the body.
Movement Medicine: Chiropractic Care- Video
Various Exercises For Managing Scoliosis
When many individuals dealing with scoliosis go in for non-surgical treatments, they will be assessed and evaluated by pain specialists to determine what the next steps for treatment can be provided for them. For scoliosis, non-surgical treatments like chiropractic care can be provided to reduce the musculoskeletal conditions associated with scoliosis. Chiropractors utilize mechanical and manual spinal manipulation of the spine. They can set the vertebra back in place while restoring the spinal joint with optimal motion, improving the range of motion, and allowing the body to function properly. (Milne et al., 2022) At the same time, chiropractors can recommend various exercises and stretches to help manage symptoms associated with scoliosis as part of their treatment plan. Incorporating various exercises can help rectify spinal deformity, help the different muscle groups become stronger, and allow the individual to work a bit on managing scoliosis symptoms. Below are some of the various exercises and stretches to manage scoliosis.
Practicing Good Posture
Practicing good posture can benefit many individuals with scoliosis, especially young ones. Many people realize that maintaining good posture can help reduce muscle pain and tension in the back. It allows many people to realign their bodies and retrain them to stand with good posture naturally. Maintaining good posture, whether standing or seated, can allow doctors to scan the body for any tension signs. For those with scoliosis, it can gradually strengthen the weak core muscles in their bodies.
Abdominal Presses
Abdominal presses allow the individual to maintain neutral spinal alignment while strengthening the abdominal core muscles. To do this:
Individuals must lie on their backs on a yoga mat, keeping their backs in a neutral, tension-free position with bent knees.
They raise both feet and thighs off the mat to form a 90-degree angle with their knees above the hips. *They can support themselves with a chair or wall.
Next, individuals can use their hands to push and pull the knees with their abdominal muscles.
When doing this static exercise, make sure that they hold for three full breaths in two sets of ten and relax in between.
Bird-Dog
Bird-dog is a yoga move that can help stretch tight and weak muscles in the back and allow the body to balance itself. To do this:
Individuals can be on their hands and knees with a neutral spine position on a yoga mat, ensuring their hands are under their shoulders and their knees are under their hips.
With controlled breathing, extend one arm straight out while extending the opposite leg back.
Maintain the position for five to thirty seconds, andslowly return to the neutral spine.
Repeat the motion with the opposite for 10 to 15 reps.
Incorporating these exercises can help manage pain-like symptoms associated with scoliosis, help many individuals strengthen their weak muscles, and help improve their posture on their health and wellness journey.
References
Achar, S., & Yamanaka, J. (2020). Back Pain in Children and Adolescents. American Family Physician, 102(1), 19-28. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32603067
Ilharreborde, B., Simon, A. L., Shadi, M., & Kotwicki, T. (2023). Is scoliosis a source of pain? J Child Orthop, 17(6), 527-534. doi.org/10.1177/18632521231215861
Janicki, J. A., & Alman, B. (2007). Scoliosis: Review of diagnosis and treatment. Paediatr Child Health, 12(9), 771-776. doi.org/10.1093/pch/12.9.771
Milne, N., Longeri, L., Patel, A., Pool, J., Olson, K., Basson, A., & Gross, A. R. (2022). Spinal manipulation and mobilisation in the treatment of infants, children, and adolescents: a systematic scoping review. BMC Pediatr, 22(1), 721. doi.org/10.1186/s12887-022-03781-6
Zaina, F., Marchese, R., Donzelli, S., Cordani, C., Pulici, C., McAviney, J., & Negrini, S. (2023). Current Knowledge on the Different Characteristics of Back Pain in Adults with and without Scoliosis: A Systematic Review. J Clin Med, 12(16). doi.org/10.3390/jcm12165182
Can incorporating natural probiotic foods help improve many people’s gut health and restore functionality to their bodies?
Introduction
Many people trying a healthier lifestyle will start incorporating more nutritious options to ensure the body and the gut get the necessary nutrients. When it comes to gut health, many people will begin to notice how they have more energy and will also start to see how different foods can affect their health. The gastrointestinal system plays a huge role in many people’s health and wellness and is associated with many environmental factors that can impact the body. When that happens, many people can incorporate probiotics to help with gut health. In today’s article, we will dive into how gut health impacts the body, how probiotics improve gut health, and how people can incorporate probiotic-rich foods into their diet. We discuss with certified medical providers who inform our patients how incorporating probiotics can help improve gut health. While asking informed questions to our associated medical providers, we advise patients to include foods rich in probiotics to reduce overlapping risk profiles affecting the gut. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., encompasses this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
How Gut Health Impacts The Body
Do you feel sluggish and full constantly after a heavy meal? Do you notice red imperfections in your skin after eating a certain food item? Or have you experienced constant cold and flu symptoms impacting your daily routine? Many do not realize that the overlapping risk profile scenarios affecting their bodies correlate with the gut system. The gut system is the second brain in the human body and can also be impacted by pathogens and environmental factors. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is home to abundant microorganisms that form an intricate and mutual relationship that benefits the body. (Thursby & Juge, 2017) Inside the GI tract, numerous bacteria help with food digestion and transport the nutrients to different body areas. When the gut system deals with alterations in its microbial communities, it can negatively impact the functional structures of the gut’s composition and function. (Yoon & Yoon, 2018)
This means that when bad bacteria are abundant in the gut system, it can cause the body to be dysfunctional and, over time, can develop chronic issues like inflammation and gut dysbiosis. Environmental factors like stress, poor dieting, and physical inactivity can impact the gut. They can be potentially harmful through these abnormal chances, causing the bad bacteria to overflow the good bacteria, allowing the immune system to attack the gut system. (Zhang et al., 2015) When this happens, many people start to feel symptoms of pain and discomfort in their bodies and start looking for ways to reduce these pain-like symptoms while improving their gut health.
Balance Body & Metabolism- Video
How Probiotics Improve Gut Health
When it comes to reducing pain-like symptoms in the body, it is also important to improve gut health. One way to improve gut health is by incorporating probiotics into a healthy diet. Probiotics have beneficial organisms that can provide helpful properties by stimulating the growth and activities of good bacteria in the gut. (Li et al., 2021) Probiotics can help line the gut while boosting the immune system, allowing the GI tract to absorb the nutrients a person eats. At the same time, different strains of probiotics can impact the gut barrier, the immune system, and cognitive function in the body. (Wieers et al., 2019) Additionally, many people can incorporate probiotic-rich foods into their diet.
Probiotic-Rich Foods To Try
There are some benefits when it comes to incorporating probiotic-rich foods into a diet, as probiotics play a role in hosting innate and adaptive immune responses, which occur mainly on the surface of the intestinal barrier. (Mazziotta et al., 2023) Some of the benefits of consuming probiotic-rich foods include:
Restoring the natural balance of gut bacteria
Strengthening immune system
Reduces cholesterol levels
Heals Leaky gut
Some the foods like kefir, yogurt, sauerkraut, miso, and kimchi are great examples of probiotic-rich foods as they can be incorporated into any healthy diet and can help produce a higher abundance of health-promoting bacteria to increase gut microbiome diversity and enhance a person’s activity levels. (Jager et al., 2019) When people start incorporating probiotics into their health and wellness journey, they will notice that their energy levels are maintained during their daily activities and that their gut health is optimal. As stated earlier, the gut is known as the second brain in the body, so when pathogens and environmental factors start to cause issues to the gut, the body feels it. But if probiotics are introduced to the gut, the gut and body are happy.
References
Jager, R., Mohr, A. E., Carpenter, K. C., Kerksick, C. M., Purpura, M., Moussa, A., Townsend, J. R., Lamprecht, M., West, N. P., Black, K., Gleeson, M., Pyne, D. B., Wells, S. D., Arent, S. M., Smith-Ryan, A. E., Kreider, R. B., Campbell, B. I., Bannock, L., Scheiman, J.,…Antonio, J. (2019). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Probiotics. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 16(1), 62. doi.org/10.1186/s12970-019-0329-0
Li, H. Y., Zhou, D. D., Gan, R. Y., Huang, S. Y., Zhao, C. N., Shang, A., Xu, X. Y., & Li, H. B. (2021). Effects and Mechanisms of Probiotics, Prebiotics, Synbiotics, and Postbiotics on Metabolic Diseases Targeting Gut Microbiota: A Narrative Review. Nutrients, 13(9). doi.org/10.3390/nu13093211
Mazziotta, C., Tognon, M., Martini, F., Torreggiani, E., & Rotondo, J. C. (2023). Probiotics Mechanism of Action on Immune Cells and Beneficial Effects on Human Health. Cells, 12(1). doi.org/10.3390/cells12010184
Thursby, E., & Juge, N. (2017). Introduction to the human gut microbiota. Biochem J, 474(11), 1823-1836. doi.org/10.1042/BCJ20160510
Wieers, G., Belkhir, L., Enaud, R., Leclercq, S., Philippart de Foy, J. M., Dequenne, I., de Timary, P., & Cani, P. D. (2019). How Probiotics Affect the Microbiota. Front Cell Infect Microbiol, 9, 454. doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2019.00454
Yoon, M. Y., & Yoon, S. S. (2018). Disruption of the Gut Ecosystem by Antibiotics. Yonsei Med J, 59(1), 4-12. doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2018.59.1.4
Zhang, Y. J., Li, S., Gan, R. Y., Zhou, T., Xu, D. P., & Li, H. B. (2015). Impacts of gut bacteria on human health and diseases. Int J Mol Sci, 16(4), 7493-7519. doi.org/10.3390/ijms16047493
Individuals dealing with fibromyalgia can find natural remedies to reduce the pain-like symptoms and provide relief to their bodies?
Introduction
When it comes to the immune system in the human body, it is the number one defender in healing the body naturally from chronic illness or injuries to which the host has succumbed. When the body is dealing with unwanted pathogens, the immune system sends out inflammatory cytokines to attach to the affected area, allowing the healing process to take effect. However, when environmental factors or pathogens develop inside the body over time, the immune system can become confused and begin to attack healthy cells; when this happens, the body can develop autoimmune diseases. This causes chronic issues and overlapping risk profiles to develop and cause the body to succumb to pain and discomfort. Autoimmune diseases like fibromyalgia can affect the various muscles in the body and cause a person to be in tremendous amounts of pain. Luckily, there are different natural remedies to dampen the pain-like effects of fibromyalgia. In today’s article, we are looking at the impact of fibromyalgia on the body and how various natural remedies can help reduce fibromyalgia flare-ups. We discuss with certified medical providers who inform our patients how fibromyalgia can affect the body and be correlated with pain-like symptoms. While asking informed questions to our associated medical providers, we advise patients to incorporate various natural remedies to reduce the chances of fibromyalgia causing more issues in the body. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., encompasses this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
How Fibromyalgia Affects The Body
Have you been dealing with pain and discomfort in different areas of your body? Do you feel exhausted throughout the day despite having a good night’s rest? Or have you been dealing with constant migraines that you would rather stay in bed all day? Many pain-like scenarios are associated with musculoskeletal conditions that can affect the entire body through painful sensations. However, musculoskeletal conditions have a casual relationship with not only environmental factors but also with autoimmune diseases like fibromyalgia. Now, fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic and widespread musculoskeletal pain and can be associated with hypersensitivity processing to pain in the brain. (Siracusa et al., 2021) This is because many factors like genetics, environmental, hormonal, neural, and immunological are all associated with fibromyalgia and can cause the neuron signals to be haywire and hypersensitive to the body. (Garcia Rodriguez & Abud Mendoza, 2020) When that happens, the body begins to experience musculoskeletal pain-like symptoms like muscle-joint stiffness and fatigue that can cause the vagus nerve to be in a constant hyperactive state in the body.
Additionally, since fibromyalgia is an autoimmune disease, the role of the immune system and inflammation also come into play as the body produces altered levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines to dysregulate neuro-sensitizing molecules and affect the small nerve fibers in the body (Clauw et al., 2024). Unfortunately, when doctors diagnose fibromyalgia, comorbidities can cause overlapping risk profiles in the body. Fortunately, there are numerous treatments and natural remedies available to reduce and manage pain-like symptoms associated with fibromyalgia.
Fibromyalgia: Food Choices & Neutraceutical Options- Video
Natural Remedies To Reduce Fibromyalgia
When it comes to finding numerous ways to reduce the pain-like effects of fibromyalgia, many people seek out over-the-counter medicine to reduce the musculoskeletal pain associated with fibromyalgia, which can provide temporary relief. Luckily, there are natural remedies that can improve overall fibromyalgia symptoms that can improve the global functioning of the body, pain reduction, psychological relief, and brain activity. (Assavarittirong et al., 2022) Many natural remedies for fibromyalgia include:
Incorporating vitamins and supplements
Making small changes in diet and lifestyle
Utilizing non-surgical treatments
Supplements
When it comes to reducing fibromyalgia flare-ups, many people wonder where to start on their health and wellness journey. The best way to start making small changes to their health and reducing fibromyalgia flare-ups is by incorporating vitamins and supplements. Vitamins and supplements can help the body by incorporating the necessary nutrients that the body needs to provide energy and function to the muscles, tissues, bones, and vital organs. When it comes to incorporating various vitamins and supplements to reduce fibromyalgia symptoms, many people have started incorporating vitamin D to boost the immune system and reduce muscle impairment in tissue structure and function. (Lombardo et al., 2022) This is because when individuals are dealing with fibromyalgia flare-ups, they experience extreme muscle pain, and it spreads throughout the entire body. At the same time, many people can also incorporate magnesium as part of the regime to reduce fibromyalgia. When people start to integrate magnesium, they will experience reduced symptoms of muscle pain, fatigue, anxiety, and improved sleep difficulties. (Boulis et al., 2021) By incorporating vitamins and supplements into individuals with fibromyalgia, they will begin to notice over time that the symptoms associated with fibromyalgia are reduced.
Diet & Lifestyle Changes
Another way for individuals dealing with fibromyalgia is by incorporating a diet that has anti-inflammatory properties and lifestyle changes that can be customized for the person’s treatment plan. When it comes to the diet portion of reducing fibromyalgia, many wonder how to start. Since a healthy diet is crucial for a natural treatment to reduce fibromyalgia, the main goal is to reduce the inflammatory effects associated with fibromyalgia. When people start incorporating fruits and vegetables that have been shown not only to reduce oxidative stress but also to reduce the inflammatory markers caused by fibromyalgia. (Lowry et al., 2020) While incorporating a healthy diet containing anti-inflammatory foods, exercising and utilizing non-surgical treatments also play a crucial role in managing fibromyalgia. When it comes to exercising can be a multimodal treatment as it can help create a physiological response that decreases the sympathetic activity and shifts the parasympathetic activity that relaxes the muscular and nervous system, thus reducing the stress levels of individuals with fibromyalgia. (Metyas et al., 2024) This allows people to manage their symptoms and make small changes in their health and well-being. At the same time, they can incorporate non-surgical treatments like chiropractic care and acupuncture to realign the body and reduce symptoms of stiffness and pain correlated with fibromyalgia. By doing so and managing their fibromyalgia symptoms, many people can begin taking back their health and wellness with these natural remedies for their fibromyalgia.
References
Assavarittirong, C., Samborski, W., & Grygiel-Gorniak, B. (2022). Oxidative Stress in Fibromyalgia: From Pathology to Treatment. Oxid Med Cell Longev, 2022, 1582432. doi.org/10.1155/2022/1582432
Boulis, M., Boulis, M., & Clauw, D. (2021). Magnesium and Fibromyalgia: A Literature Review. J Prim Care Community Health, 12, 21501327211038433. doi.org/10.1177/21501327211038433
Clauw, D., Sarzi-Puttini, P., Pellegrino, G., & Shoenfeld, Y. (2024). Is fibromyalgia an autoimmune disorder? Autoimmun Rev, 23(1), 103424. doi.org/10.1016/j.autrev.2023.103424
Garcia Rodriguez, D. F., & Abud Mendoza, C. (2020). Physiopathology of fibromyalgia. Reumatol Clin (Engl Ed), 16(3), 191-194. doi.org/10.1016/j.reuma.2020.02.003 (Fisiopatologia de la fibromialgia.)
Lombardo, M., Feraco, A., Ottaviani, M., Rizzo, G., Camajani, E., Caprio, M., & Armani, A. (2022). The Efficacy of Vitamin D Supplementation in the Treatment of Fibromyalgia Syndrome and Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain. Nutrients, 14(15). doi.org/10.3390/nu14153010
Lowry, E., Marley, J., McVeigh, J. G., McSorley, E., Allsopp, P., & Kerr, D. (2020). Dietary Interventions in the Management of Fibromyalgia: A Systematic Review and Best-Evidence Synthesis. Nutrients, 12(9). doi.org/10.3390/nu12092664
Metyas, C., Aung, T. T., Cheung, J., Joseph, M., Ballester, A. M., & Metyas, S. (2024). Diet and Lifestyle Modifications for Fibromyalgia. Curr Rheumatol Rev, 20(4), 405-413. doi.org/10.2174/0115733971274700231226075717
Siracusa, R., Paola, R. D., Cuzzocrea, S., & Impellizzeri, D. (2021). Fibromyalgia: Pathogenesis, Mechanisms, Diagnosis and Treatment Options Update. Int J Mol Sci, 22(8). doi.org/10.3390/ijms22083891
Can individuals have a full night of sleep by making small changes to their sleep posture to reduce general aches and pains?
Introduction
Many individuals know that after a long, hard day of working or running errands, getting much rest is necessary to reduce tension in the body and put it in a relaxed state. Getting a quick nap to a full night of sleep is important not only for the body but also for the posture. However, many people get a bad night’s rest from various environmental factors that can keep them from getting the full benefits of eight hours of sleep. It can range from stressful events impacting a person’s life to overlapping risk profiles correlated with chronic conditions. Today’s article focuses on how poor posture can affect sleep and how there are different ways for a person to get a good night’s rest, improve sleep posture, and find the right mattress and pillows to allow the individual to stay asleep. We discuss with certified medical providers who inform our patients how various environmental factors can cause overlapping risk profiles and not getting a full night of rest. While asking informed questions to our associated medical providers, we advise patients to incorporate various techniques to improve sleep posture when getting a full night of quality sleep. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., encompasses this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
Poor Posture Affecting Sleep
Do you feel extremely tired throughout the day, even after a full night? Do you experience stiffness in the morning that gets better throughout the day? Or how often do you wake up constantly at night and have trouble staying asleep? Many individuals who have experienced these scenarios are frequently correlated with bad sleeping habits. Many individuals have dealt with poor sleeping habits throughout the day due to environmental factors that can impact their sleep. Some environmental factors, like poor posture, can affect how people sleep at night. Poor posture has always been associated with musculoskeletal disorders. When musculoskeletal disorders have overlapping risk profiles from physical workload and psychological stress, it can become a predictor or even correlate with sleep disorders. (Hammig, 2020) This is because having habitual in-bed behaviors like movement and posture could cause health complications and prevent people from getting a good night’s rest. (Elnaggar et al., 2023)
This is due to how individuals’ posture can affect their sleep quality and overall health. For instance, individuals dealing with chronic spinal pain will begin to develop poor posture over time. When this happens, it can coexist with other comorbidities like insomnia, which can lead to a larger negative effect on a person’s physical and mental functioning while preventing them from being less productive and having poor quality of sleep. (Bilterys et al., 2021) When people experience spinal pain, causing them to develop poor posture, it can lead to sleep disturbances. The correlation between sleep disturbances and poor posture can cause impairment of the physiological process that can contribute to maintaining chronic pain. (Skillgate et al., 2021) However, there are numerous ways for people to get a good night’s rest while improving their posture.
The Benefits Of Stretching-Video
Ways To Get a Good Night Rest
When it comes to finding ways to get a good night’s rest, many people will try to devise solutions to establish a routine for their bedtime. Some of the ways people can utilize for a good night’s rest include:
Lowering room temperature
Keeping a sleep diary
Limit caffeinated drinks in the evening
Limit electronics before bed
Stick and create a sleep schedule
By creating some of these habits and sticking with them, many people can get much-needed rest and more energy when they wake up. At the same time, proper sleeping habits can help improve sleeping posture.
Improving Sleep Posture
There is no right way to do it regarding proper sleeping habits and improving sleep posture. Everyone has a position they favor more to be comfortable. For instance, a person who sleeps on the back is more relaxed than sleeping on their sides. Since sleep posture is associated with sleep quality, poor posture may provoke increased wake time and affect a person’s ability to maintain an asleep state. (Cary et al., 2021) So, by listening to the body and following its natural sleep flow, a person can stay asleep longer and be comfortable.
Finding The Right Mattress & Pillow
At the same time, improving one’s sleeping posture is not the only way to get a good night’s rest. Finding the right mattress and pillows is important, too. When people seek mattresses and pillows to improve their sleep quality, many often seek out tempur-pedic mattresses to support their body and have the best sleep. Many tempur-pedic mattresses can help reduce pressure from the body, making a person comfortable and minimizing movement. Additionally, new pillows supporting the neck and lower back can reduce somatic symptoms and provide neutral spinal alignment for the body. (Yamada et al., 2023) When it comes to having the best quality of sleep, it can be achievable with proper sleep habits, a new set of pillows and mattresses, and a comfortable position that will allow people to feel refreshed and re-energized.
References
Bilterys, T., Siffain, C., De Maeyer, I., Van Looveren, E., Mairesse, O., Nijs, J., Meeus, M., Ickmans, K., Cagnie, B., Goubert, D., Danneels, L., Moens, M., & Malfliet, A. (2021). Associates of Insomnia in People with Chronic Spinal Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Med, 10(14). doi.org/10.3390/jcm10143175
Cary, D., Jacques, A., & Briffa, K. (2021). Examining relationships between sleep posture, waking spinal symptoms and quality of sleep: A cross sectional study. PLOS ONE, 16(11), e0260582. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0260582
Elnaggar, O., Arelhi, R., Coenen, F., Hopkinson, A., Mason, L., & Paoletti, P. (2023). An interpretable framework for sleep posture change detection and postural inactivity segmentation using wrist kinematics. Sci Rep, 13(1), 18027. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-44567-9
Hammig, O. (2020). Work- and stress-related musculoskeletal and sleep disorders among health professionals: a cross-sectional study in a hospital setting in Switzerland. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, 21(1), 319. doi.org/10.1186/s12891-020-03327-w
Skillgate, E., Isacson Hjortzberg, M., Stromwall, P., Hallqvist, J., Onell, C., Holm, L. W., & Bohman, T. (2021). Non-Preferred Work and the Incidence of Spinal Pain and Psychological Distress-A Prospective Cohort Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 18(19). doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910051
Yamada, S., Hoshi, T., Toda, M., Tsuge, T., Matsudaira, K., & Oka, H. (2023). Changes in neck pain and somatic symptoms before and after the adjustment of the pillow height. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 35(2), 106-113. doi.org/10.1589/jpts.35.106
Can individuals improve their brain function by incorporating yoga as part of their routine to reduce stress and improve mental health?
Introduction
Many people are impacted by life stressors that can cause overlapping risk profiles in their bodies. Stress or cortisol is a vital hormone that affects organs and tissues in the body and can help regulate the body’s response to stress. Whether preparing for a big presentation, studying for an important exam, or dealing with a heavy workload, stress can play a part in these scenarios. Too much stress can impact not only the musculoskeletal function of the body but also brain function, which is why many individuals are looking for ways to lower stress levels in their bodies and give their brains a break. Today’s article looks at how stress is associated with brain function and how therapeutic exercises like yoga can improve brain function and relieve stress. We discuss with certified medical providers who inform our patients how stress can have a negative impact on the brain’s functionality. While asking informed questions to our associated medical providers, we advise patients to incorporate various therapeutic exercises like yoga to help lower stress levels in the body and improve brain function. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., encompasses this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
Stress & Brain Function
How often do you get headaches or migraines, causing you to be anxious constantly? Do you feel muscle tension or pain after a long, strenuous day? Or do you feel more tired throughout the day even though you slept a full night? Many scenarios correlate with stress and can impact a person’s well-being. While stress is often correlated with negative emotions , it is an acute adaptive response to environmental stimuli in the body and the brain. (McEwen & Akil, 2020) Now, the brain and stress have a wonderful relationship with each other, as the brain is the main controller for the body, providing neuron signals to each of the body’s systems and helping with stress reactivity when environmental factors are in play. Cortisol is a stress hormone that, at the basal levels, is highly important for maintaining healthy brain development and function. When dealing with a highly stressful situation can cause cortisol levels to be elevated and lead to the development of free radical formation that is toxic to the brain. (Herzberg & Gunnar, 2020)
When high-stress levels start to impact brain function in the body, the brain can inform the immune system to produce an excess of inflammatory cytokines to attach themselves to healthy cells and lead to the development of stress-induced inflammation caused by repeated social defeat (RSD). When RSD starts to activate the immune cells in the brain, it can enhance neuroinflammation and influence the endothelial cells of the brain to recruit and transport the peripheral monocytes into stress-sensitive neural regions. (Bower & Kuhlman, 2023) When this happens, it can take a person a long time to reduce their stress levels. However, many individuals who are dealing with stress can find therapeutic ways to not only reduce their stress levels but also protect and improve their brain function.
Is Motion Key To Healing- Video
Yoga For Brain Function
When it comes to reducing stress, many people can incorporate hobbies or therapies that they enjoy and help relax their bodies. One of the various therapies that can help reduce stress and improve brain function is yoga. Yoga is a mindfulness-based intervention that can be used for pain management and help improve pain-like symptoms associated with stress. (Krese et al., 2022) Now, yoga is incorporated into a non-surgical treatment plan for many individuals who have chronic stress affecting their bodies while improving their brain function. When people start doing yoga for the first time, a professional yoga instructor will begin to show them various poses to help stretch their muscles that are tight from the impact of stress, clear their minds from everyday stressors, and even restore their balance. Yoga may be highly effective for many individuals since it is a community-based and holistic intervention that can improve brain function through breathwork, stretching, and holding various postures and meditation. (Stephens et al., 2023) Additionally, yoga can help enhance the brain structure to improve the neurocognitive function of balance and concentration. (Babakhani et al., 2024)
Yoga Equals Stress Relief
Additionally, when people start to incorporate yoga as part of their routine, they will notice their stress levels go down due to being more mindful about what stressors are affecting them and making small changes in their lifestyle. At the same time, yoga can help stretch and strengthen weak muscles by enhancing motor capacity, including muscle strength, balance, and flexibility, and improving non-motor symptoms like alleviating cognitive impairment. (Fan et al., 2020) This is because exercises like yoga can help relieve stress, and when a person is concentrating on going to yoga, they will begin to see improvement in their bodies and brain function. Utilizing the beneficial properties of yoga can help many people be more mindful of their minds and bodies while also improving their brain function.
References
Babakhani, M., Rahzani, K., Hekmatpou, D., & Sheykh, V. (2024). The effect of super brain yoga on the cognitive function of hemodialysis patients. Heliyon, 10(16), e36384. doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36384
Bower, J. E., & Kuhlman, K. R. (2023). Psychoneuroimmunology: An Introduction to Immune-to-Brain Communication and Its Implications for Clinical Psychology. Annu Rev Clin Psychol, 19, 331-359. doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-080621-045153
Fan, B., Jabeen, R., Bo, B., Guo, C., Han, M., Zhang, H., Cen, J., Ji, X., & Wei, J. (2020). What and How Can Physical Activity Prevention Function on Parkinson’s Disease? Oxid Med Cell Longev, 2020, 4293071. doi.org/10.1155/2020/4293071
Herzberg, M. P., & Gunnar, M. R. (2020). Early life stress and brain function: Activity and connectivity associated with processing emotion and reward. Neuroimage, 209, 116493. doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116493
Krese, K. A., Donnelly, K. Z., Etingen, B., Bender Pape, T. L., Chaudhuri, S., Aaronson, A. L., Shah, R. P., Bhaumik, D. K., Billups, A., Bedo, S., Wanicek-Squeo, M. T., Bobra, S., & Herrold, A. A. (2022). Feasibility of a Combined Neuromodulation and Yoga Intervention for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Chronic Pain: Protocol for an Open-label Pilot Trial. JMIR Res Protoc, 11(6), e37836. doi.org/10.2196/37836
McEwen, B. S., & Akil, H. (2020). Revisiting the Stress Concept: Implications for Affective Disorders. J Neurosci, 40(1), 12-21. doi.org/10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0733-19.2019
Stephens, J. A., Hernandez-Sarabia, J. A., Sharp, J. L., Leach, H. J., Bell, C., Thomas, M. L., Buryznska, A. Z., Weaver, J. A., & Schmid, A. A. (2023). Adaptive yoga versus low-impact exercise for adults with chronic acquired brain injury: a pilot randomized control trial protocol. Front Hum Neurosci, 17, 1291094. doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2023.1291094
Can individuals dealing with psoriatic arthritis find non-surgical treatments to reduce joint pain and improve skin health?
Introduction
The body is a complex machine with a communal relationship with the joints, organs, bones, muscles, and tissues, each of which has a specific function to ensure the host is alive. The brain is the main control system that gives each body’s systems, organs, muscles and joints a job. When environmental factors or pathogens enter the body, the immune system is the first one to defend the body and eliminate the pathogens to initiate the natural healing process. However, when the immune system is attacking the body constantly, over time, it can lead to autoimmunity and cause overlapping risk profiles in the body. This, in turn, can lead the development of chronic conditions and cause individuals pain and discomfort. In today’s article, we look at an autoimmune disorder known as psoriatic arthritis, its causes and symptoms, and how treatment can help reduce its pain like effects. We discuss with certified medical providers who inform our patients how psoriatic arthritis can affect the joints. While asking informed questions to our associated medical providers, we advise patients to incorporate various non-surgical treatments to reduce psoriatic arthritis symptoms and help manage joint pain that affects a person’s quality of life. Dr. Alex Jimenez, D.C., encompasses this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
What Is Psoriatic Arthritis?
Do you experience swelling in your joints that causes pain and discomfort when moving? Do you feel your skin itchier and warmer than usual? Or have you noticed that everyday tasks are more difficult now than before? Many of these pain-like scenarios are associated with joint pain associated with an autoimmune or musculoskeletal condition. Since autoimmunity is developed when environmental factors cause the immune system to attack healthy cells, it can envoke pain and discomfort to the body. When a person is dealing with an autoimmune condition, it can impact not only the individual but also the rest of the body’s system. For instance, if a person is dealing with an autoimmune condition, they could be dealing with skin issues that can cause them to develop scaly, itchy, red skin patches known as psoriasis. If they have joint pain combined with psoriasis, it can develop into psoriatic arthritis. (Skornicki et al., 2021) Now psoriatic arthritis is a heterogeneous autoimmune condition with musculoskeletal involvement that can manifest various symptoms including inflammation and arthritis. (Hackett et al., 2022) This in turn causes many individuals to think they are dealing with rheumatoid factors.
Causes & Symptoms
As a multifactorial pathology, psoriatic arthritis causes care often influenced by a complex interplay of immunological, environmental, and genetic factors that cause its development. (Zalesak et al., 2024) When the immune system starts to attack the healthy cells in the body, the inflammatory cytokines can become haywire and attack the “problem,” causing the development of autoimmunity. Within this integration, some of the causes can include predisposing genetic backgrounds with the presence of environmental factors that can activate the innate immune system precipitate the onset of psoriatic arthritis. (Azuaga et al., 2023) Some of the symptoms can many individuals with psoriatic arthritis can include:
Tendon tenderness
Joint pain
Stiffness
Fatigue
Joint swelling
Skin rash
Musculoskeletal pain
However, there are ways to manage psoriatic arthritis, reduce joint pain from affecting a person, and help them manage the symptoms.
Arthritis Explained-Video
Treatments For Psoriatic Arthritis
When it comes to treating psoriatic arthritis, healthcare professionals need to develop therapeutic options to educate the individual and develop a treatment plan that can include conventional therapies and non-pharmacological therapies that are affordable and customized with the individual’s condition. (Ogdie et al., 2020) Since psoriatic arthritis is a complex inflammatory musculoskeletal condition and skin disease, individuals must try to find ways to reduce the inflammatory effects of causing more joint issues. Non-surgical treatments like chiropractic care, physical therapy, and diet changes can help mitigate the burden of psoriatic arthritis by reducing the complications and the socio-economic impact. (McGonagle et al., 2022)
Another way individuals can reduce the inflammatory effects of psoriatic arthritis is by consuming anti-inflammatory foods to dampen the inflammatory cytokines attacking the joints and going to physical therapy sessions like water aerobics to help stabilize the joints and help people be more mindful about their bodies. Since psoriatic arthritis can be managed through non-surgical therapy, low-weight bearing exercise regimes and incorporating anti-inflammatory foods to reduce inflammation can help people minimize psoriatic arthritis symptoms from impacting their health and wellness journey.
References
Azuaga, A. B., Ramirez, J., & Canete, J. D. (2023). Psoriatic Arthritis: Pathogenesis and Targeted Therapies. Int J Mol Sci, 24(5). doi.org/10.3390/ijms24054901
Hackett, S., Ogdie, A., & Coates, L. C. (2022). Psoriatic arthritis: prospects for the future. Ther Adv Musculoskelet Dis, 14, 1759720X221086710. doi.org/10.1177/1759720X221086710
McGonagle, D. G., Zabotti, A., Watad, A., Bridgewood, C., De Marco, G., Kerschbaumer, A., & Aletaha, D. (2022). Intercepting psoriatic arthritis in patients with psoriasis: buy one get one free? Ann Rheum Dis, 81(1), 7-10. doi.org/10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-221255
Ogdie, A., Coates, L. C., & Gladman, D. D. (2020). Treatment guidelines in psoriatic arthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford), 59(Suppl 1), i37-i46. doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/kez383
Skornicki, M., Prince, P., Suruki, R., Lee, E., & Louder, A. (2021). Clinical Burden of Concomitant Joint Disease in Psoriasis: A US-Linked Claims and Electronic Health Records Database Analysis. Adv Ther, 38(5), 2458-2471. doi.org/10.1007/s12325-021-01698-7
Zalesak, M., Danisovic, L., & Harsanyi, S. (2024). Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis-Associated Genes, Cytokines, and Human Leukocyte Antigens. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 60(5). doi.org/10.3390/medicina60050815
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