Clinic Wellness Team. A key factor to spine or back pain conditions is staying healthy. Overall wellness involves a balanced diet, appropriate exercise, physical activity, restful sleep, and a healthy lifestyle. The term has been applied in many ways. But overall, the definition is as follows.
It is a conscious, self-directed, and evolving process of achieving full potential. It is multidimensional, bringing together lifestyles both mental/spiritual and the environment in which one lives. It is positive and affirms that what we do is, in fact, correct.
It is an active process where people become aware and make choices towards a more successful lifestyle. This includes how a person contributes to their environment/community. They aim to build healthier living spaces and social networks. It helps in creating a person’s belief systems, values, and a positive world perspective.
Along with this comes the benefits of regular exercise, a healthy diet, personal self-care, and knowing when to seek medical attention. Dr. Jimenez’s message is to work towards being fit, being healthy, and staying aware of our collection of articles, blogs, and videos.
When the weather becomes hot, and everyone begins to plan fun activities to enjoy, one of the many activities that come to mind is hanging out in the pool. Swimming is an excellent way to combat the summer heat, but it can provide much more for the body. For athletes, it provides another form of cardio exercise to improve their quality performance when they are competing. While for individuals looking for an affordable exercise regimeor just some fun activity to do, swimming can become a form of therapy and be beneficial for them if they were previously injured. Today’s article looks at how swimming causes an impact on the musculoskeletal system, its beneficial properties to the heart, and how aqua therapy combined with chiropractic care helps optimize full-body health. We refer patients to certified providers specializing in musculoskeletal treatments and hydrotherapy to help those with musculoskeletal disorders. 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
Swimming & Its Impact On The Musculoskeletal System
Water exercises or swimming can benefit those looking for different cardio exercises to build muscle endurance or have a clear sense of mind. Swimming is fantastic for all body sizes, and when it is done correctly, it can be highly recognized as a form of rehabilitation and injury recovery known as aquatic therapy. Research studies reveal that aquatic treatments and exercises can significantly reduce pain in individuals that suffer from low back pain while increasing physical function. Some of the impacts that swimming/aquatic therapy provides on the musculoskeletal system include:
Builds muscle strength
Improves endurance
Stabilizes joints
Improves poor posture
Swimming/ hydrotherapy is an excellent low-impact exercise that is easy on the back and spine, especially for individuals suffering from low back pain or spinal misalignments. Studies reveal that the efficacy of aquatic activities helps strengthen the abdominals and legs and stretch the back while managing musculoskeletal issues.
When individuals suffer from back pain associated with chronic issues can become concerning for the vital organs that have a causal relationship with the muscle as they are affected as well. When spinal joints and muscles begin to suffer from abnormal weight increases, the muscles and ligaments become misaligned. Misalignment or subluxation is defined as spinal vertebrates that are out of place and cause pressure on the surrounding nerves exiting the spinal cord. These spinal issues then become a risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders in the body. Unlike many aerobic exercises like running or cycling that may be hard on the spine, swimming has little to no impact on the spinal structures. So when individuals begin to take up swimming, they realize that the water buoyancy helps support their body weight while relieving stress on all joints and decompressing the spine. This gives the individual a greater range of motion, while the water gives off a sense of purification as it helps the body relax. Hence, hydrotherapy helps relax people who suffer from obesity or muscle injuries associated with muscle and joint pain as the water provides gentle resistance while relaxing the muscles to promote longer exercise sessions.
The Benefits Of Swimming For The Heart
Swimming or any form of water aerobics is not only beneficial to the musculoskeletal system but can help improve cardiac function in the heart and even the lungs. Studies reveal that swimming is an effective option for maintaining and enhancing cardiovascular fitness. Some of the benefits swimming provides for the cardiovascular system include:
Lowers blood pressure
Improve circulation
Reduces heart rate
But how does swimming improve cardiovascular function in the body? Individuals submerge themselves underwater; they hold their breath until the air is needed. Being submerged underwater may help lung capacity while gaining control of how a person breathes. Breathing exercises associated with aqua therapy help promote stronger lungs and heart while increasing their capacity for blood and airflow to the heart and lungs. Say, for example, a person is having trouble breathing due to restrictive blood and air flow associated with cardiopulmonary issues, which potentially be involved in experiencing an asthma attack associated with obesity.
The Benefits Of Swimming-Video
Have you wanted to try a different form of cardio exercise? Have you been experiencing a limited range of motion in your arms, shoulders, back, and neck? Do you feel tightness across your chest? The video above gives an overview explanation of the health benefits of swimming. Swimming or aquatic therapy allows the individual experiencing chronic pain issues to do cardio activities without increasing or worsening pain, which is very therapeutic for the body. Many people are either training for an athletic event or finding a leisure activity that will benefit them in the long run. Swimming is considered an important factor in a person’s quality of life as it helps them become motivated to make small changes to better their health. Additionally, regular cardiovascular exercises/activities like swimming benefit pain reduction in a therapeutic sense. When individuals are trying to figure out and determine the proper training or therapy that can help alleviate their specific ailments, their goal is to see how those exercises should be done in a certain amount of time without causing fatigue or increased pain as the primary objective.
Aqua Therapy & Chiropractic Care
When looking for the proper exercise regime or treatment for pain issues, it can be challenging to see what works and doesn’t. For those with musculoskeletal disorders related to chronic issues, aqua therapy and chiropractic care go hand in hand in alleviating pain. Aqua therapy exercises can range from simple routines in shallow waters to high-tech equipment like underwater treadmills for muscle conditioning. Active water therapy exercises that are diverse in relieving musculoskeletal pain should be tailored to the person and the specific conditions that are ailing them.
But how does chiropractic care work hand in hand with aqua therapy? Well, chiropractic care and exercise have a casual relationship when it comes to treating musculoskeletal disorders. Many individuals do suffer from spinal misalignment, which becomes a risk of developing musculoskeletal issues that cause discomfort. Since many individuals associate chiropractic care with back issues, the reality shows that chiropractic care not only helps with back issues but various issues that affect the muscles, joints, and organs related to each other. An example would be an individual with low back problems who cannot do any activities for long periods while triggering gut issues. This is defined as somato-visceral pain where affected muscles associated with internal organs trigger pain. So for a chiropractor to adjust an individual dealing with back pain associated with gut or heart issues can slowly restore the person’s natural alignment by reducing the irritated nerve roots between the vertebrae and strengthening the surrounding muscles and tissues. Afterward, a chiropractor may recommend exercises like aquatic therapy to speed up the rehabilitation process, as studies reveal that physical activities are perceived to have a positive impact on health while being associated with perceived symptom reductions in musculoskeletal and injuries, as well as cardiovascular and blood conditions. Once a chiropractic regimen and exercise routine are in place, injury prevention kicks in, keeping the individual moving pain-free.
Conclusion
Whether it is having fun in the sun or finding a new exercise, swimming is not only for just playing but can be therapeutic for individuals dealing with chronic issues. Any aquatic exercise provides little to no impact on the body as it helps strengthen the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems with gentle force. Combined with chiropractic care, many individuals that are dealing with musculoskeletal issues associated with chronic organ issues will begin to become motivated to better themselves in the long run.
Lazar, Jason M, et al. “Swimming and the Heart.” International Journal of Cardiology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 Apr. 2013, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23602872/.
Massey, Heather, et al. “Perceived Impact of Outdoor Swimming on Health: Web-Based Survey.” Interactive Journal of Medical Research, JMIR Publications, 4 Jan. 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8767464/.
Shi, Zhongju, et al. “Aquatic Exercises in the Treatment of Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review of the Literature and Meta-Analysis of Eight Studies.” American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb. 2018, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28759476/.
Everyone wants to be healthier at some point in their lives. Some individuals train to be athletes and must follow procedures to maintain their health. In comparison, others want to get healthier by eating the right food, exercising for at least 30 minutes to an hour, meditating or doing yoga to relieve stress, and maintaining a healthy weight. However, many environmental factors do affect the human body. They can alter how a person looks, weight, levels of physical activity, and how different foods affect the body’s metabolism. When environmental factors start to take hold of a person’s health, it can trigger unwanted issues that affect not only the muscles in the body but the associated internal organs that help provide the functionality to the body. Today’s article focuses on the musculoskeletal system, how different issues affect the musculoskeletal system and associate with other problems in the body, and various treatments to improve musculoskeletal health. We refer patients to certified providers specializing in musculoskeletal therapies that help those with musculoskeletal disorders. 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
The Musculoskeletal System & Its Function
How does the musculoskeletal system play its role in the human body? The body is considered a complex being that consists of various organs, muscles, tissues, ligaments, and joints that help move a person from one place to another, resting while needed, and doing multiple activities in a casual relationship. Studies reveal that the musculoskeletal system is controlled by the central nervous system that interconnects the motor-sensory function for the body’s ability to move and rest.
The three main muscle groups that make up the musculoskeletal system are:
Skeletal muscle- Muscle tendons that are connected to the bones
Cardiac muscle- Muscles associated with the heart
Smooth muscle- Muscles that line with blood vessels and specific organs (ex. intestines)
Each muscle group provides different functions that correlate to how the body moves. Skeletal muscles make the legs and arms move. Cardiac muscles help the heart pump blood to the various muscles, organs, and tissues. Smooth muscles help specific organs (intestines, stomach, and urinary tract) digest, collect nutrients, and eliminate toxins in the body.
Issues That Affect The Musculoskeletal System
These factors are related to different issues that can not only disrupt the musculoskeletal system but can be an overlap of profiles affecting the cardiovascular system, spinal health, and gut system. The different factors that are associated with the musculoskeletal system are:
Obesity
Lack of physical activity
Poor Posture
Inflammation
Unhealthy Diet
How would various factors implicate musculoskeletal issues while triggering different bodily problems? Well, let’s use obesity as an example. Obesity is associated with issues like back and joint pain as studies reveal that these musculoskeletal issues make up pain and disability as a dominant source. A poor diet of processed foods high in fats and sugars can be associated with the risk of developing obesity.
Not only that, but obesity could potentially be involved in the thoracic spine and upper back pain due to the result of physical inactivity and poor dieting. The weight on the body can strain the muscles and ligaments in the back, causing the spinal vertebrae to become misaligned and pressure the nerves exiting the spinal cord. The misalignment of the vertebrae is called a subluxation. When a person is suffering from upper back pain, it can overlap with chest pain, which can be a concerning issue to vital organs like the heart, which potentially involved in the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is related to subluxation that may affect the heart contraction rate, rhythm, and power through the sympathetic efferent pathways originating from the thoracic region.
An Overview Of The Musculoskeletal System-Video
Are you experiencing pain in your upper back or chest? How about cardiac issues associated with shouldering and arming pain? Many of these issues are related to factors that affect the musculoskeletal system that might potentially be involved with chronic issues. The video above summarizes the musculoskeletal system’s role in the body. When environmental factors become a risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders that can potentially be involved in different bodily problems, studies reveal that musculoskeletal disorders associated with abnormal functions may cause a significant impact on regular performances. An example would be a person dealing with bad hip pain and cannot do any exercises triggering heart issues. This is defined as somato-visceral pain where the affected muscle is associated with an internal organ being a pain mediator.
Treatments For Improving Musculoskeletal System
In most treatments, many individuals utilize the following to improve not only the musculoskeletal system but other issues that affect the body:
Exercise
Healthy Diet
Stress Management Treatments
Chiropractic Therapy
No matter what affliction or health problem a person is dealing with, having the best treatment solution possible is a start on a person’s health and wellness journey. The first step is to have a precise diagnosis to the doctor while giving as much information as possible is critical. Providing them with a complete health history is an essential first step. After a manual examination of the issues causing them pain, the primary physician could refer the individual for chiropractic care to relieve issues affecting their musculoskeletal system.
Many people usually only associate chiropractic care with back problems. Still, the reality is that chiropractic therapy can be helpful for the musculoskeletal system and various issues related to the muscles and organs. A chiropractor can provide therapeutic stretches and recommend exercises to individuals to help them avoid the same problems later on. Many chiropractors offer recommendations and nutrition that individuals can utilize to help improve their condition. For the musculoskeletal system, a healthy diet may help achieve and maintain a healthy body weight while reducing the risk of chronic disease. Eating the right amount of healthy greens, fruits, beneficial carbs, and healthy fats can help reduce the risk of developing chronic issues in the body like cardiovascular diseases. However, if primary cardiac problems affect the body, it is best to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Conclusion
The body is considered a complex being that consists of various organs, muscles, tissues, ligaments, and joints that provide various activities to the host. The musculoskeletal system has three muscle groups: skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscles provide different functions that correlate to how the body moves. When various factors begin to cause issues to the musculoskeletal system, they can potentially be involved with pain issues that affect more than the body. Treatments like chiropractic care, a healthy diet, exercise, and stress management may be the stepping stones to alleviating various issues that are affecting the musculoskeletal system and a great start in achieving health and wellness.
References
Kennel, Peter J, et al. “Skeletal Muscle Changes in Chronic Cardiac Disease and Failure.” Comprehensive Physiology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 20 Sept. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6752037/.
Malik, Khalid M, et al. “Musculoskeletal Disorders a Universal Source of Pain and Disability Misunderstood and Mismanaged: A Critical Analysis Based on the U.S. Model of Care.” Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Kowsar, 15 Dec. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6348332/.
Murphy, Andrew C, et al. “Structure, Function, and Control of the Human Musculoskeletal Network.” PLoS Biology, Public Library of Science, 18 Jan. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5773011/.
Stochkendahl, Mette J, et al. “Diagnosis and Treatment of Musculoskeletal Chest Pain: Design of a Multi-Purpose Trial.” BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, BioMed Central, 31 Mar. 2008, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2315652/.
The heart is a fantastic muscle in the body that allows hormones, oxygenated blood, and nutrients to travel and transport to all the muscles, tissues, and organs, providing functionality to the body. As one of the main components of the cardiovascular system, the heart works together with the lungs to help carry the deoxygenated blood to the pulmonary system to dispose of waste from the body. The human body needs the heart to stay healthy; however, factors like stress, obesity, autoimmune diseases, and unhealthy habits can affect the heart, causing cardiac issues associated with various body problems. Today’s article focuses on coronary heart disease, what are the risks associated with coronary heart disease, and ways to prevent coronary heart disease from progressively getting worse. We refer patients to certified providers specializing in cardiology treatments that help those with issues of coronary heart disease. 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
What Is Coronary Heart Disease?
Have you been experiencing hypertension in your body or near your heart? How about unexplained chest pains that randomly showed up? Have you experienced pain running down your shoulders and arms? Many of these are signs that you could be experiencing coronary heart disease. Research studies have defined coronary heart disease as a common heart condition with plaque formation in the heart vessels that cuts off the supply of oxygenated blood to the heart and the rest of the body. As part of cardiovascular diseases, coronary heart disease can cause overlapping profile issues over time if it is not treated right away. Many disruptive factors can affect the heart muscle like:
Age and gender
Oxidative stress
Inflammation
Vascular immune dysfunction
Lack of physical activities
These disruptive factors can increase cardiovascular disease mortality that can affect the heart and be co-morbidities associated with different issues affecting the body. Studies reveal that the mechanisms of cardiac pain are associated with the chest and upper left arm pain. This is defined as referred pain where the sensory input from visceral organs mimics cardiac distress, and the corresponding muscles are affected. But how does this correlate to the heart muscle, and why does the chest experience pain? Visceral pain is a bit trickier to diagnose when cardiovascular disorders overlap the risk profiles associated with other issues affecting the body. For example, you could be experiencing pain in your chest and upper back, but your brain is telling you something is affecting your heart.
An Overview Of CAD-Video
Have you experienced shortness of breath? How about pain located in your chest or radiating from your shoulders and arms? Have you noticed inflammation occurring in your body? Many of these are signs and symptoms of you experiencing coronary artery disease in your body. The video above explains what coronary artery disease is and the risk factors associated with the progression of this common heart disease. Studies reveal that the risk factors can overlap in profiles that contribute to the development of coronary heart disease:
Environmental factors
Lifestyle habits
Diabetes mellitus
Obesity
Symptomatic angina
Smoking
When a person has these risk profiles overlapping different associated issues, their body becomes dysfunctional. Sometimes the symptoms affect other areas of the body, while the brain might be signaled that something is wrong with the heart. Since coronary artery disease progresses slowly over time, many individuals don’t experience the symptoms affecting their heart muscles.
Risk Issues Associated With CHD
Some of these symptoms that overlap in risk profiles may seem like heart issues but may refer to different problems affecting the body. This is defined as viscero-somatic pain, where the pain in the internal organs is associated with the corresponding muscles that share the same nerve. Chest pain associated with heart issues is a perfect example. Studies reveal that chest pains can become indistinguishable from angina, which may result from abnormalities in the thoracic viscera that overlap in profiles with heart issues. So what does it mean? It implies that sensory neurons from different visceral organs might mimic cardiac pain-causing risk-associated problems that affect the thoracic region of the spine triggering neck and upper back issues. Everything is connected as chest pains, dyspnea, and dyspepsia are intertwined with the thoracic anteriority becoming a mediator for cardiovascular diseases.
Ways To Prevent CHD
So let’s visualize a person going to their primary physician due to them experiencing heart issues associated with chest pains after the doctor goes through a manual examination on checking the individual’s heart and chest to see what problems are affecting the body. What does this implicates, and how do chest and back pains correlate with each other if there are heart issues? Studies reveal that the peripheral tissues in the body might be damaged from traumatic events that cause an inflammatory swelling in the cervical and thoracic region of the spine, causing muscle stiffness. Chiropractic care might be the answer to relieving pain and swelling triggering cervical and thoracic pain. Chiropractors use chiropractic adjustments to deliver a non-invasive, gentle treatment that reduces spinal misalignments to enhance the functionality of the musculoskeletal system. This will improve spinal health in the cervical and thoracic regions of the body by decreasing inflammatory swelling associated with heart issues. Chiropractic care, a healthy diet, and exercise also work hand in hand by positively impacting co-morbidities of coronary heart disease and other body problems like obesity to reduce cholesterol, help strengthen the weak muscles along the neck and upper back, and promote blood flow to the heart.
Conclusion
As part of the cardiovascular system, the heart supplies hormones, oxygenated blood, and nutrients throughout the entire body by ensuring that the muscles, tissues, and organs are functioning. When factors like stress, obesity, and unhealthy habits begin to affect the heart, it can develop cardiac issues like coronary heart disease associated with various body problems. Chest pains associated with heart issues that trigger neck and back pain in the body are known as viscero-somatic pain. Available treatments like chiropractic care and changing unhealthy habits work hand in hand to positively impact co-morbidities of coronary heart disease and reduce muscle stiffness along the neck and back muscles of the cervical and thoracic spine.
References
Börjesson, M. “Visceral Chest Pain in Unstable Angina Pectoris and Effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. (TENS). A Review.” Herz, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 1999, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10372297/.
Foreman, Robert D, et al. “Mechanisms of Cardiac Pain.” Comprehensive Physiology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2015, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25880519/.
Malakar, Arup Kr, et al. “A Review on Coronary Artery Disease, Its Risk Factors, and Therapeutics.” Journal of Cellular Physiology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2019, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30790284/.
Shahjehan, Rai Dilawar, and Beenish S Bhutta. “Coronary Artery Disease – Statpearls – NCBI Bookshelf.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 9 Feb. 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK564304/.
The gut-brain axis is fundamental to the body as it communicates bi-directional with the brain and the gut. Separately they provide different functions that are required of the body. The brain, part of the central nervous system, allows the neurons to travel to each overlapping nerve root while having a causal relationship with different muscles and organs connected to the spinal cord. While the gut, which is part of the gastrointestinal and digestive system, helps modulate the body’s homeostasis and regulates the immune system. The nerves, muscles, and organs correspond as the nerve pathways interconnect to the spinal cord. When injuries or traumatic events affect the body, it can lead the individual to suffer from pain affecting their body while increasing the risk associated within different locations. For example, chronic stress causing gut inflammation is associated with headaches or neck and back pain. Today’s article focuses on the gut-brain axis, what happens when chronic issues affect the gut-brain axis, and how somatovisceral pain affects the gut-brain axis. We refer patients to certified providers specializing in gastroenterology treatments that help those with issues that affect the gut-brain axis and overlapping problems impacting the body. 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
How Does The Gut & Brain Work Together?
The way the gut and brain correlate together is quite remarkable. The gut allows food to be digested in the stomach to be bio-transformed into nutrients the body needs to function. While the brain sends neuron signals through the spinal cord, those signals help provide the sensory-motor functions to make the body move. Now, how do the brain and gut work together in the body? Well, studies reveal that the gut-brain axis correlates to the various systems like the autonomic nervous system, the HPA axis, and the nerves surrounding the gastrointestinal tract help the brain influence intestinal activity and regulate cognitive function. Each of these vital organs has a causal relationship where they:
Help with sleep regulation
Improve memory functionality
Helps coordinate physical and emotional well-being
Regulating inflammatory responses
When chronic issues affect the gut-brain axis, it can cause an overlap in risk profiles that rise in the body and not just in the brain or the gut. Studies reveal that issues that begin to affect the gut-brain axis can cause alteration within the bi-directional pathway and trigger other problems that correlate to the body.
Chronic Issues Affecting The Gut-Brain Axis
Have you been suffering from fatigue? How about reoccurring headaches that never seem to go away? Do digestive complaints like IBS, GERD, or gut inflammation affect more than your gut? These chronic issues can be various factors that impact the bi-directional connection of the gut-brain axis. Stress, gut inflammation, traumatic events, food allergens, autoimmunity, and metainflammation are some overlapping risk profiles associated with neck and back pain. Studies reveal that chronic stress in the brain can affect the gut’s composition and functionality by alternating intestinal permeability. When the gut microbiome is being affected, the harmful bacteria begin to overproduce and trigger the sympathetic branch of the nervous system to cause an imbalance of hormones to be released and be associated with stress-related muscle dysfunction in the body. So what does this implicates to the body? Let’s say, for example, that you have been experiencing pain in the cervical region of the spine, but your brain is telling the body that it is a headache. This is known as somato-visceral pain.
An Overview Of Somatosensory Tract-Video
Have you been suffering from cognitive and memory dysfunction? How about experiencing gastrointestinal issues that are affecting your gut? Or have you experienced any cramping, gnawing, or sharp pain that seems to be triggered by movement and appears in one area of the body? This is known as somato-visceral pain and is defined as soft tissues and muscles experiencing pain that can affect the internal organs. Somato-visceral pain is much easier to identify than viscero-somatic pain because visceral pain is caused by damaged internal organs associated with distress in different body locations. At the same time, somato-visceral pain is often associated with musculoskeletal pain. The video above explains the somatosensory tract that is in the body and how the body responds to the somatosensory system. The somatosensory system is located within the peripheral and central nervous systems. It is responsible for modulating the body’s sense of touch, vibration, temperature, and pain receptors that are located in the body. When traumatic events affect the somatic nerves, they can trigger changes in the gut-brain axis and cause alterations to the affected organs.
Somatovisceral Pain Affecting The Gut-Brain Axis
When dealing with chronic stress, the effects cause a dysfunctional gut-brain axis and cause issues affecting the two organs. Studies reveal that when chronic stress becomes an associated mediator for gut disturbances and dysregulation of the gut-brain axis, it can cause an overlap in risk profiles in the body. So what does this mean, and how is the body affected by somato-visceral pain? First, let’s look at what happens when the body is affected by chronic stress. When stress affects the gut and the brain, it can cause issues like IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) or headaches. Studies reveal that IBS is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders that trigger visceral and somatic hypersensitivity on the sensory nerves. So the body experiencing sharp pain in the back or neck may be associated with IBS.
Now looking at headaches and their causes on the body, it is one example of somato-visceral pain. When a person is dealing with neck trauma due to an auto accident that causes whiplash can trigger cervicogenic headache. How do the two correlate with somato-visceral pain? Well, somato-visceral pain is when soft muscles and tissues are affected and can cause an impact on the internal organs. For cervicogenic headaches may trigger mechanical pain along the cervical spine to be aggravated by movement and be associated with musculoskeletal issues like rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, or muscle strain on the upper cervical spine. Many individuals go to available treatments that can help them better understand the issue that is causing them to be in pain and how to alleviate them.
Conclusion
The gut-brain axis is fundamental in the body as it communicates bi-directional with the brain and the gut. These two organs help keep the body functioning as the brain provides neuron signals while the gut regulates homeostasis. The gut-brain axis helps the body by correlating with the various systems that help influence intestinal activity and control cognitive function. When traumatic factors affect the body’s soft tissues and muscles and trigger organ issues, this is known as somato-visceral pain. Somato-visceral pain is when the muscles are affecting the organs, and an example is cervical muscle strain associated with headaches. Providing much-needed information on available treatments can help many individuals when being examined by their physicians.
References
Appleton, Jeremy. “The Gut-Brain Axis: Influence of Microbiota on Mood and Mental Health.” Integrative Medicine (Encinitas, Calif.), InnoVision Health Media Inc., Aug. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6469458/.
Carabotti, Marilia, et al. “The Gut-Brain Axis: Interactions between Enteric Microbiota, Central and Enteric Nervous Systems.” Annals of Gastroenterology, Hellenic Society of Gastroenterology, 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4367209/.
Martin, Clair R, et al. “The Brain-Gut-Microbiome Axis.” Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Elsevier, 12 Apr. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6047317/.
Suslov, Andrey V, et al. “The Neuroimmune Role of Intestinal Microbiota in the Pathogenesis of Cardiovascular Disease.” Journal of Clinical Medicine, MDPI, 6 May 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8124579/.
Yuan, Yao-Zong, et al. “Functional Brain Imaging in Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Rectal Balloon-Distention by Using Fmri.” World Journal of Gastroenterology, Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, June 2003, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4611816/.
Nutrition is how the body utilizes consumed food. Nutrition plays a role in chronic pain; lifestyle behaviors can influence how food contributes to illness/diseases. A common cause of chronic pain is chronic systemic inflammation. Inflammation plays a role in many chronic disease conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Reducing inflammation can be achieved by adjusting diet to get individuals back to feeling better quickly and to aid them in maintaining and improving their overall health. Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic offer diet and nutritional supplements guidance as part of a personalized treatment plan.
Inflammation
The purpose of the inflammatory response includes:
Isolate the dangerous bacteria, viruses, or damaged cells.
Flush out the dead cells and other damaging substances.
Reductions of comorbidities like obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Reducing healthcare costs.
Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
Diet and nutritional supplements provide added essential nutrients to a damaged, inflamed, or injured body. Dietary supplements improve overall health and wellness.
Vitamin D and calcium tablets help maintain optimal bone health, as low vitamin D levels can lead to back pain.
Vitamins E and C, combined with copper, help with blood production, tissue repair, and brain and skin health.
Folic acidcan help with joint pain and myofascial pain.
B Vitamins can help with pain and prevent liver dysfunction.
Nutritional supplements support the body until the body and/or organs have correctly healed. Recovery from an injury could cause body stress that can interfere with the healing process. Diet and nutritional supplements expedite the healing and recovery process by:
Helping overcome dietary deficiencies.
Improving immune system function.
Detoxifying toxins.
Contain antioxidants that help the body stay toxin-free.
Chiropractic restores and realigns the body by incorporating supplements to nourish the body tissues and recover optimally from injury.
InBody Nutrition
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
Lee, Mi Kyung, et al. “The use of nutritional guidance within chiropractic patient management: a survey of 333 chiropractors from the ACORN practice-based research network.” Chiropractic & manual therapies vol. 26 7. 20 Feb. 2018, doi:10.1186/s12998-018-0175-1
Li, Chuan, et al. “Macrophage polarization and meta-inflammation.” Translational research: the journal of laboratory and clinical medicine vol. 191 (2018): 29-44. doi:10.1016/j.trsl.2017.10.004
The digestive system in the body helps with the process of digesting food that the host consumes. The food being digested goes through a bio-transformation where it turns into nutrients and is stored in the intestines, liver, and gallbladder, where it turns into bile to be excreted out of the system to ensure a healthy functional gut system and body. But when disruptive factors like poor eating habits or gut issues start to affect the body and gallbladder, this causes many problems that can make an individual miserable. This affects their quality of life since they are dealing with painful issues in their bodies that overlap the primary source risk profiles. Today’s article looks at the gallbladder, how it functions with the body and parasympathetic nervous system, and how referred shoulder pain and gallbladder dysfunction are connected. We refer patients to certified providers specializing in gastroenterology and chiropractic treatments that help those with issues that affect their shoulders and gallbladder. 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
What Is The Gallbladder?
The digestive system comprises the mouth, the internal organs from the GI tract, the liver, the gallbladder, and the anus, where food is consumed, digested, and excreted out of the body to keep it healthy. The gallbladder is a small organ that store and releases bile at the appropriate time into the intestines to be mixed with the digested foods to be excreted out of the body. This pear-shaped organ inflates and deflates like a balloon when it stores and releases bile while having a casual relationship with the nerves and hormones that help regulate the gallbladder functioning properly. Studies reveal that the ganglia become the target of causing the hormone cholecystokinin and the parasympathetic nerve to up or downregulate the neurotransmission to the gallbladder. This causes the gallbladder to be functional in the body.
What Are Its Functions In The Parasympathetic Nervous System?
So what are the functions that the gallbladder provides to the body? For starters, the parasympathetic nervous system allows the body to rest and digest the consumed food to be turned into nutrients. The parasympathetic nervous system also provides gallbladder stimulation as studies reveal that the gallbladder receives innervation from the parasympathetic nervous system connected to the vagus nerve that transmits information to the spine and the brain. Keeping and releasing bile from this pear-shaped organ helps regulate the gastrointestinal tract. This causal relationship between the gallbladder and the parasympathetic nerve is essential because the body needs to know when to store and release bile from the gallbladder, or it might trigger some issues that can do more harm to the body and even affect the gallbladder itself.
Do You Have Shoulder Pain?- Video
Have you been experiencing gut issues causing a sharp or dull ache in your back or sides? How about questionable shoulder pain that seems to come out of nowhere? Or are your experiencing inflammation in your digestive system? Many of these symptoms are signs of visceral-somatic pain affecting the gallbladder. Visceral-somatic pain is defined when there is damage to the organ, and it starts to affect the muscles in a different location in the body. The video above gives an excellent example of visceral-somatic pain in the gallbladder and the shoulder. Now many people wonder how shoulder pain is the mediator of the gallbladder? Well, inflammation in the liver and gallbladder causes the nerve roots to be hypersensitive and compressed. This leads to overlapping profiles, triggering pain in the shoulder muscles and associated with upper mid-back pain.
Referred Shoulder Pain & Gallbladder Dysfunction
Now say the individual is experiencing shoulder pain; however, when they rotate their shoulder, there is no pain? Where is the source of shoulder pain localized, and what is causing the issue? And why is it correlating to the gallbladder? This is known as referred pain, where the source of pain is poorly localized when it is located elsewhere. Studies reveal that gallbladder dysfunctions like cholecystitis might be associated with acute thoracolumbar shoulder pain. So what does this mean? It means that any referred pain that is the causation of shoulder pain gives the impression that something is wrong with the gallbladder. This would provide much-needed information when individuals are being examined by their physicians.
Conclusion
The body needs the digestive system to help process food the host consumes and excretes for a healthy functioning system. The gallbladder stores and releases bile to the digested food. This ensures that the nutrients and bile are transported and passed out of the body. When disruptive factors cause gut issues and affect the gallbladder, it can correlate to different problems impacting the body. An example would be gallbladder issues associated with shoulder pain. This is referred to as pain, which is from an affected organ and associated with the muscle in a different location. This can make the individual feel miserable and wonder what is going on with their shoulders when it might be something associated with their gallbladder. Available treatments can provide better knowledge to determine the problem and how to alleviate the issues.
References
Carter, Chris T. “Acute Thoracolumbar Pain Due to Cholecystitis: A Case Study.” Chiropractic & Manual Therapies, BioMed Central, 18 Dec. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4683782/.
Jones, Mark W, et al. “Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis, Gallbladder.” In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL), StatPearls Publishing, 8 Nov. 2021, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459288/.
Ear problems like blockages or congestion can cause irritation and pain, as well as symptoms such as dizziness, ear discomfort, headaches, and sinus pain that can lead to infection. This condition can happen to anyone but is prevalent in children, individuals that live in high altitudes, and individuals who suffer from allergies. Spinal misalignments can cause interference to the nervous system that can create problems elsewhere in the body, like the ears.
If there is neck misalignment along with pinched, tangled nerve/s signal transmissions can misfire or cut off messages disrupting the process of draining the Eustachian tube. This creates a buildup of bacteria and fluid, which can cause pain and pressure. Chiropractic decompression treatment uses gentle manipulation of the cervical spine to release the pressure affecting the ear.
Ear Problems
Bacteria or viruses cause ear infections in the middle ear. Infection often results from another illness like cold, sore throat, flu, respiratory disease, or allergies that causes congestion and swelling of the nasal passages, throat, and eustachian tubes.
Eustachian Tubes
The tubes functions include:
Regulating air pressure in the middle ear
Resupply fresh air in the ear
Drain the middle ear
The eustachian tubes are two canals that connect the middle ear to the throat and nasal cavity, known as the nasopharynx. (The eustachian tubes are more narrow in children, which makes them difficult to drain and more likely to get clogged.)When the lining of these canals comes under stress, they can become inflamed/swollen, blocking or filling with fluid causing excessive pressure and pain. This fluid can become infected and cause ear infection symptoms.
If the ear problem is connected to a misalignment of the cervical spine, the following symptoms may be experienced:
Fluid/effusion stays in the middle ear for an extended time.
It can build up over and over, despite no infection.
It can also affect hearing.
Misalignment in the upper cervical spine can cause muscles to flex awkwardly/irregularly, disrupting the opening and closing of the eustachian tubes and their positioning. This often causes inflammation along the eustachian canal, upper throat, and nasal cavity. If left untreated, the inflammation can develop into an infection, causing swelling and/or fluid buildup in the inner and middle ear. Common symptoms of middle ear infections in adults include:
Pain in one or both ears
Hearing is muffled
Sore throat
Fluid drainage from the ear
Chiropractic Realignment
Treatments are helpful for individuals who want to reduce taking antibiotics, which can minimize immunity by destroying the healthy bacteria in the gut. Chiropractic is a simple and effective way to treat ear problems. Realigning the vertebrae relieves tissue inflammation/swelling around the Eustachian tube to allow drainage, relieve pressure, and restore health.
Spinal Decompression Chiropractor
References
Collins, Rachael, et al. “Paralysis from an ear infection: a severe case of otitis externa leading to acute complete cervical cord syndrome.” BMJ case reports vol. 14,12 e245594. 1 Dec. 2021, doi:10.1136/bcr-2021-245594
Harmes, Kathryn M et al. “Otitis media: diagnosis and treatment.” American family physician vol. 88,7 (2013): 435-40.
Laulajainen Hongisto, Anu et al. “Severe Acute Otitis Media and Acute Mastoiditis in Adults.” The journal of international advanced otology vol. 12,3 (2016): 224-230. doi:10.5152/iao.2016.2620
Murphy, D R. “Chiropractic rehabilitation of the cervical spine.” Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics vol. 23,6 (2000): 404-8. doi:10.1067/mmt.2000.108143
Polkinghorn, B S. “Treatment of cervical disc protrusions via instrumental chiropractic adjustment.” Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics vol. 21,2 (1998): 114-21.
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