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/.
Cervical spinal stenosis is a condition that causes narrowing of the neck region of the spine. This narrowing can compress the nerves causing pain and discomfort. The symptoms are caused by the misalignment/subluxation of the neck, which is usually the c1 and c2 vertebrae. Misalignments can be caused by daily wear and tear; injuries and tumors can cause or worsen the condition. Cervical spinal stenosis is a severe condition that worsens as time progresses and can cause permanent damage and paralysis. Chiropractor recommendations and non-invasive techniques can alleviate the symptoms, along with therapeutic stretches and exercises, and diet is all part of a personalized treatment plan.
Contents
Stenosis Symptoms
The most common symptom is neck pain. Doctors recommend avoiding all activities that worsen the pain; however, chiropractors suggest remaining as active as possible to keep the muscles strong. This is because inactivity over time can lead to muscular deterioration around the neck. Other symptoms besides neck pain include:
Neck discomfort and pain
Headaches
Numbness, tingling in the shoulder, arm, hand
Difficulty maintaining balance
Walking problems
Chiropractor Recommendations
Pain Or Stiffness In The Neck Should Not Be Ignored
Pain or stiffness in the neck that worsens rapidly or does not ease up or go away after two weeks requires medical attention.
Ignoring or dismissing the pain or stiffness can worsen the condition.
Looking Down At A Phone Too Long
Looking down too long increases the strain on the neck.
Keeping the head forward for extended periods increases the chances of pinching/compressing nerves and causing radiculopathy.
Exercises That Roll The Neck Around
Exercises that roll or pull the neck are not advised as they can exacerbate the condition.
A chiropractor will recommend specific neck stretches and exercises on a case-by-case basis.
Heavy Bag, Purse, BackPack On One Shoulder
It is recommended to carry a backpack with both shoulders to distribute the weight evenly.
Over time, a backpack, bag, or purse on the same shoulder will disrupt the walk cycle and pull down on one side of the neck, exacerbating cervical spinal stenosis.
For bags and purses with one strap, it is recommended to alternate shoulders or use a crossbody strap.
Sleeping On The Stomach
Sleeping on the stomach means having to turn the neck to one side.
This stresses and aggravates cervical stenosis.
It is recommended to sleep on the side or back.
Treatment, Therapy, and Rehabilitation
Chiropractic is recommended for spinal stenosis because it corrects and re-aligns dislocated and herniated discs and decompresses the spine.
Treatment reduces pressure on the spinal cord and its joints and nerve networks.
Various techniques include physiotherapeutic massage, spinal adjustments, cervical traction, spinal decompression, and flexion-distraction, which will address stenosis symptoms, treat pain, reduce inflammation, numbness, and restore muscle function.
Non-Surgical Cervical Decompression
References
Clark, Aaron J et al. “Cervical spinal stenosis and sports-related cervical cord neurapraxia.” Neurosurgical focus vol. 31,5 (2011): E7. doi:10.3171/2011.7.FOCUS11173
Kukurin, George W. “The amelioration of symptoms in cervical spinal stenosis with spinal cord deformation through specific chiropractic manipulation: a case report with long-term follow-up.” Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics vol. 27,5 (2004): e7. doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2004.04.009
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/.
Athletes train and practice constantly to prepare their mind and bodies for the big games, matches, etc. When the game is on, it is normal/natural to feel anxious and nervous, especially at the beginning, but then the athlete settles in and relaxes, letting their training take over. However, for some athletes, the anxiousness and nervousness doesn’t go away but intensifies, the heart starts racing, and the individual can’t stop thinking about choking, failing, and losing. This is known as sports performance anxiety, or competitive anxiety, and is common.
Contents
Competitive Anxiety
Research shows that 30 to 60 percent of athletes experience the disorder. Doctors divide the signs and symptoms into mental and physical categories.
Physical Symptoms
Rapid Heartbeat
The stress can cause overproduction of adrenaline and cortisol, making the heart beat rapidly.
Muscle Tension
The muscles can tighten up, become painful, and cause tension and pain in the head.
Trembling
The hands could shake while holding the ball, bat, racket, or foot twitching could present.
Hyperventilation
Individuals report a sensation of choking or being unable to catch their breath.
Digestion Issues
The stress can cause foods to be quickly digested, causing cramping and/or the sudden urge to use the bathroom.
Mental Symptoms
Fear of Failing
The athlete imagines themselves losing all the time.
Worrying about letting the coach and team down or the audience or other athletes criticizing and laughing at your performance.
Unable to Focus
The athlete may have concentration issues and become absorbed in how others react to their performance.
Overthinking
The athlete can temporarily forget how to perform specific actions that are typically automatic.
Self-confidence issues
The athlete can start doubting their abilities.
Stress and Anxiety
The Yerkes-Dodson law explains how stress, anxiety, and arousal levels affect performance and how stress levels must be maintained within a range to perform well.
Low Arousal
It could be the athlete is not as into the sport as when they began, so they do not put forth the total effort.
High Arousal
This means the sport could be causing so much stress that the athlete panics or freezes up.
Competitive anxiety sets in.
Optimal Arousal
This means the athlete is fully engaged in pushing themselves to the fullest.
This can be applied to any performing task like play rehearsals to a tennis match.
Some recommended steps can be taken to handle and prevent sports competitive anxiety when trying to overcome those overwhelming feelings of nervousness and tension.
Positive self-talk
Self-talk is having a positive conversation with yourself.
Athletes who practiced positive self-talk reported:
Improved self-confidence
Reduced physical anxiety symptoms
Improved sports performance
Listen to Music
When anxious before a meet, game, match, etc., consider listening to some favorite or relaxing music.
Meditation
Meditation has been found to reduce all types of anxiety, including sports.
Chiropractic
Chiropractic treatment specializes in the musculoskeletal system and can realign the body and release any muscle tension and restriction through hands-on manipulation techniques and mechanical decompression. Treatment involves manipulating the muscles, ligaments, tendons, fascia, and soft tissues to relieve pain through therapeutic muscle therapies that include:
One or a combination of therapies can alleviate symptoms related to muscle spasms, delayed onset muscle soreness, fascia restrictions, soft tissue injuries, and pain and dysfunction throughout the body, restoring function, movement, and strength.
Using The DRX9000 For Spinal Decompression
References
Elliott, Dave, et al. “The effects of relaxing music for anxiety control on competitive sport anxiety.” European journal of sports science vol. 14 Suppl 1 (2014): S296-301. doi:10.1080/17461391.2012.693952
Ford, Jessica L et al. “Sport-related anxiety: current insights.” Open access journal of sports medicine vol. 8 205-212. 27 Oct. 2017, doi:10.2147/OAJSM.S125845
Rice, Simon M et al. “Determinants of anxiety in elite athletes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” British journal of sports medicine vol. 53,11 (2019): 722-730. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2019-100620
Rowland, David L, and Jacques J D M van Lankveld. “Anxiety and Performance in Sex, Sport, and Stage: Identifying Common Ground.” Frontiers in psychology vol. 10 1615. 16 Jul. 2019, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01615
Walter N, et al. (2019). Effects of self-talk training on competitive anxiety, self-efficacy, volitional skills, and performance: An intervention study with junior sub-elite athletes. mdpi.com/2075-4663/7/6/148
Motor vehicle crashes and accidents cause significant trauma in a few seconds changing an individual’s life completely. Severe injuries include traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, fractures, and amputations. Many individuals experience post-traumatic stress disorder – PTSD after a vehicle collision; even a minor accident can cause emotional trauma symptoms. PTSD commonly presents with other symptoms that range from depression to heart disease, and the most frequent symptom is physical pain. Chiropractic decompression, physical therapy, and therapeutic massage can help alleviate physical pain.
Contents
PTSD Physical Pain
Physical trauma can cause immediate physical effects and injury, as well as physical symptoms that present later on.
Trying not to talk or think about the crash or accident with friends, family, places, or anything associated with the trauma.
Avoiding activities.
Emotional numbness.
Detachment.
All can generate physical muscle tension and chronic stress, leading to headaches, migraines, back pain, stomach pain, and body aches. Long-term physical pain symptoms can turn chronic pain and medication dependency into a vicious cycle.
Chiropractic Therapy
Chiropractic care diagnoses and treats disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Chiropractic treatment is recommended to help alleviate the physical symptoms of PTSD. Trauma causes individuals to store intense emotions in their bodies. Chiropractic manipulation and decompression release the tension in the muscles caused by the trauma and the emotional stress. Adjustments restore the body’s alignment and open the nervous system circulation, allowing signals to flow freely, leading to a healthier mind-body connection.
Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression Therapy
References
Beck, J Gayle, and Scott F Coffey. “Assessment and treatment of PTSD after a motor vehicle collision: Empirical findings and clinical observations.” Professional psychology, research, and practice vol. 38,6 (2007): 629-639. doi:10.1037/0735-7028.38.6.629
Elder, Charles et al. “Comparative Effectiveness of Usual Care With or Without Chiropractic Care in Patients with Recurrent Musculoskeletal Back and Neck Pain.” Journal of general internal medicine vol. 33,9 (2018): 1469-1477. doi:10.1007/s11606-018-4539-y
Hu, JunMei, et al. “Chronic widespread pain after motor vehicle collision typically occurs through immediate development and nonrecovery: results of an emergency department-based cohort study.” Pain vol. 157,2 (2016): 438-444. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000388
The lower back core muscles initiate and control movement and posture. Total body movements start at the pelvis and are carried out by the low back and abdominal muscles. These core muscles provide control and stability when moving. When the body is not moving, standing and sitting posture habits (healthy and unhealthy) develop based on how an individual controls/holds their pelvis posture. The lower back muscles are in constant demand for performing repetitive motions or forceful actions. The muscles become chronically tight and sore, joints and nerves get compressed, and bones and connective tissue stay in a stressed state, causing intense pain and damage to the body’s structure. These problems can result from muscle memory, the nervous system’s operating procedure to make movements automatic.
Contents
Muscle Memory
The nervous system controls the movement and contraction in the muscles and constantly reinforces and learns new movement patterns to become more efficient through muscle memory. However, this learning process allows for the development of healthy muscle habits and unhealthy muscular habits. An example is sitting using a slouching posture. The nervous system will store that posture data and subconsciously contract the abdominal and pectoral muscles, so the slouched posture takes over. Because of the continual usage and compromised postures, various muscles start to tighten up. Individuals are typically not aware of the gradual tightening until stiffness, soreness, and pain sets in. Tight muscles pull the skeleton in awkward ways that cause body misalignments, causing:
Individuals develop unique muscle patterns and tension levels throughout the body due to repetitive daily activities, stress responses, injuries sustained, and physical activities. Muscle memory issues can contribute to chronic back pain and sciatica. Unhealthy muscle memory causes the muscles not to return to their natural state but to the awkward position and makes that the natural state. Healthy muscle memory leads to instant reflexes that make movements smooth and effortless.
Chiropractic will relieve back and sciatica pain by inducing deep muscle relaxation that releases endorphins. The soreness and tension will be massaged, and mechanical decompression if necessary. Massage and stretching will help retrain muscle and movement memory, along with exercises to reinforce the retraining.
Spinal Decompression Therapy
References
Campbell, James N, and Richard A Meyer. “Mechanisms of neuropathic pain.” Neuron vol. 52,1 (2006): 77-92. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2006.09.021
Wilder, David G et al. “Effect of spinal manipulation on sensorimotor functions in back pain patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.” Trials vol. 12 161. 28 Jun. 2011, doi:10.1186/1745-6215-12-161
After traveling, body/musculoskeletal aches and pains can present from continual standing in line, sitting, staying in the same position, carrying a heavy bag or pulling a suitcase, and sleeping in an unfamiliar bed with different pillows, on a plane or car can cause body imbalances, jerking the spine out of alignment, straining the neck, shoulders, and back causing headaches, soreness, stiffness, back pain, and compression. Chiropractic massage and decompression will relieve travel pains, loosen stiff and sore joints, soothe aching muscles, realign the spine, and restore body health and comfort.
Contents
Musculoskeletal Health
The musculoskeletal system is comprised of:
Muscles
Tendons
Ligaments
Bones
Joints
Tissues that move the body and help maintain structure and form.
The health of the musculoskeletal system is defined as the absence of injury, disease, or illness within the system. Keeping this system healthy is crucial for the health of the other body systems.
Common Muskuloskeletal Conditions
Musculoskeletal injuries – work-related, personal, automobile, sports, or physical activity
Musculoskeletal health is enhanced by increased circulation that increases oxygen flow that relaxes the mind and body. Overworked sore, tired muscles after traveling can keep the body tense which could lead to chronic stress symptoms. Chiropractic massage therapy effectively reduces stress and anxiety by manipulating the body tissues like the muscles, tendons, connective tissues, and ligaments, increasing blood circulation and improving flexibility.
Jet-Lag
The body is weak after traveling into different time zones, which can cause jet lag, stress, and relaxation problems.
Jet lag can cause sleep problems, leading to extreme fatigue, headaches, and nausea.
Chiropractic can alleviate jet lag effects quickly by working/massaging/stretching out the muscles, increasing blood flow, flushing out toxins, and calming the body.
Travel Stress
The stress starts right before the trip when preparing, packing, and setting up the house while away.
The body tenses up when traveling to maintain focus, stay alert, and be ready for surprises.
When on vacation, having fun and doing all kinds of activities can make individuals forget to relax.
Waking up early and going to bed late can contribute to travel stress.
Chiropractic therapy will relieve all the strain and return the body to a relaxed state.
Relieve Back Pressure
Sitting for hours can increase pressure on the spine.
The muscles become stiff from the immobility accumulating pressure on the body and the mind, increasing the risk for other pains.
Chiropractic therapy will help lower heart rate and blood pressure relieving discomfort and stiffness.
Relax and Sleep
The internal body clock can get thrown off when traveling, resulting in little to no sleep and irritability.
Driving or flying will drain the body and mind, which can cause fatigue and anxiety.
Chiropractic will restore body and mind functions resulting in sleep and relaxation.
Spinal Decompression Texas
References
Crofford, Leslie J. “Chronic Pain: Where the Body Meets the Brain.” Transactions of the American Clinical and Climatological Association vol. 126 (2015): 167-83.
Sadler, Sean G et al. “Restriction in lateral bending range of motion, lumbar lordosis, and hamstring flexibility predicts the development of low back pain: a systematic review of prospective cohort studies.” BMC musculoskeletal disorders vol. 18,1 179. 5 May. 2017, doi:10.1186/s12891-017-1534-0
Waterhouse, J et al. “The stress of travel.” Journal of sports sciences vol. 22,10 (2004): 946-65; discussion 965-6. doi:10.1080/02640410400000264
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.
Contents
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.
Contents
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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