Reduce stress, reduce pain. Life creates stress, and while some stress can be good, too much causes health problems. Everyone experiences stress. However, now it is becoming a new normal in today�s hectic, fast-paced, high-pressure society. Most individuals equate stress with high blood pressure, heart attacks, or stroke. However, neck and back pain, insomnia, and weight gain can be stress-related, as well. And a lot of stress can make already-existing back/neck pain worse.
73% of individuals report experiencing stress-related psychological symptoms including anxiety and depression. These are not accurate numbers because most do not seek help for their stress issues. Stress symptoms should not be taken lightly. It is important to address the symptoms and find ways to reduce stress. Chiropractic is an effective stress reliever.
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Stress
Financial pressures, kids, long work weeks, and medical problems are common anxieties. Prolonged stress can become chronic, which results in muscle tension that can feel stiff, achy and uncomfortable. Stress can develop into neck or back pain.
Stress is the state of:
Emotional
Mental
Pressure
Tension
That results from difficulties, adverse situations, or extremely demanding circumstances. The very nature of stress by definition makes it very subjective. A “stressful” situation for one person might not phase another. This makes it difficult to pin down a precise definition.
More often, the term stress is more often used to describe the set of symptoms that are caused by stress and those symptoms can be as varied as the people who experience them.
Symptoms
Stress symptoms can affect the entire body physically and mentally. Common symptoms include:
Anxiety
Chest pain
Depression
Fatigue
Gastrointestinal problems
Irritability
Lower back pain
Muscle tension
Overeating
Headache
Restlessness
Sleep problems
Unable to focus
Undereating
Health
Technically, stress itself does not have a negative impact on health. Some individuals deal with situations that others would consider to be stressful, yet they never exhibit symptoms. This speaks to the subjective nature of stress. Different people experience different symptoms and are a combination of stress symptoms, how the person handles those symptoms that adversely affect health.
Ultimately, stress symptoms can lead to some very serious conditions including:
Heart disease
Hypertension
Diabetes
Obesity
Cancer/s
Psychologically, it can lead to social withdrawal and social phobias and is directly linked to alcohol and drug abuse.
Tips
These can help you reduce stress, and reduce pain.
Vital Signs
Get a medical checkup if possible through Telemedicine and talk to a doctor/therapist about your stress, along with medical history. Side effects from medications (prescription or over-the-counter), herbal products, or other supplements can cause restlessness, insomnia, and anxiety.
Physical therapy combines pain-relieving non-invasive treatments with therapeutic exercise, posture correction, and preventive body mechanics.
Consider conversational therapy with a stress counselor, psychologist, or support group online.
Get Moving
Yoga and relaxation movements help reduce stress and stretch muscles. Viniyoga blends breathing and movement together to quiet body and mind. These movements are less precise and adapted to a person’s physical condition. Talk to a doctor about trying yoga or other stretches.
Swimming combined with a sauna or steam bathing can relieve stress-induced pain.
Take frequent stretch breaks to loosen up tight neck or back muscles.
Go for short walks at break or lunchtime to get the circulation going.
Learn to Relax
Kick back, put your feet up, and empty your mind of everything.
Wrap an ice pack and hot pack (or hot water bottle) individually in towels. Apply the ice pack for 10 minutes and then the hot pack for 5 minutes. Alternate several times.
Massage, aromatherapy and spa treatments you can do at home.
Aromatic massage oils containing eucalyptus can help ease muscle pain.
Meditation or visualization therapy combines meditation practices that focus on breathing and calming the mind.
Visualization techniques combine imagery with breathing exercises.
Take Control of the Little Things
Break up problems into smaller manageable pieces and work on resolving the easier parts first.
Learn your limits, how to delegate responsibility and not take the entire load on your shoulders so as not to get overwhelmed.
Allow yourself to fail, we all have to fail in order to learn in order to apply what was learned.
Eat and Drink for Life
Make mealtime less stressful. Pick nourishing foods, eat slowly, and savor each other’s company.
Caffeinated coffee, soda, and other drinks do not help reduce stress or promote restful sleep.
Avoid drinking at night because it can make falling and staying asleep a challenge.
Proper sleep or naps can help relieve stress.
Dealing with Stress Is Good for Your Back
We may not be able to control life’s stressors, but don’t let everyday demands interfere with your health. Incorporate exercise, relaxation techniques, and healthy foods to reduce stress and pain and promote stress prevention.
Reduce stress reduce pain with chiropractic
Chiropractic cannot get rid of stress, but it can help relieve stress symptoms. The more stress the body endures, the more sensitive it becomes to pain and physical imbalances. Chiropractic helps by bringing the body back into balance, aligning the spine, and relieving pain.
The simple act of aligning the spine helps relieve stress in the body that you may not even be aware of. The physical stress of a misaligned spine can exacerbate symptoms and make a person more susceptible to stressful stimuli in their environment. Chiropractic helps to improve circulation which is essential in relieving muscle tension and helps shuts down the fight or flight response allowing the body to rest and heal.
Facet joint syndrome also called facet joint sprain is a common cause of back pain. The joint/s in our bodies connect two or more bones and their primary function is to promote motion. In the spine, the joints connecting each vertebra are known as facet joints. Like any other joint, each facet joints� job is to generate healthy movement and provide stability for each motion segment.
The disc/s function as spacers that support motion between the vertebral bodies. This creates a tri-relationship between the intervertebral disc and the facet joints. Degeneration or damage/injury to one affects the other. The effects of aging and/or traumatic injury can damage the facet joints and is the leading cause of back pain known as facet joint syndrome.
There are a variety of treatments that are used, but the most mainstream involves pain medication which can have undesirable side effects and can lead to addiction. Chiropractic is a proven, reliable treatment for pain relief and discomfort of facet joint syndrome. It restores mobility and flexibility while providing pain relief. Individuals notice significant alleviation from the pain and inflammation with chiropractic and is often recommended to those with the condition.
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Facet joint syndrome
The joints are located at the back of the spine. At each level, there are two joints, one on each side of the spine. The facet joints are enclosed in a capsule. The capsule contains synovial fluid and the surface is covered with hyaline cartilage. These joints are constructed in this fashion because of their role in the body. This role is to control excessive or extensive movement, which includes hyperextension and rotation. This helps to stabilize the spine.
Facet joint syndrome happens when there is an injury or damage to the joints. There are a variety of causes, but basically, it is a sprain that is brought on by excessive movement. This damages the joint capsule and results in inflammation, swelling, and pain.
The pain triggers a protective mechanism in the spine called a reactive muscle spasm which causes difficulty moving comfortably and severe, sudden pain. It is difficult to sit and rest because of its integral function of supporting the body. Severe sprains can take weeks to heal, normally 2 to 6 weeks. The�daily pain and lack of mobility make everyday activities difficult and a normal lifestyle almost impossible.
Chiropractic/Physical Therapy
Chiropractic is a proven, effective treatment for facet syndrome.� A chiropractor will conduct a physical exam, discuss medical history, and send you for diagnostic tests like x-rays and MRIs. Once they have a clear picture of the condition and a facet joint syndrome diagnosis has been confirmed, they will discuss a recommended course of treatment that can include:
Exercise
They recommend exercises�specific�to the condition that helps relieve the pain while strengthening the muscles in the back.
Poor Posture
Posture is extremely important for spinal health and general wellness.
A chiropractor will help you achieve a proper, healthy posture along with exercises to do at home to maintain posture and retrain your body.
Heat/Ice
Heat wraps, hot showers or ice packs and cold pads can be recommended to help control pain and swelling.
Changes
Depending on job type, you may be advised to take frequent breaks if you sit all day or shorten your commute. Certain activities won�t be do-able for some time until your back heals.
Spinal manipulation
Spinal manipulation is the most standard chiropractic treatment. A chiropractor may include other treatments/therapies depending on the specific condition and lifestyle.
Chiropractic is a safe, effective, non-invasive, and drug-free way to treat facet joint syndrome, relieve back pain, and help you regain mobility. Talk to your chiropractor about treatment options. Our uplifting southwest community surrounded by its infinite beauty is a fantastic place to live and enjoy our families; it is, therefore, our mission to help each of our patients to live,�to�love,�to�matter�and�to�thrive�pain-free�in this beautiful special place.
Digestive problems subside with rest and relaxation?
Crave sweets during the day?
Eating sweets does not relieve the craving for sugar?
Stomach pains, burning, or aching 1-4 hours?
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then something is disrupting your gut system. Why not try some aloe vera to dampen the symptoms.
Aloe Vera
Whenever someone thinks of aloe vera or aloe itself, the mind goes to sunburns and inflamed redden skin in general. Aloe vera has claimed its way to fame by soothing sunburnt skin; however, this long-celebrated medicinal plant has many properties and potential applications that go way beyond soothing inflamed skin.
Throughout the recent years, there was a surge in research about the gut microbiome and how it both affects and is affected by various diseases. The various research showed that SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids) producing a byproduct of colonic bacteria and fermenting dietary fibers, thus having critical signaling functions and playing a role in the gut-associated immune response. Studies have shown that butyric acid or butyrate may be beneficial for brain health in the body. Furthermore, the study also mentioned how SCFAs could contribute to reducing the inflammation in the gut while also associating between high-fiber diets and reducing the risk of colon cancer.
Aloe Vera�s Prebiotic Effects
Other studies showed that aloe vera has impressive prebiotic effects when it is being incubated within the human gut bacteria cultures. When a culture of mixed bacteria is being incubated with aloe vera, it shows a linear increase in butyric acid and an increase production of acetic acid when Bifidobacterium infantis is incubated with aloe vera. Studies show that when people have an increased intake of their dietary fibers, it can bring negative consequences to their bodies. The research talks about how having an increase in fiber is an obvious way to help support SCFAs, but for people who want to increase their fiber intake, they should consume aloe vera.
Aloe’s prebiotic effects are fantastic due to the chemical structure of some of its components. Surprisingly the aloe vera gel is about 55% polysaccharides and contains a compound called acemannan. With acemannan and the other polysaccharides in the aloe plant, many researchers have believed that these components are a significant contributor to aloe’s prebiotic and gut supportive effects. Since acemannan contains sugar molecules that are being linked to glycosidic bonds, they cannot be digested by human enzymes. However, with the body�s intestinal bacteria, studies have found that it can cleave the bond that acemannan has created and making acemannan digestible for the colonic flora. Another compound that aloe has is known as barbaloin. This compound contains other bonds that are inaccessible to the human digestive enzymes but is cleavable by the GI flora in the body.
Aloe Helping with Insulin
Aloe supplements can provide beneficial properties to battle against diabetes. A study from India stated that individuals who tale aloe vera gel powder for three months showed a substantial improvement in their glycemic control and cardiometabolic health.
Earlier studies have found out that aloe supplementation can improve the biomarkers of cardiometabolic health in the body as well. The study found that individuals who are pre-diabetic or have metabolic syndrome were given the standardized aloe extract for about eight weeks, and the results were astounding. The results showed that the consumed aloe supplement leads to a significant reduction in total cholesterol and LDL-C in the body as well as fasting glucose and fructosamine. Consuming aloe can cause a reduction in insulin in the body so people can start feeling better.
There is a more recent study that confirmed that aloe supplementation helps improve glycemic control and lipid profiles for pre-diabetic individuals. The results showed a decrease in triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL-C, as well as an increase in HDL in the body. Research found out that low-carbohydrate and the ketogenic diets are highly effective for improving blood glucose and insulin, especially for anyone who has type 2 diabetes. By adding aloe supplementation, it can be a powerful adjunct, especially for those who have a difficult time sticking to a strict low-carb regimen when a person’s dietary change is absent.
Conclusion
Aloe vera is an exotic plant that has many beneficial properties that can not only reduce red, inflamed skin but can provide support to the gut system and help individuals who may be pre-diabetic. Aloe vera can help the body’s gut system by making sure that no disruption and inflammation can affect the intestinal barrier, causing leaky gut. By consuming aloe vera in plant form or even using it as a supplement can provide fantastic health benefits for the body. Some products can be taken with aloe vera in order to make sure the gastrointestinal is being healthy by supporting the metabolic system and the gastrointestinal. These products offer hypoallergenic nutrients, enzymatic cofactors, and phytonutrients for overall health and wellness.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Quezada, Maria Paz, et al. �Acemannan and Fructans from Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis Miller) Plants as Novel Prebiotics.� Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 26 Oct. 2017, pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.jafc.7b04100.
Alinejad-Mofrad, Samaneh, et al. �Improvement of Glucose and Lipid Profile Status with Aloe Vera in Pre-Diabetic Subjects: a Randomized Controlled-Trial.� Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders, BioMed Central, 9 Apr. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4399423/.
Bourassa, Megan W, et al. �Butyrate, Neuroepigenetics, and the Gut Microbiome: Can a High Fiber Diet Improve Brain Health?” Neuroscience Letters, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 20 June 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4903954/.
Choudhary, Monika, et al. �Hypoglycemic and Hypolipidemic Effect of Aloe Vera L. in Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetics.� Journal of Food Science and Technology, Springer India, Jan. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3857397/.
Devaraj, Sridevi, et al. “Effects of Aloe vera supplementation in subjects with prediabetes/metabolic syndrome.” Metabolic syndrome and related disorders�vol. 11,1 (2013): 35-40. doi:10.1089/met.2012.0066
Jurgelewicz, Michael. �Diversity Is the Key to a Healthy Gut.� Designs for Health, 5 Apr. 2018, blog.designsforhealth.com/diversity-is-the-key-to-a-healthy-gut.
Pogribna, M., et al. �Effect of Aloe Vera Whole Leaf Extract on Short Chain Fatty Acids Production by Bacteroides Fragilis, Bifidobacterium Infantis, and Eubacterium Limosum.� Society for Applied Microbiology, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 19 Mar. 2008, sfamjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1472-765X.2008.02346.x.
Sivaprakasam, Sathish, et al. �Benefits of Short-Chain Fatty Acids and Their Receptors in Inflammation and Carcinogenesis.� Pharmacology & Therapeutics, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4942363/.
Team, DFH. �Alternative Applications for Aloe.� Designs for Health, 5 Mar. 2020, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1209.
The University offers a wide variety of medical professions for functional and integrative medicine. Their goal is to inform individuals who want to make a difference in the functional medical fields with knowledgeable information that they can provide.
If you are experiencing any of these situations, then you might want to try astaxanthin.
The body needs specific vitamins, minerals, and supplements from food, in order to function correctly. The variety of these nutrients can be found in healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains are precisely what the body needs. One of the essential nutrients that the body needs is antioxidants. Antioxidants help the body get rid of free radicals that can cause the body to become overly stressed and leading it to develop chronic illnesses. There is an antioxidant that can help the body and can be found in berries and pomegranates, and it is called astaxanthin.
Astaxanthin
Astaxanthin is a xanthophyll carotenoid that can be found in various microorganisms and marine animals. Astaxanthin is common for humans to apply and consume into the body while also being different. This red, fat-soluble pigment is quite different from the other kinds of food that contain carotenoids. Astaxanthin surprising does not contain vitamin A like all the other food containing carotenoids, and astaxanthin is an impressive antioxidant. Studies have shown that astaxanthin can not only be beneficial for the eyes but can provide nutritional support as well as having potential health-promoting effects in preventing and treating various diseases that can harm the body. Some of the various diseases that can harm the body when there is an excessive amount of free radicals can include:
Various cancers
Chronic inflammatory diseases
Metabolic syndrome
Diabetes
Gastrointestinal diseases
Another study found that astaxanthin was superior to fish oil due to astaxanthin having the ability to enhance the body’s immune response and thus lowering the risk of vascular and infectious diseases that can harm the body, causing it to dysfunction.
A Powerful Antioxidant
There are some fantastic beneficial properties that astaxanthin can provide for the body and help improve the body�s systems as well.
Astaxanthin is a powerful antioxidant since various chronic diseases are rooted in a disproportionate balance of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species to antioxidants. Studies have shown�that astaxanthin has been known to scavenge free radicals more effectively out of the body than beta-carotene. There was another study showing how the body�s DNA was damage due to low plasma 8 -OHdG (8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine) levels.
Boosts the Immune System
The publication of the immunomodulatory effects of astaxanthin is not getting enough attention as they should be. A test study has reported that dietary astaxanthin was able to stimulate mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation. This will help increase the natural killer cell cytotoxicity and even delay the hypersensitivity response in the body while also increasing the numbers of total T and B cells in the peripheral blood in the body. Another study showed how astaxanthin could help significantly enhanced lymphocyte proliferation in vitro and ex vivo. The studies also found that astaxanthin can be consumed in high concentrations without the risk of cytotoxicity.
Controls Glucose and Lipids
Surprisingly there has been new research that has been revealing about another unique but vital role that astaxanthin has. The studies show that it can modulate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors or PPARs. What this function does is that it may have various applications in human health, including producing glucose and lipid homeostasis. Since PPARs are members of the nuclear hormone receptors in the body, they are a superfamily that plays roles in the expression of many genes that are regulating cellular differentiation and many other functions in the body.
There are at least three subtypes of PPARs that helps the major organs and help the metabolism of glucose and lipids. PPAR? can primarily be expressed in the liver, kidney, heart, and skeletal muscle, where it can be involved in lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity to the body. Another subtype of PPARs is PPAR?, which plays a role in glucose and lipid homeostasis but also is the site of action in the adipose tissue in the body. When astaxanthin is being involved, astaxanthin is a PPAR? agonist but can act as either an agonist or antagonist to PPAR? receptors. Studies have found that PPAR? agonist and PPAR? antagonist in astaxanthin can decrease cholesterol and triglycerides in loaded HepG2 cells, while changing several enzymes expressions that are being involved in lipid and glucose metabolism pathways, thus resulting in a hypolipidemic effect in the body.
Exercise Enhancement
Surprisingly astaxanthin can be used to prevent exercise-induced free radical production and is a lesser-known application. Astaxanthin can enhance exercise performance and even improve the recovery process. The increase in the reactive oxygen and nitrogen species or RONS are being produced during an exercise regime is deleterious to the health. It is often combated with a matching increase in the endogenous antioxidant enzymes. However, when a person is doing excessive exercises, it can cause RONS to rise above the body’s natural capacity to eliminate them. This will cause an increased risk of oxidative damage in lipids, protein, and DNA molecules. In a review study, it showed the ability of astaxanthin to squelch the RONS generating during exercising. It reported that the antioxidant effects of astaxanthin could provide a variety of benefits to athletes.
Conclusion
Astaxanthin is a powerful immunomodulatory antioxidant that can support numerous biological pathways that are in the body. It can dampen the effects of a variety of chronic diseases and illnesses that can harm the body. Astaxanthin is useful for being a therapeutic and powerful nutraceutical while also being an excellent addition for someone who needs supplements to support their general health and well-being. Some of the products here are beneficial to the body as they help support the immune system while providing more excellent stability.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.
References:
Ambati, Ranga Rao, et al. �Astaxanthin: Sources, Extraction, Stability, Biological Activities and Its Commercial Applications–a Review.� Marine Drugs, MDPI, 7 Jan. 2014, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3917265/.
Brown, Daniel R, et al. �Astaxanthin in Exercise Metabolism, Performance and Recovery: A Review.� Frontiers in Nutrition, Frontiers Media S.A., 18 Jan. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5778137/.
Brown, Daniel R, et al. �Astaxanthin in Exercise Metabolism, Performance and Recovery: A Review.� Frontiers in Nutrition, Frontiers Media S.A., 18 Jan. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5778137/.
Choi, Chang-Ik. �Astaxanthin as a Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor (PPAR) Modulator: Its Therapeutic Implications.� Marine Drugs, MDPI, 23 Apr. 2019, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6521084/.
Lin, Kuan-Hung, et al. �Astaxanthin, a Carotenoid, Stimulates Immune Responses by Enhancing IFN-? and IL-2 Secretion in Primary Cultured Lymphocytes in Vitro and Ex Vivo.� International Journal of Molecular Sciences, MDPI, 29 Dec. 2015, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4730289/.
Park, Jean Soon, et al. �Astaxanthin Decreased Oxidative Stress and Inflammation and Enhanced Immune Response in Humans.� Nutrition & Metabolism, BioMed Central, 5 Mar. 2010, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2845588/?report=reader.
Team, DFH. �Applications of the Antioxidant, Astaxanthin.� Designs for Health, 27 June 2019, blog.designsforhealth.com/node/1047.
Yuan, Jian-Ping, et al. �Potential Health-Promoting Effects of Astaxanthin: a High-Value Carotenoid Mostly from Microalgae.� Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Jan. 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21207519.
The University offers a wide variety of medical professions for functional and integrative medicine. Their goal is to inform individuals who want to make a difference in the functional medical fields with knowledgeable information that they can provide.
Chiropractic is more than spinal manipulation. More people are choosing chiropractic for their pain symptoms, conditions, and injuries. Many are exchanging pills and surgery for all-natural non-invasive medicine known as chiropractic. Chiropractors do not prescribe medications and do not perform surgery. But they are trained to recognize when an injury is outside the scope of their practice and will refer an individual to the appropriate medical specialist.
Here are a few reasons why individuals are trying out chiropractic:
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Doctors recommend chiropractic
The American College of Physicians recommends chiropractic and other non-drug treatments, as a first-line treatment for chronic and acute low back pain. Spinal manipulation is strongly recommended as a natural remedy. It is highly effective when combined with gentle exercises like Pilates, yoga, and tai chi.
Studies show spinal manipulation highly effective
The Journal of the American Medical Association cited spinal manipulation to be highly beneficial in treating lower back pain. Results are consistently showing that chiropractic treatment, specifically spinal manipulation, is effective in helping low back pain and improving function while minimizing pain.
95% Return for treatment
In the 2016 Gallup-Palmer College of Chiropractic Annual Report, 95% of people who used chiropractic say that it is an effective treatment. 97% said that if back or neck pain returned they would seek chiropractic treatment again. More than half of adults that have never seen a chiropractor said they would seek chiropractic treatment if they developed neck or back pain.
Chiropractic rated higher than All other treatments for back pain
A Consumer Reports survey ranked chiropractic as a top treatment compared to medications for back pain, osteoarthritis, and neck pain relief.
Individuals prefer a whole-body approach that includes:
Lifestyle recommendations
Dietary advice
Supplements for pain, immobility, and range of motion problems.
Many said they opted for natural treatments like chiropractic to avoid harmful and undesirable side effects of prescription medication.
Opioids
With the Centers for Disease Control declaring prescription abuse an epidemic, individuals are searching for safer options. Natural treatments are becoming more popular to avoid the potential for addiction. And not just addiction but the often side effects that come with prescription meds, like constipation, brain fog, nausea, dry mouth, etc.
Spine surgery rising Individuals seeking the less invasive option
Spinal fusion surgery has been on a steep rise, increasing by about 500%. Therefore many are going for natural treatment like chiropractic to avoid surgery. Chiropractic looks at the whole person along with advice on lifestyle habits, dietary adjustments, and exercise programs. The bottom line is it works. It is less invasive, and yes, it is drug-free, but most of all, it is effective.
How adjustments work
When the vertebrae become misaligned, they place pressure on the nerves and cause pain, swelling, awkward movement/s, etc. This is called a subluxation. Chiropractors use their repertoire of techniques that equal a form of spinal adjustment to treat the subluxations. An adjustment means that the vertebra is returned to the proper position in the spine. When the vertebrae are adjusted, tiny pockets of gas are released from the joints, sometimes make a popping/releasing noise. It is the same sound when cracking knuckles.
The benefits
Individuals with the following conditions have found chiropractic to be helpful:
Arthritis
Bursitis and
Fibromyalgia
Headaches
Leg pain
Pain or stiffness in the neck, shoulders, back, arms, hands, chest, abdomen, hips, legs, feet.
Sciatica
Scoliosis
Sports injuries
Tendonitis
Trauma injuries like auto accidents
Other Services
The main method of treatment is spinal adjustment, many chiropractors use a variety of therapies to treat patients, including:
Health Coaching
Exercise
Diet
Massage
Weight loss
Stress management
Chiropractic medicine is more than just spinal manipulation. Chiropractors use a variety of treatments to help the body heal itself and return individuals to a pain-free and healthy life.
With everything that is going on in today’s world immunity is especially important. Without a properly functioning immune system, our bodies can become inflamed and more susceptible to viruses. Inflammation can cause a weakened immune system, joint pain, headaches, fatigue and more!
So what can we do to build up our immunity and help give our bodies a fighting chance? First off, washing your hands is highly important. Not just now, but always. Be sure to wash your hands with warm water and scrub everywhere. Second, get plenty of sleep. Rest is how the body recovers. If you do not give your body adequate sleep, the strength you’re cells have to fight off infection lessens. Third, eat healthy food, hydrate, and exercise. Finally, last but not least help kick up your immune system by supplementing the body with all-natural supplements.
There are many supplements that will be beneficial to the body. However, two of the most important are NAC and Glutamine.
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What Are They?
NAC stands for N-acetyl-Cystine. NAC is an amino acid that the body can produce but the body can also greatly benefit from taking additional NAC in supplemental form. NAC plays an important role in helping the liver to detox. In addition to this, NAC helps to replenish the glutathione levels in the lungs and can help to reduce the inflammation. This is highly beneficial in helping to relieve the symptoms of a respiratory infection.
NAC is also greatly beneficial in boosting brain health. NAC helps to regulate glutamate levels and replenish glutathione. However, one of the most important factors of NAC is its ability to boost Glutathione levels.
Glutamine is an amino acid that helps the body perform many functions. Glutamine plays a crucial part in the immune system.
The Connection & How It Impacts Immunity
However, one of the most important factors of NAC is its ability to booze Glutathione levels. NAC and glutathione can help to boost an individual’s immune health. In research studies shown, NAC has been shown to lessen the effects of a virus and its ability to replicate. When it comes to immunity NAC and Glutamine are powerful molecules. Stoping the replication of a virus can help reduce the spread and the length of the virus in an individual.
Many infections and diseases have been linked to low glutathione levels. When the glutathione levels are low this is typically due to enhanced oxygen radicals. Studies have been done and show that when supplementing NAC to those who have low glutathione levels, it directly boosts their levels and helps with infection.
Especially with everything happening today, we want to increase our immunity and decrease the inflammation in the body.� Essentially, think of the body as a road trip. For this trip we need two main things: the gas for the car, and the car to take you to the end destination.� NAC is the gas that drives the car. We need the gas to get to our end destination. Our end destination is being healthy and giving our body the best chance to fight off infection (increased Glutathione). So by giving our body gas (NAC) we provide it with what it needs to take us to where we want to go (increased Glutathione, leading to increased immunity).
How Can I Benefit?
Overall, NAC is great to decrease inflammation. Inflammation is an extremely common underlying issue relating to other health conditions individuals suffer from. By providing your body with additional supplements, you can help increase your immunity and decrease your chances of contracting a virus and/or the length of the virus. Always discuss supplements with your primary care doctor before you begin them, but consider adding these into your daily routine!
I always recommend talking to your primary care provider and taking supplements daily. Supplements, in general, are a great way to help provide the body with the essential vitamins and minerals you may be missing. However, now more than ever supplementation is key. By building up and providing the body with the nutrients it needs for proper function, it will help prepare your body to fight off an infection. Supplementation like NAC is great to have already running in your system to help combat an infection if you were to catch one. Remember to be smart, talk to a primary care doctor before beginning supplementation, and keep in mind that not all supplements are created equal.� -Kenna Vaughn, Senior Health Coach��
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, and nervous health issues or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health protocols to treat injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We also make copies of supporting research studies available to the board and or the public upon request. To further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.�
References:
Dinicola S, De Grazia S, Carlomagno G, Pintucci JP. N-acetylcysteine as powerful molecule to destroy bacterial biofilms. A systematic review.�Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2014;18(19):2942�2948.
Wessner B, Strasser EM, Spittler A, Roth E. Effect of single and combined supply of glutamine, glycine, N-acetylcysteine, and R,S-alpha-lipoic acid on glutathione content of myelomonocytic cells.�Clin Nutr. 2003;22(6):515�522. doi:10.1016/s0261-5614(03)00053-0
Dr. Alex Jimenez, a chiropractor in El Paso, TX, Kenna Vaughn, Truide Torres, and Astrid Ornelas discuss what it is that they do and why they do it. Chiropractic care is a safe and effective, alternative treatment option that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of a variety of health issues associated with the musculoskeletal and nervous system, including neck pain, back pain, low back pain, and sciatica, among other health issues within the scope of chiropractic care. Dr. Alex Jimenez utilizes spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, among other well-known chiropractic care treatment methods and techniques, to help provide pain relief and promote overall health and wellness. Dr. Alex Jimenez, Kenna Vaughn, Truide Torres, and Astrid Ornelas discuss how they patients, from chiropractic care to educating them on diet and lifestyle changes, to help patients achieve their nutrition and fitness goals. According to Dr. Alex Jimenez, Kenna Vaughn, Truide Torres, and Astrid Ornelas, chiropractic care and functional medicine are treatment options that can naturally support well-being. – Podcast Insight
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Dr. Alex Jimenez RN, DC, MSACP, CCST
Dr. Alex Jimenez, a chiropractor in El Paso, TX, Kenna Vaughn, Truide Torres, Alexander Jimenez, and Astrid Ornelas, discuss how chiropractic care can ultimately help treat sciatica or sciatic nerve pain. The sciatic nerve is the largest and longest nerve in the human body. It runs from the lower back, down the buttocks and hips, and into the legs, knees, and feet. Sciatica can be caused by a variety of health issues which result in the compression or impingement of the sciatic nerve. Dr. Alex Jimenez, Kenna Vaughn, Truide Torres, Alexander Jimenez, and Astrid Ornelas discuss sciatica or sciatic nerve pain in further detail to ultimately help educate patients on their symptoms. Diet and lifestyle modifications, including nutraceuticals and exercise or physical activity, can be beneficial for patients with sciatic nerve pain. Furthermore, sciatica or sciatic nerve pain is a collection of symptoms rather than a single injury or underlying condition. Dr. Alex Jimenez, Kenna Vaughn, Truide Torres, Alexander Jimenez, and Astrid Ornelas conclude the podcast by describing how they each can help patients achieve overall health and wellness. – Podcast Insight
If you have enjoyed this video and/or we have helped you in any way
please feel free to subscribe and share us.
Thank You & God Bless.
Dr. Alex Jimenez RN, DC, MSACP, CCST
Reducing stress is important for emotional well being and physical health. Rheumatoid arthritis is a complex condition with no cure and can cause intense chronic pain. Stress only exacerbates the symptoms, affects pain perception, and weakens the body. Stress management is highly important for reducing pain. In a weakened state, an individual is more vulnerable to arthritis symptoms, like flare-ups, weakness, and fatigue.�Chiropractic can help.
There are non-surgical treatments for arthritis, like medications, physical, and massage therapy that address the physical nature of the condition. By eliminating stressful triggers and making healthy behavioral/lifestyle changes a better sense of well being can be achieved.
Different emotions can run rampant:
Confusion
Frustration
Anger
Sadness
Helplessness
And all of these feelings can generate intense stress on an individual. Chiropractic excels in wellness and is becoming more common for individuals to visit chiropractic clinics for treating a variety of different kinds of pain symptoms and conditions. Chiropractic adjustments provide countless benefits to those with arthritis. We�ll explore how chiropractic can help those with arthritis and give additional information along with suggestions on how to alleviate the pain.
Contents
What Chiropractic Does
A doctor of chiropractic is a health professional that focuses on wellness and optimal health instead of ailment/sickness symptoms. Their specialty aims at adjusting the spine to correct misalignments that could be pressing down on nerves and causing major disruption in the body. Regular chiropractic not only restores health throughout the body but helps alleviate back pain and any other symptoms associated with an out of alignment spine.
They also work in setting up exercise programs specific to the condition being treated along with the proper diet to utilize in assisting with the management of inflammation and pain.
Arthritis
Arthritis is inflammation in the body’s joints which results in pain, stiffness and limited range of movement. There are over 200 different varieties of arthritis. Generally associated with age, it can affect young people. It can strike pretty much any area of the body. Arthritis can cause damage to soft tissues and muscles.
Osteoarthritis also known as degenerative joint disease, is the most common type. It comes from repeated trauma to the joints and occurs more often in the elderly.
Other forms include:
Rheumatoid arthritis is the second common type in which the body�s immune system attacks the joint/s.
Psoriatic arthritis, an autoimmune form of arthritis.
Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis where the body attacks itself.
Septic arthritis is caused by a viral or bacterial infection of the joint/s.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing arthritis involves a thorough physical examination. Rheumatologists often need help with these cases, and so a medical work-up can be done and a chiropractor could be recommended. This includes X-rays or MRIs, urine, blood analysis, and physical examinations. Having the condition properly diagnosed will help to more effectively treat the symptoms.
Chiropractic
The most common treatment is medication, which takes down the inflammation, the swelling and reduces pain. Chiropractors can be of great help in managing arthritis. Medications work but as we’ve seen they can have long-term health risks like impaired healing, damage to the stomach lining and internal bleeding.
A chiropractor can reduce stress, and reliance on medications, all the while managing the pain and symptoms in a natural way. Chiropractic can:
Improve range of motion
Keeps the spine properly aligned
Improve endurance
Improve flexibility
Increase strength
Increase muscle tone
Develop a dietary and nutritional plan to reduce inflammation
Recommend an exercise regimen conducive to arthritis symptoms
According to the American Chiropractic Association, this is vital in managing arthritis symptoms.
Treatment
Understand that chiropractic cannot cure arthritis. They can help alleviate symptoms, slow the progression and help to reduce stress levels. They will use adjustments in combination with other treatments. This can include:
Hot and cold treatments
Ultrasound treatments
Massage
Electronic muscle stimulation
Physical rehabilitation
Magnet therapy
Reduce Stress
Exercise
Water aerobics or make walking around the park/neighborhood part of a daily routine, as it promotes a healthy mind by reducing stress and anxiety. Gentle exercises like aerobic exercise are perfect because it improves mobility and helps shed a few pounds taking pressure off the joints. Exercise creates endorphins, which reduces pain and uplifts the mood.
Support groups
With any type of painful condition, it’s easy to feel alone. Joining a support group can connect you with people who understand what’s going on and the emotions you’re experiencing. The community helps diminish the sense of isolation.
Relaxation therapy
This focuses on calming the body and mind by making a conscious effort to relax. Even for only a few moments, you might find this technique effective at controlling the stress response. Begin by focusing on one part of the body like the hands, feet, etc.
Concentrate until the area you’re focusing on is completely free of stress or tension. Then imagine weightlessness flow through the body. Close your eyes, lie down, turn off the lights, and think of something soothing. There are no strict guidelines for relaxation. Whatever puts you in a relaxed frame of mind is the way to do it.
Warm bath
Warm moist heat from a shower, bath, or steam room can decrease the secretion of stress hormones and raise levels of endorphins, as aforementioned the body’s natural pain killers.
Take time for yourself
When it comes to reducing stress, balance is key. Staying active, and regular rest/sleep is vital to successful treatment. A balance needs to be in everything you do. Therefore, make time for the things you want to do.
Results
Inflammatory diseases like arthritis have shown the best results are achieved from combating it from all angles. Working with a chiropractor and rheumatologist to combine treatments can make all the difference. A healthy diet and active exercise program will get you in the right direction toward a healthy active lifestyle. If you or a loved one are suffering from arthritis, don�t hesitate to call. We�re here to help in any way possible!
Shoulder pain along with the kinds of shoulder problems like sprains and strains that chiropractors regularly treat often involves a form of rotator dysfunction. The shoulder has the greatest mobility of any joint in the body. However, there is little stability when in certain positions the soft tissues in the shoulder area can get injured through sports injury/s, recreational activities, at work or in a fall.�
This usually begins with dysfunction of the rotator cuff muscles and progresses to:
In cases like this, there is no direct, acute injury.
Every sprain and strain injury to the shoulder must be treated and rehabilitated�properly�to avoid future injuries and pain. There is a higher probability of shoulder instability that becomes chronic after an injury. This is because the surrounding muscles and connective tissues are what create shoulder joint stability.
Contents
Shoulder Pain
The shoulder goes through a great deal that we do not realize. It is made up of an intricate network of ligaments and muscles, with the rotator cuff taking most of the load/weight during movement and exertion. As aforementioned, the shoulder is the most flexible joint in the human body, but it is one of the most unstable. For athletes, shoulder injuries are pretty common, as the shoulder sustains more injuries than almost any other part of the body.
The shoulder is unstable because of its unique construction. Other joints like the ankle or elbow are limited in their range of motion. The shoulder, on the other hand, can move pretty widely, which leaves it open to stress, injury, and pain. The soft tissues in the shoulder, muscles, tendons, and ligaments can get injured from overuse, excessive strain, falls, and improper motion.
Treating shoulder pain can be a challenge because it is used so much daily. A Chiropractor can bring relief to shoulder pain and speed up the healing process.
Injury and pain causes
Shoulder pain can be caused by a variety of conditions. Injury is one of the most common causes and is seen in athletes, like swimmers, gymnasts, golfers, baseball players, bowlers, and tennis players, etc, who use their arms and shoulders regularly, place added stress on the joint.
Jobs that involve repetitive shoulder movements can also cause injury. People whose job requires repetitive motions or strenuous upper bodywork are at higher risk. Truck drivers, construction workers, warehouse and grocery store employees commonly experience shoulder injury and pain.
Prevention
Preventing shoulder pain and injury can be a simple process. Workers and athletes whose jobs require repetitive arm work or rotation should warm-up, and take stretching and shake out the hand/s and arm/s breaks. Pain should be addressed, as soon as it presents with ice/heat and a possible chiropractic appointment. Ignoring the pain could lead to a more serious/chronic condition.
Shoulder rest is always a must. The joint needs time off to heal and regular chores should not be resumed until the doctor or chiropractor clears the patient. Chiropractors usually recommend exercises and stretches geared toward the type of injury/s or condition/s.
Chiropractor
Chiropractic is highly beneficial for shoulder injury/s and shoulder pain.
It will:
Reduce pain
Relieve pain
Improve range of motion
Increase flexibility
Restore function to the joint
Different techniques are used depending on the type of injury or condition. The patient will be assessed by the chiropractor and will determine a treatment plan. Compression techniques have been found to be very effective for shoulder pain. It is favored because it is not strenuous for the doctor, is very safe, and is handled well by the patient. Chiropractic is the treatment of choice for shoulder pain because it is minimally invasive and it works.
Chiropractic addresses the entire body with its aim to relieve pain without drugs or surgery and keep the individual healthy and functioning at an optimal level. Are you, a family member, or friend suffering from shoulder stiffness/pain? If so, give us a call. Dr. Jimenez and his outstanding physical therapy team are here to help!
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