How do healthcare professionals in a chiropractic clinic provide a clinical approach to preventing medical errors for individuals in pain?
Introduction
Medical errors resulted in 44,000–98,000 hospitalized American deaths annually, and many more caused catastrophic injuries. (Kohn et al., 2000) This was more than the number of people who died annually from AIDS, breast cancer, and auto accidents at the time. According to later research, the actual number of deaths may be closer to 400,000, placing medical errors as the third most common cause of death in the US. Frequently, these mistakes are not the product of medical professionals who are inherently bad; rather, they are the outcome of systemic issues with the health care system, such as inconsistent provider practice patterns, disjointed insurance networks, underutilization or absence of safety protocols, and uncoordinated care. Today’s article looks at the clinical approach to preventing a medical error in a clinical setting. We discuss associated medical providers specializing in various pretreatments to aid individuals suffering from chronic issues. We also guide our patients by allowing them to ask their associated medical providers very important and intricate questions. Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, only utilizes this information as an educational service. Disclaimer
Defining Medical Errors
Determining what medical error is the most crucial step in any conversation about preventing medical errors. You might assume this is a very easy chore, but that is only until you delve into the vast array of terminology utilized. Many terms are used synonymously (sometimes mistakenly) since some terminology is interchangeable, and occasionally, the meaning of a term depends on the specialty being discussed.
Even though the healthcare sector stated that patient safety and eliminating or reducing medical errors were priorities, Grober and Bohnen noted as recently as 2005 that they had fallen short in one crucial area: determining the definition of “perhaps the most fundamental question… What is a medical error? A medical error is a failure to complete a planned action in a medical setting. (Grober & Bohnen, 2005) However, none of the terms that one would often identify expressly with a medical error—patients, healthcare, or any other element—are mentioned in this description. Despite this, the definition offers a solid framework for further development. As you can see, that specific definition consists of two parts:
An execution error: A failure to complete a planned action as intended.
A planning error: is a technique that, even with perfect execution, does not produce the desired results.
The concepts of faults of execution and planning errors are insufficient if we are to define a medical error adequately. These may occur anywhere, not only at a medical establishment. The component of medical management must be added. This brings up the idea of unfavorable occurrences, known as adverse events. The most common definition of an adverse event is unintentional harm to patients brought about by medical therapy rather than their underlying disease. This definition has gained international acceptance in one way or another. For example, in Australia, the term incidents are defined as in which harm resulted in a person receiving health care. These consist of infections, injury-causing falls, and issues with prescription drugs and medical equipment. Certain unfavorable occurrences might be avoidable.
Common Types of Medical Errors
The only issue with this notion is that not all negative things happen accidentally or intentionally. Because the patient may ultimately benefit, an expected but tolerated adverse event may occur. During chemotherapy, nausea and hair loss are two examples. In this instance, refusing the recommended treatment would be the only sensible approach to prevent the unpleasant consequence. We thus arrive at the concept of preventable and non-preventable adverse occurrences as we further refine our definition. It isn’t easy to categorize a choice to tolerate one impact when it is determined that a favorable effect will occur simultaneously. But purpose alone isn’t necessarily an excuse. (Patient Safety Network, 2016, para.3) Another example of a planned mistake would be a right foot amputation due to a tumor on the left hand, which would be accepting a known and predicted unfavorable event in the hopes of a beneficial consequence where none has ever arisen before. There is no evidence to support the anticipation of a positive outcome.
Medical errors that cause harm to the patient are typically the focus of our research. Nonetheless, medical mistakes can and do occur when a patient is not harmed. The occurrence of near misses could provide invaluable data when planning how to reduce medical errors in a healthcare facility. Still, the frequency of these events compared to the frequency clinicians report them needs to be investigated. Near misses are medical errors that could have caused harm but did not to the patient, even if the patient is doing well. (Martinez et al., 2017) Why would you acknowledge something that could potentially result in legal action? Consider the scenario where a nurse, for whatever reason, had just been looking at photographs of different medications and was about to provide a medication. Maybe something lingers in her memory, and she decides that’s not how a specific medication looks. Upon checking, she found that the incorrect medicines had been administered. After checking all the paperwork, she fixes the mistake and gives the patient the right prescription. Would it be possible to avoid an error in the future if the administration record included photographs of the proper medication? It is easy to forget that there was a mistake and a chance for harm. That fact remains true regardless of whether we were fortunate enough to find it in time or suffer any negative consequences.
Errors of Outcomes & Process
We need complete data to develop solutions that improve patient safety and decrease medical errors. At the very least, when the patient is in a medical facility, everything that can be done to prevent harm and put them in danger should be reported. Many doctors have determined that using the phrases errors and adverse events was more comprehensive and suitable after reviewing mistakes and adverse events in health care and discussing their strengths and weaknesses in 2003. This combined definition would increase data gathering, including mistakes, close calls, near misses, andactive and latent errors. Additionally, the term adverse events includes terms that usually imply patient harm, such as medical injury and iatrogenic injury. The only thing that remains is determining whether a review board is a suitable body to handle the separation of preventable and non-preventable adverse events.
A sentinel event is an occurrence where reporting to the Joint Commission is required. The Joint Commission states that a sentinel event is an unexpected occurrence involving a serious physical or psychological injury. (“Sentinel Events,” 2004, p.35) There isn’t a choice, as it needs to be documented. Most healthcare facilities, however, do keep their records outlining sentinel incidents and what to do in the event of one to guarantee that the Joint Commission standards are met. This is one of those situations when it’s better to be safe than sorry. Since “serious” is a relative concept, there may be some wriggle room when defending a coworker or an employer. On the other hand, reporting a sentinel event incorrectly is better than failing to report a sentinel event. Failing to disclose can have serious consequences, including career termination.
When considering medical errors, people frequently make the mistake of focusing just on prescription errors. Medication errors are undoubtedly frequent and involve many of the same procedural flaws as other medical errors. Breakdowns in communication, mistakes made during prescription or dispensing, and many other things are possible. But we would be gravely misjudging the issue if we assumed that drug errors are the only cause of harm to a patient. One major challenge in classifying the different medical errors is determining whether to classify the error based on the procedure involved or the consequence. It is acceptable to examine those classifications here, given numerous attempts have been made to develop working definitions that incorporate both the process and the outcome, many of which are based on Lucian Leape’s work from the 1990s.
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Analyzing & Preventing Medical Errors
Operative and nonoperative were the two main categories of adverse events that Leape and his colleagues distinguished in this study. (Leape et al., 1991) Operative problems included wound infections, surgical failures, non-technical issues, late complications, and technical difficulties. Nonoperative: headings such as medication-related, misdiagnosed, mistreated, procedure-related, fall, fracture, postpartum, anesthesia-related, neonatal, and a catch-all heading of the system were included under this category of adverse occurrences. Leape also classified errors by pointing out the point of process breakdown. He also categorized these into five headings, which include:
System
Performance
Drug Treatment
Diagnostic
Preventative
Many process faults fall under more than one topic, yet they all help to pinpoint the exact cause of the issue. If more than one physician was engaged in determining the precise areas that need improvement, then additional questioning might be required.
Technically, a medical error can be made by any staff member at a hospital. It is not limited to medical professionals like physicians and nurses. An administrator may unlatch a door, or a cleaning crew member could leave a chemical within a child’s grasp. What matters more than the identity of the perpetrator of the mistake is the reason behind it. What before it? And how can we make sure that doesn’t occur again? After gathering all the above data and much more, it’s time to figure out how to prevent similar errors. As for sentinel events, the Joint Commission has mandated since 1997 that all of these incidents undergo a procedure called Root Cause Analysis (RCA). However, using this procedure for incidents that need to be reported to outside parties would need to be corrected.
What Is A Root Cause Analysis?
RCAs “captured the details as well as the big picture perspective.” They make evaluating systems easier, analyzing whether remedial action is necessary, and tracking trends. (Williams, 2001) What precisely is an RCA, though? By examining the events that led to the error, an RCA can focus on events and processes rather than reviewing or placing blame on specific people. (AHRQ,2017) This is why it is so crucial. An RCA frequently makes use of a tool called the Five Whys. This is the process of continuously asking yourself “why” after you believe you have determined the cause of an issue.
The reason it’s called the “five whys” is because, while five is an excellent starting point, you should always question why until you identify the underlying cause of the problem. Asking why repeatedly could reveal many process faults at different stages, but you should keep asking why about every aspect of the issue until you run out of other things that could be adjusted to provide a desirable result. However, different tools besides this one can be utilized in a root cause investigation. Numerous others exist. RCAs must be multidisciplinary and consistent and involve all parties involved in the error to avoid misunderstandings or inaccurate reporting of occurrences.
Conclusion
Medical errors in healthcare institutions are frequent and mostly unreported events that seriously threaten patients’ health. Up to a quarter of a million individuals are thought to pass away each year as a result of medical blunders. These statistics are unacceptable in a time when patient safety is supposedly the top priority, but not much is being done to alter practices. If medical errors are accurately defined and the root cause of the problem is found without assigning blame to specific staff members, this is unnecessary. Essential changes can be made when fundamental causes of system or process faults are correctly identified. A consistent, multidisciplinary approach to root cause analysis that uses frameworks like the five whys to delve down until all issues and defects are revealed is a helpful tool. Although it is now necessary for the wake of sentinel events, the Root Cause Analysis may and should be applied to all mistake causes, including near misses.
Kohn, L. T., Corrigan, J., Donaldson, M. S., & Institute of Medicine (U.S.). Committee on Quality of Health Care in America. (2000). To err is human : building a safer health system. National Academy Press. books.nap.edu/books/0309068371/html/index.html
Leape, L. L., Brennan, T. A., Laird, N., Lawthers, A. G., Localio, A. R., Barnes, B. A., Hebert, L., Newhouse, J. P., Weiler, P. C., & Hiatt, H. (1991). The nature of adverse events in hospitalized patients. Results of the Harvard Medical Practice Study II. N Engl J Med, 324(6), 377-384. doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199102073240605
Martinez, W., Lehmann, L. S., Hu, Y. Y., Desai, S. P., & Shapiro, J. (2017). Processes for Identifying and Reviewing Adverse Events and Near Misses at an Academic Medical Center. Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf, 43(1), 5-15. doi.org/10.1016/j.jcjq.2016.11.001
Can individuals with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome find relief through various non-surgical treatments to reduce joint instability?
Introduction
The joints and ligaments surrounding the musculoskeletal system allow the upper and lower extremities to stabilize the body and be mobile. The various muscles and soft connective tissues that surround the joints help protect them from injuries. When environmental factors or disorders start to affect the body, many people develop issues that cause overlapping risk profiles, which then affect the stability of the joints. One of the disorders that affect the joints and connective tissue is EDS or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. This connective tissue disorder can cause the joints in the body to be hypermobile. It can cause joint instability in the upper and lower extremities, thus leaving the individual to be in constant pain. Today’s article focuses on Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and its symptoms and how there are non-surgical ways to manage this connective tissue disorder. We discuss with certified medical providers who consolidate our patients’ information to assess how Ehlers-Danlos syndrome can correlate with other musculoskeletal disorders. We also inform and guide patients on how various non-surgical treatments can help reduce pain-like symptoms and manage Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. We also encourage our patients to ask their associated medical providers many intricate and important questions about incorporating various non-surgical therapies as part of their daily routine to manage the effects of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., includes this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
What Is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome?
Do you often feel extremely tired throughout the day, even after a full night of sleep? Do you bruise easily and wonder where these bruises are coming from? Or have you noticed that you have an increased range in your joints? Many of these issues are often correlated with a disorder known as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or EDS that affects their joints and connective tissue. EDS affects the connective tissues in the body. The connective tissues in the body help provide strength and elasticity to the skin, joints, as well as blood vessel walls, so when a person is dealing with EDS, it can cause a significant disruption to the musculoskeletal system. EDS is largely diagnosed clinically, and many doctors have identified that the gene coding of the collagen and proteins that interact in the body can help determine what type of EDS affects the individual. (Miklovic & Sieg, 2024)
The Symptoms
When understanding EDS, it is essential to know the complexities of this connective tissue disorder. EDS is classified into numerous types with distinct features and challenges that vary depending on the severity. One of the most common types of EDS is hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. This type of EDS is characterized by general joint hypermobility, joint instability, and pain. Some of the symptoms that are associated with hypermobile EDS include subluxation, dislocations, and soft tissue injuries that are common and may occur spontaneously or with minimal trauma. (Hakim, 1993) This can often cause acute pain to the joints in the upper and lower extremities. With its broad range of symptoms and the personal nature of the condition itself, many often don’t realize that joint hypermobility is common in the general population and may present no complications that indicate that it is a connective tissue disorder. (Gensemer et al., 2021) Additionally, hypermobile EDS can lead to spinal deformity due to the hyperextensibility of the skin, joints, and various tissue fragility. The pathophysiology of spinal deformity associated with hypermobile EDS is primarily due to muscle hypotonia and ligament laxity. (Uehara et al., 2023) This causes many people to reduce their quality of life and daily living activities significantly. However, there are ways to manage EDS and its correlating symptoms to reduce joint instability.
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Ways To Manage EDS
When it comes to looking for ways to manage EDS to reduce pain and joint instability, non-surgical treatments can help address the physical and emotional aspects of the condition. Non-surgical treatments for individuals with EDS commonly focus on optimizing the body’s physical function while improving muscular strength and joint stabilization. (Buryk-Iggers et al., 2022) Many individuals with EDS will try to incorporate pain management techniques and physical therapy anduse braces and assistive devices to reduce the effects of EDS and improve their quality of life.
Non-surgical Treatments For EDS
Various non-surgical treatments like MET (muscle energy technique), electrotherapy, light physical therapy, chiropractic care, and massages can help strengthen while toning the surrounding muscles around the joints, provide sufficient pain relief, and limit long-term dependence on medications. (Broida et al., 2021) Additionally, individuals dealing with EDS aim to strengthen the affected muscles, stabilize the joints, and improve proprioception. Non-surgical treatments allow the individual to have a customized treatment plan for the severity of EDS symptoms and help reduce the pain associated with the condition. Many individuals, when going through their treatment plan consecutively to manage their EDS and reduce the pain-like symptoms, will notice improvement in symptomatic discomfort. (Khokhar et al., 2023) This means that non-surgical treatments allow individuals to be more mindful of their bodies and reduce the pain-like effects of EDS, thus allowing many individuals with EDS to lead fuller, more comfortable lives without feeling pain and discomfort.
References
Broida, S. E., Sweeney, A. P., Gottschalk, M. B., & Wagner, E. R. (2021). Management of shoulder instability in hypermobility-type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. JSES Rev Rep Tech, 1(3), 155-164. doi.org/10.1016/j.xrrt.2021.03.002
Buryk-Iggers, S., Mittal, N., Santa Mina, D., Adams, S. C., Englesakis, M., Rachinsky, M., Lopez-Hernandez, L., Hussey, L., McGillis, L., McLean, L., Laflamme, C., Rozenberg, D., & Clarke, H. (2022). Exercise and Rehabilitation in People With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: A Systematic Review. Arch Rehabil Res Clin Transl, 4(2), 100189. doi.org/10.1016/j.arrct.2022.100189
Gensemer, C., Burks, R., Kautz, S., Judge, D. P., Lavallee, M., & Norris, R. A. (2021). Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndromes: Complex phenotypes, challenging diagnoses, and poorly understood causes. Dev Dyn, 250(3), 318-344. doi.org/10.1002/dvdy.220
Hakim, A. (1993). Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. In M. P. Adam, J. Feldman, G. M. Mirzaa, R. A. Pagon, S. E. Wallace, L. J. H. Bean, K. W. Gripp, & A. Amemiya (Eds.), GeneReviews((R)). www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20301456
Khokhar, D., Powers, B., Yamani, M., & Edwards, M. A. (2023). The Benefits of Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment on a Patient With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Cureus, 15(5), e38698. doi.org/10.7759/cureus.38698
For individuals dealing with sciatica, can non-surgical treatments like chiropractic care and acupuncture reduce pain and restore function?
Introduction
The human body is a complex machine that allows the host to be mobile and stable when resting. With various muscle groups in the upper and lower body portions, the surrounding muscles, tendons, nerves, and ligaments serve a purpose for the body as they all have specific jobs in keeping the host functional. However, many individuals have developed various habits that cause strenuous activities that cause repetitive motions to their muscles and nerves and affect their musculoskeletal system. One of the nerves that many individuals have been dealing with pain is the sciatic nerve, which causes many issues in the lower body extremities and, when not treated right away, leads to pain and disability. Luckily, many individuals have sought non-surgical treatments to reduce sciatica and restore body function to the individual. Today’s article focuses on understanding sciatica and how non-surgical therapies like chiropractic care and acupuncture can help reduce the sciatic pain-like effects that are causing overlapping risk profiles in the lower body extremities. We discuss with certified medical providers who consolidate with our patients’ information to assess how sciatica is often correlated with environmental factors that cause dysfunction in the body. We also inform and guide patients on how various non-surgical treatments can help reduce sciatica and its correlating symptoms. We also encourage our patients to ask their associated medical providers many intricate and important questions about incorporating various non-surgical therapies as part of their daily routine to reduce the chances and effects of sciatica from returning. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., includes this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
Understanding Sciatica
Do you often feel radiating pain that travels down one or both legs when sitting down for a long period? How often have you experienced tingling sensations that cause you to shake your leg to reduce the effect? Or have you noticed that stretching your legs causes temporary relief? While these overlapping pain symptoms can affect the lower extremities, many individuals may think it is low back pain, but in actuality, it is sciatica. Sciatica is a common musculoskeletal condition that affects many people worldwide by causing pain to the sciatic nerve and radiating down to the legs. The sciatic nerve is pivotal in providing direct and indirect motor function to the leg muscles. (Davis et al., 2024) When the sciatic nerve is compressed, many people state that the pain can vary in intensity, accompanied by symptoms like tingling, numbness, and muscle weakness that can affect a person’s ability to walk and function.
However, some of the root causes that lead to the development of sciatica can play into the factor that causes the pain in the lower extremities. Several inherent and environmental factors are often associated with sciatica, causing lumbar nerve root compression on the sciatic nerve. Factors like poor health status, physical stress, and occupational work are correlated with the development of sciatica and can impact a person’s routine. (Gimenez-Campos et al., 2022) Additionally, some of the root causes of sciatica can include musculoskeletal conditions like herniated discs, bone spurs, or spinal stenosis, which can correlate with these inherent and environmental factors that can reduce many individuals’ motility and life quality. (Zhou et al., 2021) This causes many individuals to seek out treatments to relieve sciatica pain and its correlating symptoms. While the pain caused by sciatica can vary, many individuals often seek non-surgical treatments to alleviate their discomfort and pain from sciatica. This allows them to incorporate effective solutions to managing sciatica.
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Chiropractic Care For Sciatica
When it comes to seeking non-surgical treatments to reduce sciatica, non-surgical treatments can reduce the pain-like effects while helping restore body function and mobility. At the same time, non-surgical treatments are customized to the individual’s pain and can be incorporated into a person’s routine. Some non-surgical treatments like chiropractic care are excellent in reducing sciatica and its associated pain symptoms. Chiropractic care is a form of non-surgical therapy that focuses on restoring the body’s spinal movement while improving body function. Chiropractic care utilizes mechanical and manual techniques for sciatica to realign the spine and help the body heal naturally without surgery or medication. Chiropractic care can help decrease intradiscal pressure, increase intervertebral disc space height, and improve the range of motion in the lower extremities. (Gudavalli et al., 2016) When dealing with sciatica, chiropractic care can alleviate the unnecessary pressure on the sciatic nerve and help reduce the risk of reoccurrence through consecutive treatments.
The Effects of Chiropractic Care For Sciatica
Some of the effects of chiropractic care for reducing sciatica can provide insight to the person as chiropractors work with associated medical providers to devise a personalized plan to relieve the pain-like symptoms. Many people who utilize chiropractic care to reduce the effects of sciatica can incorporate physical therapy to strengthen the weak muscles that surround the lower back, stretch to improve flexibility and be more mindful of what factors are causing sciatic pain in their lower extremities. Chiropractic care may guide many people on proper poster ergonomics, and various exercises to reduce the chances of sciatica returning while offering positive effects to the lower body.
Acupuncture For Sciatica
Another form of non-surgical treatment that can help reduce the pain-like effects of sciatica is acupuncture. As a key component in traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture therapy involves professionals placing thin, solid needles at specific points on the body. When it comes to reducing sciatica, acupuncture therapy can exert analgesic effects on the body’s acupoints, regulate the microglia, and modulate certain receptors along the pain pathway to the nervous system. (Zhang et al., 2023) Acupuncture therapy focuses on restoring the body’s natural energy flow or Qi to promote healing.
The Effects of Acupuncture For Sciatica
Regarding the effects of acupuncture therapy on reducing sciatica, acupuncture therapy can help reduce the pain signals that sciatica produces by changing the brain signal and rerouting the corresponding motor or sensory disturbance of the affected area. (Yu et al., 2022) Additionally, acupuncture therapy can help provide pain relief by releasing endorphins, the body’s natural pain reliever, to the specific acupoint that correlates with the sciatic nerve, reducing inflammation around the sciatic nerve, thus alleviating pressure and pain and helping improve nerve function. Both chiropractic care and acupuncture offer valuable non-surgical treatment options that can provide aid in the healing process and reduce pain caused by sciatica. When many people are dealing with sciatica and looking for numerous solutions to reduce the pain-like effects, these two non-surgical treatments can help many people address the underlying causes of sciatica, enhance the body’s natural healing process, and help provide significant relief from the pain.
Gimenez-Campos, M. S., Pimenta-Fermisson-Ramos, P., Diaz-Cambronero, J. I., Carbonell-Sanchis, R., Lopez-Briz, E., & Ruiz-Garcia, V. (2022). A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness and adverse events of gabapentin and pregabalin for sciatica pain. Aten Primaria, 54(1), 102144. doi.org/10.1016/j.aprim.2021.102144
Gudavalli, M. R., Olding, K., Joachim, G., & Cox, J. M. (2016). Chiropractic Distraction Spinal Manipulation on Postsurgical Continued Low Back and Radicular Pain Patients: A Retrospective Case Series. J Chiropr Med, 15(2), 121-128. doi.org/10.1016/j.jcm.2016.04.004
Yu, F. T., Liu, C. Z., Ni, G. X., Cai, G. W., Liu, Z. S., Zhou, X. Q., Ma, C. Y., Meng, X. L., Tu, J. F., Li, H. W., Yang, J. W., Yan, S. Y., Fu, H. Y., Xu, W. T., Li, J., Xiang, H. C., Sun, T. H., Zhang, B., Li, M. H., . . . Wang, L. Q. (2022). Acupuncture for chronic sciatica: protocol for a multicenter randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, 12(5), e054566. doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054566
Zhang, Z., Hu, T., Huang, P., Yang, M., Huang, Z., Xia, Y., Zhang, X., Zhang, X., & Ni, G. (2023). The efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapy for sciatica: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trails. Front Neurosci, 17, 1097830. doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2023.1097830
Zhou, J., Mi, J., Peng, Y., Han, H., & Liu, Z. (2021). Causal Associations of Obesity With the Intervertebral Degeneration, Low Back Pain, and Sciatica: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne), 12, 740200. doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2021.740200
Can individuals with joint hypermobility find relief through nonsurgical treatments in reducing pain and restoring body mobility?
Introduction
When a person moves their body, the surrounding muscles, joints, and ligaments are incorporated into various tasks that allow them to stretch and be flexible without pain or discomfort. Many repetitive motions enable the individual to continue their routine. However, when the joints, muscles, and ligaments are stretched farther than normal in the upper and lower extremities without pain, it is known as joint hypermobility. This connective tissue disorder can correlate with other symptoms that affect the body and cause many people to seek treatment to manage joint hypermobility symptoms. In today’s article, we will look at joint hypermobility and how various non-surgical treatments can help reduce pain caused by joint hypermobility and restore body mobility. We talk with certified medical providers who consolidate our patients’ information to assess how their pain may be associated with joint hypermobility. We also inform and guide patients on how integrating various non-surgical treatments can help improve joint function while managing the associated symptoms. We encourage our patients to ask their associated medical providers intricate and insightful questions about incorporating non-surgical therapies as part of their routine to reduce pain and discomfort from joint hypermobility. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., includes this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
What Is Joint Hypermobility?
Do you often feel your joints locked up in your hands, wrists, knees, and elbows? Do you experience pain and fatigue in your joints when your body feels constantly tired? Or when you stretch your extremities, do they extend farther than usual to feel the relief? Many of these various scenarios are often correlated with individuals experiencing joint hypermobility. Joint hypermobility is an inherited disorder with autosomal dominant patterns that characterize joint hyperlaxity and musculoskeletal pain within the body extremities. (Carbonell-Bobadilla et al., 2020) This connective tissue condition is often related to the flexibility of the connected tissues like ligaments and tendons in the body. An example would be if a person’s thumb is touching their inner forearm without feeling pain or discomfort, they have joint hypermobility. Additionally, many individuals dealing with joint hypermobility will often have a difficult diagnosis as they will develop skin and tissue fragility over time, causing musculoskeletal complications. (Tofts et al., 2023)
When individuals deal with joint hypermobility over time, many often have symptomatic joint hypermobility. They will present with musculoskeletal and systemic symptoms that lead to displaying skeletal deformities, tissue and skin fragility, and structural differences in the body’s system. (Nicholson et al., 2022) Some of the symptoms that joint hypermobility are shown in a diagnosis include:
Muscle pain and joint stiffness
Clicking joints
Fatigue
Digestive issues
Balance issues
Luckily, there are various treatments that many people can use to help restrengthen the surrounding muscles around the joints and reduce the correlating symptoms caused by joint hypermobility.
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Nonsurgical Treatments For Joint Hypermobility
When dealing with joint hypermobility, many individuals need to seek treatments to reduce the correlating pain-like symptoms of joint hypermobility and help relieve the body’s extremities while restoring mobility. Some excellent treatments for joint hypermobility are non-surgical therapies that are non-invasive, gentle on the joints and muscles, and cost-effective. Various non-surgical treatments can be customized for the individual depending on how severe their joint hypermobility and comorbidities affect the person’s body. Non-surgical treatments can relieve the body from joint hypermobility by treating the causes of the pain through reduction and maximizing functional capacity and restoring a person’s quality of life. (Atwell et al., 2021) The three non-surgical treatments that are excellent for reducing pain from joint hypermobility and helping strengthen the surrounding muscles are below.
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care utilizes spinal manipulation and helps restore joint mobility in the body to reduce the effects of joint hypermobility by stabilizing the affected joints from the hypermobile extremities. (Boudreau et al., 2020) Chiropractors incorporate mechanical and manual manipulation and various techniques to help many individuals improve their posture by being more mindful of their bodies and work with multiple other therapies to emphasize controlled movements. With other comorbidities associated with joint hypermobility, like back and neck pain, chiropractic care can reduce these comorbidity symptoms and allow the individual to regain their quality of life.
Acupuncture
Another non-surgical treatment that many individuals can incorporate to reduce joint hypermobility and its comorbidities is acupuncture. Acupuncture utilizes small, thin, solid needles that acupuncturists use to block pain receptors and restore the body’s energy flow. When many individuals are dealing with joint hypermobility, their extremities in the legs, hands, and feet are in pain over time, which can cause the body to be unstable. What acupuncture does is help reduce the pain caused by joint hypermobility associated with the extremities and restore balance and functionality to the body (Luan et al., 2023). This means that if a person is dealing with stiffness and muscle pain from joint hypermobility, acupuncture can help rewire the pain by placing the needles in the body’s acupoints to provide relief.
Physical Therapy
Physical therapy is the last non-surgical treatment many people can incorporate into their daily routine. Physical therapy can help manage joint hypermobility that are tailored to help strengthen weak muscles that are surrounding the affected joints, improving a person’s stability and helping reduce the risk of dislocation. Additionally, many individuals can use low-impact exercise to ensure optimal motor control when doing regular exercises without putting excessive strain on the joints. (Russek et al., 2022)
By incorporating these three non-surgical treatments as part of a customized treatment for joint hypermobility, many individuals will begin to feel a difference in their balance. They will not experience joint pain by being more mindful of the body and incorporating small changes in their routine. Even though living with joint hypermobility can be a challenge for many individuals, by integrating and utilizing the right combination of non-surgical treatments, many can begin to lead active and fulfilling lives.
References
Atwell, K., Michael, W., Dubey, J., James, S., Martonffy, A., Anderson, S., Rudin, N., & Schrager, S. (2021). Diagnosis and Management of Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders in Primary Care. J Am Board Fam Med, 34(4), 838-848. doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2021.04.200374
Boudreau, P. A., Steiman, I., & Mior, S. (2020). Clinical management of benign joint hypermobility syndrome: a case series. J Can Chiropr Assoc, 64(1), 43-54. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32476667
Carbonell-Bobadilla, N., Rodriguez-Alvarez, A. A., Rojas-Garcia, G., Barragan-Garfias, J. A., Orrantia-Vertiz, M., & Rodriguez-Romo, R. (2020). [Joint hypermobility syndrome]. Acta Ortop Mex, 34(6), 441-449. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34020527 (Sindrome de hipermovilidad articular.)
Luan, L., Zhu, M., Adams, R., Witchalls, J., Pranata, A., & Han, J. (2023). Effects of acupuncture or similar needling therapy on pain, proprioception, balance, and self-reported function in individuals with chronic ankle instability: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Complement Ther Med, 77, 102983. doi.org/10.1016/j.ctim.2023.102983
Nicholson, L. L., Simmonds, J., Pacey, V., De Wandele, I., Rombaut, L., Williams, C. M., & Chan, C. (2022). International Perspectives on Joint Hypermobility: A Synthesis of Current Science to Guide Clinical and Research Directions. J Clin Rheumatol, 28(6), 314-320. doi.org/10.1097/RHU.0000000000001864
Russek, L. N., Block, N. P., Byrne, E., Chalela, S., Chan, C., Comerford, M., Frost, N., Hennessey, S., McCarthy, A., Nicholson, L. L., Parry, J., Simmonds, J., Stott, P. J., Thomas, L., Treleaven, J., Wagner, W., & Hakim, A. (2022). Presentation and physical therapy management of upper cervical instability in patients with symptomatic generalized joint hypermobility: International expert consensus recommendations. Front Med (Lausanne), 9, 1072764. doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.1072764
Tofts, L. J., Simmonds, J., Schwartz, S. B., Richheimer, R. M., O’Connor, C., Elias, E., Engelbert, R., Cleary, K., Tinkle, B. T., Kline, A. D., Hakim, A. J., van Rossum, M. A. J., & Pacey, V. (2023). Pediatric joint hypermobility: a diagnostic framework and narrative review. Orphanet J Rare Dis, 18(1), 104. doi.org/10.1186/s13023-023-02717-2
Can individuals with herniated discs find the relief they are looking for from traction therapy or decompression to provide pain relief?
Introduction
The spine allows the individual to be mobile and flexible without feeling pain and discomfort when a person is on the move. This is because the spine is part of the musculoskeletal system that consists of muscles, tendons, ligaments, the spinal cord, and spinal discs. These components surround the spine and have three regions to allow the upper and lower extremities to do their jobs. However, the spine also ages when the body starts to age naturally. Many movements or routine actions can cause the body to be stiff and, over time, can cause the spinal disc to herniate. When this happens, a herniated disc can lead to pain and discomfort in the extremities, thus making individuals deal with a reduced quality of life and pain in three spinal regions. Luckily, there are numerous treatments, like traction therapy and decompression, to alleviate the pain and discomfort associated with herniated discs. Today’s article looks at why herniated discs cause issues in the spine and the effects of how these two treatments can help reduce herniated discs. We talk with certified medical providers who consolidate our patients’ information to assess how a herniated disc in the spine may be the issue causing musculoskeletal pain. We also inform and guide patients on how integrating spinal decompression and traction therapy can help realign the spine and reduce disc herniation that is causing spinal issues. We encourage our patients to ask their associated medical providers intricate and important questions about incorporating non-surgical treatments as part of their routine to reduce pain and discomfort in their bodies. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., includes this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
Why Herniated Discs Causes Issues In The Spine?
Have you been experiencing constant discomfort in your neck or back that doesn’t allow you to relax? Do you feel tingling sensations in your upper and lower extremities, making grasping objects or walking difficult? Or have you noticed that you are hunching over from your desk or standing and that stretching causes pain? As the spine keeps the body upright, its main components include the moveable vertebrae, the nerve root fibers, and spinal discs to help send neuron signals to the brain to allow movement, cushion the shocked forces on the spine, and be flexible. The spine allows the individual to perform various tasks without pain and discomfort through repetitive movements. However, when the body ages, it can lead to degenerative changes in the spine, causing the spinal disc to herniate over time. A herniated disc is a common degenerative musculoskeletal condition that causes the nucleus pulposus to break through any weak region of the annulus fibrosus and compress the surrounding nerve roots. (Ge et al., 2019) Other times, when repetitive motions start to cause a developing herniated disc, the inner portion of the disc can become desiccated and brittle. In contrast, the outer portion becomes more fibrotic and less elastic, causing the disc to shrink and be narrow. A herniated disc can affect young and old populations as they can have a multifactorial contribution that causes proinflammatory changes to the body. (Wu et al., 2020)
When many people are dealing with pain associated with a herniated disc, the disc itself goes through morphological change through the characterization of the disc being partial damage, which is then followed by the displacement and herniation of the inner disc portion in the vertebral canal to compress the spinal nerve roots. (Diaconu et al., 2021) This causes symptoms of pain, numbness, and weakness in the upper and lower body portions through nerve impingement. Hence why, many individuals are dealing with referred pain symptoms from their arms and legs that are radiating pain. When nerve compression associated with herniated discs starts to cause pain and discomfort, many individuals begin to seek out treatment to reduce the pain that the herniated disc is causing to provide relief for their bodies.
Spinal Decompression In Depth-Video
The Effects Of Traction Therapy In Reducing Herniated Disc
Many people who are suffering from pain that is being affected by herniated discs in their spines can seek out treatments like traction therapy to alleviate pain. Traction therapy is a non-surgical treatment that stretches and mobilizes the spine. Traction therapy can be mechanically or manually done by a pain specialist or with the help of mechanical devices. The effects of traction therapy can reduce the compression force on the spinal disc while reducing nerve root compression by expanding the disc height within the spine. (Wang et al., 2022) This allows the surrounding joints within the spine to be mobile and positively affect the spine. With traction therapy, intermittent or steady tension forces help stretch the spine, reduce pain, and improve functional outcomes. (Kuligowski et al., 2021)
The Effects Of Spinal Decompression In Reducing Herniated Disc
Another form of non-surgical treatment is spinal decompression, a sophisticated version of traction that uses computerized technology to help apply controlled, gentle pulling forces to the spine. Spinal decompression does is that it can help decompress the spinal canal and help pull the herniated disc back to its original position while stabilizing the spine and keeping the vital bones and soft tissues safe. (Zhang et al., 2022) Additionally, spinal decompression can create negative pressure on the spine to allow the flow of nutritional fluids and blood oxygen back to the discs while creating an inverse relationship when tension pressure is introduced. (Ramos & Martin, 1994) Both spinal decompression and traction therapy can offer many therapeutic pathways to provide relief to many individuals dealing with herniated discs. Depending on how severe the herniated disc has caused issues to the person’s spine, many can rely on non-surgical treatments due to its customizable plan that is personalized to the person’s pain and can be combined with other therapies to strengthen the surrounding muscles. By doing so, many people can be pain-free over time while being mindful of their bodies.
References
Diaconu, G. S., Mihalache, C. G., Popescu, G., Man, G. M., Rusu, R. G., Toader, C., Ciucurel, C., Stocheci, C. M., Mitroi, G., & Georgescu, L. I. (2021). Clinical and pathological considerations in lumbar herniated disc associated with inflammatory lesions. Rom J Morphol Embryol, 62(4), 951-960. doi.org/10.47162/RJME.62.4.07
Ge, C. Y., Hao, D. J., Yan, L., Shan, L. Q., Zhao, Q. P., He, B. R., & Hui, H. (2019). Intradural Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Case Report and Literature Review. Clin Interv Aging, 14, 2295-2299. doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S228717
Kuligowski, T., Skrzek, A., & Cieslik, B. (2021). Manual Therapy in Cervical and Lumbar Radiculopathy: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 18(11). doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18116176
Ramos, G., & Martin, W. (1994). Effects of vertebral axial decompression on intradiscal pressure. J Neurosurg, 81(3), 350-353. doi.org/10.3171/jns.1994.81.3.0350
Wang, W., Long, F., Wu, X., Li, S., & Lin, J. (2022). Clinical Efficacy of Mechanical Traction as Physical Therapy for Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Meta-Analysis. Comput Math Methods Med, 2022, 5670303. doi.org/10.1155/2022/5670303
Wu, P. H., Kim, H. S., & Jang, I. T. (2020). Intervertebral Disc Diseases PART 2: A Review of the Current Diagnostic and Treatment Strategies for Intervertebral Disc Disease. Int J Mol Sci, 21(6). doi.org/10.3390/ijms21062135
Zhang, Y., Wei, F. L., Liu, Z. X., Zhou, C. P., Du, M. R., Quan, J., & Wang, Y. P. (2022). Comparison of posterior decompression techniques and conventional laminectomy for lumbar spinal stenosis. Front Surg, 9, 997973. doi.org/10.3389/fsurg.2022.997973
Can individuals with spinal pain in their necks and back utilize decompression therapy to restore spinal disc height and find relief?
Introduction
Many people don’t realize that as the body gets older, so does the spine. The spine is part of the musculoskeletal system that provides structural support to the body by keeping it upright. The surrounding muscles, ligaments, and tissues surrounding the spine help with stability and mobility, while the spinal disc and joints provide shock absorption from the sheer vertical weight. When a person is on the move with their daily activities, the spine can allow the individual to be mobile without pain or discomfort. However, as time passes, the spine goes through degenerative changes that can cause pain and discomfort to the body, thus leaving the individual to deal with overlapping risk profiles that can affect their neck and back. To that point, many people seek out treatments to reduce the pain affecting their spine and restore the disc height in their bodies. Today’s article looks at how spinal pain affects a person’s neck and back and how treatments like spinal decompression can reduce spinal pain and restore disc height. We talk with certified medical providers who consolidate our patients’ information to assess how spinal pain can significantly impact a person’s well-being and quality of life in their bodies. We also inform and guide patients on how integrating spinal decompression can help reduce spinal pain and restore spinal disc height. We encourage our patients to ask their associated medical providers intricate and important questions about incorporating non-surgical treatments into a health and wellness routine to relieve spinal pain and regain their quality of life. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., includes this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
How Spinal Pain Affects A Person’s Neck & Back
Do you feel constant muscle aches and pains in your neck and back? Have you experienced stiffness and limited mobility when you are twisting and turning? Or do heavy objects cause muscle strain when moving from one location to another? Many individuals will be on the move and be in weird positions without feeling pain and discomfort when it comes to the spine. This is due to the surrounding muscles and tissues being stretched and the spinal discs taking on the vertical pressure on the spine. However, when environmental factors, traumatic injuries, or natural aging start to affect the spine, it can lead to the development of spinal pain. This is because the outer portion of the spinal disc is intact, and the inner portion of the disc is being affected. When abnormal stresses start to reduce the water intake within the disc, it can internally stimulate the pain receptors without nerve root symptoms inside the disc. (Zhang et al., 2009) This causes many individuals to deal with neck and back pain in their bodies and reduces their quality of life.
Spinal pain can lead to overlapping risk profiles that cause many individuals to deal with severe low back pain and neck pain, which then causes the surrounding muscles to become weak, tight, and overstretched. At the same time, the surrounding nerve roots are also affected as the nerve fibers surround the outer and inner parts of the spinal disc, which causes nociceptive pain properties to the neck and back region and leads to discogenic pain. (Coppes et al., 1997) When many individuals are dealing with muscle pain correlated with the spinal discs, it causes a pain-spasm-pain cycle that can affect their bodies due to not moving enough and causing painful muscular activities when trying to be mobile. (Roland, 1986) When a person has limited mobility cause they are experiencing spinal pain, their natural disc height slowly degenerates, causing more issues to their bodies and socioeconomic burdens. Fortunately, when many individuals are dealing with spinal pain, numerous treatments can reduce spinal pain and restore their disc height.
Movement Medicine- Video
How Spinal Decompression Reduces Spinal Pain
When people are seeking treatments for their spinal pain, many will seek surgical treatments to reduce their pain, but it will be a bit pricey. However, many individuals will opt for non-surgical treatments due to their affordability. Non-surgical treatments are cost-effective and customizable to a person’s pain and discomfort. From chiropractic care to acupuncture, depending on the severity of the person’s pain, many will find the relief they seek. One of the most innovative treatments for reducing spinal pain is spinal decompression. Spinal decompression allows the individual to be strapped into a traction table. This is because it gently pulls on the spine to realign the spinal disc by reducing the pressure on the spine to invoke the body’s natural healing process to relieve pain. (Ramos & Martin, 1994) Additionally, when many individuals are using spinal decompression, the gentle traction provides a motorized distraction to the spine that may induce physical changes to the spinal disc and help restore a person’s range of motion, flexibility, and mobility. (Amjad et al., 2022)
Spinal Decompression Restoring Spinal Disc Height
When a person is being strapped into the spinal decompression machine, the gentle traction helps the spinal disc return to the spine, allowing the fluids and nutrients to rehydrate the spine, increasing the spine’s disc height. This is because spinal decompression creates negative pressure on the spine, allowing the spinal disc to return to its original height and providing relief. Plus, the amazing thing that spinal decompression does is that it can be combined with physical therapy to help stretch and strengthen the surrounding muscles near the spine to provide more stability and flexibility. (Vanti et al., 2023) This allows the individual to be more mindful of their bodies and start incorporating small habit changes to reduce the pain from returning. When many people begin to think about their health and wellness by going to treatment, they will regain their quality of life and get back to their daily routine without the issues affecting their spine.
References
Amjad, F., Mohseni-Bandpei, M. A., Gilani, S. A., Ahmad, A., & Hanif, A. (2022). Effects of non-surgical decompression therapy in addition to routine physical therapy on pain, range of motion, endurance, functional disability and quality of life versus routine physical therapy alone in patients with lumbar radiculopathy; a randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, 23(1), 255. doi.org/10.1186/s12891-022-05196-x
Coppes, M. H., Marani, E., Thomeer, R. T., & Groen, G. J. (1997). Innervation of “painful” lumbar discs. Spine (Phila Pa 1976), 22(20), 2342-2349; discussion 2349-2350. doi.org/10.1097/00007632-199710150-00005
Ramos, G., & Martin, W. (1994). Effects of vertebral axial decompression on intradiscal pressure. J Neurosurg, 81(3), 350-353. doi.org/10.3171/jns.1994.81.3.0350
Roland, M. O. (1986). A critical review of the evidence for a pain-spasm-pain cycle in spinal disorders. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon), 1(2), 102-109. doi.org/10.1016/0268-0033(86)90085-9
Vanti, C., Saccardo, K., Panizzolo, A., Turone, L., Guccione, A. A., & Pillastrini, P. (2023). The effects of the addition of mechanical traction to physical therapy on low back pain? A systematic review with meta-analysis. Acta Orthop Traumatol Turc, 57(1), 3-16. doi.org/10.5152/j.aott.2023.21323
Zhang, Y. G., Guo, T. M., Guo, X., & Wu, S. X. (2009). Clinical diagnosis for discogenic low back pain. Int J Biol Sci, 5(7), 647-658. doi.org/10.7150/ijbs.5.647
Can non-surgical treatments like acupuncture and spinal decompression provide relief to individuals dealing with sciatica?
Introduction
When many individuals start to feel pain running down their legs after a long day of activities, it causes them to have limited mobility and difficulty finding a place to rest. Many people think that they are just dealing with leg pain, but it can be more of an issue as they realize that it’s not just the leg pain they are experiencing but it is sciatica. While this long nerve comes from the lower back and travels down to the legs, it can succumb to pain and discomfort when herniated discs or muscles compress and aggravate the nerve. When this happens, it can impact a person’s mobility and quality of life, thus causing them to seek out treatment to reduce the pain from sciatica. Fortunately, alternative therapies like acupuncture and spinal decompression have been utilized to not only minimize sciatic pain but also provide positive, beneficial results. Today’s article looks at sciatica, how spinal decompression and acupuncture can relieve sciatica, and how integrating these two non-surgical treatments can lead to beneficial results. We talk with certified medical providers who consolidate our patients’ information to assess how sciatica can significantly impact a person’s well-being and quality of life. We also inform and guide patients on how integrating acupuncture therapy and spinal decompression can positively reduce sciatica. We encourage our patients to ask their associated medical providers intricate and important questions about incorporating non-surgical treatments into a wellness routine to relieve sciatica and its referred symptoms. Dr. Jimenez, D.C., includes this information as an academic service. Disclaimer.
Understanding Sciatica
Do you often experience numbness or tingling sensations from your lower back to your legs? Do you feel like your gait is feeling off balance? Or have you stretched your legs after being seated for a while, which provides temporary relief? While the sciatic nerve plays a pivotal role in motor function in the legs, when various factors, such as herniated discs and even pregnancy, start to aggravate the nerve, it can cause pain. Sciatica is a deliberating pain condition often mislabeled as low back pain or radicular leg pain due to these two musculoskeletal conditions. These are comorbidities and can be exacerbated by simple twists and turns. (Davis et al., 2024)
Additionally, when many individuals are doing repetitive motions or dealing with degenerative changes in the spine, the spinal discs are more prone to herniation. They may press on the spinal nerves, causing the neuron signals to invoke pain and discomfort in the lower extremities. (Zhou et al., 2021) At the same time, sciatica can be both spinal and extra-spinal sources in the lumbar spinal region, which causes many individuals to be in constant pain and looking for relief. (Siddiq et al., 2020) When sciatica pain starts to affect a person’s lower extremities, causing mobility issues, many people seek treatments to reduce the pain-like effects of sciatica.
The Science of Motion-Video
Acupuncture For Reducing Sciatica Pain
When it comes to treating sciatica, many people can look into non-surgical treatments due to its affordability and effectiveness in reducing sciatica and its associated pain-like symptoms. Non-surgical treatments can be customized to the individual’s pain and be combined to restore a person’s quality of life. Two non-surgical treatments that can help reduce sciatica are acupuncture and spinal decompression. Acupuncture has a long history of providing significant positive effects on lowering sciatic pain and improving a person’s quality of life. (Yuan et al., 2020) Highly trained professionals from China use acupuncture and incorporate small solid needles to provide instant relief from sciatica’s associated symptoms. This is because acupuncture exerts analgesic effects by regulating microglia activation, inhibiting the body’s natural inflammatory response, and modulating receptors along the pain pathway in the nervous system. (Zhang et al., 2023) To this point, acupuncture can stimulate the body’s acupoints to restore balance.
The Effects Of Acupuncture
One of the effects of acupuncture for relieving sciatica is that it can reduce pain intensity by changing the brain’s activity patterns when the pain receptors are disrupted. (Yu et al., 2022) Additionally, when acupuncturists start to stimulate the nerves in the muscles and tissues, they release endorphins and other neurohumoral factors that help change the pain process in the nervous system. Acupuncture helps reduce inflammation while improving muscle stiffness and joint mobility through increasing microcirculation to reduce swelling while blocking sciatica pain from affecting the lower extremities.
Spinal Decompression For Relieving Sciatica Pain
Another form of non-surgical treatment is spinal decompression, and it can help reduce the effects of sciatica and its associated pain symptoms. Spinal decompression utilizes a traction table to gently stretch the spine to create a negative pressure within the spinal disc and free up the affected nerves. For sciatica individuals, this non-surgical treatment relieves the sciatic nerve as spinal decompression helps reduce the pain intensity and improve mobility function in the lower extremities. (Choi et al., 2022) The main objective of spinal decompression is to create space within the spinal canal and neural structures to release the aggravated sciatic nerve from causing more pain. (Burkhard et al., 2022)
The Effects Of Spinal Decompression
Many individuals can begin to feel relief from incorporating spinal decompression in their wellness treatment. This non-surgical treatment promotes fluids and nutrients to the spinal disc to kick-start the body’s natural healing process. When the spine is being gently stretched, there is less pressure on the sciatic nerves, which can alleviate the pain and improve mobility. Additionally, many individuals will feel their flexibility and mobility back in their lumbar region.
Integrating Acupuncture and Spinal Decompression For Relief
So, when many people start to integrate spinal decompression and acupuncture as a holistic and non-surgical approach for relieving sciatica, the results and benefits are positive. While spinal decompression targets the mechanical healing of the spinal disc and reducing nerve pressure, acupuncture focuses on relieving the pain and reducing inflammation at a systemic level. This enhances the body’s natural healing process and offers a synergistic effect to improve treatment outcomes. Non-surgical treatments like acupuncture and spinal decompression can provide a hopeful outcome for many individuals seeking relief from their sciatic pain without resorting to surgical procedures. These treatments allow the individual to regain their mobility in their lower extremities, reduce pain, and improve their quality of life by making people more mindful of their bodies and reducing the chances of sciatica from returning. By doing so, many individuals can live a healthier and pain-free lifestyle.
References
Burkhard, M. D., Farshad, M., Suter, D., Cornaz, F., Leoty, L., Furnstahl, P., & Spirig, J. M. (2022). Spinal decompression with patient-specific guides. Spine J, 22(7), 1160-1168. doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2022.01.002
Choi, E., Gil, H. Y., Ju, J., Han, W. K., Nahm, F. S., & Lee, P. B. (2022). Effect of Nonsurgical Spinal Decompression on Intensity of Pain and Herniated Disc Volume in Subacute Lumbar Herniated Disc. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 2022, 6343837. doi.org/10.1155/2022/6343837
Siddiq, M. A. B., Clegg, D., Hasan, S. A., & Rasker, J. J. (2020). Extra-spinal sciatica and sciatica mimics: a scoping review. Korean J Pain, 33(4), 305-317. doi.org/10.3344/kjp.2020.33.4.305
Yu, F. T., Liu, C. Z., Ni, G. X., Cai, G. W., Liu, Z. S., Zhou, X. Q., Ma, C. Y., Meng, X. L., Tu, J. F., Li, H. W., Yang, J. W., Yan, S. Y., Fu, H. Y., Xu, W. T., Li, J., Xiang, H. C., Sun, T. H., Zhang, B., Li, M. H., . . . Wang, L. Q. (2022). Acupuncture for chronic sciatica: protocol for a multicenter randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, 12(5), e054566. doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-054566
Yuan, S., Huang, C., Xu, Y., Chen, D., & Chen, L. (2020). Acupuncture for lumbar disc herniation: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore), 99(9), e19117. doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000019117
Zhang, Z., Hu, T., Huang, P., Yang, M., Huang, Z., Xia, Y., Zhang, X., Zhang, X., & Ni, G. (2023). The efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapy for sciatica: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trails. Front Neurosci, 17, 1097830. doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2023.1097830
Zhou, J., Mi, J., Peng, Y., Han, H., & Liu, Z. (2021). Causal Associations of Obesity With the Intervertebral Degeneration, Low Back Pain, and Sciatica: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne), 12, 740200. doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2021.740200
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