ClickCease
+1-915-850-0900 spinedoctors@gmail.com
Select Page
Self Cracking and Self-Popping The Spine

Self Cracking and Self-Popping The Spine

Self-cracking and popping the spine can feel good but should it be done without professional/chiropractic assistance? We’ve all done it getting up from bed or the couch, lean back, and wait for the sound of the spine cracking/popping. Some even have a friend help pop the spine to get that satisfying feeling. There are proper stretching techniques to follow, but cracking the spine without professional help is not recommended as it could lead to problems or worsen any underlying spinal issues.  

11860 Vista Del Sol, Ste. 128 Self Cracking and Self-Popping The Spine

Sounds

Self cracking, popping the spine refers to the sounds the neck or back make with certain movements. The joints in the spine contain fluid and gas. When the body moves, stretches can create cracking popping sounds as different pressures are exerted. The sound is known as joint cavitation, is the normal exchange of gases like oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide around the joints.  

Spaces form in the synovial fluid that surrounds the joints. These spaces make an audible sound when the pressure changes/cavitation causing the gases to be released. The gases are naturally present in the body. A doctor of chiropractic mobilizes the joints very carefully through adjustments using their hands or specific instruments to increase the spine’s range of motion and stability. When adjustments and manipulations are not performed by a professional, problems can happen, that can include:

  • Loss of strength
  • Soft tissue swelling
  • Muscle spasms

When it’s done properly and safely injuries are prevented and any issues like swelling and tightness around the neck and spine are also avoided.

 

Self-cracking performed incorrectly can lead to excessive force bringing the joints to excessive ranges of motion that can potentially cause injury. Individuals need to be careful even when self-cracking as the spine can make sounds for other reasons.

  • Age-related arthritis can generate a crunching type of sound when moving known as crepitus
  • A ligament or tendon can rub over a bone or bone spur, creating different sounds
  • These sounds are usually not problematic, but when they are consistent with certain movements they could cause inflammation and/or pain.
11860 Vista Del Sol, Ste. 128 Self Cracking and Self-Popping The Spine

Chiropractic Professional Adjustments

The primary reasons most individuals seek chiropractic help are for problems, like pain, tightness, and weakness. Individuals can voluntarily see a chiropractor or they could be referred to one by a different doctor. Doctors routinely work with chiropractors to help patients recover from musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. A chiropractor performs manipulations in a safe, controlled manner. They are familiar with the sounds that the joints make and know they are safe. They usually have a multidisciplinary team that is involved in the management of various musculoskeletal conditions.  

Why chiropractic care is so helpful?

All doctors of chiropractic are trained to diagnose and treat neuro-musculoskeletal conditions. During the diagnosis, the chiropractor will go through the individual’s medical history and conduct a physical exam to determine what treatment plan is best for the individual and their injury or condition. Many are now flocking to chiropractic care to avoid taking pain medications. Scientific evidence supports the health benefits of adjustments for various types of musculoskeletal pain, as well as to improve function and mobility

It is also recommended to work with a chiropractor in addition to other health professionals, like orthopedic specialists and physical therapists. They can help decrease pain, provide increased mobility and stability. If there is a constant need to self crack the back, or are having other issues with pain and tightness, talk with a doctor to see if chiropractic adjustments and manipulation will help. This will ensure that the right diagnosis is made and will help to create the optimal treatment plan to develop a stronger healthier body.


Body Composition

Increasing muscle mass is a recommended way to improve body composition and increase immune system function. Research shows senior adults with a higher skeletal muscle mass have an increased number of immune cells in the blood. This indicates that the muscles and the immune system are connected. When working out myokines or hormone-type proteins are released that strengthen the immune system to help protect and fight diseases. Regular exercise with moderate intensity increases the release of T lymphocytes/T cells improving the body’s immunity. Regular exercise also helps reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases like:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Obesity
  • Different types of cancer
  • Cardiovascular diseases

Improved body composition with regular exercise and a well-balanced diet helps maintain a healthy proportion of muscle and fat mass. The more developed the body’s muscle mass becomes strengthens the immune system and lowers the risk of diseases and various health conditions.  

Disclaimer

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional, licensed physician, and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make your own health care decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified health care professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from a wide array of disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the musculoskeletal system’s injuries or disorders. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and support, directly or indirectly, our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has made a reasonable attempt to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP, CIFM, CTG* email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com phone: 915-850-0900 Licensed in Texas & New Mexico  

References

“The audible release associated with joint manipulation.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. MarApril 1995. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7790795/#:~:text=Data%20synthesis%3A%20The%20audible%20release,released%20into%20the%20joint%20cavity.

“The Prevalence, Patterns, and Predictors of Chiropractic Use Among US Adults: Results From the 2012 National Health Interview Survey.” Spine. Dec 2017. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28459779/

“Chiropractic Use in the Medicare Population: Prevalence, Patterns, and Associations With 1-Year Changes in Health and Satisfaction With Care.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. Oct 2014. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0161475414001444

Pets Healing Power Can Be Powerful Medicine

Pets Healing Power Can Be Powerful Medicine

Pets have improved the lives of those living with chronic pain and can help alleviate the depression that comes with it. There’s no doubt that having a pet or interacting with a trained therapy animal can help reduce and alleviate the pain and improve the quality of life.

Animals and the companionship they offer seems to be a natural pain reliever, and significant research supports this theory. Here are some ways that our pets can help us live optimal lives even with chronic pain. �

11860 Vista Del Sol, Ste. 128 Pets Healing Power Can Be Powerful Medicine

Ways Pets Can Relieve Pain

Our pets allow us to feel less stressed out. Research has shown even for those that are not into pets, that petting a dog for ten-fifteen minutes reduces cortisol, which is a stress hormone. In a journal for pain, researchers studied the effects of quick therapy dog visits at a pain management clinic. Over 2-months they compared the individuals’ feelings of:

  • Pain
  • Fatigue
  • Stress

Tremendous improvements were reported for pain, state of mind, and other measures of stress among the individuals after the dog visit. Improvements were also seen in family, friends, and staff after the therapy dog visits.

They Generate More Activity

Specifically, dog owners seem to be healthier than those without a dog. Cats are great but when it comes to activity/fitness, dogs require regular walks, which makes owners get up, go outside and move around. Walking a dog can help:

  • Improve balance
  • Combat fatigue
  • Improve flexibility
  • Reduce joint pain
  • Increase strength
  • Manage weight

Being active combined with walking helps to get a better night’s sleep and reduced pain.

They Make Us Feel Better Without Medication

Research has shown how the proper attitude impacts treatment outcomes. With a positive attitude, an individual is more likely to stick with a long-term pain treatment plan. Petting and playing with a furry friend can be the perfect medicine creating an improved mood literally relieving pain and reducing the need for pain meds.

They Distract The Pain Away

Individuals living with chronic pain are constantly thinking about it. Having a pet changes the focus from pain to joy and happiness. With a pet to care for gives the day structure and life purpose. Pets need attention and because of their lovability are hard to ignore. �

11860 Vista Del Sol, Ste. 128 Pets Healing Power Can Be Powerful Medicine

Animal-Assisted Therapy

This type of therapy is a legitimate option for chronic pain management. With the problems associated with opioids, doctors and patients are looking for alternative ways to treat pain. The American Academy of Family Physicians reports that nonpharmacological therapies, like animal-assisted therapy, are now included in chronic pain treatment plans. Other options for pain relief include:

Example: An individual has a pain syndrome/condition. When the pain flares up the individual becomes irritable and upset. The individual has a dog that recognizes these feelings. The dog comes over and starts playing, licking, etc. The individual picks up the dog, calming the individual, helping change the mood, and ease the pain.

Pet Time

Owning a pet is a real responsibility, for those who are not interested in adopting, there are still benefits from pet medicine. Some ideas to consider:

  • Perhaps a family member or friend owns a pet that could have regular visits. This would be a good way to get a feel for the experience and see what it’s like to have a pet without committing.
  • Cats are an option if dogs are not your cup of tea. This could be because of allergies or residing in a location that does not permit them. Cats offer companionship along with the same psychological benefits as dogs. However, there is not much activity since they don’t need to be walked. But they still need to play/pretend hunt.
  • Try spending time at a pain management clinic that has an animal therapy program. Some of these clinics allow individuals to spend time with a therapy dog a few times per week. These are usually 15-minute sessions.
  • Unable to locate a clinic in the area, try looking into other organizations that could provide therapy animals and programs. Local vets and animal shelters can be a good source of information for animal therapy programs.

Therapy and Service Dogs Are Not the Same

When it’s time you might be ready for a dog of your own. Before searching the local shelter’s website, consider everything that comes with pet ownership. Factor in costs like:

  • Veterinary care
  • Behavior classes
  • Food
  • Shelter
  • Toys
  • Travel

Think about the size of the animal and if you can safely manage a small or large pet. Remember this is a therapy for individuals with a health condition of chronic pain. An individual needs to be able to see what they can take given their level of pain at any given time.

If you’ve never owned a pet, there needs to be an understanding that housebreaking a pet can be quite a time-consuming and exhausting task. This could add more stress and worsen the pain.

It is important to remember that therapy dogs do not have the same training as assistance or service dogs. Service dogs are trained to perform and assist with specific tasks to help an individual that has a disability. This could be a seeing-eye dog helping their blind owner. Also, service dogs live with their owners and are granted special access to public places like planes, restaurants, places of business, etc.

The American Kennel Club defines therapy dogs as dogs that can accompany their owners to volunteer in schools, hospitals, and nursing homes where they work together as a team to improve the lives of other people.

There are definitely medical benefits to having pets in our lives. However, don’t expect them to remove chronic pain overnight. Pets are another tool that can bring relief and improve the quality of life for individuals living with pain.


Metabolic Syndrome & Inflammation


Dr. Alex Jimenez�s Blog Post Disclaimer

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, and sensitive health issues and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate and support directly or indirectly our clinical scope of practice.*

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. We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation as to how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at�915-850-0900. The provider(s) Licensed in Texas& New Mexico

Approaching Holidays Don’t Get Stressed Out El Paso, TX.

Approaching Holidays Don’t Get Stressed Out El Paso, TX.

The holiday decorations are out, possibly still in the box or boxes, you’re browsing all the deals and recipes. Family is coming in ready to spend quality family time and catch up on everything. All the while juggling bedding, seating arrangements, whose gluten-free, etc.

Chronic pain is exhausting all on its own. Add the approaching holidays to the mix and there is a set up for a perfect storm of pain and possibly more injuries. And just a reminder the holidays aren’t even here yet! But like most of us, we are already getting into holiday mode, which equals stress, stress, and more stress.

Everyone needs to take a breath/break in order to manage the pain. Here are some positive ways to de-stress to take the pressure off, and be in a� frame of mind to enjoy the celebration.

 

11860 Vista Del Sol, Ste. 128 Approaching Holidays Don't Get Stressed Out El Paso, TX.

 

Know Your Limitations

Living with chronic pain means that you may not be able to do everything you’re planning. Sometimes, traditions need to change.

  • Do not beat yourself up if it doesn’t all come together. Don’t worry, everyone will survive.
  • View it as an opportunity to bond with the family and non-family members and show them how to carry on traditions.

Make Sure You Exercise

  • When the body gets moving and the heart pumping, the brain releases endorphins, and these relieve stress and keep you in a better mood.
  • Exercise helps to burn off the day�s worries, empties out the mind and stretches the muscles keeping them from tightening up. Better yet exercise will help you sleep way better at night. However, check with a doctor or chiropractor before starting an exercise program.

 

Make Sure To Get Time For Yourself

 

11860 Vista Del Sol, Ste. 128 Approaching Holidays Don't Get Stressed Out El Paso, TX.

 

Allow plenty of time for yourself every day. Your body and mind need it. Relax and enjoy yourself with whatever calms you down and makes you happy. It could be jamming a musical instrument, sewing, playing a favorite video game, watching your favorite show/movie, etc. Whatever it is, take the time to unwind and really enjoy the beginning of the holiday season.

 

Don’t Get On the Holiday Rollercoaster

 

 

Chronic pain during the holidays can bring elevated levels of pain. Making preparations for company, buying, cleaning up and readying the home for friends and family is all good. But don’t immerse yourself in the process. It does not have to be perfect, allow it to be what it is! Family, friends coming together, enjoying the atmosphere and being thankful for everything.

For those with chronic back pain or other diseases affecting the spine, the holidays can take its toll on the body and mind and take you out of the game.

Three Important Things:

  • Enlist help: Don’t be afraid or too proud to ask for help. Family members, neighbors, and friends can make the occasion so much more enjoyable and safer. The jobs get done quicker, more efficiently and can be fun with everybody participating, so it doesn’t feel like work.
  • Take a seat: Don’t forget to breathe and breathe deeply, drink some tea or water to stay hydrated.
  • Go to bed earlier: During the holiday’s serious rest is a must. This means allowing yourself to sleep late or take full naps because your body is telling you it needs it.

Doing these three things can lessen the pain and increase the joy! When your body is truly healthy, you will arrive at your optimal fitness level proper physiological fitness state. �We want to help you live a new and improved lifestyle. Over the last two decades, while researching and testing methods with thousands of patients, we have learned what works effectively at decreasing pain while increasing human vitality.


 

*CHRONIC* pain Chiropractic Relief | El Paso, Tx

 

 

Living with chronic pain symptoms can tremendously affect an individual’s quality of life. Neck and back pain caused by a variety of health issues, such as herniated discs and/or automobile accident injuries, can cause persistent symptoms which may last weeks, months, even years if left untreated. Patients describe how their chronic neck and back pain has ultimately affected their ability to engage and participate in their everyday physical activities.

Dr. Alex Jimenez has helped patients with chronic neck and back pain find the treatment they deserve. Patients describe how Dr.� Jimenez has helped them find pain relief and achieve overall health and wellness. The patients highly recommend Dr. Jimenez and his staff as the non-surgical choice for a chronic neck and back pain, among other chronic health issues.


NCBI Resources

Ultimately, stress symptoms can lead to some very serious conditions including heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and even certain cancers. Psychologically, it can lead to social withdrawal and social phobias. Everyone experiences stress at some point in their life. In fact, it is becoming a sort of new normal in today�s hectic, fast-paced, high-pressure society. Chiropractic treatment can help relieve stress symptoms and achieve optimal health!