Individuals talk about how they don’t sleep much because they have so much to do and can operate/function on only 5 or 6 hours of sleep and are surprised when they develop serious health problems and mental health issues. However, inadequate sleep is a big deal. Depriving the body and mind of proper sleep leads to all kinds of health problems that include:
Chiropractors focus on whole-body health, are specialists in the musculoskeletal system, and take a multifaceted approach to treat fatigue and inadequate sleep. They can help with sleep problems and other health factors by bringing the body back into alignment/balance, improving circulation, nerve energy flow, and nervous system function. This includes chiropractic adjustments and therapeutic massage.
Spinal Adjustments
Misalignment of the cervical spine could be contributing to issues breathing and getting into a deep sleep.
Spinal realignment can help with better sleep.
Posture Analysis and Sleep Positions
Posture is a significant part of optimal health, especially when breathing correctly.
A chiropractor can analyze and correct any posture misalignments.
They can also advise how best to sleep, so the airway does not become obstructed during the night.
Health Factors
A recommendation for fatigue and inadequate sleep is to lose weight if overweight or obese.
A trained nutritionist or health coach can help develop healthy eating and lifestyle habits.
Less Stress and Plenty of Sleep
The combination of spinal adjustments and therapeutic massage can generate significant benefits to help keep the body healthy. Chiropractic adjustments have been found to release stress-reducing hormones like oxytocinand neurotensin. And therapeutic massage has been shown to improve inadequate sleep patterns, as well as:
Jamison, Jennifer R. “Insomnia: does chiropractic help?.” Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics vol. 28,3 (2005): 179-86. doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2005.02.013
Jehan, Shazia et al. “Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Obesity: Implications for Public Health.” Sleep medicine and disorders: international journal vol. 1,4 (2017): 00019.
Kashani, Fahimeh, and Parisa Kashani. “The effect of massage therapy on the quality of sleep in breast cancer patients.” Iranian journal of nursing and midwifery research vol. 19,2 (2014): 113-8.
Kingston, Jana et al. “A review of the literature on chiropractic and insomnia.” Journal of chiropractic medicine vol. 9,3 (2010): 121-6. doi:10.1016/j.jcm.2010.03.003
More individuals are reporting extreme levels of stress. Studies indicate that an increasing number of individuals are feeling worried, anxious, or depressed regularly from various stressors. Maintaining the body’s health includes:
Following a balanced diet
Getting enough exercise
Taking vitamins or supplements to ensure the body gets what it needs for optimal function.
However, research has found that a sudden increase in stress, specifically stress associated with anger, can trigger:
This type of stress can affect individuals that did not know they had heart disease. Intense short-term stress can have dangerous effects on the body’s health, leading to chronic stress. Chronic stress continues at a low level for weeks, months, or years. It can significantly change the way the body functions. Stress management is very important for overall well-being. Learning how to handle stress properly is the goal.
Poor Stress Management
When stress hits it triggers the brain to release various hormones. These hormones increase heart rate and raise blood pressure. This comes from evolution that helped early humans escape from predators and stay safe from different types of physical danger. This same stress reaction is what we go through, however, it is not to escape danger but to deal with work, family, school, commuting, and social issues, etc. And when the stress response happens on a regular basis it can have serious and long-term effects on the body’s ability to function properly. Stress includes mental, behavioral, and physical symptoms. The effects of stress that are most familiar are related to mood. Mood changes that can result from chronic low-level stress include:
These mood changes can be tied to changes in behavior. The following behaviors are associated with increased stress levels:
Alcohol and/or drug abuse
Starting or increasing tobacco use
Eating changes – undereating or overeating
Withdrawing from friends and family
Avoiding social interaction
Little to no physical activity
Physical effects that are associated with long-term stress.
Chronic stress that lasts for a long period can affect the whole body. The immune system, digestive system, sleep cycles, etc. Physical symptoms include:
Tension in the neck and back
Persistent headaches
Stomach aches
Constant fatigue, even after waking up
Sleeping pattern changes
Insomnia
Muscle pain
Changes in libido
Being more prone to infections because of a weakened immune system
Chest pain
Learning Healthy Stress Management
Mental health is now an important part of living a healthy life. Stress comes from all kinds of different places. We can’t always change these moments, but we can change our reactions to reduce the negative effects and results. To manage stress, it is important to know what is causing it.
It could be an argument with a boss, co-worker, family member, or significant other.
Work deadlines
School grades, teachers, kids, etc
Bills
Repairs
Clearly identifying the main stressors will help individuals anticipate them and form a plan. There are different ways of dealing with it. The different strategies need to be researched and tried by individuals to see what works for them. Think about what helps the mind and body relax and unwind. A few recommended ways include:
These are strategies that can be incorporated into regular daily life. Be sure to set time aside to focus on mental wellbeing. Learn to recognize the signs when getting overwhelmed. Don’t hesitate to ask for help when needed. This can be a support system or mental health professional. This is to empower individuals to take better care of themselves in both body and mind.
Body Composition
Setting Attainable Goals
Individuals that have trouble achieving health goals might want to look at the goals themselves. Individuals typically have a general idea of their fitness journey. However, it is hard to reach those goals without a map. Losing weight or getting healthy is the goal but these goals are not measurable. This is too broad that can be different things to different people. Trying to accomplish a vague goal makes it hard to plan, making it happen, or seeing progress. A recommended strategy for goal setting is to use the SMART system. The acronym stands for:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timed
When goals fall into these parameters, it provides a clear picture of what is trying to get accomplished and the ability to plan accordingly. An example could be: An individual will work out at home or the gym for one hour, five days a week for one month. This is a specific and measurable goal when compared to I’m going to work out more. This provides clear guidelines of what needs to happen to achieve success.
References
Bailey, Ryan R. “Goal Setting and Action Planning for Health Behavior Change.” American journal of lifestyle medicine vol. 13,6 615-618. 13 Sep. 2017, doi:10.1177/1559827617729634
Carlson, Linda E et al. “Integrative Approaches to Stress Management.” Cancer journal (Sudbury, Mass.) vol. 25,5 (2019): 329-336. doi:10.1097/PPO.0000000000000395
Jamison, J R. “Stress management: an exploratory study of chiropractic patients.” Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics vol. 23,1 (2000): 32-6. doi:10.1016/s0161-4754(00)90111-8
Jamison, J. “Stress: the chiropractic patients’ self-perceptions.” Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics vol. 22,6 (1999): 395-8. doi:10.1016/s0161-4754(99)70085-0
Mental strategy exercises for chronic pain relief and improvement. Living with chronic pain is difficult especially if a doctor is saying that it is all taking place in an individual’s head. However, the pain is very real and happening in the brain, literally. Neuroimagingstudies show that certain areas of the brain become active when chronic pain presents. This is not the only way to know the brain’s role in how an individual experiences pain. What is also known is:
Anxiety, depression, and pain activate similar areas of the brain.
Certain psychiatric drugs used to relieve pain can also alter an individual’s mental state.
Chronic pain can lead to depression.
Clinical depression can cause physical symptoms, including back pain.
A health care provider could recommend/suggest psychological support for chronic pain. Psychological help and mental strategy exercises for chronic pain are not about how to reduce the pain, but more on how to reduce the dominance, interference, and impact of the pain and getting a healthy quality of life back. Consider a few evidence-based, psychological approaches to reduce back pain.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy or CBT trains an individual to modify specific thoughts and behaviors. Experts consider this approach a gold standard of psychological interventions for pain. It helps:
Reduce pain
Improves function
Improves quality of life
Individuals work on:
Pain coping strategies
Relaxation skills
Setting goals
Shifting perspectives on pain
A study found that two years after a two-week, intensive course of cognitive-behavioral therapy, patients took fewer pain meds than they did before the therapy.
Mindfulness meditation
Meditation is not all about sitting with crossed legs, hands resting on the knees, although this is a recommended pose for meditative purposes. A modern approach can be done anywhere, in any position that�s comfortable and will help soothe back pain. By oneself or with help from a therapist mental strategies can include
A study suggests that mindfulness meditation can be highly beneficial for older adults that are not as able to get an adequate amount of physical activity to improve pain levels. A group of older adults that participated in eight weeks of a mindfulness program, which consisted of four days a week for 30 minutes per session physical function and pain reduction improved.
Mindfulness stress reduction
Mindfulness stress reduction is a program that teaches individuals meditation techniques, that include basic stretches and postures. It teaches how to separate the physical and psychological aspects of pain. Medical centers across offer this treatment option for a range of disorders, including chronic back pain. It helps reduce pain intensity and improves function in individuals with arthritis as well as back and neck pain from various causes. It has also been found to be effective for fibromyalgia, which can cause intense widespread pain. A study found that mindfulness stress reduction improved:
Wellbeing
Pain episodes
Sleep problems
Fatigue in participants with fibromyalgia
More than half reported significant improvement
Acceptance and commitment therapy
Acceptance and commitment therapy or ACT teaches acceptance and mindfulness strategies with commitment and behavior mental strategies, to change the way pain is experienced. Numerous studies along with the American Psychological Association validate this approach as an established treatment for chronic pain.
Changing expectations
In one study several chiropractic patients who expected their back pain to improve were 58% more likely to improve than those who did not expect favorable outcomes. This mental strategy of manifesting a positive outcome through the power of positive thinking and beliefs about pain influence an individual’s actions.
For example, when thinking that physical activity will cause back pain, individuals are less likely to be active. This is known as fear avoidance. For most individuals with back and neck pain, gentle physical activity is essential because avoiding it will worsen the pain. Having the right mental strategy can go a long way in battling chronic pain, at Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic we can help individuals experiencing/dealing with chronic pain.
Body Composition
Depression and physical health
Depression is debilitating and, in severe cases, a life-threatening disease that affects over 16 million people nationwide. Depression causes are not always clear and can be brought on by:
Biological factors – genetics
Individual brain chemistry
Certain medications
Stress
Unhealthy diet/nutrition
Mental illness and becoming overweight or obese often happen in conjunction, whether as a result of each other or from common risk factors that include:
Smoking
Poor diet
Lack of physical activity
Alcohol consumption
Prescribed medications for depression and anxiety disorders are have been shown to be successful in maintaining mental health. However, a side effect of these medications is weight gain. Like genetics, being educated on the potential side effects will help in reducing the risk of, and controlling weight gain when taking medication.
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*
References
Pain and Therapy.�(Jun 2020) �Rehabilitation for Low Back Pain: A Narrative Review for Managing Pain and Improving Function in Acute and Chronic Conditions.��www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7203283/Journal of Psychosomatic Research. (Jan 2010) �Mindfulness-based stress reduction for chronic pain conditions: variation in treatment outcomes and role of home meditation practice.�
European Journal of Pain.�(Jan 2019.) �Beliefs about back pain and pain management behaviors, and their associations in the general population: A systematic review.��www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6492285/
We all have our hobbies that we are passionate about, love doing, and could see turning into a second career. However, certain hobbies can generate stress on the spine. This often leads to a decrease in being able to participate in these activities, which can lead to various health issues. Maintaining the body’s physical fitness and keeping the spine healthy is key to being able to continue without neck or back pain. Hobbies are an important part of life. Individuals need to enjoy what they love from sports activities to music to arts and craft projects. Having activities/hobbies help:
Boost mental health
Relieve stress
Lower blood pressure
Promotes weight loss
Meditative qualities
Here�s how to make sure the hobbies/activities are fun and safe.
Protecting the Neck
Poor posture is one of the leading causes of neck and back pain. Looking down or being in a standing/sitting hunched position regularly increases the load/stress on the neck increasing the chances for strain, injury, headaches, and chronic pain. In the neutral position, the skull weighs around 10-12 pounds.
When leaning the head forward weight increases from let’s say 27 pounds at a 15-degree angle to 60 pounds at a 60-degree angle. The strain on the cervical vertebrae, joints, and muscles can be immense. A good example is text-neck. This has become a normal thing when using a smartphone, gaming, or other similar activities.
Studies suggest that the average individual spends three to five hours a day on a smartphone or tablet. This means three to five hours of extra weight on the cervical spine. Engaging in a hobby that requires an individual to look down constantly in a similar fashion can lead to serious and chronic neck pain along with other cervical issues.
Individuals are spending more time at home and getting more serious about their hobbies. This is fantastic, however, these individuals need to take time to stretch out, and get some physical activity into their hobby routine. Just like taking frequent walk-around, stretch out at work breaks, so to do hobbyists need to step back from their projects to keep a healthy balance. The position of the neck and the way it is held for activities like:
Sewing
Carpentry
Gardening
Painting
Pottery
Knitting
Music
Hobbies like this can increase the risk of neck pain, so the key is prevention, paying attention to head posture every now and again, and taking stretching breaks.
Proper Posture Makes a Difference
Many individuals stand and sit when working on their hobbies. This is quite common and is encouraged when doing these absorbing activities. But being immersed in these activities, most forget to check their posture when doing so. This is what leads to problems that at first are shrugged off as just soreness.
Eventually, the individual begins to engage in bad/awkward posture habits that avoid the pain and think this will help. This worsens the problems and promotes further strain/injury. Leaning, bending, reaching, and twisting curves the spine increasing the load and stress. Performing these actions over and over for extended periods means:
Strain
Low back pain
Muscle spasms
Sciatica
Leg pain
Foot pain
Slouching is another posture problem that increases the likelihood of lower back pain. Slouching causes gaps between the lower back vertebrae. This stresses the facet joints or the connections between the vertebrae. The soft tissues elongate/stretch and lengthen like muscles and connective tissue. What elongation does is:
Cause the tissues to attempt to snap back to the original shape. This can cause painful spasms.
Muscles that are constantly elongated become weaker with time.
The longer an individual sits, stands, and slouches impacts the body’s health negatively, leading to a chain of health problems. Maintaining proper posture and keeping the spine straight minimizes the strain on muscles and the vertebrae. Prevent pain and discomfort.
Ergonomics at the House
Ergonomic stressors include:
The force/s required to perform and complete a physical chore/task.
Adopted static and awkward working postures to complete task/s
The repetitiveness of the task/s
Any of these factors or combination places a higher risk for discomfort, pain, and injury. The immediate surroundings like the bench, work area, craft room, etc. and how the individual moves or does not move, and interacts in these areas is the focus of ergonomics. Proper ergonomics will help protect the spine, as well as the rest of the body. Improper ergonomics can cause damage like muscle strain, repetitive movements, and incorrect posture. Taking a look at the hobby workspace the ergonomics, and making any necessary adjustments can help prevent strain/injury.
Proper seating
Make sure the right type of chair, stool, bench, etc is being utilized. Adjustable types that have neck and lower back support are the way to go. Make sure the base is stable, the seat is comfortable and adjustable. Backrests and armrests can help maintain proper posture.
Correct table/desk/workstation height
Various drafting tables and lap desks have adjustable surfaces to adjust the height for working with a proper ergonomic posture. If the work surface is not adjustable adjust the chair or make adjustments as needed. The hips should be higher than the knees to take the strain off the sacrum and lower back. The upper back should be straight, with the shoulder blades together creating a supportive platform for the neck and head.
Tools
Using the best tools for working and organization will help avoid injuries and constant awkward positions like leaning/reaching over and around the workspace. Look for tools that can be adjusted to different heights, resistance levels, etc. depending on what is needed and what will reduce any strain.
Vision
If an individual needs to lean in to get a closer look then vision could be the problem. If an individual wears glasses it could be time for a check-up. Or if an individual does not wear glasses, it could be time to see an optometrist. Non-prescription magnifiers could be the answer.
Stretching Regularly
Working too long in one position can be detrimental to overall health.
It is very understandable when individuals get into the zone, working on something creative, and not wanting to stop the flow. However, frequent breaks are vital. Stretching regularly and getting up to move around is key to staying healthy.
Neck Stretch
Stretch the neck by turning the head from side to side in a gentle fashion.
Tip the head to each side so the ear almost touches the shoulder.
Lower the head so that the chin almost touches the chest.
Turn the to look diagonally down at the armpit. This stretches the trapezius and levator scapulae muscles.
Hold the stretches for 10-15 seconds.
Always perform slowly and gently.
Lower Back Stretch
15 minutes a day of stretches will maintain the health of the spine. If pain or discomfort becomes frequent or unmanageable, seek professional help. Physical therapists and chiropractors are trained in orthopedic issues and ergonomics without prescription. Call a doctor or physical therapist to find out if treatment is necessary. Following these guidelines can help keep hobbies fun and without pain.
Lower Back Pain Skate Boarding Injury Treatment
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*
When you struggle with anxiety, it can make living your day-to-day life more difficult. Anxiety comes in a variety of forms and varies by individual. The treatments that are most effective for one person may not be as effective for another, but there is some general guideline for dealing with anxiety that most sufferers can benefit from. Regular chiropractic care, including a focus on improving overall health, can serve as a foundation for navigating the difficulties of anxiety.
Ways Chiropractic Can Help
1. Keeping track of triggers.
Chiropractors are big fans of keeping diaries surrounding any type of health issue you are dealing with�and anxiety is no exception. Just like keeping a food diary can help you identify a food allergy, keeping an anxiety diary can help you see what things in your life are triggering your anxiety. Triggers for anxiety can include a wide range of things, not all of them related to human interactions. Some of these triggers can include:
Allergies to certain foods
Consumption of alcohol
Consumption of caffeine
Vitamin deficiencies, particularly B vitamins, calcium, and magnesium
Consumption of sugar
Your chiropractor can tell you how to keep a diary that will help you see what you do in your day-to-day life, and how those actions relate to your anxiety.
2. Keeping your body in Top Form.
The relationship between the body and the mind is still far from being fully understood. However, there is no denying the significant connection between our physical health and our mental health. When your body is healthier, your mood is more level and positive.
Chiropractic care is focused on treatments that improve your health. These can include chiropractic adjustments, massage therapy, spinal decompression, ultrasound and more. Which treatments are right for you will depend on the results of your physical examination with the chiropractor. What you can be sure of is that your chiropractor will do everything possible to ensure your body is healthy and functioning at an optimal level.
3. Maintaining Spinal Alignment.
There are many ways that the nervous system affects the body and the brain�and the full effects are not totally clear as of yet. What we do know is that many chiropractic patients report improvements in their health seemingly unrelated to the pain in their back or neck. A few adjustments into a treatment plan and patients discover that some other health issue gets resolved.
Adjustments are designed to put your vertebrae back into proper alignment. With proper alignment, your nervous system can function optimally. The results may or may not improve your anxiety directly, but they will make you feel better and keep your body running the way it was intended to.
4. Improving Your Diet.
What you eat plays a huge role in your overall health. Improving your diet could lead to an improvement in your anxiety symptoms, which is why your chiropractor will try to help you make healthy changes to what you eat. Chiropractors are trained in the latest research in nutrition and are well-versed in the benefits of various approaches to a healthy diet. You can work with your chiropractor to shift your diet from its current state to one that includes more healthy options.
Other Healthcare Providers & Your Chiropractor
If you are seeing a mental healthcare professional for your anxiety, your chiropractor will strive to work with your provider to ensure the best possible outcomes. Sometimes the best way to improve your health is to take a multi-pronged approach�which your chiropractor can help you with!
Please contact us today to schedule an appointment with our chiropractic team. We look forward to seeing you.
Depression & Chronic pain | El Paso, Tx
Chronic pain caused by accidents and/or aggravated conditions can often be one of the primary reasons for depression in patients. When painful symptoms induce patients to struggle with their everyday physical activities, their mental health can be tremendously influenced. Chiropractic care utilizes spinal adjustments and manual manipulations which could help restore the initial integrity of the backbone. Patients describe how chiropractic care has helped them recover their well-being and they highly recommend Dr. Alex Jimenez, doctor of chiropractic, as the non-surgical choice for chronic pain and depression, one of a variety of other common health issues.
Gait Related Low Back Pain
Currently, more than 2 million Americans are dependent on opioids. For many, their addiction comes from seeking pain management for an injury or chronic condition. Opioids are a convenient and fast remedy, but only provide pain relief and not actual treatment of the cause. Therefore, opioids should be a last resort when experiencing pain and discomfort. Starting at the foundation (feet) of the body with orthotics can help the rest of the body stay aligned.
NCBI Resources
If you are suffering from depression or anxiety, you may feel hopeless and helpless. You may be less apt to seek or follow treatment, believing there is nothing you can do to make it better. When you have a chronic medical condition, it doesn�t just impact your health. Often you can�t work or miss time at work, you may have financial problems. Relationships frequently suffer when one partner is sick. While these can be true for all chronic conditions, when you add in depression or anxiety, coping is even more difficult.
Defeat Chronic Pain: If you are one of the estimated 50 to 100 million Americans who struggles with Chronic Pain, you are aware of just how miserable and life-altering it can be. There is not a single area of you life that remains unaffected. You no longer sleep well. Your SEX LIFE is non-existent. Everyday activities have become your own personal �Mount Everest �. You cannot concentrate because the pain IS ALWAYS ON YOUR MIND. It is wearing you out, physically, mentally, and emotionally. It’s sapping your ability to think clearly or make decisions. In short we’re here to defeat chronic pain.
People can see the pain on your face and in your eyes. Chronic Pain and the inability to do the things you love, is making you feel DEPRESSED (not the other way around like your doctor may have suggested). Recent studies have even shown that brains of people suffering with Chronic Pain, show patterns of atrophy that are virtually indistinguishable from what is seen in patients with dementia or ALZHEIMER’S. In fact, a recent study from a prominent Canadian University showed that Chronic Pain causes the brain to degenerate at almost 10 times the rate of someone without pain!
Although Chronic Pain may seem hopeless, there are some things that you can do to help yourself � even though your doctor undoubtedly failed to educate you in this regard. Some of the most basic of these include eating only healthy foods (I recommend a PALEO DIET), taking only WHOLE FOOD SUPPLEMENTS, drinking more WATER, giving up the CIGARETTES, and EXERCISING to the degree that you can (difficult when suffering with Chronic Pain or FIBROMYALGIA).
Although DOING THESE SIMPLE THINGS will certainly help a large percentage who suffer and be able to defeat chronic pain; there is a significant percentage of you whose pain is not greatly diminished by these measures. It is for you that I created this website. But before we move on to treatment of Chronic Pain, you must first understand what Chronic Pain is and how it really works.
Defeat Chronic Pain: It Works Like This
For years, neuro-scientists have known that Chronic Pain can cause brain atrophy (shrinkage) that is indistinguishable from Alzheimer�s or Dementia. More recently, the prestigious Journal of Neuroscience reported research from McGill University showing that, “The longer the individual has had Fibromyalgia, the greater the gray matter loss, with each year of Fibromyalgia being equivalent to 9.5 times the loss in normal aging”. Think about this statement for a moment. Every single year you live with some sort of CHRONIC PAIN SYNDROME (or syndromes as the case may be) is the equivalent of nearly 10 times the brain loss seen in the normal aging process. Re-read this paragraph until the urgency of your situation sinks in!
Although there are several types of pain (the study of Chronic Pain can get extremely complex), we are going to try and keep this as simple as possible. For our purposes, there are two types of Chronic Pain. It has to do with where the pain comes from. Chronic Pain originates in one of the two following areas.
The Central Nervous System
The Body
As we will discuss shortly, Chronic Pain that arises in the CNS is frequently ‘learned’ pain. Let me explain. In order to learn how to SHOOT FREE THROWS, use chop sticks, PLAY THE PIANO, speak Swahili, you have to practice. Everyone remembers the old adage; Practice makes Perfect. If you stimulate pain pathways in the Brain & Nervous System long enough, or are exposed to enough stressors in your life (CHEMICAL, AUTOIMMUNE, EMOTIONAL, DIETARY, FOOD SENSITIVITIES, PHYSICAL, BACTERIAL, VIRAL, PARASITIC, FUNGAL, MOLD, ELECTROMAGNETIC, etc), you can alter the way your Brain and Central Nervous System function.
Hopefully your pain, even though severe, is still Type II (THE THREE TYPES OF PAIN). As people start losing control of numerous areas of physiology (DIGESTION, HORMONAL, IMMUNITY, BLOOD SUGAR REGULATION, HYPERSENSITIVITY, DYSBIOSIS, etc), the problems ramp up. Over time this pain can (will) become locked into the brain. Although pathological Pain Syndromes arising from a malfunctioning CNS are not the most common causes of Chronic Pain, if this is where you are at, you are going to have to find a way to deal with these underlying issues (FUNCTIONAL NEUROLOGY can be a fantastic starting point). Although I provide information that helps many people help themselves with the severe metabolic and neurological problems, this website is chiefly devoted to defeat chronic Pain that is not locked into the Brain, but is instead originating from the body (Type II Pain).
Defeat Chronic Pain: Nociception
“Simple Nociception” is the most basic type of pain. If someone steps on your toe, it hurts. This is normal, and means that your nervous system is functioning properly. Get the person off your toe, and the pain goes away — almost immediately. Simple. There are several different types of Nociceptive Pain, but the one that we are most concerned about on this website is the one that has to do with ‘deep’ musculoskeletal pain, otherwise known as Deep Somatic Pain (Greek �Soma� = body). Deep Somatic Pain is pain that originates in tissues that are considered to be ‘deep’ in the body. Although we do not always think of many of these tissue types as being deep, this category includes things like LIGAMENTS, TENDONS, MUSCLES, FASCIA, blood vessels, and bones. There are two main types of Nociceptors, chemical and mechanical.
I. Chemical Nociception
The Chemical Nociceptors are stimulated by noxious chemicals. The chief of these are the chemicals we collectively refer to as INFLAMMATION (bear in mind that once Inflammation is involved, we begin moving away from Type I pain and into Type II pain — Nociception is still involved, but so is the Inflammatory Cascade). Inflammation is actually made up of a large group of chemicals manufactured within your body as part of the normal Immune System response. They have names like prostaglandins, leukotrienes, histamines, cytokines, kinins, etc, etc, etc. When these chemicals are out of increased beyond what’s needed for normal tissue repair, the result will be a whole host of health problems —- and Chronic Pain.
Although “SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION” is at the root of the vast majority of America’s health problems (DIABETES, CANCER, FIBROMYALGIA, THYROID PROBLEMS, ARTHRITIS, HEART DISEASE, and numerous others), you will soon see that even though Inflammation is always involved with the tissues of the “Deep Soma,” it sometimes gets more credit than it deserves. However, you also have to be aware that exposing MICROSCOPIC SCAR TISSUE to chronic inflammation can potentially hyper-sensitize nerves. This hypersensitization makes the nerves within Scar Tissue as much as 1,000 times more pain sensitive than normal (the work of the famous neurologist, DR. CHAN GUNN).
INCREASED TISSUE ACIDITY (usually caused by hypoxia — diminished tissue oxygen levels) is another common form of Chemical Nociception. This frequently occurs as the result of a JUNKY DIET, but is also caused by relentless Mechanical / Neurological / Immune System Dysfunction. It is a big reason that my Decompression Protocols utilize OXYGEN THERAPY extensively.
II. Mechanical Nociception
As you can imagine, Mechanical Dysfunction stimulates the Mechanical Nociceptors. This group of nociceptors (pain receptors) is stimulated by constant mechanical stress in the tissues of the Deep Soma — particularly ligaments, tendons, and fascia. Mechanical tension, mechanical deformation, mechanical pressure, etc are the things that cause Mechanical Nociception, which can in turn, cause pain — chronic, unrelenting, pain. Remove the offending mechanical stressor, and you can oftentimes remove the pain. Sounds simple, doesn�t it? Unfortunately, nothing is ever quite as simple as it initially appears.
Be aware that Nociceptive Pain can actually become Brain-Based over time. This is called ‘Supersensitivity’ and is caused by alterations in the Brain and Central Nervous System that perpetuate the pain cycle (many in the medical community are calling it CENTRALIZATION OR CENTRAL SENSITIZATION. In Mechanical Nociception, even though the injured tissue has, according to all of the medical tests, HEALED, it has healed improperly; i.e. microscopic scar tissue and tissue adhesion — particularly in the FASCIA. I probably do not need to tell you that this can be really really bad news — particularly because it is a significant feature of what I call “CHRONIC PAIN’S PERFECT STORM“.
As nerve function and PROPRIOCEPTION become increasingly fouled up, degenerative arthritis and joint deterioration begin to set in (HERE). Because of involvement in the Brain or Central Nervous System, this kind of pain is often referred to as Neuropathic Pain or Neruogenic Pain. Sometimes people end up with HYPERALGIA (Extreme sensitivity to pain. Stimulus that should cause a little pain, causes extraordinary amounts of pain). Or they end up with ALLODYNIA (Stimulus which do not normally elicit any pain at all, now causes pain). Sometimes these two overlap. Stay with me and you will begin to understand why.
Defeat Chronic Pain: Hypersensitized Nerves Relationship To Injured Or Damaged Fascia
Think of nerve endings as the twigs at the very end of a tree limb. Nerves (just like a tree) begin with a large trunk, which splits / divides into smaller and smaller branches until eventually you arrive at the end � the tiny twig (or nerve ending) at the end of the very smallest branches.
If you have ever seen a �topped� tree, you can understand what happens to nerve endings that are found in microscopic scar tissue. Professional Tree Trimmers cut (or �top�) the largest branches just above where the trunk splits into two or three limbs. What happens to these stubs? Instead of having limbs that continue to branch out and divide into ever-smaller limbs in a normal fashion, you get a stub or stump, that in a short matter of time, swells up and has hundreds of tiny twig-like limbs growing from it. �Topping� stimulates the growth of twigs from the stump. The injured nerves found in microscopic scar tissue act in much the same way.
As the larger nerves that are found in soft tissues are injured, you end up with an inordinate number of immature nerve endings (twigs) growing out of an inflamed nerve �stump�. As you might imagine, extra pain receptors are never a good thing! And because there in Inflammation present, this often leads to Microscopic Scar Tissue, which, even though it is up to 1,000 times more pain-sensitive than normal tissue, cannot be seen with even the most technologically advance imaging techniques such as CT / MRI (HERE). This is a commonly seen phenomenon in Facial Adhesions, and is why even though the people living this nightmare believe that because their pain is so severe that it should make their MRI “Glow Red”, it shows nothing. This tends to lead to deer-in-the-headlight looks when you ask your doctor what might be causing your pain, not to mention accusations of malingering, drug seeking, or attempting to get on Disability.
Defeat Chronic Pain: Nerves Are Like Tree Branches
Uninjured Nerves
Photo by Stephen McCulloch
Injured Nerves
Photo by Linda Bailey
Defeat Chronic Pain: Fascial Adhesions
Microscopic Scar Tissue & Chronic Pain
One of the biggest revelations for many people suffering with Chronic Pain is the absurd numbers of CHRONIC PAINSYNDROMES brought on by microscopic scarring of the FASCIA. It gets even worse once you realize that this Fascia is the most pain-sensitive tissue in the body —- yet it does not show up on even the most technologically advanced imaging techniques, including MRI. Simply read our “Fascia” page to see why microscopic scarring of this specific “Connective Tissue” is at the root of all sorts of Chronic Pain Cases — not to mention ILL HEALTH.
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