Low Back Pain Archives - Emerald Coast Chiropractic

What Emerald Coast Chiropractic Patients Need To Know About Losing Weight

September 23, 2018 by drken Leave a Comment

A large portion of the patients that seek out chiropractic care are suffering from some form of back pain. While chiropractic adjustments and associated therapies can do a lot to ease back pain symptoms and aid in healing, lifestyle changes are also quite important – particularly weight loss. Excess weight puts increased pressure on the spine, especially the lower back. And the weight becomes excessive when you gormandize or if you do not have a smart diet choice. The more chiropractic patients can near their ideal weight, the easier it becomes to treat and often eliminate the back pain.

The Importance of Losing Weight for Chiropractic Patients

Research shows that obesity makes back pain more likely.

Research has shown that excess weight and obesity do increase the risk of suffering from low back pain. The same research has shown that supplements ingested for extended periods of time, viz. Isagenix eshots, help significantly in achieving weight loss. A meta-analysis of the research on obesity and low back pain found that overweight and obese individuals were most likely to seek care for low back pain, including chronic back pain.

The components of the spine can wear down.

The spine is strong, but it is also delicate. The vertebrae are linked and supported by soft tissues, like discs, ligaments and tendons.

These soft tissues make it possible to move, flex, twist and turn in a variety of ways, allowing your body to be quite mobile. But these soft tissues are prone to wear and tear.

Even a healthy body will experience wear and tear as it ages. When you add extra weight, though, you increase the wear and tear – and become more susceptible to injuries.

Extra body weight increases damage to the spine.

If you have ever carried an object for an extended period of time, like a bag of groceries up and down stairs or a jug of liquid across a parking lot, you know how it can wear you down. While you may feel fine at first, the longer you go, the more tired you become.

Extra body weight is something you carry around with you everywhere you go. Across the parking lot. Up the stairs. Even sitting in a chair. The structural components of your body, including your joints and the muscles that support them, are constantly forced to handle the extra pressure.

All the extra pressure transfers force through your joints, including your spine. Over time, the force will do damage. Discs will wear out faster, which can lead to degenerative disc disease and back pain.

Injuries can become more severe.

The extra weight makes every accident and injury more damaging. Slipping and catching yourself, which may have been okay before, could now pull or tear muscles and tendons. Every time you are in an accident, your body will have a harder time maintaining safe alignment.

Common Injuries Caused by Excess Weight

1. Herniated disc

A herniated disc occurs when the tough outer layer of the disc is torn, allowing the soft inner layer to protrude. The protrusion can put pressure on nerves in the spine.

2. Pulled and torn soft tissues.

Excess weight makes it more likely that you will pull or tear muscles, tendons and ligaments.

3. Low back pain

The lower back, or lumbar spine, is the part of the spine where most of the pressure is placed from excess weight. That is why low back pain is the most common form of injury we treat in overweight patients.

How Losing Weight Helps

Every pound you lose is one less pound your body must carry. The closer you get to your optimal weight, the easier it will be for your body to support your spine. When you get chiropractic adjustments, they will be more likely to remain in place. A healthy weight makes chiropractic care more effective.

If you are suffering from back pain and excess weight, please contact us. Our chiropractic team can help you in your weight loss journey, and we can treat your pain in a way that is both effective and non-invasive.

What Emerald Coast Chiropractic Patients Want To Know About Sciatica

September 3, 2018 by drken Leave a Comment

If you have ever experienced a shooting, nerve-like pain down one of your legs, you may be suffering from sciatica. The sciatic nerve can be impacted by a number of different things, including injury and degenerative diseases, that can lead to sciatica. Fortunately, chiropractic can be extremely effective for the treatment of sciatic pain. You may be able to get relief quickly through regular chiropractic care.

What is Sciatica?

The sciatic nerve is a large nerve that travels from the lower back down both of the legs and into the feet. When pressure is placed on the nerve, such as from a herniated disc, it can lead to the symptoms commonly referred to as sciatica.

Symptoms of Sciatica

Sciatica symptoms include:

Pain in one or both legs
Shooting pain that travels down from the lower back and through the leg and calf
A feeling of electricity down one leg
Burning pain
Pain from a particular movement, or a jolt – like a sneeze
Numbness
Weakness
Severe symptoms can include trouble controlling the bowels and debilitating pain

Causes of Sciatica

Causes of sciatica include:

Misaligned Vertebrae

Misaligned vertebrae, referred to as subluxations in chiropractic, can put pressure on nerves in the spine – including the sciatic nerve.

Herniated Disc

The discs that cushion the vertebrae are made up of a tough outer layer and a softer inner layer. When the outer layer is damaged and the inner layer comes out into the spine, it is referred to as disc herniation.

Often the symptoms of a herniated disc include back pain, as the inner layer of the disc puts pressure on nerves in the spine. A herniated disc can impact the sciatic nerve, leading to sciatica.

Auto Accidents

A car accident can easily damage the spine and soft tissues. An auto accident may cause a misalignment of the spine, a herniated disc, or other injuries that cause symptoms of sciatica.

Sports Injuries

Even the fittest athletes are susceptible to back injuries, which in turn can cause sciatic pain. The spine and discs can be damaged due to a large impact, repetitive motion injuries, or even twisting the wrong way.

Workplace Injuries

Many sufferers of sciatic pain do not realize that their workplace activities – including repetitive motions and sitting in one position for long periods of time – can lead to sciatica.

How Chiropractic Can Help With Sciatica

A study cited by the health magazine Prevention found that sixty percent of sciatic pain sufferers who failed to get relief from other treatments found their symptoms improved after chiropractic care. In fact, they got the same level of relief as those who went through surgery – without any of the serious side effects that so often come with surgical procedures.

Chiropractic is effective for treating sciatic pain because it gets to the source of the problem – relieving pressure on the sciatic nerve. Chiropractic treatments for sciatica include:

Chiropractic Adjustments

The spinal misalignments that are often the cause of sciatic pain can be corrected through careful chiropractic adjustments. The chiropractor analyzes the misalignment, then applies specific pressure to the spine to relieve the misalignment. Once the pressure is removed from the sciatic nerve, symptoms improve.

Spinal Decompression

For those whose pain is caused by a herniated disc, spinal decompression can bring real relief. Using a specially designed table, the chiropractor can gently stretch the spine – creating space for the disc to heal and pull back from the sciatic nerve.

Get Relief from Sciatica

Please contact our chiropractic team today to schedule an appointment if you are experiencing symptoms of sciatica. We are ready to help you feel better and get back on your feet again.

Low Back & Leg Pain: How Emerald Coast Chiropractic Helps Radiculopathy

January 10, 2018 by drken Leave a Comment

Low back pain affects millions of people each year and is the number one cause of disability worldwide. In the US, it is estimated that 31 million people experience pain in their lower back. It is prevalent and can be debilitating. As patients search for relief, they soon find that not all lumbar pain is created equal. There are many causes and treatments vary widely depending on the issue. Radiculopathy is a condition that can contribute to lower back pain, but chiropractic care can help patients better manage it.

What is Lumbar Radiculopathy?

Radiculopathy is associated with some of the most significant causes of chronic or acute low back pain. However, it is important to note that the condition itself does not cause the pain. Instead, elements of radiculopathy, such as disc herniation, nerve root impingement, and facet arthropathy are actually what cause the pain.

Radiculopathy is a condition of the spine that occurs when a nerve is compressed, causing pain, weakness, tingling, or numbness along the nerve’s course. In the lower back, that course is in the leg. While it is most common in the lower back, radiculopathy can occur in the cervical or thoracic regions of the spine as well.

Symptoms of Lumbar Radiculopathy

The symptoms of lumbar radiculopathy include pain, tingling, and numbness in the legs. Some patients experience extreme, painful sensitivity to light touch.

The nerves in the lumbar region of the spine supply sensations to the buttocks and legs as well as control muscles. So, when a nerve is compressed in the lumbar spine, those are the areas that are affected. The condition is often called a “pinched nerve” or sciatica because of the way that the pain radiates through the buttock and into the leg.

Causes of Radiculopathy

Irritation or compression of certain nerves are what causes radiculopathy, but it is worth looking at the causes of this irritation or compression to see the deeper cause of radiculopathy. These may include mechanical nerve compression due to:

Bone spur
Disc herniation from osteoarthritis
Thickening of surrounding ligaments
Infection
Tumor
Scoliosis

Degeneration or trauma can cause inflammation in the spinal nerves which can lead to pain.

Who is at Risk for Radiculopathy?

Certain people are more prone to radiculopathy based on the activities they engage in and their genetics. Patients who regularly engage in contact sports, heavy labor, or any activity that puts a repetitive or excessive load on the back are more likely to have the condition. Patients who have a family history of spine disorders, including radiculopathy are also more at risk of developing it.

Chiropractic for Lumbar Radiculopathy

A review published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine examined 162 patients with radiculopathy who were treated with chiropractic care. Of those patients, more than 85% not only experienced pain relief, but their conditions were resolved. This was done over 9 treatment sessions. Most of the patients saw improvement of their symptoms within 4 days of their first treatment.

There are a number of treatments for lumbar radiculopathy, including pain medication, epidural steroid injection, and surgery. However, chiropractic care is non-invasive and does not have the unpleasant, sometimes harmful of many pain medications. It is safe and effective, treating the entire body instead of just the part that hurts.

When treating lumbar radiculopathy, the chiropractor may use several techniques such as spinal adjustments as well as stabilization exercise and neuromobilization. They will also work with the patient to determine if there are engaging in any activities that increase their risk factor for the condition. In some cases, the chiropractor may recommend certain lifestyle and dietary changes to increase whole body wellness and a stronger, healthier spine.

Why Low Back Pain Sufferers Prefer Emerald Coast Chiropractic

October 26, 2017 by drken Leave a Comment

Throbbing, dull and achy, sharp and excruciating. All of these words can be used to describe lower back pain.

Unfortunately, lower back pain is a common occurrence in adults. According to the American Chiropractic Association, low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide, with millions of reported cases every year.

What treatment should you seek if you experience pain in your lower back? The good news is that it often heals on its own. A few days of over-the-counter pain meds, ice, and taking it easy, and you could be back to normal.

However, those who continue to deal with the pain after a few weeks’ time may choose to look for other solutions. This is also true for people who experience repeated flare ups, or chronic lower back pain.

One of the best and most popular options is chiropractic care.

Why?

First of all, chiropractic care doesn’t focus solely on the pain, but helps the body heal itself. Chiropractors understand the bones, muscles, discs, and nerves in the back, and are able to figure out the reason for the pain.

From there, they can create a customized treatment plan from compresses to spinal manipulation to exercises that helps heal the area and reduces the pain.

Second, it’s a drug-free solution.

Because of its healing, restorative approach, chiropractic treatment tends to the source of the pain, instead of simply dulling it. Spine Universe estimates 6 to 12 treatments are typically needed to treat low back pain, but each individual person’s requirement may vary.

Over the course of these treatments, spinal alignment begins to balance the other parts of a person’s back and helps correct the issue causing the pain. In addition, spinal manipulation helps improve mobility and function in many cases, whereas drugs alone do not.

Finally, chiropractic care for lower back pain also help minimize relapses.

Patients who experience lower back pain obviously never want to deal with it again, but it can flare up periodically. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, roughly 20% of those who suffer from low back pain will eventually deal with it chronically. This can cause frustration, especially when it affects mobility.

Before you run screaming in horror to the medicine cabinet, one of the best reasons to participate in chiropractic treatment is that it helps reduce the chance of a recurrence. By working on the total body and getting it in the best shape possible, the patient is stronger and more balanced to handle their workload and other strenuous activities. Chiropractors also impart advice on how to minimize the chances of re-aggravating the lower back.

Millions of people suffer with back pain each year, and some never visit a chiropractor. Those who do choose chiropractic treatment are privy to treatment that reduces their pain, increases healing, shortens their downtime, and lessens their chances of a recurrence. If over the counter medication and ice packs haven’t worked within a few days, it’s time to make an appointment for a consultation with a licensed chiropractor. You will be happy you did.

Lower Back Pain When Sleeping: Which Position is Best?

October 4, 2017 by drken Leave a Comment

Sleep. New parents chase it, Type A personalities fight it, but everyone needs it. Thing is, most people don’t get enough of it. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 45 percent of adults in the United States report that in a seven day period lack of sleep affected their daily activities.

Sleep quantity is not as much of a problem as sleep quality. Around 35 percent of people who said they slept for 7 or 8 hours a night still reported that their sleep quality was “only fair” or “poor” and 20 percent said that they did not feel refreshed upon waking. When a person is dealing with pain, such as lower back pain, it can make it even more difficult to get a good night’s sleep.

The Importance of Sleep

Sleep is vital for good health. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) cites insufficient sleep as a contributing factor to a variety of conditions including obesity, diabetes, depression, and cardiovascular disease. It is also a significant contributing factor in many machinery related crashed, worksite accidents, and automobile accidents, leading to injury, disability, and even death.

Sleep allows your body to heal and the spine to rejuvenate. It helps you handle stress better and manage pain more effectively. It is an important part of good health so making sure that you get good quality sleep should be a priority – and it is possible. These are the best sleep positions to get your best sleep when you have lower back pain.

Stomach Position

Sleeping on your stomach is usually the least back friendly sleep position, but some people can’t sleep any other way. Take the strain off of your back by supporting it with a pillow under your lower abdomen and pelvis. Using a pillow may put too much stress on your back, so you might need to try to sleep without one. Another alternative is to use a flatter, less fluffy pillow. Try different positions, such as drawing one leg up or splaying your legs more until you find on that is right for you.

Back Position

If you sleep on your back you likely won’t be comfortable just lying flat. Try different positions such as placing a rolled towel under your knees or the small of your back to provide added support. Use a good pillow to support your neck. There are pillows that are made specifically for people who sleep on their backs; you may want to give it a try.

Side Position

Many people with lower back pain find sleeping on their side to be the most comfortable sleep position. If you sleep on your side, pull your knees up slightly so that they are almost perpendicular from your body. You may have to make some adjustments to how bent your legs are before you find a position that takes the pressure off of your back. Place a pillow between your thighs and knees. You may want to use a body pillow to provide even more support all along your legs.

A Word about Your Pillow and Your Bed

The position that you sleep in can help relieve your back pain, but getting good quality sleep will help you manage your pain much better so it should be your goal to get good, restful sleep every night. You should change out your pillow on a regular basis.

Pillows can get worn and no longer deliver the support they once did. If you are waking up with neck or back pain or headaches it could be your pillow. Additionally, studies show that making your bed every day improves your quality of sleep. Make sure that the temperature is comfortable and avoid electronic devices for about an hour before bedtime. Be good to your body; make sleep a priority on the best bed from https://posh100.com/best-sleeper-sofa-bed-couch-pull-out-futon-couch.

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