Archive for March, 2009
Have you ever wondered how you can develop back pain or neck pain without doing anything strenuous? A chiropractor can diagnose neck pain, postural stress, back pain and suggest ergonomic solutions. With closer examination of the structure of our bodies and some simple physics principles, it is a wonder that humans do not suffer from more frequent and intense back and neck pain. In my California chiropractic business, I treat clients frequently who work in an office and could benefit from better ergonomics.
Anyone can experience back or neck pain at any time. I treat individuals regularly who experienced back and neck injuries from improper lifting, machinery usage, sports, falls, and auto accidents. These injuries would be classified by me as expected or typical types of injuries. Most people would be astonished to know that the most frequently seen injury in a chiropractic office does not result from a single, dramatic incident; it is instead the cumulative effects of long-term postural stress.
The “silent killer” of our spinal health is postural stress. Postural stress is experienced either while sitting or standing on one’s feet. Any time your spine is not in its natural curves or moves forward beyond its neutral balance point, you can risk postural stress.
As you sit at a computer, hunched over the keyboard or peering at the screen, your neck experiences postural stress. Your body is reversed from the typical curve of your neck, as you extend your neck to the front of your body and forces your head forward of the normal balance.
The stability that is part of our structure when our postural boundaries are respected is lost when we assume postures that cause stress to our spines. Back and neck pain is often a result of poor posture, which also causes fatigue, irritability, and inflammation of muscles and connecting ligatures due to extended pressure.
A combination of therapies may be required to effectively treat back pain and neck pain from postural stress. When chiropractic treatment is combined with proper stretching and nutritional supplementation, full and smooth joint motion can replace the pain and stiffness. If you have endured pain for a long time or if your symptoms are particularly acute, the road to recovery will not be short or easy. Don’t expect a quick fix.
Chiropractic care alone will not alleviate the problem; you must eliminate or change the causes of the postural stress. Ergonomic problems that lead to postural stress can be identified using workstation analysis. Applying ice packs for neck pain and back pain for around twenty minutes at a time is also sometimes effective for relief.
Talking to your chiropractor is the first step in starting your treatment. Postural stress issues and the related neck and back pain that result from it are best dealt with by chiropractors, who are well trained in that area. At our chiropractic clinic in San Diego, we treat patients with a holistic approach using chiropractic care and enhanced with a regimen of stretching and exercise. Encouragement of the proper diet is made to facilitate the process of healing. You need to be aware of the importance of eliminating the source of the postural stress in addition to seeking treatment, regardless of which approach you take to relieve the pain of postural stress.
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Here’s To Your Health
Yours Ergonomically,
Dr. Jones
Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic
(619) 280-0554
The other day I had a new patient walk into my San Diego, California office asking for chiropractic treatment. He was bent over 45 degrees at the waist, complaining of lower back pain and saying “Doc, Why do I have back pain? I have no idea how I got this way but I am having trouble standing up and sitting down, can you help me?” This is a common new patient presentation in our office. More often than not, the typical back pain patient can’t recall a specific cause of their back pain. Sometimes the pain has advanced enough to affect the nervous system resulting in sciatica nerve pain.
Patient’s like this always want an explanation as to how they got the way they are. Most of my patients have followed a typical course on their way to experiencing back pain.
The joints, muscles and ligaments that allow movement, move the body and provide stability in the low back are among the biggest and strongest in the body. This being the case, it usually takes a significant single injury to damage these structures. A hard fall, car accident or a long day of strenuous lifting are examples of single events that can cause back pain all by themselves.
However, most cases of back pain are caused by cumulative stress. Cumulative stress comes from postural stress (excessive sitting), poor lifting habits, awkward sleeping habits, etc. Cumulative stress also known as repetitive stress takes place over months or sometimes years.
The bottom line is that most back injuries arise from events that seem small and insignificant by themselves but after months or years of exposure to these stresses lead to irritation of the joints and muscles resulting in back pain.
Once the joints, muscles and ligaments of the lower back have been exposed to extended periods of stress, they become very vulnerable to injury. This process follows a predictable path. The joint is stressed by some activity, the stress irritates the soft tissues of the joint, the irritation causes inflammation and the inflammation causes pain and scar tissue formation. Scar tissue limits joint motion, causes pain in the joint and is often sensitive to changes in weather. We all know someone that knows better than the weather man as to when it is going to rain. It is scar tissue build up and arthritis that causes joint pain when it is going to rain.
Once this process has begun, a severe case of back pain can arise from something as simple as picking a sock up off the floor or reaching for a cup of coffee.
Unfortunately for the patient, the little things that they do on a regular basis that stress their backs don’t become apparent until after they are in pain. I always advise my patients to pay special attention to the specific activities or movements that aggravate their backs while they are in pain. These are the activities that are often responsible for the cumulative stress that I discussed at the beginning of this article.
Joints are complex structures that in most cases are very durable and work without pain. However, the process described above can happen silently, over time, resulting in severe back pain and / or sciatica for the person who has ignored proper back care through the course of their lives. Chiropractic care from a licensed chiropractor can be very effective in relieving your back pain. Chiropractic care is a safe, effective and affordable form of treatment that has a history of success with relieving low back pain.
Key: chiropractic,back pain,chiropractor,sciatica,low back pain,chiropractic treatment,nerve pain
Bio for Article city
Dr. Steven R. Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in the state of California. He received his doctorate from Palmer College of Chiropractic-West in Sunnyvale, California. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice. Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs. Click the following links to find out how we can help you start feeling better today! www.JonesPainRelief.com www.ErgoNav.com
Back Pain,Chiropractic,Herniated Disc,Pinched Nerve,Neck Pain,Muscle Spasm
Dr. Steve Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in San Diego. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice. Dr. Jones is accepting new patients and would be happy to consult with you regarding your chiropractic needs. Click the following links to find out how we can help you start feeling better today! www.JonesPainRelief.com, www.ErgoNav.com
Dr. Steve Jones is a licensed Chiropractor in San Diego. Dr. Jones has treated his patients for over 15 years at his own San Diego Chiropractic practice. He is certified as a Specialist in Health Ergonomics. Dr. Jones Can be found on the web at www.JonesPainRelief.com & at www.ErgoNav.com
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Here’s To Your Health
Yours Ergonomically,
Dr. Jones
Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic
(619) 280-0554
What if I told you that over the last 15 years I have helped countless low back pain sufferers overcome their pain with a fast, natural, drug free therapy? In addition, that therapy is reasonably priced and covered by most insurance companies.
Of course I am writing about safe and effective chiropractic care.
At this point, some of you will be thinking “Chiropractic doesn’t work!” or “I wouldn’t go to one of those guys!”
I have heard all of these arguments in the past. I was even one of those people. I was raised in a semi anti chiropractic household.
My opinions changed after a car accident I was involved in back in 1984. After a mild fender bender, I slowly developed neck pain and stiffness. Before long that pain was “creeping” into my left shoulder and arm. I began to go to my primary physician at Kaiser for treatment. I followed his advice but nothing worked.
Early on in my treatment, I told my Kaiser doctor that my chiropractor uncle told me that I should see a local chiropractor. My Kaiser doctor dismissed that thought with some derogatory remark and told me to stick with his care – which I did.
Kaisers’ treatment was not helpful!
Eventually I saw a chiropractor who had my condition completely turned around in about 3 weeks. Mind you that the chiropractic care followed 5 months of pills and occasional physical therapy from Kaiser – that didn’t work.
My chiropractic treatment was so successful and actually enjoyable that I switched my college studies to pre-med and later attended Chiropractic College.
What does this have to do with low back pain you ask?
Everything.
Chiropractors are known for treating low back pain, it is what my profession is associated with. The reason that we are associated with low back pain treatment is because of my professions’ tremendous success rate with delivering fast, safe, natural, drug free back pain relief.
I recently read a study that indicated that the use of chiropractic care for low back pain relief is nearly 4000 times safer than using medications or other traditional western medicine inspired treatments.
Most cases of low back pain occur as a direct result of injury or dysfunction involving the joints and muscles of the low back. These are biomechanical problems that are not efficiently treated with medication (drugs). Biomechanical joint problems account for 80% of low back pain cases and usually worsen with age.
Chiropractic care and its use of specific joint adjustments is the logical and efficient treatment for biomechanical joint problems that are responsible for most cases of low back pain.
Fast, Natural, Drug Free Low Back Pain Relief
What if I told you that over the last 15 years I have helped countless low back pain sufferers overcome their pain with a fast, natural, drug free therapy? In addition, that therapy is reasonably priced and covered by most insurance companies.
Of course I am writing about safe and effective chiropractic care.
At this point, some of you will be thinking “Chiropractic doesn’t work!” or “I wouldn’t go to one of those guys!”
I have heard all of these arguments in the past. I was even one of those people. I was raised in a semi anti chiropractic household.
My opinions changed after a car accident I was involved in back in 1984. After a mild fender bender, I slowly developed neck pain and stiffness. Before long that pain was “creeping” into my left shoulder and arm. I began to go to my primary physician at Kaiser for treatment. I followed his advice but nothing worked.
Early on in my treatment, I told my Kaiser doctor that my chiropractor uncle told me that I should see a local chiropractor. My Kaiser doctor dismissed that thought with some derogatory remark and told me to stick with his care – which I did.
Kaisers’ treatment was not helpful!
Eventually I saw a chiropractor who had my condition completely turned around in about 3 weeks. Mind you that the chiropractic care followed 5 months of pills and occasional physical therapy from Kaiser – that didn’t work.
My chiropractic treatment was so successful and actually enjoyable that I switched my college studies to pre-med and later attended Chiropractic College.
What does this have to do with low back pain you ask?
Everything.
Chiropractors are known for treating low back pain, it is what my profession is associated with. The reason that we are associated with low back pain treatment is because of my professions’ tremendous success rate with delivering fast, safe, natural, drug free back pain relief.
I recently read a study that indicated that the use of chiropractic care for low back pain relief is nearly 4000 times safer than using medications or other traditional western medicine inspired treatments.
Most cases of low back pain occur as a direct result of injury or dysfunction involving the joints and muscles of the low back. These are biomechanical problems that are not efficiently treated with medication (drugs). Biomechanical joint problems account for 80% of low back pain cases and usually worsen with age.
Chiropractic care and its use of specific joint adjustments is the logical and efficient treatment for biomechanical joint problems that are responsible for most cases of low back pain.
om a postural standpoint, one of the worst things that we can do to our bodies is slouch while we sit. Sitting seems like such an innocent, non-injurious activity. This is far from the case.
I have been practicing chiropractic in San Diego for the last 15 years and what I have seen in practice regarding back injuries would be surprising to most people in non-medical careers. The average person that I speak with regarding back pain and injuries is of the mind set that low back pain is the result of jobs that require heavy lifting or contact sports, golfing or car accidents.
In reality, it is the constant stress and strain of postural stress that is the biggest burden on our spines. The postural stress of sitting for hours on end in a task chair in front of a computer can become overwhelming. When our bodies are exposed to a specific stress over a long period of time, the effects that the stress places on our bodies has a cumulative effect. Over the course of months or years that cumulative stress expresses itself as pain, stiffness or more serious symptoms.
When I am explaining the ongoing cumulative effects of postural stress to my chiropractic patients I like to use the classic example of the Chinese water torture. Those first couple hundred drops of water on the forehead aren’t bothersome – but a few hundred drops more will make you truly miserable. The same process happens to your low back as the minutes, hours, days, months and years pass with you sitting in a computer chair.
There is a chart floating around that I have come across in several texts that relates your bodies posture with the amount of stress that each particular posture generates on the discs in the lower back. As the chart demonstrates, the level of stress increases as the subject transitions from a prone position to a standing position to seated position to a slumped forward seated position. The chart shows the pressure in the discs to equal 100% of your body weight while standing, approximately 125% of your bodies weight while sitting and over 140% of your body weight when sitting in a forward slumped position.
The reason that sitting is so hard on your back from a postural standpoint is due to the anatomy of the lower back vertebra. When we are standing, your lower back naturally has a forward sweeping curve with the concavity of that curve facing rearward. That curve acts to efficiently divide the weight of your body between the discs that separate your vertebra and the joints that run down the back of your spine. When you assume a seated position, that curve straightens out transferring some of your weight from the posterior joints to the discs. Slumping forward transfers even more weight resulting in more compression of the discs and more stress on the low backs discs.
As time passes, this increase pressure causes irritation of the overloaded spinal structures eventually leading to inflammation, spasm and pain. This is the basic process with many injuries to the body that result from ongoing exposure to some irritating or stressful activity.
How is this postural stress negated? Well, unfortunately, all if it can’t be. But it can be limited by practicing good posture and the right ergonomic principals. A brief ergonomic evaluation of your work area can give you loads of valuable information that will help minimize the effects of your work environment on your body.
Sitting is a sedentary task but like most things in life, if you don’t do it properly there will be undesirable consequences.
Work Safe!
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Here’s To Your Health
Yours Ergonomically,
Dr. Jones
Economic Mouse Pad
San Diego Chiropractic
Pain Relief San Diego Chiropractic
(619) 280-0554
Mission Valley
(619) 280-0554
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