How Does a Chiropractic Adjustment Work?

Facet Joints: Gliding Your Way to Better Health

If you’ve had neck or back pain that you could put a finger on; or sharp pain when moving, it may be due to facet joints of your spine. It’s easy to think of your facet joints as the knuckles of your spine. They are small joints with a capsule and cartilage pad that glide and slide, allowing your spine and body to move.
As you go through life and your spinal discs go through the aging process, your facet joints take on the extra load. Unfortunately, this excess stress and pressure can wear down your facet joints. The result is the beginning of the degenerative process, which can end up causing adhesions, restriction motion, bone spurs, and pain.

• The facet joints of your spine slide and glide as you move
• Restrictions or adhesions in the facets can occur with age and injury
• Spinal adjustments help the facet joints move freely and decrease painful restrictions

The facet joints of your spine love to move. Movement helps them stay healthy and may even slow down the degenerative process. Spinal adjustments have been shown to reduce adhesions of the facet joints, allowing you to move more freely with less pain. We believe that when you are moving better, you are feeling better- and we’re proud to be a part of the healthcare team that helps you stay active!

Disc Issues and Chiropractic

Disc herniations, bulges, protrusions, and extrusions are the most common reasons people visit a chiropractor. Come to think of it; most people see a chiropractor not just because they have a disc issue but because the disc issue has caused a significant impact on their quality of life. Exciting new research has begun to showcase what we have witnessed for years; how chiropractic care provides outstanding results for people with spinal disc issues.

Specific chiropractic techniques are thought to influence the pressure in your spinal discs. Emerging research has shown that movement, reducing intra-discal stress, and opening up the channels your nerves pass through can improve how you feel and accelerate the healing process.

• Keeping your core muscles strong and flexible can decrease your likelihood of suffering a disc bulge or herniation
• Research has shown spinal adjustments to be very effective at reducing pain caused by disc bulges and herniations
• Spinal adjustments were found to be more effective than spinal injections for treating disc issues

Your body has an incredible ability to heal without drugs or surgery, even from disc herniations. A recent study showcased that people with an MRI-confirmed disc herniation received better results with chiropractic adjustments than injections. If you have an MRI that shows a disc issue, it does NOT mean that surgery or injections are your only options. If you have a disc issue slowing you down, call us today to discover a natural way to find relief.

The Brain + Spine Connection

Every thought and movement occurs through your brain or spinal cord, commonly known as the central nervous system. Your spinal column acts as the protection and pathway for your spinal cord to travel down and then split into the nerves that reach every cell of your body. Every moment, millions of messages are moving along your spinal cord to maintain the delicate balance between your brain and body.

Chiropractic adjustments can alter biochemical markers in your brain. New research has shown that the type of movement during a chiropractic adjustment can change the chemistry of your brain. These changes can result in everything from endorphin release (a feel-good hormone) to pain relief, and emerging research has even indicated increased strength (or cortical drive) after an adjustment.

• Your brain and body are in constant communication through your central and peripheral nervous system
• The spinal cord can send information to your brain at over 250 mph!
• Chiropractic adjustments to your neck or back have been shown to influence brain function, resulting in pain relief, endorphin release, and more.

Over the past 100 years, scientists and doctors have learned much about the brain/body connection, but we still have a long way to go. Aging, healing, and your entire life experience happen through the communication and coordination of your brain and body. Keeping your brain and body engaged and moving each day can help support a healthy life. If you’ve struggled to stay active due to pain, schedule an evaluation with us today.

Your Body is Designed to Move

Your body is built to move. Every spinal disc and joint is designed to help you sit, stand, run, and…move! Your discs are soft enough to flex as you bend forward and back, the spinal facet joints slide as you turn and twist, and the spinal bones are connected with ligaments that keep you supported as your muscles push and pull. It’s an incredibly strong and resilient system when you stop and think about it.

New research has begun to give us a glimpse at just how important movement is in our lives. For example, spine movement has now been shown to stimulate and accelerate the healing process. Movement is so crucial in the healing process that even people who have spine surgery are encouraged to get up and move as quickly as possible after surgery.

• All of the bones, muscles, ligaments, and joints of your spine are designed to support daily movement
• Blood flow, strength, and flexibility all are enhanced through movement
• Movement of the individual segments of your spine can affect how you heal

Next Steps:

I believe encouraging healthy movement and activity is part of my job as your chiropractor. If you have any questions about stretches, exercises, or other ways to proactively stay healthy- ask. There is an old saying, “You don’t get old then stiff; you get stiff then old.” We want to help you stay young by helping you keep your spine and body moving. Stay proactive with your health by ensuring you have your next appointment scheduled!

Science Sources:

(1) Comparative Clinical Effectiveness of Nonsurgical Treatment Methods in Patients With Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation 2019

(2) Magnetic resonance imaging zygapophyseal joint space changes (gapping) in low back pain patients following spinal manipulation and side-posture positioning: a randomized controlled mechanisms trial with blinding. JMPT 2013

(3) Symptomatic magnetic resonance imaging-confirmed lumbar disk herniation patients: a comparative effectiveness prospective observational study of 2 age- and sex-matched cohorts treated with high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulative therapy or imaging-guided lumbar nerve root injections. JMPT 2013

(4) Changes in biochemical markers of pain perception and stress response after spinal manipulation. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. 2014

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Kids and Chiropractic: Overcoming Tech Neck, Improving Posture, and Performing Their Best

Be Smart With Your Smartphone and Look Up!

As education steps into the digital age, many students will be learning in some capacity for hours each day on their digital devices. While our devices can be fantastic tools for entertainment and education, the postural effects are something all parents should be aware of. For many students, e-learning may increase neck, mid-back, and low back pain.

Spending six or more hours each day looking down at your digital devices can profoundly affect your mental, social, and physical health. It can also lead to the development of “Tech Neck Syndrome.” This forward head posture often places tremendous stress on the neck (cervical spine) and can lead to an increase in headaches, back and neck pain, and more.

Did you know…

• Low back pain is the 3rd most common form of pain interfering with schoolwork.
• It’s estimated that 50.3% of school-aged children present with posture disorders.
• Approximately 41.6% of children experience back pain from prolonged sitting.

Why Chiropractic Care is Critical for Kids Who Play Sports

Youth sports are a big deal. It’s estimated that over 45 million kids are actively engaged in sports! While sports give kids a fantastic opportunity to grow socially and physically, they also increase risks for injuries, pain from overuse, and muscular imbalances. Finding proactive ways to reduce the risk of injury and balance the effects of training are essential for your child’s developing musculoskeletal system.

Your child’s skeletal system is actively developing until they are approximately 25 years old. Their postural habits, history of injuries, and genetics play a role in their body’s final form (and function). Sports have the potential to add a significant amount of stress and increase the chances of injuries for your developing child. Even small injuries to their spine can create bigger challenges down the road as they get older.

To recap:

• Addressing minor injuries and challenges while your child is young can help ensure proper musculoskeletal development.
• Youth sports can increase your child’s likelihood of developing overuse, growth plate injuries, and chronic pain.
• Chiropractic care is a safe and natural way to help your child stay active and perform their best.

Power Your Child’s Brain with Movement

Years ago, many believed that the health benefits of exercise were limited to the body. However, research has demonstrated that regular physical activity and movement can benefit the body and the brain. Recent studies have highlighted that movement can improve the supply of oxygen to the brain and promote the production of new cells. It appears movement also aids in creating new connections in the brain!

Many schools have reduced physical education classes. Many more students have moved towards e-learning. For those reasons, it’s important to be mindful of our children’s physical activity and encourage them to exercise more daily. And not just to benefit their physical health. In many ways, exercising each day is likely to make your child a better student! Movement triggers the release of chemical substances in the brain that enhance brain function.

Here’s a quick snapshot of the benefits of movement:

• Better Brain Function – Movement may protect your brain against degenerative changes.
• Better Stress Reduction – Exercise and movement have been shown to have an antidepressant effect that can help reduce overall stress.
• Better Memory – Regular exercise can help directly and indirectly improve recall and reasoning skills.

E-Learning: How to Avoid Tech Neck

Is your child connected to a phone, computer, or tablet during and after school? Think about it. Many of us aren’t more than an arm’s length from our phone at any time (even when sleeping). Spending time every day looking down at our devices can place a lot of stress on the supporting muscles of our neck and lead to an increase in headaches. It’s a condition called “Tech Neck,” one of the most common causes of headaches and neck pain.

The countless daily hours kids spend on phones and computers can significantly contribute to tension headaches. It’s estimated that kids spend up to 1,400 hours per year in the exact positions attributed to the development of “Tech Neck.” That’s not surprising. Recent research has also shown that even 15 degrees of forward head tilt can triple the weight of the head on the spine.

Here are some key things to remember when it comes to “Tech Neck”:

• “Tech Neck” is the term used to describe the symptoms of headaches, neck pain, and poor posture attributed to the forward head posture often associated with using your phone, tablet, and computer.
• Taking a break from our mobile devices every 15 minutes can help reduce the likelihood of developing recurring neck pain and headaches.
• Chiropractic care, including adjustments and postural exercises, can help decrease the pain and reverse the effects of “Tech Neck.”

Next Steps:

Keep it simple. Encourage your children to take breaks and stretch often. These are some of the best (and easiest) ways to help them break the bad habits leading to “Tech Neck.” If your child spends a lot of time online and begins experiencing neck pain or headaches, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Our team is experienced in evaluating children and creating kid-friendly care plans. Our doors are open, and we’re ready to help you and your family live the highest quality of life possible!

Science Sources:

(1) Text Neck Syndrome in Children and Adolescents. Intl Journal of Env Research and Public Health. 2021.
(2) Back Pain in School Children. Dynamic Chiropractic. 1995.
(3) School Children’s Backpacks, Back Pain and Back Pathologies. Arch Dis Child. 2012.
(4) Young Athletes. UCONN Health. 2017.
(5) Learning Upregulates Neurotrophic Factor. Behavioral Neuroscience. 1998.
(6) The Anti-Depressant Effect of Running. Intl Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology. 2005.
(7) Regular Exercise Changes the Brain. Harvard Health Publishing. 2014.
(8) How Exercise Affects Your Brain. Scientific American. 2018.
(9) Assessment of Stresses in the Cervical Spine Caused by Posture. Surg Tech Intl. 2014.
(10) Three Steps to Build a Better Back. Harvard Health Publishing. 2015.

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The Benefits of Chiropractic

Bottom Line:
Do you know the benefits of chiropractic care? Many people know that chiropractors adjust the body’s joints, but things can get confusing after that. The truth is that chiropractors help your body heal through movement-based techniques that influence your body’s nervous system, muscles, and joints.

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The Problem with Relying on Medications for Low Back Pain

It’s safe to assume that all of us have an over-the-counter pain reliever like Aleve or Ibuprofen in our medicine cabinets at home. From a young age, we learn to have these on hand to help us find short-term relief from temporary headaches or other body aches and pains.

We’re always looking for immediate symptom relief, and that is ALL these medications are designed to do – to temporarily mask the symptoms.

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