Archive for July 2017
Back Pain and Breastfeeding
The last two words you want to hear when breastfeeding are: back pain
However, back pain is among the most common complaints among new mothers, regardless of whether they are breastfeeding or not. Simply adjusting to carrying the child, bending over to pick it up, and the lack of sleep associated with nursing is putting a strain on the back. This makes it all the more important that new mothers pay attention to proper body mechanics and breastfeeding techniques.
What does Your Job Say About Your Back Health: Nurse’s Edition
Every job has its own set of risks for the spine
It may surprise you to learn that nursing as a profession has a higher incidence of back-pain related work injuries than construction workers. The healthcare improvement company Premier, Inc. reports that, “six of the top 10 professions at greatest risk for back injury are: nurse’s aides, licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, health aides, radiology technicians, and physical therapists.” Now why is that exactly?
Chiropractic for Facet Joint Syndrome
Facet Joint Syndrome is a common cause of back pain
Joints are the structures that provide for motion and function at points where bone meets bone. The spine is composed of 24 presacral vertebrae in the human spine, and in between each is a spinal motion segment, or functional spinal unit that consists of the two vertebrae, an intervertebral disc, and the connection between the two vertebrae by way of two facet joints. The purpose of the facet joints within this unit is to provide for stable movement between vertebrae and to prevent injury from occurring due to excessive movement. In this way, facet joints are key spinal stabilizers. Facet Joint syndrome refers to injury of the facet joints, which can cause debilitating back pain, as well as swelling and inflammation
Facet Joint Syndrome characteristics
Each facet joint is encapsulated by a thin layer of hyaline cartilage and filled with synovial fluid that provides for lubrication. Facet Joint Syndrome refers to the acute injury or damage from repetitive trauma to the facet joints; it is most often a strain that results from excessive or aggressive movement. Quite often, the body responds with muscle spasm, a natural protective mechanism, that can limit range of motion and cause sharp, severe pain. Most cases of Facet Joint Syndrome will heal themselves in a matter of weeks, but chiropractic seeks to improve the body’s natural healing capacity while also preventing the likelihood of the injury recurring.
Chiropractic for Facet Joint Syndrome
Chiropractic seeks to restore joint function by aiding the body’s natural healing process. We begin with a comprehensive spinal exam including personal medical history to determine if your back is caused by FJS. From there, we move ahead with a multi-faceted plan that uses modalities including:
- Spinal adjustment to maintain spinal alignment and restore range of motion
- Decompression modalities including instrument-assisted and manual traction to rehydrate the spinal joints
- Recommendations on lifestyle adjustments to account for your injury.
If you suspect your back pain may be caused by Facet Joint Syndrome, give our office a call to schedule an appointment and start the healing process today.
Text Neck: Posture in the 21st Century
Text neck is the preeminent posture of the 21st century
Your neck was designed with a lot of things in mind, but the cell phone is not one of them. The next time you are out in public take a look at how people interact with their devices: a common sight is the phone held below the chest and the neck craning down to read. Chances are you use your cell phone in just the same manner and this is problematic when you consider how much we use our phones during the day. Text neck is an overarching term for a host of conditions that result from the overuse of cell phones and the poor posture they inspire.
Elongation of the Spine is Feel Good Therapy
Spinal compression is a natural result of being on earth
It’s called gravity! The force that, for better or worse, keeps us rooted to the ground and is ever pressing us downward. And while the best thing for your spine would be to float around in space, gravity-free, the next best thing is spinal decompression. Here are some of the postures that put your spine under the most pressure:
- Forward-head posture
- Scoliosis
- Hyperlordosis
When left untreated, these configurations of the spine become even more exaggerated and will also contribute to narrowing of the spinal canal. At OFW Chiropractic, we know the way to deal with compressive forces: provide the spine with the decompression therapy. The question is: how do we go about achieving that?
Protecting your Neck in the Wake of Trauma
Whiplash!
Whiplash refers to damage of the soft tissues in the neck sustained by the abrupt forward-backward motion suffered most often in a rear-end collision. It most often causes acute symptoms such as neck pain and loss of range of motion but, if it is allowed to linger, it can develop into something more serious. Even the most “minor” car accidents can cause lasting damage; therefore, it is our opinion that anyone involved in an automobile accident can benefit from a chiropractic evaluation.