Chiropractic + Wellness

Massage therapists have come a long way in reducing pain and improving wellness. Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek physical therapy, chiropractic care, and massage therapy. Back pain affects around three in four adults at some point in their lives. Research supports that massage is a bona fide back pain treatment option. This could be welcome news to those who prefer not to use medications or invasive approaches to managing back pain. The right massage therapists can make all the difference in achieving the benefits.

Massage goals

The first thing is to figure out what the goals are from the massage itself.

• Are there acute back or neck issues that need to be addressed?
• Looking for non-invasive therapy for long-term management of a chronic spinal condition?
• Is the massage for performance enhancement? Could be athletic or to help perform daily activities easier.
• Is it just wanting to relax?

Figuring out what it is to be achieved from the massage is essential to finding the right therapist.

Massage clinic, spa, health club, home

A massage can be performed in health clubs, spas, medical clinics, and at home. The location does not predict the massage type or specialty of the massage therapists, but it can be an indicator. Example: For athletic performance, a gym, or Crossfit center massage therapist is a good place to start. If massage is part of a back and neck pain management plan, look into the massage therapists at a medical clinic or a therapeutic massage clinic.

Ask for recommendations and ask questions

When searching, get recommendations, and ask plenty of questions to get all the information needed.

• Talk to friends and family
• Look online to see reviews
• Use massage therapist finder apps from reputable companies, like the American Massage Therapy Association and Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals

After a few prospects have been found then ask plenty of questions before making an appointment. This can help determine if this will be a long-term therapeutic relationship or a one-time visit. If looking to manage a serious spinal condition, the recommendation would be to find a therapist with more experience.

Massage education programs that are only entry-level do not provide in-depth education and practice for the many specific and complex spinal conditions. The real experience comes from years of practice along with continued education. This is how massage therapists are able to expand their clinical analysis and treatment development expertise. Get a sense of the massage therapist’s education and practice experience. This will help significantly when choosing a therapist best equipped.

Questions to ask potential therapists:

• How long have you been practicing?
• What’s your massage education?
• Related education or practice experience? Many nurses or occupational therapists go on to become massage therapists. This means the information and knowledge from their nursing are now integrated into their massage practice.
• How much-continued education have you gone through?
• How many sessions do you offer?
• What does the schedule look like? Think about scheduling when the therapist is more refreshed, like early in the workweek or their scheduled shift.
• Do you have specialties with specific conditions or techniques?
• Do you get massaged? If so, how often? Massage is a labor-intensive task. Therefore, it could be best to go to a therapist that keeps themselves healthy and balanced.
• How long does it take for the initial appointment?
• Do you have to book ahead?

If a therapist is booked don't get frustrated

If a long-term therapeutic relationship for the management of a spinal condition is the goal, then it may be worth waiting for. A therapist that has a long wait time for initial appointments means they have patients that see them regularly and that’s a very good sign of quality care. One possible option for individuals waiting for their appointment is to go to a local massage school to get treated. This option is less expensive, great for body maintenance, and provides opportunities for the training therapists.

Professionalism

A quality indicator is the professionalism of the therapist. This includes the extent to which they model the values of a health care professional valued by the patient. This is different for everyone. Questions to consider:

• Are they on time?
• Does the therapist cancel appointments?
• Are you comfortable around them?
• Do they listen?
• Does the patient help in the development of a treatment plan?
• Are they comfortable and engaged in the work?
• Are they taking their massage career seriously?

Feeling at ease during the appointment/s is very important to massage success and relief. If anything about the therapist causes hesitation, look for another.

Massage Management

Massage is an excellent back pain treatment option that has gained popularity as a complement to pain management plans and as an alternative to invasive procedures. But, massage is not a cure-all. Often the cause of the back pain does not go away entirely. This is where massage therapy comes in as a pain management tool.

It's important to consider the condition’s duration and severity when evaluating the success of a session. This helps in planning the massage schedule. When there is a complex and established spinal condition be patient, as a 1-hour massage is not going to solve a 10-year back pain battle. However, with perseverance massage can safely and effectively help reduce pain and promote a better quality of life.

Whiplash Chiropractic Massage Therapy

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*

There are different types of topical medications, different ways of delivery and are available for patients with back and neck pain. A physician may combine one or more types of medication for maximum relief or as a way of limiting the side effects of larger doses of only one medication. Strong dose compounds and controlled drugs are only available with a doctor's prescription.

Medicines that help control/reduce pain include:

• Narcotics
• Anti-inflammatories
• Muscle relaxants
• Antidepressants
• Anti-anxiety medications
• Topical anesthetics

Medicines with a low potency and low risk of side effects are available at stores and local pharmacies over-the-counter. But remember medications sold over the counter without a prescription doesn't mean they are safe to use as much as possible. Please read the label and follow the instructions. 

Taking higher doses, even acetaminophen e.g. Tylenol can cause liver damage. Discussing these medications with a doctor or pharmacist before purchase would be wise. Your physician should know if you plan to continue using over-the-counter medications.

Inform your physician about all the products you take including herbal remedies to decrease the risk of side effects or potential severe drug interactions. When acute pain is present, injections either intravenous or intramuscular injected into the muscles are used. For chronic pain, medications are used and are typically in pill form. Both methods have limitations and different delivery approaches may be considered. This includes inhalation or topical on top of the skin applications.

Topical Pain Alleviators

These type of medications come prepared and are applied to the skin via:

• Cream
• Ointment
• Gel
• Spray
• Patch For example - Lidoderm patch

Topical medications aim to reduce inflammation and soothe nerve and muscle pain. Some are available with a doctor's prescription and others are over-the-counter. Medication administered through the skin is becoming more popular.

Skin Cells

The skin is the largest organ of the body. It serves as water barrier protection, it regulates body temperature, controls fluid loss, and is important to homeostasis/healthy internal balance.

It is made up of many layers and is supported by a complex blood supply. The blood vessels are in a framework of connective tissue including fat and fascia that holds the tissues together. Below that layer is the bone and muscle. There are also nerve endings that relay touch, temperature, and pain signals from the skin to the spinal cord, to the brain.

Compounds have been developed to safely carry the various medicines through the skin into the blood. These compound enhancers are able to penetrate the skin by opening normally closed channels for a quick time to help the skin absorb the medication/s and then close back up.

Spine Pain

Spine physicians and pain specialists often first recommend topical pain-relievers to help relieve the symptoms of back and neck pain/conditions.

Topical medicines may be used to treat the pain associated with:

• Neck strain
• Low back strain
• Whiplash
• Muscle inflammation
• Spasms
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Certain types of nerve pain

Topical Advantages

• Bases like creams, ointments, gels, and sprays make application easy.
• Symptom relief is faster than oral medicines.
• Symptoms reduce at a steady rate.
• Relief can last longer.
• Not as much medicine is needed when applied in topical form.

As the medication is diffused through the skin and enters the bloodstream, it bypasses the digestive system reducing any unwanted side effects, like an irritated stomach.

Topical Disadvantages

• Blood flows in different ways to different parts of the body. Education about the product is essential to know where to apply the product like the arm or abdomen and how often.
• Blood flow to certain parts of the body can change over time. For example, when it's cold the blood vessels in the skin contract which decreases the absorption of the medicine, while sweating can open the pores too much and allow too much medication to be absorbed too quickly or wash it away completely.
• The skin could present a negative reaction. Therefore patients need to know what to do if an allergic or other reaction takes place.
• The skin nerves are different from the spinal nerves, so certain types of neck/back pain may not respond well to topical treatment.
• Spinal conditions/disorders deep in the body will not respond well to topical therapy.

Is it right

Are topical pain-alleviating medications the right for you? The best person to ask is your doctor or healthcare provider. Upon a final diagnosis and medical history, your doctor should offer various treatments/therapies for pain management.

Conclusion

Patches and creams can be used to deliver a wide variety of medications. These topicals are becoming popular because of their convenience and, reduction of negative side-effects.

• For individuals with muscle or tendon inflammation, applying a topical to the affected area limits the amount of medication going to other areas of the body that do not need it.
• For those that have stomach problems and find it difficult to digest anti-inflammatories, these topicals could be all they need to stay active.
• Individuals with chronic neck or back pain should discuss these medications with their pain specialist, physician or chiropractor to see if one of these topicals might work for them.

El Paso, TX Chiropractic Care Neck Pain Treatment

NCBI Resources

Everyone needs to take care of their back/spine because it is what holds us up as long as we keep it straight and strong. Strengthening the core can help prevent a weak and misaligned spine from getting worse and helps to eliminate pain.

Back safety should be priority one, as it affects all aspects of your life. Not only are you protecting your back, but are preventing future injury. We all need to pay attention to proper body positioning and body mechanics, as it will pay off in the long run.

Reducing stress is important for emotional well being and physical health. Rheumatoid arthritis is a complex condition with no cure and can cause intense chronic pain. Stress only exacerbates the symptoms, affects pain perception, and weakens the body. Stress management is highly important for reducing pain. In a weakened state, an individual is more vulnerable to arthritis symptoms, like flare-ups, weakness, and fatigue. Chiropractic can help.

There are non-surgical treatments for arthritis, like medications, physical, and massage therapy that address the physical nature of the condition. By eliminating stressful triggers and making healthy behavioral/lifestyle changes a better sense of well being can be achieved.

Different emotions can run rampant:

• Confusion
• Frustration
• Anger
• Sadness
• Helplessness

And all of these feelings can generate intense stress on an individual. Chiropractic excels in wellness and is becoming more common for individuals to visit chiropractic clinics for treating a variety of different kinds of pain symptoms and conditions. 

Chiropractic adjustments provide countless benefits to those with arthritis. We’ll explore how chiropractic can help those with arthritis and give additional information along with suggestions on how to alleviate the pain. 

What Chiropractic Does

A doctor of chiropractic is a health professional that focuses on wellness and optimal health instead of ailment/sickness symptoms. Their specialty aims at adjusting the spine to correct misalignments that could be pressing down on nerves and causing major disruption in the body. Regular chiropractic not only restores health throughout the body but helps alleviate back pain and any other symptoms associated with an out of alignment spine.

They also work in setting up exercise programs specific to the condition being treated along with the proper diet to utilize in assisting with the management of inflammation and pain.

Arthritis

Arthritis is inflammation in the body's joints which results in pain, stiffness and limited range of movement. There are over 200 different varieties of arthritis. Generally associated with age, it can affect young people. It can strike pretty much any area of the body. Arthritis can cause damage to soft tissues and muscles.

Osteoarthritis also known as degenerative joint disease, is the most common type. It comes from repeated trauma to the joints and occurs more often in the elderly.

Other forms include:

• Rheumatoid arthritis is the second common type in which the body’s immune system attacks the joint/s.
• Psoriatic arthritis, an autoimmune form of arthritis.
• Ankylosing spondylitis is a type of arthritis where the body attacks itself.
• Septic arthritis is caused by a viral or bacterial infection of the joint/s.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing arthritis involves a thorough physical examination. Rheumatologists often need help with these cases, and so a medical work-up can be done and a chiropractor could be recommended. This includes X-rays or MRIs, urine, blood analysis, and physical examinations. Having the condition properly diagnosed will help to more effectively treat the symptoms.

Chiropractic

The most common treatment is medication, which takes down the inflammation, the swelling and reduces pain. Chiropractors can be of great help in managing arthritis. Medications work but as we've seen they can have long-term health risks like impaired healing, damage to the stomach lining and internal bleeding.

A chiropractor can reduce stress, and reliance on medications, all the while managing the pain and symptoms in a natural way. Chiropractic can:

• Improve range of motion
• Keeps the spine properly aligned
• Improve endurance
• Improve flexibility
• Increase strength
• Increase muscle tone
• Develop a dietary and nutritional plan to reduce inflammation
• Recommend an exercise regimen conducive to arthritis symptoms

According to the American Chiropractic Association, this is vital in managing arthritis symptoms. 

Treatment

Understand that chiropractic cannot cure arthritis. They can help alleviate symptoms, slow the progression and help to reduce stress levels. They will use adjustments in combination with other treatments. This can include:

• Hot and cold treatments
• Ultrasound treatments
• Massage
• Electronic muscle stimulation
• Physical rehabilitation
• Magnet therapy

Reduce Stress

Exercise

Water aerobics or make walking around the park/neighborhood part of a daily routine, as it promotes a healthy mind by reducing stress and anxiety. Gentle exercises like aerobic exercise are perfect because it improves mobility and helps shed a few pounds taking pressure off the joints. Exercise creates endorphins, which reduces pain and uplifts the mood.

Support groups

With any type of painful condition, it's easy to feel alone. Joining a support group can connect you with people who understand what's going on and the emotions you're experiencing. The community helps diminish the sense of isolation.

Relaxation therapy

This focuses on calming the body and mind by making a conscious effort to relax. Even for only a few moments, you might find this technique effective at controlling the stress response. Begin by focusing on one part of the body like the hands, feet, etc.

Concentrate until the area you're focusing on is completely free of stress or tension. Then imagine weightlessness flow through the body. Close your eyes, lie down, turn off the lights, and think of something soothing. There are no strict guidelines for relaxation. Whatever puts you in a relaxed frame of mind is the way to do it.

Warm bath

Warm moist heat from a shower, bath, or steam room can decrease the secretion of stress hormones and raise levels of endorphins, as aforementioned the body's natural pain killers.

Take time for yourself

When it comes to reducing stress, balance is key. Staying active, and regular rest/sleep is vital to successful treatment. A balance needs to be in everything you do. Therefore, make time for the things you want to do.

Results

Inflammatory diseases like arthritis have shown the best results are achieved from combating it from all angles. Working with a chiropractor and rheumatologist to combine treatments can make all the difference. A healthy diet and active exercise program will get you in the right direction toward a healthy active lifestyle. If you or a loved one are suffering from arthritis, don’t hesitate to call. We’re here to help in any way possible!

Depression and Chronic Pain

Here are some tips that you can use throughout the year but are especially useful during the holidays. So give yourself the gift of spending happy holidays with less stress, neck and back pain. Christmas is a time of excitement, growth, family, friends mixed with stress.

Now there is good stress that we all use when we need it, but when everything just starts to close in all around you, that's the bad kind of stress that we want to prevent and avoid. For people with chronic back or neck pain, the strain of getting your to-do list done can take the joy of the season right out and replace it with pain and misery.  Therefore plan ahead so you can get your holiday chores done without pain.

Five tips for making the holidays more enjoyable and comfortable

Tip 1 - Shop Simple

Back and leg pain, along with sciatica, can make walking at a shopping mall almost impossible. Instead of doing a lot of walking maybe pick up gift cards or go online. This way the family and friends get to pick whatever they want and you avoid lifting and carrying shopping bags. But, if you do buy personalized gifts, go online. Everything gets shipped straight to wherever you want.

Tip 2 - Plan Before Cooking

If you're expecting a large crowd, prepare all you can ahead of time. Example: pies can be baked the day before.

Before you start cooking, look at the kitchen. Is there room for everyone to fit while helping, conversing, etc? If not, set up the space so people can flow easily around each other and get things done.

Use your counter-top to lean on every now and then for a few minutes and take the pressure off your back. Do not stay in any one position for an extended period. To help you not forget, set a timer to remind you to sit, rest, or stand. Also, let your guests help with serving and clean up so any stress on the body is reduced. 

Tip 3 - Make Decorating a Group Activity

Don’t decorate by yourself. Especially when moving heavy objects. Get help so everyone is involved. This will prevent repetitive injuries when reaching or twisting and reduce stress to you and your family's backs.

Tip 4: Make Time for Yourself

During the holidays we can get tempted to forget about our regular eating and exercise routines.

Stay focused, as you need strength and flexibility to be able to accomplish these tasks. So stretch out and continue your exercise regimen no matter how hectic it gets.

Stretching will help keep you limber and reduce the risk of a sprain or strain. If there is no time for your regular exercise routine, don’t just drop it. Adapt and break up the exercises into little segments throughout the day.

Continue to eat the regular healthy meals you're used to. Gaining weight will make back pain worse. Staying on track isn’t easy during the holidays. Take a look online for healthy strategies before the holiday parties begin.

Here are some examples:

• Eat breakfast to prevent overeating later in the day.
• At the party, fill up with low-calorie foods like vegetables, leafy green salads, and lean proteins.
• Try to stay out of easy reach of nuts, chips or candies, cookies, etc.
• If you're going to have some high-calorie food have some, but don't overdo it.
• And if you’re going to indulge try something that doesn't come around all the time, like a piece of your aunt’s pie, cookies, cake, ham, tamales, that you only get once a year.

Tip 5 - Look to the Future

Look ahead to the future and look up some simple ways to improve your back or neck pain. Setting some goals like adding a 5-minute walk break to your day that you could gradually increase to ten, fifteen minutes and so on. Signing up for a yoga/fitness class could be another idea. This could also be the year to replace your mattress. Whatever the case, take it all in, look at the options and figure out what works for you.

Eliminate your Low Back Pain! | El Paso, Tx (2020) | FOOT ORTHOTICS

NCBI Resources

There are 3 major categories of stress: bodily, environmental and emotional.

• Bodily stress: Caused by lack of sleep, disease, trauma or injury, and improper nutrition.
• Environmental stress: Caused by loud noises (sudden or sustained), pollution and world events, such as war and politics.
• Emotional stress: Caused by a variety of life events, such as moving homes, starting a new job and regular personal interactions. In contrast to the other two categories of stress, however, people can have some control over their emotional stress. Such can depend on the individual’s own attitude.