Spine Health & Spinal Hygiene

Massage is part of integrative medicine and can be used for various medical conditions. In massage therapy, a therapist rubs and kneads the body's soft tissues, including muscle, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, and skin. The therapist varies the amount of pressure and movement. Individuals often start feeling the effects right away. One of the benefits is increased temperature. Increased temperature amplifies blood flow and circulation, enabling muscular and connective tissues to release restriction, and muscle tightness, relieve tension, and improve movement. A massage therapist will use different techniques to increase the temperature to treat various conditions.

Increased Temperature

Some patients want to know why their muscles heat up or burn during a massage. Muscles burn because of the accumulation of waste in the cells. The waste products are released as a result of massage. The muscles release lactate, a byproduct of glucose. The effects of deep tissue massage are almost the same as the effects of exercise. During the massage:

• The demand for oxygen in the tissues increases.
• Because of this, blood flow circulation to these tissues increases.
• This is necessary to supply oxygen and glucose.
• It excretes waste substances and toxins.

Muscle heat or burn during massage differs for everybody. Some individuals don't feel it at all. The session can be so intense that the muscles can't clear the lactate/toxins fast enough, causing the burning sensation.

Fascia Circulation

The temperature of the fascia can also be increased. Fascia is the thick, fibrous layer of connective tissues beneath the skin that can often become restrictive. Increased temperature in the superficial and deep tissues releases, relaxes, and loosens tight, tense, shortened, and/or injured areas, allowing muscular tissues to increase in elasticity, flexibility, and relaxation. Heart rate is raised, improving circulation and increasing the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the affected areas and the rest of the body.

• Myofascial release involves slowly applying pressure to the area using flattened hands and fingers.
• The slow, soft pressure increases the temperature of the fascia.
• As the hands and fingers get deeper within, they slowly move around, spreading the fascia.
• This releases the tightness and relieves the pain.
• An individual's posture can improve when the temperature is increased. Muscular tension and tightness can cause increased pain symptoms, not allowing healthy posture.

Muscle Burn Relief

Rehydrate

• Drink plenty of water after the session is over.
• Water maintains proper circulation for excreting waste products and nourishes the muscle cells with fresh nutrients and oxygen.
• Avoid coffee and alcohol as they increase urination and blood osmolality and dehydrate the body.

Stretching

• Stretching before and after a session can relieve muscle soreness.
• Stretching exercises increase blood flow.
• Stimulates the release of synovial fluid around the joints.

Sleep

• Get plenty of rest after a session.
• The body knows how to restore itself; during sleep, it reduces cortisol secretion.
• It increases the stimulation of antioxidative hormones to go after free radicals.

Herbal Remedies

• Herbal remedies like ginger, garlic, cloves, and cinnamon increase blood circulation, reducing pain and swelling.

Essential Oils

• Essential oils like peppermint oil can help relax the mind.
• They have anti-inflammatory properties that help with muscle burn and soreness.
• After a session, a little peppermint or CBD oil can relieve the sore parts.

Chiropractic Success Story

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, don't hesitate to get in touch with Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References

Dion LJ, et al. Development of a hospital-based massage therapy course at an academic medical center. International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. 2015; doi:10.3822/ijtmb.v8i1.249.

Massage therapy: What you need to know. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/massage-therapy-what-you-need-to-know. Accessed Jan. 5, 2021.

Rodgers NJ, et al. A decade of building massage therapy services at an academic medical center as part of a healing enhancement program. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2015; doi:10.1016/j.ctcp.2015.07.004.

Chiropractic alignment is often the go-to option when injured or experiencing various types of pain. And for good reason, because it works. However, chiropractic medicine goes beyond injuries, and pain conditions. Individuals can reap the benefits of regular chiropractic for increased well being and maintaining optimal health.

Chiropractors understand the importance of balancing all areas of the body's health. This is done through a combination of spinal adjustments and educating individuals on how to develop healthy lifestyle habits. Chiropractic care can increase positivity, overall life, and well-being.

Regular Chiropractic Alignment Benefits

Being able to enjoy a full and healthy life is more than just being free of pain or injury. It means all of the body's functions are operating properly and cleanly. Understanding what helps the body thrive can take an individual's quality of life to another level. Chiropractic can help guide individuals to feel their best with recommendations and regular spinal monitoring and alignment. The benefits of chiropractic include:

• Energy levels increase
• Anxiety, stress, and depression are reduced
• Sleep quality improves
• Pain reduces and alleviates
• The body’s natural healing abilities are activated
• Mood and positivity increases
• Muscle strength increases and physical performance improves
• Inflammation is reduced

Spinal Alignment and Increased Positivity

The science behind chiropractic is based on the health of the nervous system. A well-balanced nervous system keeps the body functioning at an optimal level. The primary focus of chiropractic is making sure the spine is in proper alignment. Once a balance has been achieved further recommendations and treatment options can be incorporated into a full maintenance regimen.

Spine misalignment occurs with the regular stress placed on the body. Poor posture, too much sitting, and developing injury are a few reasons the spine slips out of alignment. These misalignments are hard to detect without the help of a trained professional chiropractor. Spinal misalignment causes the neural tissues and energy to become compromised and progresses little by little to health degradation.

Health to the Next Level

Chiropractic medicine specializes in the best possible spinal alignment treatment. An in-depth science-based approach focuses on whole-body results to help an individual feel their best. Get in touch with a chiropractor to see how they can help boost health.

Migraine Pain 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*

References

Ernst, Edzard. “Chiropractic: a critical evaluation.” Journal of Pain and symptom management vol. 35,5 (2008): 544-62. doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2007.07.004

Prolonged standing can cause the pelvis to push backward, increasing the curve of the lower back/lumbar region. This increased pressure on the soft tissues surrounding the spine causes the lower back muscles to tighten and/or spasm, resulting in discomfort in the joints and nerves. Weakened core muscles and unhealthy posture/postural syndrome are the most common causes, but injury, aging, congenital malformations, or a disease/condition can also contribute to the symptoms. Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic has a top team of professional therapists to evaluate the problem, diagnose the cause/s accurately, and develop a customized treatment and rehabilitation plan.

Prolonged Standing Back Discomfort

Back Structure

The lower back is one of the most used areas of the spine, moving around and bending during a normal day. When the body stands, the spine naturally curves both in and outwards.

• The inward curve, called lordosis, curves towards the front of the body at the lower back and neck regions.
• The outward curve, called kyphosis, curves towards the back of the body at the chest.
• When bending over while standing, the five lumbar vertebrae of the lower back change position and shift from lordosis to kyphosis when bent completely.
• When standing up from bending, the lumbar vertebrae change position again and return to the lordosis position.

Causes

The facet joints allow movement between each spine level. The standing spinal curvature can increase contact between the facet joints. As the body ages, the facet joints and discs begin to wear out, which can cause the discs and facet joints to become inflamed. Prolonged standing during normal daily activity combined with inflammation in these joints can aggravate the inflammation and cause symptoms. Regular routines and habits may contribute to low back discomfort during prolonged standing. These include:

• Sleeping on a sinking or unsupportive mattress.
• Practicing unhealthy postures that cause imbalances with proper weight distribution.
• Not wearing proper footwear and/or supportive orthotics forces the lower spine into increased curvature and can compress the facet joints.
• Not getting enough physical activity that strengthens the core.
• Improperly lifting and carrying objects.
• Excess weight makes the body heavier.

Standing Recommendations

Some recommendations may help:

• Stand for shorter periods.
• When symptoms start to present, it is recommended to change position.
• A sitting-to-standing workstation or desk that adjusts could help.
• Move around and stretch out to improve circulation and decrease muscle fatigue.
• Try placing one foot on a step while standing, limiting excessive spine curvature.
• Try back and spine support footwear.

Chiropractic

Chiropractors are experts on the musculoskeletal system. They will:

• Listen to the patient about symptoms, medical history, and occupation.
• A physical examination of muscle tone, strength, and range of motion.
• Therapeutic massage, electric muscle stimulation, and ultrasound therapy can help reduce muscle inflammation and increase circulation to injured soft tissues.
• Chiropractic adjustments will reset joints, removing pressure from the surrounding muscles and nerves.
• Targeted therapeutic strength training is recommended for core and leg muscles to improve hip flexibility.
• Non-surgical decompression or traction, either with a machine or suspension, can reverse the pressure in spinal discs.

Standing Lower Back Relief Exercises

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, don't hesitate to contact Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References

Hasegawa, Tetsuya, et al. “Association of low back load with low back pain during static standing.” PloS one vol. 13,12 e0208877. 18 Dec. 2018, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0208877

Jo, Hoon, et al. “Negative Impacts of Prolonged Standing at Work on Musculoskeletal Symptoms and Physical Fatigue: The Fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey.” Yonsei medical journal vol. 62,6 (2021): 510-519. doi:10.3349/ymj.2021.62.6.510

Ognibene GT, Torres W, von Eyben R, Horst KC. Impact of a sit-stand workstation on chronic low back pain: randomized trial results. J Occup Environ Med. 2016;58(3):287-293. Abstract. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26735316. Accessed March 2, 2017.

Parry, Sharon P et al. “Workplace interventions for increasing standing or walking for decreasing musculoskeletal symptoms in sedentary workers.” The Cochrane database of systematic reviews vol. 2019,11 CD012487. November 17, 2019, doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012487.pub2

Rodríguez-Romero, Beatriz, et al. “Thirty Minutes Identified as the Threshold for Development of Pain in Low Back and Feet Regions, and Predictors of Pain Intensity During 1-h Laboratory-Based Standing in Office Workers.” International journal of environmental research and public health vol. 19,4 2221. February 16, 2022, doi:10.3390/ijerph19042221

Smith, Michelle D et al. “The Influence of Using a Footstool during a Prolonged Standing Task on Low Back Pain in Office Workers.” International journal of environmental research and public health vol. 16,8 1405. April 18. 2019, doi:10.3390/ijerph16081405