Number One Visit

The most common reason people see a doctor is due to back pain in America. Whether patients visit for pain relief or endure back surgery, a common medication prescribed is an opioid. The opioid crisis has become an epidemic in itself. Even for mild cases, most Americans are also used to taking an NSAID (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug). Instead of accepting the risk of falling into a medicated reliance, there must be another solution to healing these issues.

Providing Another Solution

Most back pain issues start as a mild ache, but over time create a larger issue. Instead of looking for sources to mask pain, we should focus more on what your body is telling you. When your body has a pain response, it signaling that there is a specific cause needing to be healed. Chiropractic care has shared the great connection between the spine and the rest of your entire body. Instead of undergoing unnecessary surgery, or relying on medications, there is another solution to these five underlying causes of back pain.

5 Back Pain Causes + The Solutions

1. Subluxation

Each joint within the spine needs to have movement. A subluxation occurs when there is an interference to the joints, vertebrae, or disks. We sit 90% of our day from things such as sitting at work, sports injury, sleeping wrong, and more. This creates a stress response, like back pain.

Solution: Go to a chiropractor to get consulted, x-rayed, and then adjusted to remove subluxations within the spine.

2. Inflammation

There can be inflammation within your apophyseal joints. These joints can be jammed. It is most common with anyone who has a pelvic tilt, athletes, or people who sleep on their stomachs. If you have forward head posture, your joints can lock up as well. When these are inflamed, it can cause back pain.

Solution: Strengthen and stretch your hip flexors and hip extensors. Also, eliminated foods that increase inflammation.

3. Disk Issues

This can include disk herniation, a bulging disk, disk degeneration, or broken disk. Inside our fluid-filled disks, there are ligaments. Movement creates the flow of old fluid and new fluid. You can also tear these ligaments over time and loss the proper curve in your spine which then distributes weight on your spine improperly. This will eventually cause back pain.

Solution: Prioritize movement daily, which can also be used as preventative care. Perform a full range of motion exercises.

4. Organic Issues

Kidney issues, like kidney stones, can cause a dull aching pain. Digestive issues, like constipation, can cause back pain. Added pressure while pregnant can also cause back pain. Upper back pain can be signaling gull bladder issues, such as inflammation.

Solution: Consult with your chiropractor on nutrition to heal the gut. Also, getting specific adjustments to the spinal regions connected to these organs.

5. Muscle Strain/Tear

This is the least common issue that stems from back pain. Most people assume this is the issue because of your muscles spasm. Car accidents or sports injuries typically cause this and would be considered as an acute injury as opposed to the other causes.

Solution: Have your chiropractor take x-rays to see all possible reasons for back pain to identify this cause. Rest and adjustments will allow your body to properly heal itself.

If you live in the Matthews/Charlotte area here in North Carolina, or would like a recommendation to other chiropractors in your area, contact us here. We would love to be in contact with you!

Dieting FADs

There are many diets and programs spread over the internet, television, and books. When a person chooses to try multiple programs, it is referred to as “yo-yo dieting.” This involves completing a program, but gaining the weight back after the program ends. Each program promises weight loss, but what happens when the program is over? How do you maintain the weight you are looking to achieve?

Create a Foundation

Unfortunately, there are countless ideas and opinions about how to lose weight best. Instead of it being black and white, weight loss is truly dependent on your body. Many factors play a role in weight loss including hormones, calories, diet, exercise, and more. For example, if your hormones are imbalanced and not working properly you will have a hard time losing weight. If you are consuming an immense amount of calories, you will inevitably gain more weight. A true weight loss program needs to be individualized, but a general weight loss can be founded on these five crucial steps.

5 Foundation Tips for Long-term Weight Loss

1. Remove Certain Foods

The main foods you want to remove are sugar, grains, bad fats, and dairy. The majority of many people’s diet contains each of these foods mainly stemming from the food pyramid given to us promoting these food groups. There are many diets such as the Keto and Paleo, but the only diet to focus on is an anti-inflammatory diet. Inflammation is what causes weight gain, imbalanced hormones, and disease. The body creates a natural anti-inflammatory called cortisol. When you eat these foods causing inflammation, cortisol increases, and your body goes into survival mode. When your body is in this stress state, you will gain weight and sustain an imbalance of hormones.

2. Intermittent Fasting

When you do intermittent fasting, it gives your body time to heal and reset. When you limit the window of time you are eating, you eat less and your body uses stored energy (fats) during the fasting state. Working out in your fasting period will also kick your body into burning fat faster. A common way to do IF is fasting 16 hours and eating within an 8-hour window. More benefits from this system of eating include boosting your immune and digestive system, lowers insulin levels, oxidizes your body, and more.

3. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

Movement and exercise are vital for weight loss. This type of workout, however, is beneficial due to its duration in time and health benefits. HIIT does not raise stress levels or interfere with hormones. It also does not burn muscle; instead, it keeps you in a fat-burning mode. Sometimes the type of workouts you do can make your body hold onto weight due to the excess of stress you are putting on your body. HIIT workouts can be as short as 10-20 minutes long and utilize your fat as energy even after the workout is complete.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar helps improve digestion, breaks down food, and improves your microbiome. It is recommended to take one shot of ACV in an 8 oz. glass of water first thing in the morning and can be repeated right before bed. This also stabilizes blood sugar levels and keeps insulin levels down. You can research the many health benefits ACV has along with supporting weight loss.

5. Don’t Eat Before Bed

Make sure the last thing you eat is 3-4 hours before going to bed. When you go to sleep, your body uses glucose to regenerate your body. After your body burns through glucose, it will produce ketones that shift your body into a fat-burning state. Begin by shifting late-night eating habits to drinking tea or ACV because it will not disrupt your fasting state.

If you live in the Matthews/Charlotte area here in North Carolina, or would like a recommendation to other chiropractors in your area, contact us here. We would love to be in contact with you!