People often come to see us because of pain, acute (just happened) or chronic (has had for months or years). Pain is the body's signal that there is something wrong. Unfortunately, people mask that pain by turning to medications, either over the counter or prescriptive, which can temporarily ease their pain. Medications are useful to easy the suffering but you've got to get to the cause of the pain. Obviously, if you have been injured such as in a car accident it can be helpful to use pain relievers, anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxers for a short time so you can get some rest but I advise on seeking care with your chiropractor as soon as possible to start working on the soft tissue. The initial goal is to reduce pain, stiffness and muscle guarding. Also, in the early stages it's good to slowly introduce range of motion in the affected areas and to mobilize the joints as warranted. This works to help the nervous system release the muscles. After an injury the central nervous system involuntarily tighten muscles (spasms) to protect the spinal cord from further injury.
In the case of chronic pain it can be a bit more challenging. Since the pain is long standing your body and nervous system has been "accomodating" this problem. I believe that chronic pain in the neck, upper back, mid back and low back is due largely to postural distortions (I will blog about postural distortions later) Figuring out the cause of the problem takes detective work. I observe the patient's spine, muscles, extremities and how their position relates to gravity. Postural distortions lead to chronically tight muscles and pain. Pain coming from these distortions are only temporarily helped by massage therapy and adjustments because the posture is rarely address.
Wellness care is about preserving your spine. During the course of living and leading an active lifestyle you incur misalignments throughout your spine. You usually don't feel anything at this point but the function of the spine is altered. This causes areas of "sub-threshold" muscle tightness, stiffness and compression. This compression puts pressure on nerves. These nerves lead to various parts of the body INCLUDING organs, such as your heart, lungs, intestines, liver, kidney, prostate, bladder, uterus, ovaries etc. The pressure in the spinal structures decrease the nerve flow to the body organs and other parts. When you are talking about wellness your mind has to shift. Adjusting the spine releases these restrictions, improves nerve flow and blood flow. Usually, after an adjustment you feel taller, lighter, happier and more flexible.
At our office, located in Glendora, we perform a detailed history and evaluation and together with you, a treatment plan. When on a wellness plan schedule I believe you should be adjusted 1-2 times per month. Once established a wellness visit should just take minutes. I'd love to help you see if Chiropractic care at our office is right for you!
