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Neck Disc Injuries – Cervical Disc Prolapse and Chiropractic Treatment

Neck disc injuries are contracted by individuals mostly because of the different body postures, during work. The long hours spent in front of the computer start to take their toll, and individuals experience tingling pain and sometimes a numb feeling in their arms and fingers, which are signs of a neck disc injury. Chiropractic is very effective in the treatment of individuals suffering from different neck disc injuries, like cervical disc prolapse.

What Is Cervical Disc Prolapse?

Cervical Disc Prolapse is a medical term for a slipped disc in the neck of a patient. A slipped disc condition is more common in the back than in the neck, and individuals in the 30 to 50 age bracket are more prone to this medical condition.

The 7 vertebra, the bones which constitute the spinal cord, have discs in between each bone. The 7 vertebra are termed from C1 to C7, and a slipped disc in the neck is more common between the C5 to C6 and the C6 to C7 vertebra.

In cervical disc prolapse, the discs have a tough outer covering which tends to degenerate because of the constant exertion and movement experienced by an individual, especially when engaged in different work related activities like operating a machine or a computer for a long number of hours. In extreme cases, where there is acute degeneration of the outer fibrous layer of the disc, the soft nerves become exposed, and bulge out of the disc. This results in extreme pain for the individual as the disc exerts pressure on the nerves, causing inflammation.

In some cases, the disc might slip towards the back and the side, which causes extensive pain in the shoulder and arm of the individual. A slipped disc in the neck, or cervical disc prolapse, might also exhibit symptoms like a numb feeling or pins and needles in the whole arm, and pain in case of any neck or shoulder movement.

Chiropractic Treatment for Disc Injuries

Chiropractic is a non-invasive form of treatment, which focuses on the treatment and prevention of different musculoskeletal disorders, muscle strains and disc injuries. Chiropractors provide different treatment methods which include massages, joint adjustment procedures for pain and strains in the back and neck areas of the body. Spinal manipulation is a forte of chiropractic, in which it focuses on relieving the pain of the patient and improving muscular disorders, to facilitate movement. It is gaining popularity as a highly effective treatment method for neck and spinal pains and strains.

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Treatment and Prevention of Muscle Cramps during Exercise

Muscle cramps that are caused by exercise can be very painful and can cause athletes to drop out of competitions. Muscle cramps can happen in any types of sports and are usually a result of muscle fatigue, a loss of electrolytes or dehydration.

Cramps are not limited to sports, they can happen even to people who are not involved in any type of sports. Repetitive cramps can be healed by a chiropractor by aligning the vertebrae correctly in the spine using various techniques.

Causes of Cramps

The American College of Sports Medicine published a review on the causes of muscle cramps during exercise – two possible causes were identified that lead to muscle cramps.

The first was credited to muscle fatigue. Neuromuscular systems are embedded into muscles to allow control of contraction of the muscles. When this system malfunctions, contraction of muscle takes place and then causes the cramps.

Muscles that are regularly used, such as those of an athlete or a person with a very active lifestyle, are at a higher risk of experiencing cramps or spasms.

The second major cause is a result of an excessive fluid loss from the body (sweat), which decreases the body’s electrolytes level. This depletes the body of sodium.

Body’s Natural Cooling System

The body is designed to cool itself by sweating when body temperature starts to rise beyond normal levels. The loss of electrolytes due to sweating can cause depletion of body’s electrolytes and if it is not replenished properly, it will cause cramps.

What are Electrolytes?

Electrolytes are minerals including sodium, chloride, magnesium and potassium. They are dissolved in the body and directly control the required muscle contractions and nerve conductions.

Consuming bananas to treat muscle cramps has no solid ground and there is no evidence to support such a remedy.

Treating Muscle Cramps

– Fatigued Muscles

Treatment of muscle cramps depends upon the initial cause. For those people who experience a muscle cramp due to a strenuous workload such as exercise or sports, chiropractors recommend treatments such as a massage, application of cold packs to the affected muscles and passive stretching.

Proper rest must be given to those muscles which have experienced an overload due to stress.

– Cramps due to Loss of Electrolytes

For those people who suffer from cramps as a result of excessive sweating and a deficit of sodium, the same methods of treatment can be used besides replenishing the lost fluid levels.

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5 Common Symptoms of Poor Posture and How to Treat Them with Exercise

Good posture is very important when it comes to a healthy way of living. Chiropractors help you maintaining one. A lot of people don’t comprehend the importance of a good posture. Some experience varying degrees of pain all over the body that gradually turns into major complications. What people fail to realize is that the root of many of the simplest and even the complex of all health issues are usually linked to the body posture, in one way or another.

If someone is experiencing anything from the following symptoms, it would be a wise idea to get their posture evaluated to see if that is causing any of the complications. Fortunately, a few relatively simple exercises can help in restoring the body posture and eliminate any problems associated with it.

1. HEAD

Following symptoms may be felt in the head due to incorrect postures:

The person may have frequent headaches, including the ‘throbbing’ feeling
It feels that the head may split open
It feels as if something is pounding inside the head
The individual may suffer from dizziness and a loss of sense of balance
The sounds around them may seem way too loud to them along with a ringing sound in the ears

2. EYES

The eyes may be subjected to the following:

The eye-sockets are painful and cause the eyes to feel sore
Rolling the eyes causes pain
Eyes lose their natural wetness
The vision starts to get blurry

3. NECK

The neck is a quite sensitive area due to the passing spinal cord and is almost always affected by a bad posture.

Shooting neck pain
Muscle spasms occur regularly
The neck feels stiff

4. JAW

The jaw bone is also affected by bad posture in the following way:

The individual may start experiencing TMJ pain
It gets painful to chew, and a popping sound is heard
The cheek muscles start to hurt
Shoulders are also significantly affected:
The person may feel pain in the socket
It may become difficult to raise arm or when trying to scratch the back

5. SHOULDER

Exercise

Fortunately, before any complicated problems start happening, a chiropractor can prescribe exercises that are aimed at strengthening muscles and bones and help in restoring a proper body posture. Many of the exercises are easy to do at home and are designed to relax stiff muscles, keep the spinal column in a correct shape and thereby improve the overall lifestyle.

Exercise is also a great way to avoid heart diseases, high blood pressures, diabetes and scores of other diseases that result from

Spinal Disc Herniation – Disc Injuries and Chiropractic Therapy

Spine and disc injuries are more common in individuals who lie in the 40 to 60 age bracket. While young individuals who engage in different strenuous work activities (which involve the lifting of heavy loads and operating on machinery for long hours) experience spine, neck and disc injuries which cause great pain. These injuries cause hindrance in the movement of the back and the neck, and are aggravated by continuous involvement in different laborious activities. Spinal disc herniation is a medical condition experienced by individuals because of over-exertion on the back and neck parts of the body. Chiropractors offer different treatment methods to relieve the pain and facilitate movement of the affected individual.

What Is Spinal Disc Herniation?

Spinal disc herniation is a medical condition in which a tear appears on the outer fibrous layer of the vertebra disc, which causes the inner soft nucleus material to bulge and squeeze out from the torn area of the disc.

The tear in the disc is usually attributed to old age in individuals, but may also be caused because of any trauma, straining and lifting injuries, experienced by a young individual, because of different work related and other everyday activities. The nature of the tear in the disc might cause inflammation in the surrounding area, which might put pressure on the nerves, resulting in pain for the individual. The bulging out of the inner pulpous material from the ruptured or torn disc results in a pressure on the spine and disc which causes extreme pain.

Spinal disc herniation is also called a slipped disc condition, though the disc is securely intact in between the vertebra. Individuals suffering from a minor case of spinal disc herniation are able to recover within a few weeks, with suitable rest. But, in cases of extreme damage to the spinal disc, the patient sometimes requires surgical treatment, which does not always provide good results.

Patients with acute spinal disc herniation in the upper, central or lower part of their spinal cord require physical therapy and medications for quick recovery.

Chiropractic Therapy for Spinal Disc Injuries

Chiropractors provide treatment and therapy for the effective recovery of individuals suffering from different forms of spine and disc injuries. They mobilize and manipulate the muscles of the spine and the neck, adjusting the different joints and muscles, to relieve the individual of the excruciating pain experienced because of the different musculoskeletal disorders.

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Ergonomic Essentials – Tips on Improving and Maintaining Good Posture

As the years pile on, poor posture can be brought about due to a number of reasons – sitting in office chairs and looking at computer screens, driving, or standing for extended periods at a time. Even sleeping in a mattress that’s too hard, too soft, or uneven can lead to postural problems.

Luckily, these prime suspects that affect posture as a result of poor ergonomics are indeed within your control and you can turn things around. It’s never too late. Let’s take a brief look at how we can accomplish this. You might even come across some of these tips at chiropractic clinics.

Poor Ergonomics and Back Discomfort

In most cases, poor ergonomics and posture can be the cause of chronic back pain. Over the course of the day, your muscles tend to tire as you slouch and slump over your desk, pushing the limits to keep up with your respective deadlines. If this goes on for too long, you’re most likely going to experience undue stress in your neck and back. Change positions from time to time to maintain a relaxed but proper posture. Take a break from your desk every hour or so. Stretch a little, stand up and walk around. 2 to 3 minutes is all you need.

Make Use of Posture-friendly Props and Ergonomic Chairs

Ergonomic-friendly “props” can really help take the load off your spine. In case ergonomic office chairs are in short supply, use footrests, portable lumbar back rests, or even a small pillow that supports the natural lumbar curve of your spine a bit better. Wearing the right spectacles that support your vision and keeping them clean in addition to positioning your computer screen properly, will prevent you from leaning or straining the neck just to view the contents properly. Avoid tilting your head forward.

Be Aware of Ergonomics in Every Setting Not Just Work

One ought to be aware of ergonomics in every environmental setting, not just work. Instilling good posture in everyday activities is paramount. Try to establish a connection between episodes of pain and fatigue and certain situations where bad posture or ergonomics have been largely to blame. Make changes accordingly.

Exercising Promotes Good Posture

Regular strength or cardio training really strengthens the core muscles – the abdominal and lower back region. Keep these running like a well-oiled machine, and you’re quite likely to never experience postural problems. A lot of therapeutic and chiropractic methods revolve around strengthening the core, while improving flexibility. This protects your entire spine, as that’s your “postural hub”.

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