Sacroiliac Joint Procedures

For patients with lower back or buttock pain that stems from the sacroiliac joint, a variety of chiropractic procedures can be applied and are often considered the first line of treatment.

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/sacroiliac-joint-dysfunction/chiropractic-procedures-sacroiliac-joint

Controlling Breakthru Pain

Below are three strategies to control breakthrough pain.

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/3-strategies-control-breakthrough-pain?source=3tab

Cervical Spine Nerve Anatomy

In addition to the seven cervical vertebrae, cervical anatomy features eight cervical nerve roots (C1-C8) that branch from the spinal cord and control motor and sensory abilities for different parts of the body.

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/spine-anatomy/cervical-nerves?source=3tab

Lumbar Herniated Disk

Most cases of lumbar herniated disc symptoms resolve on their own within six weeks, so patients are often advised to start with non-surgical treatments.

http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/herniated-disc/non-surgical-treatment-lumbar-herniated-disc?source=3tab

See other Conditions on our page at Dr. Rick Jardon .com

Manipulation under anesthesia

Some patients may experience high levels of pain with any movement of their spine, so that manipulations are not tolerable unless done under anesthesia.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/manipulation-under-anesthesia-pain

Lower Back Pain - Spine Manipulation Can be More Effective Than Meds

It may be easier and less time consuming to take pain medicine to help your lower back pain, but a recent study shows that spinal manipulation may be more effective.

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/chiropractic-manipulation-or-medication-low-back-pain

Exercise and Chiropractic Therapy

Cardiovascular and strengthening exercises combined with chiropractic care are important in the management of low back pain

If a patient has a history of heart problems, it is important for the patient to consult with not only the doctor of chiropractic but their primary care physician to be certain that they can tolerate cardiovascular fitness-promoting activities. Specific instructions are given by the chiropractor with respect to proper exercise for the patient's condition before beginning any exercise program.

In general, a reasonable amount of exercise performed daily and utilizing enjoyable activities is recommended for patients undergoing chiropractic treatment.

Exercise Benefits

Many studies have reported the importance of exercises in managing acute and chronic low back pain, strengthening the low back, preventing and keeping back patients working, and to improve quality of life. The strength of the abdominal muscles was also found to be able to differentiate between those with vs. without chronic LBP.

Overall and when combined with chiropractic care, aerobic exercise helps promote proper digestion, keeps the muscles in proper tone and promotes better circulation. Walking briskly around the block at least once or twice is a convenient and popular activity.
Also, many forms of work and/or household tasks can function as an exercise program. The important point is to exercise!

Types of Exercises

There are many applicable back exercises that are available for patients also undergoing chiropractic care for lower back pain. One can classify the chiropractic patient into a flexion or extension biased category to determine the variety that is best for that patient. For example:

- If a patient feels best when bending over (flexion biased), exercises that promote low back flexion such as pulling the knees to the chest, posterior pelvic tilts, bending forward from a sitting position and others are usually helpful.

- If a patient is least symptomatic in extension, especially if leg pain centralizes or diminishes (extension biased), prone press- up type exercises usually yield the best results.

Other exercises that can help reduce lower back pain include:

-Strengthening of the pelvic (trunk) stabilizing muscles

-Stretching of the hamstrings, adductors, and other overly short or tight postural muscles

-Proprioceptive or balance promoting.

Benefits of Back and Abdominal Exercise

Weak and/or overly tight supporting muscles can have painful spasms and suffer injuries themselves,
which then prevent them from supporting the spine as needed. Compromised muscles can also lead to problems with bone structure of the spine due to poor posture from the weak muscles, thereby creating an increased risk of back pain/ injury.

Consequently, developing combined strength in stomach muscles and back muscles can:

- Reduce the likelihood of back pain episodes

- Reduce the severity of back pain

- Protect against injury by responding efficiently to stresses

- Help avoid back surgery in some cases

- Facilitate healing from a back problem or after spine surgery

- Improve posture.

Reported Efficacy of Exercise in Chiropractic Care

According to the Scientific Commission of the Council on Chiropractic Guidelines and Practice Parameters (CCGPP):

- Strong evidence supports exercise as being at least as effective as other non-surgical treatments for chronic low back pain

- Moderate evidence supports use of a graded-activity exercise program in occupational settings for subacute lower back pain

- Some evidence shows that exercises are no more effective than other nonsurgical treatments for acute lower back pain.

As with any chiropractic treatment, it is important for chiropractors to perform a focused reevaluation of an exercise program following its initial therapeutic trial to determine its effectiveness. Using spinal range of motion as a measurement of the effectiveness of exercise is just one way in which chiropractors can make such determinations.

Learn more about exercise and back pain. Visit http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/back-exercises

Exercise and Chiro

Exercise and chiropractic care go hand in hand as part of a comprehensive treatment plan to back or neck recovery.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/chiropractic/exercise-and-chiropractic-therapy

21 Ways to be a Savvy Chiro Patient

The 21 ways to be a savvy chiropractic patient, presented by Spine-Health.com.

http://www.spine-health.com/blog/21-ways-be-savvy-chiropractic-patient