Healthy News January 2024 Disc Size Doesnt Necessarily Matter & 4 Ways To Ease Chronic Pain

Now there is a novel idea for the start of a new year amidst all the talk of new year’s talk of dieting to downsize! In the world of back pain and neck pain, a little disc is not necessarily pain-free. Surprised? If you have a small disc and pain, you aren’t! What matters is (1) the amount of pressure the disc protrusion is putting on the nerve root and/or (2) the amount of chemical irritation is present if a disc extrusion’s inner gel-like material has exited the outer annular fibers and now surrounds the spinal nerve(s) which has (have) never come in contact with each other before. Nerves don’t like this new chemical “bath” and hurt! A tiny disc extrusion can produce enormous pain if chemical irritation is involved. A huge protruded may not trigger pain at all if it does not contact a spinal nerve. (1-7) A 2023 published study just ended their report with the conclusion that the size of a disc protrusion did not demonstrate a significant relationship to pain and function. (8) If you or a loved one or friend is starting 2024 with Tonawanda back pain with or without sciatic leg pain or neck pain with or without arm pain radiculopathy, come see Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation for some Tonawanda pain relief with gentle, safe chiropractic Cox® Technic care!

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Timothy Gagan on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson about use of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management for a patient experiencing back and leg pain due to a disc herniation.              

 

Tonawanda CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: 4 Ways to Reduce Chronic Pain In 2024

As researchers and healthcare professionals work toward establishing practice guidelines (ex: WHO) in managing chronic pain (back, neck, etc.), they’re analyzing influencing factors that chronic pain sufferers and their caregivers need to address for best clinical outcomes:

1. Understand the condition. A clear grasp of the chronic primary low back pain condition via education/advice was related to beneficial developments in pain, function, quality of life, and psychological outcomes. (9)
2. Consider emotional influences. Adverse childhood events were found to be significantly associated with chronic pain and pain-related disability as an adult. (10)
3. Undergo spinal manipulation. A review of nonpharmacological pain management methods chosen by Medicare patients reported that manipulative therapies, mainly chiropractic, have been the most extensively studied approaches. (11) Cox® Technic flexion-distraction - as we utilize in our targetlocation practice – benefitted a 67-year-old veteran who experienced chronic low back pain and intermittent lower extremity pain for many decades realize overall improvement in his condition, reduce use of pain medication, and increase mobility after 4 sessions in just a short 4-week period. (12)
4. Exercise. Structured exercise programs were reported to reduce pain and functional limitation in chronic low back pain patients. (13)

Make 2024 your year for pain relief! Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation is ready to be your Tonawanda chiropractic partner in this project. See you soon!

Make your Tonawanda chiropractic appointment today!