Posts by Espinosa
The Two Main Causes of Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is among the most prolific and life-changing conditions of our time
It can be broken down into two constituent categories:
- Mechanical low back pain refers to pain related to the dysfunction of the moving parts of the spine, i.e. facet joints, intervertebral discs, ligaments, and muscles.
- Compressive pain refers to pain that is caused when nerves exiting the spinal cord are put under pressure.
Chiropractic is a conservative method of treatment that shows great efficacy in improving the symptoms of both conditions.
Chiropractic for mechanical and compressive low back pain
- For mechanical low back pain, chiropractic adjustment seeks to address symptoms through mobilization of the spinal joints. Through low-intensity, high-frequency adjustments to the affected region, we restore proper alignment and effect great improvement on the symptoms of mechanical low back pain.
- For compressive back pain, we use decompression modalities to provide spinal elongation. By gently stretching the spine and providing manual adjustments to the affected region, we restore spinal alignment and allow for the retraction of bulging disc material which is often impinging on spinal nerves.
Chiropractic is a conservative form of treatment that seeks to correct the root of the problem with natural methods. While this doesn’t work for everyone, it is recommended that most cases of non-specific back pain be treated by conservative methods before moving on to more invasive methods such as spinal surgery.
Low back pain relief
If you are looking to address spinal pain, whether it be mechanical or compressive in nature, give our office a call to schedule an appointment today. We are back pain specialists who will determine the cause of your spinal dysfunction before setting a course for treatment that combines a multitude of natural modalities to effect great improvements in your symptoms.
Health Objectives: More Steps Per Day
Walking is essential for life
The health benefits of walking are well known, but for the purposes of this blog here’s a quick reminder:
- Boosts circulation
- Releases pain-killing endorphins
- Strengthens bones and muscles
- Maintains range of motion
- Manages weight
The basic health benefits of a good walk are too many to ignore. On days when you can’t spare a second to make it to the gym, a brisk walk may be the only physical boost your body receives. Yet, far too few of us are getting the daily steps we need to reap such benefits. Here is our guide to getting more steps throughout the day.
Exercises that Effect Spinal Decompression
Decompression is therapy for your spine
Among the different kinds of decompression (simple stretching, nonsurgical and surgical), the underlying theory is the same: by changing the position of the spine, we can alleviate pressure on the spinal canal and nerves to effect improvements in back pain. Nonsurgical decompression, of the kind we offer at Espinosa Family Chiropractic, often utilizes a motorized table to gently stretch the spine, creating negative intradiscal pressure and allowing for the rehydration and healing of intervertebral discs. What if we told you that you can create a similar decompressive effect from your own living room?
Dehydration and Your Spine
Dehydration is one of the most debilitating factors for your spine
It affects every part of the structure:
- The discs become dried out and lose their ability to cushion the vertebrae and absorb shock.
- The joints become less lubricated and lose their ability to support full range of motion
- The muscles that support your spine become cramped and weaken as they lose nutrients and oxygen from the lack of circulation
In short, your spine cannot function properly without the proper input of water. When your body is dehydrated, it diverts remaining water supplies to the vital organs to keep them running and keep you alive. But that means that even less is available to the muscles and structures of your spine, and so the vicious cycle continues. This is why, at Espinosa Family Chiropractic, we choose water! Read on to find out more about how water supports spinal health.
A High-Protein Diet Promotes Healthy Weight Loss
A plea for you to adhere to your target weight
There are few things that help your spine more than maintaining a healthy weight. Each pound you hold on to over that target zone are adding an unbearable burden onto your spine, increasing the wear and tear on your joints and ratcheting up the compression on your intervertebral discs. As your muscles strain to account for this burden, the whole network of stability is threatened and back pain is a frequent result. We are lucky if it stops at pain- excess weight and obesity are some of the primary contributors to long term spinal conditions and spinal-related disability in our populations. if you are looking to lose weight, here is a great way to go about it:
Posture and Motion Maintain the Brain
The link between posture and brain function
So many people treat posture indifferently, which is really a shame when you consider that it is actually a make-or-break part of spinal health. One thing to consider is the link between posture and brain function, which is borne out by a growing wealth of clinical findings. Besides increasing pressure on your spine, reducing lung function, and impairing your organs, poor posture can also hamper brain function. Poor posture is linked to issues including:
- Self-esteem
- Focus and attention
- Rate of speech
- Stress levels
- Mental performance
- Chronic pain
- Memory response
As chiropractors, we focus on limiting the damage on the physical side of things, which we know will have a knock-on effect on the mental side. Here’s how our approach to posture works:
Chiropractic for Holiday Stress
As the holiday season rapidly approaches, it’s common to stress over things like preparing meals, shopping for gifts, and having the financial stability to provide all of those things for yourself and your loved ones. Although many of us might be practicing social distancing this holiday season, it’s likely we’ll still go through some of the holiday motions. This holiday season might seem especially stressful, lonesome, and depressing.
However, there is a lot you can do for yourself to stay physically and mentally well, and chiropractic is one drug-free option that addresses both departments simultaneously. Your spine and your body/brain are inextricably connected, and one simple chiropractic adjustment can provide drug-free pain relief, provide you with a better night of sleep, reduce anxiety, and brighten your mood — all in one simple visit with your local chiropractic care specialist.
At Espinosa Family Chiropractic we provide our wellness treatments to patients of all ages and from all walks of life. Contact this Sacramento Chiropractic Care Specialist today to schedule your holiday consultation. We hope you stay happy, healthy, and well.
How Chiropractic Boosts the Immune System
Many people know by now the many benefits that chiropractic treatment offers patients who experience injuries, but what about for patients who are feeling what they perceive to be healthy and well?
At the end of the day, our immune system plays a vital role in warding off infectious organisms from entering our bodies. A good immune system will seem invisible — you won’t even know it’s there. But you will know if you get sick.
Chiropractic treatment is a great way to give your immune system a boost. One simple adjustment can help clear the sinuses, motivate quality sleep, and ensure that your internal systems are running at optimum capacity, including your GI system.
Combine chiropractic treatment with a healthy diet. Vitamin C helps boost your immune system as well and so does elderberry extract, red peppers, and a number of other healthy foods. Getting out in the sun is also good for your immune system as well, giving your body crucial Vitamin D.
Contact Espinosa Family Chiropractic to learn more about how our treatments help our patients mount serious defenses against cold and flu.
Winter Makes Way for Spring: How Your Body Can Beneit
Winter is the unhealthiest season of the year
It is often the point of the year where we feel most fatigued on a daily basis. And there is a biological reason for this: with less daylight, the body produces more melatonin which makes us feel drowsier than normal. This sets the tone for seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a mood disorder usually experienced during winter time. But spring is here, and it’s time to shake yourself out of it. Need some help? Read on.
What Your Posture Tells Us About Your Spine
Your posture can tell us a lot about the shape of your spine
You may have anterior pelvic tilt, a positioning of the body that involves, you guessed it, an exaggerated forward tilting of the pelvis. In this position, there is also an exaggerated arch in the lower back and, as a result your butt will stick out and your stomach will protrude. This is a problem for more serious reasons than making you look funny. If you allow your spine to remain in this hyperextended position as its normal posture, you are putting yourself at enhanced risk for conditions such as:
- Facet joint syndrome
- Spondyloisthesis
- Spinal stenosis
Why do I have anterior pelvic tilt?
Sitting too much, the great evil of our time is probably at least partially at fault. When you sit too much, some of the muscles which control your pelvis get overly tight while others get overly weak from lack of use. The general result of this is a net forward tilt of the pelvis and an increased arch of the spine.
How we go about fixing anterior pelvic tilt in Sacramento
Chiropractic adjustment is effective for relieving pressure from spinal joints and realigning the spine which is often a big contributor to pain in cases of anterior pelvic tilt. Furthermore, we focus on unwinding tightness from overworked muscles such as the hip flexors and quads while adding in strength to muscles that are being underused such as the glutes and hamstrings. Increasing the strength of core stabilizing muscles is a great way to make holding good posture easier.