Back Pain, Headaches, Neck Pain, Whiplash, Stress

• Back Pain – Some people think that lower back pain is normal. It isn’t! Pain is a warning sign much like that of a smoke alarm. Among a multitude of reasons for back pain, it could be the nerve-rich facet joints on the back side of each spinal bone. If these pairs of interlocking “fingers” aren’t moving correctly, they can cause painful symptoms. The discs between spinal bones can be a source of back pain, too. These rings of fibrous tissues act as spacers, connectors, and “shock absorbers” for the spine. Trauma can cause the soft, pulpy material in the middle to bulge or herniated putting pressure on delicate nearby nerves. Back pain is not normal! You don’t have to live with it.

• Headaches – What causes headaches? The most common causes are physical trauma, emotional stress, nutritional deficiencies or chemical toxins. Sometimes there may be a combination of these and other factors. One cause can be from spinal bones in the neck that aren’t supporting your head properly. If they’re not moving right, it can affect nerves, muscles and even the blood supply to your head. Chiropractic doctors locate areas of the spine that aren’t moving properly. They notice spinal curves. They look at your posture and your ability to turn and bend. These and many other examinations can help determine if you are a likely to benefit from chiropractic care. Those patients who receive chiropractic care for their headaches report fewer and less severe headaches.

• Neck Pain – Did you know that your neck is the most vulnerable part of your spine? Not only does it support your 10 – 12 pound head, maintain a gentle forward curve, and permit head rotation, but it must also allow the free flow of nerve impulses to the head, face, hands and the rest of your body. Besides discomfort and annoyance, chronic neck pain is a sign that something is wrong. Many everyday things can cause neck pain, such as watching TV, using your computer, reading a book or falling asleep in a chair or on an airplane. The temporary pain that results can resolve on its own, especially when the offending activity is discontinued. When it doesn’t, a more serious underlying problem may be indicated.

• Whiplash – You’re in your car, relaxed, waiting at a stoplight. Suddenly you hear a screeching of tires behind you and the harsh sound of metal hitting metal. In the split second before you can brace yourself, you feel your car moving forward from some unseen force! You’ve been rear-ended. What happens in these few seconds can have tragic consequences. And what you do about it in the next hours, days and weeks can forever affect your health. Upon impact, your body pushes deeply into your seat. Your head, momentarily isolated by your neck, delays its reaction while your body quickly reaches the limits of your seat. Then, your body instantly changes directions, moving forward to the limits of your seat belt. Now, your head starts moving backward in the opposite direction! Unrestrained by a seat belt, your head is jerked back and then forward beyond its normal limits. Everything seems to be happening in slow motion, yet you are unable to stop your head from whipping backward and then forward. Don’t minimize your own injuries because your car has sustained little or no damage. People react much differently than glass, plastic, and metal! A whiplash injury can straighten the natural forward curve in the neck, stretching the spinal cord. Symptoms can appear months and even years later. If you’ve been in a car accident, call Houston Chiropractor, Jane Noojin today.

• Stress - It’s not the stress; it’s your reaction to it that matters! Whether your body considers stress good or bad is largely a function of how well it can accommodate it. Ultimately, this capacity is based on the condition of your nervous system. Stress is part of everyday living. It fact, a stress free life would be boring! Life is enjoyable when we have ample resources to experience and overcome the stresses we face. You can be suffering from emotional stress from fear, grief, or anger, physical stress such as a whiplash injury from a car accident or chemical stress from poor nutrition, sugar, unhealthy fats or drugs and alcohol. Accumulated stress exhausts our reserves. Then, something as simple as moving the lawn can put you over the edge. While Chiropractic care can’t eliminate stress it can help increase your capacity to accommodate it because it focuses on reducing tension in your nervous system.