Posture and NeuroSpinal Chiropractic: What's the Connection?

A common question we get asked by our patients and people who attend our events is whether we are posture specialists or not.

Poor posture (aka Postural Distortion) is what we refer to in our office as a Secondary Condition. When the spine shifts, several secondary conditions arise such as pain, numbness, tendinitis, spasms and, you guessed it, postural distortions. 

Tools such as digital photography and NeuroSpinal Radiographs show us what's going on in the body as a result of a spinal shift.

Another way to look at it is like this: a postural distortion is the effect, while we at Complete Chiropractic address the cause using our signature approach that involves an objective evaluation of the spine and lifestyle. We then respond with specific adjustments and complementary recommendations including proper egonomics, choosing a custom-fitted pillow, supplements, dietary recommendations, etc. 

By being able to track secondary conditions such as posture, we can better measure progress and, more importantly, help maintain results.

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Collagen: More Than Just a Pretty Face?

When most people hear of collagen as a supplement, they think of anti-aging and aesthetics. That is a popular purpose for collagen, however, collagen has a reach that goes far beyond skin, hair and nails. 

For starters, collagen is the connective tissue to tissue structures, which includes the spinal discs, joint cartilage, blood vessels, muscles as well as organs such as the heart, lungs, prostate and liver. 

As a polypeptide molecule, collagen is very important and is the most abundant protein in the body, making up about 65% of our total protein. Pretty important stuff, right? 

In an attempt to capitalize from the growing popularity of this product in light of its amazing benefits, supplement companies are cropping up left and right. Unfortunately, most don’t put in the necessary time & effort to manufacture something truly beneficial to your body. 

For instance, many companies utilize heat that denatures the protein peptides, rendering it less effective. At our office, we use a product that is extracted using a 6-hour enzymatic process that makes it highly bioavailable and is given to our patients at no cost to them as a part of their Initial Phase of Care so that they may get the best possible results.

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Back Spasms: Cause vs Effect

Back spasms are a common reason people tend to seek medical attention. There are a variety of approaches that claim to solve the problem including massage therapy, acupuncture, conventional chiropractic and physical therapy amongst others. 

Before we can delve into the solution, we need to explore the problem at its cause.

What Causes Back Spasms?

Have you ever broken your arm or leg? If you have had such an unfortunate experience, you may remember that your muscles in that area were splinting in response to the trauma. This happens as a reaction to the instability in the area where the body is trying to “guard” the area from further damage.

Would it have made any sense had you been rushed to the nearest hospital only to have them work the muscle, regardless of the modality, while ignoring the broken bone?

The answer is a resounding NO.

Now back to the main topic. A back spasm is what we refer to as a secondary condition, and it’s not the result of the back muscles going spastic for no reason.  Addressing a secondary condition such as the musculature while neglecting the primary cause may provide temporary relief at best. If you’re looking for a more permanent solution (and why wouldn’t you?) then it would make sense to treat the primary condition, in this case, a Spinal Shift.

(you should mention Spinal Shift at the beginning of this sentence [not the end] to better transition from the last paragraph) When the spine shifts, the area becomes unstable and the body makes an attempt to prevent further instablility or trauma. In cases such as back spasm, the muscles of the back are “guarding” in response to an instability in the area due to a spinal shift.

There are several approaches to help with the condition but many, however, address the effect rather than the cause, which will provide temporary relief till the primary condition is addressed.

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Resolution Versus Symptom Relief

The principle of the title extends itself to all facets of life, but we will keep it about health.

When there is headache, pain, numbness, organ dysfunction and a there is a nerve compromise in your spine and/or extremity, then this is not something a pain killer or another modality can relieve. Such methods can provide relief by the masking of the symptom, but if one is seeking to resolve the issue then one must get to the root of the problem.

Many a times people experience what we refer to as a Spinal Shift. When this happens, the nerve conduction is compromised and may result in pain, discomfort, headaches or organ dysfunction. 

Of course, the cause can be something else that is vital such as sleep, diet, stress management, exercise and hydration. At such times your NeuroSpinal adjustments will NOT be enough till the necessary issues are addressed as well and that's where the detailed examination in our office will key us in the right direction on customizing a strategy that is in YOUR best interest.

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Is Sitting the New Smoking? Part 2

Last week’s article covered the importance of motion in relation to the health of the spinal discs as well as the Cerebro-Spinal Fluid (CSF.) This second part covers the lymphatic system.

If we were to look at the body’s vessels as roads, there would be three roads that work its way throughout the entire body: the arteries & veins that make up the cardiovascular system, and the lymphatic vessels that makes up the lymphatic system.

Lymphatic vessels are the body’s sewage system where waste is picked up from the cells and the CSF and is ushered out of the body. That’s why when people are doing a detox tend to have lymphatic drainage and/or lymphatic massages to help with the process of moving the fluid through the body. Unlike the veins and arteries of the vascular system that’s pumped by the heart, the lymph system relies on the motion of the body itself to pump its content throughout the body. If this doesn't happen, the system builds up toxins that can't be expelled. Hence, exercise and being active aren’t things to be taken lightly by anyone attempting to live a healthy life.

I usually recommend to patients who have desk jobs, to make it a point to get up on an hourly basis and walk to the water cooler or a nearby spot just to get the lymphatic system pumping as well as 30-second structural corrective exercises to engage the postural muscles. Getting a one-hour workout early in the morning and being seated for the rest of the day at work and home is NOT an alternative since the system needs to be in constant motion throughout the day.

Tidbit: Being motionless in a seated position for a prolonged period of time was an ancient ritual meant for the passing of elders. The stagnation of the lymphatic fluid lead to an accumulation of toxins that was credited to the death of the individual. (Cred: Lisa Best, CCN)

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Is Sitting is the New Smoking?

The title of this post has made its way to being a known slogan of sorts in the health field and we at Complete Chiropractic totally agree with it!

Simply put, humans are designed not to be sedentary but, rather, in constant motion. A study from Australia concluded that sitting 8 hours a day increased death risk by 15% and 11 hours a day increased the risk by a whopping 40%!

Motion does several things that benefit the spine as well as the body. For starters,

 motion is the only way our spinal discs get its much needed nutrition and hydration. The medical term for this is called inbibition, which stems from the Latin root word "imbibere" meaning to drink. The spinal disc is an avascular structure, meaning that it doesn't have blood vessels going through it to deliver vital nutrients to keep it alive. When the body is active, it activates the spinal disc in a pump-like motion where the disc expels toxins and used up nutrients while taking in a fresh supply of water and essential nutrients to keep it functioning properly.

Motion also pumps the body’s cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the lymphatic fluid that are absolutely essential to life in ways that you may have not known!

Have you ever heard of the 80’s rock band Spinal Tap?

 The band’s name was taken from the medical procedure where they extract the cerebrospinal fluid from the lower spine in order to diagnose several conditions such as meningitis, alcoholism, epilepsy, cerebral hemorrhages to name a few. CSF functions range from physical support & excretions, blood & fluid transport to, from and within the brain, known as intra-cerebral transport, as well as regulation of the chemical environment of the entire Central Nervous System! CSF also protects of the brain from sudden blood pressure changes (intracranial pressure).  This fluid moves throughout the spinal cord and the brain by the spine and body’s motion and stagnates when the body is motionless.

The range of motion of the spine is also reduced by a Spinal Shift, which we focus on correcting in our office by our NeuroSpinal Corrective approach. You can always find out more about NeuroSpinal Correction and spinal shifts by coming in for a complimentary consultation or our group presentations.

Tidbit: Before the discovery of the CSF by the medical field, early chiropractors discovered it and its vital role to life and dubbed it liquid light as a way of highlighting its significance.

Click here to read the second part of this article.

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