Back Pain Articles

Clinical magnetic therapy also;

Improves your circulation

Allows you to enjoy lengthy, peaceful and restful sleep

Eliminates toxins from your tissues

Gives you a wealth of energy

Strengthens your immune system

How? Magnetic therapy causes two actions in the body; an increase in blood flow and a reduction in inflammation. These two actions have a knock on effect across the body which results in these five additional benefits:

1. As blood flow improves the circulation in the body also improves and works more efficiently. This means the organs, muscles, tissues and cells have a rich and fresh supply of oxygen and nutrients which are essential for cell renewal and healing.

2. Magnetic therapy is known to have a positive balancing effect on hormone levels within the body. These are predominantly insulin, serotonin, endorphins and melatonin. Meaning diabetics, those with depression, pain levels and people with insomnia will all benefit from the hormone regulating properties of magnets.

3. It isn’t just hormones that are regulated by magnetic fields. Electrolytes, which are present in each living cell, are affected by magnetic fields as they have positive and negative ions (just like the ends of a battery) If your electrolytes are not balanced the cells will be invaded by excess fluid and toxins as with inflammation. This can cause the body to have up to 2 litres of excess and unwanted fluid.

Stabilising the body’s electrolyte an fluid imbalances enables damaged cells and tissues to repair and also causes any nerve cells which were compressed by the swollen tissue to be de compressed alleviating nerve pain.

4. As surplus fluid and toxins are passed out of the body as much as 2 litres of waste fluid can be removed from the circulatory system. As the heart does not have to pump such a large volume of circulatory fluid around the body it does not have to work so hard. Blood pressure naturally reduces as does the heart rate. Those who suffer with high blood pressure find that it returns to normal levels and many have medication reduced or stopped altogether. When the heart’s workload is reduced you will have more energy and a tremendous sense of wellbeing.

5. Lastly, the accumulative result of more oxygen, more nutrients, balanced hormones and a rested heart results in a strengthened immune system. You will be less likely to catch “bugs” and viruses. You will be able to fight infections better and ward off coughs and colds. Your immune system protects your body from attack and harm. To protect your body your immune system must be strong and healthy.

Residents of the United Kingdom who have not yet been to see a Chiropractor are usually scared to schedule that first visit. They worry that Chiropractic visits are painful and last a long time. Here is the good news: seeing the Chiropractor is not usually a painful experience. The length of the visit, however, will depend on the type of treatment and therapy you need.

Chiropractors work with the entire body, though they do focus a lot of their attention on the spine as that is where the body’s nerves stem from. When you visit the Chiropractor here are a few of the things you can expect:

During your first visit to your Chiropractor, you can expect to have a full history taken as well as a physical exam. The physical exam will usually be centred on the spinal column though some attention will be paid to the rest of your body as well. You might also have some x-rays taken, to narrow down the cause of your pain.

If your Chiropractor thinks that having Chiropractic treatment done is the best course of action for your particular injury or pain, the two of you will begin working on a long term treatment plan.

On your future visits to the Chiropractor, there are a few different treatments that your Chiropractor might try. Your Chiropractor might adjust your spine (some people call this “back cracking” because of the noise that is made by your joints and your spine as they are adjusted; the process is not actually painful). Your Chiropractor might also put you through some mobilization therapy”therapy that improves the functions of your joints.

In addition to adjustments, mobilization therapy and other types of treatment (massage, pressure electrical stimulation, etc), your Chiropractor will probably advise you to treat your injury at home. These treatments involve using heat and ice to help your muscles, getting lots of rest and a range of rehabilitation exercises that your Chiropractor will show you how to do.

Your Chiropractor might also help you develop a new diet and/or weight loss plan as well as counselling you on other factors in your life that could be contributing to your pain.

It is natural to feel tired after visiting the Chiropractor. Chiropractic therapy is not unlike an intense workout. The major difference is that it is the Chiropractor who is moving you, not one of the gym’s exercise machines.

There is no need to worry about an upcoming visit to the Chiropractor. Chiropractic care is rarely painful. It is meant to help a person heal and diminish the pain he or she might be feeling.

The Cervical Spine and Lumbar Spine are Complex Structures that oftentimes exhibit Complex Causes of Neck Pain and Lower Back Pain. The cause of the 2 most common forms of pain in the human anatomy, Neck Pain or Lower Back Pain, can sometimes be extremely complex at times due to the complexity of their structures. There is always a root cause or secondary cause of Neck Pain or Lower Back Pain, and that source of Neck Pain or Lower Back Pain is oftentimes labeled as a secret or hidden cause because it can be overlooked and very difficult to diagnose. That Secret or Hidden cause of Neck Pain or Lower Back Pain is better known as Facet Syndrome or Facet Joint Pain. Facet Syndrome or Facet Joint Pain is a collection of Chronic Neck Pain Symptoms or Chronic Lower Back Pain Symptoms directly related to pain in the facet joints, and that is why it is known as a Chronic Pain Syndrome.

What does Articulation have to do with a Facet Joint? The posterior spinal joint that interfaces an adjacent upper and lower vertebrae together, is called a Facet Joint or Zygapophyseal Joint. Articulation within defined ranges of motion, is the medical term for Facet Joint movement. The articulation of a Facet Joint includes flexion, which is bending forward, extension, which is bending backward, and Cervical Rotation, or Thoracolumbar Rotation, which is twisting from side to side. Facet Joint unload and stretch when flexed, and load and compress when extended, while having complex combination of either when twisted to one side or the other. Luckily for us, Facet Joints also limit excessive range of motion, which can cause damage to spinal discs in either the Neck or Lower Back.

What is a Synovial Joint? Facet joints are Synovial Joints- the most common joint in the human body. A Synovial Joint is characterized by having a joint capsule, joint capsule fluid-synovial fluid to lubricate the inside of the joint, and cartilage on the outside of the joint between the upper and lower adjacent surfaces of each vertebra to allow a smooth gliding movement.

What could cause Facet Arthritis or Facet Arthropathy? Facet Arthropathy or Facet Arthropathy is a Chronic Pain condition that can be caused by wear and tear, degeneration of the cartilage surfaces, joint capsule. Facet Arthritis or Facet Arthropathy represents a form of facet joint inflammation and is one of the syndromes of Facet Joint Pain.

Factors affecting Joint Movement? The Facet Joint must be able to move smoothly without restriction. Facet Joint Pain is often experienced when the joint becomes stuck or fixated in the open or closed position or in the partially open or partially closed position. The Facet Joint Pain dysfunction can cause the muscles surrounding the problem to become hypertonic-extremely tight in order to splint or support the problem. Conversely, the musculature that surrounds the joint could have a problem that is causing the joint to become stuck open or closed, resulting in Facet Joint Pain.

What are some Facet Joint Pain causes? Some causes of Facet joint pain are: Wear and tear, Degeneration of Cartilage surfaces, Joint Capsule or associated Vertebral Discs, Injury or Trauma, Incorrect posture, Excessive forward head posture, Forward Pelvic Rotation, Abnormal spinal curvature, Hyperlordosis-excessive arch in the lower back, Scoliosis-Lateral Lumbar spinal curvature.

What are the Lower Back Facet Syndrome Symptoms? Lower back facet joint pain symptoms include lower back pain or tenderness, increased pain upon side bending or twisting or arching the lower back or torso, deep dull aching pain that moves to the buttocks or the back of the thighs, and/or stiffness or difficulty with certain movements, such as standing up straight or getting up out of a chair. The initial onset of pain might be related to a rotational spinal injury or a spinal injury involving hyperextension of the spine.

What are the Neck-Cervical Facet Syndrome Symptoms? Facet Join pain neck symptoms include Neck Pain, Headaches, Shoulder Pain, and/or difficulty side bending or rotating the head. Ensure that the Facet Joint Pain Assessment clearly indicates the pain scale for the associated problems. Find out if there is a history of whiplash or any other kind of neck injury.

Is Facet Joint Articulation restricted? Articulation is the single most important question that needs to be answered, and if we conduct a special test known as the spring test which can test for basic joint movement, we can maybe hope to have some kind of answer.

Can Exercises Relieve my Facet Joint Pain? Compression of the lumbar facet joints can be caused by Lumbar Lordosis and hypertonic hip flexors and hypertonic lower back musculature, so stretching and strengthening exercises to reduce joint compression and help prevent joint fixation can help to reverse the postural distortion that has occurred. If the cervical (neck) spine is affected by excessive forward head posture and hypertonic neck musculature, there are strengthening and stretching exercises for postural correction and hypertonicity reduction as well. An experienced Medical Massage Therapist will be able to formulate an effective exercise treatment plan.