April 2022 Healthy News from Pure Chiropractic Words Describing Back Pain and Exercises to Strengthen the Multifidi Are Important
“Why are you asking me all these questions, doctor?”
Our Concord, NC chiropractic patients are the center of our practice. We want to understand each you and your pain experience well, treat you well, and be sure you are satisfied with your care and outcome. That is why we ask you to explain your pain to us, sometimes a few times and in several different ways! Words mean different things to different people: “discomfort” to one may denote “pain” to another while “stiffness” means “pain” or “discomfort” to a another. It’s true! Researchers studied just what these different words mean to patients. An example with regards to the description of “feeling”: pain signified sharp/shooting, discomfort signified dull/tingling, stiffness signified tight/restricted. (1) It's beneficial for Pure Chiropractic to know our patient’s experience with pain to better reach expectations and boost satisfaction with care. Patients who visited an integrated hospital for care of their musculoskeletal pain and depressive symptoms rated their pain as 5/10 (10 being greatest pain) and reported multiple pain locations (9 of 17 participants), low back pain (13 of 17), and neck pain (8 of 17). Those are very typical of rationales patients seek chiropractic care! In this setting, patients were satisfied with the collaboration among the various healthcare team members due to the trust they had in their physician. Patients appreciated consistency in care from a single caregiving chiropractor. (2) Pure Chiropractic knows our patients appreciate - and can expect - these same things from us: consistency, care, collaboration, and results!
Concord, NC CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE MONTH: Strengthen Multifidus Muscles While Standing
Back pain. It’s a simple description that may stem from a multitude of factors including the muscles of the spine, those seen and unseen. The multifidus muscles are such unseen muscles, smaller, deep muscles that run alongside the spine from the cervical spine to the sacrum. These muscles assist movements like lateral (side) flexion and rotation of the spine when contracted. (3) Recently, researchers proposed that the multifidi may be a potential source of back pain since they are described as being stiffer in low back pain sufferers. Low back pain is linked to lumbodorsal musculature (which includes the multifidus muscle) fatigue. Standing back extension exercise fatigued the multifidus sufficiently which may avert low back pain initiated by muscle fatigue. (4) “Superman” (on-the-floor) exercises are well known. Standing back extension and “superman” exercises are newly reported as equally helpful in strengthening these multifidus muscles. (5) That is great news! Concord, NC back pain sufferers can do easy, standing exercises like this anywhere! The multifidi benefit!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Paula Hugulet on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she describes the value of increasing muscle strength and function as part of back pain treatment via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Pure Chiropractic
Make your next Concord, NC chiropractic appointment today. Your words will be heard. Your multifidus muscles will be strengthened via proper exercise to lessen and potentially avert back pain. Pure Chiropractic will ask you questions, and you are encouraged to ask Pure Chiropractic questions, too!