Yes you can live pain free: Step 2

Thanks so much to everyone who read last month’s article. Thanks very much for all your feedback. If you missed our article last month, just go to www.saporitochiropractic.blogspot.com to get caught up! So… we were talking about the 3 step process that we have found works wonders for patients with musculoskeletal pain: acute pain or chronic pain, back pain or neck pain. Step 1 looked at Physical Medicine Modalities and most readers agreed that they could see how using those techniques would make a difference. Many of our patients who do particularly well however take their treatment protocol a little further. They also incorporate lifestyle changes that make a big difference in their pain.

Ergonomics

When I was in chiropractic school I remember one of our professors telling us: If you are treating in the correct way but are not getting the results you expect, look at the patient’s ergonomics. Have you ever sat in an uncomfortable chair or slept in an uncomfortable bed and paid for it the next day? Can you imagine the damage done when someone sits like that or sleeps like that every day for months, sometimes even years? For some patients, it may be that their work station needs to be reorganized. Their chair may need to be adjusted/changed, the computer screen may not be at the correct height, they may need a foot rest or there may be something else in the work environment contributing to their pain. Some of our patients who work in a more manual setting may find that getting into certain positions or using certain tools repetitively may be the culprit. The wrong kind of pillows and mattresses can contribute to neck and back pain as well. Sometimes just making a little change in one of these areas makes all the difference.

Food and pain

When patients come in with pain we always ask questions about their diet. Often patients come in expecting a quick adjustment and are a little surprised to find that diet and pain could be even remotely related! The truth is that some mainstays of the Standard American Diet promote pain and inflammation. For some, increasing the intake of Omega -3 fatty acids is a great idea. Some studies show that foods from animals as well as some grains and seeds may be associated with increased inflammation. Having a plant based diet has been proven to be anti-inflammatory. For some patients adding some anti-inflammatory substances such as green tea, resveratrol, vitamins C and E, curcumin as well as certain compounds found in some fruits and vegetables have been shown in some studies to act on the same pathway as NSAIDS and COX-2 inhibitors to reduce pain!  Most patients will benefit from reducing pro-inflammatory substances from their diets, essentially stopping the pain even before it starts! Patients with an inflammatory condition such as a musculoskeletal injury should consider how what they are eating may be affecting their recovery!

Posture

I have a confession to make. Before I went to chiropractic school I had great posture and hardly ever had back pain. Studying for hours, sitting in classes all day, sitting at the computer for hours, using laptops, tablets and smart phones were all convenient but they have all played a part in ruining my posture and introducing me to the world of back pain! The same techniques that I use for myself are the ones I recommend for patients: I have found that working to change poor postural habits, retraining neuromuscular patterns and using rehabilitation exercises and other such techniques go a long way to reduce pain. Yes your mom was right! Do sit up straight!

Exercise

There was a study published in the journal of the American Medical Association a couple of years ago that showed that daily exercise for patients suffering from arthritic changes was more effective for many patients than NSAID medication. I have also seen studies and proven in practice the benefit of a prescribed exercise program using rehabilitation exercises for many patients with chronic pain.

These are just of a few of the lifestyle changes that some of our patients found helpful in getting to pain free. Next time I’ll give you the secret sauce, the icing on the cake so to speak of living pain free. You will be surprised; it’s not what you’re thinking. You are going to like it and I can’t wait to share it with you!

Regards in health,

Dr. Shepherd