After our blog earlier this week about the harmful side of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), we wanted to follow up with a more natural and safe way to fight some of those long standing inflammatory conditions. While acute inflammation in response to injury is a necessary process, chronic inflammation can lead to many more serious conditions.The causes of pain and disease can be broken down into 3 simple categories. These categories include things which you are doing, thinking, or eating.A question we often get asked by patients, is what can they do at home to help with healing? Among stretches and exercises which may help with an injury or condition, nutritional changes can be a huge factor to aid in healing. And while NSAIDs may delay healing times, a proper diet ensures that the body is receiving vital nutrients to fight off chronic illness and injury.Again, it is important to remember, inflammation in itself is not a bad thing. Acute inflammation is part of the body’s natural response to injury or irritants which may be harmful. Take a look at the image on the left, chronic inflammation in the body can lead to any and all of these conditions.So what exactly is an anti-inflammatory diet? Basically, any diet that does not contain sugar, flour, omega-6 oils, and trans-fats can be considered anti-inflammatory. A diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, raw nuts, lean meats, chicken, and fish is ideal. It is important to minimize or eliminate gains including bread, pasta, crackers, and cereals. Dairy products are also important to minimize in the diet. Fried, processed or packaged foods, and many oils and salad dressings also contribute to inflammation in the body. It is generally recommended that each meal should contain about 25% protein, and 75% vegetables.Supplementation may often be recommended to combat the negative side effects of inflammation and chemical imbalances in the body. The correct supplements may actually normalize the production of various inflammatory chemicals in the body. A high quality multi-vitamin is important for nutritional deficiencies in the typical diet. Omega-3 fatty acids are also critical, which can be found in certain foods and fish oil supplements. High ratios of Omega-6 fatty acids (found in grains and processed foods) to Omega-3s may lead to uncontrolled/chronic inflammation.Making the change to an anti-inflammatory diet may not be easy, however, the benefits are numerous. It is important to remember that these changes take time. Along with decreasing inflammation and preventing disease, you’ll likely sleep better, increase energy, and recover from pain faster. Before making any significant changes to your diet, it is a good idea to talk with a health care professional first.If you are interested in more information on this topic, go to www.deflame.com, or contact Dr. Chris and Dr. Emily at Optimal Chiropractic in Post Falls, ID at (208) 777-4305.
How Do Painkillers Impact Healing?
The use of painkillers and over-the-counter medications are very common for pain relief among many Americans. However, most are unaware that these medications may in fact be slowing the process of healing in many of the conditions they are attempting to treat. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen can be very helpful to decrease minor aches and pains, and help us continue with our daily activities, but at what point do they actually become harmful to our health?Inflammation is not always a bad thing. It is the body’s way of protecting itself and removing harmful factors so that healing can begin. After an injury, the body activates specific cells which attack the injured area. These cells will increase blood flow allowing more nutrients to flow to the area. It can also produce swelling which may also stimulate nerve fibers which cause pain.Knowing the importance of inflammation in the body, it becomes easier to appreciate how anti-inflammatory medications may inhibit tissue repair. There are 2 enzymes in the body which regulate different functions, COX-1 and COX-2. The second is responsible for signaling pain and beginning the process of inflammation, as well as stimulating part of the immune response. The delay in healing is due to the inhibition of prostaglandin production from the COX-2 enzyme. These prostaglandins control processes such as muscle and blood vessel constriction.Without inflammation, the healing process would be much slower as it would be difficult to initiate this healing process. Many practitioners even discourage the use of ice, as it may cause vasoconstriction (or narrowing of the blood vessels) and decrease the amount of nutrients brought to the injured area.Even with exercise, the harder you train, small micro-tears are occurring in the muscle. The more forcefully the muscles contract, the more damage may occur. Without inflammation to initiate healing, more and more injury may occur over time with repetitious activity. This is also one reason why taking NSAIDs before a work out could be harmful.Soft tissues such as muscle, ligaments, and tendons are not the only structures in the body affected by NSAID use. Injuries to bone, particularly fractures, are also affected when it comes to the remodeling phase. With fracture healing, the area undergoes the inflammatory process, new blood vessel formation, a callus forms, and new bone is laid down to the area of injury. Prostaglandins also play an important role in the formation of different types of bone cells. Therefore, long term use of NSAID pain relievers can delay the process of healing fractures, and may actually accelerate other conditions such as osteoporosis and joint deterioration.The effects of NSAIDs are not only harmful to the musculoskeletal system, but to other bodily systems such as the digestive tract as well. Over-the-counter medications such as Aspirin can cause excessive stomach acid production. Stomach acid is very acidic, as it is needed to break down food and nutrients we take in on a daily basis. The stomach has a protective coating so as to not become degraded from the acid. However, with constant higher levels of acidity than normal, this acidic environment can lead to a breakdown of the lining causing ulceration and bleeding in other areas of the gastrointestinal tract.So are we saying NSAIDs are all bad, all the time, in every situation? Of course not. However, there are consequences with repeated, long term use. Many athletes, for example, who are constantly training need to be aware of the effects which over-the-counter medications may carry. Injuries take time to heal, and it is important to take the time to allow the body to its job.
Causes of Spinal Degeneration
Arthritis in the spine is referred to as Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD) or Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD). It occurs from biomechanical changes in the bony structures and soft tissues of the body. Physical, chemical, and psychological stressors to the body can both lead to these changes. Degeneration should not be thought of as a "normal wear and tear" condition, it is a response to something that has gone wrong in the body.Biomechanics is the study of the structure and function of the body and systems. Trauma or postural abnormalities can alter the body’s biomechanics in many ways. A car accident, for example, may cause a whiplash injury in the neck. This is going to cause overstretching and inflammation of the ligaments and soft tissues of the cervical spine. If left untreated, these joints can become unstable. As the injury heals, some areas can have too much motion and some may develop too little motion or fixation.This lack of motion, or hypomobility, can progress and cause muscle hypertonicity and spasm, fibrosis, and eventually calcification of soft tissues and bone spurring. It is important for soft tissue injuries to heal with motion so that the tissues are not able to become fixed and degenerated. If tissues heal incorrectly, it can lead to compensation and improper movement of the joints and the body as a whole.Stress is one psychological factor that can also effect the body in a negative way. Click HERE to read our previous blog about stress and its effect on the nervous system. Constant activation of our sympathetic nervous system (controlling “fight or flight” response) from stress causes our body to continually remain in a heightened state. Irritation of the sympathetic system prevents our parasympathetic system (“rest and digest”) from allowing the body to heal correctly.Chemical stressors include things such as nutrition or medications. Dietary factors may lead to chronic inflammation in the body. Nutritional deficiencies may also rob the body of essential vitamins and minerals needed for proper healing. Often times certain medications are designed to mask symptoms of an injury. Those which provide relief of pain may lead to a delay in healing if proper measures are not taken to correct the problem simultaneously.Chiropractic care can have a significant effect on the body when it comes to healing. At Optimal Chiropractic, we focus not only on mobility of the spine and extremities, but stabilizing and strengthening for the greatest healing outcomes. We develop treatments individual to each patient based on their specific presentation and possible dysfunctions. Our goal is to not only get you out of pain, but to correct the problem and educate each patient to improve their overall quality of life and prevent future problems.Interested in seeing how we can help you or someone you know? Give our office a call at (208) 777-4305. Get on the right track to your optimal health today.
The Dangers of Texting
Modern day technology is having a negative effect on our spine and body mechanics. Think back to 10 years ago, cell phone usage wasn’t anywhere near what it is today. Only half or maybe a third of high school students even had a cell phone back when texting was limited to about 200 per month. Nowadays, however, it seems the average age to receive your first smart phone is around 10 years old. Below are some details about the bad cell phone habits the doctors at Optimal Chiropractic see with many patients.Notice the position many people develop when texting, gaming, or surfing on their cell phone. It is rare to see a person sitting up straight, shoulders back and eyes forward with their arms up to eye level using their phone. The typical posture we see is a person bent or hunched over looking down with the phone at the waist. Business insider reports from 2013 stated smartphone users age 18-24 send an average of 67 texts each day, and around 2,022 texts per month. Not including texts received, which is around 1,831.Text neck is a common term used to describe the strain caused to the cervical spine from cell phone usage. The head is constantly in a state of forward posture, which chiropractors describe as anterior head carriage. The human head weighs around 10-12 pounds in the average adult. However, as the neck is bent forward and down, the weight held by the cervical spine begins to increase due to the weight of gravity pushing down. Studies have shown every inch of anterior head carriage adds 10lbs to the weight of the head, increasing the pressure on the cervical spine.Forward head carriage and upper back hunching can lead to a number of issues including headache, reduced lung capacity, muscle weakness and shortening, neck pain, neurological issues, dizziness, and even depression. At Optimal Chiropractic, we recommend changing your posture when using your smartphone and other devices. Bring the device up to your eye level, rather than bending down toward it. Use a special case or stand to hold up devices such as a tablet or reading materials. Last, but not least, perform exercises throughout the day to improve posture and strengthen the muscles deep within the neck.If you are interested in learning more about what you can do to improve your posture and overall quality of life, give our office a call. We would love to see you and your family to help you achieve your optimal health and wellness goals.