Sleep Ergonomics
During the past 4 weeks, our social media theme has been sleep ergonomics. 
As we wrap up July, let’s look at sleep from a different perspective. Many of our patients attribute their back pain, neck pain, and other musculoskeletal complaints to sleep-related events. Here are the most common:
“Our mattress is old/worn out.”
“I must have ‘slept funny’.”
“I need a better pillow.”
“I’ve been travelling and sleeping in hotel beds.”
“We stayed at our in-laws’ house on a bad mattress.” (This is a very common misconception. I think there could be a good psychological study on this phenomenon).
While all of these things can initiate an episode of musculoskeletal pain, it is important to consider the underlying structure and function of the area in which there is pain. In other words, maybe it’s your back, not the mattress!
In reality, a musculoskeletal system that is functioning optimally should be able to withstand a few nights on a bad mattress, or falling asleep on the sofa, without causing pain or spasms.
Here’s how it works.
- When spinal joints are not moving properly, your central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) are quick to detect this problem, whether you are aware of it or not.
- Corrective neural impulses are sent from the central nervous system to nearby muscle groups to stabilize the dysfunctional area.
- Sleeping tends to relax some of this defensive posturing, leaving the weakened areas vulnerable to irritation.
- Upon waking, you attempt to move and “stir-up” these dysfunctional spinal joints
- Your central nervous system interprets this sudden movement as dangerous and responds by locking up all of the muscle groups around the dysfunctional area, essentially making a natural (and very painful) “splint” to stabilize the area.
This is most likely happening if you are waking up often with back and neck pain.
We can help! In our office, we evaluate the motion patterns of your spine. In most cases, we are able to identify the underlying dysfunction and correct it via spinal manipulation, muscle release techniques, and therapeutic exercise therapy.
Joint Pain
Joints are the space between bones that allow for proper movement and function. Our body has many different types of joints, from those that barely move at all (e.g., the sutures in your skull) to synovial joints that move in many different directions (e.g., shoulder joints, ankle joints, hip joints, etc.). When the joints move properly, your muscles and ligaments function at an optimal level. This affords you proper function and no pain. When the joints don’t move properly, however, the function of your muscles and ligaments is adversely impacted. This is an ideal time to call to set up an appointment with a chiropractor.
Joint Pain Arthralgia (Greek for joint pain) is discomfort that occurs in a location where two bones meet. Pain can occur in joints anywhere in the body, including the hands, back, knees, neck and shoulders. There are many common causes of joint pain, ranging from injury (e.g., broken bones, dislocations and muscle sprains and strains) to arthritis (e.g., osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, etc.) to infectious and inflammatory diseases (e.g., autoimmune disease, bursitis, and tendonitis).
Improperly Working Joints When joints do not work properly, it can lead to a variety of problems. Primarily, when the joints do not work properly, the muscles and ligaments cannot function properly either. They will tend to either shorten or elongate, depending on the joint problem. When this occurs, they will leak chemical messengers that will irritate local tissues and nerves. This leads to further pain and dysfunction. It turns out to be a vicious cycle until the underlying joint problem is addressed.
Factors Affecting Joint Function The causes of joint problems fall under one of three main categories: mechanical, chemical, and/or mental. Macro trauma (big trauma) such as a car crash or bad fall and micro trauma (repetitive-use injury) are both mechanical factors that inhibit joint function. An example of a chemical factor would be making dietary choices that are inflammatory, which increases the likelihood that your joints will swell more easily and become susceptible to additional injuries. Mental factors become more apparent when people are under stress. Many times they will get headaches, back pain, neck pain, stomach pain, etc. Stress affects the hormones and chemicals in your body and can create an environment where healthy joint function is hard to maintain.
Chiropractors help primarily with the mechanical causes of joint pain and dysfunction; however, we are trained to deal with certain chemical and mental influences as well. Rather than a temporary solution with medication, or risky surgery, chiropractic treatment is the primary treatment that addresses the underlying cause of joint dysfunction. Normal ranges of motion are restored and inflammation reduced, allowing for soft tissue reactions to heal. After a thorough examination, occasionally, the chiropractor will find that this patient would be better served by another medical professional. If this is the case, East End Chiropractic will let you know promptly and will refer you to a professional that can provide you with the necessary treatment.
Choosing The Right Chiropractor
Getting Started
Finding the right chiropractor isn’t always as easy as going with first one Google delivers. When it comes to your health, you want to make sure you’re going to someone who’s qualified, trustworthy, helpful and friendly — not to mention experienced in treating the specific problems you’re having and/or the specific treatment you need.
If you’re in need of chiropractic care, East End Chiropractic can help. Our website offers information about our office who we are and the treatments we specialize in you can also call us with any questions you might have). If you’re just starting your search for a new chiropractor, though, here are a few steps worth taking to make sure you find the right match for you.
Take your time and do the research. It is critical that you feel confident about your choice.
Research In Person and Online
Asking friends and family for their personal experiences is always helpful, particularly if you know people who’ve been treated for issues similar to the ones you’re experiencing. But if you come up short on personal recommendations, the web remains a valuable tool. East End Chiropractic is listed among Yelp’s Best Chiropractors in Nashville with a 5 star rating, and has 4 and 1/2 stars on Google reviews. The great web feedback we receive makes us proud, because it’s an outgrowth of helping our patients which is our goal and our passion. And we’ve found that when you truly strive to meet your patients’ needs, a good online reputation follows.
Ask Questions
Different chiropractors specialize in a variety of treatments and methods. At one office, you might see high-tech tools and treatments; at another, a greater focus on myofascial release or acupuncture. If you’ve had a great response to a certain technique or treatment in the past, talk to potential chiropractors about their approach and find out if you might be able to continue that treatment. If you have a particular symptom that you want treated — like headaches, which we treat regularly and successfully at our office — see if that’s among your potential doctor’s specialties. Never hesitate to ask questions when it comes to finding the right treatment. That’s what we’re here for!
Call Your Insurance Company, Or Check Its Website
Sometimes, your health insurance policy will help cover chiropractic care. Your insurance’s customer service line or website can be a great place to start, so you can collect a list of in-network chiropractors to research further. (Also, if you don’t have insurance or if we’re not in-network with your insurance carrier, chiropractic care can still be an affordable option at our office. We offer discounts to self-pay patients who pay at the time of service.)
If there’s anything you want to know about chiropractic care or what to expect on a first chiropractic visit, let us know! You can reach us at (615) 650-6533 or info@eastendchiro.com.
What Exactly Is Chiropractic Care?
Restoring Mobility of the Spine
Chiropractic care mainly addresses the spine and relieves problems caused by dysfunctions of the spine. Your spine essentially serves two purposes: 1) it supports the weight of your body, allowing a great variety of movement, and 2) it encloses/protects the spinal cord, which connects your brain to the rest of your body. The spine contains 24 vertebral segments which connect to each other via a system of joints and are held together by muscles and ligaments.
Keeping your spine healthy means maintaining its full range of motion, without discomfort.
Problems arise when a joint in the spine becomes “stuck” and stops moving in its full range of motion. The lack of mobility leads to inflammation and swelling in the region surrounding the joint, along with muscle spasms and pain. It can also lead to symptoms which may not seem related to your spine (tension headaches, tingling or numbness in extremities, pain in knees/elbows, etc). Many things can cause a joint to get “stuck” such as a slip, fall, or even day-to-day routine activities. A spinal joint that is not working properly will require other joints to compensate, leading to altered motion patterns of the spine. Prolonged abnormal alignment of the spine can lead to permanent changes in the spinal structure which is why it is important to address spinal issues quickly.
A chiropractor focuses on restoring the full range of motion to a stuck joint utilizing precise and shallow adjustment of the spine. In most cases, the doctor will only use their hands to administer these adjustments. Often, when people complain of back and joint pain, they will say “something is out of place,” or “a bone in my back is dislocated.” Most often, this is not the case. Rather than being “out of place,” the joint is typically locked somewhere within its normal range of motion. The adjustments a chiropractor makes are done with the goal of restoring the normal motion of that joint.
Once the normal range of motion is reestablished, a person is able to move in a more comfortable manner. Other joints no longer have to compensate for the poorly moving joint. Pain, muscle spasm, and inflammation (the body’s most important defenses against dysfunctional joint movement) are no longer needed, and will dissipate.
See How We Can Help for more information on what types of treatment we offer at our office.
Have any questions about chiropractic care? Give us a call at 615-650-6533 or email us at info@eastendchiro.com.
