Healthy News June 2021

Back pain patients come to Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc with all sorts of different issues. Some walk better than others. Some have stronger muscles than others. Some are more susceptible to depression than others. Your Fort Wayne chiropractor knows this and meets each back pain patient where s/he is and assesses each patient to discover the difference(s) that make all the difference when designing a relieving chiropractic treatment plan. Assessments like the 6-minute walk test that gauges the distance walked in 6 minutes and the TUG (‘time up to go’ from a seated position) test can be quite educational about cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health in degenerative lumbar spine patients. Both may be influenced by back pain. (1) Back muscles that weaken and turn fatty (like the multifidus muscle tends to do) indicate issues with inflammatory and regeneration processes. (Back surgeons don’t like this as a poorer surgical outcome is possible.) (2) Chiropractors get this and promote gentle exercise for these back muscles as part of the treatment plan to prevent recurrent back pain that some low back disc degeneration patients experience. A new study described that those who tend to get recurrent back pain were found to move differently, more causiously, likely to avoid pain. Recurrent back pain patients also suffered with higher levels of anxiety, depression, and disability along with a reduced quality of life. (3) Your Fort Wayne chiropractor welcomes all back pain sufferers with all their issues. Your chiropractor teams up with with each one during the current back pain event and beyond to control the back pain (physical, mental, and emotional features), so it doesn’t control them.