DESCRIPTIONS OF PAIN ARE IMPORTANT TO
YOUR CHIROPRACTOR
“Why are you asking me all these
questions, doc?”
Our McHenry chiropractic patients are central
to our practice. We want
to understand each you and your pain experience well,
treat you well, and ensure that you are satisfied with your care
and outcome. That is why we have 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 is true! Researchers studied
just what these different words mean to patients. An example of this is the description of “feeling”: pain was
sharp/shooting, discomfort was dull/tingling, stiffness was
tight/restricted. (1) It's beneficial for OrthoIllinois Chiropractic
to know our patient’s experience with pain to better meet
expectations and enhance satisfaction with care. Patients who went
to an integrated hospital for care of their musculoskeletal pain
and depressive symptoms assessed their pain as 5/10 (10 being
greatest pain) and indicated multiple pain
locations (9 of 17 participants), low back pain (13 of 17), and neck pain (8 of
17). Those are quite typical of rationales
patients seek chiropractic care! In this setting, because patients trusted their main physician, patients were satisfied with the collaboration among
the various healthcare team members. Patients valued
consistency in care from one caregiving chiropractor. (2)
OrthoIllinois Chiropractic knows our patients value - and can expect - these
same things from us: consistency, care, collaboration, and results!
McHenry CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE
MONTH: Standing Exercise for Multifidus Muscle Strengthening Works
Back pain. It is a simple description that may
stem from many factors including the muscles of the spine,
those seen and unseen. The multifidus muscles are such unseen muscles, deep,
smaller muscles that run parallel to the
spine from the neck to the sacrum. These muscles assist
movements like lateral (side) flexion and rotation of the spine when contracted.
(3) Recently, researchers suggested that the multifidi
may be a possible source of back pain since they are found to be stiffer in low back pain sufferers. Low back pain is associated
with lumbodorsal musculature (which incorporates the
multifidus muscle) fatigue. Standing back extension exercise fatigued the multifidus
well enough which may prevent low back pain produced
by muscle fatigue. (4) “Superman” (on-the-floor) exercises are well known. Standing
back extension and “superman” exercises are newly documented to be equally helpful in
strengthening these multifidus muscles. (5) That is great
news! McHenry 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 explains
the benefit of improving muscle strength and
function as part of back pain care following the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic
Make your next McHenry
chiropractic appointment today. Your words will be heard. Your multifidus muscles
will be strengthened via proper exercise to lessen and
potentially avert back pain. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic will ask you questions, and you
are encouraged to ask OrthoIllinois Chiropractic questions, too!