Healthy News June 2021

Back pain patients come to OrthoIllinois Chiropractic with all sorts of different issues. Some walk better than others. Some have better muscles than others. Some are more susceptible to depression than others. Your McHenry chiropractor understands this and meets each back pain patient where s/he is and examines each patient to find the difference(s) that make all the difference when designing an alleviating chiropractic treatment plan. Tests 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) signify issues with inflammatory and regeneration processes. (Back surgeons do not like this as a inferior surgical outcome is possible.) (2) Chiropractors know this and encourage gentle exercise for these back muscles as part of the treatment plan to prevent recurrent back pain that some lumbar disc degeneration patients experience. A recent study described that those who tend to experience recurrent back pain were found to move differently, more carefully, likely to avoid pain. Recurrent back pain patients also suffered with higher levels of anxiety, depression, and disability along with a lower quality of life. (3) Your McHenry chiropractor welcomes all back pain sufferers with all their peculiarities. Your chiropractor teams up with with each one during the current back pain event and beyond to control the back pain (emotional, physical and mental features), so it does not control them.