Often when the vertebrae are subluxated in the lumbar region, they affect the muscles; and you feel it as a lower back spasm and or pain. The muscles in the lower back have many layers over the next few blogs I am going to discuss these muscles and some of the things you can do to address the problem
Mind the Body First (Part 2)
Hi All,
In Part 1 we discussed getting the body moving first as a method of stimulating the brain into action. Most of us probably get this intuitively because we’ve witnessed it in kids who are like kinetic little hummingbirds all the time. To use walking as an example, you walk upright and your nervous system works through the spinal cord which extends from the brain all the way to the small of your back and the bony spinal column houses and protects it. Nerve signals travel down from the brain to every inch of your body, including organs, muscles, and blood vessels. Information has to get back up to the brain as well, of course, relaying info back about the position or your joints, tension of the ligaments and tendons, pressure, temperature and about a million other pieces of information that is processed constantly between brain and body, body and brain.
Grounding is Good
Sometimes our patients come flying in the door for their adjustments with some much in their minds and on their to-do lists that it’s difficult for them to relax. Tense thoughts create tense muscles, not to mention chemistry that can have a negative impact on the body as a whole The next few blogs will address ways that we can ground ourselves throughout the day, starting with first thing in the morning.
Getting Creative
Human beings are creatures of habit. The benefit of this is that we create structure for ourselves that allow us to get things done and to have a certain level of predictability in our lives. But we also need to keep ourselves engaged or stimulated. Here are some ideas for trying something new in the weeks ahead:
Connect with others. Making time for social connection is very important and restorative. Social connection is what makes us a part of something larger than ourselves and our worries. It gives us perspective.
First You Fit in the Big Rocks
Here’s a story that inspired the title to this blog. A teacher stood in front of a group of high-powered over achievers. She said, “Okay, time for a quiz.” Then she pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of her. She produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar.
When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, she asked, “Is the jar full?” Everyone in the class said, “Yes.” Then she reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel, and poured it down into the spaces between the big rocks.
Then she smiled and asked the group once more, “Is the jar full?” By this time, the class was on to her. “Probably not,” one of them answered. “Good!” she replied. And she reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. She started dumping the sand in, and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more she asked the question, “Is this jar full?”
Make Up Your Mind
“Man is about as happy as he makes up his mind to be.” Abraham Lincoln
Picking up where we left off last week, here are several more steps that address the 
cognitive aspects of what contributes to a stressful day. Most of us are aware that our thinking is driving our happiness or lack of happiness. Paying attention to our thoughts can be a pretty revealing way of getting to know ourselves. Those of us who are “helpers” have a harder time because we tend to take on other people’s “stuff” as well as our own.
Correcting Posture Imbalances
Correcting and improving posture is something that we are highly committed to in our practice. Just this w
eek, a new patient who is a truck driver came into my office with extreme midback pain and neck pain on his right side. When I examined the patient I found that his head shifted to the left as well as his shoulders. From the years and years of leaning his arm out of the window and shifting his body to the left, his posture has settled in this position.
Patient Appreciation!
We had a successful patient appreciation week recently with special guest, Charli Vogt. www.beyondthemeasuringcup.com It is always fun to do something new in the office. Whether it be introducing new foods to our patients, reaching out at Health Fairs, Festivals, and Community Events, or our Free In-House Postural Workshops, having a buzz around the office brings a welcome new energy.
Our patients are so amazing, often sharing informative articles and tasty gifts for us to enjoy. The most exciting buzz is when our patients share the wonderful experience they’ve had in our office with others. A referral is the greatest compliment that can be given. Thank you so much!
Why Does My Spine Have Degeneration?
“Doc, I work out every day. Why does my spine have degeneration?” To answer this question, let’s look at the two types of muscle fibers in our musculoskeletal system- fast twitch and slow twitch. The muscles that bulge when we flex are the fast twitch. Most muscles involved with “pumping iron” are fast twitch. The slow twitch muscles are the deeper muscles, and they are not involved in a regular anaerobic work out. These slow twitch muscles are responsible for the intersegmental symmetry of our musculoskeletal system and our posture.
Chiropractic Adjustments for Migraines?
The University of Maryland Medical Center says, ”chiropractic adjustments were 71% effective in managing migraines.” Furthermore, they report the chiropractic adjustments were as effective as Elavil with less side effects. Researchers aren’t sure what causes a migraine, although they know it involves changes in the blood flow in the brain. Initially, blood vessels constrict (narrow), reducing blood flow and leading to visual disturbances, difficulty speaking, weakness, numbness, or tingling sensation in one area of the body, or other similar symptoms.” http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/migraine-headache-000072.htm