DESCRIPTIONS OF PAIN ARE IMPORTANT TO
YOUR CHIROPRACTOR
“Why do you ask me so many
questions, doctor?”
Our Vancouver chiropractic patients are the core of 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’s why we have you to describe
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’s true! Researchers did a deep-dive into these different words
and their meanings to patients. An example with regards to
the description of “feeling”: pain signified
sharp/shooting, discomfort signified dull/tingling, stiffness was
tight/restricted. (1) It is beneficial for us
to know our patient’s experience with pain to better meet
expectations and boost satisfaction with care. Patients who visited 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 common of rationales
patients seek chiropractic care! In this setting, patients were satisfied with the
collaboration amongst the various healthcare team members due to
the trust they had in their physician. Patients appreciated
consistency in care from a single caregiving chiropractor. (2)
Vancouver Disc Centers knows our patients value - and can expect - these
same things from us: consistency, care, collaboration, and results!
Vancouver CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE
MONTH: Strengthen
Multifidus Muscles While Standing
Back pain. It’s a simple description that may
stem from a multitude of factors including the muscles of the spine,
those seen and unseen. The multifidus muscles are such unseen muscles, smaller, deep muscles that run beside the
spine from the neck to the sacrum. These muscles aid
movements like lateral (side) flexion and rotation of the spine when contracted.
(3) Lately, 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 linked to lumbodorsal musculature (which includes the
multifidus muscle) fatigue. Standing back extension exercise fatigued the multifidus
well enough which may prevent low back pain initiated
by muscle fatigue. (4) “Superman” (on-the-floor) exercises are well known. Standing
back extension and “superman” exercises are newly reported
as equally beneficial in
strengthening these multifidus muscles. (5) That is great
news! Vancouver 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 describes
the value of increasing muscle strength and
function as part of back pain care following the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers
Schedule your next Vancouver
chiropractic appointment today. Your words will be heard. Your multifidus muscles
will be strengthened via proper exercise to lessen and
potentially avert back pain. Vancouver Disc Centers will ask you questions, and you
are urged to ask Vancouver Disc Centers questions, too!