September is here with its very pleasant quieter and cooler days. Soon we will go through ups and downs in temperature which often leaves a lot of people suffering with colds. We have seen many patients coughing and sneezing, and they come in because they suffer from spinal and muscle pain in the neck or upper back area. This is an area that can create a lot of discomfort and pain due to many muscles and supporting ligaments and many joints between the bones in the thoracic spine.
Did you know that each 12 thoracic vertebrae have 2 ribs attaching to it? These 2 sets or 12 ribs articulate with the thoracic vertebrae and together they protect our internal vital organs. The thoracic spine is far stronger than the neck and lumbar spine because of the stabilising effect of the rib cage.
Nevertheless, a good sneeze, particularly if twisting at the time, or a bout of bronchitis may sprain one of the joints, causing severe pain with each breath. It feels like someone is stabbing you in the back with a knife. If one muscle or joint is injured or inflamed, it can create a cascade of pain and dysfunction that can leave you great discomfort.
Deep upper back pain is sometimes caused by a pinched nerve in the neck. A cervical nerve irritation can create pain between your shoulder blades, in your elbow or shoulder or numbness in your hands.
There are many other causes to upper back pain that appear to originate from muscular irritation or other soft tissue problems. These can arise from lack of strength, poor posture, prolonged sitting at a computer, using a heavy backpack, overuse injuries (such as repetitive motion), or trauma from a car accident or sports injury. Also, a more serious health issue may be the cause of an acute chest pain, and it is always recommended to see a medical doctor or go to emergency if you think your heart might be involved.
To find out the source of your problem, your chiropractor will do a full examination of your cervical and thoracic spine when you come in with pain in the upper back. There are many orthopaedic tests that we can perform that will help identify the source of the irritation. You might be asked to go for further examination like x–rays, CAT scan or MRI if we suspect any degenerative or other underlying condition and send you to your medical doctor.
Once we identify the mechanical issues that are causing your spine related pain, we will adjust your spine to correct the misalignment and remove interference to your nerves function.
After getting adjusted, most patients experience a feeling of relief, and they report that their symptoms go away faster and that they have been sleeping and breathing better.
Basically, because it helps place your body in the position where it can heal itself, chiropractic adjustments can free your immune system up to focus on keeping you healthy, which enhances your ability to move, to breathe and perform.
It doesn’t matter if you have a recent back or neck injury or have been dealing with chronic pain, chiropractic adjustments can provide quick, noticeable relief. They can even help reduce pain and restore mobility in your ribs, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees and feet. So if you tweaked your shoulder, sprained your ribs, are dealing with carpal tunnel syndrome in a wrist, or other issues in your extremities, consider chiropractic for a non-invasive way to reduce pain and get back to full strength faster.
Adjustments can help you maintain better overall health by helping speed your recovery.
When your spine is flexible and adaptable, it doesn’t matter what your biological age is, your body will feel stronger. That’s the best way to keep your vitality for years to come and enjoy every season.
By Sandra Genest-Boudreau
|| features@algarveresident.com
Sandra Genest-Boudreau is French-Canadian, who graduated from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in 1990 before coming to the Algarve in 2002. She is passionate about adjusting all her patients, particularly children.
Algarve Quiroprática clinic: EN125 in Pêra | 282 312 853 | 969 397 375
Licença da ERS n.º 17485/2019 de 11-06-2019
