Posts Tagged ‘joint inflammation’
As a Chiropractor in San Diego, I counsel many individuals who come to my clinic who want to lose weight. I know how hard it can be, and I also know how important it is to lose those extra pounds. What’s an extra pound or two? Over time, they can add up to a large number of health issues from heart and pulmonary diseases and diabetes to back challenges and joint degeneration. Extra pounds put excessive stress on organs, like the heart, as well as on joints in the low back, hips, and knees. A shocking 62% of men and women in America are overweight or obese, according to recent studies. That is a very significant percentage and an enormous problem (no pun intended).
Though we try to pretend otherwise, most of us know that the human body has not evolved to schlepp around a surfeit of weight in the form of body fat. Just an additional 20 or 30 pounds can veritably overload and encumber the joints and muscles of the body. Excess weight in the abdominal region, for example, requires that the body compensate (counterbalance the weight) by tilting the pelvis forward. This shift produces compression in the joints of the low back. Joint compression inhibits nerve activity and causes painful inflammation. Most people who have a heavy midsectionexperience low back pain generated by a compressed sciatic nerve or spinal misalignments that impinge nerves due to weight-bearing stresses. If not addresses, misaligned vertebra not only continue to irritate the degenerative changes that have already taken place, but can develop into new arthritic changes in the spine in the future.
Here are the ways in which chiropractic treatment can help. First of all, to be clear, a moderate body weight is required in order for the musculoskeletal system to function in the way it is meant to. That said, in addition, chiropractic adjustments relieve nerve impingements in the spine and assist in getting motion back into the joints of the musculoskeletal system, such as in the low back, hips, and knees. And, of course exercise and physical activity is a lot easier, and more beneficial for the body, when the the joints have good mobility and the spine is aligned. Not only will exercise help with weight reduction, but it can actually inhibit degenerative changes as we age.
It is always best to review your diet and exercise options with a healthcare professional, like your chiropractor. In addition to assisting people suffering from back pain and joint inflammation, chiropractors offer expert suggestions on the type of lifestyle modifications that can help a person to stay healthier, more vital, and more active through the years. It isn’t a foregone conclusion that arthritis and immobility an inescapable part of the aging process. The structure of the human body is intended to carry a person through an entire lifetime of pain-free movement.
So, if those extra few pounds have started to add up to a lot of pain, as your chiropractor in San Diego and someone who cares deeply about your overall health, I can help. Make an appointment today!