WORDS DESCRIBING PAIN ARE IMPORTANT TO
YOUR CHIROPRACTOR
“Why are you asking me all these
questions, doc?”
Our Groton chiropractic patients are central
to our practice. We want
to understand each of our patients and your pain experience well,
treat you well, and be sure you are satisfied with your care
and outcome. That’s why we ask you to explain
your pain to us, sometimes a few times and in several
different ways! Words mean different things to different people: “discomfort”
to one may mean “pain” to another while “stiffness” means
“pain” or “discomfort” to a another. It’s true! Researchers studied
just what these different words mean to patients. An example with regards to
the description of “feeling”: pain was
sharp/shooting, discomfort signified dull/tingling, stiffness signified
tight/restricted. (1) It's beneficial for Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office
to know our patient’s experience with pain to better reach
expectations and enhance satisfaction with care. Patients who went
to an integrated hospital for care of their musculoskeletal pain
and depressive symptoms rated their pain as 5/10 (10 being
greatest pain) as well as 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 pursue chiropractic care! In this setting, patients were satisfied with the
collaboration among the various healthcare team members due to
the trust they had in their physician. Patients appreciated
consistency in care from one caregiving chiropractor. (2)
Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office knows our patients value - and can expect - these
same things from us: consistency, care, collaboration, and results!
Groton CHIROPRACTIC TIP OF THE
MONTH: Strengthen
Multifidus Muscles While Standing
Back pain. It is a simple description that may
stem from many factors including the muscles of the spine,
those seen and unseen. The multifidus muscles are such unseen muscles, deep,
smaller muscles that run parallel to the
spine from the cervical spine 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 potential source of back pain since they are found to be stiffer in low back pain sufferers. Low back pain is associated
with lumbodorsal musculature (which includes the
multifidus muscle) fatigue. Standing back extension exercise fatigued the multifidus
well enough which may prevent low back pain produced
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’s great
news! Groton back pain sufferers can do simple, 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 benefit of increasing muscle strength and
function as part of back pain treatment via the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
CONTACT Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office
Schedule your next Groton
chiropractic appointment today. Your words will be heard. Your multifidus muscles
will be strengthened via proper exercise to lessen and
potentially avert back pain. Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office will ask you questions, and you
are urged to ask Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office questions, too!