April 2022 Healthy News from Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office Words Describing Back Pain and Exercises to Strengthen the Multifidi Are Important

Your Groton chiropractor listens to every word used to describe the back pain experience to develop the proper, relieving treatment plan.

 
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!

Your Groton chiropractor listens to every word used to describe the back pain experience to develop the proper, relieving treatment plan. 

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!

"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."