Healthy News June 2021

Back pain patients visit Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC with all sorts of different issues. Some walk better than others. Some have stronger muscles than others. Some are more prone to depression than others. Your La Grande chiropractor knows this and joins each back pain patient where s/he is and assesses each patient to find the difference(s) that make all the difference when designing a relieving chiropractic treatment plan. Tests like the 6-minute walk test that gauges the distance walked in 6 minutes and the TUG (‘time up to go’ from a seated position) test can be quite educational about cardiovascular and musculoskeletal health in degenerative lumbar spine patients. Both may be triggered by back pain. (1) Back muscles that turn weak and fatty (like the multifidus muscle tends to do) indicate issues with inflammatory and regeneration processes. (Back surgeons do not like this as a inferior surgical outcome is possible.) (2) Chiropractors get this and promote gentle exercise for these back muscles as a component of the treatment plan to prevent recurrent back pain that some low back disc degeneration patients endure. A new study described that those who tend to get recurrent back pain were found to move differently, more guardedly, likely to avoid pain. Recurrent back pain patients also experienced higher levels of anxiety, depression, and disability along with a reduced quality of life. (3) Your La Grande chiropractor welcomes all back pain sufferers with all their peculiarities. Your chiropractor partners with each one throughout the current back pain event and beyond to control the back pain (physical, mental, and emotional aspects), so it does not control them.