So what does a smoke alarm have to do with Back and Neck Pain?
At least 80% of the population will at some point in their lives experience back pain and/or neck pain; it will be severe enough for you to miss work, seek some type of pain management therapy or take a pain killer. In the hustle and bustle of today’s lifestyle, we have no time for pain! We have to pay the bills, get the kids to hockey, make dinner, and be a husband or wife, a friend, and a parent. North American culture values “30 minute meals”, “8 minute abs”, “5 minute buns” and of course the “quick fix” to back and neck pain.
We meet people every single day telling us about their tight shoulders and their sore back. As Chiropractors, we are trained to dig further. “Any tingling, burning, or headaches?” As we probe we find that that same person deals with headaches several days of the month! They often think these are “normal” headaches. No headache is normal – it’s an indicator of your body out of homeostasis, or normal balance.
“Well Doc, I do get headaches every day, but if I feel one coming on I just take three Extra Strength Gel Tabs, and 50% of the time it kills the headache.”
What is wrong with that statement? It’s exactly as if your smoke alarm went off at 1:24am and instead of checking the house to see what the problem was, you just went down the hall to the alarm and took the batteries out. The horrible loud noise stops, but it does nothing to address the fire that’s raging in your kitchen.
This is exactly what you are doing when you take a pain killer! Headaches, back pain, neck pain, or any symptom that your body creates, is a warning sign! It is your internal smoke alarm. Do not pull the battery, do not ignore the noise and hope it goes away. Taking three “Extra Strength Gel Tabs” every day only masks the pain of your headaches, without addressing the actual cause. Just like the fire in your kitchen!
We know that sensation of pain is controlled by your brain and nervous system. Pain sensation only represents approximately 10% of your health story, the other 90% of your nervous system controls the function of your organs, glands, blood vessels and the motion of your muscles; you cannot feel these parts, but I think you will agree that they are all pretty important! Pain in other areas can indicate decreased function to these vital parts of your body!
Your neck contains the brainstem and spinal cord, any neck pains or headaches suggest dysfunction to the organs and systems controlling blood pressure, breathing, and immune function. Often people with neck pain also suffer from high blood pressure, chronic fatigue/irritability, chronic colds/flus, sinus congestion, colic and ear infections – especially our children!
Any pain or burning in the shoulders, between the shoulder blades, or in the mid back suggest dysfunction in the nerves that supply the heart, lungs, and digestive system. People with pain in this area can also suffer from heart palpitations (irregular heart beat), chest pain that mimics heart attack, anxiety and breathing problems (asthma).
Low back pain can relate to problems with the intestines, bladder and reproductive systems. Female low back pain sufferers often complain of menstrual irregularities, and even infertility issues. Low back pain sufferers also report higher incidences of unexplained hip and knee pain.
Determining the cause of your pains and aches, and properly correcting the problem is crucial in attaining overall health and well-being. So when your smoke alarm rings, take it seriously, because it is telling you something – there is a problem!!! Just like you get up to check the house, and make sure your precious investments are safe, so should you when it comes to your health. You only have one body and you need to take care of it so that you can provide for your family, send your kids to school, get them to hockey, be a parent, friend, and spouse.
Remember, if you don’t have time to be sick, then you need to make time to get and stay healthy!
Yours in health,
Dr. Travis Pillipow DC and Dr. Sarah Tremblay DC
As posted February 10th 2010 in the Westside Weekly
Questions or comments?
Contact Dr. Travis or Dr. Sarah at Health In Hand Family Chiropractic:
info@healthinhand.ca or http://www.healthinhand.ca/
Dr. Travis Pillipow DC, BSc.
Dr. Sarah Tremblay, DC BHPE
Health In Hand Family Chiropractic
104-1195 Industrial Rd.
Kelowna, BC
VIZ 1G4
250-454-9474
http://www.healthinhand.ca/
Adjusting you for a better life!
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