Thoughts Have Power!

This month, we’re talking about pain syndromes.  They’re out of control, and of course, our method of dealing with them is generally medication, or worse maybe surgery. The problem with drugs is that they just cover up the problem, allowing the causes to go on. Over time, this allows the condition to get  much much worse. The other issue with medication is that pain killers are in fact a leading cause of drug addiction. Even over-the-counter medications can be very very dangerous. So, what is the cause of pain?

 

I saw a commercial the other day for fibromyalgia. Now of course the commercial was about drugs.  It showed all the nerves going throughout the body being lit up and inflamed. They said this was the reason for this full-body pain condition known as fibromyalgia. So, the nerves were recognized as the key reason for whether or not you’re in pain. Rather than covering up the symptoms, in our office, we look to free up the pressure on the nerves.  This creates a healthy nervous system, so that we can get out of pain, and be healthy.

 

We know, for example, when the curve in the neck is lost, it causes what they call a state of “pathological tension” meaning there is tension all throughout the spinal cord and nerves.  This creates problems  and even pain throughout the whole body. Dr. Rene Talle, the director of physical medicine and rehab at USC,  studied something called “forward-head syndrome”.   Also known as “text neck”,  this is a condition where your head and neck shift forward, stretching out the entire spinal cord and nerve system, essentially removing the curve in the neck.  This puts pressure on the lower neck and upper back where the nerves go directly to the heart and lungs. Dr. Talle found a number of things happen when we have forward-head syndrome and forward-head posture.

 

First of all, it throws off the function of the entire spine, again leading to any number of aches and pains. As the head sits forward, it can add up to 30 additional pounds of abnormal pressure on the cervical and upper thoracic spine. When you have forward-head posture, there is also a loss of vital lung capacity.  This results in a situation where you can’t fill your lungs up with air. There is as much as a 30% loss of lung capacity, which can lead to many cardiovascular conditions. Oxygen is your most important nutrient. Reducing oxygen by 30% can cause a lot of health problems.

 

A problem in your neck, like forward-head posture, also affects your gastrointestinal system. You can actually have large intestine issues and problems with peristaltic function within your intestine as a result of this posture.  This will cause problems with the digestion food.

 

Motion in the top four cervical vertebrae is a major source of stimuli for the production of  endorphins. Endorphins make you feel happy. They put you in a good mood, reduce pain, and impact all of your emotions. When you lose function of those top four vertebrae due to forward-head syndrome, and you reduce those endorphins, it can cause things like depression, bad moods, and once again, pain.

 

So, whether its pain, breathing issues, heart conditions, mood issues, or digestive issues, if you have forward head posture, the key to getting well without drugs, is to correct the cause.