Facet Joint Disorders

Do you suffer from pain that seems to radiate out of your backbone? Is it worse when you lean backwards, but mostly random? You may be suffering from a facet joint disorder. This kind of back pain often baffles patients, but at the Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence, we’ll help you to understand its cause, resolve it, and prevent it from returning.

The term “facet joint” refers to the connections between the bony protrusions from the posterior sides of the vertebrae. These joints allow the vertebrae a limited degree of mobility, but also prevent them from sliding too far past each other or rotating too much. When the supportive tissue of the joint is torn, the joint may slide out of place, resulting in a subluxation. The pressure of the displaced vertebra can trigger muscle spasms and irritate the nearby nerves, resulting in radiating pain. Displaced bones can also erode the cartilage that cushions the joints, resulting in stiffness and the growth of bony spurs.

Because pain from a displaced facet joint radiates, it may be hard to identify the source of the problem. Our imaging tests and manual examinations will help us to pinpoint where a facet has broken and distinguish facet joint disorders from problems in the spinal discs or nearby organs. An adjustment can help to relieve pressure on nerves and other soft tissues, as can the application of heat. In the long-term, strengthening the muscles attached to the spine through therapeutic exercise will make vertebrae less likely to move out of place, and better posture will cause less cartilage erosion.

Dr. James Huggins runs the Carolina Chiropractic Center at 1627 Suite C, South Irby, Florence, South Carolina, 29505. To set up an appointment, call 843-665-9192 or visit Carolina Chiro Center and fill out a contact form.

 

National Chiropractic Health Month

October marks National Chiropractic Health Month, when chiropractors make particular effort to educate the public about the importance of maintaining musculoskeletal health. Back pain is extremely common, being one of the most frequent medical complaints for people of all ages. But chiropractic is about more than soothing tightness and inflammation in the back muscles. It’s also about ensuring that dislocated joints and swollen tissues won’t disrupt other bodily systems by compressing nerves. Let’s take a look at some basic aspects of joint health and how we at the Carolina Chiopractic Center in Florence can help to keep the body in optimal condition.

Joints are attached to each other by soft tissues called ligaments. Muscles are secured to joints by tendons, which are strong fibers, but are prone to fraying and heal slowly from injuries due to their limited blood supply. The bones that make up a joint are cushioned and lubricated by a substance called articular cartilage, which can be worn down with time or by bone spurs. Some joints are also cushioned by structures called bursae that produce a lubricating fluid called synovia.

Our chiropractic office offers many treatments for reducing inflammation and realigning joints. Manual adjustments correct backbones and shoulder bones that have been displaced by trauma or inflammation of the bursae or muscles. Soft tissue treatments such as electric muscle stimulation, low level laser therapy, and Diapulse combat inflammation directly. Stem cell therapy generates the growth of new connective and cushioning tissue. Furthermore, our knowledge of the musculoskeletal system allows us to not only relieve symptoms, but prevent their return by advising on strength-training and flexibility exercises, nutrition, and lifestyle improvements. With stronger muscles, healthier food, and better posture, you can stop subjecting your joints to stress and remain vibrant throughout life.

Dr. James Huggins runs the Carolina Chiropractic Center at 1627 Suite C, South Irby, Florence, South Carolina, 29505. To set up an appointment, call 843-665-9192 or visit Carolina Chiro Center and fill out a contact form.

 

4 Tips for a Healthy Spine

Chiropractic care goes hand in hand with lifestyle changes when it comes to your spine’s long-term health. Simple things like lifting properly or standing ocassionally while working at a desk can make a big difference. We at Carolina Chiropractic Center are dedicated to educating patients about how to be mindful when it comes to spinal wellness. 

Resting and Sleeping

Neck and back strain are common during rest and sleep. Sometimes we fall asleep in strange positions or angles and wake up asking ourselves, “did I sleep a wrong way?” It’s important that your pillow supports your neck and head so that everything is neutral with your spine.

Lifting

Lifting objects improperly is the most common way to injure your spine. Always use your legs to lift, never your back! Keep your back straight and hold the object close to your body. Never twist while picking something up and always set down the object down the same way you lifted it.

Talking and Texting on the Phone

If you need to speak on the phone for an extended period of time, using a speaker or headset is recommended to keep your neck aligned with your spine. Tilting your head towards your shoulder can damage muscles and vertebrae. Similarly, when you’re texting, keep your neck and back straight with the device at chest or eye level. Never hunch!

Working at a Desk

Make sure that you’re getting up every thirty minutes to stretch out your body. Also be sure that when you’re sitting, your feet are flat on the floor with your knees at a ninety-degree angle. Your computer screen should always be at eye-level.

Carolina Chiropractic Center is located at 1627 S Irby Suite C, in Florence, SC 29505. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit carolinachirocenter.com or call 843-665-9192.

 

Spinal Stenosis

Dr. James Huggins Jr. of Carolina Chiropractic Care provides quality chiropractic services to clients in the Florence, SC, area. He treats a variety of conditions, including Spinal Stenosis. This is when the spaces between the spine begin to shrink. Talk to our staff today to learn more about spinal stenosis and how it’s treated.

 

This condition starts with the structures of the spinal canal moving out of their desired positions. The open areas on the spine are forced into small spaces. Thus, the uncomfortable symptoms that result. The spine doesn’t have enough space to function correctly. There are a few risk factors for developing spinal stenosis. Age is one of the biggest factors. When you grow older, the spinal vertebrae begin to narrow. Thickened ligaments also occur. This produces spurs that push into the spinal canal. Having other spinal conditions also puts you at risk. This includes osteoarthritis, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and spondylolisthesis.

 

The most common symptom is back pain. It can spread throughout the arms and legs, creating pain as well. This is due to the nature of the condition. The spine is pinching the nerves, due to lack of space. Neck pain is also common. There are a few less common conditions, such as weakness, pain while walking, and numbness or tingling in the hands or feet. A diagnosis is made from your medical history and any relevant imaging scans.

 

Treatment depends entirely upon you. Your Florence, SC, chiropractor bases care around your specific needs. Some of the available options are decompression therapy, chiropractic adjustments, and postural corrections. Reach out to our staff to learn more.

 

Carolina Chiropractic Center is located in Florence, SC. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.carolinachirocenter.com. To schedule an appointment with Dr. James Huggins Jr. at Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence, SC, call 843-665-9192.

The Benefits of a Healthy Diet for your Body

Our doctors at Carolina Chiropractic Center specialize in treating the body with various spinal adjustments to help heal, repair, and maintain your joints and muscles. While chiropractic care mainly focuses on adjustments and spinal manipulation, a big part of your body functioning healthy is a healthy, nutritious diet.

Your body relies on food for energy and muscle gain which all affects your body’s ability to function at a high level.

A balanced amount of essential nutrients such as fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates ensure that your body is having proper digestion and regulating itself. The more fruits and vegetables your body gets, the better it will feel. A poor diet increases your chances of developing diabetes and heart disease which limit you physically.

Proper nutrition aids your bodies in healing and running like a well-oiled machine. The balance of a proper diet combined with exercise and spinal adjustments is a good recipe to feeling healthy energized.

To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.carolinachirocenter.com. To schedule an appointment with Dr. James Huggins Jr. at Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence, SC, call 843-665-9192.

Degenerative disc disease

Degenerative disc disease is an age-related condition that happens when the discs in your back between the vertebrae breaks down and leads to pain. As you age changes in your spine can happen and leads to the loss of cushioning, fragmentation, and herniation in your back.

Not everybody experiences symptoms of degenerative disc disease, it all depends on the patient. If you are experiencing pain in your buttocks, arms, or legs, you may have degenerative disc disease. Other signs include numbness and tingling in the arms and legs may also occur.

At Cleary Family Chiropractic, treatment for Degenerative Disc Treatment may include hot or cold packs, physical therapy, stretching techniques, and surgery in more severe cases.

While Degenerative disc disease can happen naturally, there are things you can do to prevent it. Alcohol and nicotine have proven to be damaging to your bones. Living a healthy lifestyle goes a long way to preventing back and other problems. If you are experiencing any signs of Degenerative disc disease, Dr. James Huggins Jr can help you to find pain relief and get back to 100%.

If you are dealing with regular back pain, come see Dr. James Huggins Jr. at Carolina Chiropractic Center. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.carolinachirocenter.com. To schedule an appointment with Dr. James Huggins Jr. at Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence, SC, call 843-665-9192.

Whiplash

Whiplash is a neck injury due to forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck. Whiplash is a common injury during a rear-end auto accident but can also occur during physical activity and playing sports. After the accident occurs, it is common to experience severe pain in your neck, head, and shoulders. At Carolina Chiropractic Center, we advise our patients who have been in an accident to seek chiropractic care.

When possible, we encourage our patients to seek chiropractic care after auto accidents for treatment. Symptoms of whiplash can include neck pain/stiffness, lower back pain, and blurred vision, ringing in the ears, headache, shoulder pain, and nausea. Our doctors are trained to diagnose and treat whiplash.

Our doctors use all natural chiropractic techniques to help your body recover from whiplash. Treating whiplash with painkillers and other medication puts a Band-Aid on the injury instead of fixing it by treating the entire body as one and not one specific area.

If you are suffering from whiplash after an auto-accident, come see Dr. James Huggins Jr. at Carolina Chiropractic Center. To learn more about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.carolinachirocenter.com. To schedule an appointment with Dr. James Huggins Jr. at Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence, SC, call 843-665-9192.

Managing Osteoarthritis

Arthritis can mean several different things. The most common form, osteoarthritis, results from the breakdown of cartilage, a slippery substance that cushions and lubricates the bones where they form joints. At the Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence, we have several safe, complementary means of providing patients with relief from this condition. Although osteoarthritis cannot be reversed, it can be managed.

It was formerly believed that osteoarthritis was purely the result of wear and tear to the joints over time. Recent evidence suggests that another factor is the body losing the ability to produce new collagen, which is the protein that comprises cartilage. As bones rub against each other, they may flake off, and the free-floating chips could trigger the body’s inflammatory response. But inflammation is not always triggered (the condition is sometimes called “degenerative joint disease”), and other possible consequences include the growth of bony spurs and painful stiffness.

People who are older are at greater risk for osteoarthritis, and joints that have previously been injured have a greater risk of developing it. Adjustments can help realign joints that are not currently inflamed. During outbreaks, our options for reducing inflammation include therapeutic ultrasound, electric muscle stimulation, and low level laser therapy. Therapeutic exercise can also keep the muscles surrounding arthritis joints strong and flexible, helping them to retain their shape and relieving cartilage from stress.

Dr. James Huggins runs the Carolina Chiropractic Center at 1627 Suite C, South Irby, Florence, South Carolina, 29505. To set up an appointment, call 843-665-9192 or visit Carolina Chiro Center and fill out a contact form.

 

Importance of Vitamin D

During the summer, we have more opportunities to produce Vitamin D. This hormone plays a crucial role in bone strength by facilitating the body’s absorption of calcium. But although sunlight is necessary for its production, many people may still not get enough, which is why we at the Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence want the public to understand its importance.

Calcium is the mineral that strengthens bones. It is not produced in our bodies, but absorbed in our intestines when the cells there are made active by Vitamin D. (It is possible to absorb too much, which is why they can be deactivated.) Vitamin D is produced in cholesterol when skin is exposed to sunlight, but it can also be consumed from certain sources. Among the best dietary sources are fatty fish, eggs, beef liver, dairy, and green leafy vegetables. Orange juice and cereal are also commonly fortified with Vitamin D and calcium.

Deficiencies in Vitamin D are not always apparent, but over time, they can cause a person to have difficulty growing bone tissue. This may cause them to develop osteoporosis, which will cause them to stoop forward as they age. Besides increasing their sun exposure and improving their nutrient intake, people can also prevent bone fragility by strengthening their muscles.

Dr. James Huggins runs the Carolina Chiropractic Center at 1627 Suite C, South Irby, Florence, South Carolina, 29505. To set up an appointment, call 843-665-9192 or visit Carolina Chiro Center and fill out a contact form.

 

Back Tips for Long Trips

Many people will be driving or riding in planes or trains over the summer. You probably know about the toll prolonged sitting takes on office workers, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that travel can be rough on a person’s back, too. We hope that all our patients at the Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence will exercise preventive measures, so we thought we’d share a few tips.

You don’t want to have to stretch your spine to reach the steering wheel or pedels. Scoot your chair up as close to the wheel as you comfortably can. It’s also a good idea to change your position on the steering wheel sometimes to prevent shoulder freeze. Office workers are advised to get out of their chairs and stretch about every half hour. This is good advice for people sitting in vehicles, as well, but at minimum, they should try to make sure they flex their legs and ankles that often. If your car seat doesn’t have lower back support, you can provide some by putting a small cylindrical pillow in the curve of your lower spine. A rolled up blanket or soft piece of clothing may serve, if necessary. Specialized cushions may be available for people with particular problems, such as sciatica.

Generally, anything that is causing you discomfort at the start of your trip will only get worse. Don’t sit with objects in your back pockets and if you’re not driving, keep your feet on a flat surface. Also, remember to keep your head upright and facing forward instead of at a mobile device in your lap.

Dr. James Huggins runs the Carolina Chiropractic Center at 1627 Suite C, South Irby, Florence, South Carolina, 29505. To set up an appointment, call 843-665-9192 or visit Carolina Chiro Center and fill out a contact form.

 

What is Spondylolisthesis?

A back injury presents a threat to the body’s nervous system. Some injuries are painful, but others may go undetected or cause nerve compression or muscle tightness without their cause being readily apparent. This week on our blog, we at the Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence want to discuss spondylolisthesis, the condition in which one vertebra slips over another. It is a common injury that may be hard to identify without an x-ray.

Degenerative Spondylolisthesis is often related to Degenerative Disc Disease. As the spongy discs between vertebral bodies become less elastic with age, they are less able to prevent slippages in the vertebrae. This disorder is often found in women over the age of sixty. However, a vertebra can also slip forward due to a fracture in the facet joint that connects it to the rest of the spinal column. This is the leading cause of back pain among teenagers and often occurs in the upper lumbar region. Slipped lumbar vertebra can cause pain in muscles spanning from the lower back to the gluteal region and may compress a sciatic nerve, causing shooting pain down the leg.

We employ nonsurgical, minimally invasive techniques for guiding slipped vertebrae back into place. We will then aim to strengthen the patient’s core muscles to prevent relapses. Therapeutic exercise will increase flexibility and relieve stress from the spinal column. We can also provide pain-relieving therapies such as ultrasound and electric muscle stimulation for muscle tightness and inflammation.

Dr. James Huggins runs the Carolina Chiropractic Center at 1627 Suite C, South Irby, Florence, South Carolina, 29505. To set up an appointment, call 843-665-9192 or visit Carolina Chiro Center and fill out a contact form.

 

Sciatica

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the human body. It runs throughout your whole torso and into your legs. When a patient is suffering from Sciatica, they’re really experiencing sciatic pain. That’s why sciatica is more of a symptom than an actual diagnosis. It’s the result of a nerve being aggravated or pinched in some way. Dr. James Huggins Jr. of Carolina Chiropractic Center, located in Florence, SC, provides sciatica treatment for patients.

 

Common symptoms of sciatic pain are lower back pain, problems controlling the lower extremities, tingling and loss of sensation in the legs and feet, and a burning sensation running down through the back and legs. It is often caused by spinal misalignment, spinal stenosis, and bulging or herniated discs.

 

Diagnosing sciatica can be difficult. The pain comes and goes sporadically, making it hard to treat. Locating the cause of the pain is the only way to relieve the symptoms. Your Florence chiropractor will perform a spinal evaluation. He can pinpoint where exactly the problem is.

 

Whether it's caused by a disc injury or a spinal problem, a chiropractic adjustment is the recommended treatment. Dr. Huggins Jr. restores your disc alignment and spinal function. Manual therapy is another treatment route, relieving muscles that are pinching the nerves.

 

Schedule an appointment at Carolina Chiropractic Center if your suffering from sciatic pain. If other treatments aren’t working, it’s time to visit our Florence, SC, office. To schedule your appointment with Dr. James Huggins Jr., visit our website or call 843-665-9192.

Shopping for Shoes

The balance of your feet can determine the balance of the rest of your body. We at the Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence hope that our patients are keeping their lower backs in alignment. That’s a lot harder to do while wearing poorly-fitted shoes that encourage slouching or overcompensating by tensing up one side of the body, so we thought we’d provide some tips for when you go shopping.

Your feet need support under and on the sides of their arches. While high heels are terrible for your feet, flats—including most dress shoes and flip-flops—don’t help them, either. The best shoes are sneakers made of breathable material with a padded collar that will stabilize the ankle without restricting it. The bottoms should have a firm grip but not add a lot of weight to the shoe.

Shopping should be done late in the day, when the feet have flattened out slightly from bearing the shopper’s weight for hours. But shoppers should also give themselves lots of time to browse because shoes that still need to be broken in after being worn for ten minutes are probably not the right size. The toe box needs to be large enough that the toes won’t bunch up on each other and won’t be at risk of developing ingrown toenails. Shoppers should wear the socks they plan to pair with the shoes (and it is recommended that runners wear socks to wick away sweat). Shoes should be replaced when the treads wear out, which could occur after a few months if they are being worn during daily exercise. Although sneakers are the kind of shoe most often built for support, orthopedically-friendly sandals and dress shoes are becoming more popular. We can also provide patients with customized orthotics.

Dr. James Huggins operates the Carolina Chiropractic Center at 1627 Suite C, South Irby, Florence, South Carolina, 29505. To set up an appointment, call 843-665-9192 or visit Carolina Chiro Center and fill out a contact form.

 

Cell Phone Usage and Neck Pain

Dr. James Huggins, Jr. of Carolina Chiropractic Center sees a lot of patients straining their back and neck by looking down at the screen on their devices.  You may have even heard this being called “text neck”. The average adult head weighs between 10 and 12 pounds, and neck muscles are meant to support the weight of the head in a neutral position.  Looking down at a screen increases the strain on your neck as if your neck is carrying a lot more weight.  Tilting your head forward just 15 degrees adds enough force to double the weight your neck is supporting, and the greater the angle, the greater strain.  Many people who text with their chin near the neck are tilting the head forward 60 degrees, which increases the load to about 60 pounds! The good news is we can make smarter choices about how to use devices every day to reduce strain on our bodies.

Starting with good posture will always reduce strain on your neck.  Sit up straight with your shoulders lined up above your hips and your head upright. Hold your phone or device up higher rather than looking further down to see what is on your screen.  If you work on a computer a lot, position your monitor at eye level to avoid looking up or down too much. Stretching your neck is also important to reduce the risk of painful strain.  When your neck muscles are strong and flexible, it is less likely to have a spasm.  There are mobile apps available that can alert you when your phone is being held at a bad angle for your neck, and you can also set reminders on your device to take breaks from looking at the screen and to stretch throughout the day. Remember these tips when using your devices!

To learn about all the services we offer, visit www.carolinachirocenter.com. To schedule an appointment with Dr. James Huggins, Jr. at Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence, SC, call 843-665-9192. 

Raking Safety

It’s the time of year to enjoy fall foliage, which means it’s also time for raking. At the Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence, we highly value patient safety. People who are at risk for herniated discs or muscle spasms could injure themselves if they don’t rake properly, so we thought we’d pass along a few tips.

People commonly wear sweats or denim while doing yard work, and for good reason. The safest clothing is that which is form-fitting, yet breathable. You don’t want to be wearing anything that dangles or could get caught, such as large loops on the pant legs, and if you have long hair, you’ll need to tie it back. Pick shoes that have slip-resistant soles and that give you good arch support. They’ll need to be close-toed. Select a rake that has a long enough handle to be used without you needing to bend down.

Pick a time to rake when you anticipate the leaves will be dry; they’ll be too heavy to pick up otherwise. Prior to raking, do a five-minute warm-up that incorporates dynamic stretches to get blood flowing faster through your arms. Stand with your knees unlocked and your legs in a scissor position next to the leaf pile. Alternate which hand is higher on the rake about every five minutes, and if you have to turn, move your entire body instead of twisting your torso. While filling the leaf bag, test to see if you can lift it before it’s full. You’ll also need to do a cool-down after you’ve finished.

Dr. James Huggins operates the Carolina Chiropractic Center at 1627 Suite C, South Irby, Florence, South Carolina, 29505. To set up an appointment, call 843-665-9192 or visit Carolina Chiro Center and fill out a contact form.

 

Strained Back Muscles

Back pain is not always caused by a problem in the spinal column. Often, it is the muscles and ligaments supporting the spine which fray, resulting in a dull, throbbing ache. The good news is that if there hasn’t been a complete tear, the muscles are usually able to heal themselves. At the Carolina Chiro Center in Florence, we’ll help the patient control their pain in a safe manner and remain in a condition that optimizes the body’s self-healing.

There are several major muscle groups supporting the lumbar region of the spine. They make up the complicated connections between the lower back and the hips, as well as the abdomen, so pain may be felt in the pelvic region. However, pain that shoots along the lower legs is likelier to be caused by a pinched nerve, as is pain that persists during rest. The word “strain” technically refers to injuries to muscles and tendons while “sprain” refers to injuries to ligaments, but in either case, the patient will likely experience limited range of motion and inflammation.

Although spinal adjustments are an important part of maintenance, they may not be appropriate after a strain or sprain has occurred. However, we offer ultrasound therapy to prevent the formation of scar tissue, which could permanently limit the muscle’s motion. We also offer instructions on therapeutic exercise that will restore the back’s flexibility, prevent the muscles from losing their strength, and make injuries less likely in the future.

Dr. James Huggins operates the Carolina Chiropractic Center at 1627 Suite C, South Irby, Florence, South Carolina, 29505. To set up an appointment, call 843-665-9192 or visit Carolina Chiro Center and fill out a contact form.

Car Accidents and Chiropractic Treatment

When someone is involved in a car accident that isn’t a major collision, it may seem more like a nuisance than trauma.  We typically worry more about being late for work or an insurance claim, and don’t always stop to assess what damage may have been done to our bodies. At Carolina Chiropractic Center, we know some drivers and passengers feel the effects of whiplash injuries immediately following an accident, while others may walk away not feeling injured and experience pain later. This is why you should always visit Carolina Chiropractic Center and see Dr. James Huggins, Jr. for evaluation.

Whiplash occurs when a person’s head moves backward and then forward very suddenly with great force, causing the tendons and ligaments in your neck to tear. The most common site of pain and stiffness for passengers involved in an accident are the neck and back.  A chiropractor can evaluate these injuries, as well as treat damage to both hard and soft tissue. Depending on a patient’s evaluation the chiropractor may perform an adjustment or assign exercises to help heal a particular injury.  If you have been involved in a car accident of any severity, please contact us. 

To learn more about all the services we provide the practice, visit www.carolinachirocenter.com. To schedule an appointment with Dr. James Huggins, Jr. at Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence, SC, call 843-665-9192. 

Spinal Anatomy

We believe at Carolina Chiropractic in Florence that patients should be fully informed about their treatments. To that end, we want our patients to know more about what the spinal column is and how different issues can affect it.

The backbone is not a single bone, but a combination of bones, joints, and connecting tissues. The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves which travels from the brain to the legs, with other nerves branching off it. The backbones, or vertebrae, are made up of flat main bodies and hollow protrusions surrounding the spinal cord. In between the bodies of most of the vertebrae are soft, spongy discs that cushion them. The neck contains seven vertebrae that move independently, the thorax includes twelve, and the lower back, or lumbar region, contains five. In the pelvis are the sacrum and the coccyx, both of which are made of vertebrae fused together without intervening spongy discs.

The guiding theory of chiropractic is that when vertebrae and their adjacent tissues are misaligned, the signals from and to the spine are disrupted. Sciatica would be one example of how this creates problems or prevents the body from healing optimally.

Dr. James Huggins operates the Carolina Chiropractic Center at 1627 Suite C, South Irby, Florence, South Carolina, 29505. To set up an appointment, call 843-665-9192 or visit Carolina Chiro Center and fill out a contact form.

Causes of Upper Back Pain

People suffering from upper back pain need look no further than the Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence. Although neck and lower back pain are more common, pain in the thoracic portion of the spine is an issue which deserves attention and we want our patients to understand what factors into it.

There are some causes of pain in the upper back which are rare but should be tested for. These include infections or bony growths in the vertebrae putting pressure on the spinal cord. The thoracic vertebrae, which the ribs are attached to, do not have as much freedom of movement as other articulated vertebrae, but it is still possible for their discs to wear down or a fracture to develop in people with osteoporosis. However, most upper back pain is caused by muscle fatigue.

If people maintain bad posture, their back muscles will be strained and may tear. Slouching while seated, carrying heavy objects off-center or too high over the head, or even lack of a properly fitted bra may put excessive weight on the upper back muscles. For short-term relief, we provide spinal adjustment to ensure the muscles aren’t being further strained by misaligned parts of the spinal column. In the long-term, strengthening the torso muscles will allow them to take on more weight from the back muscles. Office workers should also remember to sit straight up with their feet on the floor and to keep their screens at eye-level.

Dr. James Huggins operates the Carolina Chiropractic Center at 1627 Suite C, South Irby, Florence, South Carolina, 29505. To set up an appointment, call 843-665-9192 or visit Carolina Chiro Center and fill out a contact form.

 

Electrical Muscle Stimulation

At Carolina Chiropractic Center, we have a pain solution for every patient.  Electrical muscle stimulation is recommended for patients with muscle or soft tissue injuries because it reduces pain and swelling and can reduce overall recovery time.  When disease or injury occurs, a body’s natural electric current is disrupted.  Electric muscle stimulation mimics the electrical current that occurs naturally in a healthy body. 

During a treatment, electrodes are placed directly on the skin in the affected area and the machine is turned on.  The gentle current causes the muscles to contract and relax, which relieves pain and can release locked up muscles.  These contractions also trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s most powerful natural pain reliever.  Most patients describe the treatment feeling like a tingling sensation and aren’t uncomfortable during the process. The treatments are short in length and can be scheduled over a series of weeks.

To learn more about electrical muscle stimulation and all the treatments we provide, visit www.carolinachirocenter.com. To schedule an appointment with Dr. James Huggins, Jr. at Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence, SC, call 843-665-9192.