Pain-Free Sleeping Positions

Getting a good night sleep is often difficult, especially for those who struggle with joint pain. There are three main sleeping positions that most of us adapt to- side, stomach, and back, - some positions are better than others depending on the status of your health. Changing the way you sleep can be difficult, but Dr. James Huggins Jr. of Carolina Chiropractic Center is here to suggest tips for waking up pain-free.

Sleeping on one’s side can increase back pain and leave a person feeling stiff and uncomfortable in the hips and low back. For additional spine support, utilize a body pillow or place a pillow between the legs. This will keep the body in alignment and alleviate pressure off the hips. Sleeping on your back is the best position for keeping pain at bay. Placing a pillow under the lower back will also provide added support.

If you have questions or concerns about chiropractic treatment or pain management, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our office, visit www.carolinachirocenter.com. To schedule an appointment with Dr. James Huggins, Jr. at Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence, SC, call 843-665-9192. 

Bulging Disc Management

Bulging discs, also known as disc protrusion, are very common and people often develop them without realizing it. A bulging disc usually arises with no symptoms, however, they can cause discomfort and disability in various parts of the body, especially if the disc compresses an adjacent nerve root or the spinal cord. Following the diagnosis of a bulging disc, Dr. James Huggins, Jr. of Carolina Chiropractic Center will recommend treatments designed to alleviate symptoms.  

A bulging disc results in a spinal disc compressing against an adjacent nerve root. There are different severities of a bulging disc, some that are more problematic than others. To manage pain for a bulging disc, Dr. James Huggins, Jr. may suggest spinal adjustments, a physical therapy program, or electrical muscle stimulation. These treatment methods will help improve flexibility, decrease pain, and reduce inflammation.

If you have questions or concerns about chiropractic treatment or pain management, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our office, 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.

 

What is Fibromyalgia?

Many people inaccurately think of chiropractic as only treatment for the back. In fact, at the Carolina Chiropractic center in Florence, we are concerned with the entire body and overall wellness of our patients. One of the best examples of a disease which requires a whole-body approach is fibromyalgia. This condition has no known cure but is treated with the non-invasive, non-addictive therapies in our office.

Fibromyalgia is believed to be a dysfunction in how the brain processes impulses from the rest of the body. Most of the people who develop it are middle-aged women who have recently experienced enormous stress, physical trauma, or infection, but an exact cause is hard to pin down. People with fibromyalgia describe themselves as feeling constant aches throughout their bodies, as well as fatigue. They also frequently have psychological issues such as anxiety and depression and conditions that are linked to psychological stress, such as irritable bowel syndrome. One of fibromyalgia’s defining features is how afflicted people have difficulty remembering things or focusing.

Getting pain under control can only help with fibromyalgia’s psychological symptoms. The electric muscle stimulation we offer helps the body to release endorphins, which are its natural pain relievers. Spinal adjustments and other therapies to relieve pressure on the nerves can also improve the body’s internal communication system.

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.

 

National Arthritis Month

It’s impossible to overstate how important understanding of arthritis is to chiropractic. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States and one of the most common causes of pain. Therefore, this National Arthritis Month we want to help our patients understand it better and how our non-invasive therapies can help.

“Arthritis” actually refers to a number of conditions which cause joint swelling. The two most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the result of wear and tear. It affects the spinal column when the cartilage in between the facet joints, which link vertebrae together, erodes. Rheumatoid arthritis is an immune system disorder in which the body attacks its own tissues. However, there are other forms of arthritis which mainly affect the spine, including ankylosing spondylitis, which is usually felt near the pelvis, and spinal stenosis, which can cause the spinal canal to narrow and compress the spinal cord.

Genetics, lifestyle, and nutrition all play a role in the development of arthritis. Because other nerves in the body branch off from the spinal cord, joint dysfunction in the spinal column can affect the whole body. Proper treatment of arthritis requires realignment of the spinal bones and reduction of inflammation. We provide this through adjustments, electric muscle stimulation, and cold laser therapy, along with counseling on preventive measures.

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.

 

When to Use Ice vs. Heat

Some of us are more accident prone than others but when we hurt ourselves, our natural reaction is to apply ice or heat to alleviate the pain. Using the appropriate temperature while recovering from injury will mean all the difference in making it better, or worse. Dr. James Huggins, Jr. of Carolina Chiropractic Center is here to inform patients on when to use cryotherapy (cold therapy) or thermotherapy (heat).  

Applying ice after injury calms down damaged tissues that are inflamed and swollen. Therefore, ice should be used if an injury occurs around a joint or a tendon. This is because it reduces blood flow to a particular area, which can significantly reduce inflammation and swelling that causes pain. Be careful as to apply ice to muscle pain as this can increase inflammation. Heat therapy should be used for muscle tension, chronic pain, and stress. If hot or cold therapy doesn’t help the injury you’ve sustained, you’ll need to discuss treatment options with Dr. James Huggins, Jr.

If you have questions or concerns about chiropractic treatment or pain management, please give us a call. To learn more about the services we provide at our office, visit www.carolinachirocenter.com. To schedule an appointment with Dr. James Huggins, Jr. at Carolina Chiropractic Center in Florence, SC, call 843-665-9192.