The Most Common Causes of Neck Pain

Neck pain is a very common health complaint that can go back to many causes – here are some of the most common ones referenced by a Downtown’s Healthcare professional associated with great Denver chiropractor reviews:

• Poor posture – very few of us have a correct posture these days and any form of incorrect posture can lead to neck pain. When our spine is not correctly aligned, the muscles in our neck contract and get strained, which causes discomfort and pain;
• Injury – a fall, a wrong movement or the strain related to rigorous sporting activities can also cause neck pain;
• Chronic conditions – neck pain can be a symptom of a wide range of chronic illnesses, including osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia or spinal stenosis;
• Aging – the vertebrae that make up the spine are separated from each other by discs. As the body ages, these discs might start to lose their flexibility, which allows the vertebrae to touch and to rub against each other. One of the most common areas affected by disc damage is the neck, the most common symptom of the condition being neck pain;
• Hernia – cervical discs can also suffer from the herniation, the condition usually caused by a sudden movement, such as sudden pulling, lifting or twisting, that damages one or multiple discs in the neck area.

The Causes and Symptoms of Degenerative Disc Disease

The vertebrae that make up the human spine are separated by rubbery discs that enable bending and twisting – when these discs lose their rubbery consistency or get otherwise damaged, the vertebrae start rubbing against each other, causing pain and other symptoms.

One of the most common causes of degenerative disc disease is aging – natural aging affects the discs by decreasing their content of liquid and causing them to dry. Tears to the outer portion of the discs are also very common – the cause is usually an injury sustained by the back, strenuous sporting activities as well as daily activities.

Degenerative disc disease most commonly affects the neck and the lower back. The symptoms include pain that can range for mild to moderate or severe (in extreme cases, the pain associated with the affection might be disabling, causing severe limitations and suffering). The pain might also radiate to the arms, the hands, the buttocks, and the sighs. Other potential symptoms of degenerative disc disease include weakness in the legs or in the arms and pain that either comes and goes or is worsened by spending a long time sitting or bending.

The affection is diagnosed with physical exams and with various imaging techniques, such as CT, MRI, or X-rays. There are various treatment options available, including chiropractic care and physical therapy. However, if left untreated, even the best chiropractor in Denver suggests that the patient may be left with no options but the administration of anti-inflammatory drugs, and surgery.

What Can Cause Hair Loss

Normally, people lose 50-100 hairs per day – an amount that is unnoticeable because new hair grows at the same rate. Hair loss occurs when more than 100 hairs are lost per day or when hair growth is slower than ideal. The issue can be temporary or permanent, caused by hormonal changes, medications, external factors, and many physical conditions. According to recommended stem cell treatment Denver medical providers, here are some of the most common causes of hair loss:

• Stress – excessive stress can be blamed for many health issues, hair loss included. Stress-induced hair loss can look like a severe issue, but it usually stops when stress levels are reduced;
• A recent illness that involved a high fever – prolonged, high body temperature can also cause excessive, but temporary hair loss;
• Hormonal changes – thyroid problems, perimenopause or menopause and the disruption of the balance of major sex hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone for women or testosterone in men, can cause rapid hair loss as well as gradual hair thinning;
• Medications and treatments – hair loss is a common side effect of many medicines and therapies, including radiation therapy and chemotherapy;
• Hairstyling and hair treatments – very harsh chemicals used on the hair, such as strong hair dyes and hairstyles that involve the tight pulling back of the hair, such as ponytails, can also lead to hair loss.

The Signs of Opioid Addiction

Opioids are types of drugs widely used as a prescription medication for severe pain. While opioids are certainly efficient in the pain management process, they are also highly addictive. Though the signs of opioid addiction are often difficult to notice, here are some things that indicate the existence of an opioid use disorder:

• Sudden mood changes – sudden elation, followed by unexpected hostility and inadequate reactions to everyday situations can be a sign of opioid addiction;
• Risky behavior – if a person suddenly starts making decisions that put themselves as well as others in danger and engage in risky, erratic behavior, it might indicate opioid abuse. If a previously responsible person starts getting in trouble with the law for reckless or aggressive behavior, it can also indicate opioid abuse;
• Taking medication just in case – if a person takes pain killers without actually feeling pain, it might signal the presence of an addiction;
• Suddenly changing friends – people suffering from drug addiction usually turn away from their usual environments, such as their old friends and family and they start seeking the company of new people, usually people also suffering from addiction;
• Being excessively energetic – talking very fast, often meaninglessly, can also be a change caused by opioids.

Avoid the possibility of addiction, and find non surgical knee pain treatment Denver experts at Downtown’s Healthcare.

The Benefits of Diagnostic Ultrasound

Diagnostic ultrasound, also called medical sonography, is a medical imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the interior structures of the body. Performed with an ultrasound device connected to a computer and a computer screen, diagnostic ultrasound examinations are used for various purposes, including checking the health of the womb and the bladder, of the fetus at various stages of the pregnancy, of the thyroid gland, of the intestines and the pancreas.

At Downtown’s Healthcare, a community of exceptional healthcare providers with excellent Denver regenerative medicine reviews, we use diagnostic ultrasound to see various soft tissue injuries as well, and to guide injections to ensure precision. The technique comes with many benefits – here are some:

• A non-invasive and painless method;
• No radiation involved;
• Dynamic images – diagnostic ultrasound is suitable for capturing not only static images but dynamic ones as well, thus being suitable for examining the movement of tendons or the heartbeat of the fetus;
• Suitable for imaging soft tissue – while X-rays travel through soft tissue and therefore they are unsuitable for creating images of internal organs, ultrasound images are suitable for examining any kind of soft tissue in the body;
• An affordable, common solution – unlike CT or MRI scans, ultrasound examinations are performed with machines that are quite common and available in many doctor’s offices. The procedure is also affordable, therefore a potential life-saver for anyone.

Tips to Manage Chronic Pain Without Medication

Chronic pain – defined as pain that lasts for longer than three months – can take the form of headaches, back pain, neck pain, pain in the knee, or in other joints. While taking pain killers might seem an easy way to get rid of the pain, at least for a couple of hours, administering analgesics over a prolonged period might have adverse health effects, so trying to manage chronic pain with methods that don’t involve medication is surely a good idea. Here are some tips to try:

• Regular, moderate exercise – if you are in pain, exercise might be the last thing on your mind, but mild exercising might be a good way to ease your pain, especially in the case of muscle pain, back pain, neck pain, or pain in other joints;
• Chiropractic care – Chiropractic is a form of therapy focused on the structure of the body, particularly the spine. A respected chiropractor in Denver near me at Downtown’s Healthcare will manipulate the body’s alignment to relieve pain and improve function which will help the body heal itself.
• Physical therapy – during physical therapy sessions, your specialist will help your joints and muscles to relax and will also help you strengthen your muscles to prevent the pain from coming back;
• Stress management – many aches and pains in the body are related to stress, therefore managing the stress will also relieve the pain. Meditation is known to be an excellent technique for managing pain as well as stress without any medicines.

 

3 Major Functions of the Immune System

The immune system is the body’s defense system, the system that protects against a multitude of health problems. Our environment is full of harmful substances, bacteria, viruses, fungi and other germs that could make us ill, so our bodies rely on our immune systems for protection – here are the three most important roles of our immune systems:

• Fighting pathogens – without a working immune system, the bacteria, viruses and germs that we come into contact with every minute of every day could make us very ill, so one of the major functions of the immune system is to fight off these pathogens;
• Fighting toxic substances – another important role of the immune system is to fight off the substances that we come into contact with in our environment and that could be harmful for our health. An efficiently working immune system detects and neutralizes these substances;
• Fighting the changes in our body that could cause diseases – one of the most common examples of such disease-causing changes is the malignant proliferation of cells that leads to cancer. The immune system is responsible for maintaining a healthy dynamics of cell death and cell regeneration in the body to maintain bodily health.

For these reasons, medical providers referenced in positive Denver regenerative medicine reviews encourage you to take your vitamins! – Vitamins C, D, B12, and Zinc are superpowers for boosting immune function, and are especially helpful for fighting respiratory infections in the lungs.