Back Pain Relief: Your Path to Spinal Wellness & Lifelong Mobility
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In this episode of the Foundational Health Podcast, Dr. Kevin Schultz covers the pervasive issue of low back pain, affecting millions of Americans daily. Discover the primary functions of the spine, the critical role of the nervous system, and the impact of spinal misalignments on overall health.
Dr. Schultz shares actionable insights on preventing and healing spinal pain naturally, from proper posture and hydration to the benefits of chiropractic care and spinal hygiene exercises. Whether you're currently suffering from back pain or looking to prevent it, this episode offers valuable knowledge and practical tips to help you look better, feel better, and heal better. Tune in and learn how to support your spine and improve your quality of life.
Want to take action improving your spinal health? Download our Spinal Hygiene Exercises Guide to learn stretches to promote spinal health and back pain relief
A Comprehensive Approach to Spinal Health
Low back pain impacts 80% of Americans at some point in their lives, with 31 million suffering daily. As the leading cause of disability worldwide, it’s a challenge that affects countless families and workplaces. In this episode, Dr. Kevin Schultz explores the root causes of spinal pain, offering practical, natural strategies to prevent and heal from it—helping you or your loved ones live pain-free.
Background on the Spine and Nervous System
The spine and nervous system are central to our body’s health and function. Understanding how these key systems work is the first step in achieving spinal health.
The Spine: Your Body’s Backbone of Support
Your spine plays three essential roles in maintaining your health:
Support: It keeps your body upright, allowing you to sit and stand.
Movement: Spinal discs, ligaments, and tendons work with muscles to enable flexibility, including bending and rotation.
Protection: It shields the spinal cord, the critical structure of your nervous system.
The Nervous System: Your Body’s Command Center
The spinal cord, housed within the spine, is an extension of the brain. It connects the brain to every organ, tissue, and muscle through spinal nerves. These nerves carry signals:
Brain-to-body signals control organ function, muscle movement, and other critical operations.
Body-to-brain feedback informs the brain of changes in the body, like pain, temperature, or pressure.
Sympathetic vs. Parasympathetic Nervous System
The nervous system operates through two complementary systems:
Sympathetic (fight-or-flight): Speeds up functions, like increasing heart rate or activating muscles.
Parasympathetic (rest-and-digest): Slows things down, like promoting digestion or calming the body.
Imbalance between these systems can lead to issues, such as abnormally fast or slow heart rate, digestive disruptions, and long-term health problems from chronic imbalance.
The Connection Between Spinal Health and Nervous System Health
The spine’s health directly impacts the nervous system’s function. A healthier spine reduces tension on the nervous system, promoting:
Better communication between the brain and body.
Balanced sympathetic and parasympathetic activity.
This balance is essential for every organ’s function, from the heart’s steady rhythm to effective digestion. Taking care of your spine is, quite literally, foundational to your overall health.
Can Spinal Health Affect Overall Health and Disease?
A fundamental question arises when discussing spinal health: Can an unhealthy spine impact organ function or contribute to disease? Research suggests the answer is a resounding yes. One of the most compelling studies was conducted by Dr. Henry Windsor, a medical doctor from the University of Pennsylvania. His groundbreaking experiment explored the link between spinal health and organ disease, inspired by reports from chiropractors and osteopathic physicians who observed patients' organ-related conditions improve following spinal adjustments.
Dr. Windsor’s Experiment
Dr. Windsor examined 75 human cadavers and 72 cat cadavers, dissecting them to determine if there was a relationship between diseased organs and the spinal vertebrae connected to those organs via nerves. His findings revealed a nearly 100% correlation between spinal misalignments and diseases of the associated organs:
Heart Disease: All 20 cases were linked to misalignments in the upper thoracic vertebrae.
Lung Disease: All 26 cases showed misalignments in the upper back.
Stomach Disease: All 9 cases were connected to misalignments in the mid-back region.
Liver Disease: All 13 cases correlated with mid-back misalignments.
Kidney Disease: All 17 cases were tied to lower thoracic spine misalignments.
What This Means for You
While Dr. Windsor’s findings don’t imply that every minor spinal misalignment will lead to disease, they underscore the critical role of the nervous system in maintaining overall health. Misalignments in the spine can disrupt the brain-body connection, potentially contributing to dysfunction in the organs those nerves control.
What Causes Spinal Misalignments?
Understanding the causes of spinal misalignments is critical for prevention and recovery. Below are the main factors that contribute to these issues, ranging from birth trauma to poor posture:
Primary Causes of Spinal Misalignments
Birth Trauma:
Difficult deliveries, including the use of forceps, suction devices, or C-sections, can create spinal misalignments from the very start of life.
In particular, C-sections often involve pulling the baby by the head, which can strain the spine.
Slips, Falls, and Injuries:
Accidents such as slipping on ice, car accidents, or workplace incidents can jolt the spine out of alignment.
Sprains and strains from daily activities, workouts, or lifting can also pull spinal muscles, leading to misalignment.
Poor Posture:
Modern technology is a significant culprit. Hours spent hunched over laptops, tablets, and cell phones lead to “tech neck” and other postural imbalances.
Weak postural muscles exacerbate the problem by failing to support the spine effectively.
How Spinal Misalignments Impact the Body
Loss of Motion:
Misaligned joints lose their natural movement. This is akin to walking on a twisted knee—it limits function and increases wear and tear.
Tight and Weak Muscles:
Misalignments lead to tighter muscles, which eventually weaken over time.
Ligaments, tendons, and spinal discs also become stiff and less functional.
Nerve Flow Disruption:
Misaligned vertebrae can create tension that reduces nerve flow, impairing communication between the brain and body.
This disruption can affect vital processes like organ function and coordination.
Reduced Blood and Fluid Circulation:
Tight muscles decrease blood flow, limiting the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to tissues.
Lymphatic and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow are also reduced, which affects waste removal and spinal cord health.
The Critical Role of Spinal Discs
Spinal discs act as cushions and shock absorbers for the vertebrae. Misalignments lead to:
Disc Degeneration: Loss of flexibility and cushioning, increasing stress on the spine.
Nerve Impingement: Thinner discs reduce the space where nerves exit the spine, leading to irritation or pinching.
Bulging Discs: Severe misalignments can cause discs to bulge, pressing directly on nerves and causing pain or mobility issues.
Understanding Spinal Disc Health
Disc Degeneration = Disc Dehydration:
Spinal discs lack a direct blood supply, unlike most other tissues in the body.
Nutrients, oxygen, and hydration are delivered through a process called inbibition, which relies on spinal movement to "pump" fluids in and out of the discs.
Without proper movement, discs dry out, weaken, and shrink, leading to degeneration, bulging, or rupturing.
Motion is Essential:
Spinal movement is the primary way discs stay hydrated and receive the nutrients they need to remain strong.
Lack of motion accelerates dehydration, making discs more prone to degeneration and injuries.
Consequences of Unhealthy Discs
Increased Risk of Conditions:
Dehydrated discs are more susceptible to herniations, bulges, and ruptures.
Unhealthy discs can irritate surrounding nerves, leading to conditions like:
Sciatica: Pain, numbness, or tingling that radiates down the legs.
"Arm Sciatica": Similar nerve pain that travels from the neck through the shoulder and into the arms and fingers.
Impact on Overall Health:
Disc issues can cause pinched nerves, tight and weak muscles, and even organ malfunction due to disrupted nerve flow.
Symptoms like decreased energy and chronic pain often stem from these issues.
How to Improve & Maintain Spinal Health While Reducing Back Pain
The great news is that simple lifestyle changes can make a huge positive impact on your spinal health and back pain. Here are some “do’s” and “do not’s” when it comes to spinal health:
Things to Do for Spinal Health: Daily Habits and Practices
Perform daily spinal range-of-motion stretches (side-to-side, forward-backward, and rotations).
Recommended times: morning, before bed, pre-workout, and after prolonged sitting.
Posture Awareness:
Maintain proper posture while sitting, standing, and driving.
Use lumbar support in cars and ensure head touches the headrest.
Keep arms at a 90-degree angle and monitor at eye level when using a computer.
Drink 50% of your ideal body weight in ounces of water daily to maintain disc hydration.
Engage in regular resistance exercises to strengthen muscles supporting the spine.
Incorporate activities like yoga, walking, or other low-impact movements.
Hanging and Stretching:
Use bar hangs (dead man hangs) to stretch the spine and improve grip strength.
Start small and aim for up to 2 minutes per day.
Foam rolling or using Chirp Wheels to relieve spinal tension.
Sleep Adjustments:
Sleep on your back or side in a neutral posture.
Use appropriate pillows to support the neck or between the knees when side-sleeping.
Inversion Therapy:
Use inversion tables properly to reduce disc pressure and stretch the spine.
Consider the “Foundational Four”: multivitamin, omega-3 fish oil, spore-based probiotics, and vitamin D3 with K2.
For advanced spinal health: Chondro-Relief, Collagen Renew, and Multi-Collagen for joint and disc support.
Focus on a whole-food diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, nuts, seeds, grass-fed meats, and organic produce.
Reduce inflammatory foods common in the Standard American Diet (SAD).
Therapies:
Massage, acupuncture, dry needling, stretching, and physical therapy can support spinal and muscular health.
Things to Avoid to Prevent Spinal Issues: Postural Issues and Inactivity
Prolonged Sitting:
Avoid sitting for long durations without breaks, as it accelerates disc degeneration and weakens muscles.
Poor Posture:
Avoid slouching or craning your head forward, especially when using cell phones or computers.
Limit forward head posture caused by looking down at devices.
Improper Lifting Techniques:
Avoid lifting with your back or twisting your spine while lifting. Instead, bend your knees and turn your whole body.
Sleeping Positions:
Avoid overly soft or overly firm mattresses.
Avoid sleeping curled up in the fetal position, which strains the neck and back.
Environmental and Lifestyle Factors
Low-Quality Mattresses:
Invest in a supportive mattress that allows some sinking but prevents misalignment (e.g., BioPosture mattresses with Celliant Technology).
Inflammatory Diets:
Avoid processed foods, refined sugars, and other inflammatory foods to prevent chronic inflammation.
Dehydration:
Avoid drinking insufficient water, which contributes to disc dehydration and degeneration.
The Role of Chiropractic in Spinal Health and Surgery Prevention
Taking care of your spine is crucial for avoiding pain, dysfunction, and invasive surgeries. Chiropractic care can play a pivotal role in maintaining spinal health, improving overall function, and avoiding surgical interventions. Studies have shown chiropractic care can lead to significant benefits:
68% Reduction in Opioid Use: Patients with spinal issues who receive chiropractic care are less likely to use addictive painkillers to reduce back pain.
45% Reduction in Repeat Surgeries: Among patients who had one back surgery, chiropractic care dramatically reduces the likelihood of needing another.
Avoiding the Risks of Spinal Surgery
While surgery is sometimes necessary, it carries substantial risks, especially when addressing spinal problems. This is why maintaining proper spinal health through the strategies discussed in this article is so important.
Discectomy (removal of part of a damaged disc): Failure rate of 19-25%.
First spinal fusion: Failure rate of 50% after one year.
Repeat fusions: Failure rates increase significantly with each additional surgery, reaching 95% after four surgeries.
Impact of Spinal Fusion:
Fusing vertebrae limits motion, which accelerates degeneration in adjacent discs.
This can lead to a cycle of surgeries and worsening outcomes.
What to Look for in a Chiropractor
Finding the right chiropractor is essential for achieving optimal spinal health. Consider the following:
Use of X-Rays:
Chiropractors who take x-rays can better assess the severity of degeneration, arthritis, and misalignments, allowing for safer and more targeted care.
Comprehensive Approach:
Look for practitioners who address not only spinal alignment but also the surrounding muscles, ligaments, and soft tissue.
This might include:
In-office therapies (e.g., massage, electrical stimulation).
Prescribed at-home exercises to maintain results.
Tailored Treatments:
The best chiropractors provide customized care plans based on your specific needs and imaging results.
Educational & Inspirational Takeaways for Spinal Health
No matter where you are in your spinal health journey—whether preventing pain, recovering from an injury, or managing chronic issues—the same key habits can make a difference. While more severe problems may require extra effort like supplements or improved nutrition, these steps will speed up healing and prevent further issues.
Success = Simple Habits Performed Daily Over Time
Focus on daily habits like spinal stretches, good posture, and proper nutrition. These simple actions, when done consistently, lead to better spinal health over time.Spinal Hygiene Matters
Don’t skip spinal hygiene exercises. They may seem simple, but they’re powerful. Set reminders to do them daily (or multiple times a day) to make them a habit.Be a Leader for Your Family
Lead by example. When you do your spinal stretches regularly, your family will notice and likely start doing them too. Children are always watching, and you can inspire them to prioritize their health.
Sources
https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/chiropractic-care-reduces-opioid-prescription-for-lower-back-pain-by-68-percent-study-5655828
https://www.spine-health.com/treatment/back-surgery/failed-back-surgery-syndrome-fbss-what-it-and-how-avoid-pain-after-surgery
https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/chiropractic-care-reduces-opioid-prescription-for-lower-back-pain-by-68-percent-study-5655828
https://www.spinalcheckfoundation.com/winsor-autopsies-report.php