From the very first adjustment, your body will start to make all the positive changes to get you back to your health. However; factors like emotional trauma and stress, chemical and medication and/or drug dependency, and physical stressors will all affect the process of your healing and in many situations will delay or exacerbate your condition. In order to stabilize your condition, you may need several treatment sessions. Usually the body takes about 10 days or so to start to make all the initial positive changes to heal. Around day 21, your body will show the first signs of stability, and from that point on for a period of 2 to 3 weeks you will see your pain and symptoms go away. For most of you this is a 6 to 8 weeks’ treatment process. Further, some of you may need Chiropractic care as a method of maintenance care periodically to upkeep your health.

In the first 2 weeks, you may be scheduled between 3 to 5 sessions per week depending on the severity of your condition. In the weeks to follow, you will simply be scheduled based on your progress and your commitment to your care and recommended duties. As a part of your duties, you may be recommended to take medications, massages, hydro-therapy, acupuncture, exercise regimen, supporting supplements, and a special diet.

Stress affects the total body; however, areas that are most susceptible or are experiencing reduced health, may experience or show pain patterns or symptoms sooner.

Exercise is beneficial for the whole body. Most importantly, 90% of the brain’s nutrition is supplied based on the movement of the spine. For most of you who are experiencing spinal or spinal related pain, the last thing that would come to mind would be to exercise. Thus as a result, your spinal supporting muscles would get weaker and weaker as a lack of exercise, and since there is less movement to your spine; your brain would function at a lower state, resulting in conditions like depression, loss of memory, or lower bodily energy. Now that you know all this, do you still think that exercise is only important for weight loss, or is there a higher cause?

70% or more of the body is made of water, and so are your discs. Most people who have herniated discs, may also have some level of dehydration at the same level the disc is injured. So it makes perfect sense to increase your water intake in order to reduce pain, improve your dehydrated discs, and to help rehabilitate your body and your current condition. As a reminder, coffee, tea, fruit juice, carbonated drinks will never replace water and in many instances would have an adverse effect.

Having a healthy diet is very important for your overall well being. Intake of fruits, vegetables, and high quality proteins like fish, poultry, red meat, beans, and dairy will improve your condition. It goes to say that I have had great experience working with highly skilled nutritionists and Doctors specializing in dietary therapy. One who has helped me, my family, and my patients is Dr. Masoud Bokharaei. You may visit his website for further detail. Thank you so much Dr. Bokharaei for your continuous support and guidance.

1) You can not take a deep breath in comfortably. Proper breathing, overall health, spinal health, and your overall energy level are all related. 2) Your jaw locks up. This could be due to pelvic un-leveling or cervical spine mal-alignment. 3) You constantly have to crack your neck, back, or lower back. 4) You are experiencing uneven ability in a range of motion of joints. 5) You constantly feel tired 6) You are experiencing poor concentration 7) You have a less tolerant to common cold or other ailments. Spinal mal-alignments or subluxation has shown to decrease the body’s ability to fight off disease. 8) Your heel strike tends to be outward with walking. This could be a lower spinal issue or a cerebellar issue. 9) There is an appearance that one leg is shorter than the other. 10) You have a weak skeletal system 11) You experience headaches, backaches, joint and musculo-skeletal pain. 12) You constantly experience stress, and joint and soft tissue restlessness. 13) You experience fatigue or spasms in the back of your neck and upper back.

1) Constant activity without rest 2) Lifting or moving heavy objects that the body is not ready for 3) Starting a new activity that the body is not ready for 4) Doing physical activity without taking into account proper ergonomics 5) Spinal trauma 6) Being over weight 7) Scoliosis, or increase or decrease in the natural curves of the spine 8) Stress

1) Age is no longer relevant. Just about anyone could be at risk 2) Elderly have an increase chance of getting disc issues due to soft tissue and muscle weakness and decrease in plasticity and flexibility 3) Many pregnant women due to weight gain may experience increased joint, soft tissue, and disc pressure causing pain during and post pregnancy 4) People who are less active and do less exercise, and ones who are constantly sitting, putting their neck in flexion, are have lack of positional change.

What exacerbates your disc condition? 1) Prolonged standing in one spot 2) Prolonged sitting, especially on the floor 3) Repetitive activities, especially if done in long duration 4) Over exerting yourself in a short amount of time, in order to get well sooner. 5) Smoking 6) STRESS

What improves your disc condition? 1) Awareness of your condition and situations that you are in. Furthermore, the plan of action that you have set for yourself in order to reach your goal. 2) Rest 3) Proper diet and supplementation 4) Exercise (stretching, swimming, …) 5) Proper sleeping posture 6) Using supports or braces for your condition 7) Correcting your life and work ergonomics and poor health habits 8) Allowing others to help you 9) Strengthening your bodily weaknesses 10) Drinking more water 11) Learn to manage stress

Keep in mind the following: 1) Achieving good health does not happen over night, it is a process. 2) Positive outlook will increase the success of reaching your health goals. 3) Increase in stress levels, will increase your pain and symptoms.