Overweight patients who suffer from lower back and neck pain are not always aware that the condition occurs from carrying extra body weight. Extra weight can put tremendous pressure on the muscles that support the back. It can also affect the way a person stands and walk. Overweight people with these conditions should be concerned because they are at a greater risk for muscle strain, joint pain, neck pain and back pain.
Back pain is one of the symptoms associated with being overweight. Other symptoms include difficulty breathing, shortness of breath when exercising and fatigue. Shortness of breath and fatigue can prevent someone from participating in regular exercise or being active, which can indirectly lead to back pain. Lack of exercise is the indirect cause for different conditions involving the back and neck.
Neck pain is caused by soft tissue sprain or muscle strain. Being overweight do not help and causes the muscles to work harder. This condition is also caused by whiplash, which occurs from a sudden force. Patients can find neck pain relief and back pain relief from chiropractic adjustments.
A chiropractic adjustment, or spinal manipulation, is a procedure that uses a small instrument or the hands to apply controlled force to the spinal joint. The purpose of the procedure is to improve the physical function of the body and to correct structural alignment. Chiropractic adjustments are used for treating conditions like headaches, neck pain and low back pain.
There are different ways to treat back pain. This ranges from seeing a chiropractor to using a combination of treatments. If obesity is causing a patient to develop health problems, then patients have to lose weight first before finding a cure for the neck and back pain. The location of the excess weight is another problem. If you have excess fat in the midsection area, then it is going to lead health problems like inflammation in the back area. It helps to participate in nutrition counseling.
Nutritional counseling involves the services of a trained dietitian. Dietitians are familiar with treating clients who have problems with overeating. Counseling can educate people with eating disorders about portion size, eating patterns, how to avoid social, situational and emotional overeating and how to cook healthy food.
People who are dealing with obesity can use the techniques from nutritional counseling to change bad habits and lose weight. Losing weight can prevent medical conditions and improve existing conditions like back pain. See your chiropractor for tips to better eating, weight control, and back pain relief.