ARE you suffering from nagging, repetitive stress and exacerbation injuries? These are not only frustrating but also debilitating.

Repetitive stress injuries are those that keep you from your full potential by limiting your ability to perform at your optimum level – like that agitating shoulder pain you feel almost every time you use your arm. Exacerbations are “re-injuries” that can creep up at any time – for example, that sprained knee or ankle that you thought was just fine until you twisted it again.

Both of these types of injuries are mainly due to joints that were never allowed to heal correctly. All injuries must go through proper stages of physiological healing. Most are never allowed to. Conventional medicine does not allow for it in a fast-paced world where humans tend to want the quickest “fix”. Unfortunately, doctors and physiotherapists allow this to dictate their treatments. The tendency is to go straight for “rehab” and strengthening. This is the incorrect approach. How can you strengthen what is not properly healed?

It is vital that you cool and calm the tissues. You never use heat to do that. Ice is remarkable. It numbs pain, combats inflammation, relaxes muscle spasms, and starts the clotting process that is vital to healing and restoring proper blood flow. Plus, it is essentially free. The key to using ice is 20 minutes for each application – no more, no less. Ice can be used anywhere except the eyes and the heart.

The remaining stages of healing are relief, rehabilitation and then strengthening. When this process is not followed, quick “fixes” or “patches” of scar tissue are formed that hinder use, ability and function. A Band-Aid applied to a gash may slow the blood flow, but when stressed, it will fail and the gash will reopen. This keeps the injury in a constant state of re-injury which is more unstable and painful than healthy tissue.

Additionally, keeping the injured area totally immobile for long time periods result in low proprioceptive repair and shorter, misdirected fibres “patching” the area. The purpose of this tissue is to protect the injured area from irreparable damage by limiting its use. In today’s world, especially sports, we are conditioned to ignore or cover those pains by taking pills, injections, or using supports – which actually weaken the area over time and set it up for more serious injuries.

My advice is always the same for braces or supports. Unless you are dealing with a temporary, highly unstable joint, I do not recommend supports and braces. When I do determine the need for them, I always set a goal to get the injured area through the proper healing stages as quickly as possible, because “crutches”, contrary to popular belief, do not improve performance. In fact, they can be harmful. They make the supporting muscles lazy and inactive, which can damage them and cause them to fail when you most need them to do their job of moving, supporting and protecting you.

Diet is 90 per cent of your health and plays a crucial role in your healing. You are what you eat and drink, and, incidentally, how much you eat. Ingest plenty of fish for your protein and essential fatty acids (omegas). Ingest plenty of fresh raw or steamed fruits and vegetables. Consume adequate amounts of solid, unprocessed proteins. The proper amount is generally the size of the palm of your own hand. Most importantly, hydrate your body and cells generously. Bottom line, drink more water than you think you should — and if you just can’t give up those sodas, teas and adult beverages, simply drink even more water in addition to flush out the undesirables. Squeeze a lime or lemon into each glass of water to improve taste and to boost your metabolism.

Your weight affects your spine and contributes to back pain. If you are an over-eater, choose the wrong foods, or are weak to temptations such as sugars, carbohydrates and fats, there is a natural, simple technique based on acupressure points in the ear that stops cravings, decreases appetite, helps you feel full faster and tones the smooth muscles of the stomach. This technique is offered at Dr Harvey’s Chiropractic centres in Kingston, Portmore, May Pen, and Mandeville.

Until next time, this is The Spinal Mechanic signing off!Don’t forget to Ask Your Chiropractor, where we actually respond to your questions.

Q: Hello, my friend has been diagnosed with Lumbar Stenosis and is feeling severe back pains. Can you offer any help? Where your practice and what is the cost of the visit?”- Dennis

A: I have several patients diagnosed with spinal stenosis, and almost all respond favourably to chiropractic care. I believe chiropractic can help almost everyone. In my 15 years as a chiropractor I have helped countless people avoid surgical intervention; and, most of them are living normal quality lives. Our main office is located in Kingston at Eden Gardens, 39 Lady Musgrave, Suite 9. We also have offices in May Pen, Portmore, Mandeville, and Negril.

The average price in Jamaica for chiropractic office visits is around $6,500. Our regular fees are only $4,500. However, we offer hugely discounted pre-paid care packages that range from $2,000- $3,000 per visit, depending on the selected package. We have 10, 20, and 30 packs to accommodate most conditions and budgets which can also be shared with family members. I would encourage your friend to call my assistant, Yanique, at 890-0265 to secure an appointment.

Thanks for your concern for your friend as well as your inquiry.