Source: MedicalNewsToday.com written by: Lorenzo Lucchetti
Spine misalignment can cause several symptoms, including pain and impairment of the spine’s range of motion. It can affect a person’s quality of life.
The spine extends from the bottom of the skull to the pelvis. Vertebrae, the bones that form the spine, provide stability and support to the upper body. Correct alignment of the spine can prevent long-term discomfort.
When the spine becomes misaligned, it can cause pain and imbalances in other parts of the body. Spinal misalignment typically occurs over time, and its signs may not happen immediately. It may take some time before a person experiences any symptoms.
This article reviews spine misalignment symptoms, their causes, treatment, and when to seek medical help.
Pain in the hips, back, or shoulders
Spine misalignment may cause additional musculoskeletal strain on other body parts. Musculoskeletal refers to muscles, bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments. The extra strain is likely due to other body parts trying to compensate for a person’s imbalance when their back is not appropriately aligned.
Other factors, such as nerve compression, can also play a role in causing pain.
People with this condition may also experience low back pain and discomfort in other joints, including their hips and shoulders.
Neck pain
Spine misalignment and improper posture may lead to additional strain and stiffness in the neck. This causes neck pain over time due to prolonged solicitation of the muscles and cervical vertebrae in the neck.
Headaches
Spinal misalignment and pain can be associated with headaches. People with spinal pain have headaches at a rate of about 15% . This may occur due to improper posture, causing strain to the neck muscles and pain. Experiencing neck or back pain for a prolonged time may trigger headaches and migraine episodes.
Numbness in the hands or feet
Spinal misalignment may cause nerve pinching. Nerve pinching occurs when a lot of pressure is placed on a specific nerve by surrounding structures, such as bone. As a result, people with spinal misalignment may experience numbness in the limbs, particularly the hands and feet.
Knee and hip pain
A misaligned spine may cause people to put more weight on one of their legs while walking or standing up. This action can put extra pressure on one knee, causing strain that leads to pain and reduced knee range of motion.
Having one shoe that wears off quicker than the other may be another sign of a misaligned spine.
People may also experience hip pain. Hip pain is just as common as knee pain with spinal misalignment
Difficulty sleeping
Spinal misalignment may make sleeping difficult, likely because of the pain that people may experience.
People with spinal misalignment may find it difficult to find a comfortable position while lying in bed. This can cause a cycle of reduced sleep quality and tiredness. Over time, a lack of good sleep quality can contribute to the following:
- stress
- anxiety
- depression
Respiratory issues
People with spine misalignment may experience breathing issues. This may happen because their posture could affect the amount of space their lungs have to expand while breathing in. As a result, some may have the following symptoms:
- shortness of breath
- pain when taking a deep breath
- dizziness
- fatigue
When to seek help
People who experience bladder issues or lose the feeling in their legs and feet should seek medical attention.
In addition, if a person experiences recurring back pain or other frequent symptoms, they should consider contacting a healthcare professional. Chiropractors and Physical Therapists are specialists in muscular skeletal issues and can diagnose the potential causes of the discomfort and recommend appropriate treatment or lifestyle changes to improve symptoms.
How to treat spine misalignment symptoms
There are several treatment options for people with spine misalignment. It requires time and constant effort to correct the spine. Stretching and physical exercise can help improve posture and spinal alignment.
Specialists, such as chiropractors, like Dr. Lonna Denny ; ) , can perform spinal manipulation to improve motion range and stiffness that the spine may develop over time when it is not aligned properly. However, chiropractic treatment may not be suitable for everyone.
Summary
Spine misalignment may cause several symptoms, including back pain, headaches, and difficulty sleeping. People may consider consulting a doctor if their symptoms are severe or recurrent. Doctors can recommend the most appropriate treatment for improving the symptoms and preventing further complications.
Stretching, physical exercise, and spinal manipulation may help improve the range of motion of the spine and other joints. In some cases, people may need surgery to correct their spine alignment if manipulation and stretching do not benefit them.
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