According to a study by Dr. A. Vania Apkarian of Northwestern University in Chicago, chronic back pain causes parts of the brain to shrink!
The area of the brain which shrinks with chronic neuromusculoskeletal problems is the Gray Matter. This is the part of your brain that contains the “active thinking cells” that are involved in the processing of information and memory (this is why for over 40 years we’ve noticed our patients stay sharper and more focused as they age).
This part of the brain makes up the largest portion of the brain. The study revealed that not only was there less volume in the brains of chronic back pain sufferers, but the gray matter was less dense as well. In addition, the changes were particularly noticeable in parts of the gray matter that are known to be important in making “emotional assessments,'” including decision-making and control of everyday social behavior.
This raises a whole new set of concerns about back pain.
The issue is not merely back pain, it’s the cause! The most common cause of back pain is the vertebral subluxation complex which interferes with the proper function of our nervous system. This may cause pain, abnormal organ and gland function, and an unnoticed impact is on the brain.
Many people feel that they can just live with pain. Most times pain comes and goes or is mild in nature. Individuals tend to put off care because “it’s not that bad.” This “living with the pain” may be the biggest mistake they make in their life. The pain may not be that bad, but the long-term health concerns are. This mild chronic back pain may actually lead to permanent neurological problems.
It is possible that the decreased gray matter shown in this study reflects tissue shrinkage without substantial neuronal loss, suggesting that proper treatment would reverse this portion of the decreased brain gray matter, Apkarian said.
The atrophy also may be attributable to more irreversible processes, such as neurodegeneration. Other research has shown that spinal cord neurons undergo apoptosis — cell death.
Chronic pain and brain shrinkage. Is it a chronic pain issue or is it the underlying cause of the chronic pain?
The most common chronic pain of all is spinal pain. Spinal pain originates from vertebral misalignments, which stress, ligaments, muscles, and discs, activating nerve endings which fire abnormal impulses to the brain.
Nerve interference caused by subluxations will adversely affect brain and body function. It is important to understand that subluxations are considered “silent killers” because like blood pressure and diabetes may occur and progress without the individual knowing they have them.
A brief chiropractic, neurological and functional evaluation can detect these hidden health problems while there’s still time to improve them while also reversing some of the advanced degenerative effects they’ve had on your body over the years. A true subluxation-based chiropractor is trained to detect and correct these neurological lesions which will otherwise cause premature aging and an inability to live life to your fullest.
Tell your friends today about TLC. Have them get checked and get healthier
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