Categories: HealthWellness

Degenerative Disc Disease Caused by Obesity

Degenerative disk disease (DDD), which could affect any one of us as we age, may be particularly problematic for people who are overweight. To understand why, take a step back and consider the construction and function of your spine.

The spine is made to help support the weight of your body. It’s designed to keep your weight balanced and evenly spread. For example, the vertebrae are positioned from smallest to largest: small in your neck (cervical spine) and greatest in your low back (lumbar spine). They grow in size because the lower parts of the back must support the most weight.

Your intervertebral discs—the cushions between your vertebrae—increase in size, also. Only because they need to absorb and adjust to the most weight, they are thickest in the lumbar spine.

The back must be functioning accordingly in order to ensure all of its structures are healthy. Nonetheless, in degenerative disc disease, their capability to properly operate are altered and often lost. Intervertebral discs gradually become less effective at absorbing and cushioning your motions. Joints, including the facet joints, may subsequently transform as they readjust to changes in the disc; and they may not move as easily, making it harder for your own body to take and distribute weight.

Extra weight puts additional stress on the back. In the event that you are overweight and have DDD, then you’re stressing and straining your vertebrae and discs much more. The excess weight might even accelerate the degenerative processes because the elements of your spine will need to work more to carry the additional weight—and the harder they work, the quicker they may wear out or degenerate.

A diagnosis of degenerative disc disorder might be the motivation you need to become more physically active to get rid of extra weight, stop smoking or make other lifestyle changes to benefit your back and overall health and wellness. Your doctor or alternative healthcare provider can offer helpful suggestions about lowering your body weight and enhancing your general well-being.

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .

Additional Topics: Weight Loss Eases Back Pain

Back pain and symptoms of sciatica can affect a majority of the population throughout their lifetime. Research studies have demonstrated that people who are overweight or obese experience more back complications than people with a healthy weight. A proper nutrition along with regular physical fitness can help with weight loss as well as help maintain a healthy weight to eliminate symptoms of back pain and sciatica. Chiropractic care is also another natural form of treatment which treats back pain and sciatica utilizing manual spinal adjustments and manipulations.

 

 

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Professional Scope of Practice *

The information herein on "Degenerative Disc Disease Caused by Obesity" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

Blog Information & Scope Discussions

Welcome to El Paso's Premier Wellness and Injury Care Clinic & wellness blog, where Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, FNP-C, a board-certified Family Practice Nurse Practitioner (FNP-C) and Chiropractor (DC), presents insights on how our team is dedicated to holistic healing and personalized care. Our practice aligns with evidence-based treatment protocols inspired by integrative medicine principles, similar to those found on dralexjimenez.com, focusing on restoring health naturally for patients of all ages.

Our areas of chiropractic practice include  Wellness & Nutrition, Chronic Pain, Personal Injury, Auto Accident Care, Work Injuries, Back Injury, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, Migraine Headaches, Sports Injuries, Severe Sciatica, Scoliosis, Complex Herniated Discs, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain, Complex Injuries, Stress Management, Functional Medicine Treatments, and in-scope care protocols.

Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicine, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*

Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research studies or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies that are available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how they may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to discuss the subject matter above further, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-C, or contact us at 915-850-0900.

We are here to help you and your family.

Blessings

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, APRN, FNP-C*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807
New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182

Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Texas & Multistate 
Texas RN License # 1191402 
Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*
Graduate with Honors: ICHS: MSN-FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)
Degree Granted. Masters in Family Practice MSN Diploma (Cum Laude)

 

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, APRN, FNP-C, CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
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