Without knowing how to overcome chronic neck pain, back pain, headaches, you won’t be able to escape that cycle of pain that colors everything you do and possibly limits your activities. Instead, you will continue to experience recurrent pain that only progressively worsens over the years.
You’re in the right place! I created this proven, 4-step process to help you defeat chronic pain based on my practice research and my personal experience over the past 35 years.
We’ll cover everything from correcting imbalances in your structure and biomechanics to restoring balance to your autonomic nervous system. I’ll also give you some things to look out for along the way, mistakes I made before I worked out this system, and ones I still see other people experiencing chronic neck and back pain making.
Just follow the steps, and by the time you finish Step 4, you’ll feel like a pro and enjoy a deeper understanding of your condition and be better able to assess the approach any practitioner suggests.
Ready? Let’s go!
Step #1: Correct Structural and Biomechanical Imbalances
The vast, vast majority of chronic neck and back pain is mechanical in nature. What I mean is that a loss of structural balance and a loss of proper joint function is the prime cause and perpetuator of chronic pain.
Before you can experience the amazing benefits of activating the critical muscle group called the Posterior Chain, you’ll want to take your time with this critical first step.
So, the first thing you need to do is determine if you are out of balance. To truly ascertain this you need an evaluation by a corrective care chiropractor but you can get a good sense on your own.
Stand in front of a full length or bathroom mirror. It will help if you can find someone to assist you.
- Have your assistant squat behind you and put each hand on top of your pelvis on each side. Is one hand slightly higher than the other? This is your foundation and if you are imbalanced here you will struggle to maintain balance elsewhere.
- Have the assistant put a finger on top of your shoulders out by your arms and look for one shoulder being higher than the other.
- Look at the bottom of your ear lobes as a proxy for your head. Is one ear higher than the other?
Any imbalances in the relative height of your pelvis, shoulders, and head is an indication of the joints of your pelvis and spine being out of alignment and not moving properly. Without restoring balance everything else you do will have short term benefits if any at all.
What to look out for:
Many people skip this foundational step and then wonder why they’re not experiencing anything more than short term relief. Don’t let that be you!
This is a crucial foundational step that will set you up for success later on. Traditional chiropractic often fails to restore balance and spinal alignment.
Let’s move on to Step 2.
Step #2: Bringing Your Posterior Chain Back Online
At this point, you’re probably thinking that this is a play on words.
You may even be wondering, “Even if it is offline, what the heck is my posterior chain?”
If you hang in there, this will become clear, promise. What we’re doing is pulling this all together into a comprehensive strategy.
The posterior chain is a series of muscles linked together that run up the back of the legs, hips, pelvis, and spine. These muscles are inhibited or turned down in their activity by a number of things such as:
- Injuries
- Too much sitting – this is you!
- Loss of alignment and movement in the pelvis and spine
Now it’s time to activate the posterior chain after we have restored balance and are well on our way to restoring alignment and movement in the spine and pelvis.
The reason this step is important is that it will help you counteract the postures of daily life such as hunching over screens and computers and sitting, and make it easier to navigate through the challenges of life pain free.
Plus, you’ll have a method to offset those things that exact a cost in your daily life. Just a minute or two of posterior chain activation after an hour of sitting or a car ride will do wonders for your body.
Here are some other benefits of Posterior Chain Activation:
- Decompression Breathing will teach you how to lift your rib cage off your pelvis and take pressure off the joints
- Hip Hinging will show you how to move and protect your lower back.
What to look out for:
When I first started Posterior Chain Activation, I assumed more is better. And, while there is some truth to that, the more important thing is to focus on quality.
Posterior Chain Activation done properly takes advantage of the science of Neuroplasticity by integrating the 3 components of neuroplasticity:
- Time – the nervous system learns best in small chunks
- Focus – being totally present and tuned in to what is going on in your body
- Repetition – better to do 5-8 minutes a day than 45 minutes once a week
I’ve also had the opportunity to peek under the hood at other people’s programs for chronic pain and look at what they do. And in the process, I’ve seen common mistakes people make that hold them back from making a significant recovery.
Many of them relate to this step:
- Physical Therapy Exercises. Instead of thinking tight or weak muscles are your primary problem, you should first address the structure from where the nerves to those muscles come from
- Traditional Chiropractic. Many chiropractors give you the same adjustments each and every visit and even worse give everyone the same adjustments. You’ll get better results if you find a chiropractor who assesses you each and every visit for what you need.
- Canned Exercises. Physical Therapists and Chiropractors often simplify exercises by giving you a sheet of commonly prescribed exercises. You want something more specialized than that.
Step #3: Floss Those Spinal Joints
Are you starting to get excited? I hope so. We’re just about there.
You may be feeling a bit overwhelmed, and that’s perfectly normal. Any time you’re trying to absorb something new, it takes a minute to process it. Just be patient and stay with it.
Next, after you restore balance, alignment, and joint mobility in the spine it is essential to reinforce that and maintain it.
At Life Chiropractic in Grass Valley we do this with something I call Spinal Joint Flossing. This is a gentle way to keep those small facet joints of the spine moving and well lubricated.
In addition to spinal joint flossing we also prescribe a modification to restore what is called coupled joint movement.
These are simple movements but their real value takes place once corrective chiropractic has restored alignment and good motion of the facet joints. The great thing about this practice is it is simple and you can do it on your own.
Step #4: It’s All About Vagus
We’re just about done. There is just one more step.
Here’s what to do next:
Answer these questions:
- Do you have a lot of muscle tension especially in the neck and shoulders?
- Do you sleep poorly or wake up still fatigued?
- Is anything off with your digestion? – constipation, acid reflux, gas
- Do you experience any anxiety?
What to look out for:
No matter what you do, anyone with chronic pain ends up with an imbalance in their autonomic nervous system that further perpetuates the pain, inflammation, and muscle tightness.
One of the best things you can do both for your chronic pain as well as your overall health is to restore greater balance to the autonomic nervous system.
Doing so involves simple daily practices that help raise the activity of the Vagus Nerve. Better vagus nerve function contributes to:
- Less muscle tension
- Reduced inflammation
- Better digestion
- Better sleep
- Lowered heart rate and blood pressure
- Better immune response
Bonus!
And finally, here’s a Bonus Tip just for you!
This is something I started doing after years of trial and error, and it helped change how my body responds to stress.
As I’ve noted, chronic pain ALWAYS results in an imbalance in the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) with overactivity of the Sympathetic “fight or flight” portion and a corresponding suppression of the Vagus Nerve of the Parasympathetic “rest and digest” division.
The first step you should take in started to achieve greater ANS balance is:
- Close your mouth and breathe through your nose. If you are not eating, drinking, or talking, keep your mouth closed and breathe in and out of your nose. There are a number of benefits of nasal breathing.
- Spend 5-10 minutes a couple of times a day really slowwwwing down your breathing so that you are taking in less volume of air. Over 5 minutes you will experience a relaxation of your body.
Key Takeaways
Congratulations! You just learned how to defeat chronic pain. You will need professional support to achieve this AND a big portion of this is about empowering you to take back control of your body.
If you are ready to get started and live in Nevada County, you can schedule an initial Consultation and Exam with Life Chiropractic of Grass Valley here: Schedule Here
About Dr. Berkowitz
Dr. Bill Berkowitz is a dedicated chiropractor who brings reliability and depth to his practice at Life Chiropractic in western Nevada County. Focused on addressing chronic issues like low back pain, headaches, and anxiety, Dr. Berkowitz delivers patient-centered care rooted in proven methods without unnecessary extras.
Life Chiropractic, founded by Dr. Bill Berkowitz, offers reliable and results-driven chiropractic care for residents of western Nevada County. With a focus on foundational health solutions, the practice prioritizes quality and effectiveness to help clients achieve relief from chronic issues without unnecessary add-ons.