L2 Vertebra

Located just below the L1, the L2 vertebra is the second vertebra in your lumbar, or lower back, region. It’s among the largest of the bones in your spinal column, which gets wider as it goes lower. Like the L1, its primary function is to support the weight of the body above it, which makes it susceptible to injuries related to compression.

An interesting fact about the L2 is that in most people, this bone protects the bottom of your spinal column, meaning that the rest of the bones in the vertebrae don’t have the role of keeping important nerve bundles from damage. At this point, a series of nerves called the cauda equina spread out into your body. These affect your front thighs, and they allow your hip to bend.

L2 Spinal Conditions

There are a number of spinal conditions that can result from compression or pinching at the L2 level. These include sciatica, degenerative disc disease, bulging or herniated discs, osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and other conditions and ailments associated with the lower back region.

Most people who experience injuries to this region experience pain, tingling, numbness and muscle weakness in the lower back. These symptoms can also radiate through to the front of the thighs, and in the most serious cases can be crippling and disabling. They can interfere with your ability to function on a daily basis. They are also, unfortunately, common with age.

Chiropractors and the L2 Vertebra

Treating subluxations and misalignments in the L2 vertebra can be an important way to avoid injuries as you get older. Such injuries occur due to poor posture, a sedentary lifestyle, accident, and simple age. Regular visits to  chiropractor can be an important part of protecting you against such issues.

If you’re in the Woodbridge, VA, area, ACT Wellness is the top chiropractic clinic in the region for over eight years. Give us a call for an evaluation of your needs today!

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Types of Chiropractic Care

Do you suffer from regular headaches, be it tension, migraine or any other kind? Headaches can be brutal and debilitating. What many people don’t realize, however, is that headaches are often the result of a vertebra in your spine being out of alignment, and having this misalignment fixed can take care of the problem. Further, regular visits to a chiropractor can actually prevent the problem from appearing again.

Thousands of people have achieved relief from sinus headaches and migraines through chiropractic visits, and that’s just one type or phase of chiropractic care that can help you live a much better, healthier life. Learn about the different phases and types of chiropractic care, and how a visit to the chiropractor can bring you headache relief in Woodbridge, VA.

Types of Chiropractic Care

There are, in general, three types of chiropractic care you can receive. When we discuss types of care in this context, we are not referring to specific areas of the back, or specific injuries. We are referring to the general approach of the care. In this sense, the three types of care you can receive are relief, corrective and wellness.

Most patients will visit a chiropractor first for relief, then move on to corrective care, and finally will engage in repeat visits for ongoing wellness. Let’s look at each kind of care, how it works, and how it can help you.

Relief Chiropractic Care

Relief chiropractic care is the reason why most patients visit a chiropractor in the first place. They experience pain somewhere in their body that they need to deal with. In most cases, either they don’t want to deal with traditional medicine due to the fear of invasive procedures or the desire to avoid chemicals in their body.

The first step in chiropractic is to evaluate the problem and make the necessary adjustments to provide immediate relief for the pain the patient experiences. This is relief care.

Corrective Chiropractic Care

The next type of chiropractic care progresses from relief care; this is corrective chiropractic. After the patient has experienced relief from their symptoms, it’s vital to address the underlying cause of the pain. This will ensure that the relief is not just short-term, but permanent. Chiropractic is focused on whole-body wellness and treating the reasons why patients feel pain, not just covering up symptoms.

Usually, the corrective care phase can take up to six weeks or longer, depending on the specific condition and the number of corrections needed to address the problem. Many conditions addressed at this phase have been developing for years, and can take a long time to correct.

Wellness Chiropractic Care

Finally, the wellness phase is when patients use ongoing chiropractic to make sure that their body maintains its new health and wellness. Regular visits to a chiropractor can keep you from re-developing the problems you were having in the first place, and even provide increased strength, flexibility and resistance to disease.

Headache Relief Woodbridge, VA

If you’re in need of headache relief near Woodbridge, VA, or are having any other kind of aches or pains, ACT Wellness can help. Give us a call today and discover how the best chiropractic clinic in the area for the past 8 years running can get you feeling healthy once more.

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L1 Vertebra

Your lumbar region is your lower back. It’s one of the most common areas of the back in which people experience pain. Often this pain is muscular, but just as often, it’s related to a misalignment or injury in the spine. The L1 vertebra is the first (topmost) lumbar vertebra. It supports the weight of your upper body, and is a transitional vertebra between the thoracic and lumbar region.

Of course, this means that it can also be injury prone and when it gets out of alignment, called a subluxation, it can result in a range of different injuries and symptoms, especially when such a misalignment puts pressures on the important nerves in your spinal cord.

Injuries to the L1 Vertebra

Because the L1 supports so much of the weight above it, it can be particularly susceptible to compression injuries, wherein the discs and joints between bones deteriorate. This can create a condition called spondylolisthesis. It can also result in ruptured and bulging discs.

The pressure this places on your nerves can create lower back pain and radiant pain in the buttocks, legs and sides. This pain can be debilitating and interfere with daily life. A big part of avoiding these injuries is ensuring that your spine is in its proper alignment and that you maintain good posture.

The Chiropractor and Your L1

The right chiropractor can make sure that your lumbar vertebrae remain in the proper position and that your L1 vertebra is properly able to support the weight above it, without damage and without injury. When you do suffer injury, correcting the misalignment can often go a long way towards addressing the problem.

If you’re in the Woodbridge, VA, area and you’re experiencing lower back pain, ACT Wellness Center can help. Give us a call for an evaluation today!

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Chiropractic Care for the Whole Family

Many people don’t consider chiropractic care when they think about the health and well-being of their entire family, but they really should. Chiropractic care is a time-honored means of living well without the need for drugs or invasive procedures. It’s entirely safe, and can help everyone in your family from your youngest children to the most senior retiree.

We live in a fast-paced world and that means everyone is constantly on the go. Chiropractic can be an outstanding way to live a better, stronger and healthier life, so whatever you’re looking to achieve, you can do so at peak performance. Learn how the right chiropractor can help you address any issues of neck and back pain in Woodbridge, VA, and get you living an overall happier, healthier life.

Chiropractic for the Whole Family

Even as chiropractic becomes more accepted as a legitimate medical practice, many people are still concerned about the safety of spinal adjustments. The truth is, visiting a chiropractor is just as safe as seeing your family doctor, and possible even safer, since you’ll never get stuck with needles, have your body filled with chemicals, or experience invasive procedures.

A chiropractic adjustment is so safe that it can even be used on infants, and some chiropractors even specialize in treating infants. On the other end of the spectrum, it can help senior citizens recover and improve strength and mobility, making them feel years younger.

Addressing Pain and Disease

Chiropractic is focused on healing your entire body, on building your immune system so that you can fight off disease on your own. It has been effective in reducing symptoms for everything from simple back pain to diabetes and even cancer. It can be an important part of your everyday health and wellness routine.

Your chiropractor, by adjusting the misalignments in your spine, can get the brain-body communications signals that run through your spine working more efficiently. This means your brain gets better at telling your body how to behave, which means that everything works better.

Improving Strength and Mobility

When your spine is out of alignment, it can limit your ability to move. Everything from turning your head to moving your arms to just getting up out of a chair can be more difficult. Many patients are amazed at how visiting a chiropractor makes them feel stronger, more flexible, and gives them a greater range of motion altogether.

Whether you’re suffering a sports injury or you just have a very sedentary job, a chiropractic adjustment can give you better posture, greater strength, and can even help your system work better to get you in better physical shape.

Back and Neck Pain in Woodbridge, VA

If you’re suffering from back and neck pain near Woodbridge, VA, the staff at ACT Wellness is eager to meet you. For over 8 years we’ve been the leading chiropractic, health and wellness center in the region, and we’re ready to help you address your problems and get your whole family feeling better overall. Give us a call today!

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Thoracic Region of Your Spine

The thoracic region of your spine is comprised of twelve vertebrae that run along the middle part of your back. Misalignments in these vertebrae can cause all manner of problems. Learn about your thoracic vertebrae, the effects they have, and how a qualified chiropractor can help address your back pain and get you healthy once more.

Your Thoracic Vertebrae

Your thoracic vertebrae are denoted by the letter “T” followed by a number. The T1 is the highest, while the T 12 is the lowest. Each has the responsibility of protecting the nerves that control a specific area of bodily function.

The T1

This vertebra is also the C7 vertebra. It’s located at the base of your neck, and subluxation can cause pain in the middle back, sides and chest, as well as pain and loss of feeling in your arms like tendonitis.

The T2

This bone is associated with your coronary arteries and cardiovascular system. This can cause problems like chest pain, rapid heartbeat, breathing problems, blood pressure and the like. It can affect all of your pulmonary veins and arteries, as well as your aorta.

The T3

The T3 vertebra protects your vascular system and chest region, including your pleura, lungs, bronchial tubes, chest and nipples. Symptoms of a subluxation in this region can include pleurisy, pneumonia, bronchitis, congestion, and even the flu. Other symptoms include back pain, fever, cough, loss of appetite, chills, headaches and more.

The T4

This vertebra is a major support bone for your ribs. It is responsible for your gall bladder function and subluxations can result in gallstones, jaundice, shingles and other, nastier illnesses including hepatitis, cirrhosis, biliary tract blockage, cancer and liver disease.

The T5

This part of your spine is one of the most vital bones in your whole spine. It can cause problems like diabetes, pancreatitis, liver disease, circulatory problems, and a range of others, in addition to back pain.

The T6

The T6 vertebra is responsible for your digestive system, and as such it can be responsible, when subluxated, for a range of conditions related to that function. This includes dyspepsia or common indigestion, as well as heartburn, acid reflux and similar.

The T7

This bone also deals with your digestion, but also has effects on your overall immune system. Symptoms of a misalignment in this vertebra include ulcers, gastritis, maldigestion, and overall lowered immune function.

The T8

This part of your back controls your spleen and immune system. It can result in blood infections, bacterial, fungal and viral infections, and other reduced disease resistance if it becomes misaligned.

The T9

This backbone is responsible for your adrenal gland system and your stomach health. Misalignments can result in adrenal fatigue, exhaustion, decreased sex drive, lowered ability to enjoy life, increased stress, respiratory infections, stomach disease and more.

The T10

The T10 vertebra is related to general movement and sensation. Disruption of this vertebra can result in lack of sensation, paralysis, reduced mobility and function, loss of bladder and bowel control, and similar issues.

The T11

At the T11 level, many of your lower body organs are controlled. A disruption in this region can cause diabetes, sciatica, constipation, diarrhea, gas, lower back and rib pain, and more.

The T12

Finally, this vertebra affects your lower back, abdominal muscles and general movement. It’s one of the strongest bones in your spine, but also one of the most likely to suffer compression damage.

If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, a chiropractor may be able to help address issues with your thoracic vertebrae. Contact ACT Wellness for an appointment and examination today.

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Why My Back Cracks During Chiropractic Adjustment

Chiropractic care is rapidly growing in popularity and mainstream acceptance, and for good reason. It’s safe, non-invasive, and doesn’t involve pumping your body full of drugs and chemicals. It focuses on healing your whole body, on allowing your own natural healing processes to work at their best. It’s great for controlling pain and helping you live a healthier life.

Many people are uncomfortable, however, at the “popping” sound and sensation they get when they receive a spinal adjustment from a chiropractor. This sensation is so common that a colloquial expression for visiting the chiropractor is “getting your back cracked.” Learn why your back cracks during a chiropractic adjustment, and where you can find the best clinic to manage back pain near Woodbridge, VA.

Understanding Spinal Subluxation

A “subluxation” refers to one or more bones in your spine—your vertebrae—being out of their proper alignment. Your spine has a specific curvature, and when the bones that make it up don’t follow that curve, it can cause all manner of health issues, from back pain, loss of sensation in your limbs, limited motion and even symptoms of conditions like diabetes. Your back really is the core of your entire body’s function.

How Chiropractic Adjustments Work

When a chiropractor performs an examination, they’ll look for these subluxations. Much of chiropractic care surrounds repairing these problems. By fixing a spinal subluxation—placing your spine back into its proper alignment—a doctor of chiropractic can help you to control pain you’re experiencing, help to improve strength, flexibility and range of motion, eliminate health issues, and help you live a better, healthier life.

When you get a chiropractic adjustment, it’s not uncommon to feel and hear a popping sound that’s colloquially called “cracking your back.” It’s also not surprising that people can be uncomfortable with this idea, since your back is so important. When you understand this pop, however, you’ll realize that it’s actually a helpful sound.

What Is the Pop?

The pop you experience when you receive a spinal adjustment is called a cavitation. It’s made by the release of gas between your spinal joints, called synovial joints. These joints produce fluid to lubricate the joint to allow for movement. As this fluid is produced, it also creates oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Any time a joint opens up, the gas is released and you hear the popping sound.

It’s very much the same thing you experience when you crack your knuckles, and for the exact same reason. It also can feel really good when it’s done. As soon as the joint is popped, the fluid flows in to refill the gap, and you feel a sense of relief and increased movement.

Controlling Back Pain Near Woodbridge, VA

If you’ve been experiencing back pain near Woodbridge, VA, a qualified and experienced chiropractor can help. For over 8 years, ACT Wellness has helped people all across the region deal with spinal misalignments  and the problems that go with them. For help dealing with your back pain in Woodbridge, VA, contact our offices to make an appointment today!

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T12 Vertebra

The T12, or twelfth thoracic vertebra is the largest of all your thoracic vertebrae, and is the lowermost in the back. It’s designed to bear the weight of your spine, and is the strongest of all vertebrae in the region, but it’s also the most prone to injuries from stress. It’s a sort of hybrid that possesses the features of a thoracic and a lumbar vertebra.

The region of your spinal cord protected by this vertebra controls your abdominal muscles, lower back, stability and support. Unfortunately, pain from a T12 injury can be tricky to diagnose as it can radiate to other areas of your body and not be centered where the injury actually is.

Injuries to the T12 Vertebra

Injuries to the T12 vertebra can result in pain in the back, around your rib cage, in your abdominal muscles, or even radiating down into your legs. It’s important to have the injury properly diagnosed, as certain conditions including cancer, infection and even scoliosis can result in similar symptoms.

How a Chiropractor Helps

A chiropractor knows how to perform the proper tests and evaluations to learn whether your condition is caused by a spinal subluxation or misalignment. Such tests can involve MRIs, x-rays, and physical examinations by touch. When they have determined the specific cause of the problem, they can adjust your spine to treat misalignments, bulging or herniated discs, or other injuries you may have suffered.

Often, a problem with the T12 can be treated very conservatively using physical therapy and chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractors favor non-invasive approaches to treating spinal injuries, without the need for surgery or pumping your body full of chemicals and drugs. A chiropractor always seeks to treat the underlying cause, and thousands of patients have found relief through gentle and non-invasive adjustments of this kind.

ACT Wellness

ACT Wellness Center has been the leading chiropractor in the Woodbridge, VA, region for nearly a decade running. We are entirely focused on helping you to feel your best and live a healthier, happier life. If you’re experiencing pain in any of the areas described, give us a call for an evaluation today.

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How Chiropractors Treat Sciatica

Sciatica is a condition that is regularly addressed by Doctors of Chiropractic. It’s a condition that can make it very hard to function; even sitting down can be painful. It also presents symptoms that can come and go. Many thousands of people suffer with this condition, and it can be truly debilitating at times.

Addressing the symptoms of sciatica may not be enough; in order to control the condition entirely it’s important to address the root cause. The first step is getting a proper diagnosis, and that’s where your chiropractor comes in. Learn about sciatica, what it is, how it causes the pain and discomfort it does, and how Woodbridge chiropractors treat sciatica to bring relief to their patients.

What Is Sciatica?

Sciatica is pain that’s caused by pressure on your sciatic nerve. This pain  usually originates in the lower back and can radiate into the buttock and even down your legs. It can vary in intensity from mild to severe. In some patients it’s constant, while in others it only crops up occasionally. Sciatic nerve pain is usually experienced as similar to that from a toothache, but it can be dull or sharp, a sensation of pins and needles, or electric shocks.

People suffering from sciatica can also experience burning, numbness and tingling in their limbs. It is also referred to as neuropathy, neuralgia, referred or radiating pain. It can result in loss of feeling, insomnia, and even paralysis.

What Causes Sciatica?

There can be a number of different causes for sciatic nerve compression. Some of these conditions involve pregnancy and childbirth, tumors, diabetes, constipation and even sitting on your wallet. Other causes include herniated discs in your back or subluxations of the lumbar spine.

Among the more common causes of the condition is piriformis syndrome. This syndrome occurs when your piriformis muscle, in your lower back connecting to your spine, gets injured from slip-and-fall injuries, arthritis, or leg length difference.

Diagnosing the Condition

Because there are so many different potential causes of the condition, it’s vital that it be properly diagnosed so that the underlying cause can be addressed. A chiropractor’s first step in treating sciatica is to figure out what has caused it. This can involve a careful review of your medical history gained from a thorough examination both physical and neurological.

This testing can involve a variety of tests including x-rays, CT scans, MRI scans and others. They can help to detect whether a spinal adjustment alone will be able to treat your condition, or whether it will be a part of the treatment.

Woodbridge Chiropractors

Very often, spinal manipulations can adjust subluxations, or misalignments, in your spine that can cause or contribute to sciatica. They can even address some underlying causes such as arthritis, uneven legs and more. Seeking the right treatments from Woodbridge chiropractors is essential to managing and eliminating your pain and living a better, healthier life overall.

For the past 8 years and counting, ACT Wellness have been the leading Woodbridge chiropractors. We offer comprehensive health and wellness services, with a non-invasive, whole-body approach to living better. Get in touch for an appointment today!

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