Weight Loss and Chronic Pain Management

More than 2 in 3 Americans are now overweight. Extra weight takes a toll on our bodies and leads to inflammation and chronic pain, especially in those over forty years of age. Now we’re fatigued, overweight and in pain which leads to less motivation and an even more sedentary lifestyle. The more overweight we are the more pain and fatigue we experience, and the less change seems possible. Our backs hurt, our knees ache, our hips feel stiff. We begin to accept this is just the way we feel because we are getting older. This is no way for us to be living.

As a chiropractor I meet many patients looking for relief from pain in their joints, ligaments, muscles, nerves and tendons. These are all integral parts of the musculoskeletal system that supports our limbs, neck and spine. It is my job to treat my patients by alleviating their pain as quickly as possible and get them back to living their daily life comfortably. It is also my job to asses their overall long-term health and create an optimal and natural treatment plan to avoid pain and illness in the future.

Why Does a Chiropractor Focus on Weight Loss?

I am often asked why my chiropractic office offers such a large variety of weight loss programs. Doesn’t a chiropractor just work with the spine? Is it a trend, a quick way to make money? No to all of those, the answer is simple. Just a 5% to 10% reduction in a patient’s weight will greatly improve their overall health including chronic pain, naturally. For most patients, that percentage is just 10 to 20 pounds.

Losing 10 to 20 pounds improves our cholesterol levels, reduces inflammation, improves sleep, reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, improves our blood sugar levels, lessens the pain of arthritis; the benefits are endless. A healthy weight is key to helping our bodies perform better, the way they were meant to. A chiropractor’s goal is to listen to the body and work within the individual patient’s specific needs to improve their health with the natural method.

The Benefits of Weight Loss for Pain Management

Less mechanical stress on the body
Reduced inflammatory mediators such as cytokines and chemokines
Increased mobility
More restful sleep
Stronger bones and joints
Less pain

It’s easy to tell a patient they should lose weight and get healthier. But my true job is to help my patients accomplish their goals on the road to becoming and staying healthy. That means providing them with the knowledge, tools and support to make better nutritional choices and achieve their recommended weight loss for better pain management.

I know my patients are confronted daily with food choices filled with chemicals and preservatives that promote weight gain. Even so called “healthy” food is not necessarily good for our bodies. Most people are aware of nutritional labels but don’t have or take the time to read these labels or understand all the information. As a society, we’ve been trained to expect and consume outrageously over-sized meal portions. The weight loss programs I bring into my chiropractic office are designed to act as a guide, easy-to-follow plans to counteract these daily encounters and help my patients lose weight and reduce chronic pain.

We offer several weight loss program options and work with each individual patient to determine which program will provide them with the greatest benefits and fit into their lifestyle. Our MFC Weight Loss Challenges were created to make the process fun, add a reward for reaching the goal and provide peer and practice support to increase each patent’s chances of success. We also provide one-on-one support for patients that prefer to embark on their weight loss journey solo.

I believe good nutrition and weight management guidance is a key factor in providing my patients with the best pain management treatment possible which is why I offer free weight loss consultations to remove concerns about insurance and cost.