Breathwork for Neck & Low Back Pain

What is the Respiratory Diaphragm?  The respiratory diaphragm is a large muscle that sits under your lungs and when it contracts it pulls air in when you breathe.

The diaphragm is one of the few muscles that are under both conscious and unconscious control which is important so that when you are not thinking about breathing you also don’t suffocate.

Stress will cause the body to use other accessory breathing muscles to bring in more oxygen.  Because of ongoing stress in this crazy world we live in, we never return to normal breathing, thereby exhausting those accessory muscles, which then causes neck and middle back pain and aches.

This is where most patients will end up in our office for Chiropractic care.  Chiropractors will work with the alignment of the spine to reduce the stress levels in your body, but we also need to work on breathing patterns to help the situation not reoccur. Proper breathing also reduces stress. This is best known with meditation and yoga.

Balance between breath and inner core activation

Our inner core and the outer core work together to stabilize our spine. The inner core, which the Respiratory Diaphragm is a part of, once activated, can then allow the outer core (your six pack) to stabilize the spine.

You can see how proper usage of the diaphragm can lead you to better breathing which can then reduce back pain.  You cannot activate your core effectively without proper breathing mechanics.  

Not only that, but as you inhale, your diaphragm contracts and as it moves down it massages your lower back muscles from the inside out. The lower back muscles will also begin to lengthen and relax as this occurs.

As we all know, oxygen is essential to life and our health.  Make an appointment today and have Dr. Damon give you an amazing adjustment and teach you better breathing techniques to help your spinal alignment stay for longer periods of time.