Tag Archives: low back pain

Low Back/Groin Pain and your Kidneys?

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Hey Warriors!
Guess what?!  Blogging is back!!
I’ve finished my new and upcoming book (thank you Jesus), and so I can slowly begin to get back into the blogging you all love!  It’s not out yet, you didn’t miss it, its still in development, but thankfully my part is finished:)

Between blogs I will be uploading an email on the upcoming podcasts, but I will leave those as separate topics.  If you haven’t subscribed to my podcast please do!  Unfiltered Healing is available on YouTube, Spotify and iTunes.

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Low back pain or stiffness is a pretty common complaint. About 80% of people experience it at one point in their life, and some people chronically.

If you’re new here to my blogs, welcome.  If you’re not new, you know that I talk pretty extensively about the location of pain is rarely every where the problem is.  Why?  Pain is a signal from the brain. That’s it.  It doesn’t tell us where the pain is originating from, it just tells us “hey something is not in balance”.

There can be various difference reasons for pain to manifest in the low back region.  Too much sitting and not enough movement is really common, weakness in the core/abdominal muscles and backside (glute) muscles ( also really common), too much cranial tension (in the skull bones) causing the low back to compensate, unstable pelvic joint, toes are crammed together……  These are all examples of mechanical reasons for the pain in the back.  It could be upstream or downstream that’s the issue, but something in the structure of the body and subsequently how the nervous system is working is causing the issue.

However, lower back pain can also be related to certain organ’s needing attention.  What do you mean?

Something occurs called viscerosomatic pain referral patterns.  In other words, your organs have specific channels and pain patterns that can mimic as a mechanical problem.  For instance, if someone is having a heart attack they can feel pain down the left arm.  This is that referral pattern.

The lower back region in particular has a relationship with several different organs. The upper region of the low back is the kidneys, next in line is the ascending colon, reproductive organs are next, descending colon and finally the uterus/prostate at last lumbar region.

Depending on which organ is either inflamed or just not functioning properly, determines where in the low back you may feel it.  How does that work? The referral patterns.  The one I see most commonly in this region is the kidneys.  Now, we are taught in the education system that when the kidneys are malfunctioning you may feel something like “flank pain”, which is pain felt around the lower part of your ribs on your backside.
However, this most often only occurs with stone formation and kidney infection.  

The kidneys are our filtration system, and when that filter gets either overburdened or doesn’t have the right hydration/mineral balance, the organ starts to malfunction.  It’s very similar to when the liver, which is our biggest toxin filter gets too clogged up we can get a host of problems.

The kidneys biggest function is to remove waste from the blood. Every day the kidneys process about 200 quarts (190 liters) of blood and filters out about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water.
Waste could be a chemical that the body cannot use at all, or even if the body can use it, if it is present in excess of what the body needs then the excess is classified as waste. If wastes accumulate in the body, the results can be deadly, so waste needs to be removed quickly. Other functions of the kidneys include:

  • Urine formation
  • regulating water volume
  • regulate salt content
  • regulate blood pressure
  • produce hormones- erythropoietin, triggers the release of red blood cells
  • regulate the pH of our body
  • process vitamin D into an active form
Just like any organ we have been designed with, the kidneys are important. Typically, the most common occurrence that happens in my practice is dehydration.  Many many individuals are dehydrated, not only because they don’t drink enough water, but because the type of water they consume and the lack of minerals in their diet create dehydration. This is why I’m a huge proponent of food based minerals, and clean hydrating water like Kangan water.  If you want to know more about Kangan just email me and I’ll include you in the next live class.

Second, the kidneys get backed up in what is called the CBS pathways in methylation.  You can think of it similarly to detoxification.  When the biochemical pathways do not have sufficient vitamins/minerals either because of toxins, pathogens, not enough in the diet or genetic variations, this pathway in particular causes some damage to the kidneys.  Like I mentioned a moment ago, the kidney filters waste and a lot of that waste is chemicals we either breathe, eat or for some inject.  If the burden is too high the kidneys can’t keep up and it causes damage. Often times someone will not “feel” pain in the kidney, or might not even have abnormality in their laboratory work, but the organ isn’t functioning at its best.  How do we know?  The referral pattern.

The referral pattern for the kidneys for some starts in the lower back and wraps around the front of the pelvis into the groin region.  This is a pretty significant bull’s eye in my practice that I know the kidneys are at play.  It is important to rule out the mechanical issues first as well, because pelvic instability looks similar.  However, chronic pain here is a clue to the kidneys.

Remember, traditional medicine may have zero clue here.  If your labs and urine look “normal”, everything is perfect in their eyes. However, hidden toxins and hidden pathogens like parasites and mold toxins don’t show up in these tests.  These, in combination with other chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, air pollution, adjuvants in v@CCinations, to name a few really put a big stress on the kidneys, and sometimes the only way to let you know is through this referral pattern.

Here’s my tips:

1. Start with hydration.  You need CLEAN water, not tap or refrigerator, or bottled…those are mostly toxic..Get highly filtered water and then add minerals in to help you absorb it.  Better yet, get kangan!

2. start taking a toxin inventory….. Is your food organic and non gmo?  Cleaning products and beauty products organic and clean by EWG standard?  use of fertilizers, pesticides, weed killers…. Aromatic things like febreeze, fragrances and perfumes…5G towers near you, or EMF protection(radiation is toxic), need your nails done all the time, use plastic bottles, mold is in your home, you’ve done many v@CCinations, you take pharmaceuticals….. this isn’t an exhaustive list but you get the picture.  Start taking inventory and begin to change out things that you can one at a time.

3. Get a customized nutritional plan to make sure that CBS pathway and others are working effectively to get out the toxins, and also to screen for mold and other pathogens that might be lurking around.  It doesn’t take a lot, but a few key vitamins and minerals can help tremendously here. Unfortunately, our food even if clean just isn’t enough anymore because our soil is void of minerals.  Most everyone needs supplementation now.

4. Sauna and infrared light are also great tools to help take the toxin burden off, by getting toxins out through the sweat.

5. Eat organ meat.  The best way I’ve found to build organs is to utilize organ meats.  They’ve been around a long time and for good reason.  If you don’t particularly love eating organ meats  ( need to be grass fed), like myself I recommend the brand heart and soil as they are in capsule form which is easier on the palate.

 

That is all for now.

Wishing you all a happy and healthy week.

Dr. Rachel

A strong backside revolves around function of this system.

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Hey Warriors.
Happy Monday!  I hope you are thriving in this season.  I know this last week especially here in California is getting really crazy.  I will say, I am proud of people standing up for what is right through this and finally seeing the backstory behind it. I hope for the sake of our economy and so many businesses that took so long and so many tears to build will begin to regain strength again.  And for those corrupt in high places to come down! AMEN!

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We’re gonna take a break from all that immunity talk and regeneration talk, and talk about something that you are probably all interested in, your backside!! LOL. 

I’m sure with working from home, we’ve all been in positions that aren’t our norms, but I have seen people be way more active during this season which is great!

A common scenario I see in my practice is patient’s coming in with an inability to activate their backside. 
That means the back and the glutes(butt).  The muscles that keep us upright. 
If you read my last blog, I talked extensively about how airway compromise causes problems in the backside, always trying to keep you upright.  With airway people they have this forward head posture because they can’t adequately breathe, which means their backside is constantly tight (tight muscles mean weak nerve input) trying to keep them upright to fight gravity.

As you can imagine, most of my airway people are going to be the main candidates for this blog, but it also applies to many that have tightness in their back, shoulders and pelvis.

This is the key to proper activation of your backside:  Bloodflow and Lymphatic Flow. 

Let me explain.
Strong muscles, ANY muscles that are strong need blood flow.  The actual best way to grow a muscle’s strength is to increase blood flow to that area. 
One of the best ways to increase blood flow to the backside, is to get blood flow working better, which comes from the FRONT.

If you have struggled with weakness or pain in your Glute muscles (butt muscles) or your back after all the exercises and therapy, it’s probably time to change your strategy right?! 
Muscles only work as well as they BREATHE, which means oxygen and blood flow have to be able to reach them to work like they are supposed to.
Here is an analogy:  Rivers and Streams.  Streams will dry up if the source (the river), gets depleted.
We start working not downstream, we start at the top, which is our arteries and the capillaries in our circulatory system. 

Most individuals that don’t have good blood/lymph flow to the glutes will say: “when they do hip and glute muscle work or strengthening that they get increasing tension in their groin area or in the front of their hip (thats the front side). ”

Let me explain why:

There is a region in the anterior part of the body where a lot of buildup happens in circulation and lymphatic flow.
This is the area where the biggest lymph node is in our body, which is about 3-4 inches above your belly button. Thats the green dot in the picture.


(not my image)
That green line (representing the lymphatic system) then has to drain up and under the left collarbone into our subclavian vein.  That is the transferred into the heart, stomach and other organs. 
If there is a BIG blockage here, the lymphatic and furthermore circulation will be impaired.
Working this area, will help open up this channel and the streams down below it.

Another example.  The inguinal/groin area.


(not my image)

All of the draining from the lower body has to come through the groin area. See those two red areas?  Big Rivers there.  We need the FRONT open and flowing to help the back.

No muscle or organ in the body works alone. 

If you want a stronger backside, yes you do have to engage it and activate those muscles properly (nerve help and trainers), but first you have to make sure that the “flow” is getting to that muscle! 
 Ok, doc.. How do we do that?

Well, you might have got the hint by now, but you have to work on the FRONT side. 
Constantly working the backside and stretching the backside won’t be your answer if it’s a frontside issue. 

Most commonly, when someone has a glute or low back issue, most physical therapist and trainers will say they have a “weak core”, which could and is usually true, but strengthening the core can be difficult when there is a backup in circulation.  We need to work first on making those stuck “flow” areas free then can stabilize.

For most of you airway people that means we have to address the entire front line from your head, tongue tie (if you have it), neck and collarbone, down to that big lymph node near your belly button (diaphragm tension), your hip flexors and down to the front of your shins.  LOTS of blood flow and lymphatic stuff is in there!

I do this first by realigning your entire body.  Remember a stuck joint (even in your head), prevents blood flow.  This also will ensure that the muscles are getting proper information from the nerves.  So we just do this first:)

Then, we can work on getting the lymphatic system working more with work right along the surface of the skin including the lymphatic organs. This is done through gentle work along those nodes and organs, and sometimes doing muscle work if the fascia is stuck around where the nodes are.

NOTE here:  There are some places I cannot get to and refer out for.  For instance, if there is internal scar tissue or pelvic floor imbalances, I must refer for this section to get that anterior pelvic section working better.  Pelvic Floor therapists can be HUGE resources for this part. With internal scar tissue, it will be a huge problem for blood flow to the glute region.

Additionally, maybe a restriction in the flow is because one of those organs isn’t draining properly?  You can work on them doing body work to get the “flow” happening, but also sometimes nutritional protocols are needed to help take the burden off those organs and get digestion working more efficiently.

I’ve had so many patients over the years say that after working with their airway and front side of their body that they feel they can activate their glutes so much more!  

So, I encourage you.  If this is You.  It’s time to change your strategy!  You need a proper front AND back sides working together to create balance within your body.  Usually the issues are never where you think they are.
Problem with your backside?  Work on the front side (loosening and getting circulation flowing) then stimulate and strengthen those back muscles and see how you feel!

That is all for now.

 

Have a happy and healthy week.

 

 

Best,

Dr. hamel