A chiropractor is a health practitioner who deals with the neuromusculoskeletal system. Many people choose to see a chiropractor to treat their back pain rather than electing for invasive surgical procedures or taking pain medication that simply masks the symptoms rather than addressing the underlying cause. This article discusses the benefits of choosing chiropractic care over surgery and/or medication.
A chiropractor can offer effective alternatives to medication or surgery
Chiropractors can often serve as the primary treatment for back pain relief or supplement other recovery efforts such as physical therapy. Many who are experiencing chronic or acute back pain search for alternatives to surgery or medication due to their invasive or addictive nature, and chiropractic care is often a less invasive and more effective alternative.
What is chiropractic care?
Chiropractors treat issues related to the body’s alignment and issues related to the function of the body. Most notably, chiropractic care deals with back pain, neck pain, whiplash, sprains, strains, headaches, muscle pains, herniated discs, and joint degeneration, among a range of other possible concerns.
Common types of chiropractic adjustments
Every chiropractic treatment plan is entirely personalized to best meet the patient’s needs. There is a range of chiropractic procedure options that the chiropractor may recommend, depending on the cause and severity of back pain. Perhaps the most common types of chiropractic adjustments include:
- Spinal manipulation
- Spinal decompression
- Flexion-distraction
- The Gonstead technique
- The diversified technique
- The activator method
Each of the above techniques serves a specific purpose. For example, spinal manipulation, in particular, relieves pressure on the joints and helps improve nerve function, and reduces back pain and inflammation.
What are the most common treatments that chiropractors use for back pain?
As mentioned, every patient is unique and receives a personalized treatment plan. However, for back pain, in particular, chiropractors often recommend manual therapy (chiropractic adjustments), soft tissue therapy, and exercise therapy. The ultimate goal for chiropractors is to help the patient relieve their back pain long-term by dealing with likely underlying causes, rather than simply treating the initial symptoms and only providing temporary relief.
How can visiting a chiropractor help avoid the need for surgery?
There may be times when a surgical procedure is needed to properly repair an injury, such as when treating a bone fracture or for a herniated disc that does not improve through chiropractic care. However, chiropractic care, along with lifestyle changes, is often enough to reduce back pain and avoid the need for costly and invasive surgical procedures. The most common service performed by chiropractors to treat back pain is known as spinal manipulation, which involves adjusting the spine to allow for better alignment.
Is chiropractic care a realistic alternative to medication?
Chiropractic care helps relieve back pain and helps with long-term pain prevention for many patients that follow the treatment plan. Whether or not it can serve as the primary method of treatment depends on the type and severity of the concern. A chiropractor can assess the condition during a consultation appointment and make a treatment recommendation.
What types of issues can a chiropractor treat?
As discussed above, chiropractors can treat back pain, which could be caused by a car accident, sports injury, overuse, excessive strain that leads to a herniated disc, and more. They can also treat issues related to the neck, shoulder, head, lower back, and more. Specific issues that chiropractors often help treat include:
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Tension headaches
- Migraine headaches
- Sciatica
- Whiplash
- Herniated discs
- Shoulder pain
- Knee pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Overuse injuries
- Hip bursitis
- Plantar fascitis
There are other conditions that a chiropractor may be able to help treat. Chiropractors are often able to improve the symptoms of these conditions for patients who have not experienced relief from other methods of treatment, such as medications and surgery.
Is chiropractic care safe?
Chiropractic care uses non-invasive treatments such as chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractors also utilize massage therapy, ultrasound therapy, and acupuncture. Complications from chiropractic care are far less common than complications with back surgeries or medication to treat back or neck pain.
Ready to schedule a consultation?
Our chiropractor and staff believe in the effectiveness and safety of our services as an alternative to surgery or medication when dealing with chronic or acute back pain. We take pride in helping our patients achieve back pain relief, so get in touch with our team today to learn more and schedule your consultation visit and start your journey to a pain-free back.
Get more information here: https://sjrm-tn.com or call Spine & Joint Regenerative Medicine at (423) 424-1529
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