More than 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. The number of people living with chronic pain is higher than those affected by diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined. A Birmingham Chiropractic professional provides a holistic approach of treating chronic pain to help relieve symptoms without the need for using over-the-counter pain medication or undergoing invasive surgeries. Chiropractic care offers a hands-on approach that helps in providing relief for a host of painful illnesses.
The holistic approach is most suitable for individuals experiencing chronic pain or those that have spinal structural problems, and they would like to get relief from pain and discomfort in a more holistic manner. Chiropractic is among the oldest healing practices, which involves spinal manipulation. Daniel David Palmer is considered as the founder of the modern chiropractic profession.
Palmer was a student of healing philosophies and a self-taught healer in his days. During his practice, Palmer observed that our bodies have a natural healing mechanism that is controlled by the nervous system. He noted that any misalignments of the spine interrupted with the ‘nerve flow’ to the organs; hence, they become diseased. This discovery prompted Palmer to develop a procedure of adjusting the vertebrae to correct the misalignments.
Who needs chiropractic care?
Chiropractic is among the most popular complementary and alternative medicine practices in the country. A survey conducted in 1997 estimated that adult Americans made more than 192 million visits to chiropractors. About 50 percent of these visits were individuals seeking to treat neck pain, back pain, sports injuries, headaches, and repetitive strains. In a more recent survey, forty percent of patients who visited a chiropractic professional was treated for back pain problems.
Back pain problems affect close to 80 percent of Americans. It mainly results from injuries, structural issues, poor movement and posture, diseases, among other causes. Most of the back pains occur due to sudden muscle sprains or strains. Activities that can cause backaches include lifting heavy objects, poor body mechanics while lifting heavy objects, and making a sudden or awkward movement.
Structural problems that result in back pains include ruptured disks, bulging disks, sciatica, arthritis, osteoporosis, and abnormal curvature of the spine. Backaches may also be caused by over-stretching, standing or sitting for long periods, bending awkwardly for long periods, long driving sessions without a break, poor sleeping positions, and straining the neck especially when using a computer or driving.
Other causes for back pain include cancer of the spine, cauda equina syndrome, sleep disorders, and infection of the spine. It is necessary to note that some people have a higher risk of developing back pain problems than others. Some of the risk factors for back pain problems include leading a sedentary lifestyle, poor physical fitness, some professional activities, obesity, pregnancy, old age, smoking, genetic factors and some medical conditions such as cancer. Can chiropractic practices treat back problems?
Let’s dig in. Chiropractic care is among the best options for individuals seeking treatment for back pain. As highlighted earlier, chiropractic focuses on spinal manipulation and alignment, which may help to treat and alleviate symptoms of back pains. Realigning the spine helps to reduce pressure on the nervous system hence stimulating the body’s natural healing mechanism.
Although the main focus of chiropractic care is on the spine, there have been new developments to include nutritional counseling, treatment for posture, and exercise education. Besides aligning your musculoskeletal system, your chiropractor may also recommend particular workouts to help in improving your range of motion.
Nowadays, most of the chiropractors work closely with other health professionals such as doctors, surgeons, and pain experts to offer the best care to their patients. What can you expect on your first visit to a chiropractor? Most people who have never visited a chiropractor may be apprehensive and fearful at first. However, the fear goes away once they become chiropractic patients. During your first day, the chiropractor will conduct an evaluation, where you describe your symptoms and give a history of your sickness.
The chiropractor may order for certain tests and X-rays to help them have a better understanding of your condition. The next steps include developing a treatment plan that may require multiple visits. During each visit, the chiropractor will use a host of techniques to perform spine manipulation. They include:
- Toggle drop
- Motion palpation
- Lumbar roll
- Release work
- Table adjustments
- Instrument adjustments
- Manipulation with anesthesia
- Pelvic blocking
- Flexion-distraction technique
Chiropractic care is considered as the safest alternative approach to holistically help individuals with a host of health conditions such as sciatica, neck and back pain, injuries, chronic headaches, high blood pressure, frozen shoulder, scoliosis, and injuries. When looking for the best chiropractic care, you may consider talking to your doctor, friends, and family members for referrals. Ask them about their training, areas of specialization, and certifications. Call us today at 205-637-1363.
