Back pain is an affliction that affects everyone at some point. The two forms are chronic and acute. It’s important to know how to treat either type of pain when it comes. The following are professional and self-healing methods that you can use to treat chronic and acute back pain.
Professional Methods
Pain Medication
Many physicians who are not chiropractors recommend that you take pain medication to treat chronic and acute back pain. They expect the muscles to heal and the problem to disappear on its own. In some cases, it does, but not in all cases. Painkillers only mask the symptoms without treating the underlying problem. It may be necessary to consult a chiropractor as the next step.
Structural Correction
Structural correction is not a traditional chiropractic treatment. The point is to improve the structure and alignment of the spine. A proper alignment is necessary because many symptoms are caused by an incorrect imbalance in the body.
There are different devices that chiropractors use for structural correction. They may encourage their clients to perform exercises on a wobbling chair or an intersegment rolling traction table. These exercises are designed to strengthen muscles in key parts of the body that cause pain and discomfort, such as the neck, back and the back of the knees.
Vibration Therapy
Vibration therapy involves applying vibrations to different injured parts of the body. Vibrations are waves that reverberate throughout the body. Damaged tissues respond well to waves in different frequencies. At a chiropractor’s office, you may be strapped to a machine that allows you to lie down, sit down or stand on a platform. Vibrations will be sent to afflicted parts of your back, spine, temples, neck, etc. The waves are effective at improving blood circulation and reducing pain and inflammation. Although you won’t be cured overnight, trying vibration therapy is better than not trying it at all.
Water Therapy
Many people wonder how effective water can be at relieving physical pain. Like vibrations, water works well at different temperatures. Heated water reduces pain, inflammation and stiffness in injured muscles. People with minor to severe injuries find it easier to perform various exercises in heated water. They find it easier to exercise in a pool or hot tub than in a hard, uncomfortable chair at home.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is a method of treating pain using freezing techniques. The chiropractor freezes an injured nerve or removes layers of damaged tissues. This professional may use ice packs, immersion baths or cold chambers to complete the task.
The Cupping Therapy
The cupping therapy is an innovative technique much like acupuncture that involves placing suction cups on the skin to increase blood circulation, soften muscles and reduce inflammation.
Self-Healing Methods
Wear a Back Brace
When recovering from a back injury, you want to avoid causing more damage to your body. It’s important that you keep your back and spine properly aligned. Consider wearing a back brace to keep the back straight at all times, whether you’re sitting, driving, sleeping or bending over.
Minimal Exercise
Generally, it’s recommended that you avoid exercise while suffering from back pain. Exercise may cause further damage to your back injury. When considering any type of exercise, contact a professional chiropractor first to decide if the treatment is safe for you.
There are some exercises that you can do to relieve back pain. The exercises strengthen the back muscles, making them stronger and more resistant to damage. Walking is recommended as it doesn’t add strain to your back. However, if walking or exercise makes the pain too unbearable, avoid making excessive movements that will aggravate more pain and discomfort.
Plenty of Rest
In many cases, back pain disappears on its own after a few weeks. For some people, it takes a few months and then the pain disappears completely. The best solution may be to get plenty of rest, do not worsen your injury and allow the muscles to heal on their own. If the pain is too severe or the injury does not heal fast enough, contact a professional chiropractor.
Getting rid of back pain requires doing practices at home, but it also takes the help of a professional. A chiropractic office is designed for people who need all kinds of treatments for chronic and acute back pain. Common techniques that we provide for our clients include structural correction, cryotherapy, vibration therapy and more. We operate in Hoover and Birmingham, Alabama, and surrounding areas. Call us today at 205-637-1363.
