Chiropractic Care Can Keep the Pain Away

Low back pain is one of the most common types of pain and the most recurrent cause of disability in adults under the age of 45 years old. In fact, 1 out of 4 American adults has experienced low back pain within the last 3 months. In spite the advanced medications and treatment plans available, there are some instances in which medications alone cannot actually heal certain back injuries, but rather only relieve the symptom of pain. This has opened the way for several alternative medical approaches to treat and manage such medical conditions, such as physical therapy. Among the most common alternative medical approaches for treating low back pain is chiropractic care.

Chiropractic is one of the alternative medical systems that is being used today to manage certain medical conditions, especially musculoskeletal-related disorders. Chiropractors that do this kind of approach are highly skilled licensed health care specialists that perform spinal manipulation or adjustment of other parts of the body. It is their belief that correct alignment of the body parts, specifically the spinal cord, could relieve pain, boost the body’s natural healing process and provide optimum wellness.

The twisting, pushing and pulling movements done by chiropractors on the bones, joints and muscles relax the individual’s body and promotes good circulation. Some chiropractors use heat, ice, electrical stimulation and other relaxation techniques with their chiropractic care.

Medical Conditions That Chiropractors Can Manage

Chiropractors are highly specialized in managing musculoskeletal-related medical conditions, specifically those related to the spine. Among the most common health problems that chiropractors can help you with are:

1. Back pain
2. Neck pain
3. Shoulder pain
4. Arm pain
5. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
6. Leg pain
7. Sciatica
8. Slipped discs
9. Fibromyalgia
10. Joint pain

In addition, chiropractors could also help you with other medical conditions that are not related to the bones, muscles or joints like:

1. Headaches
2. High blood pressure
3. Migraines
4. Gastrointestinal problems
5. Depression
6. Anxiety disorders
7. Allergies
8. Asthma
9. Dysmenorrheal or pain during menstrual periods
10. Infant colic

Some Things to Consider with Chiropractic Care

However, in spite of medical research and clinical claims that chiropractic really works for certain medical disorders, it does not replace medical care, nor does it become the single treatment for any musculoskeletal-related disorder. It is highly recommended that you seek medical consultation with your attending physician about your health condition, and about whether chiropractic care is good for you or not.

Chiropractic care is usually a painless, safe and simple health care treatment plan if done correctly by a licensed chiropractor. There are serious complications that can occur during this procedure, but they are very rare, such as:

1. Stroke after manipulation of the neck
2. Nerve compression due to improper spinal adjustments
3. Herniated disk from spinal manipulation

On the other hand, the following conditions are contraindicated for chiropractic care:

1. High risk for stroke
2. Cancer of the spine
3. Severe form of osteoporosis
4. Unstable spinal column
5. Loss of strength, tingling and numbness in arms or legs

Any treatment method should begin from an accurate assessment and diagnosis. A complete medical history assists in determining if chiropractic care is suitable for you. There are promising results and health care benefits, but not all respond well to this alternative medical method.