How Can a Chiropractor Help with Back Pain?

When dealing with back pain, a Jacksonville chiropractor can give you the relief you seek. A chiropractor specializes in diagnosing and treating disorders of the musculoskeletal system, particularly the spine.

They use manual techniques, such as spinal manipulation, to improve joint mobility and reduce pain and inflammation. They may also offer you advice on exercise, posture, and self-care.

A chiropractor can help with back pain by addressing its underlying cause, such as a disc problem, muscle spasm, or nerve irritation. They can also help prevent future episodes of back pain by improving your spinal alignment and function. Let’s see what other benefits you may obtain from having a chiropractor treating your back pain.

What Are the Most Common Reasons People Suffer from Back Pain?

People suffer from back pain for a wide variety of reasons, but some of the most common causes are:

Muscle or Ligament Strain

You can strain a muscle or ligament through repeated heavy lifting, sudden awkward movements, poor posture, or lack of regular exercise. Muscle spasms can also cause back pain.

Bulging or Ruptured Discs

The discs in your spine are the cushion-like pads between the vertebrae. They function as shock absorbers for the spine. Sometimes these discs can bulge or rupture and press on a nerve, causing pain, numbness, or weakness that travels from the back down to the leg.

Arthritis

Arthritis and other related inflammatory conditions affect the joints and can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis that affects the spine, especially in the lower back and neck. It can cause narrowing of the space around the spinal cord, a condition called spinal stenosis.

Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis causes the bones to become brittle and weak, making them more prone to fractures. Compression fractures of the vertebrae can occur in people with osteoporosis and cause severe back pain.

Other Factors

You may also experience back pain if you have been under a huge amount of stress or if you are dealing with other conditions such as anxiety, depression, or insomnia.

When Should I See a Chiropractor for Back Pain?

In some cases, back pain disappears on its own after applying home care or simply giving it time to resolve itself. In cases when the pain in your back has lasted longer than a few weeks, you may be looking at a chronic condition that requires professional diagnosis and treatment.

If you have rested your back and the pain is still there, or you feel it spreading down one or both legs, make an appointment with your chiropractor immediately.

Also, seek professional help when you are feeling weakness, numbness, or tingling in one or both legs, when the pain in your back is accompanied by fever, or if it follows a blow to the back or a fall.

How Can a Chiropractor Alleviate Back Pain?

A chiropractor uses manual techniques to improve joint mobility and reduce pain and inflammation. When it comes to back pain, they may also offer advice on exercise, posture, and self-care and perform one or more of the following:

Spinal Manipulation, aka Chiropractic Adjustment

This type of manual therapy involves applying a controlled, sudden force to a specific joint of the spine to restore its normal movement and function. Spinal manipulation can help relieve pain, improve blood flow, relax muscles, and reduce nerve irritation.

Spinal Mobilization

As a gentler form of manual therapy, spinal mobilization involves applying low-impact movements to the joints of the spine to increase their range of motion and flexibility.

It is the preferred treatment method for patients with osteoporosis, arthritis, or other conditions that could make spinal manipulation too risky or uncomfortable.

Soft Tissue therapy

Soft tissue therapy involves applying various techniques to massage, stretch, or stimulate the muscles, tendons, and ligaments that support the spine. This can help reduce muscle tension, spasms, inflammation, and scar tissue formation and enhance blood circulation and healing.

Exercise

Your chiropractor can also prescribe exercises or stretches to strengthen the core muscles that support the spine, improve posture, and reduce back pain. These exercises may include aerobic activities, such as walking or swimming to improve cardiovascular health and endurance.

Lifestyle Counseling

A chiropractor knows how important it is to educate a patient on how to modify their daily habits to prevent or manage back pain. Lifestyle counseling may cover topics such as nutrition, stress management, smoking cessation, and better sleep habits.

The effectiveness of chiropractic care for back pain may vary depending on the cause, severity, and duration of the pain and the patient’s response to treatment.

How Often Should I See a Chiropractor?

How frequently you visit your chiropractor depends on your condition and goals. Your chiropractor will work with you to create a personalized treatment plan that serves your needs.

However, if you seek chiropractic care for maintenance or prevention, you may benefit from visiting a chiropractor once or twice a month or as needed. This can help keep your spine in alignment, improve your joint function, increase your energy levels, and enhance your overall health.

If you are dealing with acute injury or pain, you may need to visit a chiropractor more frequently, such as two or three times a week for the first few weeks. This can help reduce inflammation, restore mobility, and speed up healing. As your condition improves, you may gradually reduce the frequency of your visits.

Finally, if you seek chiropractic care for a chronic condition or pain, you may need to visit them once or twice a week for several months. This can help manage your symptoms, improve your function, and prevent further deterioration.

Ultimately, the frequency of your chiropractor visits may also depend on other factors, such as your age, lifestyle, stress level, and coexisting medical conditions.

SEE ALSO: Heart Transplantation: Eligibility & Process Of A Life-Saving Procedure