Many people in today’s society suffer from low back pain. There are many options for the treatment of low back pain that are alternatives to the medical model of drugs and surgery. One of those alternatives is chiropractic care. More and more individuals are turning to chiropractic treatment due to its non-invasive attributes.
Chiropractic care of low back pain can be a successful option for individuals with low back pain. Through the use of chiropractic manipulations, therapy modalities and exercise many individuals can alleviate their back pain without having to use medication or even have to go into surgery. Chiropractic manipulations or adjustments are gentle ways to correct spinal alignment to restore normal motion of the spine. Through chiropractic manipulations, pressure is taken off the nerves of the spine and allows the musculature of the spine to also function in a better state. This reduces the occurrence of muscle spasms and inflamed nerve roots that can increase the debilitating properties of low back pain.
Chiropractic manipulations can be in the form of manual adjustments, traction therapy or soft tissue manipulation. Manual adjustments relieve the areas of restriction in the spinal vertebrae and correct misalignments. Traction therapy increases blood flow to the vertebral discs and aid in the healing process. Soft tissue massage, myofascial release therapy and trigger point therapy can also work in collaboration with chiropractic manipulations to reduce low back pain. A chiropractor or a licensed massage therapist can perform this therapy.
Many factors can influence the onset and severity of low back pain. Posture, poor biomechanics, stress and previous injuries can greatly influence low back pain. Poor posture can lead to extra stress on the joints of the spinal vertebrae. The extra stress can increase the rate of degeneration of the spine. Poor biomechanics can relate to the way individuals perform their activities of daily living. Poor biomechanics in walking, running, lifting objects and exercising with bad technique puts individuals at risk of injury. Previous injuries can greatly influence low back pain. The previous injuries can change posture, change biomechanics and could be at the risk of flaring up worse than when the injury occurred.
Many individuals have tried chiropractic care for low back pain and have obtained great results. The have also been may cases of individuals that have gone through back surgery with no success and turned to chiropractic care and have achieved relief. The use of pain relieving medications have also been reduced with the addition of chiropractic care to patients after surgery
Chiropractors are more than just back doctors; they evaluate the patient as a whole. They can also give advice on nutrition, exercise habits, and work habits. Chiropractors often give recommendations to aid in the reduction of the patients chief complaint and to reduce the recurrence. Exercises are often given to the individual to strengthen spinal musculature and aid in posture correction. In obtaining these corrections, the degenerative process will be slowed and the functionality of the patient’s body as a whole will be improved.
