More than 70 million adults in the United States deal with some type of chronic pain. And low back pain is by far the second most common reason Americans see their doctor!
Consequently, many are interested to find alternative ways for managing this discomfort including chiropractic treatment which can alleviate symptoms related specifically around your spine or neck area like headaches etcetera.
Chiropractic therapy has been around for over 100 years and is still today, one of the most effective treatment methods in medicine. It can help with a variety of issues such as back pain, neck pain, headaches, and even more serious conditions like scoliosis. If you are looking for a way to improve your health, reduce stress, and feel better in general, then chiropractic therapy may be the solution. This blog post will discuss how chiropractic therapy can benefit you!
Table of Contents:
What is Chiropractic Therapy?
The word ‘chiropractic’ comes from the Greek words cheir (meaning ‘hand’) and praktikos (meaning ‘done’) – namely, done by hand. Chiropractors are primary contact practitioners (which means they can see patients without a referral from a GP). They focus on treating the spine by using their hands to examine and treat health conditions related to the bones, muscles, and joints (musculoskeletal problems).
Chiropractic Therapy is a form of alternative medicine concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mechanical disorders of the musculoskeletal system, especially of the spine. It has esoteric origins and is based on several pseudoscientific ideas.
In many cases, such as lower back pain, chiropractic care may be a person’s primary method of treatment. For some medical conditions, chiropractic services may complement or support medical treatment by relieving the musculoskeletal aspects associated with the condition.
What is the importance of Chiropractic Therapy?
Chiropractic Therapy improves your mental health, neurological health, muscle strength, flexibility, and range of motion. It promotes recovery, improves immune response, provides you with more energy, and improves your mood. A chiropractor primes your body to function at its best.
Chiropractic Therapy involves many different aspects of the body but is centered around the spine. Our spine is an integral part of our musculoskeletal system, which is made up of the bones, muscles, and connective tissues that give our bodies form and movement. Running the length of our back, from our neck right down into our pelvis, the spine houses and protects our spinal cord which helps our nervous system to function properly. It does this by enabling the transmission of information to and from the brain from the various parts of our body. These messages are sent through neurons that pass along the spinal cord which acts as an information highway. If there are any issues with the bones of the spine, the intervertebral discs that cushion the bones or the surrounding tissues can affect the function of the central nervous system, preventing it from working properly. This results in a range of unpleasant and debilitating symptoms, including pain, numbness/loss of feeling, loss of bladder/bowel function, and even partial or total paralysis.
What are the benefits of Chiropractic Therapy?
Blood Pressure
A study published in the Human Journal of Hypertension showed that chiropractic treatment could give people suffering from high blood pressure the same effect as taking certain high blood pressure medications.
This study also showed that the effects of the adjustment would persist for 6 months after the adjustment.
High blood pressure medications can have negative side effects including:
If an adjustment can give a similar, if not the same, effect as these types of medications, it might be something to consider.
Adjustments have been shown to help patients suffering from low blood pressure as well.
Eases Neck and Back Pain
This benefit is probably the most well-known when it comes to going to the chiropractor. 80% of all Americans experience some sort of lower back pain in their lifetime. Medications and surgeries are options for this type of pain, but those can be dangerous, expensive, and ineffective.
Chiropractic treatment is also cheaper than other methods of back pain management. You’ll be able to save yourself from both mild and chronic pain while also reducing your medical costs.
Treats Scoliosis
Scoliosis is a condition where there is an abnormal curvature of the spine. This can cause pain, abnormal posture, a reduction in your range of motion, and even trouble breathing.
Most scoliosis patients have few options for treatment. But a chiropractic adjustment has been shown to help treat scoliosis patients.
Chiropractic treatment combined with physical therapy could help treat and prevent the progression of scoliosis. The effectiveness of this treatment option varies from patient to patient, but it is a viable option.
Sciatica
Sciatica refers to pain that radiates from your lower back down your legs because of a damaged or pressured sciatic nerve.
This type of chronic pain can lead to over-medication. Chiropractic treatment can help relieve pressure on the sciatic nerve that is causing your sciatica. Studies show that patients receiving adjustments reduced the number of pain days they had. They also experienced a reduction in the severity of their pain.
Reduces Inflammation
Inflammation is one of the top causes of pain, joint issues, and tension. Chronic inflammation has been linked to a number of diseases like heart disease, chronic pain, and cancer.
Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to reduce inflammation, which can lead to a number of positive benefits, including:
Chronic lower back pain relief
Reduced muscle tension
Relief from joint pain
Reduced inflammation can also help reduce your risk of developing diseases that are linked to high inflammation.
Headache Relief
Both tension and migraine headaches can be caused by back pain and spinal issues. Back misalignment can cause muscle tension and pain which can result in both tension headaches as well as migraine headaches.
Besides back pain, headache is the top ailment that chiropractors treat. There are over 200 studies examining the benefits and effectiveness of chiropractic therapy for headache relief.
Improves Athletic Performance
Reduction of inflammation, pain and other similar conditions can help get the body in top shape. This is especially true for athletes who depend on their bodies to do their job.
Many sports teams and professional athletes hire chiropractors. Adjustments can reduce pain and tension caused by sports and activity. Alignments can also reduce inflammation and boost the immune system to help boost an athlete's performance.
Treats Vertigo
Dizziness and vertigo can make it impossible to do everyday tasks or even get out of bed without feeling disoriented and nauseous. This is a common condition after experiencing a head or neck injury.
Chiropractic treatments can help target joints and vertebrae that aren’t moving correctly. This could help reduce vertigo episodes. An adjustment can also help fix your body’s natural balance, which can also cause vertigo if it’s misaligned.
Other Benefits:
When to Consider Chiropractic Treatment?
Painful joint and back problems can be caused by work, accidents, sports injuries, household chores, and even the stress of daily living.
Chiropractic therapy may help if you are experiencing aching joints or muscle pain that is affecting your ability to get through the day or preventing you from doing your favorite activities. It can also help maintain a healthy spine and joint function, even if you do not have painful symptoms.
People commonly visit a chiropractor for help with:
Conditions that can be treated by Chiropractic Treatment
Chiropractic treatment has been proven to be beneficial in treating a wide range of different illnesses and injuries. These include:
Chiropractic Treatments
Common chiropractic treatments include a range of different techniques, such as:
Wrap Up
You can have the best of both worlds with Chiropractic Therapy. It's an excellent way to get relief from your pain and discomfort, but more importantly, it will make you healthier because we're not just focusing on treating symptoms--we want people feeling better inside as well! If you are wondering if chiropractic care can help you, don’t hesitate to contact us and check out our amazing services and see its benefits from our previous blogs.
