Do you know what’s sad about chronic back pain? Even if you take over-the-counter painkillers to ease the discomfort, it will still come back once the effect of the medication wanes. And, when the pain becomes unbearable again, you’ll find yourself popping the same pills hoping that this time they would work longer. Unfortunately, this method is not effective because these medications do not treat the root cause of the discomfort. They just target the symptoms. When the efficacy dies down, the pain will wash over you again, and you’ll find yourself back to square one. If you’re looking for a safe method of relieving back pain, you should try chiropractic adjustment.
A chiropractic adjustment is nothing new. In fact, millions of people in the US are avid fans of this unique form of Chinese Traditional Medicine. How did it reach millions? Well, according to surveys, over seventy million people in America are suffering from chronic back pain. Chronic back pain can be so distressing that it can negatively affect your quality of life. This alone is enough to drive people to try anything that promises relief.
Since painkillers only provide temporary pain relief, many people are searching for natural methods of treating the pain. This leads them to chiropractic care. Chiropractic treatment is a natural form of pain management that helps provide neck and back pain relief.
Understanding Chiropractic Care
The principle behind chiropractic care is that your body can naturally heal itself using synthetic medications. All it takes to trigger your body to self-heal is for your chiropractor to physically manipulate your spine. However, this is only safe once performed by a trained professional. Even if it looks easy on videos, we highly discourage you from performing it on your family and friends as this can lead to injuries.
The reason why spinal manipulation is performed is to realign your spine. Once your spine is properly aligned, pain affecting your muscles, joints, connective tissues, cartilage, and bones is relieved. Although the main focus of chiropractic care is your spine, your chiropractor may also target other parts of your body, depending on your complaints.
Benefits of Chiropractic Care
#1 Relieves Neck Pain
As mentioned, chiropractic care not only targets your back but also provides neck pain relief. Neck pain is common in people who are sitting for many hours doing office work. People who practice poor posture and who frequently bend their necks are also prone to neck pain. Neck pain relief can be achieved once your chiropractor realigns your spine. Realigning your spine can help relax the strain and stiffness in your neck muscles.
#2 Prevents Your Dependence on Pain Relievers
Even though it’s chronic, people will never get used to pain, which is why whenever their back or neck hurts, they’ll pop pills right away to escape the pain. Sadly, this can cause opioid dependence. Everyone knows these drugs come with unwanted side effects. The side effects may not manifest now, but they will over time. If you don’t want to become dependent on pain killers, you can trust your chiropractor to provide natural pain relief. With every chiropractic session, your need for pain relievers will slowly dwindle until you will no longer use them.
#3 Provides Back Pain Relief
The number one reason why people seek out chiropractic care is because of back pain. Although there are plenty of treatments for back pain, including injections and surgeries, these can be expensive. Why choose the invasive route when there’s a more conservative method of treating back pain? Medical doctors encourage patients to try non-medication treatments first before entertaining medications and surgeries. Other non-invasive methods that provide pain relief include exercise, yoga, acupuncture, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, and tai chi.
#4 Reduces Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
Patients who suffer from osteoarthritis experience pain at varying degrees as a result of cartilage degeneration. As the cartilage in their joints thins out, the bones rub against each other and cause pain. According to studies, evidence found that chiropractic care can delay the progression of arthritis and improve cartilage health.
#5 Headache Relief
Aside from treating back and neck pain, chiropractic care is also effective in relieving headaches and tensions headaches. In one study done in 2016, it was found that after eight sessions of spinal manipulation, people felt relief from chronic headaches. After three months following the session, they still experienced pain relief.
Takeaway
We’re not saying you should dismiss the recommendations of your medical doctor. Rather, we are offering a natural alternative to taking prescription medications for pain. The efficacy of the treatment depends on how well your body responds to it. Some people experience instant relief while others take a while. Nevertheless, all chiropractic patients can vouch for its effectiveness in relieving pain.