Chiropractic Adjustments

Many people who have back pain have been experiencing it for so long that they believe that it’s just a regular part of their life. Even after you have taken pain relievers, used heating pads, ice packs, and maybe even bought an expensive, specialized mattress, your pain can still remain. While all of these tools can be used in an attempt to manage your back pain, the actual root cause of the issue has yet to be addressed.

Many chiropractic patients suffer from conditions that can't be corrected through temporary measures. When you must sit at a desk for eight or more hours a day, your mattress and pain relievers just can’t fix it. If you’ve tried these options but are coming up short in managing your pain or range of motion, you may want to consider a chiropractic adjustment.

If you’re still weighing your options, here are some benefits to consider if you are thinking about scheduling your first chiropractic adjustment:
 

Reduce Your Blood Pressure

Some studies suggest that receiving chiropractic adjustments can have the same effect on your blood pressure as some medications that are specifically designed to lower your blood pressure without the side effects often associated with blood pressure medications such as fatigue, nausea, dizziness, weight loss, and anxiety. The study also found that these effects were not just short-term and that the benefits of an adjustment could last up to six months after your appointment.
 

Adjustments Can Help with Neck and Back Pain

Individuals that have a misaligned spine or pain in their spine often try to adjust their position in an attempt to reduce pain in a specific area. Unfortunately, this shift in posture can result in poor alignment in other areas. Your chiropractor can help to align your problem areas which can result in better overall posture and reduced pain throughout your back and spinal column.
 

Chiropractic Adjustments Help Scoliosis

Scoliosis is a condition that affects the curvature of the spine. The back can curve and twist causing difficulty with mobility, range of motion, pain, and may even affect your ability to breathe. While there are several options available to help cope with scoliosis, chiropractic adjustments have been shown to help treat the disease. When chiropractic adjustments are used in tandem with physical therapy, the progression of scoliosis can even be halted.
 

Reduce Your Inflammation

Many patients believe that the only way to reduce inflammation is with medication or heat therapies. However, these treatment options are only temporary and can’t correct the underlying problems, but when you utilize chiropractic adjustments, you can often stop the issues that are causing the swelling in the first place.

Since properly aligned joints are not as likely to experience irritation that leads to inflammation, chiropractic adjustments can reduce or eliminate your inflammation as well as eliminate the need for medications.
 

Stop Sciatica

Sciatica is a condition that many patients experience that causes pain to radiate down your spine and into your legs. This is the result of a damaged or pinched sciatic nerve. Chiropractic adjustments can help reduce the pressure on the sciatic nerve which can lead to a reduced need for pain medications and a reduction in overall pain.
 

Adjustments Can Help Headaches

Both migraine and tension headaches can be linked to problems with the back or spine. In fact, headaches are the top reason that people seek the help of a chiropractor. A properly aligned spine helps with both muscle tightness and pain which can cause both types of headaches. This means that there is a cascading positive effect of your chiropractic adjustment as an aligned spine does not strain the muscles and therefore won’t trigger your painful headaches.
 

Overview

If you are experiencing pain in the back, neck, or any associated pain it is a good time to schedule an appointment with a chiropractor. A licensed chiropractor can review your case to identify the best options for you. Call to schedule your appointment today.

Anybody who has experienced back pain knows that they will do just about anything to relieve their discomfort and fortunately, there are many options available for patients suffering from back ailments.

If you have been experiencing lower back pain, you should schedule an appointment with a chiropractor. Your chiropractor will want to interview you and do an examination first to ensure that they fully understand your condition as well as any limitations that you may be having. After this assessment is complete, one treatment that they may suggest is a therapeutic adjustment.
 

What is a Therapeutic Adjustment?

Therapeutic adjustments are also called spinal or chiropractic manipulation and is a conventional technique that chiropractors use to treat lower back pain. An adjustment involves moving vertebrae that are not moving properly or have abnormal movement. These changes to your spine can move the vertebrae back into place or help to correct the movement that is causing you discomfort.
 

What Can I Expect to Feel During an Adjustment?

Adjustments typically involve short and fast arm thrusts along the vertebrae. These thrusts may cause an audible cracking sound when gas is released from the joint. These gases can include oxygen, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide. The release of these gases can also be accompanied by the reduction of pressure within the spine.

Patients often feel an immediate improvement in their pain levels and ability to move. Some minor discomfort has been reported, but it is typically associated with back muscles that are tense and is usually short-lived.

While you may expect your joints to “crack,” it doesn’t always happen, which can be due to a tense patient. Your chiropractor may suggest using ice, having you rest, or using electrical stimulation and massage in order to reduce the tension in your back.
 

What Can I Expect After a Therapeutic Adjustment?

Most patients feel reduced pain or tension levels in their back and spinal column immediately following treatment. When patients feel pain, it is usually associated with muscle pain and when appropriately treated, the effects of muscle pain can be reduced in a matter of hours.

Several studies have shown that chiropractic patients experience mild to moderate pain relief following an adjustment. In fact, chiropractors have been shown to be as effective as many other methods of pain relief for the back, such as sleeping on a firm mattress, taking pain medication, or applying heat therapies.
 

Therapeutic Adjustments and Your Insurance

If you are considering a chiropractic visit to help alleviate your back pain, it is a good idea to check with your chiropractic office as well as your insurance to make sure that it is a covered expense. Chiropractic care is considered a complementary and alternative medicine and while most health insurances (Medicare, workers’ compensation, some Medicaid plans, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, much active duty and veteran military facilities) cover chiropractic adjustments, the qualifications or limitations of your treatment can vary greatly. So, before you get stuck with an unexpected bill, be sure to get clarification.
 

Overview

Chiropractic adjustments can be a significant and effective form of treatment for lower back pain. While there may be many causes of a sore back, chiropractic care can help to diagnose these issues and offer some possible remedies. If your chiropractor can fix your pain, the adjustments are usually quick office visits that can be completed during a lunch break.

Additionally, the side effects of a chiropractic adjustment are much smaller than alternative medications. Therapeutic adjustments also cost less than some of the other alternative treatment options, especially if your insurance considers it a covered option. If you are experiencing back pain, it is a good idea to schedule an appointment with your chiropractor as soon as possible since receiving rapid care can help reduce the amount of time it takes to return to a pain-free lifestyle.