The Problem With Shifted Hips
When hips fall out of alignment, they have the potential to cause widespread problems in the body. Because they support much of the bodys weight and facilitate extensive movement, the hips must be balanced to allow for proper mobility without compensation from other body parts, including the lower back and legs.
Shifted hips often cause pain in the lower back, hips, and legs by altering the gait and range of motion of these areas. Hip problems may also cause symptoms of sciatica.
The hip joints, pelvic bones, muscles, and ligaments may all contribute to hip shifting and pain.
How Can Chiropractic Care Help Those With Low Back Pain
Chiropractic care can be a great way to manage and relieve swelling and pain caused by low back pain. Routine chiropractic care provides patients with low back pain treatment that’s a safe, non-invasive, non-addictive alternative to prescription medications or over-the-counter pain medications , which are commonly prescribed to patients to help them manage their pain and swelling.
Chiropractors deliver a gentle, non-invasive, non-addictive therapy, known as a chiropractic adjustment. Chiropractic adjustments reduce joint restrictions or misalignments in the spine and other joints in the body in an effort to reduce inflammation and improve function of both the affected joint and nervous system. By increasing joint mobility and improving your nervous system function and spinal health, your body has the ability to better manage symptoms caused by low back pain.
Below are some of the health benefits chiropractic care and chiropractic adjustments can provide patients with low back pain:
- Reduced pain and discomfort
- Improved flexibility
- Increased muscle tone and strength
To find a local chiropractor and to learn more about how chiropractic care can help those suffering from low back pain, contact or visit one of our chiropractic offices today, to speak with a licensed doctor of chiropractic.
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Is Spinal Manipulation Safe
Spinal manipulation is relatively safe when performed by a trained and licensed practitioner. The most common side effects of spinal manipulation are temporary muscle soreness, stiffness, or a temporary increase in pain.
Serious complications, deaths, and delays in diagnosis of serious illnesses have been associated with spinal manipulation, including in children, but are very rare.
Strokes and Artery Tears
- A type of spinal manipulation that focuses on the neck has been linked to small, potentially dangerous tears in the artery walls in the neck, called cervical artery dissections . These tears are rare but can lead to a stroke. Any kind of sudden neck movement, such as playing sports, getting whiplash, and violent vomiting or coughing may also increase the risk of tears. The available evidence suggests that the incidence of CAD in people getting spinal manipulation is low, but patients need to be informed of this potential risk.
Spinal Manipulation and Pregnancy
- There are few reports of spinal manipulation causing problems during pregnancy or in the period after childbirth, a 2012 research review reported. The problems that have been reported ranged from mild, temporary pain to life-threatening injuries. Serious adverse events occurred only after cervical spinal manipulation.
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Why Is Good Posture Important
Good posture can have an immediate effect on your appearance. Youll look taller, healthier, and more confident.
But there are a lot of less visible health benefits that you should know. Here are a few:
- Proper alignment of bones and joints
- Reduced stress on ligaments
- Less risk of back injury
- Conservation of more energy
- Reduced wear on the muscles and joints
- Better mood
- Improved digestion
How do you know if your posture is bad? Typically, people with poor posture have hunched or arched shoulders, a rounded upper back, and an arched lower back. You also might notice back pain.
There are a lot of reasons you might have poor posture. These can include stress, weight gain, pregnancy, weak postural muscles, tight muscles, previous injuries, low confidence, or a history of wearing high-heeled shoes or heavy backpacks.
Whatever the case, bad posture can lead to pain, headaches, an increased risk of injury, and more. It can even cause you to age faster.
But in most cases, posture can be fixed. Treatment from a chiropractor can help people regain their youthful and healthy posture.
How Effective Is Chiropractic For Lower Back Pain
Many people who look for chiropractic care, do it for the treatment of lower back pain. In fact, neck pain and back pain are known to be two of chiropractic cares specialties.
According to a 2018 study from the World Health Organization, patients who chose to try chiropractic treatments reported less pain intensity, less disability and improvement in functionality. They also reported high satisfaction with their treatment and needed less pain medicine.
Also, unlike pain medications, chiropractic treatments rarely cause side effects. That makes chiropractic care a great alternative for people who have already taken heavy medications but still experience persistent pain.
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Is A Chiro Or Physio Better For Lower Back Pain
Its the age-old question as to which practitioner one should reach out to, for lower back pain treatment. Do you see a Chiropractor or do you see a Physiotherapist?
Before you can be confident enough with your decision, you should first take a step back and gain as much information about the types of conditions they treat, and then cross reference your lower back pain with the services they offer.
What conditions to Chiropractors treat?
Chiropractors treat back pain, neck pain, sciatica, joint problems, sprains, strains, osteoarthritis, herniated discs and other musculoskeletal conditions.
Can Chiropractors prescribe drugs or surgery?
Chiropractors do not prescribe drugs or surgery but traditionally rely on a variety of manual therapies, including spinal manipulation and mobilisation, to improve function and help provide pain relief for patients. Besides helping to relieve pain, chiropractic care may also help to reduce inflammation.
What treatments do Chiropractors use?
While chiropractic adjustments of the joints are commonly associated with this profession, Chiropractors are not just limited to manipulation of the spine.
Many evidence-based chiropractic treatments that are part of modern chiropractic care, include but are not limited to the use of physiologic therapeutics like ultrasound, electrical nerve stimulation, cold laser, ESWT and traction,acupuncture, dry needling, the incorporation of home exercises,nutrition and postural advice for self-management strategies.
What Is Chiropractic And How Can It Fix Low Back Pain
Chiropractors use hands-on spinal manipulation and other alternative treatments, the theory being that proper alignment of the body’s musculoskeletal structure, particularly the spine, will enable the body to heal itself without surgery or medication.
Chiropractic is mainly used as a Low Back Pain fix for muscles, joints, bones, and connective tissues. Chiropractors typically apply pressure to particular joint segments along the spine that are not accurately aligned. This produces a popping noise similar to the sound made by cracking your knuckles. The noise comes from a change in pressure with-in your joints as gas bubbles are released.
By correcting the spinal position with their hands at precise scientific pressure points, chiropractors disentangle nerve energy and allow it to better flow down your spine and throughout the entire body to aid in healing and communication. Repeated visits over time can realign your spine and amend many health conditions.
In addition to a hands-on approach, chiropractors will often instruct their patients to administer healthy habits at home. Includes lower back exercises, stretches, and nutrition plans. Managing a healthy weight can also aid in a fast recovery to lower back pain. Your diet can also play a role in the inflammation throughout your body. Certain foods and eating habits can help control your health.Whatever type of back pain you are experiencing chiropractors are correctly trained and highly educated in assisting your pain.
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Acute Vs Chronic Pain
Whats the difference between these two types of pain? Chronic back pain often results from a disease such as arthritis, cancer, neuropathy, and autoimmune diseases. It is generally defined as lasting for more than six months. Acute back pain, on the other hand, is what happens when you lift a heavy object and strain a muscle, slip and fall on an icy sidewalk, get tackled in a friendly game of football, or experience another kind of accident.
Acute pain usually subsides within a few weeks but may resolve more quickly with treatment. Some of the ways to address and alleviate acute pain include chiropractic care, physical therapy, massage, aqua therapy, electrical stimulation, and heat or cold therapy.
Although many people feel that they should stay immobile and rest when they are experiencing pain, thats actually not the best approach. In fact, while it might be tempting to lounge in bed or relax on the couch and have others wait on you, that might do more harm than good. Moving around sends blood and nutrients to the affected area. This, in turn, helps keep inflammation at a minimum and prevents additional muscle tension.
Its important to realize that narcotic painkillers, muscle relaxants, and even over-the-counter analgesics will not help a patients pain to resolve. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, can reduce inflammation, but otherwise, these medications will only mask the problem.
Why You Should See A Chiropractor For Back Pain
Low back pain is a common affliction, with eight out of ten adults experiencing back pain at some point in their lives.
While most people might reach for the over-the-counter pain medications to deal with their back pain, theres another way of dealing with that pain that can be just as effective: chiropractic care. Back pain chiropractic care is one of the safest, most effective methods for the treatment of lower back pain. If you have lower back pain and have never been to a chiropractor, here is what you can expect, how to find a chiropractor near you, along with some of the most common chiropractic methods of treatment.
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Get Chiropractic Treatments For Lower Back Pain
Millions of Canadians turn to chiropractors each year for relief from back pain, as it is a highly regulated field with well-trained practitioners.
At Integra Health Centre, our capable team of chiropractors is trained to manage and assess all muscular, spinal, joint and nervous system injuries, as well as provide symptomatic relief for patients suffering from chronic conditions.
Its important to find out whether chiropractic care is right for you people with certain medical conditions, or who take certain medications, may be recommended to seek alternatives to chiropractic.
Book an appointment with a member of our interdisciplinary team to discover whether chiropractic can help you beat lower back pain and get moving again!
What To Expect When You See A Chiropractor For Hip Pain
When you make an appointment with a chiropractor, be certain to bring any medical records or imaging related to your hip pain if you have any. The chiropractor might want to order more tests, depending on your situation.
After gathering all your information and doing a complete physical exam, the chiropractor will tell you about the treatment plan they intend to use to treat your pain and the root cause, if possible.
You should expect the chiropractor to do some adjustments and most likely a chiropractic massage during your first appointment. Other modalities, such as ultrasound, will depend on your circumstances.
How often should you go to the chiropractor? That will depend on the root cause of your pain. Your chiropractor will determine how often you should be adjusted and will set up a schedule for you.
If this is your first time being adjusted by a chiropractor, you might experience some mild, minor side effects for the first 24-48 hours. This article explains these side effects in detail.
Be certain to complete the treatment plan the chiropractor sets up for you. Your hip pain was mostly weeks or even years in the making, so it will need time to resolve itself and allow the body time to heal.
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A Chiropractor For Sciatica
Chiropractors are a great place to start when you havesciatica-like shooting pain or associated symptoms such as leg or foottingling, numbness or weakness.
Chiropractors are a portal of entry, meaning you dont need a referral to see one, says chiropractor Andrew Bang, DC. Were trained to work with musculoskeletal concerns, so we can help identify whats the root cause of your symptoms.
Chiropractic care is usuallycovered under most insurance plans, whether private, Medicare or Medicaid. Anda visit to the chiropractor may save you a step. Chiropractors can quicklyidentify whether your concern needs to be elevated to the next level and if youneed to pursue:
- Referrals: A referral to a physical or occupational therapist oran acupuncturist.
- Medications: Talking to your primary care physician about aprescription for short-term use of muscle relaxant, steroid oranti-inflammatory medicines.
- Imaging scans: Getting an X-ray or MRI.
Stretch #2 Prayer Stretch
Starting with prayer stretch is a great way to gauge your range of motion, pain sensation, and still get benefits of a stretch. It is important when dealing with low back pain to move slowly and purposefully to avoid positions and movements that reproduce symptoms dramatically.
For this exercise you will want to start out on your hands and knees with your eyes looking down at the floor. A straight line from your glutes to the top of your head for proper spinal alignment.
Once in that position, take a deep breath in through the nose and out through the mouth slowly releasing the air as you sit your hips back on your heels. The lower you can get the better, drop your chest and head down as you fully exhale and hold the position for 30 seconds.
This stretch targets the low back specifically but also helps get the pelvis into a more favorable position to stretch the back muscles entirely in a safe manner. Repeat this stretch and attempt to get lower each time until your hips can comfortably sit on your heels. This is a great stretch to start or end the day.
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What Happens During My First Visit
Your first visit for chiropractic treatment will be similar to your first visit to many other medical providers.
The free consultation will involve a lot of questions and the gathering of information.
They’ll ask how your back pain began, what makes it worse, your level of pain, and any other symptoms you may be experiencing.
And if it is necessary, they can order or perform MRIs, X-rays or blood work.
Once all of the questions are out of the way, your chiropractor will perform a physical exam that assesses both the medical and mechanical aspects of your pain.
The exam will look at how things are moving, your alignment, muscle tone, nerve function, how well you can bend, turn, twist, and what kind of movements may be causing your pain.
They will also review your complete medical history.
After the exam, your chiropractor will design a treatment plan tailored to your needs and discuss that with you.
It is only after all of this is completed that you will begin your chiropractic treatment.
Most of the time, you will get your first spinal manipulation during your first visit.
During The Lower Back Adjustment
So what happens during an adjustment? You will be asked to lie down on a special table. The chiropractor will manipulate your limbs to stretch your muscles and to stimulate joint release thats the popping or cracking sound. Its just like cracking your knuckles, but on a larger scale. This is normal and harmless.
They may also bend your joints or position you in a certain way, and hold that position for a little while. Try to relax, dont tense up your muscles, and let them do the work. The practitioner may focus on your lower back, but the adjustment may very well involve the entire body.
A chiropractor will sometimes also perform therapeutic massage, manual therapy, or myofascial release to complement the spinal manipulation. Or they might refer you to a practitioner who specializes in those forms of treatment.
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Chiropractic Treatments For Lower Back Pain
Chiropractic is a health care profession dedicated to the non-surgical treatment of disorders of the nervous system and/or musculoskeletal system. Generally, chiropractors maintain a unique focus on spinal manipulation and treatment of surrounding structures.
Many studies have concluded that manual therapies commonly used by chiropractors are generally effective for the treatment of lower back pain1,2, as well as for treatment of lumbar herniated disc for radiculopathy3,4 and neck pain, among other conditions.5
Chiropractic For Hip Pain
Persistent hip pain is often met with the recommendation for hip surgery by doctors. But surgery is invasive, expensive, and difficult to recover from. People with shifted hips should seek non-invasive treatment options first to minimize their risks.
Chiropractic is a great first option for people suffering from hip pain and other problems related to misaligned hips. Its conservative, non-invasive, and gradual.
Through Chiropractic BioPhysics techniques focused on rebalancing the body, chiropractors may help reposition the hips. Manual manipulation and mobilization therapy may improve flexibility, strength, and positioning of the hips to promote balance and realignment.
A combination of adjustments to the hip joints and joints in the spine, as well as massage therapies to loosen tight muscles that may cause tightness and shifted hips, may help bring the body back into balance. Once the hips are realigned and can move freely as intended, the problems of hip pain may be resolved.
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How Many Treatments Will I Need
Chiropractic care is a progression.
Starting out, you might see your chiropractor once or twice a week, or if you have acute low back pain, you might need to go in every day in a week at first.
But as your condition improves, your trips to the chiropractor will decrease, and your chiropractor will give you things to do on your own.
Most chiropractors want their patients to be as independent as possible.
Some patients have chronic low back pain and need to return every once in a while, but the vast majority of patients have resolvable issues.
Unless you want preventative chiropractic care, you may never see your chiropractor after your condition has improved.
