Will A Chiropractor Help With Back Pain

How Chiropractors Treat Upper Back Pain

Upper back pain is one of the most common back pain issues, although it is slightly less common than lower back pain and neck pain. Approximately 1 in 10 men and 1 in 5 women suffer from upper back pain.

Your upper back is considered the area that is between your neck and the bottom of your ribs and it is comprised of twelve bones. Doctors refer to this specific area as the thoracic spine.

The upper back area is quite large, which means there is a lot of opportunity for something to go wrong in the area. Bad posture, strain, overuse, tight muscles, workouts, movements at work, and much more can all contribute to upper back pain that can range from mild to severe.

In this article, we will discuss when you need to see a chiropractor for your upper back pain, how chiropractors help with upper back pain, and what some of the techniques for treating the pain are.

How Does A Chiropractor Treat Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is one of the most common medical ailments amongst people living in the UK. According to the NIH, about one-third of the UK adult population is affected by lower back pain with 20% having pain so bad that they need to seek help from their GP.

So, its no surprise that many of the patients visiting Homewood chiropractic clinic in Fareham for the first time will mention that they have experienced lower back pain. We help them by developing a treatment plan that includes a combination of chiropractic care, exercise, and lifestyle changes.

In this post, our Fareham chiropractor is going to share some more information about lower back pain. This will include the most common causes of lower back pain and how a chiropractor treats lower back pain.

Do you often experience lower back pain? Book a visit with one of our experienced team of chiropractors at Homewood Chiropractic Clinic by calling 01329 280 283. Our team has helped countless patients deal with lower back pain. You can also continue reading to learn more about back pain and chiropractic care.

When Should I See A Chiropractor For Lower Back Pain

With so many contributing factors, you may feel like having back pain is just a normal part of life. But it can be prevented in some cases, and seeing a chiropractor for treatment can help get you back on your feet. Things like regular exercise, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, quitting smoking, and being mindful of your posture while standing and sitting can help prevent or reduce your back pain. If your lumbar pain has persisted for more than a few weeks, if it is severe, and if it extends past your lower back and into your legs, it’s a good idea to seek out a chiropractor for lower back pain treatment.

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Finding A Chiropractor Near Me

Finding a highly-recommended, licensed chiropractor will help ensure that you experience relief from low back pain.

To find a good chiropractor for back pain, ask your physician, physical therapist, or other medical professionals for recommendations. Alternatively, you can search an online database, like this one from the American Chiropractic Association, to find a licensed chiropractor near you. If youre concerned about your chiropractic care being covered by insurance, call your insurance agent to get a list of local chiropractors in your insurance network.

Before going in for your first chiropractic adjustment, consider letting your physician know in advance especially if you have any medical conditions. Remember that its okay to call and chat with a chiropractor about any medical conditions, concerns, or questions before going in for an adjustment. During your first visit with a chiropractor for back pain, you may be X-rayed or be given an examination. You will probably also be asked about your symptoms, medical conditions, and any medication use.

When To See A Chiropractor

Chiropractors can help alleviate pain throughout your body. You might consider seeing a chiropractor if you:

• Experience acute neck, back or knee pain: Chiropractors can help address acute pain on or related to the spine. If you experience acute pain in your neck, back or knee, chiropractic treatment might be right for you.
• Experience tension headaches or migraines: Research shows spinal manipulation can reduce migraines and alleviate tension headaches.
• Are generally healthy: Those who are generally healthy, aside from their acute pain, are the best candidates for chiropractic care. Otherwise, you may need to take a different approach.
• Hurt yourself while playing a sport, lifting something or other activity: If you can identify the exact cause of your acute pain, which is not chronic, chiropractic care may be right for you.

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Chiropractic Care In Forth Worth Texas

Chiropractors are not limited to managing back pain and helping you recover from a back injury. They can help treat disorders of the joints, neck, digestive system, muscle spasms, and even chronic headaches.

For the best in chiropractic care, visit the Texas Medical Institute today. Our very own Dr. Bobbie Thompson Williams and Dr. Amy Mohr has a wealth of experience providing pain relief through chiropractic techniques.

Depending on your condition, our specialists may use nonsurgical spinal decompression techniques to reduce the pressure on your spinal discs. You can trust our team to address the root cause of your pain and restore your function.

To schedule a consultation with our chiropractic specialists, call 615-8633 or fill out our online appointment request form. We look forward to helping you get back to life!

Lifestyle Factors That Promote A Healthy Back

Most chiropractors offer more than hands-on treatment. Dr. Kowalski often speaks with patients about diet, exercise and other lifestyle modifications that can help ease back pain.

Matthew Kowalski, DC, a licensed chiropractor at The Osher Clinical Center for Integrative Medicine at the Brigham, discusses chiropractic care for back pain.

Matthew Kowalski, DC, is a licensed chiropractor at The Osher Clinical Center for Integrative Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

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Can Chiropractic Care Catch On

Back or neck pain is common among adults in the United States not just those in the military and both patients and physicians are looking for better ways to treat pain.

Recent Gallup studies found that about 1 in 4 adults saw a medical professional for neck or back pain in the last year and 65 percent sought care at some point during their lives.

The American College of Physicians, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the Joint Commission all recommend nondrug therapies for back pain as an initial treatment approach, Goertz said.

Yet, I am hearing that the use of these therapies, including chiropractic care, has not increased since these guidelines were issued, she added.

But research shows that patients are becoming wary of pills as a single solution. At least 78 percent of American adults would like to try ways other than medication to relieve their pain, according to Gallup.

A 2016 study Goertz contributed to showed that about 14 percent of people have seen a chiropractor in the last year. Of those with significant neck or back pain, 33 percent said chiropractic care was safest compared with 12 percent who say pain medications are safer , according to Gallup data. Also, 29 percent say chiropractic care is more effective than pain medication for those who have neck or back pain, while 22 percent preferred medication over chiropractic care.

So why are some Americans still popping pills when a chiropractic adjustment may be just as, or even more, effective?

How Often Should You Visit A Chiropractor

Chiropractic care may not be completed in only one visit. It is a progression, so you may have to visit the chiropractor once or twice a week at first. When your condition is acute, the visit could be as frequent as every day. As your condition improves, the chiropractor will give you things to do on your own at home, such as using an ice pack, exercises to strengthen the muscles so you will only have to see him once in a while. Depending on your condition, you may have to come back after some time or never again, unless you have a new problem.

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Other Treatment Hasnt Worked

You may need to visit a chiropractor if no other treatment has worked for your lower back pain. Whether it be massage therapy, heat therapy, or any other type of treatment, you have found no relief. A chiropractor will develop a specific treatment plan on a case-by-case basis and include a comprehensive and holistic approach to treating your back pain.

Pain is usually an indication of inflammation thats going on inside the body which can be caused by joint, muscular, nerve dysfunction or misalignment. Lower back pain, specifically, can be caused by a variety of factors including improper lifting, poor posture, and poor fitness levels. While lower back pain rarely indicates something is serious, people should seek out treatment well before the lower back pain gets worse.

Possible Reduction Of Osteoarthritis Symptoms

Osteoarthritis pain is caused by the degeneration of the cartilage in a joint that causes the ends of your bones to rub together. Some types of chiropractic adjustments may help align your joints and reduce how much your bones rub together.

There hasnt been a lot of research on the benefits of chiropractic manipulation for osteoarthritis. However, a found some evidence that chiropractic manipulation may help slow down the progression of arthritis by improving the status of cartilage, bone, and the joint capsule.

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Chiropractic Care For Arthritis

Learn when its safe and unsafe to see a chiropractor to ease joint pain and stiffness.

If youve had back pain or a stiff neck, whether from arthritis or an injury, youve likely considered seeing a chiropractor. While its true that chiropractors manipulate or adjust the spine to improve pain and mobility, the benefits may extend beyond the back and neck. By using varying degrees of force in an effort to adjust misaligned joints, chiropractors try to improve the relationship between the spine and nervous system, which they believe may affect the function of all the organs and systems in the body.

We are certainly the front-line providers for back pain, but were also primary-care professionals who look at and evaluate the whole body, says Ron Boesch, a chiropractor and professor and director of clinics at Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. Chiropractic treatment continues to grow in mainstream medicine. In a 2015 Gallup poll commissioned by the college, 60% of the more than 5,400 people polled believed chiropractic care is an effective treatment for neck and back pain. But what should you expect from a chiropractor visit and is it safe for arthritis?

What to Expect From a Chiropractor

If youre looking for a non-medication way to take the edge off of those painful joints, chiropractic medicine may be for you, as long as you remember to listen to your body.

Is Chiropractic Care Safe for Arthritis?

A Recent Study On Chiropractic Care For Low Back Pain

A 2018 study published in JAMA Network Open is among the latest to weigh in on the pros and cons of chiropractic care for treating low back pain. Researchers enrolled 750 active-duty military personnel who complained of back pain. Half were randomly assigned to receive usual care while the other half received usual care plus up to 12 chiropractic treatments.

After six weeks of treatment, those assigned to receive chiropractic care:

• reported less pain intensity
• experienced less disability and more improvement in function
• reported higher satisfaction with their treatment
• needed less pain medicine.

While no serious side effects were reported, about 10% of those receiving chiropractic care described adverse effects . Five percent of those receiving usual care had similar complaints.

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Other Conditions Treated By Chiropractic Adjustment

In addition to visiting a chiropractor for back pain, some patients first experience chiropractic as a result of injuries or accidents. These can include:

• Illiotibial band syndrome
• Injuries to the rotator cuff
• Plantar fasciitis
• Injuries due to car accidents

Other conditions that may respond well to chiropractic care include:

• Frequently occurring colds or the flu
• Gastrointestinal syndromes

How Often Do I Need To See A Chiropractor

At first, I might see a patient once or twice a week. If the condition is acute, I might see the patient every day to begin. As they improve, I recommend fewer visits and start giving the patient more things to do on their own at home. I want my patients to be as independent as possible. There are patients who have chronic problems and need to come back and see me once in a while. But the great majority of patients have issues that are resolvable, and I may never need to see them again after their condition has improved.

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Youve Suffered From An Injury: Sports Car Accident Etc

Experiencing a traumatic event is mentally devastating, as well as physically. It can also cause long-term severe injury to your spine, muscles, ligaments and even surrounding structures. This is why this is a warning sign that should never be overlooked. Not only can a chiropractor help to ease your pain, but they can also help to prevent the injury from progressing in the future.

What Kinds Of Conditions Does A Chiropractor Treat

I mainly see spine-related conditions. This includes pain in the low back, called the lumbar spine, the upper back, called the thoracic spine, and the neck . Some of my patients have had a recent injury while others have had pain for many years. Common causes of spine pain include disc problems and muscle spasm. Many patients have leg or arm pain or headaches in addition to back or neck pain. Chiropractors often work with other parts of the body, too — knee injuries, shoulder injuries, things like that — but my main focus is on the spine.

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When Should I Consult A Chiropractor For Lower Back Pain

With so many contributing factors, you might feel like having back pain is just a normal part of life. But it could be prevented in some cases, and seeing a chiropractor for lower back pain could help get you back on your feet.

Regular exercise, quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and being mindful of your posture while standing and sitting can help prevent or reduce back pain. If the lumbar pain has persisted for more than several weeks, if its severe, and if it extends past the lower back and into your legs, its a great idea to seek a chiropractor for lower back pain.

When You Should See A Chiropractor For Back Pain

Back pain can be a real pain in thewell, back. It can range from mild discomfort to severe debilitating pain that makes it hard to do anything. With 65 million US citizens reporting a recent episode of back pain, most people will experience back pain at some point in their lives, and for some, it becomes a chronic issue. It can be caused by any number of things- a traumatic injury, poor posture, carrying around extra weight, stress, or even sleeping in an uncomfortable position. Whatever the cause, when youre dealing with back pain, you all want relief and to regain your quality of life.

For some people, over-the-counter pain medication is enough to take the edge off and allow them to carry on with their lives. But this is not recommended as it will only mask the pain and neglect the underlying issue. If you want to identify and correct this issue, then you might want to consider seeing a chiropractor for back pain.

Chiropractic care is known for focusing on identifying and treating the root cause of pain, rather than just masking the symptoms with medication. But do chiropractors help with back pain and when should you see one? Lets take a look.

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What Does A Chiropractor Do

Chiropractic care is based on a theory that supports alternative medicine. More precisely, it is believed that the proper alignment of the bodys musculoskeletal structure, especially the spine, enables the body to heal itself without the need for surgical interventions or medication. The realignment of the spine is believed to reduce pressure on the central nervous system, encouraging self-healing.

So, chiropractors manage most spine-related conditions. This can include pain in the low back, the upper back, and the neck. They use hands-on spinal manipulation and other alternative treatments to help patients with pain relief for muscles, joints, bones, and connective tissues.

A chiropractor performs a series of tests to diagnose a patients condition, including:

• Visual examination of the spines position
• Examination of muscle reflexes
• X-rays

After these tests, the chiropractor performs spinal manipulation, using their hands or specific instruments, to apply force to a joint in the spine and move it to a specific direction for better alignment.

Besides that, chiropractors also offer treatments like relaxation, stimulation, hot and cold temperature, exercising, and diet and weight loss counseling.

Ways A Chiropractor Can Help Relieve Back Pain

Chiropractors specialize in pain relief, especially for people with back pain. They offer a hands-on approach that treats your entire musculoskeletal system, including the bones, muscles, and joints.

The following are five ways that chiropractic care can help your back feel better:

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