Nothing feels better than being healthy, but as we go through life, we may encounter some unpleasant distress due to injuries. Back and neck pain is one of the awful issues that reduces the quality of life no matter how old you are. It might be minor pain that can be easily ignored, but sometimes, it becomes a nightmare that’s impossible to live with.
Luckily, chiropractic care is an effective way to alleviate back and neck pain, and put you back on track to work and enjoy your life again.
What Triggers Back and Neck Pain?
- Acute pain of the back and neck is typically caused by a muscle injury as a consequence of overstretching that tears muscle fibers. Repetitive movements and lifting heavy stuff can lead to overuse of muscles and cause an injury.
- Chronic pain, on the other hand, is caused by changes that happen to the spine, like:
- Disc herniation that leads to irritation of the nearby nerves
- Degenerative disc condition in which erosions occur to the disc, causing inflammation and pain in the back and neck
- Osteoarthritis that results in wear-and-tear in the spinal joints, causing bone friction and nerve irritation
- Other causes include sacroiliac joint problems, spinal stenosis, etc.
What is Chiropractic Care?
Chiropractic care is an alternative medical practice that adopts the concept of using the hands to restore the spine to its normal position, with no misalignments, in order to reduce pain and regain joint motion and functionality.
Chiropractic Care Can Help Alleviate Back and Neck Pain
At first, your chiropractor will assess the state of your spine as a whole, not only the painful area, because there may be some other areas affected, too. In order to reach the right diagnosis, your chiropractor will consider your medical history, perform a careful examination, and ask you to do some imaging tests, if needed.
If they find that your condition might be better treated with surgery, they will refer you to a spine surgeon. If not, they will proceed with chiropractic care and decide which approach they will use for treatment.
Your chiropractor will formulate a treatment plan for your back and neck pain that may involve one or more spine manipulation techniques, such as:
- Flexion-distraction therapy technique. This technique is used to reduce the pressure between your intervertebral discs in the spine and decompress the nerve roots. Your chiropractor will ask you to relax your body on a special table that is designed to move in a rhythmic way, while they perform gentle manipulations to your spine. The movement of the table and the manipulations together will relieve intradiscal pressure, reduce pain, and improve mobility.
- Manual spinal manipulation. Your chiropractor will apply mechanical force to your spine that is directed towards specific spinal joints in order to reduce disc bulge and restore healthy spinal structure and position. This, of course, reduces pain and relaxes your back and neck.
- Spinal manipulation with an instrument. Instead of thrusting into the spine, your chiropractor may use a small instrument to pressurize your spine.
- Other techniques, like manual joint stretching, therapeutic massage, and trigger point therapy, may be implemented in your treatment plan, too.
Most people experience immediate relief after chiropractic care. However, the main goal of chiropractic care is to maintain good health in the long run. So, your chiropractor will advise you to move and exercise every day and keep good body posture when sitting, standing, or sleeping.
Chiropractic Care in Grand Junction, CO
If you are dealing with back and neck pain, visit WorkPartners Occupational Health today! Our chiropractic and therapeutic specialists are equipped with the latest techniques to provide patients like you with pain relief and recovery. We also specialize in workers’ compensation and occupational health care.
For more information on how we can help you be pain-free, please contact us at (970) 241-5585. You can also request an appointment online. We can’t be more excited to help you get back to your work and life healthier than ever!
