Many people are interested in chiropractic treatment as an alternative to medication for pain relief. However, it’s essential to understand that a chiropractor will treat more than your back or neck pain. They are trained to handle abnormal musculoskeletal problems and how they impact the nervous system. They also work with other healthcare professionals to treat the whole body.
Poor Posture
The position in which you stand, sit, or lie down profoundly impacts the health of your spine and body. Poor posture, characterized by an imbalanced load on various muscles, ligaments, and bones, can cause pain, stiffness, weakness, instability, and other health problems over time.
A chiropractor can help you achieve better posture by correcting the root causes of bad habits and retraining your muscles to support the spine healthily. This is important because poor posture can lead to additional stress on the spinal discs, joints, and nerves. Good posture is essential when sitting, standing, and lying down, but it can be challenging to achieve and maintain. A chiropractor can teach you simple and effective ways to improve and maintain your posture over time. This will help reduce back and neck pain, prevent joint problems, increase flexibility, strengthen muscles, and reduce fatigue. It will also contribute to better breathing and digestion and increased confidence.
Spinal Alignment
A spine that is not aligned properly affects the body’s nervous system. The spine’s primary function is to protect and facilitate information communication between your body’s and brain’s inner workings. The normal spinal alignment viewed from the front is a straight line from the skull to the pelvis. The cervical spine should have a natural C-shaped curve when viewed from the side. The lumbar and sacrum should have a more rounded (or lordotic) curve. Over time, spines that are out of alignment degenerate much faster than those that are in alignment. Back pain, neck pain, recurring headaches, joint pain, fatigue, and chronic health issues like poor digestion are all symptoms of spinal misalignment. Fortunately, these problems can usually be corrected through chiropractic adjustments and physical therapy.
Joint Pain
Many health conditions, from gout to rheumatoid arthritis to psoriatic arthritis, can cause sore joints. A chiropractor can diagnose the underlying cause and devise a treatment plan to alleviate pain, protect against further damage, and maintain range of motion. Joints are areas where two or more bones meet and are connected by ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. They are designed to bear weight, allow movement, and enable us to bend. Joint pain, also known as arthralgia, can be caused by the joints or surrounding structures like tendons and bursae (fluid-filled sacs cushion the joints).
It is important to consult with a healthcare provider if you have new joint pain, particularly if it is accompanied by other symptoms such as fever, rash, or chills. Taking medication, including acetaminophen and ibuprofen, may help alleviate the pain but should only be taken under a doctor’s care.
Headaches
You know how debilitating they can be if you suffer from headaches regularly. Many people who suffer from chronic and severe headaches visit a chiropractor to get relief. In the process, they often find that their pain levels decrease significantly, and they can also eliminate their reliance on medication to manage their headaches.
Chiropractic treatments can help to relieve neck stiffness, which may be the root cause of your headaches. Additionally, chiropractors can teach you ways to avoid headache triggers such as poor posture, caffeine use, and emotional stress. Chiropractors are also trained to make dietary recommendations, such as increasing your vitamin D intake or avoiding triggering foods, that can improve your health and reduce your headaches.
