Can A Chiropractor Help With Lower Back Pain?

Most people have heard of the massive benefits of chiropractic care but may not know about the benefits for lower back pain. Well over half of Americans in the country will experience back pain in their life, and knowing how to fix it can make life much easier. While you can take medicine or have surgery, these can be dangerous, expensive, and ineffective.

An adjustment from a chiropractor is a non-invasive and affordable way to get a lot of relief from back and neck pain. Find out all the benefits and how chiropractic care improves lower back pain. Learn what not to do, too, for a fully informed decision. 

Can a chiropractor help lower back pain?

Most chiropractors work to lessen the discomfort and enhance their patients’ functionality. They provide instruction on improving one’s health through exercise, ergonomics, or other back pain treatments. In addition, licensed chiropractors can alter your body mechanically to reduce pain and realign your spine. 

They understand how to apply these adjustments to get your spine and joints moving again. Spinal adjustment or manipulation is the term for this action. 

And this is not just some theory or a fanciful, untested notion. Numerous studies have been conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of various treatments. In fact, Harvard Medical School recommends spinal manipulation as an effective treatment for lower back pain.

Even though pain is common, it is not always clear what causes the pain. Often the pain has something to do with the muscular-skeletal system, which happens to a chiropractor’s specialty. An adjustment is one of the most common things chiropractors do to treat lower back pain. They can also treat pain in the upper and middle back; if the pain comes from hard tissues instead of soft muscles, it is time to see your chiropractor because it could be from your spine. 

If you think you have a pinched nerve or slipped disc, which are structural problems that cannot be fixed by massage, you should also see a chiropractor. Get an appointment as soon as possible if the pain is accompanied by strange symptoms like swelling, redness, neck pain, or tingling. If massage, heat, doctors, and medicines have not helped, a chiropractor may be the best option for relief.

Chiropractors also provide instruction on improving one’s health through exercise, ergonomics, or other back pain treatments. In the long run, many people find these adjustments to be more beneficial than prescription medications and surgical procedures while also being significantly safer.

Are lower back adjustments safe?

Chiropractic adjustments are safe as long as they are done by someone who has been trained and licensed to give chiropractic care. But because the joints are being moved, it is normal to have headaches, tiredness, soreness, and pain after treatments. Also, chiropractic care is not recommended for people with osteoporosis, spine problems, spine cancer, a high risk of stroke, or other serious illnesses that may need surgery. 

While chiropractors can successfully treat many illnesses that cause back pain, other methods might be needed. Chronic pain frequently requires a novel sort of treatment. Persistent pain may be caused by a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, vertebral fracture, or another severe illness. 

In one of these circumstances, less intrusive therapy alternatives might be the best choice. For this reason, visiting a comprehensive medical team, such as Portland Wellness Care, can help you to determine the best course of action for your specific issues. In addition, a clinic will have many options available to enable the ease of trying multiple methods to find what works for you. 

How do you know if you need a chiropractor for your lower back?

Several signals can determine if you need to see a chiropractor sooner than later. First, a chiropractor can diagnose your lower back pain and provide a clear road to recovery. Trying to go it alone will simply prolong your injury and damage your spine’s nerves. Visiting a chiropractor helps alleviate muscle tension by aligning the rigid tissues. By combining chiropractic care with massage therapy, you can recover faster.

Second, medical treatment is often trial-and-error. You may try multiple treatments before finding the right one. If you have tried other methods with no help for your lower back discomfort, it may be time to consult a chiropractor. They can diagnose and treat muscle strains or soft tissue injuries that can cause lower back pain. Spines or joints are commonly the problems. 

No one should suffer from lower back discomfort, especially if it is debilitating. Contact a chiropractor if bending over to pick something up hurts or is difficult. They will not give pain medication; however, they can treat bulging discs, pinched sciatic nerves, and other lower back disorders. 

What methods do chiropractors use to treat lower back pain?

Spinal manipulation is a chiropractor’s most common way to treat low back pain. However, chiropractors do more than just make adjustments. They also use special therapies that are meant to reduce pain and improve the health of the spine and the structures around the spinal column. Some treatments can be done by hand, while others need the help of a small, specially-made tool.

Chiropractors take a whole-body approach to low back pain by looking at nutrition, stress, and exercise, and spinal manipulation is an important way to make sure the musculoskeletal system is in good shape and reduces pain. Some of their methods include motion palpation, lumbar roll, toggle drop, table adjustments, flexion-distraction technique, and more.  

How often can you see a chiropractor for lower back pain?

Standard treatment for acute low back pain is 6 to 12 sessions over 2 to 4 weeks. For pain relief and better function, these first treatments focus on “passive” (non-exercise) manual therapy techniques. However, more “active” (exercise) can be used as soon as possible to improve function and get a patient back to his or her daily life. 

How long do chiropractic adjustments last?

There is no simple answer to the question of how long your chiropractic adjustment should last. Each person responds differently to chiropractic care, and the plan and time frame are mostly based on the patient’s age, level of fitness, length of pain, type of injury, and level of pain. 

For chiropractic care to work, you usually have to go three times a week for 2 to 4 weeks. Then, once you start to feel better, a chiropractor can give you suggestions for self-care you can do at home with the help of ergonomic tools like elastic bands, foam rollers, and dietary support. To complete all three phases of chiropractic care, the average person needs anywhere from 18 to 24 adjustments over 9 to 14 weeks (pain relief, stabilization, rehabilitation). 

Are lower back chiropractic adjustments worth it?

Chiropractic care is a form of complementary medicine based on the idea that your body can heal itself with the help of specific manipulations by a trained professional. These manipulations help put your joints back in place and may help relieve pain without surgery or medication. Furthermore, chiropractic care may help ease pain caused by problems with your bones, cartilage, connective tissue, joints, muscles, or nerves. 

Most of the time, chiropractic care focuses on your spine, but it could also focus on other parts of your body, depending on your problem. 

Physiotherapy and chiropractic care are similar in some ways, and some conditions may be helped by getting both kinds of care. Most of the time, chiropractors use hands-on adjustments, while physiotherapists focus more on stretches and exercises for pain relief.

Chronic low back pain may cost less to treat with chiropractic care than with other methods and often works longer as the goal is complete recovery and maintenance. Moreover, studies have generally found that people are pretty happy with chiropractic care. 

Next, chiropractic treatments might help fix bad posture, especially if it is caused by sitting too much, which often leads to or worsens lower back pain.

In addition, spinal adjustments could possibly help you do better in sports. This could be because the joints are more flexible, the pain is less, and there is less tissue restriction. 

Why see a chiropractor at Portland Wellness Care?

Portland Wellness Care uses Western and Eastern therapies to help ease pain and improve the body’s work. We also have a chiropractor and other medical specialists on staff who can help with a wide range of problems. When you come to our clinic, you will get a treatment plan that is made just for you based on your needs and situation. 

We offer same-day appointments and walk-ins so that you can feel better. We can help you feel better by seeing you the same day or when you walk in. From massage to sports medicine and beyond, we can help your body work better so you can have a more enjoyable life. 

Conclusion

Chiropractic therapy centers on fixing the whole body which will help to find and fix the lower back in the process. The spine protects the spinal cord, which is the main support for our bodies and connects a large part of the peripheral nervous system to the brain. This is why even a small injury to the spine or improper use of muscles can have a big effect on a person’s strength, feeling, performance, and pain. Call Portland Wellness Care right away to make an appointment with a chiropractor.