How Does a Chiropractor Fix Lower Back Pain?

People with lower back pain often end up quitting their favourite activities. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. You can deal with this annoying pain through consistent chiropractic care instead of surgeries or opioids. In fact, 77% of people who consulted with chiropractors for back pain reported the sessions to be highly effective. Let’s understand how it is one of the most effective treatment options for lower back pain and what you should expect from chiropractic clinics.

What is Chiropractic Care?

Though it is a popular healthcare practice, not many are aware of what exactly chiropractic treatment is all about. Chiropractic care primarily focuses on spinal manipulation, also known as manual manipulation. The chiropractor is a trained professional who takes care of the pain in the lumbar spine (lower back), thoracic spine (upper back) and cervical spine (neck). They uncover the relationship between the spine and the nervous system to detect the source of the pain and fix it.

In most cases, back problems stem from injuries to the spine. So, the chiropractor uses their hands, elbows and knees to manipulate the spine and associated joints. This triggers the natural healing response of your body, thereby reducing pain and discomfort.

What Can Chiropractors Do For Lower Back Pain?

Chiropractors prepare a treatment regime depending on the source and intensity of your pain. They may recommend exercises, manual therapies and other adjustments to provide you with long-term relief and optimum mobility. Here are the most common ways a chiropractor can help relieve your lower back pain.

Spinal/chiropractic adjustments

An adjustment is basically a manipulation of the vertebrae that are unable to function the way they should. There are various types of chiropractic adjustments. For instance, the chiropractor may apply a high velocity and short lever arm thrust to the vertebra or use the joint cavitation technique. The goals of all adjustments are to increase your range of motion, reduce nerve irritation and improve body functions.

Chiropractic therapies and exercises

Chiropractors often combine strengthening and cardiovascular exercises with adjustments to manage lower back pain. They may even prescribe aerobic exercises to keep your muscles in the right tone and boost blood circulation.

Massage therapies

Massage therapies reduce the swelling and inflammation, which occur in lower back pain. The chiropractor detects the damaged soft tissues and massages them to boost blood circulation and the natural healing abilities of your body. It also reduces muscle and tendon stiffness providing you with a better range of motion in the joints.

Heat and cold applications

Though sounds basic, it is highly effective in treating lower back pain if done appropriately. The chiropractor applies heat and cold alternately to bring you quick relief. Ice packs reduce the swelling while a heating pad helps reduce pain and restores optimum blood flow to the damaged area. The alternate applications promote faster healing.

Spinal adjustments are usually the main type of treatment people with lower back pain receive at chiropractic clinics. But, it may also be combined with the techniques mentioned above, based on your condition.

What to Expect From Your First Chiropractic Clinic Visit?

It is the same as you would expect from a physiotherapy clinic. The chiropractor first gathers every detail about your pain. How and when did your pain begin? Does it get worse after a specific activity? How would you rate your pain level? These sorts of questions help them decide the rest of the treatment process.

Next, they perform an exam to assess the mechanical and medical aspects of your pain. They may evaluate your muscle tone, gait, posture, how well you can bend or twist, etc.

The chiropractors prescribe the treatments based on the above-mentioned results.

Is Chiropractic Care Safe for Lower Back Pain?

Yes, chiropractic care is a safe and effective lower back pain treatment option. Some patients may feel a slight discomfort initially after the first session. But, that’s temporary and subsides after a while. You can visit a reliable chiropractic clinic whenever you experience the symptoms of back pain.