How a Chiropractor Can Help Your Back Pain
People visit the chiropractic office for a wide array of reasons, from asthma to injury. Perhaps one of the most common, or at least well known, reasons for those chiropractic visits is back pain. And studies show it works: In a survey conducted by Consumer Reports, a whopping sixty-five percent of all people receiving chiropractic care for back pain claimed they experienced “a lot” of relief from their treatment. If you are considering a visit to the chiropractor for your own discomfort, here is a guide to how a chiropractor can help your back pain:
Preparing for the treatment plan.
Before a chiropractor will work on your back, a lot of care must go into understanding the cause of your back pain, the current condition of your overall health, and the best way to treat your discomfort. To create a treatment plan suited especially to your specific needs, you will first have to provide the chiropractor with a detailed medical history, and then you will have to submit to a comprehensive health examination. If need be, the chiropractor may even refer you for further lab tests or X-Rays before treating you.
Goals of the treatment plan.
Of course, the immediate goal is to relieve your back pain. However, chiropractors are also concerned with maintaining the positive benefits of your chiropractic care long after you experience pain relief. Specific goals are to keep the pain at bay for good, and as well to prevent any further injury that can cause even more, or different types of, pain.
What does the treatment plan involve?
The severity and nature of your back pain will determine how frequently you may visit the chiropractor. Once you have established a good base line, you will go into the chiropractor’s office on a regular basis for spinal manipulation. During the vertebral alignment process, the chiropractor will adjust your spine using a variety of manual methods. Many chiropractors also offer deep tissue massage and acupuncture as therapeutic solutions for back pain. Additionally, chiropractors often use a well-rounded approach to treating your condition, including nutritional counseling and guidance for exercises/activities you may do on your own to help ease the pain.
How does chiropractic care work?
When a chiropractor manipulates the spine to achieve vertebral alignment, it frees up space between the discs in the vertebrae, which may be cramped due to bulging/herniated discs and/or the swelling in the surrounding tissue. When the discs are properly spaced, tension and pressure between them is often reduced, allowing nerves to communicate more effectively with the rest of the nervous system (and to stop sending those pain signals!).
If you have back pain, you owe it to yourself to explore the possibility of seeking treatment from a chiropractor. Consider these points when determining how chiropractic care may be of help to you.
Contact Dr. Mierzwa today at 716-965-4343.
Basics of Chiropractic Adjustments
Basics of Chiropractic AdjustmentsThe prospect of seeing a chiropractor for the first time can cause some apprehensions, to say the least. However, that is usually only due to unfamiliarity with the functions of a chiropractor and the techniques a chiropractor uses to treat patients. Fortunately, chiropractic care is nothing to be scared of, and it could likely be just what you need to experience relief from your condition. Spinal manipulation, also called chiropractic adjustment, is a mystery to people who have never been to a chiropractor. But, being as how chiropractic adjustment is the cornerstone of chiropractic care, it is important that you understand what it means if you plan on seeing a chiropractor any time soon. Here are the basics of chiropractic adjustments: More doctors are working in conjunction with alternative providers today. This makes it important that your insurance policy and other forms of alternative care. This can improve your physician’s care even more. What does chiropractic adjustment involve?During a chiropractic adjustment, the chiropractor will manipulate the joints in your spine, forcing them through their natural range of motion, until they “fall” into their natural position, called “alignment.” The release of pressure is the goal of spinal manipulation, and is what makes that popping sound once the goal is achieved. Pay attention to the way you sleep position to lessen back problems. Put a pillow under the head and also your shoulders. Place rolled-up towels under the neck and knees to keep your body’s curves. You should also want to sleep on a mattress that is comfortable. What techniques are used during chiropractic adjustments?Chiropractic adjustment involves a series of manual manipulations, most of which are used to apply pressure to areas around the spine where the vertebrae are out of place. Different chiropractors use different methods to accomplish this. Some use a soft, gentle touch, while others prefer using sporadic pressure and sudden movements to achieve the desired relocation. Before you choose a chiropractor, it is imperative that you ask about the techniques that will be used during the adjustment and pick a practitioner whose treatment style matches your preferences. Be sure to get out of your bed the morning. Getting out of bed in this way can decrease your chances of sustaining a spinal injury happening. How does chiropractic adjustment work?Once the joints in the spinal column have been properly adjusted, the vertebral discs should be aligned in a way that provides for optimal space in between them. There are large nerves in disc joints, and when the joints are cramped (often due to swelling and/or bulging or herniated discs), those nerves are compressed. Compressed nerves become irritated and cannot communicate with the nervous system the way they need to, resulting in pain and discomfort. By aligning the discs through chiropractic adjustment, the chiropractor lessons the pressure on the spinal cord nerves, in turn alleviating a variety of symptoms and health conditions. You shouldn’t be expecting a single chiropractor to solve your pain problem. You may feel better, but true healing occurs over time. Stick to whatever regiment your chiropractor recommends. If you fail to do this, you can end up disappointed. As you can see, there is a lot more to spinal adjustment than a few simple twists and turns of the back. Chiropractic care is a specialized field that makes use of its very own techniques. Chances are your health could benefit from these techniques in more ways than one. Call 716-965-4343 to schedule your appointment with Dr. Mierzwa today! |
5 Chiropractic Care Treatment Techniques
5 Chiropractic Care Treatment TechniquesMany people think that chiropractors do not do much more than twist and tweak a patient’s back, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Chiropractors are trained to provide patients with a multifaceted rounded approach to health management, and to apply well rounded care from a variety of angles. If you are interested in chiropractic care and wonder what it might be like, then read on for five common chiropractic care treatment techniques: A chiropractor can even help you in boosting your immune system! This increases your body’s ability to ward off infection. Spinal manipulation. This is the hallmark of chiropractic care; some chiropractors even opt to provide spinal manipulation as their sole treatment. The process of spinal manipulation may sound scary, but it really is not so bad, and can actually be a pleasant experience. To accomplish the best possible alignment of the spinal column in order to free up available space in between the discs, chiropractors work with the spine using a combination of manual techniques. The result is that nerves in between the discs are less cramped, and can therefore communicate with the nervous system more effectively. Any session you have with a chiropractor will involve some form of spinal manipulation. You should not expect one treatment at the chiropractor to solve your back problems. You might feel a bit of initial relief, but you can only really heal your problem if you continue to see a chiropractor. Stick to whatever regiment your chiropractor suggests. If you fail to do this, you will not experience proper healing. Deep tissue massage. Many chiropractors offer deep tissue massage to loosen tight tendons, ease tense muscles, and work out pain-inducing lumps in your muscles. There are a lot of good reasons you should visit a chiropractor. If you have back or neck pain, it is very important that you pay a visit to a chiropractor to get checked out. Your body will work better when your back is correctly aligned. Acupuncture. This form of “alternative” medicine involves inserting narrow needles into certain parts of the body – called acupuncture points – in order to treat a number of common health conditions ranging from pain to nausea. Although it sounds painful, acupuncture needles only sit in the outer layer of the epidermis, and patients report little to no pain at all. Ask your chiropractor if the chiropractic office to see of they offer discounts for frequency discounts. Chiropractic care often means many visits for treatment. You might need to visit them multiple times every week for several months. The cost really can add up. The office may be able to give you a discount for multiple visits to make treatment much more affordable. Fitness and nutrition. Because chiropractic philosophy involves a holistic, total body approach to healing, chiropractors are trained to advise patients on dietary habits, as well as provide recommendations for nutritional supplements, herbal remedies, and vitamins. Chiropractors can also formulate an exercise or physical activity routine that can strengthen the muscles that need strengthening in order to help your body heal faster and prevent future injuries. Choose the chiropractor you intend to see one. Make sure you’re doing research prior to choosing a chiropractor. Traction. A chiropractor may use this method of hanging you upside-down on a specialized traction machine for a specified period of in order to naturally loosen your spine and relieve pressure in between the joints of your spinal column. Check out the background of any chiropractor before scheduling an appointment with them. Though most chiropractors really care about your health, some of them may try to address conditions beyond their scope of knowledge. Check on the internet for reviews and obtain references from medical professionals if possible. As you can see, going into the chiropractic office entails much more than lying on a table and receiving a back adjustment. Your chiropractor will put a lot of thought will go into your treatment plan, and you can expect to receive care in a variety of ways. See more of Dr. Mierzwa’s Testimonials HERE. |