How chiropractors can help manage chronic pain conditions?
Chronic pain affects more than 1.5 billion people worldwide, making it the most common reasons adults seek medical care. While pain medications provide temporary relief, they often fail to address the underlying cause of chronic pain. This is where chiropractors can help. As experts in muscles, joints, and soft tissues, chiropractors take a whole-body approach to treating chronic pain conditions. Instead of masking symptoms with drugs, they work to identify and correct structural alignment problems that may be contributing to pain.
Back and neck pain
Back and neck pain are among the most prevalent forms of chronic pain, affecting millions of adults to varying degrees. Common culprits behind chronic back and neck aches include displaced vertebrae, inflamed tissues, pinched nerves, muscle tension, injuries, arthritis, and degenerative disc disease. During chiropractic exams, doctors conduct orthopedic and neurological tests to pinpoint the root cause of back/neck pain. Once problematic areas are identified, doctors develop customized treatment plans which may include:
- Spinal adjustments to realign vertebrae
- Soft tissue therapies to relax tight muscles
- Traction to take pressure off compressed nerves
- Rehabilitative stretches and exercises
Numerous studies confirm chiropractic adjustments combined with other care lead to significant reductions inintensity and disability associated with chronic spinal pain.
Headaches
From migraines to tension headaches, chronic head pain affects up to 50% of the general population. Chiropractor Parramatta take a multifaceted approach to treating chronic headaches and preventing their recurrence. During evaluations, headache sufferers postural, orthopaedic, and neurological assessment doctors check for issues like spinal subluxations, neck dysfunction, muscle tension, and movement limitations which trigger debilitating headaches. Based on exam findings, chiropractors craft integrated care plans which may incorporate.
- Spinal adjustments to improve spinal function
- Massage therapy to relax tense neck muscles
- Stretches and strength training exercises
- Diet/lifestyle modification advice
According to research, manual therapies and exercise lead to substantial reductions in headache intensity, duration, and frequency.
Joint pain
Joint pain conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and injuries everyday activities difficult to perform. While M.D.s tends to prescribe anti-inflammatory meds and painkillers for arthritis, these only temporarily mask joint inflammation and damage. Chiropractors offer more natural solutions for chronic joint pain relief and restoration of function. Using manual techniques like spinal adjustments, instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, and therapeutic ultrasound, they decrease inflammation, improve circulation, and get joints moving properly again. Customized strengthening routines also help stabilize joints. In multiple studies, participants report less joint pain, stiffness, and functional impairment after undergoing combinations of chiropractic care and at-home rehab exercises.
Neuropathic pain
Neuropathic or nerve-related pain trauma or disease damages nerves, causing them to misfire and send false pain signals to the brain. Common conditions tied to neuropathic pain include sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome, shingles, diabetic neuropathy, TMJD, and peripheral neuropathies. Chiropractic neurologists conduct advanced assessments using quantitative EEG technology, nerve conduction studies, and imaging to precisely diagnose nerve damage pain. Specific treatments target malfunctioning nerves and may incorporate:
- Light/laser therapies to heal damaged nerves
- Electrotherapies to calm overactive nerves
- Manual decompression to take pressure off compressed nerves
- Dietary interventions to stabilize blood sugar and promote nerve health
According to multiple pilot studies, participants experience noteworthy pain relief, improved mobility, and better sleep after therapies to calm, decompress, and regenerate damaged peripheral nerves.