When to Consider Seeking Help from a Chiropractic Clinic for Your Back Pain

Most instances of back pain are temporary and might go away with home remedies like rest and the use of over-the-counter pain medications. If your back pain isn't responding well to such remedies, then it may be time to consider a visit to a chiropractic clinic. What are the reasons that make chiropractic care a much-needed source of relief from your back pain?

Conservative Treatments Aren't Working

Potential remedies for back pain can include physical therapy and the application of heat or ice. Such treatments can be effective, however, this isn't always the case, especially when back pain has reached a point where it's persistent and chronic (lasting more than three months). If you're not responding to such treatments, chiropractic manipulations may help by:

• Improving circulation
• Easing muscle tension
• Relieving nerve root pressure
• Encouraging the release of endorphins, the body's natural pain-relievers

Your Source of Pain Hasn't Been Identified

You're more likely to respond well to treatment attempts if you've received an accurate diagnosis. If previous attempts at pinpointing a source of your discomfort have failed, then you may benefit from a fresh set of eyes and additional efforts to locate a likely reason for your back pain.

Your Back Pain Is Relegated to a Specific Area

While chiropractors are trained to treat all types of back pain, you may have more success with treatments if your discomfort is in one main area, such as the lower back. This is because chiropractic manipulations such as myofascial release and the correction of issues with hypertonic muscles (indirect positional technique) can be better directed to specific areas.

You Want to Avoid Spine Surgery

Many of the common spine surgeries performed today are fairly reliable. Even so, surgery does pose certain risks and recovery can take several months. Because you'll receive a personalized treatment plan when you visit a chiropractic clinic in Portland, you may experience enough relief to put off or avoid spine surgery altogether. Your chiropractic treatment plan may involve:

• Firm pressure on specific parts of your spine (toggle drop method)
• Use of a special drop table
• Articulatory adjustments that target injured joints

You may be referred to a chiropractic clinic if you're not experiencing relief from remedies recommended by your regular doctor or when self-treatment efforts such as rest and the modification of activities aren't providing meaningful relief. The purpose of chiropractic care is to restore your quality of life to a point where your discomfort is better managed and less disruptive.

Sources
Chiropractic Treatments for Lower Back Pain, spine-health.com
Chiropractic care for back pain, medlineplus.gov
Spinal manipulative therapy for chronic low-back pain, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dr. Darren Faherty D.C.

In 2004, Dr. Darren Faherty graduated with a Bachelors of Science degree in Biology from UWEC - University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. Dr. Darren continued education at the highly esteemed University of Western States (formerly Western States Chiropractic College) where he obtained his chiropractic degree in 2007. He has been helping people recover from injuries and return to their normal lifestyles ever since.