Back Pain

6 Signs that You Must See a Chiropractic

6 Signs You Should See A ChiropractorMany people decide to go and see a chiropractor only when they feel pain at the back or neck, but they forget that these are not the only signs that prove one must see a chiropractor. In fact, there are many other signs that our body shows that calls for one to go and get a check-up from a chiropractor. Here are signs that should alert you that you need to visit a chiropractor.

1. You have chronic headaches and migraines

Headaches arise from several issues. Most familiar to this is the muscle tension that originates from the neck. Primary headaches occur due to joint irritation as well as muscle tension. Also, the sedentary lifestyle that many people choose to live. But, with the help of chiropractic adjustments it can help reduce the tensions that arise in your head. Remember too that headaches are different and before choosing to get the treatment of chiropractic it is essential you consult with your doctor first.

2. You experience sudden sharp pains

If you ever experience sudden severe acute pain, then you need to consider another option. Severe pain is a sign that something is not ok with your body. Perhaps you need a spinal adjustment to assist balance your body to allow your ligaments, tendons and muscles move in their right position.

3. Pain Medication

While a lot of people don’t know how beneficial chiropractors are, they indeed don’t depend on drugs to ensure that you remain healthy. Instead, they solely depend on results to treat the origin of the problem. If you are fond of taking pain medication so that you function okay then it’s time to think of walking to see a chiropractor for a natural treatment.

4. Lower back pain

We have suffered from lower back pain at one point in our lives. Probably you know how uncomfortable and painful it feels. Sometimes the pain doesn’t persist but it comes and disappears on its own. There are few possible explanations for this condition. If you fear that the pain might lead to a worse situation then it’s good to get the help of a chiropractic.

5. You experience chronic pain in the muscles or joints

The pain you experience in the muscles and joints might just be as a result of a muscle alignment issue. So, stop taking those painkillers. Our bodies are designed to function as one and if there is a problem with a single part then the entire body system is affected. Chiropractors are trained to help align all your body parts in their correct position so that it can work as designed.

6. Involved in a car accident

If you have been involved in a car accident, whether it’s a minor injury or you weren’t hurt, you must see a chiropractor. Any damage that you might have got via the crash might not show up immediately; instead, it might get worse the longer you stay. Even if you aren’t sure whether you need to see a chiropractor, it’s crucial to get a check-up.

Don’t forget that a chiropractor is there to help you determine what pain can be dangerous and what can’t be. If you have questions related to pain or you need to get the services of chiropractic, consult Decuypere & Family Wellness Chiropractor.

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Should I Go to the Chiropractor or the Doctor?

Should I Go to the Chiropractor or the Doctor? When you’re dealing with a chronic pain situation, either in your back, neck or elsewhere on your body, you need to think about what may be causing it and how you can go about addressing it.

First of all, going to see a medical doctor can cost you a lot of money. While that shouldn’t be your first area of concern, for many people it is, just practically speaking. If you believe you have a neuromusculoskeletal problem, seeing a chiropractor is a good idea. It’ll likely save you a lot of money and it will help you to address the cause of your pain right away.

What’s really great is many insurance plans now cover chiropractor services. Even if it’s not covered by your insurance, a visit to the chiropractor is quite affordable. The fact that chiropractic is affordable is one thing but with this type of care, you are actually trying to treat the cause of your problem instead of just treating the symptoms which can be easily masked. It’s rather easy to spend over $1000 at the medical doctor’s office and still not find a solution for your condition.

Chiropractic care will get right to the problem. Discounts are often available for visits and adjustments. You can even get an x-ray, if needed, at a fraction of the cost that a medical doctor would charge you.

Even better? Adjustments will actually show you significant results, quickly. No, you won’t see a change overnight, but you will see a dramatic improvement in your symptoms after several treatments that will specifically target your cause of the problem you are experiencing.  A lot of people seek out prescription medications because they provide immediate relief. However, they don’t actually fix the problem. Prescriptions often just mask your symptoms allowing for more time to elapse before seeking appropriate treatment. This time lost often causes your symptoms to worsen without ever truly addressing the main issue.

If you want an actual solution to your problems, seeing a chiropractor can offer you that. Non-traditional therapies like adjustments and physical therapy or rehabilitation have proven to be highly effective in study after study, even more so than medical intervention. And when you throw the cost factor in there, the route most people would elect to take stands out prominently.

While it may not seem traditional, seeing a chiropractor can make a huge difference in your health and relieve you of chronic pain conditions that have plagued you for months or years! Don’t be afraid to try something new in the pursuit of pain relief and improved health!

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Pregnancy and your Postural Health

Pregnancy and your Postural HealthMany people don’t realize it, but in addition to the many hormonal and chemical changes that a woman goes through during pregnancy, back pains and challenges are also most prevalent before pregnancy.

Why the back ‘bends’

Throughout the course of pregnancy a woman will begin to (indirectly and sometimes unnoticed at first) lean forward as her lower back muscles and ligaments become weakened by the changes and positioning of the uterus, in combination with the added weight of a growing baby.

The weight of the baby will also cause stress on both a woman’s glutes and hamstrings—which is why Yoga and personal (safe) fitness comes so highly recommended for women during pregnancy of all stages.

In combination with lower back and abdominal pain, the chemical changes of pregnancy also cause muscles to become more ‘relaxed’ or loose, especially the ligaments, and in turn leave a pregnant woman even more susceptible to injury and unwanted risks or weaknesses in many common areas throughout the body, but especially the back.

Where a Chiropractor comes in

While nearly all chiropractors should already be well versed and educated on treating pregnant women and their body, some are more experienced than others. Some chiropractic’s specialize in treating women specifically during and post-pregnancy.

Chiropractors can be trusted to effectively treat and rejuvenate a pregnant woman’s physical health and help alleviate pains through reputable forms of treatment.

These treatments range from stretching exercises, back, leg, neck, and arm adjustments—all the way to the massaging and loosening of key trouble areas during pregnancy such as the quadratus lumborum and piriformis muscles.

These muscles play vital roles in flexibility and mobility, and again with the added weight of a baby inside of you, it becomes more and more difficult, as well as straining, to complete one’s daily routine in such condition without strengthening and recovery exercises.

Strengthening Routine

Chiropractors aim to treat muscle pain and help manage it right at its source through soft tissue exercises and conditioning.

For pregnant women, this often originates around the uterus during pregnancy. In fact, that’s why there are so many common cases of pregnant women with sacroiliac joint troubles or pubic symphysis.

These conditions not only worsen on their own if left untreated, but can also pose both a great challenge and threat to your pregnancy.

A woman wants to be physically as strong as possible, and in the best shape before going into labor. Her muscles, ligaments, and uterus muscles should all be well prepared for the incredible high velocity of pain, stretching, and challenges that it will soon undertake.

Why Pregnancy and Chiropractic’s go Hand-in-Hand

One of the biggest and understandably most credible reasons that chiropractic treatment is popular amongst pregnant women is due to its more or less ‘holistic approach’. Although some basic machines or mechanisms for stretching the body or simple (OTC) topical medications might be applied, in comparison to other standard medical professionals, chiropractor’s approach treating people in general, but especially pregnant women, with the utmost ‘holistic’ or natural, safe, and easy approaches and treatment for pain management and prevention.

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Spinal Manipulation for Back Pain

Spinal Manipulation for Back PainMillions of Americans suffer from back pain with only temporary and mild relief from pain killers (which come with lots of potential side effects). These patients often struggle to even get through everyday tasks of their lives like going grocery shopping or doing household chores. There just are not too many options out there for these patients at this time. Thankfully, it appears as though some new alternatives may be on the horizon, especially if future studies can validate their impact.

Some patients report finding relief from alternative treatments including some procedural techniques such as spinal manipulation. Chiropractors and physical therapists can sometimes do certain manipulations of the spine which may help patients cope, sometimes even with longer term effects than that seen with medications. Sometimes referred to SMT (spinal manipulation therapy), it is notable that not all patients report benefit from it. There are some newer studies that suggest it may help though and for those who have suffered from back pain for a long time, any new options are often welcome.

Specifically the manipulations done by chiropractic professionals seem to help with spinal disc hydration as well as spinal stiffness. It is still unclear why the treatment only works for some and not others, but that may have to do with the etiology of the pain as well as individual natural differences within people. A much larger study is needed to really drive any strong clinical conclusions around the treatment. A large randomized trial would be the optimal study design to really measure the impact and get such procedures more recognition within traditional medicine. Future research will also look at the specifics of spinal manipulation and what procedures seem to have higher efficacy than others.

If you are interested in getting more help for your back pain, consider talking to your local chiropractor and see what they suggest. It is usually advised to also let your primary care doctor know as they may be able to work together to get you a better solution. Also the primary care doctor will know your history and can advise for or against any recommendations made by the chiropractor, giving a more holistic care solution for you. You may even find a mix of various treatments and procedures to be optimal for you as different medications and spinal manipulations may work by different mechanisms which can have a sort of synergy when used together.

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