By Dr. Steven Warfield
Nobody likes to go
through a day, let alone a lifetime with chronic pain, especially spinal pain.
Yet there are few of us who will go through a lifetime without experiencing
back pain, either from muscle strain or due to a sports injury or an
accident. The important thing to
understand when you do encounter back pain is that you are not alone. Nearly 22 million Americans visit
chiropractors annually. Of these, 7.7 million are seeking relief from back
pain.
When someone injures
their back, the first response is usually either an over the counter or
prescription pain killer. While this may
make the pain go away temporarily, this does nothing to address the underlying
cause of the problem. While many people
are reluctant to seek medical help, avoiding treat
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| Pain Research & Management (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
ment can not only cause the
injury to become more chronic over time, but there is also the problem of drug
dependence which can lead to problems of its own.
Research has shown that pain caused
by tissue inflammation often does not surface for several days or even weeks
following an accident. Additionally, it is not uncommon for either muscle
groups or bone position to be radically altered following an accident, where
pain does not present itself for as long as several months. A spinal vertebra
that is out of place may even place pressure on the surrounding nerves and in
so doing mask trauma which will later manifest as chronic pain.
While I can understand
the public’s aversion to surgical intervention, chiropractic is a health care profession dedicated to the
non-surgical treatment of disorders of the nervous system and/or
musculoskeletal system. Chiropractors
use hands-on spinal manipulation and other alternative treatments that are
designed to help the body heal itself without surgical intervention or
medication. Manipulation is used to restore mobility to joints restricted by
tissue injury caused by a traumatic event, such as falling, or repetitive
stress, such as sitting without proper back support. Other treatments can include the use of
ultrasound, electro-stimulation and even therapeutic lasers, all of which can
be used to reduce back pain and inflammation.
More importantly, not only do
chiropractors offer treatment designed to bring the body back into balance, but
they also offer lifestyle enhancing regimens such as:
·
Exercise. Various cardiovascular, stretching and
strengthening exercises may be prescribed by chiropractors to decrease lower
back pain, increase strength and restore range of motion. Chiropractors may also have patients do
exercises that strengthen weak and under or overstimulated muscles of the trunk
and pelvis.
·
Ergonomics. During the course of chiropractic care,
the chiropractor may recommend some procedures that can be employed at home or
at work. It isn’t uncommon for a chiropractor to uncover an occupational hazard
as the underlying cause of a patient’s pain.
Modification of an activity or appliance can sometimes relieve the
problem and lead to a complete recovery.
·
Patient education. After consulting with a patient, a
chiropractor may advise a variety of lifestyle modifications, including diet
and nutritional programs, self-care and coping strategies that could be of
great value to a patient experiencing lower back pain.
The important thing to note is that the healing process can
start with a simple call to arrange a free consultation with a licensed and
qualified chiropractor. The evaluation
will not only begin the process that can help alleviate pain without the use of
medication, but it will also help you get your body back in balance so that you
can get on with your life. And that’s
the most precious gift of all.
Dr.’s Steven Warfield and Dr. Dave Edenfield offer the most advanced treatments for back pain, sciatica, neck pain, whiplash and headaches. They also treat auto accident victims with state-of-the-art technologies.
If you or anyone you know suffers from herniated discs, degenerative discs or spinal stenosis, visit http://www.lakewoodchiropracticjax.com/
If you or anyone you know suffers from herniated discs, degenerative discs or spinal stenosis, visit http://www.lakewoodchiropracticjax.com/
I have had lower back pain since my late 20's and wow, what great advice for me anyone who suffers from it.
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