How Does Chiropractic Care Help Relieve Pain?

How Does Chiropractic Care Help Relieve Pain?  The catalyst for many people to seek chiropractic help is acute or chronic pain, most commonly in the lower back or neck and shoulders.  While many patients want their chiropractor to help with their underlying problem, lessening their pain is paramount so they can simply get on with their daily activities with some relief.

Chiropractic treatment for pain is based on the principle that healing will occur as a natural response from the body once it is in correct alignment leading to proper function.  Conversely, misalignment or joint dysfunction will lead to excessive strain and wear and tear on the body, resulting in pain.  Misalignments occur over time as the result of poor posture, repetitive stress activities (such as performing certain sports or occupations) and degenerative disease.  It may also happen suddenly due to acute trauma from a motor vehicle accident, a fall or a particular sports injury.

In addition to pain relief, chiropractic treatment aims to restore natural functioning and range of motion to the problem area.  In reality the two go hand-in-hand.  For example pain occurs in the shoulder because of a lack of movement from an injury or strain, and once this region is treated, the shoulder will be both pain-free and able to move normally.

The body is comprised of many muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves, all of which have the potential to cause pain when stressed or damaged.  Muscle strain and spasm can occur on its own but is usually the result of a postural problem or an imbalance stemming from somewhere else in the body.  In the latter case, a spasm may not only be causing pain but may also prevent the body from returning to its natural alignment because it becomes a recurring issue if left untreated.  Soft tissue manual therapy is used by chiropractors to ease muscle spasms and relax the involved tissues in question.  This will considerably lessen the pain.

In most cases soft tissue therapy is insufficient by itself and this will often be followed by specific spinal manipulation will often to correct any underlying postural problems.  Manipulation helps the spine and joints to resume their natural position and eases the muscle strain associated with being out of balance, thus relieving pain.  “Pinched nerves”, which may also cause considerable pain (as in the case of sciatica), are often released through spinal manipulation.

Some painful injuries may require time to heal, such as shoulder rotator cuff injuries and herniated discs.  In these cases, spinal manipulation and soft tissue therapy are important in order to give the injury the best possible environment for repair to take place.  Patients will often involuntarily tense their muscles around an area of pain, which can both prolong the healing time and increase their discomfort.  In these cases, chiropractic treatment is important to both relieve the pain felt by the patient and to promote natural healing in the affected area.

Although spinal manipulation and soft tissue manual therapy are very helpful in the treatment of both acute and chronic pain, sometimes additional measures may be needed for short-term pain control.  In these cases, analgesic and anti-inflammatory medications may be considered to provide pain relief for the patient until sufficient healing has taken place.  The core objective of chiropractic care is to restore normal function to the body.  Relieving pain will generally be the first goal for seeking chiropractic care but ideally the end result should be to eliminate the cause that led you to see your chiropractor in the first place.

If you are one of these unfortunate individuals suffering with neck pain, back pain, or shoulder pain please don’t wait any longer.  The sooner you seek chiropractic treatment the sooner you will be free of your pain.  As a chiropractor in Florham Park, NJ Dr. Anthony Rivano educates his patients and the community on the importance of proper spinal hygiene in order to overcome their neck pain and back pain conditions. Call us today for a complimentary consultation and be sure to mention this blog article, (973) 845-6282. For more information about Dr. Anthony Rivano click here.