Chiropractic is a profession, not just a treatment. As a profession, chiropractors are trained healthcare professionals with unique expertise in managing several common health conditions. Many chiropractors utilize procedures, including joint manipulation, therapy modalities, patient education, nutrition, and rehabilitation exercises, to address each patient’s unique condition and complaint.
The spine is thirty-three small bones that house the spinal cord connected through muscles and ligaments. If something goes wrong with the spine, the effects are far-reaching and painful. Most of which can be treated before you even feel any pain. By visiting the chiropractors regularly, not just when you’re in need, the benefits you receive are countless.
Here are some primary reasons people may choose to visit a chiropractor:
1. Manage chronic back pain and sciatic nerve pain during the first visit:
Most people associate chiropractors with low back pain, and rightfully so. Low back and sciatic nerve pain plagues our society as one of the most common causes of disability and healthcare expenditures. Joint dysfunction in the lower back is a primary risk factor for the development & progression of low back degeneration. Fortunately, chiropractors provide research-backed treatment with spinal manipulation, exercise, and specific patient education. Many patients have reduced pain within their first visit.
2. Treat neck pain successfully:
Neck pain is the second most common reason people chose chiropractic care. Changes to daily habits, postural stresses, and workstation ergonomics are among the most common triggers for a stiff or painful neck. If neck stiffness is left untreated, a person may experience restricted joints and less range of motion. Spinal manipulation, delivered by chiropractors, has unrivaled success and safety for these types of neck pain. Manipulation, in conjunction with exercise and postural reeducation, often alleviates symptoms quickly.
3. Helps you avoid injuries.
You’re more likely to injure yourself if your body isn’t properly aligned and balanced when you participate in your favorite sport or activity. Sometimes even a simple workout seems impossible to get through, leading exercise to become less of a priority. Chiropractic adjustments keep your nervous system functioning at its best so that you can enjoy your workouts without pain.
4. Improve your sleep cycle
It doesn’t matter if you have a soft or hard bed, the temperature is just right or you can hear the sound machine lulling you to sleep, if your back or any other part of the body is uncomfortable, a deep sleep won’t happen. Even if you’re able to sleep, it might be broken and scattered, never allowing your mind to fulling sink into the rem cycle and allow your body to refresh itself. A chiropractor can ease the pain and calm down your nervous system so that you’re able to get the good night’s sleep you deserve.
5. Cut headache days in half:
Headaches affect almost half of the population. 15-25% of all headaches originate from the cervical spine. The successful management of headaches requires a multifaceted approach with spinal manipulation as a cornerstone of treatment. Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of spinal manipulation for these types of headaches. A recent study published in The Spine Journal found that spinal manipulation cuts the number of symptomatic headache days in half. Chiropractors can quickly identify the type of headache and the most appropriate treatment strategy.
6. Avoid long term opioid dependence and chronic pain:
Opioid prescriptions typically have one common cause: acute, severe pain. However, most acute pain is due to musculoskeletal damage, sometimes referred to as mechanical neck and back pain. Mechanical pain does not typically respond well to a chemical solution (opioids). This ineffective treatment leads to diminished outcomes and chronic use. Opioid dependence, tolerance, and addiction often commence following an acute problem such as a dental procedure, surgery, or injury. More than 25% of chronic use follows post-operative or injury-related pain. A chiropractor can carefully craft a care plan to address all the postures, activities, and underlying stressors that may be causing your chronic pain.
7. Relive mental and physical stress
In today’s world, we are surrounded by many stress factors on a daily basis. Some people may not know about the stress you put yourself under when your nervous system is out of line and your entire muscular and skeletal systems are not in the proper position, chances are your entire body will feel out of line. With regular visits to a Chiropractic professional, you will find your entire body feeling more balanced, experiencing less tension sending an immediate relaxation message to your brain, once achieved you will feel more mentally and physically prepared to tackle whatever stress factors you may experience.
8. Improve your posture
Working in tight spaces or spending hours in the same position stresses your muscles and joints, increasing your risk of injuries or chronic pain. Rounded shoulders with the head pitched forward is one of the more common bad posture positions. This happens when the lower back (lumbar) is too flat or the upper back (thoracic) is too rounded.
With the spine bent out of its natural shape, pressure is built up throughout the length of the spine. Migraines, lower backaches and strains, stiffness in the shoulders, and numbness in the arms or neck are just a few pains that bad posture can cause. All of which are easily remedied by a chiropractor. With spinal realignments and using the posture technics taught by the chiropractor, good posture and being pain-free are within reach.
We are here for you
As chronic pain continues to rise within the US healthcare system, chiropractors utilize proven methods to reduce pain and disability without medications and surgery. These are a few primary reasons that make chiropractic the undeniable best choice for managing pain and improving overall function. From spinal wellness to injury recovery, our chiropractic team has your back.
Both chiropractic care and massage therapy are tools that work in conjunction with each other as well as your existing treatment plans. By removing the obstacles of misaligned joints, stretched muscles, and compressed discs, a chiropractor can maximize your well-being without drugs or surgery.
Want to experience it for yourself? Visit us at The Medical Group of South Florida, and talk to Dr. Seth Smith, Dr. James Perkins, or Dr. Paula Newmark about developing a treatment plan that’s individually tailored to you. Call 561-622-6111 today or visit our website to make an appointment.