Back pain is one of the most common afflictions of modern man. Chronic aches and pains in the back can lead to a great deal of discomfort, preventing sufferers from being able to do even the most simple everyday tasks efficiently. Whether your pain a dull ache when you stand up or constant shooting pains, it pays to visit a back injury doctor who can determine the best course of treatment to alleviate back pain or eliminate the painful condition altogether. When you visit a chiropractor, back pain from repetitive activities, heavy lifting, daily stresses and even pregnancy can be addressed using specialized techniques and a program that is tailored to your unique condition.
Chiropractors can help you with chronic back pain that doesn’t seem to go away, even with the help of medication. Painful conditions like this are typically caused by spinal misalignments that impede the efficient circulation and flow of the nervous system. To a chiropractor, back pain can be very easily addressed by correcting these misalignments and aiding the body’s natural healing process.
Chiropractors use different kinds of spinal manipulations and therapeutic adjustments to treat back pain. Among the most common techniques they use is soft tissue therapy, which works to relax sore and tight muscles. In cases when the muscles are the major source of pain, a chiropractor might use different soft tissue therapies, like manual release therapy and trigger point therapy. Manual release therapy stretches the muscles as pressure is applied, while trigger point therapy applies direct, but controlled, pressure on the area where the muscle experiences the most tension. There are also instrument assisted soft-tissue therapies that are performed with the help of different kinds of massage tools.
Manual therapy, on the other hand, is a technique that chiropractors use to help regain motion within joints. Chiropractic manual therapy can be divided into two major types, namely joint mobilization and joint manipulation. Joint mobilization manual therapy involves slow and gentle stretching of the problematic joint. Joint manipulation uses quick, gentle movements to stretch the joint.
Your back injury doctor may also recommend self-management exercise therapies that you can do at home to maximize the effects of treatments and speed up your healing process.