Chiropractors are medical specialists who are most well-known for using spinal manipulation to treat aches and pains related to your back and spine. If you, like many others, are constantly suffering from headaches and neck and back pain, a chiropractor may be able to bring you much-needed relief from pain and improve your function without the use of medications.
The spine being out of alignment, even slightly, is at the heart of many chronic body aches and pains. After all, the sensitive spinal cord runs through the entire spine. By having a chiropractor restore your spine back into proper alignment, your body will be in a better position to heal itself and relieve the pain.
What Do Chiropractors Treat the Most?
Let’s talk about the top five conditions that are most often treated by chiropractors:
Tension Headaches
All kinds of headaches can cause pain and pressure in the head as well as in the neck. Tension headaches are often caused by stress in the neck area, which can bring relief if corrected. The top of the spine is in the neck, and this section is called the cervical spine.
Relying on painkillers does not solve the problem of tension headaches – relieving the tension does. Chiropractors can perform soft-tissue therapy, exercises, and adjustments to the cervical spine area in order to reduce and eliminate your tension headaches.
Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by a person stopping breathing momentarily during sleep. Cervical subluxation – which is when the spine presses against the windpipe in the neck – is one of the most common causes of breathing problems during sleep.
When the airways are blocked, even intermittently and briefly, oxygen cannot reach the brain for that moment. The brain requires a constant, continuous flow of oxygen or the brain cells can begin to die. Chiropractors can correct the cervical subluxation and help you achieve restorative sleep.
Low Back Pain
A common cause of lower back pain is the compression or irritation of nerves in the spinal cord. This may result from a misalignment of the vertebrae, and the pain can travel from the lower back down to one or both legs. Chiropractic treatment can help to bring the vertebrae back into alignment so you enjoy less pain or no pain at all, an improvement in function, and a reduced need for pain-relief medicine.
Disc Problems
A herniated, bulging, or ruptured disc can push against the nerves in the spinal canal and cause radiating back pain. Chiropractors routinely treat patients with disc problems through spinal manipulation, the flexion-distraction technique of stretching the spine, ultrasound therapy, and muscle stimulation.
Arthritis-Related Back Stiffness
The back has joints between each set of two adjacent vertebrae, and arthritis can therefore develop in the back. For patients who have no active swelling of these joints but want relief from the stiffness caused by arthritis, a chiropractor can employ therapies such as ultrasound, electrotherapy, and low-level laser therapy. Moreover, a chiropractor can make adjustments to misalignments that are contributing to the bone-on-bone rubbing of arthritis.
Chiropractic Medical Care in Delaware
Our chiropractors and physiatrists here at Delaware Back Pain & Sports Rehabilitation Centers routinely treat patients who are suffering from a wide range of back conditions. Back pain often results from a misalignment of the spine, and chiropractic manipulation is an excellent solution in lieu of medication.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a consultation, call our clinic near you or fill out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to helping you live pain-free once again!
