Chiropractors and Back pain
As a Chiropractor I am always talking to people about back pain. I help people understand what’s causing their back pain, I treat the painful structure and I give patients strategies to help make their pain disappear faster. Most people understand if I hurt myself…. And I can not longer do the things I need to or want to I need to get it treated. Some people reach for medications and surgeries and others call my office! And I am more then capable to help them out because chiropractors and back pain go together for a reason! I truly believe that Chiropractors are the best educated, experienced and best option for spine care and for treating back pain. But there is simply more to Chiropractors then back pain treatment. This is where I lose a few people, it’s when I start talking about prevention. Well if getting your spine adjusted helped with the pain is it such a stretch to think it can help prevent back pain before it starts? Well the truth is once you have had 1 episode of back pain…. Or neck pain for that matter, you will have a future episode. Getting regular spinal adjustments help make future episodes less frequent and less severe. But now is simply getting rid of pain the only objective? Health is not just the absence of disease, that’s what the world health organization says anyway, and I would agree. So as health care providers yes chiropractors treat more then pain. It’s always interesting when I am out and about and someone says “your a Chiropractor…..my back is fine I don’t need a Chiropractor.” We’ll pain is usually the last sign that something in your spine has going wrong are you sure you want to wait till you have pain ? Do you wait till your flowers are dead until you water them? No. Well then let’s actively do things to keep ourselves healthy before we are sick, before we have pain. Get your spine adjusted 1 -2./ per month to keep the joints healthy, aligned properly and functioning better. That’s when I usually get an aha moment with patients. There has universally been a push in the last 10 years in health care to prevent…. Prevent obesity, diabetes, smoking before people get sick and need treatment. Why? Well first off its better for those involved, second its cheaper!
Now I’ll throw out the real meat & potatoes of chiropractic …. When chiropractors adjust your spine and the joints are in the proper position to function we don’t just prevent pain we improve nerve function. Yep, the spine protects your spinal cord. You know, the bundle of nerves that connects your brain to your body and your body to your brain. When the spine is aligned the nerves have the most space to function optimally, and since your nerves literally supply the signals to everything in your body getting adjusted can improve your overall health.
-Dr. Jen