Low back pain, neck pain, and headaches are the most common reasons people seek chiropractic adjustments. Several studies have shown that chiropractic care can help alleviate the frequency and severity of migraines, a special type of headache that includes severe pain, nausea, and sensitivity to stimuli such as light and sound. Chiropractors use spinal manipulation in combination with other types of therapy, such as myofascial release and massage, along with advice on ergonomic and lifestyle improvements to reduce the onset of migraines. Numerous studies have shown that chiropractic care can be effective in treating a wide range of conditions, including chronic pain.
Jeremy Coffey, a chiropractor at Western Reserve Hospital, has been very successful in helping patients with chronic pain. He explains that chronic pain has multiple aspects, including muscle spasms and inflammation. Chiropractic care can reduce these muscle spasms and increase range of motion, helping to decrease chronic pain. Coffey states that the types of chronic pain that are most effectively treated with chiropractic care are those related to joints, neck, back, hips and shoulders.
Chiropractic care will relax the muscles in that area and help mobilize those joints and allow those joints to work the way they should work. But how does it work? Well, chiropractic adjustments help restore proper alignment and function to the spine and other joints in the body. This can help reduce pain and inflammation, improve range of motion, and promote healing. Spinal pain is a highly prevalent condition affecting more than 11% of the world's population. It is the leading cause of activity limitation and ranks fourth in years lost due to disability worldwide, representing a significant personal, social and economic burden.
For the vast majority of patients with back and neck pain, a specific pathology cannot be identified as the cause of the pain, which is then labeled as unspecific. In an increasing proportion of these cases, the pain persists for more than 3 months and is referred to as primary chronic back or neck pain. To reduce the overall burden of spinal pain, current data suggest that a conservative approach may be preferable. One of the available conservative treatment options is spinal manipulation therapy (SMT), the primary intervention used by chiropractors and other manual therapists. The objective of this narrative review is to highlight the most relevant and up-to-date evidence on the efficacy (compared to other interventions in more pragmatic settings) and efficacy (compared to inactive controls in highly controlled conditions) of the treatment of cervical and low back pain.
In addition, an perspective will be provided on current recommendations for semiconductor therapy for spinal pain and future research needs. In summary, SMT may be as effective as other therapies recommended for the treatment of chronic and nonspecific primary spinal pain, including standard medical care or physiotherapy. SMT is currently recommended in combination with exercise for neck pain as part of a multimodal approach. It may also be recommended as a first-line intervention for low back pain.
Although some discrepancies persist, current clinical practice guidelines almost universally recommend the use of SMT for spinal pain. Due to the low quality of the evidence, the efficacy of SMT compared to that of a placebo or that of no treatment remains uncertain. Therefore, future research is needed to clarify the specific effects of SMT in order to further validate this intervention. In addition, the factors that predict these effects have not yet been determined to direct them to patients who are more likely to obtain positive results with SMT.
The results of a clinical trial showed that chiropractic care combined with regular medical care for low back pain provides greater pain relief and a greater reduction in disability than medical care alone. The study, involving 750 active-duty military personnel, is one of the largest comparative efficacy trials between regular medical care and chiropractic care never done. The most positive research on chiropractic therapy has focused on spinal manipulation for low back pain. As one of the alternatives to pain relievers, the American College of Physicians guidance on low back pain recommends spinal manipulation along with heat, massage and acupuncture.
Let's find out why and how this type of treatment can help you. From weight gain and a sedentary lifestyle to age or pregnancy, there are a number of reasons why you may start suffering from low back pain. To enjoy this natural relief from back pain, why not schedule an appointment with Dr. This feeling usually goes away within 24 hours and rarely affects people who see a chiropractor regularly.
One of the most important lifestyle changes your chiropractor can recommend is to incorporate more movement and exercise into your daily routine. You may hear popping or crackling sounds when the chiropractor moves the joints during the session of treatment. Also tell your chiropractor if you have numbness, tingling, weakness, or any other nerve problem. Chiropractors use a variety of techniques, including spinal manipulation, to restore proper functioning of the nervous system and promote healing.
In fact, many chiropractors work closely with other healthcare providers, such as doctors, physical therapists, and psychologists, to provide comprehensive care for their patients. Patients who received a combination of chiropractic and medical care had the next lowest Medicare costs, and patients who received medical care only incurred at the highest costs. Chiropractic care has recently been applauded for its ability to alleviate low back pain, which more than 31 million Americans suffer from. Chiropractic care can help with a variety of conditions; however, it is best known for its ability to treat pain and the underlying conditions that cause it.
Some studies also suggest that chiropractic adjustments may work for headaches and other spine-related conditions, such as neck pain. The chiropractor will use pressure to manipulate the joints of the body in order to realign the spine and reduce the pain and discomfort. One of the treatments that chiropractors usually provide to patients is spinal adjustments, which use manual movements to realign the joints of the spine. For example, a patient with chronic low back pain may receive chiropractic adjustments to improve spinal function and, at the same time, work with a physical therapist to strengthen core muscles and improve posture.
After the consultation, the chiropractor may recommend that you do “homework” to extend therapy after an adjustment. In addition, the recommendations of the most modern clinical practice guidelines will be presented, as well as a perspective on the challenges and future directions of research on chiropractic, systemic therapy and spinal pain.
