With the country in the midst of an opioid crisis, many patients are looking for ways to manage pain without drugs. While pain medications do have their place, they are often addictive, ineffective at high doses, and can cause negative side effects. One safe and effective alternative to pain medication is chiropractic adjustments, which have been shown to be far more effective than traditional methods of pain management.
In order to make a chiropractic adjustment, your chiropractor will create a treatment plan that includes multiple visits. It’s important to stick to this plan as it will only work if you are consistent in your appointments. Many insurance companies will cover the cost of these sessions, making it more affordable for patients to seek treatment.
The goal of a chiropractic adjustment is to bring a joint back into its normal, natural position. When a joint is misaligned, pressure builds up in the joint and can create an audible release that’s known as a “cracking” sound. This is a natural phenomenon as the body’s way of telling the brain that a problem exists. Once the pressure is released, the bones return to their natural positions and you feel a relieving sensation.
Not only do spinal adjustments relieve neck and back pain, but they can also help with conditions like migraine headaches, asthma, fibromyalgia, and carpal tunnel syndrome. When the spine is properly aligned, the nerves that run throughout the body are able to communicate freely. When these nerves are choked by a vertebral subluxation complex, it can interrupt the normal flow of signals from the brain to the rest of the body and cause pain.
Spinal manipulation is the most common form of chiropractic adjustment. This is done by performing a series of movements to assess how each individual vertebra moves in relation to the ones that are above and below it. A quick, precise thrust is then applied to the misaligned vertebra in order to correct it. Some techniques used by chiropractors to perform spinal manipulation include lumbar roll, flexion distraction, and table adjustments.
In addition to adjusting the spine, chiropractors are also able to adjust other joints in the body, including the feet, knees, and wrists. These techniques are called “manipulative therapy” and can be used to treat a wide variety of injuries and pain symptoms.
Some people see a chiropractor only when they have a pain issue and then stop going as soon as they start to feel better. This is a mistake as the results from chiropractic can last much longer if you continue to receive regular adjustments. A recent survey found that 78% of Americans prefer a non-drug approach to treating pain. Rather than popping pills that are dangerous and addictive, getting regular chiropractic care can help you live your life to the fullest by managing your pain naturally and eliminating the need for prescription medication.