Most back injuries are either chronic or acute. Chronic back injuries cause gradual pain that develops over time, while acute injuries happen quickly and cause sudden pain. An experienced chiropractor can treat acute and chronic back problems to relieve pain and improve your overall well-being. Here is more information about common back injuries and how a chiropractic expert can help:
Whiplash
A sudden, violent movement during a car accident or similar event can cause whiplash in your neck or lower back. Whiplash can interfere with the joints, tendons, and ligaments in the neck and lower back, causing you to experience abnormal sensations like pins and needles, numbness, and tingling. Your back muscles could also become tender and weak after this injury.
Spinal manipulation is one of the chiropractic techniques used to treat neck and back whiplash. During spinal manipulation treatments, a chiropractor can identify and correct your misaligned cervical or lumbar joints. The chiropractic expert can gently stretch your tender or numb back muscles to enhance your relaxation. You can also ask for expert chiropractic advice on reducing whiplash-related back and neck pain at home.
Herniated Discs
Spinal discs become herniated because of trauma or repeated movements. The wear and tear of old age can also cause disc herniation. If you experience back pain when sitting, it may be a sign of herniated discs. The pain can radiate to your fingers, waist, feet, or the backs of your thighs. The stages of herniated discs, from least to most serious, are disc bulging, protrusion, extrusion, and sequestration.
A chiroptic expert can use the pelvic blocking technique to treat your herniated discs and correct your posture. The cushioned wedges chiropractors use during pelvic blocking can minimize your pelvic pressure during treatment. Flexion-distraction is another chiropractic technique used to correct herniated spinal discs. This treatment is completed on a table that moves and aids in spinal decompression while the chiropractic professional adjusts your spine.
Sprains and Strains
Injuries to spinal ligaments cause sprains, while injuries to the spinal tendons cause strains. Obesity, improper bending, high-impact sports, or muscle fatigue can cause sprains and strains. These back injuries can cause sharp or burning pain, inflammation, or muscle spasms. Ignoring these symptoms can contribute to mobility problems in the future.
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Chiropractors commonly use X-rays to identify potential bone damage caused by strains and sprains. After confirming there is no bone damage, chiropractors can identify the exact vertebrae, spinal ligaments, and tendons to treat. A chiropractic specialist can use an activator to treat sprains and strains. The activator device applies spring-loaded, low force to targeted areas with inflammation and limited mobility to treat strains and sprains.
Spinal arthritis
Some patients suffer chronic, degenerative injuries like ankylosing arthritis and osteoarthritis. Ankylosing arthritis makes the spine inflamed and stiff. Osteoarthritis causes spinal joints to wear and become rough with time. Untreated osteoarthritis can cause bone spurs, or osteophytes, to grow in the spine. Age, diabetes, Lyme disease, or obesity can increase the risk of spinal arthritis. Spinal arthritis can expose you to symptoms like headaches, lack of body flexibility, and neck pain.
Chiropractors perform gentle spinal adjustments to restore spinal and nerve functioning in patients with arthritis. Spinal adjustments help restore the lost lubricant in the spinal joint cartilage. Relief of spinal inflammation can help reduce chronic pain and improve the range of motion.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis occurs when soft tissues in the spine get injured. Bone disorders like Paget’s disease, old age, tumors, and spinal surgery can cause this back injury. Seeking treatment for spinal stenosis can prevent future problems like spinal cord contraction.
Chiropractic specialists may perform Gonstead techniques when treating patients with spinal stenosis. Gonstead techniques involve examining the spine through static palpation, instrumentation, motion palpation, or X-rays. Chiropractors prefer Gonstead treatment for spinal stenosis because of its efficiency and accuracy in locating and diagnosing the condition.
Visit a Chiropractor Today for Your Back Injury
Chiropractic techniques are popular, non-invasive treatment solutions for various back injuries. Visiting a chiropractor for your chronic or acute back injury can quicken your recovery by reducing pain and inflammation and improving spinal alignment. Contact a chiropractor today to learn more about how they can treat your back injury.
