Here at Stanlick Chiropractic, we see patients every day who tell us that their lives have been changed by chiropractic care. Many of them were dealing with chronic pain that interfered with their daily activities. After chiropractic treatment, they were able to get back to their normal routines. Unfortunately, many Americans who are dealing with painful musculoskeletal conditions don’t receive care. Sometimes this is because they don’t know that chiropractic care is an option for their injury or don’t understand what chiropractic care is. We’ve designated October as Chiropractic Awareness Month to help people learn more about their options for musculoskeletal pain.

Here are five things you should know about chiropractic care:

1. Chiropractic Adjustment is a Proven Pain Reliever

Chiropractic adjustment has been around for over one hundred years. During that time, studies have been conducted to determine if chiropractic adjustment was safe and effective. For many decades peer-reviewed scientific studies have agreed that chiropractic care is extremely safe. Studies have also noted a marked improvement in patients with back and joint pain following a chiropractic adjustment. The FDA has always been slow to accept treatment methods that it dubs “alternative care.” Still, they finally gave chiropractic care the recognition it deserves last year, based on the many years of positive scientific reviews.

In light of the national opioid crisis, the FDA recognized the need for safer and more effective approaches to pain management. They published a guide for healthcare providers recommending chiropractic care and other “alternative” treatments like acupuncture as first-line treatments for people with back pain.

The evidence has borne out what many patients have known all along– people who receive prompt chiropractic care for acute injuries are less likely to experience chronic pain. There are also effective chiropractic treatments for people with chronic pain that can reduce discomfort so they can resume normal activities. These patients can avoid the risks associated with drugs like opioids and muscle relaxants and experience healing instead of another band-aid.

2. There’s More to Chiropractic Care than Spinal Adjustments

Chiropractors are trained to work on every joint in the body. They also receive special training on working with infants, children, the elderly, and people with conditions like osteoporosis or MS. When you go into a chiropractic clinic, you can expect an experience similar to a doctor’s visit. Your chiropractor will ask you questions about your injury and your health history. He will then examine the affected area and may order diagnostic tests like X Rays or an MRI. After he has diagnosed your problem, he will write up a treatment plan that will include both in-office treatments and at-home care.

Spinal adjustment is an appropriate treatment for many conditions, but most chiropractic clinics also offer other treatments. These may include spinal decompression therapy, cold laser therapy, or massage. Chiropractors are always on the lookout for new technologies that can help their patients heal faster. Your treatment plan may include more than one type of treatment depending on the condition you are being seen for.

3. Chiropractic Care Can Treat Many Different Problems

Back pain, whiplash injuries, knee pain, and sports injuries are just a few of the conditions your chiropractor can treat. Chiropractic adjustment of the spine has a profound effect on your spinal cord and nervous system. You may not think of chiropractic adjustment as a cure for chronic ear infections, but it is a proven treatment that pediatricians often recommend. It works by helping to regulate the nerves in the neck that open and close the Eustachian tubes in the ear. After an adjustment, the ears will drain more efficiently, preventing a build-up of fluid that can cause pain and attract bacteria.

Your chiropractor can also treat soft tissue injuries and problems like a leg-length difference. Women can benefit from chiropractic care before and during pregnancy. A tilted pelvis can restrict the uterus and cause problems with fetal growth. Adjustments can correct this problem, leading to a healthier baby and a more comfortable pregnancy.

4. Chiropractic Care is Affordable

Many chiropractic clinics accept insurance, and many insurance companies cover chiropractic care. Even if your insurance doesn’t cover chiropractic, most clinics have reasonable self-pay rates. Prices vary from clinic to clinic and state to state, but the cost of an adjustment is often similar to the co-pay you’d have to see a specialist covered by insurance. Care received as the result of a car accident is nearly always covered by liability insurance.

In addition to providing in-office care, chiropractors will often assign exercises or stretches you can do at home. Those are treatments you can do every day at no additional cost. Your chiropractor will also educate you about lifestyle changes you can make to prevent your injury from reoccurring, so you don’t need to spend more money treating it. Getting prompt chiropractic care can prevent the need for more expensive care, like surgery, down the road.

5. Chiropractic Care is Safe and Comfortable

Fewer than one per million patients experiences a serious side effect from spinal manipulation. This makes chiropractic care the safest medical treatment available. It is considered the safest and most effective option for pain management and is even considered safe during pregnancy. When you see a licensed chiropractor, you can breathe easy, knowing that you are in good hands.

In addition to being safe, chiropractic care is also comfortable and non-invasive. Patients with an extremely painful disorder may feel some discomfort during or after treatment, but the treatment will not increase the level of pain. Mild aches or tiredness are the most common post-treatment side effects, and these typically resolve after a day or two. The majority of patients notice pain relief after their first few treatments. Your chiropractor is trained in dozens of adjustment methods, including gentle methods that won’t cause discomfort or injury in fragile patients.

But what about all those cracking sounds? Don’t worry. The cracking doesn’t hurt. It’s just the sound of gas escaping the joints.

 

At Stanlick Chiropractic, we love welcoming new patients and watching them make progress. If you are suffering from chronic pain or an injury, contact us today to find out more about how chiropractic care can help you live pain-free.