Chiropractic care has gained much popularity in recent years and has become one of America’s largest alternative medicine professions. This is because of chiropractic’s non invasive and drug-free approach to pain management.
While chiropractors may not be able to heal broken bones, today we’ll go over the top five most common injuries chiropractors can help you manage.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a neck injury typically caused by a sudden and violent movement in one direction then back again quickly. This type of injury is often seen in car vehicle accidents. It can take more than a day to feel the fullest extent of the injury and it’s not uncommon for people who suffered whiplash in an accident to only feel mildly uncomfortable the day of the accident. After a few days however, you may feel more pain, experience swelling and develop bruising. Some of the symptoms accompanying whiplash include:
- Shooting Pain
- Restricted Movement
- Trouble Concentrating
- Fatigue
- Vertigo
- Numbness in Arm or Hand
- Irritability
One of the primary ways chiropractors help treat whiplash is through muscle stimulation and relaxation. This means the chiropractor will gently stretch the muscles dealing with excessive tension and repeated contraction of the muscles that are being restricted. Alternatively they can begin by identifying the neck joints that were misaligned due to the accident and manipulate them gently back into their rightful location.
Pinched Nerve
Although called “pinched” nerves, it’s usually caused by compression or pressure on the nerve. It usually happens as a result of repetitive motions or when the body holds the same position for extended periods of time, like sleeping with elbows bent or poor posture while working at the office.
A chiropractor may manually adjust the spine and joints that are being affected. This is to reduce the compression on the affected nerve. Following the adjustment it’s not uncommon for chiropractors to incorporate other methods to strengthen the impacted area. This can include physical therapy or massage therapy depending on the cause of the injury.
Muscle Sprains
Sprains occur when the strong, flexible fibers that hold the bones together either stretch too far or tear. This can result in the area around the joint to become painful and inflamed. You may find it difficult to put weight on the injury or move it normally. The muscles will also tighten or tense up on their own which can result in cramping or muscle spasms.
Chiropractic adjustments, and stretching are common ways in which a chiropractor can help to naturally treat sprains allowing you to reduce pain and recover faster. A joint manipulation on the affected joint can help to reduce tension in the muscle surrounding the sprain, this can help to reduce inflammation which in turn reduces pain.
Back Pain
One of the most common injuries a chiropractor manages is back pain. This is because there are many ways to injure your back such as sporting accidents, motor vehicle accidents, or simply by sitting in the office for extended periods of time. In fact, your back deals with about 40% more pressure when sitting upright compared to standing. It’s not uncommon to see people suffering from back pain, neck pain, stress on your arms and legs and massive pressure on your back.
A chiropractor can help reduce some of the tension and pressure through gentle adjustments. This can reduce pain and improve mobility, though for more extreme cases the chiropractor may recommend spinal decompression therapy.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
You don’t need to wait for an accident to suffer an injury, much like back pain, carpal tunnel can affect anyone especially those who work in front of a computer for many hours in the day. The median nerve runs from your forearm through your wrist and into the palm of your hand. The median nerve and tendons pass through the carpal tunnel which is a narrow, rigid tube of ligament and bones at the base of the hand. When it becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist it can become affected and result in carpal tunnel syndrome.
Using hands-on techniques a chiropractor can manipulate and do manual adjustments to the wrists and fingers. This can in turn reduce compression of the meridian nerve, lessen the tension on the surrounding muscles. This can lower the amount of pain felt in the wrist and return some mobility.
Take the Next Step In Improving Your Health by Contacting SOHMA Integrative Medicine
Our goal is to help you improve your health. You can contact us and ask about the Myers Cocktail, IV Therapy, Chiropractic care, or how our other health service lines can help you with your journey to improved health.
Located in Long Beach, CA, we help individuals from the surrounding cities.
We look forward to helping you take the next step in your journey to better health.
