There are more than 1.5 billion people worldwide who suffer from chronic pain, and there are billions more who experience acute pain from an injury or some other issue. Many of the chronic pain issues have to do with back pain, as some 31 million Americans suffer from lower back pain at some point. Some of these people may need surgery to correct their issues, while others will be able to recover with therapy and pain medications.
One of the things that many people with back pain try at least once is chiropractic care. This can often give at least temporary if nor permanent relief from chronic pain.
The hallmark of chiropractic care is spinal manipulation. Chiropractors may do this using just their hands or they may use a chiropractic adjusting instrument such as an activator spinal adjustment device. With chiropractic care, the goal is to realign the body’s musculoskeletal structure to restore mobility to joints using a chiropractic adjusting tool or some other method. The theory is that doing so allows the body to heal itself.
Another non-surgical alternative that people turn to when they have an injury or chronic pain is physical therapy. Physical therapy tools include stretching and strengthening muscles, and working to restore mobility to joints. Just as with chiropractic care, this may include both manual and machine work among the rehab tools. Physical therapy typically takes several weeks of appointments to make a difference, and it may not always work. Not all injuries can be improved with physical therapy.
For injuries that don’t respond to physical therapy or chiropractic care and where surgery is not an option or likely solution, the only relief may be provided through pain medication. The problem with this is that pain medication such as opioids only treats the symptom and not the underlying problem. However, for some people, this is the only way for them to function through the pain. Americans spend over $50 million a year on back pain, and much of it is spend on pain medications. If you do go this route, you need to consult regularly with a doctor to ensure you avoid dependence.
Chronic back pain and other forms of pain are a big problem. Though pain medication can help, it’s a good idea to try a chiropractic adjusting instrument and/or physical therapy first before turning to medication.