Learn About Chiropractic Care
when seeking a pain management physician, it is often advantageous to find one that practices in a multidisciplinary and multimodal manner. These physicians can offer their patients more options and can provide them with an array of services, allowing an individualized treatment plan to be created.
Chiropractic care can tie in closely with pain management. With the rise in the abuse of prescription pain medications, many patients are wary of managing their pain with medications. Chiropractic care is minimally invasive, non-pharmacological, and can be repeated with minimal if any side-effects.
Disc decompression is a common treatment provided by chiropractors and is a process that gradually lengthens and decompresses the spine. The intervertebral discs within the spine are filled with a jelly-like fluid called the nucleus pulposus, which get compressed throughout natural processes during the day. Eventually, through age and/or injury, the discs will not fully “re-inflate” at night when sleeping as they do when a person is young and in good health. Additionally, as the discs in the spine are constantly under pressure, this can slow the rate of healing.
Decompression causes “negative pressure” within the discs, which help them to re-hydrate and creates a better cushion within the spine. The decompression machine can be set by the doctor per your individual medical needs and can be set up to focus on the cervical (neck) spine or lumbar (lower) spine. Spinal disc decompression can offer pain relief or can work in conjunction with ongoing procedures and other interventional pain management treatments.
There are some alternative treatments within chiropractic care that are widely used but not well understood by the public. Gua sha, a treatment that raises a millet-like skin rash, but has been shown to work extremely well for painful and sore spots on the body. Gua sha treatments should always be administered by a professional. The area to be gua sha-ed will first be treated with oil so that the process is not painful. Then, the skin is rubbed with a round-edged tool in downward motions. The rash that is raised can tell the practitioner the severity of the existing condition. For most patients, relief is felt immediately after treatment.
Chiropractic care can include acupuncture, the practice of placing sterilized, very fine grade needles strategically to relieve pain. By stimulating these areas with the needles, endorphins are released, which are the body’s natural painkillers. In addition to that, it has been shown that acupuncture can cause lowered blood pressure, lowered core body temperature and can help with a variety of health issues.
