Treatment for Neck / Back Pain

What Does Chiropractic for Back or Neck Pain Involve?

A chiropractor first takes a medical history, performs a physical examination, and may use lab tests or diagnostic imaging to determine if treatment is appropriate for your back or neck pain.

The treatment plan may involve one or more manual adjustments in which the doctor manipulates the joints, using a controlled, sudden force to improve range and quality of motion. Chiropractors may also incorporate nutritional counseling and exercise/rehabilitation into the treatment plan. The goals of chiropractic care include the restoration of function and prevention of injury in addition to back pain relief.

About Low-Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most common health complaints, affecting 8 out of 10 people at some point during their lives. The lower back is the area most often affected. For many people, back pain goes away on its own after a few days or weeks. But for others, the pain becomes chronic and lasts for months or years. Low-back pain can be debilitating, and it is a challenging condition to diagnose, treat, and study.

About Spinal Manipulation

Spinal manipulation—sometimes called “spinal manipulative therapy”—is practiced by health care professionals such as chiropractors, osteopathic physicians, naturopathic physicians, physical therapists, and some medical doctors. Practitioners perform spinal manipulation by using their hands or a device to apply a controlled force to a joint of the spine. The amount of force applied depends on the form of manipulation used. The goal of the treatment is to relieve pain and improve physical functioning.

There are a number of different methods of adjustments that use various degrees of hand pressure and specialised equipment, including:

• Using the hands to press or push
• Positioning the body to use gravity and the body’s own weight
• Using mechanical instruments
• Placing wedges under the body and using the body’s own weight
• Using specialised adjusting tables to assist the adjustments
• Using slow and sustained hand pressure or swifter movements.

Special considerations in chiropractic

If you have specific health conditions or other issues, the chiropractor will take them into account when deciding on your treatment. These assessments help the chiropractor to evaluate any special needs you may have and to ensure your safety and comfort during treatment.

These issues may include:

• Whether you have signs of or diagnosed arthritis
• Any suspected or recent fractures, bone breaks or trauma
• Disorders of the circulation
• Whether you are, or have recently been, pregnant
• Your body size
• Your age – whether you are young, elderly or frail
• The medication that you are taking
• Previous treatment, including operations.

Side Effects and Risks

Reviews have concluded that spinal manipulation for low-back pain is relatively safe when performed by a trained and licensed practitioner. The most common side effects are generally minor and include feeling tired or temporary soreness.

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