Pain can be brief and acute, or a chronic condition people endure. Pain sufferers might take medications for either type of pain. However, prolonged use of pain medications masks the pain’s true cause. Many people find pain relief and healing through chiropractic care.

Side Effects of Pain Medications

Doctors often prescribe pain medications as a quick and inexpensive solution. But pain medications bring the chance of addiction, accidental overdose and increased tolerance. With narcotics, the more you take, the more you need. Eventually you can develop hyperalgesia, a change in the nervous system that makes you even more sensitive to pain. Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are not necessarily safe, either. Too much acetaminophen can harm your liver. Common OTC pain relievers also up the odds of developing bleeding ulcers, according to the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

Chiropractic Adjustments for Chronic Pain

Chiropractors can often help relieve pain that’s persisted for weeks, months or even years. The theory behind chiropractic medicine is that if your musculoskeletal structure is properly aligned, the body is better able to heal itself. Rather than medication or surgery, the chiropractic solution is hands-on manipulation. Spinal manipulation and quick, forceful chiropractic adjustments can increase mobility in joints with restricted and painful movement.

Body Parts Affected

Many people associate chiropractors with back pain. However, chiropractors also treat other painful body parts, including necks, legs and arms. Chiropractic treatment can relieve pain in joints, bones, muscle, ligaments and tendons. Headache sufferers can benefit from chiropractic treatments too. Nine out of 10 Americans get painful headaches, according to the American Chiropractic Association. Many headaches originate in the neck. Spinal manipulation relieves many patients' headaches without causing the side effects that pain medications do. Chiropractors can also advise patients on work-space ergonomics to avoid pain-causing postures. Some patients combine chiropractic treatment with conventional medical approaches.

Results

Chiropractors estimate that, of the 22 million Americans who annually seek their help, back pain brings about 7.7 million, or 35 percent, into their offices. Many find relief. Researchers studying chiropractic medicine find many positive results. A 2003 study published in the British Medical Journal followed 183 patients with neck pain through a 52-week treatment. Those who received manual adjustments recovered faster, and at about one-third the cost. The American Medical Journal also recognizes that chiropractic care can ease pain.

What You Can Do

If you suffer from pain and long to avoid medications, call our office. We will thoroughly examine you to determine how you can best benefit from chiropractic treatment.