Chiropractic Care and Pain Management

In the medical field, there is a term known as pain management which is typically known for using prescription drugs and intraspinal steroid injections. These prescription drugs often times are narcotics and opiates such as Vicodin, Oxycodone, Codeine, etc. Intraspinal steroid injections are completed often successfully, but can also have negative side effects as well.

The Conservative Approach

On the natural side of the spectrum, Chiropractic pain management is done with conservative methods of care without the use of injections or foreign substances into the body. Chiropractic care demonstrates the ability of the body to use its own healing mechanisms. Chiropractors do so by helping the areas of the body that aren't moving well and causing pain to move how they biomechanically should be moving. This can be done a number of different ways such as releasing the soft tissue that is tight and inhibiting movement, spinal/ extremity adjusting for the joints of the body, or through exercise prescription . 

Why Try Conservative Care Before Surgery or Injections?

On a consistent basis we get people showing up to our clinic with a very similar story, and that is that they were told their only option is to get surgery or get injections to manage their pain. The problem with this is that it will do a great job at covering up the symptoms, but is not getting to the root cause of the problem, which often times leads to re-occurring problems or new problems from covering up the old problem.

The great thing about chiropractic care is that it focuses on the body as a whole, meaning we don't just look at the one spot that's hurting we look at how the rest of the body may be effecting the problem area. A lot of times when there's a problem in an area that is beyond repair, there is still, more times than not, ways to manage the pain and symptoms to avoid surgery for years or even a lifetime! This is often done with soft tissue work and adjusting as well as exercises and stretches given to the patient to do consistently when symptoms flare up. As the article says, this is a pain "management" strategy, designed to manage and improve symptoms when surgery is the only discussed option. 

How often do you need to be seen?

This is a question we are often get asked from our patients. The answer largely depends on two things.

1. Patient Compliance. Would you go work out, then right after eat a bunch of junk food? Intuitively we know the answer is no. This same concept can be applied to chiropractic care. If we get you feeling and moving better, you wouldn't go back to your day to day and do the same things that are causing the pain and dysfunction would you? The stretches and exercises given post treatment are for you to maintain the progress made during the visit and obtain the tools you need to maintain your health outside of the clinic. With good patient compliance the less visits will be needed.
2. Severity. Patients with more severe problems or even more chronic issues are likely going to get the best results from initially getting treatment close in succession, a couple times a week, until the patient is stable in their pain level and movement. From there we like to start spacing out visits until the patient is back to pre-injury status, at that point we will then be there as much or as little as the patient needs us. 

Consult with one of our doctors to see if we can help you get out of pain and moving better. 

Call us: 406-551-2177

Schedule online at: https://appointments.mychirotouch.com/?clinic=GVCL0001