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Different Chiropractic Treatment Modalities for Back Pain

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Chiropractic care focuses on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of a variety of injuries and conditions associated with the musculoskeletal and nervous system. Specializing on the spine and its surrounding structures, chiropractic treatment commonly utilizes spinal adjustments and manual manipulations to restore the proper function of the body, however, many chiropractors use other therapies to treat patients.

The following are other common therapeutic treatment methods that chiropractors can additionally offer along with a brief description of each.

Rehabilitation Stretches

After an individual has experienced an injury or aggravated a previous condition, rehabilitation stretches can be essential to prevent the formation of scar tissue. Even after the damage has healed, maintaining a regular program of stretches recommended by a healthcare professional or chiropractor can help maintain and improve flexibility and mobility as well as help protect the tissues from suffering further injury. Your chiropractor will instruct you on the best stretching techniques for you depending on your specific injury or condition and they will supervise you throughout the process.

Rehabilitation Exercises

Together with the recommended set of stretches, a healthcare specialist or chiropractor can follow up by recommending specific exercises to strengthen the structures surrounding the spine of patients with neck and back complications. Strengthening exercises can help eliminate symptoms of pain as well as help prevent the degeneration of the muscles, promotes joint health and can increase strength, stability and range of motion to protect the body from suffering further injuries or aggravating conditions.

Your chiropractor will demonstrate how to do the exercises and supervise you until you are comfortable doing them on your own. It’s fundamental to keep up with your exercises as recommended by your healthcare provides. Research studies have demonstrated that individuals who follow their specific exercise instructions carefully heal faster than those who do not.

Traction

Many chiropractors utilize traction devices to apply traction to different areas of the body in order to distract different regions of the spine. This treatment helps separate the vertebrae, decompressing the discs to reduce and eliminate nerve root pressure.

Soft-Tissue Manual Therapy

Many chiropractors will utilize a variety of hands-on soft tissue therapies to help improve the function of the soft tissues, including muscles, ligaments, tendons and joint capsules. Soft-tissue manual therapies such as the pin and stretch, best known as the active release technique, or ART, and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization, best known as the Graston technique, are some of the most common soft-tissue manual therapies used.

Muscular Stimulation

Muscle stimulation is performed by transmitting light electrical pulses to specific areas of the body through electrodes placed against the skin. There’s a variety of electrical stimulation therapies available. Several types can be more beneficial towards eliminating pain, reducing inflammation and for treating muscle spasms while others may actually cause muscles to contract in order to reduce muscle atrophy. Some forms of electrical muscular stimulation can have a combination of benefits and effects.

TENS

A transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation or TENS unit is a small, battery-powered, portable muscle stimulation machine which can be utilized at home to help control pain. Variable intensities of electric current can be utilized by healthcare professionals to control the symptoms of pain. This treatment is recommended to help patients get through periods of severe or acute pain caused by their specific type of injury or condition. TENS units are generally not recommended for chronic pain, however. As a matter of fact, a 2009 report from the American Academy of Neurology determined that transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation units may not be effective for treating chronic low back pain.

Ultrasound

Therapeutic ultrasound is a form of deep heat therapy created by sound waves. When applied to soft tissues and joints, the sound waves function as a form of micro-massage which helps decrease pain, reduce swelling, stiffness and spasms as well as increase blood flow.

Ice and Heat Therapy

The application of ice and heat have been used for many years to treat many painful injuries and conditions. Ice therapy is often recommended to reduce swelling and help control pain immediately after an injury. Heat therapy is often recommended to relax the muscles, increase circulation, and can provide relief to patients with chronic pain. According to the patient’s condition, a combination of ice and heat can be used.

Nutritional Counseling

Research studies have concluded that following an improper diet and nutrition can provide imbalances in the body which may contribute to a variety of serious illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even cancer. Many chiropractors are especially trained in diet and nutritional counseling. Your chiropractor can design a nutritional program depending on your needs in order to help you maintain overall health and wellness as well as to minimize the risk of developing these serious health conditions.

Lifestyle Modification Counseling

Good health is much more than the absence of pain or disease. The lifestyle choices you make on a daily basis can greatly affect your entire well-being. Over time, a lifestyle of unhealthy lifestyle choices can ultimately lead to a wide array of health complications. Examples of lifestyle choices and behaviors that can have negative effects on your health include:

  • lack of regular exercise
  • smoking
  • poor diet
  • excessive mental stress
  • over-reliance on medication
  • excessive consumption of alcohol
  • poor posture
  • improper lifting

A healthcare specialist or chiropractor will discuss a patient’s lifestyle choices and habits in order to help them identify which of them could be considered an unhealthy health habit. These can then be altered and modified using practical strategies.

Chiropractic care focuses on using much more than spinal adjustments and manual manipulations to ensure the patient achieves their health goals. Doctors of chiropractic use a variety of treatment modalities to help the body naturally heal itself and return the patient to healthier life.

The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 width=

By Dr. Alex Jimenez

Additional Topics: What is Chiropractic?

Chiropractic care is an well-known, alternative treatment option utilized to prevent, diagnose and treat a variety of injuries and conditions associated with the spine, primarily subluxations or spinal misalignments. Chiropractic focuses on restoring and maintaining the overall health and wellness of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Through the use of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, a chiropractor, or doctor of chiropractic, can carefully re-align the spine, improving a patient’s strength, mobility and flexibility.

 

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Professional Scope of Practice *

The information herein on "Different Chiropractic Treatment Modalities for Back Pain" is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.

Blog Information & Scope Discussions

Our information scope is limited to Chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somatovisceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and/or functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.

We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.*

Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and has identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please feel free to ask Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, or contact us at 915-850-0900.

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Blessings

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN*, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
Texas DC License # TX5807, New Mexico DC License # NM-DC2182

Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN*) in Florida
Florida License RN License # RN9617241 (Control No. 3558029)
License Compact Status: Multi-State License: Authorized to Practice in 40 States*
Presently Matriculated: ICHS: MSN* FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, RN* CIFM*, IFMCP*, ATN*, CCST
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