Chiropractor

If you have a problem with chronic back pain, you may feel like you are running out of options for relief. Your doctor has probably prescribed pain killers and muscle relaxers, but you can’t take those and function adequately. With the opioid epidemic reaching a critical level, doctors are remiss to prescribe anything too strong. What other options do you have to help control the pain? Luckily for you, you have a group of providers that are at the ready to work together to help you feel better in the short and long run.

Medical Doctor

Your medical doctor is your first line of attack in pain management. You may have some options, most of which consist of medication either over the counter or prescription. However, if pain killers have an adverse effect on you, they may not be an option. Surgery may be your last resort, and it is not a step you wish to take at this time. Fortunately, your doctor can then recommend the services of a physical therapist and a chiropractor to provide further relief.

Physical Therapist

Depending on the cause of your pain, a physical therapist may be able to help. Through the use of heat, cold therapy, electrical impulses to stimulate muscles (called TENS units) and massage among other methods, a physical therapist may be able to provide temporary relief several times a week if your condition warrants it. Therapists may also teach exercises that can be performed at home to help stretch and strengthen back muscles. Boosting the muscles in your back can help provide support to the spinal column if that is where the pain is originating.

Chiropractor

If your back issue originates in the spine, a chiropractor can help. Through specialized maneuvers called spinal adjustments, a chiropractor can help realign the vertebrae and offer pain relief. These movements also stimulate the body to help heal itself. These maneuvers are performed by a licensed professional who is well-versed in performing them safely. Your medical doctor will refer you if a chiropractor can assist in correcting your condition. Chiropractors can help with more than just spinal issues.

Chiropractic practices can offer pain relief that may eventually become long-term if the body can repair itself. Years ago, a medical doctor would not have necessarily recorded chiropractic care, but now the practice is much more respected.