Back Pain Doctor Bowie, MD
Many individuals experience back pain on a daily basis, as a back pain doctor known in the Bowie, MD community is familiar with. It is a condition that does not just affect older individuals. It can come in different forms, and can be debilitating enough that it interferes with everyday activities and tasks. There are options for you if you suffer from persistent or intense back pain that is affecting how you live your daily life. Do not wait another day to learn how you can receive chiropractic care. Contact a trusted chiropractor such as one at Mid-Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic who has treated many patients with their back pain.
Table of Contents
- The Do’s And Don’ts Of Dealing With Back Pain
- How Can You Improve Chronic Back Pain?
- Why Should I Go See A Chiropractor?
- Back Pain Doctor Infographic
- What To Expect At Your Chiropractic Sessions
- Benefits Of Chiropractic Care
- Common Misconceptions About Back Pain
- How To Describe Your Back Pain To Your Doctor
BACK PAIN DOCTOR IN BOWIE, MD
As one of the most common conditions, back pain is an issue for many people across various occupations and industries, from strenuous construction work to stationary administrative tasks. About 8% percent of adults report constant back pain. Even the most active and healthy individuals can suffer from back pain. People can experience back pain due to underlying health conditions or their daily activities. If you are someone who experiences constant or mild to severe back pain, you may find it helpful to receive chiropractic care.
Back pain should be addressed as early as possible to avoid long term or chronic health issues. If not treated early, your back pain can worsen and it may become more difficult for you to manage your condition. Back pain that is not addressed in time can result in your range of motion and flexibility to become even more limited. Severe back pain may need to be treated with medication or surgery. Speak to a chiropractor first to see if chiropractic care is right for your back pain.
CAUSES OF BACK PAIN
Many reasons and factors can contribute to back pain. Pre-existing health conditions such as spinal alignment issues or herniated discs can cause back pain. Lifestyle choices can play a role. If you are an athlete you may be prone to experiencing back injuries, as well as some occupational activities such as frequent desk work can. Your daily habits can also contribute to your level of back pain. If you have a bad habit of having poor posture, you could be making your pain worse. Here are some common causes of back pain:
- Arthritis
- Fractures
- Nerve damage
- Car accidents
- Muscle sprains
- Occupational work
HOW CHIROPRACTIC TREATMENT CAN BENEFIT YOU
If you suffer from back pain, you may benefit from receiving chiropractic care. As a Bowie, Maryland back pain doctor that many residents depend on can tell you, spinal adjustments are one of the common ways a chiropractor can treat back pain. Chiropractors use their hands or other instruments to adjust or manipulate specific vertebrae. This increases your range of motion and releases tension in the joints and muscles.
GET RELIEF FOR YOUR BACK PAIN
If you suffer from chronic back pain, it may be worth exploring to see if alternative therapeutic treatments can provide you relief. Schedule an appointment with an experienced back pain doctor in Bowie, MD to find out if chiropractic care is right for your condition.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Dealing With Back Pain
How you deal with a bout of back pain can make a significant difference in shortening your recovery period as well as minimizing the pain and discomfort you experience. Whether the back pain originates from a traumatic injury or from a chronic condition, following certain proven principles will aid your recovery. It all begins with finding the right back pain doctor in Bowie, MD.
Do Seek Treatment Right Away
You might think that back pain is something you have to live with, but getting help in a timely manner can limit the amount of pain you feel. It can also make sure your daily routine is not impacted for too long a duration. This holds true for nearly all conditions that result in pain in the lower, middle and upper back.
At Mid Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic, we will start you on an effective program that treats your underlying condition. Coming in immediately to work with our team often catches problems before they get worse and become harder to treat.
Don’t Rely Entirely on Pain Relievers
While taking pain pills can reduce pain in your back, it is not without risks. Many pain medicines become addictive and create additional problems. Even OTC medications can have negative consequences, especially for people who have high blood pressure or certain other conditions. Working closely with an experienced back pain doctor in Bowie, MD, often has the benefit of allowing patients to use fewer pain medicines.
Do Consult With Your Insurance Carrier
Regular treatments are often the best way to deal with back pain, but if you are worried about the expense of multiple visits, make sure you consider insurance. You may find that many plans cover an ongoing series of visits for back conditions, making the treatments quite affordable. In fact, regular treatments can help you avoid more expensive surgery and save you money in the long run.
At Mid Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic, we will work with your insurance company to get you the best rate. It is possible that your treatment program with our office will be of a shorter duration than other options.
Don’t Accept a Painful Life
Many treatments can improve the pain you feel in your back. These include simple solutions such as focusing on your posture and sleeping on the right mattress. The right back pain doctor in Bowie, MD, can also help you identify activities that will not further harm your back. Chronic pain does not have to be a part of your daily life.
How Can You Improve Chronic Back Pain?
Living with continual pain in your upper or lower back can keep you from doing the things that you need to do. Effective treatment can make a world of difference in how you feel and how productive you can be. Moreover, keeping your back healthy is instrumental in supporting your overall wellness. Chronic pain can lead to mobility impairments which naturally result in less exercise and diminished endurance. Chronic back pain also causes increased stress levels which may contribute to elevated blood pressure levels and worsened inflammation. Ultimately, it’s urgent that you make an active effort to pursue meaningful relief. Here are some ways that you may be able to address back pain that has become chronic.
Wear a Brace
A supportive brace is particularly useful for individuals who experience chronic back pain and do not have strong muscles supporting the affected area. Without good muscular support, inflammation may make specific areas of the back more likely to slip out of alignment or move unnaturally. A brace restricts improper movements that can worsen inflammation and back pain. A back pain doctor in Bowie, MD at Mid Atlantic Rehab and Chiropractic can advise you about whether using a brace could be helpful in treating your condition.
Rethink Your Workstation
Reevaluating the ergonomics of your workstation may reveal that a minor modification can be very helpful. A back pain doctor in Bowie, MD at Mid Atlantic Rehab and Chiropractic may be able to offer some professional insight about how your working environment could be affecting your recovery.
Get Chiropractic Treatment
Realigning your spine can take pressure off of impinged nerves and alleviate stiffness or soreness. A back pain Doctor in Bowie, MD can suggest a course of treatment geared towards addressing both acute inflammation and nerve pain that extends beyond the site of an injury.
Use Electrical Stimulation
An e-stim machine may be beneficial because it interrupts the transmission of pain signals. Small electrodes generate a sensation that feels more like a pulse than a shock. You can use this type of treatment with assistance from a physical therapist or on your own with a device for at-home use. You can also use these types of devices in conjunction with other treatments from a back pain doctor in Bowie, MD at Mid Atlantic Rehab and Chiropractic.
If your back has been causing you continual discomfort, you have to address it before the problem continues to get any worse. Taking good care of your back is essential to managing your overall health.
WHY SHOULD I GO SEE A CHIROPRACTOR?
In addition to back pain, a chiropractor can help you with many other health conditions and improve your quality of life. Mid Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic’s back pain doctors in Bowie, MD will work with you to treat both your chronic and acute ailments. Contact us today to start treatment as soon as possible. Our professional chiropractors can help you with:
- Neck Pain: A chiropractor treats neck pain by adjusting or manipulating the spine. If you have had a neck injury such as whiplash or are experiencing chronic neck pain without an injury, chiropractic care can greatly benefit you.
- Tinnitus (Ear Ringing): Many people suffer from hearing a ringing noise in their ear, also known as tinnitus. You may hear a clicking, ringing, buzzing or humming sound in one or both of your ears. A spinal injury is one of the causes of tinnitus. Treating your neck injury with a neck adjustment can relieve the ringing sound you are experiencing.
- Headaches: Spinal adjustments can relieve tension and migraine headaches. People who experience tension headaches describe it as feeling like they have a band around their head. Tension headaches are caused by stress and poor posture. Your chiropractor can relieve these headaches by adjusting the neck and providing you with exercises to correct your posture. Migraine symptoms include pain, nausea, vomiting, and visual disruptions. Chiropractic spinal manipulation from our back pain doctors in Bowie, MD can decrease the pain intensity and frequency of your migraines.
- Arthritis: People with arthritis experience tender and painful joints. Over time, your arthritis will worsen, increasing pain and stiffness in the joint and limiting your ability to move. You have a higher chance of developing arthritis if you are female, overweight, previously injured the joint in a sports injury or by other means, or have a family history of arthritis. Receiving chiropractic treatment can decrease your pain and improve the mobility of the joint.
- Shoulder and Knee Pain: Shoulder and knee pain can develop from overexertion, repetitive movements and for other reasons. Your chiropractor can reduce your pain and increase your mobility through treatment. Treatment may include stretching the surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments and/or manipulating your spine depending on your condition.
Back Pain Doctor Infographic
WHAT TO EXPECT AT YOUR CHIROPRACTIC SESSIONS
During your first appointment, your chiropractor will ask you lots of questions including what symptoms you’re currently experiencing, your personal and family medical history, your diet and exercise routine, and other topics related to your condition. They may order x-rays or an MRI to better see the area of your body where you are experiencing pain. Your chiropractor will use all of this information to create a treatment plan.
Chiropractic sessions can be short or long in duration depending on your condition. Your chiropractor may lay you on a flat or drop table and will gently manipulate your spine or other areas of the body. In addition to chiropractic care, your treatment plan may include at-home exercises, changes to your diet, modifying your workout program, taking supplements or other holistic approaches that improve your overall well-being.
DON’T WAIT FOR YOUR PAIN TO GET WORSE
Slight back, shoulder or neck pain may seem bearable, but if left untreated, it can turn into a chronic condition and affect other parts of your body. The worse your condition gets, the more complicated it is to treat. Don’t wait. Call our staff at Mid Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic today for a consultation with our back pain doctors in Bowie, MD.
BACK PAIN DOCTOR BOWIE, MD
Finding a back pain doctor in Bowie, MD is a common search as nearly 70 million adults in the United States deal with some kind of chronic pain. Lower back pain is the second most common reason people seek out a doctor. Many of these people are wanting to find an alternative to medication for pain relief and chiropractic treatment is one of the potential pain management options.
In general, chiropractors are more likely to use manipulation techniques to relieve your symptoms. Often this includes the back as if your back is in pain other parts of your body can soon show signs that they are hurting too.
Bowie Back Pain Statistics
According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, each year, Medicare spends between $400 million and $500 million on chiropractic care alone. This highlights the growing importance and widespread recognition of chiropractic care. If you are suffering from back pain, call our office to learn how chiropractic treatment may be able to help.
BENEFITS OF CHIROPRACTIC CARE
- Improves neck pain
Neck pain is a common problem for many people in the world. If you sit for long hours or frequently bend your neck to use your phone you may end up with neck pain. This can then translate down into back pain if you do nothing about it. A chiropractor may help ease your neck pain by realigning your spine and easing tension in your neck muscles.
- Reduces reliance on opioid pain relievers
With so many people having chronic pain in the United States it adds up to the amount of opioid use. Most people will get prescriptions for these pain medications and they are highly addicting. If you were to see a chiropractor you could lower your need to take these pain relievers. A large study in 2020 found that those who see both a doctor and chiropractor to treat back pain relief less on pain relief medication than those who just saw a doctor.
- Eases back pain
It is the chiropractor’s job to help relieve your pain. By making sure everything is in alignment you can get back to doing what you were before your pain started. One common reason for back pain is poor posture, and undergoing chiropractic treatment can help you learn to correct it. The goal is to train your body to feel better and work better in the long run.
- Eases headache symptoms
Spinal manipulation can be effective in treating tension headaches and migraines. There are many headaches that are caused by pressure at the base of the neck. A chiropractor can ease this tension and help relieve your headaches in the long run.
- More affordable treatment
Chiropractic treatment may be a cheaper alternative to conventional methods of training chronic low back pain. There are many methods to treating pain but you may find that a chiropractor is cheaper in the long run. It can also be a shorter duration than other methods as well depending on your body.
When it comes to back pain it can truly stall your life. If there was an easier way to deal with it, would you take it? If you are looking for a back pain doctor in Bowie, MD to help you then consider the team at Mid Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic to help you get started on your journey to recovery.
Common Misconceptions About Back Pain
Back pain affects many men and women these days. However, this common ailment is still so widely misunderstood. Here are a few misconceptions about back pain that you shouldn’t believe.
- Bed rest is beneficial for back pain. Back in the day, many doctors advised patients with back pain to stay in bed. However, medical professionals later concluded that too much bed rest is actually bad for back pain. If you lie in bed too long, you can become stiff and feel more pain. Therefore, it’s best to get some light physical activity as you heal. For example, you can walk around your house.
- Back pain is always caused by an injury. Sometimes people can suffer back pain after getting injured in a vehicle collision or other accident. However, many people develop back pain from other causes, such as poor posture, disc degeneration and spinal stenosis.
- Surgery is the only way to treat back pain. Just like with many other conditions, surgery should be used as a last resort because it comes with risks. Luckily, as a back pain doctor in Bowie, MD can explain, many cases of back pain can be successfully treated with non-invasive methods, like chiropractic therapy. It’s important to try various non-invasive treatments before resorting to surgery.
- Back pain is frequently disabling. It’s true that back pain can be extremely uncomfortable and make it difficult to do normal activities at first. However, if a healthcare professional finds the root cause of your back pain and treats it accordingly, you notice a significant improvement in your back in time.
- A very firm mattress will improve back pain. This actually isn’t true. People with back pain may experience more pain from a very firm mattress because it puts pressure on their hips and shoulders. A mattress that is too soft, on the other hand, won’t provide your back with proper support as you sleep. It’s best to choose a medium-firm mattress.
- Back pain is a normal part of getting older. Too many people assume that back pain is just something they have to live with as they age. The reality is that it doesn’t have to be this way. If you stay physically active and maintain proper posture, for example, you will have a lower risk of developing back pain in your later years.
How To Describe Your Back Pain to Your Doctor
Back pain can be complicated because it can be either neurological or muscular in origin. Neurological back pain involves either the spinal cord itself or the peripheral nerve roots that extend out from it to the other areas of the body. A number of other structures, such as intervertebral disks or spinal facet joints, may be involved in the pain as well. For example, neurological back pain may result from pressure on the spinal cord or the nerve roots from a damaged structure such as a herniated disk.
The complex nature of back pain can make it difficult to describe to a back pain doctor in Bowie, MD. However, the more detailed a description you provide, the easier it is for the staff at Mid Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic to diagnose the cause of your pain and determine a treatment plan.
Location of the Pain
The spine runs from the base of the skull to the pelvis, and because it is so long, doctors divide it into three different sections to make talking about it easier. Knowing about these sections can make it easier for you to describe the location of your symptoms to a back pain doctor in Bowie, MD.
The lumbar spine is the low back. It consists of five vertebrae. Back pain here is very common. If it is accompanied by symptoms such as bladder or bowel incontinence, sexual dysfunction, or numbness of the buttocks and back of the thighs, this is a rare but serious complication and requires immediate medical attention.
The thoracic spine consists of 12 vertebrae in the upper back. This section of the spine is more rigid, so back pain here is less common but not out of the question. Pain in the neck may originate from the seven vertebrae of the cervical spine.
Quality of the Pain
The quality of the pain can provide significant clues to its origin. Radicular pain starts at a point in the back but extends outward to affect the legs or arms. Referred pain is similar but, instead of radiating, it shows up in a spot distant from the origin of pain. For example, a problem with the cervical spine in the neck may manifest as pain in the temporomandibular joint of the jaw. Axial pain remains confined to the point of origin. It is also known as mechanical pain and results from problems such as muscle strain.
The professionals at Mid Atlantic Spinal Rehab & Chiropractic are trained and experienced at diagnosing back pain. Nevertheless, the more information you can give your back pain doctor in Bowie, MD, the easier the diagnosis becomes.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Visit with a Back Doctor
If you suffer from chronic back pain, it may be beneficial to see a back pain doctor in Bowie, MD. In order to get the most out of your treatment, you must take an active role in your recovery. Here are some tips to get the most out of your visit.
- Be completely honest. A back doctor can’t help you if you aren’t completely truthful about your condition. During your visit, be honest about your medical history and lifestyle habits. For instance, if back pain runs in your family or you have poor posture, tell your doctor that. The more details your doctor has to go on, the better he or she can help you.
- Go to your appointments consistently. When you have back pain, you naturally want instant relief. However, it’s not always realistic. Depending on the severity of your condition, you might require multiple sessions before you feel better. If you don’t feel a lot better after one or two appointments, don’t get discouraged. Continue to go to your appointments and trust the process.
- Perfect your posture. Your posture can have a major effect on your back pain. If you sit slouched all the time, it can put pressure on your spine, increasing back pain. As such, your back pain doctor will want you to pay more attention to your posture. Always sit up straight with your shoulders pulled back. If you have to sit for long periods of time, try putting a small pillow behind your back for extra support.
- Get enough rest. How much sleep you get every night can also play an important role in your back pain. A good night’s rest will give your body a chance to recover from a stressful day and may reduce your back pain. Make sure that you sleep on a good-quality mattress.
- Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated is beneficial for many parts of your body, including your back. Water will help lubricate the small discs in your spine, preventing damage. Aim to drink eight glasses of water a day.
- Stay active. When you have back pain, exercise might be one of the last things on your mind. However, remaining active can actually prevent stiffness in your back, which may ultimately relieve your pain. Stick to lightweight exercises, such as walking and swimming.
Client Review
“I came in with an excruciating pain on my lower back and was seen by Dr. Marc G. at this practice. Dr. Marc was very thorough and worked his magic, all better now. Strongly recommend. Plus excellent customer service, thank you Laura!”
K Matta