Resolving Back Problems Once and For All

Some of the most common types of personal injury are injuries that lead to neck and back pain. In many instances, chiropractic care is a useful tool to help reduce pain and increase functionality after an injury.

Develop A Long-Range Plan

Seeing a chiropractor is an excellent way to create a long-range plan for overcoming injury. During your initial appointment, your chiropractor will determine your exact needs. This can include imaging tests to make sure your needs are not beyond the scope of their care, such as the need for surgery. Once it is determined they can treat you, your chiropractor will make recommendations for your care. Generally, this will involve manipulation or adjustments if your skeletal system is poorly aligned, and it may include additional treatments, such as a specialized diet and supplements to address a range of issues. In the early stages after an injury, you might need frequent appointments, but as your condition improves, your chiropractor might only need to see you once every few months to maintain your progress.

Reduce Pain

One of the major reasons people seek chiropractic care for personal injuries is to reduce pain and return to work or other activities. Some of the most common pain-related problems that occur after an injury are neck and low-back pain. Spinal manipulation is one technique that can be used for both neck and back pain. Your chiropractor will use special techniques and quick motions to help realign your spine. The treatment often results in less pain because the spine may no longer compress nerves, which can lead to shooting nerve pain that goes down the arms or legs. Similar benefits can occur with careful manipulation or traction of the cervical spine. Manipulation and traction can reduce disc compression in the cervical spine and can reduce stiffness that often occurs after injury.

Improved Mobility

In addition to reduced pain, increased mobility is also a major benefit of chiropractic care after injury. Generally, as pain decreases, mobility also increases, but there may continue to be some range-of-motion problems. High-velocity low-amplitude thrust (HVLAT) is one technique that can be useful for increasing the range of motion in the cervical spine. This technique involves small, quick motions of the head that do not travel a great distance. The quick motions help reduce restrictions in the musculoskeletal system that are causing decreased range of motion. Similar techniques can be used elsewhere, such as in the thoracic or lumbar spine, with similar benefits.

Contact a chiropractor to learn more about personal injury chiropractic care.