Most people associate a chiropractor with stretching muscles and popping joints in the neck and back, which are common reasons for chiropractic care, but a chiropractor can offer so much more than that. Most chiropractors provide their patients with holistic care services, which are meant to address the root cause of the pain and heal the entire body instead of masking symptoms with drugs and medications. Though drugs and medications have their place, a chiropractor’s goal is to improve their patients’ overall health through a guided recovery treatment plan.
Below, we give 12 reasons why you may want to see a chiropractor to treat your injuries following an accident.
Why Do People Go to Chiropractors?
People seek chiropractic care for a variety of reasons, primarily related to musculoskeletal issues and general wellness. These reasons are often the result of some accidental injury that has left the patient with a debilitating condition, something that prevents them from moving or living as they once did. They may have received emergency medical care to treat their immediate needs, but now they require help recovering and regaining their well-being.
Here are the top reasons why people visit chiropractors:
Back Pain
Back pain is one of the most prevalent health issues worldwide, affecting millions of people annually. It is the leading cause of disability and missed workdays, significantly impacting quality of life and productivity. Common causes of back pain include the following:
- Poor Posture: Extended periods of sitting or standing improperly can lead to an imbalance in your muscles and strain on the spine.
- Muscle Strain: From sudden movements to overexertion, muscles can become strained, requiring rest and treatment.
- Injuries: Patients involved in car accidents, sports injuries, or any traumatic event may suffer from back pain as a result.
Neck Pain
As with back pain, neck pain is also frequently associated with similar causes: poor posture, injuries, or stress. For example, those working at a computer or off their cell phone all day may experience neck pain and seek a chiropractor for help treating it.
A common neck injury from car accidents is whiplash. Whiplash, if left untreated, can cause significant pain and restrict the range of motion.
Headaches and Migraines
Chiropractic adjustments can help reduce the frequency and severity of headaches, including:
- Tension Headaches: Brought on by stress, poor posture, and muscle tension, patients feel a dull ache that starts in the head but spreads to tightness in the neck and shoulders.
- Migraines: A severe headache often affecting one side of the head, these headaches can lead to nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light. These pains can last for hours to several days.
- Cluster Headaches: Concentrating around one side of the head or eye, these sharp, burning headaches occur in groups, or clusters, lasting for weeks to months.
- Cervicogenic Headaches: Occurring at the base of the skull, these headaches cause radiating pain toward the forehead, temples, and eyes. These headaches are often linked to a neck injury or poor posture.
Joint Pain
Joint pain, especially in the knees, hips, shoulders, wrists, and elbows, can be effectively managed with chiropractic care. Common causes of joint pain may include the following:
- Injuries
- Bursitis
- Tendinitis
- Gout
Sciatica
Sciatica refers to the pain associated with pressure placed on the sciatic nerve in the lower back. The sciatic nerve runs through the hips and down each leg. Pain often radiates from the lower back down this nerve and is frequently debilitating, limiting function and mobility. Patients may also experience numbness, weakness, and a loss of reflexes.
Pressure on the sciatic nerve is often the result of:
- Herniated discs placing pressure on the nerve
- Piriformis muscle in the buttocks spasms and compresses the nerve
- Trauma or injury on the lower back or pelvis that damages or irritates the nerve
Sports Injuries
Athletes seek chiropractic care to recover from injuries and improve performance through adjustments and physical therapy. A chiropractor can treat:
- Pain
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Stiffness and Reduced Mobility
- Weakness
- Instability
- Numbness and Tingling
A chiropractor can also create physical programs to aid in the prevention of future injuries.
Accident and Injury Rehabilitation
Individuals recovering from accidents often turn to chiropractic care for help in managing pain and restoring mobility. They may experience severe injuries following such accidents as:
- Car crashes
- Commercial truck accidents
- Motorcycle collisions
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents
- Slips and falls
Working with their doctors, a chiropractor can create a treatment program that assists in their recovery. They can also assist with documenting their injuries and progress, which the patient can later use when filing a claim for compensation.
Improved Mobility and Range of Motion
Patients recovering from injuries often have stiff and weak muscles and find it difficult to move. They may have difficulty with a full range of motion in their neck, shoulders, arms, and legs. They seek chiropractic care to enhance their overall mobility and range of motion. Chiropractors can help regain mobility, reduce pain and swelling, and strengthen weakened joints and muscles.
In addition to injuries, common causes include:
- Poor posture
- Strain for repetition and overuse
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Surgical recovery
- Obesity
- Neurological disorders, such as stroke
Chiropractic care can also help as patients age or if they have conditions like arthritis.
Chronic Pain Management
As mentioned above, treating pain is a common reason people choose to see a chiropractor. For those suffering from chronic pain conditions, chiropractic care can offer a non-invasive alternative to medications and surgeries. They can treat chronic pain that is caused by any of the following conditions:
- Musculoskeletal Disorders: Pains in joints and the spine caused by arthritis or fibromyalgia
- Injuries: Injuries that do not heal properly, such as fractures
- Nerve Damage: Sciatica, carpel tunnel syndrome, and neuropathy
- Poor Posture: Strains to the joints and muscles in the neck, shoulders, and back
- Repetitive Strain: Any joints or muscles overused in the same motion
- Chronic Inflammation: Brought on by an autoimmune disorder or prolonged injury
- Obesity: Excessive weight hinders healing and mobility, extending recovery
- Sedentary Lifestyle: Lack of mobility can also lead to a prolonged recovery
- Surgical Pain: Function returns, but the surgery has left lingering pains
Preventative Care and Wellness
Some people visit chiropractors regularly as part of their overall wellness strategy to maintain:
- Spinal health
- Prevent future injuries
- Support a healthy lifestyle
Your chiropractor can also help you make corrections in your life by addressing such things as:
- Increasing mobility and physical activity
- Prevent repetitive strains and reinjury
- Reduce stress
- Diet and weight loss
Posture Correction
Often, patients who seek out chiropractic assistance discover that their posture is a contributing factor to their pain and discomfort. With many people working at a computer or desk for an extended period, proper posture can alleviate many of the issues they face.
Chiropractic care can help correct poor posture and strengthen the muscles necessary to hold a position that takes unnecessary strain off of the neck, back, and shoulders.
Nerve Pain
Patients suffering from nerve pain, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, experience:
- Sharp, shooting pain
- Burning sensation
- Tingling and numbness
- Muscle weakness
- Increased sensitivity
- Loss of reflexes and coordination
Such nerve pain issues can be managed through chiropractic care to reduce nerve pressure and improve function.
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What Is the Purpose of a Chiropractic Treatment?
Chiropractic care is valued for its holistic approach, focusing on the body’s musculoskeletal system to promote overall health and well-being without relying on drugs or invasive procedures. The key purposes it addresses include the following:
- Pain Relief: One of the two main goals of chiropractic care is to relieve the patient’s pain.
- Improving Spinal Alignment: The second goal is to correct misalignment in the spine, which helps in the reduction of pain and improves function.
- Enhance Mobility and Range of Motion: Chiropractic care with physiotherapy can improve mobility and flexibility.
- Restoring Function: In conjunction with spinal alignments, chiropractors can address musculoskeletal dysfunctions to restore normal function.
- Reducing Inflammation: In tandem with reducing pain is the reduction of inflammation in joints and the soft tissues.
- Supporting the Nervous System: With proper alignment, the spinal cord is protected, and the body can heal.
- Preventing Injury: Chiropractors and physiotherapists can teach proper ergonomics, posture, and exercises to strengthen the body and avoid future reinjury.
- Promoting Overall Health and Well-Being: Chiropractic care is holistic, addressing lifestyle, nutrition, stress, and physical activity to promote overall well-being.
- Managing Chronic Conditions: Patients can learn methods to manage their conditions and live healthier lives.
- Facilitating Recovery: Care is intended to aid the body in its natural healing process, eliminating the need for excessive pharmaceutical use.
Why Do People Choose Chiropractic Care?
Contact Specific Care Chiropractic and learn why people turn to us for help relieving their pain and inflammation. During your initial appointment, we will conduct a complete medical work-up on your case. You can discuss with us what you are experiencing and your goals. We generate a treatment plan suited to your needs, assessing and reassessing as you progress through the program.
Our staff can also help you with documenting and compiling information for any injury claim you are pursuing. If you want, we can put you in touch with local law firms that could help.
Call Specific Care Chiropractic to schedule your initial appointment.
