Most people at some point in their life will experience some type of back pain severe enough to need medical treatment. Even though back pain is common, doctors are still unable in some cases to pinpoint exactly why it occurs.
The baseline treatment for back pain is rest, exercise, stretching, heat and pain medicine but not every patient’s back pain is the same so neither should their treatment plan. The good news for most is that back typically resolves within a few weeks or even within a few days.
What Is Chiropractic Care?
When first seeking treatment for your back pain, your regular doctor may suggest physical therapy, which is also an effective treatment method. However, chiropractic care may find you the relief you are looking for as well. Some may disagree with the effectiveness, and others may just be unaware of what chiropractic care really is.
Lower back pain is costing Americans about $200 billion a year including time lost at work, which is a crippling statistic. Pain management is the key factor in managing back pain and with the opioid crisis on the rise, utilizing a non-opioid alternative that is safe and effective for lower back pain should be a top priority.
Proven Benefits of Chiropractic Treatment
A recent study surveyed about 800 people with lower back pain. Half of these patients received chiropractic treatment while the other half received common treatment of medications, self-care, and physical therapy. After six weeks of treatment, those assigned to receive chiropractic care:
- Reported less pain intensity
- Experienced less disability and more improvement in function
- Reported higher satisfaction with their treatment
- Needed less pain medicine.
No serious side effects were reported however, around 10% did report some type of stiffness in the muscles or joints.
All Studies Have Limitations
And, this one is no exception. While this study suggests that chiropractic care may be helpful for low back pain, some aspects of the study make it hard to be sure. For example:
It only lasted six weeks. As mentioned, most new-onset back pain is better by then regardless of treatment. For those with more long-lasting back pain, a longer study would be needed.
Bottom Line
This study shows that chiropractic treatment for lower back pain can be effective. Spinal adjustments and other therapeutic approaches can be used to treat a variety of conditions to help manage the pain in a holistic way.
If you are looking for chiropractic care for your lower back pain, contact our Atlanta chiropractors today for a consultation by dialing (404) 889-8828 today!