Millions of Americans go to the chiropractor every year. Chronic pain and accident injuries are two of the most common reasons why people seek out chiropractic care. If you have never been to a chiropractor before, then you might only associate chiropractors with treating the spine. Chiropractors actually work with a wide range of health conditions and injuries that affect the entire musculoskeletal system and nervous system. This means a chiropractor can help you with pain from head to toe. Visit your AICA Chiropractor in Atlanta to learn more about when to see a chiropractor and how chiropractic care can help you.
When To See a Chiropractor
Whether you are dealing with chronic pain or a recent injury, you might be wondering to yourself, “Should I see a chiropractor?” Chiropractic care can be beneficial for millions of people and offers an all-natural approach to treating your pain. Chiropractors skip the medications and instead focus on helping your body heal itself naturally. Instead of putting a band-aid over your issue, a chiropractor will work to get at the root cause of your pain and other symptoms. By addressing the underlying cause, you can experience results that last.
Chiropractors use what are known as chiropractic adjustments and manipulations to address issues in the spine and joints. Even the slightest disruption can impact your brain’s ability to effectively communicate with the rest of your body. When your spine is out of alignment, it can cause pain, discomfort, weakened nearby muscles, and disruption to nearby nerves. The same can happen with other joints in the body. Chiropractors take a holistic approach in taking care of you, so they will look at how a misalignment in one part of the body might be impacting you in other areas. Because of this, you can see a chiropractor for a wide range of issues and receive quality, comprehensive care.
What Chiropractors Treat
Chiropractors treat a wide variety of symptoms, conditions, and injuries. Here are eight examples of what chiropractors treat.
Back Pain
Back pain is perhaps most commonly associated with chiropractic care. Chiropractors specialize in treating the spine and how it impacts the rest of your body. If you are suffering from back pain, a chiropractor can help. Common reasons for back pain include a recent injury, poor posture, and certain health conditions like arthritis or spinal disc degeneration. If your job requires you to sit or stand for long periods of time, then you may be more likely to develop back pain. Chronic back pain can affect your muscles, joints, and other parts of the body. When your back muscles are weakened or strained, your back may be under a lot of pressure and cause muscle spasms and pain. A chiropractor can provide you with pain relief from back pain with gentle and safe chiropractic adjustments to your spine.
Neck Pain
Neck pain is another common reason for seeking out chiropractic care. Chronic neck pain is common among people who sit hunched over a desk or electronic device for long periods of time. What might seem like such a harmless activity can actually cause “tech neck.” The spine is designed with a natural curvature so that your ears, shoulders, and hips should be relatively in line with one another. When you sit or stand with your head and chin thrust forward for long periods of time, it can strain neck muscles and put pressure on the spine in your neck. Chronic pain in your neck can actually start to limit your range of motion. You may start to notice that you can’t turn your neck as far to one side or the other. A chiropractor can help reduce your pain and improve your range of motion by realigning your bones and joints.
Joint Pain
Chiropractors don’t just work with your back and neck. In fact, chiropractors can help with joint pain you experience anywhere in the body. From carpal tunnel syndrome in your wrist to chronic pain in your hips, a chiropractor can help. Joint pain can really start to affect your quality of life. While you might be tempted to reach for the pain medication, it won’t be able to address the root cause of your pain. A chiropractor understands the mechanics of how your joints work and knows how to naturally improve joint functioning. Issues with your joints can be caused by arthritis, repetitive movements, or a sudden injury. If you are experiencing a lot of swelling and pain in your joints, then you may need chiropractic treatment to help.
Headaches
Many different types of headaches plague millions of people every year. From tension headaches to migraine headaches, pain in your head can also lead to other uncomfortable symptoms. Whether you suffer from headaches due to stress, dehydration, or misalignments in your spine, a chiropractor can help. A chiropractor will help you determine what is causing you to continue experiencing headaches. Once they have identified the root cause of your headaches, they can help relieve your headache pain and improve the flow of blood and oxygen to your brain. A chiropractor can also help you experience relief from other symptoms and help you prevent headaches from occurring in the future.
Car Accident Injuries
Chiropractors can also treat most car accident injuries. Whiplash is one of the most common car accident injuries, and it can cause muscle strain in your neck and pressure on your spine. You might not realize you suffered a car accident injury at first. Your body has a natural reaction to a stressful or traumatic event, which can prevent you from recognizing pain and other symptoms at first. A car accident chiropractor can assess you for any potential car accident injuries before you start to notice symptoms. The sooner you see a chiropractor after a car accident, the sooner you can get started on a treatment plan. If a car accident is left untreated, it can lead to chronic pain.
Sports Injuries
If you get injured while playing sports, a chiropractor can help. Healing from a sports injury can take time, and you will want to return in the best of shape. Not only can a chiropractor treat your sports injury, but they can also help you prevent future injuries from occurring. Common sports injuries include stress injuries from repetitive use of certain joints without adequate rest in between activities. Sudden sports injuries like a dislocated joint or a concussion can also be treated by a chiropractor. In addition to treating your sports injury, your chiropractor can also help you improve your physical performance so you can become an even better athlete.
Slip and Fall Injuries
Slip and fall accidents can happen when you least expect them. Whether you fell on the job or slipped going down the stairs outside your home, you can suffer a serious injury. Chiropractic care offers an all-natural alternative to treating slip and fall injuries. If you fall and hit the back of your head, you might have suffered a concussion. This is the most common type of traumatic brain injury, and it can keep you from going about your regular activities or going to work for days. A slip and fall accident could also cause you to dislocate a joint or break a bone. Part of your recovery process from a joint dislocation or broken bone will be regaining your strength and range of motion. A chiropractor can support you through your healing and recovery process with a noninvasive and conservative approach to your treatment.
Pinched Nerve
Whether you suffered a recent injury or are dealing with a misalignment in your spine, you might experience symptoms like tingling and numbness. When a nerve is pressured or compressed, it can cause pain to extend into other parts of the body. A pinched nerve can also cause you to experience the “pins and needles” sensation and feel like your hand or foot has “fallen asleep.” A pinched nerve can occur from a whiplash injury, a herniated disc, a spinal misalignment, or even due to swelling and inflammation. Whatever is compressing or damaging a nerve, it can lead to painful and uncomfortable symptoms. A chiropractor can identify the location of the pinched nerve and what is causing the compression. They can then resolve the misalignment or root cause, so you get lasting relief from pain, tingling, and numbness.
How Chiropractic Care Can Benefit You
Chiropractors can help treat many health conditions and injuries. However, you do not actually have to be injured or have an issue in order to see a chiropractor! In fact, chiropractors also regularly help people who want to live a more health-conscious lifestyle. Chiropractic care is great for managing your stress, enhancing your physical performance, and improving healthy functioning in your whole body. Going to see a chiropractor on a regular basis can help you stay healthy, fit, and active. When you live an active lifestyle, your body can get put under a lot of additional pressure and strain. Chiropractic care can help keep your spine properly aligned and help your muscles and other supportive soft tissues function at their best. In addition to hands-on physical treatment, chiropractors also offer guidance on stress relief, exercises, and nutrition.
What to Expect with Chiropractic Care
If this is your first time seeing a chiropractor, then you might be wondering, “Does chiropractic help?” When you first meet your chiropractor, you will start with a conversation. They will want to get to know you, what brings you to their office, and a bit about your medical history. This will help your chiropractor get a better understanding of what you are looking for with chiropractic care. Chiropractic care offers an all-natural and noninvasive treatment style. Chiropractors use gentle and safe manual therapies to assess the healthy functioning of your spine, joints, muscles, and other soft tissues.
Your chiropractor will typically perform a physical assessment of your body, including the areas of concern or where you have been experiencing pain. They will then determine the best chiropractic techniques to help you. Chiropractic adjustments help resolve misalignments in your spine and joints. Your chiropractor may also use therapeutic massage and other hands-on techniques to support you. When you meet with a chiropractor, they will want to work together with you to support your goals for treatment and overall health and well-being.
When You Shouldn’t See a Chiropractor
There are some instances where it may not be recommended to see a chiropractor. If you were recently injured and have a lot of pain and swelling, then chiropractic adjustments may not be the most appropriate course of treatment at that time. People who have osteoporosis or fragile bone density may need additional tests or support before getting chiropractic care. You may meet with an orthopedic doctor first before determining whether chiropractic care is an appropriate treatment option for your injury or health condition. If you are in an emergency situation and require immediate medical attention, then you should go to the hospital or urgent care. Emergency room and urgent care physicians can address emergencies and help get you stable. Once any immediate threat or concern is addressed, you can seek follow-up or continued care with a chiropractor you trust. You can always talk to your doctor or chiropractor if you have questions before beginning any kind of treatment, including chiropractic care.
Schedule a Chiropractic Consultation
Meet with an Atlanta chiropractor at AICA Orthopedics and find out why chiropractic care can benefit you. You can schedule a consultation with a chiropractor in Atlanta to address a recent injury, chronic pain, or even how to focus on well-being and preventative care. Our teams of chiropractors at AICA Orthopedics in Atlanta work alongside orthopedic doctors, neurologists, and physical therapists. We work together as a team to provide you with comprehensive care and a personalized treatment plan approach. Our Atlanta chiropractors at AICA Orthopedics also have access to state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging tools in the office, so you can get the quality attention and care you deserve all in one convenient location!