Chiropractic Treatments for Neck Pain and Lower Back Pain

Chiropractic care is a non-surgical treatment option that can help reduce your pain symptoms.

Some conditions that can improve with chiropractic care are:
•    cervical and lumbar intervertebral disc injuries that don’t require surgery
•    cervical or lumbar sprain injuries
•    degenerative joint syndrome of the neck or back
•    facet joint sprain
•    whiplash

How Does a Chiropractor Diagnose The Cause of Neck or Back Pain?

Your chiropractor will evaluate your spine as a whole, because other regions of the spine may be affected as well—not just your neck or back. Along with treating the spine as a whole, chiropractors treat the “whole person,” not just your specific symptoms. He or she may educate you on nutrition, stress management, and lifestyle goals in addition to treating your pain.

Before deciding which approach to try for your pain, the chiropractor will do a thorough examination to diagnose the specific cause of your neck or back pain.

He or she will determine any areas of restricted movement, and will look at how you walk, as well as your overall posture and spinal alignment. Doing these things can help your chiropractor understand your body mechanics.

In addition to the physical exam, you’ll also go through your past medical history with the chiropractor.

All these steps in the diagnostic process will give your chiropractor more information about your neck pain, which will help your chiropractor create a treatment plan customized for you.

Your chiropractor will also rule out a condition that will require surgery—if he or she believes your pain would be better treated by surgery, then you’ll be referred to a spine surgeon.

Chiropractic Treatments for Neck or Back Pain

Your chiropractor may use a combination of spinal manipulation, manual therapy, and other techniques, as part of your treatment plan for neck or back pain.

Below are some spinal manipulation techniques your chiropractor may use:

•    Flexion-distraction technique is a gentle, hands-on spinal manipulation that involves a pumping action on the intervertebral disc instead of direct force.
•    Instrument-assisted manipulation uses a hand-held instrument to allow your chiropractor to apply force without thrusting into the spine.
•    Specific spinal manipulation helps restore joint movement using a gentle thrusting technique.

Your chiropractor may also use manual therapies to treat your neck or back pain:

•    Instrument-assisted soft tissue therapy uses special instruments to diagnose and treat muscle tension.
•    Manual joint stretching and resistance techniques can help reduce neck and back pain and other symptoms.
•    Therapeutic massage can help relax tense muscles.
•    Trigger point therapy is used to relieve tight, painful points on a muscle.

Therapeutic exercises may also be recommended—these can help improve overall range of motion in your neck and prevent neck pain from progressing.

The treatments listed above are simply examples of possible chiropractic treatments for neck pain; your actual treatment plan will depend on your diagnosis. Your chiropractor should thoroughly explain your treatment options so that you know what will happen.

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