Chiropractic Benefits: 10 Advantages of Chiropractic Care

 

At least 70 million adultsTrusted Source in the United States deal with some type of chronic pain. In fact, low back pain is the second most commonTrusted Source reason Americans see their doctor.

Many people are interested in finding alternatives to medication for pain relief. Chiropractic treatment is one potential pain management option, especially if you’re dealing with back pain or neck pain.

In this article, we’ll outline 10 of the top benefits of getting chiropractic care, and how to find a chiropractor who’s right for you.

What is chiropractic care?

Chiropractic care is a form of complementary medicine based on the idea that your body can heal itself with the help of specific hands-on manipulations from a trained professional. These manipulations help realign your joints and can potentially lead to pain relief.

Chiropractic treatment may help relieve pain from conditions affecting your:

• bones
• cartilage
• connective tissue
• joints
• muscles

Chiropractic treatment often focuses on your spine but may focus on other parts of your body depending on the particular issue you’re dealing with.

Chiropractic treatment has some similarities with physical therapy, and certain conditions may benefit from being treated with both types of therapy.

In general, chiropractors are more likely to use hands-on manipulations to relieve your symptoms. Physical therapists tend to put a bigger emphasis on rehabilitating injuries with stretches and exercises.

What are the benefits of chiropractic care?

1. Improves neck pain

Neck pain is a common problem, especially if you sit for many hours a day, frequently bend your neck to use your phone, or have poor posture. A chiropractor may help ease your neck pain by realigning your spine and easing tension in your neck muscles.

An older 2012 study found that 12 weeks of spinal manipulation was more effective than medication at treating non-specific neck pain in a group of 272 adults at 8-, 12-, 26-, and 52-week follow-ups.

A 2019 studyTrusted Source found that cervical spine manipulation may help decrease neck pain in the short-term by modifying levels of neuropeptides in your blood. Neuropeptides are proteins made in your nervous system that function as neurotransmitters or hormones.

2. Reduces reliance on opioid pain relievers

People with chronic pain are often given prescriptions for opioid pain relievers to help manage their discomfort. However, undergoing chiropractic treatment may lower your need to take these pain relievers.

A large 2020 studyTrusted Source compared the number of prescriptions for opioid pain relievers filled for adults who visited just their doctor or who visited both a chiropractor and their doctor to treat spinal pain.

Read More: https://www.healthline.com/health/chiropractic-benefits

Related Article: Complementary Therapies to Promote Cognitive Function in Geriatric Patients