Treating Chronic Pain with Chiropractic Treatment

Whatever the cause, thousands of Canadians suffer through chronic pain on a regular basis. Whether as a result of an injury (a car accident or sports-related injury) or an unrelated condition (sciatica), chronic pain can be debilitating and make even the simplest daily tasks harder.

What exactly is chronic pain? Chronic pain is just that, pain that continues to persist after the expected time frame, and often doesn’t respond well to typical treatment or pain management techniques.  It can affect various parts of the body, and can be intermittent (coming on at different points during the day) or present all the time.

This is where chiropractic treatment comes in. A registered chiropractor, one trained to assess chronic pain and administer treatment can bring significant relief.

Prior to any form of treatment, your registered chiropractor will assess your pain, learning how and why this pain is present – it is essential to know what is causing the pain before attempting to treat it. Following this assessment and diagnosis, your chiropractor will develop an individualized plan to address the issue. A one size fits all approach to treating chronic pain will not work for most, and so a unique plan of attack is what will be the most effective.

After your chiropractor has determined the source of the pain, a variety of different treatment methods may be used to help decrease the pain and increase mobility. This treatment most often involves the use of manual spinal manipulation to help restore alignment to the structure of the body, thereby alleviating pain without surgery or medication.

Active Release Technique and Graston Technique are two forms of chiropractic treatment that are also becoming more popular because of their effectiveness at treating chronic pain. Both work (in different ways) to break down or reduce the amount of scar tissue that builds up following an injury.

Kinesiotaping is especially effective when treating a sports injury. It is used by chiropractors to help stabilize and support muscles and joints while offering flexibility – this can be a great way to help curb the pain while out enjoying your favourite activities.

If you find yourself suffering throughout the day because of chronic pain, stop ignoring the pain and get some actual relief. A chiropractor can work with you to find it!

For more about chiropractic treatment for chronic pain, please contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine today by calling 416 800 0800 or visit www.aesm.ca.

Chiropractic Treatment Used to Treat Chronic Pain

If you have suffered an injury to your back or neck, you’re well aware how greatly your ability to participate in daily activities is reduced. Suffering from chronic pain can severely and negatively impact your way of life, turning the simplest tasks into dramatic, if not daunting ordeals.  If you have found yourself in this situation, it’s important to remember that there are options available for dealing with back and neck related chronic pain.   One of the most common and most popular is chiropractic treatment. 

Chiropractic treatment involves the manipulation of the neuromusculoskeletal system – focusing mainly on the spine, soft tissues, and other joints – by a medically trained professional. A doctor of chiropractic therapy, or chiropractor, uses a form of hands-on therapy called “adjustment” to promote the body’s ability to heal itself without surgery or medication. This is achieved through the proper alignment of the body’s musculoskeletal structure, more specifically the spine.

Many chiropractors will use various other methods as part of their chiropractic therapy procedure.  These can include the Graston Technique, a therapy that uses tools to break down scar tissue and promote healing, or the Active Release Technique, which uses different massage methods to relieve tension and loosen muscles.

What are the benefits of chiropractic therapy?

There are several, and each is extremely valuable. Firstly, many doctors recommend chiropractic therapy as an alternative to surgery to treat back pain of two categories; mild acute-lasting less that 3 months; or chronic – lasting longer than 3 months.  The latter is especially so if back surgery is the ultimate last resort (also bear in mind: the classification of back pain as acute or chronic is based on the length of time you have experienced pain, not the severity of the pain itself). Instead of dealing with the symptom (the pain), chiropractic therapy treats the cause and allows you to get back to enjoying the things you love, without having to go through the extensive recovery period that can accompany back surgery.

Chiropractic therapy can also be used to relieve tension and migraine headaches. If you suffer from these, you know how dreadfully debilitating they can be.  They can ruin both special occasions and every day routines without warning, robbing you of fulfilling the plans you make.  Some people are so plagued by migraines that they are leery of making any plans at all for fear a migraine will keep them from their commitments.  Chiropractic therapy commonly helps relieve migraines and can greatly increase your ability to enjoy each day without having to worry about the pain and inconvenience of a monster-headache!

In addition to relieving back pain, chiropractic therapy is also used to restore your body’s ability to function fully, normally and without injury.

Suffering through acute or chronic back pain can be nothing less than torture, but being aware of existing solutions can be liberating. An aligned spine and flexible muscles are crucial to the prevention of serious injuries which can grind your pursuit of the sports you love to an abrupt halt.  Chiropractic therapy is an important and viable option to consider whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, or if you just want to protect your body for pain and injury-free longevity.

To find out more about chiropractic therapy, or to make an appointment with a trained chiropractor, contact Athletic Edge Sports Medicine by calling 416 800 0800, or visit www.aesm.ca