Living with pain in the back is nothing new. Millions of people around the world suffer from it every day. While each of these individuals is unique as is their pain, they all have one thing in common: they want the pain to stop. Below, Dr. Jean-Scott Bendiks and his team in Harlingen, TX, share how to find relief from back pain and some important tips for preventing it.
Treating Pain in the Back
When your back is in pain, it’s typically coming from an issue with alignment, disc compression, muscle tension, strains or sprains, or nerve compression. Often, one of these issues leads to one or more of the others, creating a more complex source of pain.
Chiropractic care is essential in relieving such issues. Your chiropractor can perform a full musculoskeletal assessment and any diagnostic testing to determine the underlying cause or causes. A customized care plan can then be developed to address each issue. Some of the various techniques available include the following:
- Adjustments, which restore proper alignment to the spinal bones
- Decompression or traction therapy, which stretches the spine to relieve pressure on the discs, nerves, and other components
- Soft tissue techniques, which relieve tension, reduce inflammation, improve range of motion, and increase blood flow
- Therapeutic exercises, which strengthen and stretch target areas
The best combination of techniques is utilized according to the specific needs of the patient.
Preventing Pain in the Back
Once you’ve achieved relief, you don’t want to go back to painful living. The good news is that you don’t have to. As most issues within the back stem from daily habits, making some adjustments to your life can typically prevent them. Some crucial tips to follow include the following.
- Practice proper posture, especially when sitting for long periods.
- Take breaks to stretch throughout the day.
- Always use proper lifting techniques.
- If you’re lifting something heavy, get help or use the proper tools and equipment.
- Stay active to keep your muscles strong and your blood flowing.
- Wear supportive shoes and consider custom orthotics.
- Stay hydrated.
Visiting your chiropractor regularly for wellness care is also beneficial. These visits can help undo the damage of daily life before it has the chance to have a significant impact.
Learn more about preventing and treating back pain by visiting Dr. Bendiks and his team in Harlingen, TX. Call (956) 440-7336 to schedule an appointment today.