Is it painful? Does it involve cracking your back? If you're new to chiropractic treatments, here's everything you need to know about a lower back adjustment.
Did you know that at least 80 percent of adults experience lower back pains at some point in their lives?
Even worse, only a few people understand the benefits of visiting a chiropractor for back pain relief.
Often, chiropractic care gets last-ditched, with most people opting for over-the-counter medications instead. But what they fail to understand is that chiropractic care is one of the safest and most effective methods for relieving back pain.
If you’re experiencing back pains and have never visited a chiropractor before, here’s a guide on what to expect in lower back adjustment session.
What is a Lower Back Chiropractic Treatment?
Chiropractic treatment is a manual procedure which involves using controlled or sudden force to restore dislocated joints. The aim of this treatment is to improve spinal motion while boosting your physical body function.
Some of the most common problems for which people seek chiropractic adjustment therapy include low back pain, headaches, and neck pain. Most of these symptoms are as a result of prolonged sitting, illnesses, accidents, or even everyday wear and tear.
Since these problems cause pressure on the body’s nerves, the chiropractor manipulates the affected areas to release the pressure and further gives you advice on self-help, exercise, diet, and lifestyle.
Some chiropractors may also provide rehabilitation programs.
Types of Lower Back Chiropractic Treatments
There are several forms of chiropractic care designed to treat lower back pain. They include:
Spinal and Manual Manipulation
Also known as a chiropractic adjustment, this procedure involves applying high-velocity, short lever arm thrust to the dislodged vertebra. This helps to reduce nerve irritability and to restore a range of back motions.
Mobilization
Chiropractic mobilization involves low-velocity manipulation, stretching, as well as joint and muscle movements. This helps increase motion within the affected areas.
Flexion-Distraction
This treatment focuses on the hip and lower back area. It’s also used for disc pain that’s often accompanied with leg pain.
It involves the patient lying on a specially designed table that stretches the spine using a smooth, pumping motion. This technique offers relief by not only realigning discs but also by increasing the space between each disc.
If it doesn’t work after 12 sessions, your chiropractor may recommend imaging and offer a referral to a spine specialist.
Pelvic Blocking
In this treatment, the patient lies on cushioned wedges. The chiropractor then uses gentle hand techniques to push the discs away from the nerves.
Just like flexion-distraction, if there aren’t visible improvements after several visits, your chiropractor may refer you to a spine specialist.
Functional Technique
For this technique, the chiropractor exerts pressure on a tight joint until they feel a pressure release. It offers quick relief to lower back pain.
Muscle Energy
In this technique, the chiropractor requests the patient to resist movement in the opposite direction. This helps boost range of motion on the affected area.
What to Expect From a Lower Back Adjustment Session
The first step to getting relief for your back pain is finding a professional chiropractor.
Keep in mind that if this procedure isn’t performed by a professional lower back chiropractor, you may suffer from some of these serious complications including:
Nerves compression in the lower spinal column
A herniated disk or worsening of an existing disk herniation
Vertebral artery dissection, especially if you’ve previously had neck manipulation
It’s also advisable to refrain from getting a chiropractic adjustment if you have the following conditions:
Spinal cancer
Severe osteoporosis
Tingling numbness or strength loss in the arm or leg
A history of bone abnormality in the upper neck
Frequent stroke incidents
Before the Procedure
There are no special preparations needed for chiropractic adjustment sessions. If you have an insurance cover, make sure to check how treatments get covered in a given timespan.
The initial chiropractic test for lower back pain will consist of three parts: an appointment, case history, and physical examination. Depending on the severity of your condition, your chiropractor may request for several lab analysis and X-ray tests done.
During the Procedure
Your chiropractor may ask you to lie, sit, or stand, depending on the location of your problem. Usually, for lower back pain, you’ll lie face down on a chiropractic table. Then, the chiropractor will apply a sudden or controlled force to the affected joint, making sure it goes beyond its usual motion range.
It’s normal to hear cracking and popping noises. This is simply as a result of sudden pressure decrease within the joint, also known as cavitation. This cavitation releases gases into the joint space, which makes up a significant amount of the joint’s volume.
After the Procedure
You may experience some mild discomfort immediately after the procedure like soreness, fatigue, or headaches. But after some time (not more than a day) the side effects will go away.
Results
Spinal manipulation is one of the holistic therapies proven to provide relief for lower back pain. Thus, you can have these sessions after your main lower back adjustment therapy.
You can also try out other holistic therapies such as simple stretching exercises and massages to yield similar results.
Additionally, you could opt for other treatments methods, like physical therapy, using heat on affected areas, and sleeping on a firmer mattress, as they’re just as good for the same condition.
However, if your symptoms don’t improve after six to ten chiropractic therapy visits, you may be referred to a spine specialist for further diagnosis. Nonetheless, this rarely happens. In fact, patients usually feel relieved after the first two sessions.
Get Professional Lower Back Adjustment Done By Chiropractor Li Jen
For quick relief, you should definitely consider a chiropractic lower back adjustment near you. A good chiropractor will determine the course of treatment that suits your specific needs.
If you’re looking for professional chiropractic services in Caringbah and its environs, look no further than Li Jen Chiropractic. Book an appointment today!
