Signs You Need Chiropractic Care
When we experience pain or discomfort, or something just doesn’t feel right, we go see our doctor. While this is important and you should talk with your doctor about aches and pains that stick around, some signs could point you to a chiropractor instead. In this article, I point out some of the signals you should pay attention to that can direct you to visit a chiropractor for treatment.
So, how do I know if I need chiropractic care? Chiropractors are very good at manipulating and adjusting the body so that it is aligned properly. A chiropractic adjustment takes pressure and tension off of nerves and muscles – without the need for strong drugs or surgery. You will know if you need chiropractic care if you experience any of the following:
- Chronic Pain
- Frequent Headaches
- Limited Range of Motion
- Low Back Pain
- Injury
- Car Accident Victim
Many times, we experience the previous ailments and either do nothing about them, or we don’t consider what a chiropractor can do for us. Now that you know some of the things that will point you to a chiropractor, let’s explore how they can help and the benefits that may come from going to the chiropractor.
Chronic Pain
Patients who experience chronic pain of any kind can be very difficult to treat with medication because you don’t want them to become addicted to pain pills. This is where a chiropractor can help. Depending on the situation, a series of chiropractic adjustments can completely fix the problem, or at the very least, help.
When a chiropractor performs an adjustment, they use their hands and small instruments to apply controlled, sudden force to joints in your body. This can produce loud pops as the joints move, but it isn’t painful and you may even experience immediate relief.
The procedure known as an adjustment helps to align your spine and body, which in turn takes the pressure off of the nerves in your spine, muscles in your body and releases the tension throughout.
Certain conditions may only require a few adjustments before you begin to feel better. Others, however, may require a longer treatment plan. If you are interested in managing your chronic pain without strong drugs or surgery, chiropractic care may be the best option for you.
Frequent Headaches
There are many different reasons behind why a person may get frequent headaches, including dehydration, malnutrition, lack of sleep, or a misalignment of the neck and spine. A chiropractor can perform an adjustment that relieves the symptoms of headaches, as well as improve the blood flow of oxygen to the head.
You can choose to go to a chiropractor about your headaches before going to the doctor, or vice versa. If you decide to go to the chiropractor and see if their treatments help relieve your pain – you may not need to go to the doctor at all. However, if you still get frequent headaches, it could be a sign that something else is wrong and you should visit your doctor.
In the same way, you can go to your doctor to determine that everything looks okay, where they then may refer you to a chiropractor who can help. Either way, headaches, and frequent pain are not fun and can point to something more serious, so be sure to get it checked out – don’t just live with the pain!
Limited Range of Motion
Our bodies go through a lot and also experience normal wear and tear. Whether you do some strenuous exercises that twist the body into unnatural or unusual positions, or you’re a hard sleeper and don’t even realize you’re putting pressure on your body, there’s a chance something could be in the wrong spot.
If you realize you aren’t quite as flexible as you used to be, or you can’t turn your neck far enough in one direction or the other, it could be a sign that something is just slightly off. A chiropractor can realign the bones and joints in your body. This can help increase your range of motion. With a regular and proper range of motion, your body will begin to function better and you will feel a lot better.
Low Back Pain
One of the most obvious reasons you will need to see a chiropractor is if you experience low back pain. Just like there are several reasons you may experience frequent headaches, there are also several reasons that contribute to back pain, including poor posture, weak or strained muscles, or injury.
A spinal adjustment performed by a chiropractor can help relieve the pain in your back by releasing tension in the muscles, taking pressure off of the nerves, and realigning the spine. With a successful adjustment or series of adjustments, you can avoid surgery and medicine and go back to your normal life!
But, if you receive a spinal adjustment and experience more pain or discomfort, it could be a sign that something worse is going on – like a herniated or ruptured disk in your spine. If this is the case, you should go see your doctor and determine what treatment will be best. Worst case scenario would be surgery to heal the disk – but sometimes, it is necessary.
Injury
When we are young, our bodies do whatever we ask of them and we often don’t think about how things could affect us as we get older. Sports injuries or even just accidental injuries that occur in our daily lives could have us seeking treatment from a chiropractor.
If you feel like the injury you’ve incurred doesn’t necessarily warrant a visit to the doctor, a chiropractor may be able to help. They can help move the joints throughout your body through a series of adjustments that can help relieve any pain and ensure everything is aligned properly.
Be sure that after visiting the chiropractor, you do experience relief and talk with them about whether further treatment will continue to be helpful, or if you need to go talk to your doctor and seek a different kind of treatment.
Car Accident Victim
Hopefully, you will not find yourself the victim of a car accident, but if you do, you should strongly consider visiting a chiropractor. No matter what kind of accident it was, a slight tap to your rear end or a completely totaled car – your body will feel the impact in different places.
By going to the chiropractor after getting in a car accident, they can help make sure everything is aligned correctly and help relieve any pain or discomfort you may have. There’s a good chance they will find something misaligned in an area where you haven’t even felt pain yet, but they can help before it gets worse.
It is also helpful to visit a chiropractor for insurance purposes after you’ve been the victim of a car accident – especially if it wasn’t your fault. When you seek treatment after a car accident, you can get reimbursed by the other individual’s insurance company.
Related Questions
What If I Don’t Display Any of these Signs, Can I Still Go to the Chiropractor?
Of course, you can! Chiropractic care, even when not necessarily needed, can help you live a more comfortable and healthy life. Adjustments can help you sleep better, digest better, relieve stress and tension, and find better body movement (like when you were young).
Chiropractors undergo extensive education and training, which means they can help adjust your body and give you advice on exercise routines and even nutritional guidance. Many people find that regular adjustments and visits to the chiropractor are beneficial for their overall health and comfort.
Does Insurance Cover Chiropractic Care?
Under most insurance companies, chiropractic care is included, however, there are likely limits to that coverage. Many companies will include chiropractic visits up to a certain number of treatments, or they may require a referral from your physician stating that care is medically necessary.
If you are interested in visiting a chiropractor, be sure to reach out to your insurance agent and figure out if you are covered. After talking with your insurance, you should also consider talking with your doctor – they can always refer you to someone they trust or know and can help you potentially get around any insurance issues.
Can I Become Dependent on Chiropractic Care?
One common question that people have about going to the chiropractor is whether or not they will become dependent on the treatments and the answer is no. The number and frequency of adjustments you receive will depend on the issue you are working on and how you view the need to continue once your issue has been resolved.
An adjustment can produce feelings similar to what you experience after exercising, which can make you want to get an adjustment at regular intervals, but in no way will you become dependent on them or addicted to them.
