Back pain is one of the most common—and debilitating—ailments people face. And finding the right pain relief is no easy thing.  Many people often ask the question, “Can chiropractors help my back pain?” According to a 2015 National Institute of Health report, an estimated 27 million Americans are evaluated and treated by a chiropractor each year, mostly for back pain relief. The hallmark therapy of chiropractic care is spinal manipulation to alleviate back pain.

Chiropractic treatment is based on the assumption that back pain is caused by the misalignment of the spine. Spinal manipulation involves physical pushing, pulling, and methodical repositioning of the head, shoulders, neck, back, or hips.  This reduces the pressure on nerves and discs in the spine to relieve the pain.

Although the practice of spinal manipulation was once considered a fringe medical treatment for back pain, it is now being adopted by more medical doctors as a viable treatment option. The American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society in their patient care guidelines included spinal manipulation as one of several options for practitioners to consider when ordinary, uncomplicated back pain didn't improve with self-care.

Chiropractors take a holistic, or whole-body, approach to patients, providing counseling for diet, nutrition, and lifestyle habits. Treatments generally consist of six to 12 visits over two to four weeks. Conservative pain management is emphasized over drugs and surgery.  However, you can rest assured that a good chiropractor will refer patients to other medical professionals if the diagnosis is beyond the scope of their practice.

Spinal manipulation is typically most effective when combined with more traditional therapies to treat back pain, such as:

• Heat and cold therapies
• Massage
• Relaxation techniques
• Electrical stimulation or ultrasound
• Exercise and stretching
• Patient education

If you are tired of living with low back pain, a course of treatment prescribed by a back chiropractor may be just what you need to keep enjoying your life. We invite you to call our offices of McKim Chiropractic today to schedule a consultation with a back chiropractor. Our licensed and certified staff is committed to helping the residents of Nampa, ID, achieve their optimum level of health wholeness!