Millions of Americans suffer from chronic pain due to injuries or some type of medical conditions. Medical doctors often prescribe painkillers to patients who are dealing with pain. Unfortunately, many of these medications can be dangerous because of their potential side effects and high risk of addictions. This country is struggling with an opioid epidemic that is a result of physicians being so quick to write out a prescription for painkillers for a patient who has pain, whether that pain is temporary or chronic.
Other side effects these strong medications can cause include:
· Constipation
· Depression
· Digestive problems
· Gastrointestinal bleeding
· Hormonal imbalances
· Infertility
· Liver toxicity
· Weakened immune systems
Chiropractic care is a much safer alternative to dealing with chronic pain. Some of the more common conditions for which patients seek treatment include:
· Arthritis
· Back pain
· Carpal tunnel syndrome
· Fibromyalgia
· Headaches
· Neck pain
· Shoulder pain
The chiropractic manipulations that are used help promote the body’s ability to self-heal. In addition to helping alleviate the symptoms of the condition, chiropractic treatments assists in combating oxidative stress which are caused by free radicals and promotes DNA repair on a very deep cellular level.
Multiple studies back this up, showing when patients receive chiropractic treatments for three months or more, they have greater reductions in pain level than patients not receiving chiropractic treatments and often just as effective as patient treatment as prescription painkillers.
The benefits of chiropractic care are often even more beneficial when patients include certain lifestyle changes, as well. Your chiropractor can help you develop an exercise program which will also improve posture and range of motion and help alleviate stress. Exercise can help strengthen the core muscles that support the body. These exercises do not have to be strenuous and are usually gentle programs, such as yoga.
Your chiropractor may also recommend certain relaxation techniques to help combat pain, as well as electrical stimulation from a transcutaneous electrical nerve simulator (TENS).
Nutrition is often addressed to help combat pain. Adding certain dietary supplements may be recommended and/or weight loss. For instance, if pain is caused by some type of inflammation, your chiropractor may suggest adding turmeric to your diet. Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory and can help reduce the inflamed area which will help reduce pain.
Limiting refined carbohydrates can also help reduce inflammation. Refined carbohydrates cause the level of cytokines to increase and this leads to not only inflammation, but also causes problems with the body’s insulin, glucose, and other conditions.
Resources:
Wikipedia, Chiropractic Care