Exploring Noninvasive Pain Management With Chiropractic Therapy

Chronic pain can rob you of your quality of life. Using various treatment methods, chiropractors help patients get back to living. These techniques include spinal manipulation (making short thrusts on joints to bring the spine back into alignment), myofascial release, and extreme joint adjustments. They also use cold/hot therapy to reduce inflammation and increase blood flow, promoting healing.

Noninvasive Spinal Manipulation

Spinal manipulation is a part of pain management with a chiropractor in which spinal structures are adjusted to relieve pain and improve function. You may think of chiropractic care when you hear about the popping sounds that joints can make when manipulated. Still, it is a safe, effective treatment for musculoskeletal injuries and conditions. Your spine does a lot for your body: it protects your spinal cord, helps you breathe, and is responsible for movement. When your spine is healthy, your body can communicate appropriately with your brain, organs, and muscles to function optimally. When your spine is strained, the vertebrae can become misaligned. Spinal decompression is a noninvasive treatment that extends and relaxes your spine, helping to reposition the vertebrae moderately and ease pressure on herniated discs. This process improves blood flow, delivering healing nutrients to the discs. This allows your herniated disc to return to a normal position and alleviates the pressure on the nerves.

Noninvasive Soft Tissue Manipulation

When soft tissues, such as muscles, ligaments, and fascia, sustain an injury, the body may form long strands of scar tissue or adhesions. Adhesions can result in reduced mobility and pain. Manual soft tissue manipulation and mobilization break down these adhesions, optimizing muscle function while easing and releasing tension. Physical therapists can use friction massage, trigger point therapy, and pin and stretch during soft tissue manipulation. Some therapists also utilize instrument-assisted soft tissue manipulation (IASTM), an innovative tool that helps clinicians locate and treat fascial restrictions. Using stainless steel tools, IASTM stimulates the skin to create vibrations that encourage the fascia to slide and glide. This process is thought to remediate inflammation and promote healing by moving cellular regeneration. When performed by a trained physical therapist, IASTM is generally not painful. However, a friction-reducing lubricant may be applied before the treatment to reduce the discomfort.

Noninvasive Electrical Stimulation

Pain management focuses on relieving pain and helping you return to normal daily activities. It includes a wide range of treatments, from medications to physical therapies. Your pain specialist will discuss which ones are best for you. Noninvasive treatment options include electrical stimulation and biofeedback. The latter uses an electronic machine to teach you how to control certain body functions like muscle tension or skin temperature and change your response to pain with techniques such as relaxation. Another noninvasive option is acupuncture, which involves placing fine needles in key points on the body to stimulate energy flow. Pain management also includes analgesics (pain medications) and antidepressants, NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and muscle relaxants. Your pain specialist will talk with you about which medications are best suited for your situation and may recommend a trial of spinal cord stimulation (SCS). A local anesthetic is given before the procedure, and blood-thinning medication should be avoided 3 to 7 days before the test.

Noninvasive Cold/Hot Therapy

It can reduce pain and swelling by alternating hot and cold therapy. The back-and-forth movement of hot and cold therapy creates a pumping effect that helps lymph fluid move throughout the body, leading to better healing and reduced inflammation. This treatment benefits conditions like arthritis, headaches (including migraines), whiplash, sprains, and other muscle and soft tissue injuries. It can also treat fibromyalgia and chronic back pain. Cryotherapy, also known as cold therapy, is a treatment that can help reduce swelling and numb pain. It works by constricting blood vessels and reducing nerve activity. It is important to remember that when using cold therapy on injured areas, you should apply it for no longer than 20 minutes to avoid damaging the tissue, skin, and nerves. Conversely, heat therapy is used to relax muscles by increasing blood flow and oxygen supply in the affected area. You can apply heat therapy using hot packs or warm towels. Taking a hot water bath can also be a great way to get relief from pain.