As reported by the American Chiropractic Association, 31 million Americans are suffering from lower-back pain at any given time and 80 percent of all Americans will experience back pain at some point in their lives. Not only that, back pain is one of the most common reasons for people to miss work and is the second most common reason for doctor’s office visits.

While back pain is common, there are many potential causes, ranging from sprained ligaments, strained muscles and ruptured or misaligned discs. These issues can be caused by an incident like a car accident, or from a sports injury. Back pain can also be caused by poor posture, obesity and multiple other issues.

While pain medication is one way to treat the symptoms of back pain, it is not the only option available. Many patients who prefer a more natural remedy, or simply aren’t experiencing much relief through medicine alone, are discovering the natural pain relief that massage and chiropractic adjustments can provide for back pain.

Massage Therapy for Pain Relief

Massage treatments involve manipulating muscles to increase blood circulation, reduce muscle pain, and promote healing. For patients whose back pain is muscle-related, massage therapy can provide relief. A massage therapist will work to loosen muscles, which in turns increases blood flow – helping sore muscles to heal faster.

Massage therapy can also help relieve tension in the back and provide relief for pulled or strained muscles. By using soft tissue manipulation, massage can also be used to treat the nervous system, which can help correct spine misalignment – another common cause of back pain.

Other benefits of massage include:

  • Reducing stress and anxiety.
  • Boosting immunity.
  • Providing relief for headaches.
  • Lessening insomnia.

There are several different types of massage, from Swedish to deep tissue, all of which can be used to treat symptoms of back pain.

Chiropractic Treatment to Heal Pain

Another natural pain relief method for treating back pain is a full chiropractic adjustment. Chiropractic care focuses on treating the nervous and musculoskeletal system though spinal adjustments and manipulation.

In many cases, the source of a patient’s back pain is a disc that has become misaligned. Chiropractic treatments can restore proper spine alignment, which in turn can provide relief.

Back pain is one of the most common sources of pain treated with chiropractic care, but it can also be used to treat:

  • Neck pain.
  • Headaches.
  • Ear infections.
  • Insomnia.
  • Joint pain.

Patients often find that a combination of massage therapy and chiropractic adjustments provides the natural pain relief they seek to manage back pain. Massage therapy not only provides relief, but it can help “warm up” muscles before a chiropractic treatment. By releasing muscle tension first, adjustments can be more effective and provide longer-lasting results than when performed on tight muscles.

If you are experiencing back pain, give Dr. Cait a call to see what course of treatment might be most effective for you: massage, chiropractic adjustments or a combination of the two.