Can A Chiropractor Help With Lower Back And Hip Pain?

Unlike in the past, today’s jobs are less of muscle work than they are tasks for the mind. With this, most jobs are done with little physical involvement. This lifestyle, though less physically draining, is not the best way to keep a perfect body.

Therefore, there has been an increase in back pains, among other physical challenges, which are associated with work that is less physically engaging. This leads more people to chiropractors and other bone specialists for medical solutions. However, not everyone understands the importance of chiropractors, thus the need to determine whether a chiropractor can help with lower back and hip pain.

Who Is A Chiropractor?

Simply put, a chiropractor is a health specialist who deals in non-surgical treatment of disorders of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. Their treatment focuses on spinal manipulation and treatment of the surrounding areas. Several studies indicate that the manual therapies employed by chiropractors are effective for treating neck pain, lumbar herniated disc, and lower back pain, among other physical conditions. But how can a chiropractor get you back to your optimum working condition?

Hip Pain

Your hip plays a crucial role in your body. It makes it easy for you to move about and perform a lot more functions. Therefore, pain in this region can slow you down greatly. In most cases, hip pains are as a result of an injury or osteoarthritis. It, however, can be an indicator of other health conditions. A chiropractor care has the ability to identify the specific symptoms of your hip pain and tailor-make a unique solution to solve your issue.  Some of the most common causes of hip pain include Osteoarthritis and Inflammatory Diseases, overuse injuries, and trauma, among others.

Back Pain

Back pains are caused by a number of factors including lifting heavy weights inappropriately, spending too much time sitting in one place, and sports injuries, among others. Once these back pains set in, it becomes more difficult for you to operate at your best. Therefore, seeking the services of a qualified chiropractor will be helpful to your overall recovery.

How Chiropractors Deal With Hip and Lower Back Pain

Chiropractors employ different strategies to deal with back and hip pain. Spinal manipulation and manual manipulation is one method a chiropractor uses to treat your issue. In the US,like most parts of the country, chiropractors need to obtain operation license for them to conduct their services. But before being licensed, they have to prove that they indeed qualify to offer chiropractic services to the general public.

The general public is torn between pills and chiropractic services. Most people are apprehensive of chiropractors as a viable treatment for back and hip pains. This is because they do not fully understand the inner workings of chiropractic. Here are some of the methods used by chiropractors to treat their patients.  

1. High-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) thrust

This technique is commonly used by chiropractors to apply sudden, coordinated force to a particular joint. When this manual technique is applied in a joint, a pop might be heard. Most people refer to this technique as a back crack. There are three major subcategories in this technique. There is the diversified technique which is achieved through the application of a number of quick adjustments to specific joints. There is also the Thompson terminal point (drop technique) which is a special table that has removable parts to allow the application of controlled force on the spine. Finally, there is the Gonstead adjustment which puts the body into a different position. It also uses special chairs and tables to adjust every joint.

2. Low-Force, Gentle Chiropractic

This technique is best suited for patients who do not prefer the high thrust method and are uncomfortable with high-pressure movement. Here, the chiropractor applies low pressure continues to realize the preferred results. In this technique, spinal mobilization practices are used. These include the Sacro-Occipital Technique (SOT), Release work, Mackenzie technique, Toggle drop, Core flexion-distraction, and Activator method. All these techniques deliver the desired result to the patient and allow him or her to go back to their former good health condition.

Chiropractors may not be a popular option right now, but they are the next best alternative to pills. Their methods do not involve making incisions into the flesh but follow an organized approach to treat back and hip pains. Mostly, they begin by doing a full-body analysis and getting your medical records before offering the best solution for your case.