For many patients with lower back pain, accepting that chiropractic treatment is needed and booking the first appointment is far more difficult than following through with consistent treatment over time. Many will try massage therapy before trying chiropractic care because it seems more relaxing and hints that the condition causing back pain is less severe, but that form of treatment might not be enough. Others simply live with the pain until it becomes unbearable and facing the problem is no longer an option. Here are some signs it might be time to see a chiropractor for your lower back pain.

The main is generated from hard tissue rather than soft, muscular tissue.

The medical industry classifies pain according to the points of the body impacted and the structural tissue involved. Pain that is created by injury to soft tissue like the muscles is often treated effectively through massage therapy, but pain generated from hard tissue is more likely to require spinal manipulation or other techniques best performed by a well-trained chiropractor.

The spine and joints are two examples of hard tissue that may lead to lower back pain. Tightness and sharp pain caused by spinal misalignment isn’t easily relieved through massage alone, so visiting a chiropractor is essential. Other conditions may involve unspecified tissue, and most patients find that treatment by a chiropractor is the fastest and most consistent route to relieve.

The symptoms are consistent with a potential pinched nerve.

The spinal structure provides tight quarters for the nerves, spinal discs, cartilage, and other structural components. When a disc bulges out of place or another structure intrudes on the space naturally filled by a nerve, that nerve is pinched. It isn’t able to effectively send and receive messages to maintain communication with the brain. A pinched nerve is one of the leading causes of lower back pain.

Nerve pain is typically sharp and may get worse with certain types of movement. Many patients also report numbness, and others experience the sensation of needles prickling their skin from within. Since nerves run from the lower spine into the legs, it’s possible to feel pain in the legs or numbness in the feet.

Since the nerve is often pinched by bone or other hard tissue, chiropractic treatment is often effective. A chiropractor will identify the cause of the pinched nerve and work to reposition the interfering bone, ease tension from tight muscles, and otherwise manipulate the body so that the nerve has more room to function properly.

Massage therapy, heat therapy, and other treatments have failed to provide adequate relief.

Many patients enter a chiropractor’s office only after trying various forms of treatment without success. They may experience some pain relief as a result of other treatments, but they’re still in enough pain that their daily lives are impacted.

This doesn’t mean that they give up all other forms of treatment in order to work with a chiropractor.

Massage therapy, dry needling, and other treatment options combine well with chiropractic treatment. A well-rounded treatment plan combines practices in order to deliver more satisfying results for every patient. Anyone struggling with lower back pain will benefit from visiting a chiropractor at least once. That initial consultation is often enough to determine whether this form of treatment is helpful in relieving pain on a case-by-case basis.

A well-rounded treatment plan combines practices in order to deliver more satisfying results for every patient. Anyone struggling with lower back pain will benefit from visiting a chiropractor at least once. That initial consultation is often enough to determine whether this form of treatment is helpful in relieving you pain.

Call us today to set up a free consultation at (970) 889-1897.