Spinal Decompression Therapy and 3 Other Non-Invasive Treatments for Back Pain in Lake In The Hills

Back pain has many causes, and it's crucial to tailor treatment to a patient's unique injury. While some patients have an injury that only affects a muscle or a spinal disc, many have injuries to multiple structures in the back. When this happens, it's best to treat them with a combination of targeted treatments.

Accidents like car wrecks, falls, and improper lifting can cause herniated or bulging discs, trauma to nerve roots and facet joints, as well as muscle tears and pulls. Here are four effective treatments for these injuries.

1. Spinal Decompression Therapy for Disc and Nerve Root Injuries

Spinal decompression therapy is the gold standard of non-invasive treatment for injured spinal structures. Spinal disc injuries heal at a slower pace compared to other areas of the body due to the lack of blood flow they receive. Spinal decompression therapy changes the physiology of the disc space, hydrating compressed discs, taking pressure off nerves, and reducing inflammation.

Spinal decompression therapy is a safe procedure that uses a computer-controlled table to achieve spinal decompression in a specific area of the spine. Common side-effects include muscle soreness after the first few sessions, like when you finish a new workout, due to repositioning of the spinal structure and disc spacing. Best of all, the results of decompression therapy are long-lasting, and patients report experiencing significantly less pain years after their treatment.

Patients with acute disc injuries typically experience improvement and pain relief.

2. Light Force Therapy Laser Treatment for Soft Tissue Injuries

Class IV laser therapy is a proven, FDA-approved treatment for many conditions, including sprains, strains, and joint pain by stimulating healing on a cellular level. The red and near-infrared light catalyzes collagen production in soft tissue, improving the healing process of these structure. Class IV Laser Therapy brings blood flow to the area of concern and reduces inflammation by penetrating deep into the tissues.

Sometimes the healing process stalls, leaving patients with persistent low-level inflammation and pain. Class IV Laser therapy jump-starts the healing process, so your body can form strong new tissues and move out of the inflammatory phase. Patients with acute injuries to muscles, tendons, and ligaments experience faster, healthier healing with laser therapy. It's even valuable for those with a chronic degenerative disease like arthritis. While laser therapy can't cure arthritis, it does reduce inflammation and improve symptoms.

Patients experiencing pain from soft tissue damage benefit greatly from Class IV laser therapy. Those that have suffered from conditions such as sprains, strains, and tendinitis have seen improvement with laser therapy. It is also used along with spinal decompression and other treatments for patients with injuries to achieve the best possible results.

3. Custom Orthotics for Musculoskeletal Alignment

The body works together as a mechanical system, starting with the feet as the foundation. Properly fitted orthotics give support to the feet, allowing proper alignment of the knees, pelvis, and spine. If one part is out of alignment, it affects everything upstream. Foot and gait problems like flat-foot syndrome or overpronation may throw off your knee and hip joints and cause pain in those areas and your lower back.

Many patients are surprised when they notice improvement in their chronic low back pain after they've been fitted with orthotics.

Orthotics aren't just important for runners, but for anyone who spends time on their feet. Correcting foot problems prevents extra strain on your knee and hip joints over time. Custom orthotics are designed specifically for your feet and can be customized to different types of footwear. They are a long-lasting, economical investment in your back and joint health. A properly aligned body will be less prone to injury and degeneration down the road.

If you've struggled with low back or knee pain without a definitive diagnosis, a foot problem may be the cause. Your provider can evaluate your feet and gait to see if custom orthotics are the answer for your back pain.

4. Spinal Adjustment for Subluxations

We all experience trauma during our lives. Whether they are big traumas, such as car accidents and falls, or little traumas, such as sitting for long periods of time, these traumas may lead to vertebral subluxation.

Vertebral subluxations are structural shifts of the bones in the spine, leading to nerve irritation. Since the nerves that branch off the spinal cord run through the vertebrae to other body systems, subluxations may have far-reaching effects. This nerve irritation may lead to different conditions such as balance issues, digestive problems, asthma, low back pain, and frequent headaches or migraines. Spinal adjustments are an effective preventative therapy for back pain and other conditions by relieving compression or irritation of nerve roots.

Back pain that stems from a subluxation, or multiple subluxations, may be effectively treated with adjustments. Still, when spinal discs are herniated or bulging, a combination of spinal adjustments and spinal decompression therapy may be an approach to achieve the best results.

Children may also benefit from spinal adjustments. Irritation of the nervous system may affect common conditions in infants such as torticollis, colic, constipation, and earaches. In children, frequent earaches may be effectively addressed by adjusting specific vertebrae in the neck where the nerve that controls the Eustachian tubes is located.

The adjustment frees the nerve to signal the Eustachian tubes to open, allowing the ears to drain properly instead of retaining fluid that becomes a breeding ground for bacteria.

There are many reasons, including back pain, to seek chiropractic care regularly. In addition to treating existing problems, chiropractors focus on prevention and holistic wellness. They can help you correct your posture, set up an ergonomic workspace, and manage chronic conditions.

Spinal Decompression and Chiropractic Care in Lake in the Hills At Precise Chiropractic Center, we provide spinal decompression therapy, laser therapy, and other effective treatments to our patients. We help patients recover from painful injuries and prevent future injuries with regular care. Schedule a consultation today to find out how we can help you live pain-free.