The human body is an amazing machine. The symmetry of the design is vital to it functioning correctly. Asymmetries in the body can develop from an injury, essentially being knocked out of position, or slowly over time due to repetition. We are creatures of repetition. Our jobs often necessitate it. Throughout your life, you are going to use some muscles more than others, stretch some out more than others. From sleeping in the same positions, to how you sit on the couch, hours at a desk, looking at your phone, these asymmetries will eventually build up in everyone.
One asymmetry in the body causes many compensatory changes throughout the body, in an attempt to maintain your balance and keep your eyes level. These asymmetries strain soft tissue and focus forces onto small areas of the joints. The increased forces will cause the structures to break down, eventually causing pain. That is how people can experience pain all of a sudden without doing anything in particular to cause pain.
Medical doctors will treat pain with painkillers, anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers, and/or steroids. These will not fix the problem, it will only mask it.
The mechanical dysfunction will worsen over time and cause recurring and eventually chronic pain. The opioid epidemic is out of control in this country! The United States represents only about 5% of the earth’s population but accounts for 90% of the world’s opioid use. 12 states, including Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, have more prescriptions for painkillers than people. Opioids have now become the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50!
Recent studies:
Patients who saw a chiropractor as their initial provider for low back pain (LBP) had 90% decreased odds of both early and long-term opioid use. Kazis et al. (2019), BMJ Open
Chiropractic users had 64% lower odds of receiving an opioid prescription than non-users. Corcoran et al. (2019) Pain Medicine
Chiropractic treatment addresses the true cause of the pain, the mechanical dysfunction. By fixing the true cause of the pain, the pain will not return. With injuries, the pain is caused by the damaged structures. Most of the time, the injury will cause malposition of the joint. This dysfunction stresses the structures that are trying to heal and will either slow or prevent recovery. With chiropractic care, we utilize therapies to speed up the healing process while keeping structures in their correct position. Chiropractic care will resolve the injury and prevent any future issues, barring another injury.
"Manual-thrust manipulation provides greater short-term reductions in self-reported disability and pain compared with usual medical care. 94% of the manual-thrust manipulation group achieved greater than 30% reduction in pain compared with 69% of usual medical care." Schneider et al (2015), Spine
"Reduced odds of surgery were observed for...those whose first provider was a chiropractor. 42.7% of workers [with back injuries] who first saw a surgeon had surgery, in contrast to only 1.5% of those who saw a chiropractor." Keeney et al (2012), Spine
On your first visit, we will likely perform x-rays and make a biomechanical assessment of your entire body. We will show you how the force is being distributed throughout your body. You will see where all the forces are being focalized, what degenerative changes have or have yet to occur, and how that relates to the problems you are experiencing or have yet to experience. This assessment is critical to designing a stretch and exercise program for the unique you, designed to prevent your body from going back to the same position. The program will only take roughly 10 minutes to perform, and if done regularly will maintain the corrections made with the chiropractic care. Live life pain-free and get the most out of your body by scheduling today.
Let us help you feel at your best.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions, your wellbeing is our priority.