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Will chiropractic help back pain?

There are many reasons people can suffer from back pain. With that said the main reason is a structural injury to the spine. Spinal muscle tone imbalance is at the root of most back pain issues. Whether the pain is the result of muscle spasm, disc herniation, or postural faults most of it can be traced back to structural injury to the spine resulting in tight muscles, postural imbalance, and chronic muscle tension. An upper cervical spine injury can lead to the following musculoskeletal spine pain problems:

• Neck pain
• Upper back pain
• Upper trapezius pain
• Mid back pain
• Low back pain
• Low back disc herniation
• Sciatica

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How Does Back Pain Result From Spinal Misalignment?

One of the most common underlying mechanisms of back pain is spinal trauma resulting from whiplash-type injury in the past. Acceleration deceleration forces can exceed the ligament and soft tissue strength surrounding the joints in the neck. We speak of the neck because it is easily damaged during these types of forces due to its engineering. The head-on average weighs 10-12 pounds and rests on a two-ounce bone called the atlas. Furthermore, your head is at the end of a stick-like structure, your neck.

These three factors make the head-neck junction most susceptible to injury. After an injury the joints in the neck can be damaged, resulting in spinal misalignment which then reduces joint motion and results in a cascade of neuromuscular problems. 

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Loss of joint motion not only causes postural muscle tone imbalance throughout the spine but also leads to aberrant neurological input into the spinal cord which can lead to a host of health issues.  

The most common result of neck trauma is forward head bearing. The head should sit on a neck that has a reverse c shaped curve. When injury to the neck occurs, the muscles in the neck tighten flattening the cervical curve. The head then moves forward resulting in a global adaptation in the posture. 

The upper thoracic spine ( upper back) tightens to keep the head upright against gravity. This is the most common reason upper back pain can occur. Low back pain can result due to a similar mechanism.  

The lower back mirrors the upper cervical spine structure. When the neck loses its normal curve so does the low back. Loss of spinal curves not only indicates the muscles are tight ( low back pain) but also can lead to disc herniation, low back degenerative disc disease, and sciatica due to piriformis syndrome.   

How precision correction of the neck restores spinal health

Our Wasco offices specialize in the Blair Upper Cervical Chiropractic Technique. Its goal is to correct joint misalignment in the neck that has resulted from spinal trauma. The most frequent injuries result from car accidents, sports injuries, and slip and falls.  

Correcting misaligned joints in the neck can have long-term profound effects on improved muscle balance, posture, and reduction in many different types of back pain. Long-term restoration of Spinal joint motion allows the soft tissue surrounding the joints to heal giving them better strength and integrity.   

What is Blair Upper Cervical Technique?

Blair Upper Cervical doctors are specially trained to find spinal misalignments in the upper cervical spine. This is determined by running the prospective patient through a battery of neurological tests that locate the spinal segments that have been injured and misaligned by a prior neck injury.

Once located, precision imaging in the form of digital x-ray or cone-beam computed tomography (Cbct) is used to precisely determine which joint has misaligned and the angulation of the offending joint. Each person’s anatomy is different and therefore imaging is used to uncover the blueprint to be used to correct each patient’s individual misalignment pattern. 

Once this information is gleaned, a gentle, light correction is made without twisting, popping, or pulling. The patient is then monitored overtime to ensure that the correction is holding. If the testing indicates the need for another correction, then it is performed. However, the goal of Blair Upper Cervical Care is for the patient to stay in “adjustment”.

It isn’t the correction that produces healing. It is the removal of nerve irritation and the adjustment “holding” in its normal position that allows the body to function better and proceed through a healing process. If you or a loved one is looking for natural Back Pain Treatment or better Health our offices offer a FREE consultation. 

Side note-Most mid-back and low back pain are caused by musculoskeletal problems it should be noted that in rare cases low back pain can be caused by serious underlying health issues. If low back or mid back pain is of sudden onset with no provocation it is always wise to see a medical doctor to rule out any serious health problem.