For many Australians, back pain has become a reality of daily life and a constant reminder of our not-so-great life decisions. Sure, maybe at first, the lower back pain you felt could be managed with anti-inflammatory medication, or you felt better after you took a few days off from work. However, the issue with most disorders affecting the musculoskeletal system is represented by their persistence and potential for long-term unfavourable developments. Did that backache you started feeling one year ago morphed into a full-blown sciatica that’s beginning to impact your work productivity? In such a case, you will need help.
Are you desperate to relieve sciatica pain immediately? Have you tried all sorts of different medications without noticeable effects? If so, a chiropractor for back pain can be a choice to consider. Worldwide, chiropractic treatments have an unfavourable reputation thanks to the limited regulatory practices that exist in some countries. However, in our nation, this is not the case. The activity of Aussie chiropractors is regulated through the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act of 2009, and the consequences for breaching its provisions are often severe.
What Are the Leading Causes of Lower Back Pain?
More than 10% of our planet’s population is dealing with persistent and severe pain that affects daily productivity. Sure, in many cases, the pain we feel is only temporary, and it’s caused by innocuous events we can’t exactly predict. Have you pulled a back muscle while lifting weights, or are you feeling a dull ache near your coccyx after a longer-than-usual gaming session? If so, your discomfort will probably disappear in a few days with enough rest. But, there are also instances in which back pain is caused by more complex disorders, some of which have the potential to transform into chronic issues.
Muscle strains are the number one cause of lower back pain, and it’s something that most of us will experience at least once in our lifetime. But another cause of persistent back pain that’s becoming more and more widespread as our jobs become increasingly sedentary is herniated discs. Our spinal discs are designed to act as a cushion for our vertebrae, and typically, as long as we live an active lifestyle and have a good posture, they work great. However, if you spend most of your day crouched over your desk, those discs might start to bulge and put pressure on the nearby nerve or muscle tissue.
When that happens, your sciatic nerve can get affected and cause a tingling sensation or weakness either in your buttocks or down your lower limbs. Sciatica is common, and it’s estimated that as many as 40% of people will get it at one point or another in their lifetime. Nevertheless, the symptoms can be severe. Therefore, it’s imperious to use the services of a chiropractor who can relieve sciatica pain immediately.
How Can a Chiropractor for Back Pain Aid Your Recovery?
By correcting the position of the herniated discs, a chiropractor for back pain can, in most cases, relieve sciatica pain immediately. However, if the disorder is caused by spinal stenosis, a more invasive treatment might be needed. Persistent back pain can also be caused by arthritis, degenerative disc disease or chronic inflammatory conditions like systemic lupus erythematosus. Chiropractic cannot fix the cause of these diseases (actually, in some cases, neither can conventional treatments). However, it can reduce the pain associated with chronic inflammation and bring you the temporary relief necessary to continue your daily activities.
Your chiropractor for back pain can utilise many different treatments to relieve sciatica pain immediately. However, spinal manipulation is by far the most well-known. Also abbreviated as SMT, spinal manipulation is a non-invasive treatment in which chiropractors use consistent but targeted pressure to realign your spine’s vertebrae and reduce the strain they put on the nearby nerves. In simpler terms, in SMT, the chiropractor “cracks” your back, an action that is accompanied by a distinct sound caused by the release of synovial fluid from the facet joints of the spine.
Misaligned vertebrae can put extra pressure on the surrounding nerves (especially on the nervus ischiadicus) and also cause persistent muscle inflammation. When the mechanical stress associated with the subluxation is resolved, the pressure on the nerve is released, an action that releases endorphins. At the same time, spinal manipulation is thought to affect mechanoreceptors, which can inhibit the transmission of pain signals originating from the narrow-width strands of the vertebral column. Once the vertebra is aligned correctly, the circulation in the affected area is improved, and the body releases anti-inflammatory compounds like Interleukin-1 or IFN-gamma.
A Safe and Well-Regulated Practice
Chiropractors, at least in our country, are medical professionals whose activity is regulated by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, which works through the Chiropractic Board. Unlike in other nations, where chiropractic treatments are unregulated and pretty much anyone can try their hand at practising in this field, in Aussie land, chiropractic is taken seriously and considered a legitimate medical field that is backed by peer-reviewed papers.
To become a chiropractor for back pain in our country, applicants need to complete a degree accredited by the CCEA, which means you’ll need to obtain a Bachelor's in Chiropractic Science, followed by a Master's. Then, after graduation, you will have to register with the AHPRA, obtain professional indemnity cover, and get involved in CPD activities, which are necessary to keep up with developments in the field. On top of that, although not explicitly required, most NSW chiropractors also join the CAA.
Chiropractic treatments can relieve sciatica pain immediately. Yet, at the same time, they are also efficient in treating migraines or tension headaches, alleviating joint pain, reducing chronic inflammation and improving the mobility of individuals dealing with old injuries. Can chiropractic treat anything? No. After all, we are talking about science, not magic. However, in the hands of a chiropractor for back pain, spinal adjustment treatments can help reduce your pain and mitigate the effects of long-term spinal or joint disorders.
