Pain Relief
An aligned spine helps to open up the communication pathways between the brain and body. When the pathways are open, the body has the ability to heal itself.
Nearly 80% of Americans have back pain at some point in their lives and it is one of the most common painful and non-life-threatening conditions. It can range from a dull, constant ache to a sudden, sharp pain that may shoot down the leg. Sometimes it can come on suddenly – from an accident, a fall, or lifting something heavy, or it can develop slowly because of age-related degenerative changes in the spine. In some cases, inflammatory arthritis disorders or other medical conditions cause back pain.
If you have a headache, you’re not alone. Many people suffer from headaches —research shows that spinal manipulation therapy (SMT) – a centerpiece of chiropractic care – may be an effective treatment option for cervicogenic headaches, which are tension headaches that originate in the neck. Pain medication has limited effects on these types of headaches, so attention has turned to non-drug alternatives.
A herniated disc refers to a problem with one of the rubbery cushions (discs) between the individual bones (vertebrae) that make up your spine. Sometimes called a slipped disc or a ruptured disc, a herniated disc occurs when some of the soft center of the disc pushes out through a crack in the tougher exterior.
A pinched nerve occurs when surrounding tissues, such as bones, cartilage, muscles, or tendons, put excess pressure on a nerve. This pressure interferes with the nerve’s function and can occur anywhere in your body.
Your hip joint is one of the largest joints in your body. It’s in near-constant motion as it supports the body’s weight and maintains balance for everyday activities, including walking, going up and down stairs, and sitting. When something’s not right in your hips, it’s immediately noticeable and quickly affects your quality of life.
Our neck, known as the cervical spine, includes seven small vertebrae – from the base of the skull to the top of your shoulders. The cervical spine supports the full weight of your head–about 10-12 pounds. While the cervical spine can move your head in nearly every direction, this flexibility makes the neck susceptible to pain and injury.
Opioids are a class of prescription pain reliever that interacts with opioid receptors on nerve cells in the brain and body. In addition to pain relief, opioids can produce euphoria (a feeling of intense happiness) – this is why they are often misused. Misuse (using in a different way or a larger quantity than prescribed or taken without a prescription) can lead to addiction, overdose, and death. In addition, misuse of prescription opioids often leads to use of illegal street drugs, once the supply of prescription drugs is ended.