Provo / Orem Chiropractor Discusses How Chiropractic Adjustments Help Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most common medical complaints in the American healthcare system. Common causes are sprains and strains due to improper mechanics during physical activities, poor diet and stress.

Some people will have a short episode lasting from a day or two to a week or two.

Unfortunately, for others the pain doesn’t go away and begins to affect their lifestyle. Low back pain is one of the most prevalent and costly problems in the US healthcare system. Approximately 80% of adults will experience low back pain in their lifetime and 75% of those will experience problems lasting more than a year.

Chiropractic care is based on some simple facts:

1. Your brain and nerves control everything that happens in your body.
2. Your body has a natural and powerful ability to heal itself.
3. Injury, sickness and disease are the result of the body’ not meeting the demands placed on it. Think of it this way. At work someone has a cold. Everyone in the office is exposed to it. Some get sick others don’t. Why? Those whose body is unable to defend against it (for whatever reason) “catch” the cold.
4. The chiropractic adjustment stimulates the brain and nerves and other bodily functions.
5. This improves your body’s ability to heal and self regulate.

The chiropractic adjustment or spinal manipulation is the application of a controlled force to a joint, moving it through its full range of motion. This does several things, first it stimulates nerve endings in joints and muscles that block pain, relax tight muscles and improve blood flow. With relaxed muscles comes increased mobility and flexibility. Those same nerve endings travel to the brain increasing brain activity and function resulting in improved body functions.

The frequency and duration of your chiropractic visits is dependent upon your condition, lifestyle, and goals.

In clinical outcomes, patients with low back pain got better results with chiropractic care than those who were medically treated.

According to a survey, chiropractic treatment received the highest percentage of patients having 59% who were highly satisfied compared to any other treatments, including physical therapy (55%), acupuncture (53%), massage (48%) and treatments from specialists (44%) and primary-care doctors (34%). It was found that hands-on treatments are very helpful with the patients suffering from low back pain.

Low back pain is common, but each of us experiences pain uniquely. Therefore Dr McArthur does NOT use a “one size fits all" approach.

In most cases, Dr McArthur performs spinal adjustments manually, using his hands to move bones through their full range of motion. In other cases the adjustment may be done with an instrument. How the adjustment is done is determined by the needs and condition of the patient.

Dr McArthur also use a variety of rehabilitative and physio therapies including, electrical muscle stimulation, heat, traction, oxygen therapy, percussion, stretching, strengthening exercises, diet and lifestyle counseling, and a variety of brain exercises to help you reach your health goals.