chiropractic care after having a baby

If you've been dealing with back pain, contact a chiropractor in your area. A lot of insurance plans cover an allotted number of chiropractic visits per year, so this route could be a good way to reduce your pain without resorting to more invasive methods. A chiropractor may do gentle manual manipulations on your spine to reduce back pain, but he may also offer other techniques that can help. Here are four interesting modalities you may want to consider for your back pain.

Spinal Traction

Spinal traction is a type of decompression therapy that can relieve any pressure you might have between vertebrae. Your chiropractor may set you up on a special table and use a device that will gently stretch your neck and head. Spinal traction can be a good option if your back pain is being caused by sciatica or herniated discs.  

Ultrasound Therapy

You may have heard of ultrasounds being used for imaging tests, but it can also be used for chiropractic treatments. During ultrasound therapy, your chiropractor will apply a device that creates sound waves through soft tissues and joints. The ultrasound therapy is similar to massage and helps to warm up muscles, increase blood flow, and reduce spasms. If you have an injury that has reduced your range of motion or has caused stiff muscles, then this might be a good therapy to consider. If you have inflammation, like shoulder bursitis, this can be a helpful treatment.

Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation (TENS)

During this treatment, your chiropractor will place electrodes over areas of your back that are experiencing pain. Then he or she will turn on a TENS unit, which will send small electrical impulses into those areas of pain. Although it may sound like this treatment would be painful, it's not. The impulses don't shock your body. Instead, the electrical pulses will disrupt pain signals and increase the release of endorphins. Endorphins are hormones that can have an analgesic effect.

Like ultrasonic therapy, TENS units can be a great way to warm up stiff muscles and increase blood flow. Your chiropractor might use this modality before he or she makes an adjustment or before applying a deeper massage therapy.

Activator Instrument Usage

If your back pain is being caused by joint inflammation or stiffness, then your chiropractor might use an activator instrument. This device delivers rapid pulses to target vertebrae. One great benefit of activator instruments is that they are very precise, so your chiropractor can work in difficult-to-reach areas that might be causing you back pain. Another benefit of activator instrument is that the pressure output can be adjusted and equally distributed between pulses; so, these devices may be more comfortable for patients who are too sensitive for manual adjustments.

Contact a chiropractor like Midtown Chiropractic & Rehabilitation today for more information.