Chronic pain is a condition that affects millions of people around the world. It is not the same as the acute pain that results from an injury and heals as the body does. Chronic pain persists and may come and go in intensity but is always there in the background. Affected persons have a graduated range of severity that results in the Framework for Chronic Pain that goes from a Class 1 Affect (mild) through to an Affect that means the person is mostly housebound or completely bedridden.
Understanding Chiropractic Care
The foundation of chiropractic care on spinal adjustments or manipulations. When a chiropractor applies their hands to the spine, they direct the necessary forces to the necessary areas.
Chronic pain often manifests as muscle tightness and tension. Chiropractic adjustments can help relieve these symptoms and improve circulation in the affected areas. It may not directly influence the muscles, but the chiropractor's alterations can certainly help. Muscle tension and pain around the spine are common, primarily because of the large number of muscles that surround this area. So, it stands to reason that by relieving nerve tension in the back area, you can relieve muscle tightness and pain, thus improving mobility and function. The chiropractors' approach to pain management is primarily a mechanical approach, meaning they are looking for issues with the musculoskeletal system that could be causing pain.
What to Expect from Chiropractic Care in Geelong
The initial visit to Geelong for chronic pain relief begins with a complete and thorough assessment. This includes a review of your past medical history (which might involve your most recent primary care physician), other physicians you might have seen, and any major surgeries you have had. The exam part of the assessment is similarly not so painstaking. We will perform a number of tests, both diagnostic and evaluative. Based on this review and these results, they create for you what is called a "care plan."
The quality of life can be significantly affected by chronic pain, yet chiropractic treatment holds out hope for those afflicted. It is our understanding that the chiropractic profession has a unique set of tools with which to address the root causes of pain, the most potent of those tools being the spinal adjustment.
In Geelong, as in most places, care from a chiropractor is only one of many options available to individuals with chronic pain. Still, the important point to communicate is that the quality of life can be improved for those in pain, and care from a chiropractor is one of many valid options to explore.