These numbers might shock you… unless you’re one of the people included in the statistics. Multiple large population studies report that one in five Canadians lives with chronic pain. Half of those Canadians with chronic pain say their chronic pain has lasted a decade or more. Over 10% of those Canadians with chronic pain say their pain is severe. If you are one of the millions of Canadians who live with chronic musculoskeletal pain, you need to know that chiropractors can help… without drugs.
Developing treatment plans at a chronic pain clinic near you
Chiropractic treatment at a chronic pain clinic in SW Calgary begins with a careful and thorough assessment of the patient’s pain and circumstances. The goal of the assessment is to determine the source of the pain and to develop a treatment plan to improve your pain. An assessment with the best chiropractor in SW Calgary will include a broad discussion of the many factors that can affect your experience of pain. While you may be surprised at the breadth and depth of the topics discussed, all the information gathered will help your chiropractor to develop an effective treatment plan. The assessment will include topics such as:
- Your lifestyle preferences and choices
- Your diet and nutrition
- Any life stressors, including physical, emotional, and even chemical stressors
- Past medical history and current medical conditions
- Past and current medication history and non-prescription drug use
- Past injury history and any current injuries
- Your pain experience as it has evolved over time
- Your self-care and self-management approaches to recovery and pain management
Chiropractic treatment options for chronic pain
The staff at a chronic pain clinic in SW Calgary will use all of the information gathered in that careful assessment to develop treatment options for your specific pain experience, and personal and medical circumstances. Here is a brief introduction to six treatment options with a chiropractor near you.
Cold laser therapy
People who are familiar with chiropractic treatment — or who think they are — probably envision manual adjustments when a chiropractor uses their hands. Manual adjustments are very common, but chiropractors also apply advanced technologies to relieving chronic pain, including cold laser therapy (CLT). CLT applies light energy to cells of your body to reduce inflammation and accelerate healing by supplying energy to those cells’ mitochondria.
Manual adjustments
A chiropractor near you will use manual therapy to perform adjustments. Chiropractors perform adjustments to your body by using their hands to apply controlled and sudden forces to a joint with the objective of improving range of motion and physical function, and easing your experience of pain.
Physiotherapy exercises
Physiotherapy is a form of physical exercise that, depending on the cause and location of your chronic pain, can improve the strength and flexibility of muscle groups within your body and, by doing so, ease the related chronic pain.
Posture and ergonomic advice
Chronic pain is frequently caused, contributed to, or worsened by poor posture and ergonomic arrangements and how they impact the position of your body and joints. Posture and ergonomic issues are often completely unknown to someone who is experiencing chronic pain until identified by a chiropractor near you. Postural and ergonomic changes are particularly effective in addressing chronic pain focused in your neck and back.
Soft tissue therapy
Soft tissue therapy — also referred to as myofascial release — is a hands-on form of treatment that can treat nerves, fascia, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Soft tissue therapy is an active release technique that can be particularly beneficial for people engaged in repetitive motions imposing repetitive strains and sports injuries based on repetitive muscle use and over-exertion.
Spinal decompression therapy
A common cause of chronic pain is slipped or bulging discs in your back. Chiropractors at a chronic pain clinic near you used specialized equipment and techniques to perform spinal decompression therapy (SDT). The objective of SDT is to reduce compression in and on your spinal discs and vertebrae.
If you’re someone who has been dealing with chronic pain and is looking for additional options for relief or advice regarding pain management, contact a chronic pain clinic near you for advice about how to live more comfortably.