Treatment FAQ

how to treat a sore neck and lower back after chiropractic treatment

by Albin Kuphal Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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After an adjustment, if you’re sore, it is likely to last about 24-48 hours. If this soreness is from your adjustment, one of the best ways to treat it is with moist heat. By applying moist heat to your sore muscles, you let your joints and muscles relax more.

After an adjustment, if you're sore, it is likely to last about 24-48 hours. If this soreness is from your adjustment, one of the best ways to treat it is with moist heat. By applying moist heat to your sore muscles, you let your joints and muscles relax more. Another way to help soreness is through an Epson salt bath.Nov 14, 2019

Full Answer

How can chiropractic care help my back and neck pain?

Nov 14, 2019 · If this soreness is from your adjustment, one of the best ways to treat it is with moist heat. By applying moist heat to your sore muscles, you let your joints and muscles relax more. Another way to help soreness is through an Epson salt bath. This is a great way to help your muscles relax before heading off to bed.

Does your back hurt worse after visiting a chiropractor?

Core Chiropractic Treatment. The core of chiropractic usually involves treatment of common lower back pain conditions through manual therapy: Spinal manipulation and manual manipulation. 7 This type of manual manipulation refers to a high-velocity, short lever arm thrust that is applied to abnormal vertebra with the goal of improving functionality, reducing nerve …

How do you treat sore muscles after a chiropractic adjustment?

When it comes to the spine, and back specifically, the goal of a successful chiropractic session is to eradicate inflammation and reduce overall pain. The areas of relief mainly focus on joints, ligaments, and muscles. The intention is to achieve this well-being through the use of: Massaging Ultrasound Electrical stimulation Spinal manipulation

Is Spinal manipulation effective for mechanical neck and low-back pain?

Apr 16, 2002 · In the future, remember that it is not necessary or helpful to submit to neck manipulation as a treatment for low-back pain. And manipulation is not going to correct a scoliosis. Since you had chiropractic manipulation “for months, three times a week” without any relief for your neck pain, it was prudent to discontinue such treatment. If the manipulation was …

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How long does neck pain last after chiropractor?

The most common reaction to spinal manipulation is aching or soreness in the spinal joints or muscles. If this aching or soreness occurs, it is usually within the first few hours post-treatment and does not last longer than 24 hours after the chiropractic adjustment.

Why does my neck hurt more after chiropractor?

When you get an adjustment, your vertebrae are being moved slightly. Your muscles have to adapt to the movement of the bone, so they may end up lengthening or shortening slightly, which can lead to soreness. The soreness is related to the movement of the bones and not to the pressure utilized by the chiropractor.Jul 13, 2020

Why does my back hurt worse after chiropractor?

Muscles that may have weakened or been used to supporting poor posture are now being asked to support the body in a new and more healthy way. Because of this, aching and soreness in spinal joints and muscles are common reactions to chiropractic adjustments.Aug 6, 2020

Is it normal to be in more pain after chiropractic?

While that's true, you may be surprised to learn that a chiropractic adjustment can sometimes cause more pain before you begin to feel relief. However, the phenomenon of feeling sore after an adjustment is very common and should be expected.Oct 14, 2020

Can chiropractors damage your neck?

The high velocity thrust used in cervical manipulation can produce significant strain on carotid and vertebral vessels. Once a dissection has occurred, the risk of thrombus formation, ischemic stroke, paralysis, and even death is drastically increased.Mar 25, 2018

How long does it take to heal after chiropractic adjustment?

With general nerve pain in both legs, feet, arm, or hands it can get complicated but chiropractic, therapy, and often lifestyle modifications can help. You should expect a healing time of four to eight weeks to feel significantly better.

What are the risks of chiropractic neck adjustments?

Serious complications associated with chiropractic adjustment are overall rare, but may include:
  • A herniated disk or a worsening of an existing disk herniation.
  • Compression of nerves in the lower spinal column.
  • A certain type of stroke after neck manipulation.
Mar 16, 2022

What should I avoid after chiropractic adjustment?

After your adjustment, you don't want your body to immediately revert to the same position it was in. Avoid sitting for long periods of time after seeing the chiropractor, if possible, and enjoy the mobility that your adjustment has created by going for a long walk, or take a bike ride.Nov 2, 2017

When should you stop chiropractic treatment?

In general, it is advised to discontinue chiropractic care if any of the following is true:
  1. Increased pain. It is not uncommon to note mild discomfort after the initial manipulation treatment for the first 24 to 48 hours (similar to starting a new exercise). ...
  2. No improvement within 2 to 4 weeks. ...
  3. Symptoms have gone away.

Is heat or ice better after chiropractic adjustment?

With activity the healing tissue can tear and cause sub-acute inflammation which should be addressed with ice, but while the tissue is scarring and remodeling, moist heat would be best to increase circulation and nutrients necessary to promote healing.Aug 17, 2017

How do chiropractors know where to adjust?

Hands – our guides

Palpation is chief among the techniques used by chiropractors to determine where patients need help and where to adjust. Using our hands, we test the patient's response to pressure and manipulation, seeking trouble spots.
Mar 13, 2018

Why do doctors not like chiropractors?

Historically, the medical associations have demonstrated resentment to any other community treating the ill. So first and foremost, it started out as a turf war. Secondarily, Medical Doctors don't really understand what Chiropractors do, as they were not trained in spinal manipulation techniques.Nov 24, 2018

Why Does my Back Hurt Worse After Visiting the Chiropractor?

Nothing is more debilitating than having a back that’s out of whack. From picking up your child to bending over and grabbing the newspaper, your ba...

Chiropractic Goals and Possible Effects

Should your back hurt after seeing a chiropractor? When it comes to the spine, and back specifically, the goal of a successful chiropractor is to e...

Two Main Reasons for an Increase in Back Pain After Visiting the Chiropractor: 1. Disc Herniation

If the annulus fibrosus, basically the tough, outer layer of your discs that compose your spine, is torn or stretched too far you have a disc herni...

2. Irritated Ligaments and Muscles

Remember, the focus and goal of a chiropractor is to heal painful joints, muscles, and ligaments with noninvasive methods. Through massage and mani...

Can a chiropractor hurt your back?

There are a few actions you can take if you notice extra pain in your back after visiting the chiropractor. Take Temporary Healing Measures Perhaps...

Talk Directly to Your Chiropractor

The most important intention of the chiropractor is to heal you and make you feel better. Whether or not the increase in pain was an oversight on t...

Can a chiropractor help lower back pain?

Many studies have concluded that manual therapies commonly used by chiropractors are generally effective for the treatment of lower back pain 1,2, as well as for treatment of lumbar herniated disc for radiculopathy 3,4 and neck pain, among other conditions. 5. See Chiropractic Adjustment of the Lumbar Spine (Low Back) Video.

What to expect in a chiropractic treatment plan?

Chiropractic Treatment Plan. What To Expect: Your First Adjustment. Goal setting for the chiropractic treatment plan is driven by the patient's pain and disability issues and activity intolerance. Consistent among all guidelines of low back pain treatment is the prevention of chronicity.

What is a chiropractor?

Chiropractic is a health care profession dedicated to the non-surgical treatment of disorders of the nervous system and/or musculoskeletal system. Generally, chiropractors maintain a unique focus on spinal manipulation and treatment of surrounding structures.

What is chiropractic adjustment?

It is also commonly known as " chiropractic adjustment ". There is firm literature support for chiropractic treatment of lower back pain. Many of the published guidelines recommend chiropractic manipulation to be included in the treatment plan early in the care of lower back pain. 8-16.

Why does my back hurt after a chiropractor?

Two Main Reasons for an Increase in Back Pain After Visiting the Chiropractor. 1. Disc Herniation. If the annulus fibrosus, basically the tough, outer layer of your discs that compose your spine, is torn or stretched too far you have a disc herniation. Once the annulus fibrosus has torn the softer, interior part of the disc can seep out ...

Is it normal to have pain after a chiropractor?

A good, caring chiropractor will have no problem hashing out the details to best optimize your visit for all future adjustments. It's sometimes normal to experience pain after seeing a chiropractor, but there are simple solutions and remedies. Back to contents.

Can back pain ruin your day?

Back pain can ruin your plans for the day, or make you call off of work. When you visit a chiropractor for Back Pain Relief, you never think that you will still experience any pain after your visits. But you do.

What is the goal of chiropractic treatment?

When it comes to the spine, and back specifically, the goal of a successful chiropractic session is to eradicate inflammation and reduce overall pain. The areas of relief mainly focus on joints, ligaments, and muscles. The intention is to achieve this well-being through the use of: Massaging. Ultrasound.

What are the side effects of chiropractic adjustments?

It’s important to note that common side effects of chiropractic adjustments are tiredness, minor headaches, and slight discomfort in adjusted locations. Your body may be used to being out of alignment. So, when your spine is back in alignment, it will take some getting used to, which may cause you to feel sore.

What is the goal of a chiropractor?

Remember, the focus and goal of a chiropractor is to heal painful joints, muscles, and ligaments with noninvasive methods. Through massage and manipulation of the spine, chiropractors try to realign and straighten your body and alleviate curvature imbalances.

How does a chiropractor help with curvature?

Through massage and manipulation of the spine, chiropractors try to realign and straighten your body and alleviate curvature imbalances. The problem arises when the chiropractor attempts to perfectly straighten the spine and meets heavy resistance from your body.

What It Means if Your Back Pain Is Worse After a Chiropractor Visit

It’s not uncommon for patients to leave a chiropractic visit feeling sore or sometimes may even feel worse than when they came in. If this has happened to you, don’t panic! This is one of the normal potential side effects of visiting the chiropractor.

Avoiding Back Pain After a Chiropractor Visit With Customized Care

One of the best ways to prevent your back pain from getting worse after a chiropractic adjustment is to ensure that you’re seeing medical providers who will take the time to understand your needs and build a personalized treatment plan.

Can you get sharp pains from a chiropractor?

Again, while certain levels of soreness are common, you should not experience new sharp, shooting pains with movement after visiting a chiropractor. This may signify a strain to a certain area, or that an area has become misaligned. If you experience sharp, shooting pains, especially shootings pain that travels, ...

Can a chiropractor loosen muscles?

Sometimes prior to performing an adjustment, a chiropractor may need to loosen the surrounding muscles using pressure or special medical tools to improve the chance of movement. You're going to experience some aching and soreness afterward if you've had muscle work done before an adjustment.

How long does it take for a muscle to heal after a massage?

This soreness usually greatly reduces or goes away entirely in 24 hours. If it persists longer than that call your doctor. The pain may be similar to what you experience following a deep tissue massage.

Is it normal for a deep tissue massage to hurt?

The pain may be similar to what you experience following a deep tissue massage. Additionally, if you're undergoing treatment for an injury of any kid, such as a dislocated joint, you may experience some pain at the site that was worked on. This is normal, though the pain should be a mild soreness and not extreme.

Is it normal to have bruising after a chiropractor?

This is normal, but again should be minimal and not severe.

Can you feel a chiropractic adjustment?

While there are a variety of symptoms that are common post-chiropractic adjustment, there are also several things that you should never feel after being adjusted. Some of them can be extremely frightening and may signify a major problem, prompting immediate medical care.

Can you lose speech after chiropractic?

While muscle soreness is common post-chiropractic appointment, you should never experience trouble with, or loss of, speech. This can signify a major injury to your spinal cord and needs emergency medical attention immediately.

1. First and foremost, I should have seen a chiropractor FIRST

Instead, I went to my family doctor, an orthopedic specialist, a physical therapist, and a spinal (injection) specialist. Oops! All of these people I visited offered advice on how to “manage” the pinched nerve and bulged disc. The chiropractor’s objective is to actually fix the underlying cause of the pain.

2. A subtle, yet huge difference in X-rays

A profound difference in the way that my orthopedic specialist did my X-ray and the way my chiropractor did my X-ray is worth mentioning. My orthopedic X-ray was conducted laying down. So, while they were able to check the bones for chips and make sure there were no fractures, they didn’t really *see* the problem.

4. The fog is lifted, and I can breathe again

After my first chiropractic visit, my back started to relax on the ride home. I drive an F250 diesel truck, which when empty, is almost too powerful. After the second visit, I found myself doing some “spirited driving” on the way home. It didn't hurt! It’s amazing that even a day or two after a spinal adjustment, my body was still aligning.

5. Stretches and exercises for lumbar support

My previous blog post is one of the more popular articles on the site, and I want to leave the post active for comparison purposes. Its findings, recommendations, and actual stretches and exercises are still valid.

7. Need help finding a chiropractor?

If you’re in or near Northeast PA, drop me a line and I’ll share my chiropractor’s information with you. If you’re elsewhere, ask your friends and family until you’ve found someone who STRONGLY recommends a chiropractor. For me, a nearby friend is a power-lifter, and he said things like this:

Helpful Videos

Yoga for Lower Back Pain (Great for when you're still in the "it hurts to stretch" stages)

Follow-up November 2016

I've started doing more yoga. I've found that while a Chiropractor can get you out of pain using spinal adjustments, yoga will strengthen your muscles and correct your posture (when done correctly). Here is a great video that was recently in the New York Post:

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