Lower back pain can have a significant impact on your ability to carry out everyday tasks and when the pain is longstanding, it can leave you feeling down and defeated. Lower back pain can have a number of causes including poor posture putting stress on your muscles, trauma and nerve damage or trapped nerves. Chiropractic treatment is considered an effective treatment for lower back pain and can be used alone or in conjunction with the treatment options commonly offered by your GP, such as painkillers and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. It can also be used alongside complementary therapies, such as massage and acupuncture.

If you're new to chiropractic treatment, you may be wondering what it entails. Chiropractic care is a hands-on therapy that aims to treat a range of medical conditions and complaints by addressing misalignment and tension affecting the musculoskeletal system. A chiropractor can help ease lower back pain in the following ways:

Postural Assessment

A chiropractor can assess your sitting and standing posture to determine whether poor posture is contributing to your lower back pain. Poor posture can cause trapped nerves and muscle tension, and as your muscles tighten your spine, they can move out of alignment. Your chiropractor can give you tips for maintaining a healthy posture and recommend supportive aids, such as an ergonomic back support for your chair, which you can use in the short-term until you get used to sitting and standing differently.

Manual Adjustment

Your chiropractor can use their hands to ease muscle stiffness and encourage the release of trapped nerves. They will gently manipulate your lower back using a range of thrusting, rocking and stretching motions to bring your vertebrae back into alignment. Manual adjustments are not painful and some patients experience a noticeable improvement in their back pain after only one session.  

Targeted Exercises

Your chiropractor can show you appropriate targeted exercises to strengthen your lower back muscles and reduce tension. You'll have to carry out these exercises every day at home, but improving your range of motion in your lower back can reduce strain by loosening stiff muscles. Additionally, a strong lower back can make it less likely you'll experience the same kind of back pain in the future.

Chiropractic care is considered safe for all age ranges and can be an effective treatment approach for those with persistent lower back pain that isn't improving on its own after a couple of weeks. Your local chiropractor can provide more information and answer any questions you have before scheduling treatment. Contact a chiropractic clinic for more information. 

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