What Does a Chiropractor Do for Lower Back Pain?
Lower back pain can limit your mobility and disrupt your life. Many consider seeing a chiropractor to address their pain, but aren’t sure what that actually involves. That’s why we often get this question: What does a chiropractor do for lower back pain?
Plenty of people expect to walk into our practice, have a chiropractor “crack their back,” and achieve immediate relief. However, proper care first requires a thorough evaluation to understand what may be causing your pain. This can help us determine if chiropractic adjustments, joint mobilization, or soft-tissue techniques are appropriate additions to your personalized pain management plan.
At Brenner Chiropractic, we believe that evaluation must always come before treatment to ensure our process uses the right approach to address lower back pain. For many, that involves hands-on care, while for others, it may mean a referral for a different type of medical evaluation.
Key Takeaways
- A chiropractor must assess your history and conduct a physical examination before starting any treatment for your lower back pain.
- Care is individualized and may include chiropractic adjustments, soft-tissue therapy, and specific exercises to improve movement and function.
- Chiropractic care is a recognized non-drug option for many types of musculoskeletal lower back pain, but it is not a one-size-fits-all solution.
- Certain symptoms, such as new loss of bladder control or progressive leg weakness, require immediate medical attention.
Can a Chiropractor Help With Lower Back Pain?
Medical professionals generally recommend conservative, non-invasive treatments as their first-line approach to certain conditions. When it comes to acute and chronic non-specific lower back pain, guidelines from organizations like the American College of Physicians recommend spinal manipulation, among other options.
However, it’s important to have realistic expectations. Chiropractic care is one of several effective conservative treatments, alongside physical therapy, exercise, and medical care. One or a combination of these treatments can help improve function and reduce pain.
This means that, for some patients, chiropractic care is a key part of their pain management strategy, while others may find more success with a different approach. A responsible chiropractor will help you determine if you are a good candidate for their care.
What Does a Chiropractor Check Before Treating Lower Back Pain?
A thorough evaluation ensures safe and effective care. At Brenner Chiropractic, before any treatment begins, we need to understand your specific symptoms.
Discuss Your Symptoms and Medical History
We want to know the history of your back pain and may ask the following questions:
- When did the pain begin, and was there a specific injury?
- Where exactly does it hurt? Is the pain sharp, dull, or achy?
- Does the pain travel into your buttocks or down your leg?
- Do you have any numbness, tingling, or weakness?
- Which movements, positions, or activities make it better or worse?
- What treatments have you already tried?
Examine How Your Back Moves
Dr. Brenner will guide you through a physical examination. This includes observing your posture and assessing your range of motion to see how well your back bends, twists, and extends. Examining areas of joint restriction or muscle tenderness and observing your movement patterns can help identify any functional issues that may be contributing to stress on your lower back.
Check for Nerve Involvement When Appropriate
If your symptoms include pain radiating down your leg (like sciatica), numbness, or tingling, we may request additional orthopedic and neurological tests. This may involve checking your reflexes, muscle strength, and sensation to determine whether a pinched nerve is involved.
Decide Whether Chiropractic Care Is Appropriate
Your initial visit may not always involve adjustments. Based on the evaluation, we can determine whether chiropractic care is the right next step. If your symptoms suggest a condition that requires a different specialist, or if imaging, such as an MRI, is warranted, we will refer you to the appropriate care.
What Does a Chiropractor Actually Do for Lower Back Pain?
Once we’ve determined that you are a good candidate for care, we create an individualized treatment plan that can include a combination of techniques.
Chiropractic Adjustments and Joint Mobilization
Spinal manipulation, often called a chiropractic adjustment, applies controlled force to a joint to help restore its natural movement. We may also use gentler, lower-force mobilization techniques. This is not to “put a bone back in place,” as many might assume, but rather to help improve joint function, reduce stiffness, and decrease pain signals. This technique can be adjusted based on your condition, comfort level, and examination findings.
Flexion-Distraction When Appropriate
For certain types of lower back pain, especially those related to spinal discs, we may use a technique called flexion-distraction. Using a specialized table, we gently stretch your lower back to reduce pressure within the disc and improve spinal motion in a comfortable, controlled manner.
Soft-Tissue Treatment
Lower back pain can be accompanied by muscle tightness, guarding, and painful trigger points. We may incorporate soft-tissue therapies like trigger point therapy or fascial release therapy to address the muscular component of your pain, helping to reduce tension and improve flexibility.
Exercises and Movement Recommendations
Lasting relief requires regular practices outside of our practice. Our doctor guides you through mobility and stabilization exercises that can help you manage your condition. We also show you how to adjust daily activities, from how to lift safely to how to set up your workspace, to help reduce back strain.
What Types of Lower Back Pain May Chiropractors See?
Chiropractors evaluate and manage different types of musculoskeletal back pain, including:
- Mechanical Lower Back Pain: General pain and stiffness from strain on the spine’s structures
- Muscle Strains: Overstretching or tearing a muscle in the lower back
- Sacroiliac Joint Pain: Pain originating from the joints that connect your spine to your pelvis
- Disc-Related Back Pain: Bulging or herniated disc causing discomfort around the lower back and thighs
- Sciatica/Radicular Pain: Pain, numbness, or tingling that travels down the leg, often caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve
What Happens During a Chiropractic Visit for Lower Back Pain?
Here is what the process typically looks like at our Bellmore office:
- Consultation and Health History: Sit down with Dr. Brenner to discuss your symptoms and other health conditions that could be contributing to your pain.
- Physical Examination: We’ll perform a comprehensive physical, functional, and (when needed) neurological exam.
- Diagnosis and Report of Findings: We’ll explain what we believe is causing your pain and whether medical care from other specialists is necessary.
- Treatment Options: If chiropractic care is suitable for conservative pain management, we can discuss appropriate treatment options.
- Begin Individualized Care: We start providing your first treatment based on our recommendations.
- Monitor Progress: At each visit, we will monitor your changes in pain and function to ensure the treatment plan is working as expected.
How Soon Should Lower Back Pain Improve?
Recovery depends on many factors, including:
- The cause of your pain
- How severe it is
- How long you’ve had it
- Your activity level
- Your overall health
Some people with acute pain feel relief quickly as their body recovers from injuries. Others with chronic conditions may require more time and may need lifestyle changes to manage their condition.
We monitor your progress closely and adjust your care plan as needed. If your symptoms aren’t improving as expected, we will reassess to determine the best course of action.
When Should You See a Medical Doctor for Lower Back Pain?
Most cases of lower back pain are not emergencies, but certain symptoms require immediate medical evaluation. Go to an emergency room or see your medical doctor right away if you experience back pain accompanied by:
- New or worsening loss of bowel or bladder control
- Numbness in the inner thighs and groin
- Significant or progressive weakness in your legs
- Severe pain after a major trauma, like a car accident or a fall
- Fever or other signs of systemic illness
FAQs About Chiropractic Care for Lower Back Pain
What does a chiropractor do for lower back pain?
A chiropractor can conduct a thorough examination of your body to diagnose the cause of your pain. If appropriate, they use treatments like spinal manipulation, soft-tissue therapy, and corrective exercises. Their treatment can help improve joint function and reduce pain.
Can a chiropractor help with lower back pain?
Chiropractic care can be an effective treatment option for musculoskeletal lower back pain. Spinal manipulation is one of the non-drug therapies recommended for acute and chronic back pain. However, your chiropractor must first evaluate whether you are a good candidate for care.
Is it safe to see a chiropractor for lower back pain?
When performed by a licensed and trained professional, chiropractic care for lower back pain is generally considered safe. A responsible chiropractor will conduct a thorough examination first to screen for any conditions that would make spinal manipulation inappropriate and will refer you to another provider if necessary.
How many chiropractic visits do you need for lower back pain?
The number of visits needed can vary from person to person. Your chiropractor should create a personalized plan and monitor your progress, rather than prescribing a fixed number of visits for everyone.
Should you see a chiropractor if lower back pain goes down your leg?
Pain that travels down the leg, known as sciatica or radicular pain, is a common reason people seek chiropractic care. A chiropractor can request additional neurological and orthopedic tests to assess for nerve involvement and determine the likely cause before recommending a course of action.
Get Help With Lower Back Pain in Bellmore, NY
If lower back pain is interfering with your life, you don’t have to just live with it. At our office in Bellmore, Dr. Brenner can perform a comprehensive assessment to determine the cause of your symptoms and discuss whether conservative chiropractic care is a suitable option.
Contact Brenner Chiropractic today to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward improved mobility.