Migraine Sufferers and Chiropractic Care

neck pain chiropractorIf you’ve ever suffered a migraine, then you know they’re not your average headache. Migraines are seriously debilitating and excruciatingly painful and for those that have them frequently, they’re actually considered a chronic neurological disorder. Visit a Wilmington NC chiropractor today.

What is a Migraine?

A migraine is characterized by recurring moderate-to-severe headaches. In most cases, the pain radiates along one side of the head and it is usually accompanied by nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, and in severe cases, vomiting. A migraine sufferer can experience these symptoms for up to 72 hours. A third of migraine sufferers claim that they often experience transient visual and sensory disturbances prior to the onset of a migraine.

There is little known about the cause and effect of migraines, but studies indicate that certain behaviors and sensory inputs can trigger the painful events. As a result, avoiding one’s triggers is an important part in most preventive strategies.

How are Migraines Treated?

Most conventional migraine treatments focus on managing the painful symptoms of the condition and not the cause itself. Usually, this involves taking prescribed pain medications or over-the-counter NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) or a combination of an analgesic drug and caffeine.

The problem with these tactics is that they only work on about half of all migraine sufferers. As a result, stronger drugs are sometimes prescribed, such as those in the ergotamine or triptan families.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help Relieve Your Migraines

In a recent study published in Headache magazine, it was found that among 225 migraine sufferers, the same percentage of people sought chiropractic care as did pharmaceutical pain relief. While this may be a surprise to most doctors, these results are expected among chiropractors because the profession has been successfully treating migraine sufferers for years.

Chiropractic care involves subtle manipulation of the spine, massage, and adjustment of the body’s soft tissues and joints to help relieve the inflammation, tension, and pain associated with migraines. Unlike pharmaceutical treatments, chiropractic care is natural, safe, non-addictive, and effective, and it works without the risk of side effects.

How effective?

In a 2000 study on 127 patients who suffered at least one migraine a month, the patients were separated into two groups – one group would receive targeted chiropractic care while the second group would receive inactive treatment. The group that received chiropractic care specifically tailored for migraine relief experienced a significant reduction in migraine frequency and intensity while the second group experienced no change in their condition. In fact, one in five of the treated group experienced a 90% reduction in the frequency of their headaches and many reported a reduction in their need for medication.

If You Suffer From Migraines, Southeastern Wilmington NC Chiropractor Can Help

At Southeastern Healthcare, we’re experts at helping migraine sufferers find lasting relief. If you suffer from debilitating migraines, call us today. We are here for you. Our chiropractic team can help you manage your pain naturally and effectively. Discover for yourself the difference that safe and effective chiropractic care can make. With six locations throughout the Wilmington NC chiropractor area, we have an office conveniently close to you.

What is “Radiating Pain” and How Can Chiropractic Help?

back pain chiropractorIf you have ever had a case of sciatica, in which pain seems to start in your lower back or hip and radiate down your leg to your foot, you have suffered an example of what is referred to as “radiating pain.” The medical term for pain the starts in one area and travels to another is radiculitis, and although it is not the most common form of nerve pain, it causes a lot of misery for those who suffer from it.

What is Radiating Pain?

True radiating pain is usually the result of a nerve or nerve root in the spinal cord being subject to pressure of some sort, whether through inflammation, injury or spinal subluxation. For example, a herniated disk may create radiating pain because it has bulged out of its normal place and may impinge on a nerve root extending from the spinal cord.

The nerves that run the length of the spinal cord from neck to tailbone and branch out to the left and right are called the radicular nerves. When these are injured or compressed they are more likely to radiate pain than the other types of nerves in our body. If there is a neck injury, for example, pain may radiate down the arm to the fingertips. The pain of something like tendonitis, however, is from pressure on the nerves in the elbow and forearm and does not generally radiate. Some people think they have radiating pain, but the pain is instead often just due to myofascial trigger points that cause a more diffuse pain that seems to radiate out from one area. This is caused by tense muscles and scar tissue that has built up trapping nerves in the muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Why Use a Chiropractor for Back Pain?

Chiropractors are expert at treating radiating pain. Your chiropractor will first take a thorough history, examine you, and may order diagnostic tests such as an x-ray or an MRI to determine if your problem may be due to a herniated disc, spinal stenosis or another condition that is not apparent from a physical examination.

A chiropractic adjustment can address any spinal misalignments that may be impinging on spinal nerves, taking the pressure off the nerve and reducing pain. In addition, many chiropractors utilize additional therapies that can free trapped nerves, such as the Active Release Technique (ART). A chiropractic ART therapist will be able to break up the fibrous adhesions and scar tissue that has built up in the soft tissue, freeing trapped nerves.

Contact Southeastern Healthcare for a Back Pain Chiropractor!

If you’re looking for a proven, non-invasive way for back pain relief, Southeastern’s team of experienced back pain chiropractors can help. We treat patients like you every single day. All it takes is one visit to discover for yourself the benefits of chiropractic care.

Stop living in pain; call Southeastern Healthcare today to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced and caring Wilmington NC back pain chiropractor. We are here for you. With six locations throughout the Wilmington area, we have an office conveniently close to you.

Knee Care 101

By some measures, your knees are your body’s largest joints, but they are also the ones most likely to be injured. More than 11 million men and women over the age of forty visit doctors every year due to knee pain. Taking care of your knees helps to make sure these vital joints continue to work smoothly and comfortably so that you can continue to live an active lifestyle.

5 Steps to Healthier Knees

Step 1: Stay Active, but Don’t Overdo It. If you don’t put in the time and effort it takes to keep your knees moving, they can start to stiffen, leading to discomfort and increasing your risk of injury. At the same time, dramatically increasing your levels of activity (particularly if you haven’t been physically active for a while) can cause injuries from repetitive strain. If you have never followed an exercise routine, ease into this type of activity slowly. If you work out hard on a regular basis, make sure to include rest days to give your knees a break.

Step 2: Manage Your Weight. Every extra pound you carry puts additional pressure on your knees. A study conducted by Stephen P. Messier of Wake Forest University found that losing even a small amount of weight can significantly decrease your risk of arthritis in the knees. If knee pain makes it difficult for you to lose weight through exercise, try using a stationary bike or elliptical machine to reduce the impact on your joints.

Step 3: Build Muscle Around Your Knees. The muscles that surround and support your knees also help to absorb shock. Strengthening your hamstrings and your quadriceps will help give your knees the backup they need. Talk to your chiropractor or a personal trainer for ideas on the best ways to strengthen these muscles.

Step 4: Don’t Forget to Stretch. While the muscles around the knees do need to be strong, they also need to be flexible. Regular stretching helps to keep these muscles from pulling the knee out of alignment.

Step 5: Don’t Ignore Pain. If your knee is painful, swollen, or making unusual noises, check in with a doctor as soon as possible. These symptoms can be a sign of damaged cartilage, an issue that can be corrected with early intervention. Trying to “push through” pain without knowing what is causing it puts you at risk of additional injury, so never hesitate to consult with a professional if you think there might be a problem.

Chiropractic Care and Your Knees

Chiropractic care is a vital resource when it comes to keeping your knees healthy. Your chiropractor will take the time to examine and evaluate your joints, muscles, posture and biomechanics to determine the root cause of any discomfort. He or she will then recommend and perform manual techniques that will help to bring your body back into alignment. You will also have the opportunity to discuss your lifestyle and receive recommendations on changes that you can make to continue to improve your knees’ health.

Taking good care of your knees takes commitment, but the rewards are well worth it over the long haul. Talk to your chiropractor today to learn more!

auto accident injury wilmington nc

Auto Accidents and Spinal Disk Injuries

Auto Accidents and Spinal Disk Injuries

Every day, thousands of people across the country are involved in auto accidents. Some are minor fender benders, while others are high-impact collisions. But, what they both have in common is that the spine takes a beating regardless of the speed you’re traveling when the accident occurs, albeit, the more severe the accident, the more severe the potential for injury.This may have you wondering – why is the neck and spine so vulnerable to injury? Taking a closer look at what happens during an auto accident will give us the answer. If you have suffered an auto accident injury, contact us! 

An Accident’s Impact on Your Neck and Spine

Think for a moment about those car commercials where they talk about the car’s safety record. Remember the scene where the car crashes into the wall? What happens to the crash test dummies? The car abruptly stops, but the bodies inside the car continue moving forward, halted only by the air bag and their seatbelts, which engage and pull the dummies back.

In a severe auto accident, the entire body goes through a snapping motion that can cause a host of different injuries to your cervical (neck) vertebrae, including fractures. Even in cases where fractures don’t occur, the sheer violence of the tension, rotation, extension, and flexion can result in a painful condition commonly known as whiplash.

But, don’t think that the neck is the only part of the body subject to injury in an accident. Because the forces caused in an accident can subject a body’s facet joints, muscles, ligaments, soft tissues, and spinal vertebrae to undergo enormous pressures, a wide variety of injuries can occur all throughout the body. When your spinal disks are already slightly degenerated as a result of aging, all it takes is a little bit of extra pressure for them to become herniated.

One of the biggest problems with auto accidents is that the injuries they cause are sometimes not even noticeable until days after the collision. This is because the body’s muscles tense up naturally during the crash and the body’s natural adrenaline kicks in to help manage any pain. But, once the adrenaline wears off; the true impact of the injury starts setting in.

Chiropractic Care Can Help Relieve Your Neck and Back Pain

Today’s chiropractors are highly trained in helping victims of auto accidents manage their musculoskeletal pain using a wide variety of chiropractic techniques, including spinal manipulation, traction, physiotherapy, kinesiology, and more. Chiropractors can teach you exercises to help heal your muscles and tendons from an auto accident injury Wilmington NC and they can help alleviate your pain so you can heal faster and more effectively. And, unlike traditional medicine, which only masks the pain instead of treating it, chiropractic care treats the actual cause of the pain, thus resulting in long-term relief.

Suffer an Auto Accident Injury Wilmington NC? Call Southeastern Today!

If you recently suffered an auto accident injury Wilmington NC and you’re experiencing ongoing pain as a result, call Southeastern Chiropractic today at 910-790-3666. We are here for you. Our chiropractic team can help you manage your pain naturally and effectively. Discover for yourself the difference that safe and effective chiropractic care can make. With six locations throughout the Wilmington area, we have an office conveniently close to you.

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Seeing the Chiropractor in the Winter

Winter is a busy time for chiropractor Wilmington NC. Even though we don’t get a lot of snow in the area, there are still plenty of chances to be had for sustaining injuries during this season. From lifting heavy Christmas trees to slips and falls on slippery surfaces to ice skating accidents and more, the winter season offers plenty of potential for suffering neck and back pains. But, did you know that targeted chiropractic care can even help you manage some of the season’s other health risks, like colds, flus, general aches and pains, and even winter depression?

How Chiropractic Care Helps Prevent Colds and Flus

Winter is synonymous with the holidays, but it is also known as cold and flu season. But, contrary to common belief, the upswing in illnesses has nothing to do with the chillier temperatures or the wet weather outside. For the vast majority of cold and flu cases, the illnesses can be attributed to the patient’s nervous system and their body’s white blood cell production. Both of these can be seriously impacted when the spine is out of alignment.

By going to the chiropractor regularly in the winter, any subluxations that exist in the spine will be cleared, thus making the nervous system better capable of fighting off illnesses like colds and the flu. Studies have even shown that the body’s production of white blood cells can be boosted simply by receiving chiropractic adjustments and this alone will help you combat illnesses all throughout the year.

Have Winter Aches and Pains? Chiropractor Wilmington NC Treatments Can Help

The winter cold and dampness can cause those with arthritis and other joint issues to experience morning stiffness, aches, and all-day generalized pain. But, going to the chiropractor can help these patients find relief because chiropractic treatments allow blood and oxygen back into problem areas. This helps heal tissue, lubricate the joints, and improve overall mobility. And, the pain relief comes without using risky pain medications or undergoing any dangerous surgeries or procedures.

 Fight Winter Depression with Chiropractic Care

There’s a reason so many people suffer from what is known as the “winter blues.” The longer evenings and loneliness that comes with being inside more often leads to a condition called Seasonal Affective Disorder. And, those with compromised nervous symptoms are especially at risk for this condition because they aren’t able to effectively deal with their feelings of solitude. But, by seeing a chiropractor for regular adjustments in the winter, your nervous system will be less restricted and better able to communicate with the brain, thus helping you to manage your emotions and deal with depression or depression-like symptoms during this time of year.

Southeastern’s Chiropractor Wilmington NC Can Help You Stay Healthy This Winter

This winter, keep your spine in alignment and enjoy better health and less pain. Routine chiropractic treatments can be your most important ally in your fight to avoid colds and flus this season, and you’ll finally be able to say goodbye to morning stiffness and pain.

Call Southeastern Healthcare today at 910-790-3666 to schedule an appointment with our experienced and caring chiropractor Wilmington NC. We are here for you. With six locations throughout the Wilmington area, we have an office conveniently close to you.

back pain wilmington nc

Alleviating Back Pain in Wilmington NC – Quickly

When someone needs treatment for back pain Wilmington NC, their initial response is to see their primary physician. Chronic back pain is one of the most common health care problems in the world, but in the United States, it is especially prevalent. In fact, more people in the U.S. suffer from mild to moderate back pain than cancer, heart disease, and diabetes – combined! This problem is also one of the costliest health conditions with it not only costing millions in lost wages and productivity, but also more than $50 billion a year is spent in their efforts to try and alleviate the pain.

The Catch-22 of Medical Treatments for Back Pain

When someone suffers back pain in Wilmington NC, their initial response is to see their primary physician. In most cases, the doctor will prescribe medication to manage the pain, but this type of treatment isn’t always the most logical course. For starters, pain medication only “masks” the actual cause of the pain. The problem still exists and as such, there is a risk that the problem will worsen if not treated appropriately. Another risk with this type of treatment is the fact that many pain medications are highly addictive with the potential for severe negative side effects. In short, the back pain sufferer could wind up alleviating their pain at the expense of accruing additional problems.

Chiropractic Care is an Alternative

Chiropractic care is proven effective as a non-intrusive, non-addictive treatment option for certain types of back pain. In fact, in a study recently published in the Journal of Pain (Feb. 2014), researchers compared chiropractic spinal manipulation therapy (SMT) to no treatment and to placebo SMT treatments. The results showed that those who underwent SMT treatments had far better pain relief than those who had no treatment and those who received the fake SMT treatments.

In another study published in an issue of Spine magazine (Nov. 2013), 183 adults with chronic back pain were divided into two groups with one group receiving professional chiropractic care and other receiving placebo adjustments. The test subjects were assessed for the intensity of their pain on a scale of 0 to 10. Their physical range of motion was also assessed using the Functional Rating Index standard. At the end of the two-week study, the patients who had received only two chiropractic treatments reported significantly less pain than the patients in the placebo group. They also experienced greater improvements in overall physical function (48% vs. 24%), and more satisfaction with their treatment (78% vs. 56%). The primary result of the study identified chiropractic care far more effective at treating back pain than placebo care. But, perhaps the biggest surprise was just how quickly the pain relief was felt, after just two treatments!

Studies Prove Chiropractic Care Delivers Pain Relief Fast

In a recent survey conducted by Consumer Reports, the magazine asked 45,601 of its subscribers with back pain to rate their satisfaction with various pain treatment options. The options included alternative therapies, like chiropractic care, and conventional therapies, like pain medications. The results were conclusive. In the treatment of back pain, it was determined that “Chiropractic outperformed all other back-pain treatments.”

Interestingly enough, Consumer Reports‘ subscribers also rated chiropractic care as being equally effective on neck pain, osteoarthritis, and several of the other 12 conditions being examined, and even more so than the relief obtained from prescription medications.

Get the Back Pain Wilmington NC Relief You Need Now

What these studies show is that you don’t have to just live with your back pain. Most causes of back pain are treatable without medications and/or surgery. And best of all, relief can be felt quickly. Call one of Southeastern’s chiropractors for back pain Wilmington NC today at 910-790-3666, and discover for yourself the difference that safe and effective chiropractic care can make for back pain Wilmington NC. With six locations throughout the Wilmington area, we have an office conveniently close to you.

What Is Nerve Entrapment and How Can It Be Treated?

Have you ever felt an uncomfortable tingling sensation in your arm after performing the same motion for an extended period of time? Maybe it was after spending a day typing at your computer or raking leaves. This sensation may be caused by nerve entrapment syndrome, a common condition that is sometimes referred to as either a “trapped nerve” or a “pinched nerve”. Nerve entrapment can be uncomfortable, but there are treatments that can relieve the pain and help get you back to feeling normal.

Your body is equipped with nerves that carry information back and forth between your brain and your limbs, organs, and other body parts. Nerve entrapment happens when a bone, muscle, ligament, tendon, or other tissue presses against one of these nerves. This compression is most likely to occur in response to consistent, repetitive movement. Poor posture, obesity, and previous injury to the affected area are also risk factors.

Symptoms of Nerve Entrapment

The most common symptom of nerve entrapment is discomfort and numbness. You may feel as though a part of your body has “fallen asleep,” or you may find that your grip has weakened. While you may still be able to function normally with these symptoms, you should seek medical attention if the discomfort does not go away on its own after a few days. Sustained compression may lead to chronic pain and permanent nerve damage. This makes for timely intervention crucial to a full recovery.

When you visit your doctor, he or she might use a number of tests to diagnose your condition. After asking you questions about your symptoms and conducting a physical examination, your doctor may order a nerve conduction study. This test uses electrodes to measure electrical impulses in your nerve signals. You might also undergo electromyography (EMG) to evaluate your muscle activity or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine the root cause of your compression.

Treatment for Nerve Entrapment

Chiropractors in Wilmington NC are experts in diagnosing and treating problems related to the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. There are several types of treatment that have been used successfully to relieve nerve entrapment syndrome:

  • Manual therapies, including chiropractic and soft-tissue mobilization.
  • Acupuncture.
  • Low-level laser therapy (LLLT).
  • Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).

Depending on your specific situation, your chiropractic physician may teach you exercises that will help to stretch and strengthen the muscles around your nerve. He or she may also recommend specific ways to help reduce inflammation around the compressed nerve.

To the extent that nerve entrapment is fundamentally a structural or mechanical issue, the symptoms can often be relieved with rest. Your doctor might instruct you to discontinue the activities that resulted in compression. He or she might also encourage you to wear a splint or brace to keep the problematic area still. If so, don’t be surprised if you are advised to wear your brace overnight. Many people move around while they sleep in ways that can irritate the compressed nerve.

Contact Southeastern Healthcare for Back Pain or Neck Pain Relief in Wilmington NC

If you or someone you care about is experiencing symptoms of nerve entrapment, we encourage you to call Southeastern Healthcare. Call 910-790-3666 to schedule an appointment with one of our chiropractors. We are here for you. With six locations throughout the Wilmington area, we have an office conveniently close to you.

chiropractor Wilmington NC

Can Poor Posture Really Cause Back and Neck Pain?

In a word, yes!

Unless your back or neck pain has been caused by some type of over-exertion or acute trauma, it’s actually very likely that poor posture is at least a contributing factor. The alignment of the spine—from the neck through the lower back and hips—is critical to the body’s ability to support its own weight and move efficiently, so posture problems (which are often chronic) can gradually lead to pain and reduced mobility.

When it comes to pain in your back or neck, the relationship between poor posture and injury can also be a complicated one. On the one hand, having poor posture makes it more likely that you will suffer an injury. On the other hand, suffering an injury can also affect your posture. Mary Ann Wilmarth, DPT, spokeswoman for the American Physical Therapy Association explains, “Little things add up. You can increase the pressure on your back by 50% simply by leaning over the sink incorrectly to brush your teeth. Keeping the right amount of curvature in the back takes pressure off the nerves and will reduce back pain.”

How posture problems contribute to neck pain

One of the most common posture problems is a “forward head and shoulder posture”. This occurs when someone “hunches over” and places their head in front of their neck. The weight of the head towards the front stresses the lower neck vertebrae, and leads to overworking of the upper back muscles to compensate for the pull of gravity on the head. Many people with this posture problem also have a rounded upper back and rounded shoulders, which can lead to further stress and shoulder pain. Often, poor desk and chair ergonomics contribute to these problems, but even slouching on the couch or at a table with your mobile phone can lead to hunching over.

How posture problems contribute to back pain

The “forward head” posture described above causes stress on the lower cervical vertebrae, which may end up sliding forward relative to each other as a result of gravity. This is a particular problem for people who have jobs requiring them to look forward or downwards all day. Eventually, the prolonged pressure on the cervical vertebrae will irritate the ligaments and soft tissues, radiating downwards to the upper back. This process can lead to disc degeneration, cervical osteoarthritis and herniated discs.

Tips for improving poor posture and relieving back and neck pain

Poor posture is typically the result of habits that have been developed over long periods of time performing the same activities over and over again. Here are just a few of the most common culprits:

  • Staring at computer monitors or mobile devices that are badly positioned.
  • Sitting in poorly designed office chairs.
  • Sleeping on mattresses that don’t provide the necessary support.
  • Carrying heavy backpacks or purses.

But how do you know which activities are contributing to your poor posture and causing you pain? The clues are usually fairly easy to spot once you know what you’re looking for. For instance, the pain in your neck or back may be worse at some times during the day than at others, or it may come and go with changes in your body position. If you experience fatigue or pain when you first wake up in the morning or after you’ve been sitting at your desk for a couple of hours, it might be time for a new mattress or new office furniture.

The good news is that once you become aware of the activities that are contributing to your posture problems and pain, most can be fixed relatively easily, with no need for either medication or surgery. Learn to recognize when you’re hunching over your computer, slouching in your chair or craning your neck to look at your mobile phone. Then sit up straight, aligning your hips, shoulders and ears in one vertical line.

Sometimes, however, the solution is not so simple—especially when poor posture has caused structural changes in the spine and neck. In these cases, a chiropractor can help by designing posture correction and spinal rehabilitation programs to restore the spine’s normal curvature. These programs will usually involve a combination of mechanical techniques that actively remodel the spine (including the use of braces and molding blocks), exercises and stretches that strengthen postural muscles and restore range of motion, and lifestyle changes to address the root causes.

As experts in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal conditions, chiropractic physicians are specially trained to recognize and correct postural problems. If you’re suffering from neck or back pain and suspect that your posture may be at least partially to blame, call Southeastern Healthcare today at 910-790-3666 to schedule an appointment with one of our chiropractors. We are here for you. With six locations throughout the Wilmington area, we have an office conveniently close to you.

chiropractor wilmington nc

20 Surprising Facts About the Spine

The spine rarely gets much thought or consideration, but it is one of the most important features in the human body. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to move, let alone stand upright. It’s so important that it even has its own day – World Spine Day. If that surprises you, then here are 20 more spine facts from Southeastern Healthcare’s chiropractor Wilmington NC.

  1. There are about 22 ligaments in the spine
  2. The spinal cord has more than 13.5 million neurons
  3. The average spinal cord weighs about 35 grams
  4. The spine is so flexible that when bent it can form 2/3 of a circle
  5. The spinal column has more than 100 joints
  6. Humans and giraffes share the same number of cervical vertebrae (seven)
  7. The first cervical vertebrae is called “atlas” after the character in Greek mythology because it “carries the weight of the head”
  8. There are more than 120 muscles in the spinal column
  9. One-fourth of the spine’s length is made up of cartilage
  10. More than 80% of Americans will suffer from back pain at some time in their lifetimes with most injuries resulting from auto accidents
  11. After the age of 40, humans “shrink” at a rate of a quarter- to a third-of-an-inch per decade as a result of gravity’s effect on the spine
  12. Astronauts return to earth approximately 3% taller than when they left because of microgravity’s expanding effect on the spine’s cartilage
  13. Spines have 33 individual vertebrae, but some fuse over time to become the coccyx and the sacrum
  14. The spine has four primary motions – forward, backward, side bending, and rotating
  15. Sitting in a hunched position puts 200-lbs of pressure on the lumbar spine
  16. October 16th is the official World Spine Day
  17. Lying flat on your back with legs elevated puts 25-lbs of pressure on the lumbar spine
  18. The spine is capable of withstanding several hundred pounds of pressure
  19. The spine has a memory. This is why it is so important to make sure it is always properly aligned
  20. People with back pain who don’t undergo chiropractic treatment or rehabilitation are 22 times more likely to experience a relapse

Get Relief from Back Pain – Visit a Southeastern Healthcare Chiropractor Wilmington NC Today

There are dozens of causes of back pain, but a great many of which can be improved simply by being treated by an experienced chiropractor Wilmington NC. Isn’t it time you stopped living in constant pain? Get the relief you’re looking for, safely and holistically, at Southeastern Healthcare.

Call Southeastern Healthcare today at 910-790-3666 to schedule an appointment with one of our chiropractors. We are here for you. With six locations throughout the Wilmington area, we have an office conveniently close to you.

Top 4 Myths About Neck and Back Pain

 

neck pain wilmington nc

In Wilmington NC, back pain and neck pain affects thousands of people. Neck and back pain are among the leading causes of disabilities, lost work hours, and healthcare expenses in the entire country. But what many back and neck pain sufferers fail to understand is that relief is attainable.Part of the problem so many people continue to suffer from back and neck pain is due to the fact that they have serious misconceptions on how these painful problems can be treated. To help give you a better understanding, here are the top four myths about neck and back pain and their truths from our chiropractor Wilmington NC.

Myth #1: The Pain is In My Head

Not every cause of pain in the neck or the back is easily identified. This can often leave patients feeling as if their pain is not real, but rather a figment of their imagination. The truth is, certain conditions like depression and sleeplessness can definitely produce non-anatomically-caused pain in the neck or back. But, if the pain persists for weeks or months, then there will almost always be an anatomical cause. Just because your doctor can’t find the cause of your pain does not mean you’re not experiencing it.

Myth #2: The Pain Will Go Away With Rest

Rest will either help or worsen neck or back pain. While certain minor conditions might be alleviated with a day or two of rest, others will be aggravated by inactivity. This is because inactivity causes the muscles to weaken and this puts more pressure on the injured area. There’s a reason why physical therapy is a key treatment strategy for neck and back pain; it’s to help maintain and strengthen the supporting muscles in the affected area.

Myth #3: A Chiropractor Can Injure My Spine Because It is Fragile

Some sufferers of neck and back pain refuse to seek the help of chiropractors because they believe that the spine is fragile and the chiropractor might injure it during manipulation. The reality is, the spine is an extremely complex anatomical structure that’s supported by an incredible network of muscles, tendons, and ligaments and it is difficult to damage. Plus, chiropractors, like other healthcare professionals, undergo extensive training before they’re allowed to practice. They know exactly what they’re doing when it comes to manipulation and improving a patient’s posture and body mechanics.

#4: The Pain is So Bad, The Spine Just Has to Be Damagedwilmington nc back pain

When it comes to chronic pain in the neck or the back, the intensity of the pain is not always indicative of the amount of damage, in fact, it rarely is. For instance, a person with mild disc degeneration may experience significant pain while a person with more severe degeneration might not feel any pain at all. Every case is different and not every cause of long-term chronic pain is due to considerable damage to the spine or require surgical intervention. For a good many chronic pain sufferers, regular spinal manipulation may be all that’s needed to relieve the pressure on the pain producing point.

For Wilmington NC Back Pain Relief, Trust the Chiropractor Wilmington NC at Southeastern Healthcare

When you’re suffering from neck or back pain, it might feel as if there’s nothing you can do to help alleviate the pain. After all, you’ve probably tried all of the usual tactics, like heating pads, cold compresses, rest, and more. But, the problem is you’re only treating the symptom and not the cause and that’s why your pain just won’t go away.

Stop living with debilitating pain – call Southeastern Healthcare today at 910-790-3666 to schedule an appointment with one of our chiropractors. We are here for you. With six locations throughout the Wilmington area, we have an office conveniently close to you.  Back pain relief is attainable and our chiropractor Wilmington NC can help.