How Chiropractic Care Relieves Pain

Posted on: 21 March 2023

If you struggle with musculoskeletal pain, such as back pain or hip pain, it is often helpful to see a chiropractor. They'll adjust your spine, essentially making sure all of your vertebrae are in close alignment with the proper amount of space between them. Most people feel relief, even if temporary, from such an adjustment. But have you ever wondered how such a chiropractic adjustment works to relieve your pain? There are actually a few different ways it does so. One or more of them may come into effect for you.

Physically relieving pressure on tissues. 

If one or more of your vertebrae are out of alignment, they may be pressing on certain tissues in the area next to the spine. This can cause those tissues to become irritated and inflamed, which can lead to pain. This is common with back pain and neck pain, in particular. When a chiropractor adjusts your spine, it relieves the pressure on those tissues, and they become less painful. Some of this happens instantly, but the pain relief also develops over time in the days following the adjustment since it takes a little while for the inflammation to go down.

Relieving pressure on the nerves.

There are a lot of nerves that come off your spine and that are related to pain and sensation in various parts of your body. If your spine is out of alignment, it can press on those nerves. This can cause pain not only in the back but in the areas where those nerves travel to. For example, a misaligned spine may put pressure on a nerve associated with your hips, which worsens your hip pain. An adjustment relieves the pressure on your nerves so this pain can subside.

Encouraging the release of endorphins.

Endorphins are hormones that make you feel good. They are released when you exercise, and one of their effects is to make any pain you're experiencing less prominent and less noticeable. If you have a spinal adjustment, it can often trigger the release of endorphins, which can help dull pain almost anywhere in the body. This is one of the key reasons people almost immediately feel better after having their spine adjusted.

If you are in pain, it's a good idea to see a chiropractor for an adjustment. Even if the pain is not only in your back, this therapy can help relieve it in a few ways.

Find out how pain relief chiropractic treatment can help you.

Share