What is the Fastest Way to Relieve Back Pain Without Medicine?

What is the Fastest Way to Relieve Back Pain Without Medicine?

relieve back pain without medicine If you’re like many people, you want to find natural pain relief. After all, medicine is only a short-term solution – a band-aid if you will. It only masks the symptoms but doesn’t solve the underlying problem.

Plus, with the opioid crisis in Bucks County and beyond, so you’ve probably heard about the addictive quality of the heavy-duty pain killers. Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen can damage your stomach lining if used all the time.

Fortunately, there are other ways to relieve back pain without medicine. The best natural pain relievers for back pain include natural solutions like massage therapy, yoga therapy or gentle stretching, and chiropractic care to help you feel your best.

Common Causes of Back Pain

16 million Americans suffer from chronic back pain leading to lost workdays and missing out on the better parts of life.

People can experience persistent back pain for a variety of reasons. Some of these include chronic back conditions like:

  • Scoliosis
  • excessive weight gain
  • having a heavy chest for one’s body size
  • improper lifting
  • posture
  • accidents

One hallmark of a healthy spine is mobility. It supports your entire body by keeping you upright and helps with your range of motion. The 33 bones in the spine connect with every part of your body thanks to the nerves, ligaments, and tendons. Whether you’ve suffered injuries or a chronic dis-ease, you can relieve back pain without medicine by tending to your spine’s mobility.

How to Relieve Back Pain Without Medicine

Regular stretching, moderate exercise like walking, and chiropractic care can help maintain your spine’s health. Chiropractic care assesses the underlying cause of your back pain and helps your body heal naturally because it re-aligns the spine.

Imagine if you have a pinched nerve, the reason for a pinched nerve is due to a muscle, tendon, or other body parts that shifted and is now pressing on your nerve. Body parts shift all the time because of the way we sit, stand, and sleep. A chiropractic adjustment helps your body re-align so you feel less pain and have greater mobility.

It’s also an affordable way to relieve your back pain without medication. Here at McQuaite Chiropractic, we take most insurance.

Chiropractic care is one of the best ways to relieve back pain and help correct back issues, all without any medicine. All you have to do is show up and have a conversation with your practitioner. They’ll ask you about your medical history and work out a treatment plan based on your symptoms or diagnosis. You will enjoy the best results with some lifestyle changes tailored to your situation. For example, some people benefit from investing in an ergonomic desk area so your posture is better supported for computer work.

As professional health caregivers, we use non-invasive adjustment and realignment techniques on the body to improve its function and mobility. Many people feel immediate relief.

Are you ready to relieve back pain without medicine? Visit us at McQuaite Chiropractic in Doylestown, Pa. 267-247-7000.

 

 

 

 

 

Spinal Decompression Offers Surgery Free Relief

Spinal Decompression Offers Surgery Free Relief

Just like Newton’s apple, fell to gravity, so can your body. Ok, we all know things start to sag as we get older, even your spine. 33 bones make up your spine. Add in the discs, tendons, nerves, and gravity compressing everything together and it’s no wonder it can take a while to find the source of your back pain.

Perhaps you have sciatica or degenerative disc disease. Sometimes the medical establishment recommends surgery for such back pain.  Yet, surgery is not a magic bullet, it has a long recovery time, and it might not work.

Wouldn’t you prefer surgery-free relief? Spinal decompression can offer you back pain relief without the surgery.

Just as it sounds, nonsurgical spinal decompression is an alternative to surgery. It uses a special table to elongate your spine. Since compression can be the source of your back pain, this is a way to reverse time and gravity. This table relieves pressure on herniated discs and other spine problems so you feel relief.

Imagine lying on the decompression table and having it resist your muscles and slowly help stretch them. It relieves the pressure on your discs and so you feel relief. After a few sessions, you may find your back pain gone.

Of course, each treatment plan is customized to your medical history. As a chiropractor, Dr. Jeff will run an x-ray to better understand your spine and what’s going on in your body. From there, he can make recommendations.

What to Expect:

Spinal Decompression ChiropractorFully clothed, you lie on a computer-controlled table. The doctor straps you in and operates the computer according to your needs. You may get hot and cold therapy, electrical stimulation (this causes the muscles to contract), or ultrasound (sound therapy that generates heat).

 

 

 

You can also try a few simple exercises for back pain relief now and in between your decompression sessions.

Three Exercises for Back Pain Relief

  1. Use an exercise ball – lie back on it and roll around gently. This helps open your shoulders and upper back which often are hunched over after hours at the computer. If you have mild back pain, this may be enough for you.
  2. Do “wall dog” – if you ever played sports, this will probably look familiar. Put your hands on the wall, step back about 3 feet and bend over until you’re parallel to the wall. Keep your back flat as you stretch out your shoulders and back.
  3. Walk – Walking on a regular basis can help strengthen your back and relieve some back pain.

Spinal Decompression Can Help You If:

  • You’ve had failed back surgery
  • You want to avoid surgery but are told you need it
  • Have tried other options (massage therapy, acupuncture, traditional chiropractic care) without the results you want

However, if you have fused discs, have osteoporosis, or a recent spinal fracture, spinal decompression is not for you.

If you’d like to learn more about surgery-free spinal decompression in Doylestown PA and if it can help you find that needed back pain relief, call us today at 267-247-7000. You deserve to feel your best!

 

Non-Cracking Chiropractor Adjustment Offered in Doylestown

Non-Cracking Chiropractor Adjustment Offered in Doylestown

Does the idea of having a chiropractor “crack” your back make you nervous? Many people say, “Yes.” They miss out on the potential pain relief because the “popping” sound can be nerve-wracking. 

True story, the first time Dr. Jeff adjusted my neck, I screamed in surprise. Yep!

It turns out, there is a “non-cracking” and “no pop” version of chiropractic care. Whether you’re nervous or were in an accident and too sore for traditional chiropractic treatment, you can still reap the benefits of natural pain relief from chiropractic care.  

For instance, Dr. Jeff Mcquaite in Doylestown offers a non-cracking chiropractor adjustment. To clarify, this technique offers pain relief without the crack. However, it’s worth mentioning that the “cracking” sound is nothing to worry about. It’s really just trapped gas escaping as your joints are realigned. 

However, modern chiropractic care uses many options to help you feel your best. These two tools are simply part of this evolving practice.

Two Tools for a Non-Cracking Chiropractor Adjustment Technique

As you probably know, traditional chiropractic care uses bodyweight to realign your joints. After your initial consultation and x-ray, your chiropractic directs you to lay in a certain position on the table. Traditionally, they use their body weight to make quick adjustments that realign your joints. However, your chiropractor may choose to incorporate gentler methods.

These adjustments can use two tools that have funny names. The arthrostim and the vibracussor are hard to spell but they’re excellent tools for a non-cracking chiropractic adjustment. 

As you can see, both tools are small and portable but they have different uses.

The Artrostim is an advanced chiropractic adjustment instrument. You can see, it looks a bit like a drill and it works by delivering several “taps” along your body to reduce muscle and joint tension in the neck and back. 

These “taps” work in a similar way as traditional chiropractic treatment. However, the “taps” are gentle, yet frequent. The Artrostim applies 10-14 micro thrusts a second to your spine. It stimulates your body’s healing and eases your joints back in proper alignment. Best of all, it’s gentle. 


The Arthrostim tool offers an effective “non-cracking” adjustment. You can see it here”in action.” 

Your chiropractor will develop a treatment plan based on your medical history and current physical concerns.

Yet, the Arthrostim can especially benefit people with: 

-People with acute or chronic pain
-Particularly sensitive individuals
-Individuals who dislike being ‘twisted’
-Those with disc or related spinal conditions
-Individuals with arthritic conditions
-Individuals with osteoporosis
-Elderly individuals
-Even individuals who are larger and stronger (and may be difficult to adjust with a single thrust) can benefit from the use of the arthrostim.

The other instrument Dr. McQuaite has incorporated to help make his adjustments more effective is the Vibracussor.

The Vibracussor is helpful for breaking up scar tissue and loosening ligaments. Doing so improves circulation and speeds up healing. The tool works by delivering impulses deep into the body’s tissues. Yet, it goes deeper than a traditional massage. By going deeper, it breaks up fascial restrictions (scar tissue) and loosens ligaments. The entire process relaxes the muscles and fascia surrounding the vertebrae. As a result, you can feel pain relief. 

Are You Ready to Try a “No-Crack” Adjustment?

In summary, both of these non-cracking chiropractor adjustment techniques are effective. However, they may be more suitable for certain people and conditions. Here at McQuaite Chiropractic, Dr. Mcquaite creates an individualized treatment plan to help you feel your best.

If you have questions or would like to book an appointment, please contact the office. Come in for a consultation! We’ll be happy to explain how these gentle non-cracking and no popping treatments work and if they may be right for you.

 

 

 

 

Is Chiropractic Care Safe?

Is Chiropractic Care Safe?

If you’re considering trying chiropractic care for the first time, you may have a lot of questions.

is chiropractic safeQuestions like:

  • Can it help my chronic back pain?
  • Is chiropractic care safe?
  • Do you need to go multiple times?
  • Is it covered by insurance?

The answers are yes, yes, yes, probably.

According to the American Chiropractic Association, roughly 30 million Americans suffer with back pain every year. For some people, these are chronic conditions that cause you to miss work and seek all kinds of pain relief including chiropractic care. For others, it’s an occasional thing and you feel better with a chiropractic adjustment.

Is Chiropractic Safe?

In a word, yes.

A) Chiropractic care dates to 1895

B) Chiropractors attend four years of additional schooling after completing a pre-med program

C) It’s not habit-forming like opioids

Spinal manipulation, aka chiropractic care is considered a conservative approach to pain management and is recommended by traditional physicians.

In fact, you may not know that chiropractors attend a four-year rigorous training program after completing a full load of pre-med classes as an undergraduate. Then, they usually spend a year in a clinic working with patients like a residency program.

Chiropractic Care is a Gentle Approach to Pain Management 

Your first visit includes a medical assessment and at our office, an x-ray. These offer a guide for your treatment plan which may include electrical stimulation (TENS), spinal decompression therapy, and/or traditional spinal manipulation.

Everyone receives an individual treatment plan.

Typically, the chiropractic adjustment involves you laying on the chiropractic table and we use a combination of body weight and quick movements to release pressure in your joints.

Many people experience immediate relief, though not all.  In many cases, we’ll recommend 2-3 visits/week for a week or two to “jumpstart” the movement in your body. We may also make recommendations on diet/exercise/ergonomic tools to relieve pain. For example, resistance bands are an effective way to build strength.

For example, sitting slumped in front of the computer for hours a day will contribute to back and neck pain. So, if you raise your screen to eye level and get a chair that supports your back, you may have less pain. Taking these additional steps can go a long way toward reducing back, shoulder, and neck pain caused by poor posture.

Of course, there are dozens of reasons why you may have physical pain so you’ll want to come in for an assessment. Another common question is if we accept insurance. I can’t speak for all chiropractors but here at McQuaite Chiropractic in Doylestown, we accept most of them.  Chiropractic care is a safe and effective way to treat pain.

 

 

 

Golfing? New Study Shows The “X-Swing” May Be a Source of Back Pain

Golfing? New Study Shows The “X-Swing” May Be a Source of Back Pain

 

 

source of back pain

Is your golf swing the source of your back pain?

Avid golfers know the game is having a moment of bad press when it comes to back pain and spinal injuries.

But why?

Golfers have long dealt with spinal problems, rotated cuff injuries, and a host of other hazards.  Is there really a greater risk these days or is it simply a way to grab headlines?

Turns out, there’s a growing concern that the game has changed putting more golfers as risk.

Here’s why.

Instead of those long, languid drives of golf greats like Jack Nicklaus, the new emphasis on strength and downswings can lead to an increased number of back injuries. A recent study in Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, found that today’s “x-factor” swing contributes to additional strain on the spine.

Executed regularly by players like Tiger Woods, this “power” drive uses minimal hip movement and instead focuses on a big rotation in the shoulders. According to the study, the doctors say it twists the lumbar spine in a way that puts additional force on the spinal disc.

It’s not only the twisting that concerns the authors of this study from the Barrow Neurological Institute; they say the powerful downswing  also causes concern because it puts stress on the spinal disc.

If you practice this swing, you may have felt it. The minimal hip turn that results in the powerful thwack of the ball also “crunches” your lumbar spine.

To achieve the necessary strength, many professional golfers take up weight training and even dabble in military style training.

The evidence is mounting that younger and younger professionals are having disc problems. For example, Tiger Woods has had more back surgeries you can count and some are blaming the shorter, tighter, harder swing.

Now you’re probably thinking, “I’m a weekend golfer. I’m not devoting my life to the sport, is this really applicable to me?”

Fair question. However, gauge your playing (and your body.) Do you have back pain after golfing? Have you ever experienced shooting pain on the golf course?

If your answer these questions is yes, it doesn’t really matter what your swing is like (at least, not as it compares to being pain-free.)

What matters is feeling better so you can play this Spring and Summer.

How to Protect Your Back While Golfing

There are a few ways you protect your back and continue to play golf for many years to come.

    • Warm up before and after your game. Do some light stretches to loosen up your muscles including rotations. It’s tough on your body to go from cold muscles straight into exercise.
    • Practice regular conditioning exercises in the gym. Maintaining flexibility is an important element of preventing injury. Here’s a list of the 10 best exercises for golfers.
    • Get regular chiropractic care. As you know, golf is one-sided. The repetitive nature of the game puts pressure on your spine, yes. It can also cause tendons and discs to move out of place which can be painful.Regular chiropractic care can help prevent back pain and spinal injuries by keeping your body in good working order.

Where will you golf this spring?