The musculoskeletal system in the body is made up of the muscles, bones, cartilage, joints, ligaments, and tendons. It provides support and structure to the human body. The musculoskeletal system is also what allows the body to move, providing crucial protection to important internal organs. Unfortunately, musculoskeletal pain or musculoskeletal disorders are very common. They can be very painful and debilitating, having a very negative impact on someone’s day-to-day life.
What is musculoskeletal pain?
Musculoskeletal pain is pain that affects the muscles, joints, bones, or any of the various connective tissues such as ligaments or tendons throughout the body. This pain can be caused by an injury or another underlying disorder of the musculoskeletal system. According to recent data, more than 126 million Americans suffer from some type of musculoskeletal pain. More specifically, over half of U.S. adults aged 65 or over suffer from arthritis. Additionally, more than two thirds of people who suffer from arthritis are under the age of 65, making arthritis a leading cause of disability in America. Here are some other common types of musculoskeletal pain.
- Scoliosis– a condition often discovered early on in childhood that is characterized by a misaligned spine. This often leads to pain due to the misalignment of bones, ligaments, muscles, etc.
- Fibromyalgia– a chronic condition that causes pain in the muscles and bones.
- Herniated Disc– occurs when a soft disc in the spine pushes through and becomes exposed to the spinal canal. This condition can be very painful and lead to sciatica if it presses down on a nerve.
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome– leads to inflammation in joints, often from continual repetitive motion. This inflammation presses down on nearby nerves, ultimately causing pain.
These are just a few of the common types of musculoskeletal disorders. Pain in the musculoskeletal system can also include things like lower back pain and pain in the shoulders or neck. It can arise from injuries such as car accidents, slip and falls, work related accidents, or improper posture.
How can a chiropractor help?
Of the more than 35 million American adults and children who visit a chiropractic specialist each year, that still leaves a lot of people left suffering from musculoskeletal disorders. A large portion of these people may not even be aware of the benefits when it comes to seeing a chiropractor for this type of pain. A doctor of chiropractic medicine receives specialized training that is solely focused on issues with the bones, joints, ligaments, cartilage, and tendons. Therefore, a doctor of chiropractic medicine can be thought of as a doctor who specializes in the musculoskeletal system. They also help treat many other conditions such as headaches, issues with the nervous system, and even pain during pregnancy.
Treatments Offered by Chiropractors
Although chiropractors are considered specialists of the musculoskeletal system, they also offer a wide range of other homeopathic and natural treatment options for many conditions. Here are some of the treatments offered by Thrive Chiropractic in Boise.
- Chiropractic Adjustments– Of the 35 million Americans that visit a chiropractor every year, 46% of them experience lower back pain. Lower back pain is another leading cause of disability in the United States. Additionally, over 1 million chiropractic adjustments happen every day. Chiropractic adjustments are designed to correct the alignment of the spine and restore proper function to the nervous system.
- Yoga– People with certain types of musculoskeletal disorders, such as arthritis, have shown great improvement in their condition by doing activities such as yoga. Low impact physical activity like yoga has been shown to enhance overall joint health and reduce inflammation, thus alleviating pain associated with these types of conditions. Yoga also has many reported psychological health benefits like improved mood and a better outlook on life.
- Massage Therapy- Massage therapy is another great method of treatment that does not require the usage of any pharmaceutical drugs. Massage therapy has not only shown to reduce inflammation and pain, but it also promotes relaxation. Massage therapy also decreases anxiety and improves the quality of one’s sleep. These can all have great effects on the treatment of musculoskeletal pain.
- Low Level Laser Therapy– Low level laser therapy is essentially a low level light therapy that uses a red light near the infrared range to stimulate biological changes such as reduced inflammation and increased tissue repair. This therapy is a non-invasive procedure that has proven to be effective in relieving pain associated with musculoskeletal pain without the use of any drugs.
These are the most common treatments offered at Thrive Chiropractic. However, a wide range of different conditions, afflictions, and disorders are also treated.
Research Behind Chiropractic Care
The increased popularity of chiropractic treatment, especially in the past few decades, has caused a lot of researchers to look into the effectiveness of chiropractic care for treating some of these disorders related to the musculoskeletal system. Perhaps one of the greatest findings thus far has been that patients receiving chiropractic care are 64% less likely to require the use of opioid or other prescription based drugs for the treatment of pain. Additionally, here are some other findings from recent research on the benefits of chiropractic care.
- For people whose first provider was a surgeon, 42.7% of people received surgery to correct their issue. For people who went to see a chiropractor first, only 1.5% of people required surgery.
- Out of patients who consulted a primary doctor first, 56% of patients experienced a marked improvement in back pain, compared to 94% of patients who consulted a chiropractor.
- Many other research trials support the effectiveness of chiropractic care for the alleviation of neck pain, back pain, and other issues related to the musculoskeletal system.
After looking at some of the statistics behind the effectiveness of seeking treatment from a chiropractor, it becomes easier to see why visits to the chiropractor have become increasingly more and more popular. Many times chiropractors can offer long lasting effects without the use of any drugs. Make an appointment today with the highly trained staff at Thrive Chiropractic in Boise. Stop in anytime, give us a call, or schedule an appointment on our website.
