Do you suffer from chronic headaches, neck or back pain? Have you been searching for relief and answers but haven't found any that work? You may be suffering from one of these three conditions: a pinched nerve, an irritated muscle or joint, or the more common condition known as generalized pain. The good news is that all of these can be treated at a chiropractic clinic.

Here is a brief explanation of the conditions mentioned above and why you should visit a chiropractic clinic for treatment.

A Pinched Nerve

Many things can cause pinched nerves such as whiplash, sports injuries, excess "computer hunch," or working at a job that requires repetitive movements with your neck and shoulder muscles being strained. A pinched nerve can also be caused by accidents such as falling down stairs or off a ladder. If you are suffering from pinched nerves, then you may experience symptoms such as numbness, tingling around one or both sides of your face or in parts of your arm or leg; headaches on one side of the head only; and pain in the low back, buttocks, hip, thigh and/or into the foot.

Chiropractic treatment: A chiropractor can treat a pinched nerve. The nerve is gently manipulated into its new position, where it can now heal. You may experience some discomfort and soreness after treatment in the area, but this is normal. In addition, adjustments are given to your spine and joints that allow for the healing process to begin.

Irritated Muscle

An irritated muscle or joint usually causes stiffness in an area that then becomes painful. This may be caused by poor posture, too much computer time, or excess stress in your life. If you are suffering from this condition, you will likely notice stiffness and soreness of the neck, shoulder, lower back, and/or hips. You may also experience pain extending down one or both legs, difficulty sleeping due to muscle spasms at night, headaches and/or migraines, as well as tension in the muscles around the affected area.

Chiropractic treatment: At a chiropractic clinic, muscles are treated with gentle adjustments to relieve muscle tension and pain. There are also exercises prescribed to help aid in the healing process and lifestyle changes, such as reducing stress and increasing activity.

Generalized Pain

Generalized pain is a condition that causes chronic body-wide aches and pains. The most common cause of generalized pain is stress which can be made worse when other things are added to a hectic schedule, such as working long hours with little sleep. This causes the muscles in your body to tense up, which leads to tension headaches, neck pain, low back pain, foot/ankle/leg joint pain, and even jaw pain.

Chiropractic treatment: Treating general body-wide aches and pains is done by adjusting all of your joints, such as your hips, spine, neck, and shoulders. Chiropractors will also adjust these areas more frequently than they normally would if you were only receiving treatment for one specific problem, such as back pain because it helps relieve inflammation that contributes to generalized pain.

Back Pain

This is one of the most common ailments, with a third of the population reporting that it affects their daily lives. If you are suffering from back pain, then you know the agony it causes. An injury can cause back pain to your muscles or discs located in your spine, or you may simply have poor posture, which leads to stress on these same muscles and joints, causing them to degenerate over time. When this happens, it is common for a disc located between two vertebrae known as a "spinal disc" to herniate or bulge outwards.

Chiropractic Treatment and Back Pain Relief: A back pain relief chiropractor can treat this by gently adjusting your back to relieve pressure on the spine and joints. This allows the herniated disc to return to its normal position and heal.

If you are suffering from any of these conditions and looking for a chiropractic clinic, visit us at Shifting Tides Chiropractic. We can help relieve your physical pain and get you on the road to a pain-free and healthier you!