7 Signs it’s Time to See a Chiropractor

Have you ever woken up with back or neck pain and thought, “Should I go to a chiropractor?” Or injured yourself in a new activity (or an old one – yard work and skiing, we’re looking at you) and thought, “can a chiropractor help with this?”

You have questions. We have answers.

If you’ve ever wondered when to see a chiropractor or what a chiropractor does, this post can help you not only learn about chiropractic care but find out whether it may be right for you.

The two best times to see a chiropractor are when you’re looking for relief from pain, and when you’re trying to prevent pain (if that sounds like the right time is “always” well…we do think chiropractic care is great for everyone – but it is a bit more nuanced.)

What Can Chiropractic Care Treat?

Chiropractic care can treat a wide range of pain symptoms and conditions, from acute injuries to chronic pain and inflammation.  Most people know that chiropractic care can help with back pain and neck pain, but did you know that it can also treat joint pain, accidents and injuries, the aches and pains of pregnancy, and even conditions like scoliosis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Chiropractic adjustments correct misalignments and joint imbalances to relieve pain (by relieving pressure on nerves and muscles) and improve joint motion and biomechanical function. Here are 6 signs it might be time for you to consider chiropractic care:

1. You Can’t Move Like You Used To/Like You Want To (Bending, Twisting, Squatting or Reaching has Become Difficult)

Has your range of motion become limited? Is it becoming more difficult to do even simple daily tasks (like pick up that phone you dropped under the car seat.) It may be time to consider chiropractic care. Limited range of motion is a common indicator that misalignments or imbalances are affecting the way you move. Things like poor posture, sitting all day for work, poor sleep positioning, can cause misalignments that shorten and tighten the muscles or cause joint imbalances – and restrict movement.

2. You Are Recovering from an Accident or Injury

If you’ve recently been injured or been in an accident that left you with pain – especially back, neck, or joint pain – chiropractic care might be a good option for you. Chiropractors can help you to recover from most kinds of injuries – including sports injuries. We also frequently help patients recovering from slip and fall injuries and car accidents.

Chiropractic care can help improve recovery time, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain – did you know that during a chiropractic adjustment, endorphins are released, and chemical pain transmitters are turned off?

3. You Have Frequent Headaches

You may have heard that chiropractic care can help with migraine pain; it can also help you find relief from cervicogenic headaches and tension headaches. In fact, headaches are among the most common reasons people seek chiropractic care.

Postural issues are behind many types of headaches, especially for people who have to sit or drive all day for work. Most people with postural issues don’t even realize their posture is to blame – they just know they want relief from headache pain.

4. Your Shoes are Wearing Unevenly  

Take a look at the soles of your shoes – especially the heels. Uneven wear can be a sign of misalignments in your pelvis or hips. That’s because when your pelvis and hips are rotated improperly, your feet are likely to point inward (what some people call “pigeon toed”) or slightly outward. Those misalignments and imbalances in your gait can not only cause your shoes to wear unevenly (because they strike the ground oddly); they could also be the cause of your hip, knee, or back pain.

5. You’re Sore All the Time

If you are constantly battling tight, sore muscles, it could indicate that that your muscles are injured or under strain. Muscle tightness (which actually makes your muscles shorter and limits your range of motion, in addition to causing pain and discomfort) can cause pain throughout your body. It’s called referred pain, and it could be the reason why heat, ice, and even massage only provide temporary relief before the pain and tension return. Poor posture, holding your body in the same position for long periods of time, or being sedentary can all lead to muscle pain that eventually can result in misalignments. Chiropractic care treats the root cause of pain to help you find relief that lasts. 

6. Your Posture is…Less than Ideal

In an age of smartphones and almost unrelenting screen use, chiropractors are seeing more postural pain than ever before.

Forward Head Carriage is a common complaint and a major cause of pain. It’s also the reason you may be seeing that hump or rounding at the top of your spine. Chiropractic care can help correct forward head carriage and posture and the pain and tension they cause.

Discover the top causes of poor posture and postural pain here.

7. You’re Having Trouble Sleeping

Ahhh, sleep. For too many of us, sound sleep is our great white whale: we are always in pursuit. If sound sleep eludes you, you’re not alone. An estimated 50 to 70 million Americans have chronic, or ongoing, sleep disorders are not getting the sleep they need to fully recover from their day and restore their functions. 

Chiropractic care can help you get restorative sleep by:

• Relieving pain and discomfort: Chronic back and neck pain can make it difficult to sleep, and sleep can make back and neck pain worse. Chiropractic care can help you break the cycle at last.
• Easing muscle tension: The only thing worse to sleep on than a terrible mattress is tense, tight, and sore muscles. Get relief and get comfortable – no more tossing and turning? – at last.
• Stimulating circulation: Did you know that low circulation can make you too cold to fall (or stay) sleep?
• Promoting proper breathing: Proper posture can promote healthy breathing and strengthen the soft tissues that cause snoring and apneas.

Ready to feel better and sleep better? Chiropractic care can help you find relief from pain, improve your health and wellness, and feel your best. Find a Chiro One clinic near you or schedule an appointment now.