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Chiropractor Helps Sore Back
Man holding his back beside a highlighted illustration of the spine.

Can a Chiropractor Help Your Sore Back?

If your back hurts because of a problem with your spinal discs, Dr. Jeff Snyder might be able to help you feel better and maybe even keep you from needing surgery.

What Are Spinal Discs?

Think of your spine as a stack of bony blocks called vertebrae. In between each block, there’s a squishy pad called a disc. These discs are like tiny jelly donuts. They have a soft, gel-like center and a tougher outside.

Discs act like cushions for your back bones. They stop the bones from rubbing against each other when you bend, walk, or jump.

But sometimes, these discs can get damaged. This can happen as you get older, if you get hurt, or because of certain health problems.

Here are a few ways discs can get hurt:

  • Herniated Discs: This is when the soft jelly inside the disc pushes out through a crack in the tough outer layer. It’s like the jelly squeezing out of a donut. This can press on your nerves and cause pain, tingling, or make your muscles feel weak.
  • Bulging Discs: This is when the disc bulges out, but the jelly inside doesn’t leak out. It’s like a tire with a weak spot that’s bubbling out. It can cause the same problems as a herniated disc, but the pain might not be as bad.
  • Worn-Out Discs (Degenerative Disc Disease): As you get older, your discs can wear out, just like an old pair of shoes. They get thinner and drier. This can make them crack and not cushion your back as well. This can cause pain, tingling, and weakness in your neck and back.

How Chiropractors Can Help a Hurting Back

Chiropractors are doctors who work with your spine. They have several ways to help with damaged discs without using surgery.

  • Adjustments: You might have heard this called “cracking your back.” The chiropractor uses their hands or a special tool to gently push your vertebrae back into the right place. This takes pressure off your nerves and can make you feel less pain. A study in 2022 showed that getting adjustments helped many people with herniated discs avoid surgery.
  • Flexion-Distraction: For this, you lie on a special table that gently moves and stretches your spine. This makes more space between your back bones, which can help a bulging or herniated disc go back to its normal spot. It also helps more blood get to the hurt area to help it heal.
  • Spinal Tractioning: This also stretches your spine using a specialized stretching device that creates a gentle suction effect that can pull the bulging part of the disc back into place. It can also help get more healthy fluid back into the disc. One study in 2024 showed this treatment helped shrink a herniated disc. A woman in the study felt 90% better after two months of treatment.
  • Soft Tissue Therapy: Myofacial release or trigger point therapy can help relax tight muscles and stop painful muscle spasms. It also helps with blood flow and tells your body to release its own natural pain-killers.
  • Pelvic Blocking: This is a simple treatment where the chiropractor puts soft wedges under your hips. This helps line up the joints that connect your lower back to your hips, taking pressure off your discs and nerves.
  • Exercises: Your chiropractor can show you special exercises to make your back stronger. These exercises can help your posture and make your spine more stable.

You Don’t Always Need Surgery

Surgery isn’t your only choice for a damaged disc. Chiropractic care at Snyder Family Chiropractic is a natural way to help your body heal and manage pain. If your back is hurting, call Snyder Family Chiropractic at 610-935-5900 as the next step.

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