Back pain is one of the most common ailments as millions of people suffer from it! Back pain is often ignored by people until it becomes severe and starts being an obstacle in daily activities.
A few years ago, people used to consult doctors or general physicians to get relief from back pain. Well, they did get relief, but only temporarily. This is where chiropractic treatment became very popular. It is a non-invasive and holistic way of treating musculoskeletal pain without undergoing any painful surgery or swallowing prescribed medicines. Chiropractors not only treat the symptoms but also focus on the root cause of the back pain and provide treatment for it.
Back pain is a type of musculoskeletal pain that can be caused by many things. Some of the common causes include:
- The routine lifestyle of a desk job
- Accidents
- Weakening of body muscles due to increasing age
To get relief from back pain, chiropractors suggest different treatments such as heat pad massage, ice pack therapy, and/or chiropractic adjustments.
Basic Heat/Thermo Therapy And Cold Therapy For Back Pain:
This treatment technique makes use of hot water pads and bottles to massage the affected muscles and help to relieve the stress from them. You must ensure that the hot pads aren’t placed directly on the back. First, the area would be covered with a soft cloth, and then it would be massaged with heat packs.
Similarly, in cold therapy, also known as cryotherapy, a bottle of ice-cold water is properly placed on the body. The heat and ice packs are applied to the affected area alternatively. This is done to relieve the contraction of the joints and muscles and increase the flow of blood.
Ice/Cold Therapy Is Used To Reduce Inflammation:
Cold therapy is quite useful if you are suffering from back pain that is a result of an injury or bad posture. With cold ice packs, you can reduce swelling, inflammation, or redness associated with the injury. But you must not apply it for too long as it will compress the local tissues and cause more pain. Let chiropractors effectively treat you and don’t try it on your own.
Besides reducing inflammation, ice packs numb the affected area and help in reducing fluid build-up. This way chiropractors can help you in healing the injury faster. Along with cold therapy, chiropractors might also suggest some exercises such as running, swimming, and hiking to recover from back pain.
Hot Pack Or Heat Therapy Helps In Stimulating The Blood Flow:
In this method, heat packs are placed on the affected area, and the warmth that the body gets helps in improving the blood flow in the lower back muscles and increases the mobility of your joints. This treatment is also beneficial if you want to heal an injury that is causing back pain. With a heat pack, the warmth imparted to the body aids in relaxing the muscle spasm(s) and you should feel a soothing effect.
Should You Get Heat/Ice Therapy?
When you consult with your chiropractor and share your back pain problem, they should ask you to undertake a physical examination. Along with the analysis of the physical examination, the chiropractor will ask about your medical history. This will help them to understand the root cause of your back pain and suggest the right treatment. To reap the full benefits of heat or ice therapy, it is essential to know when to use cold therapy and when to use hot therapy. With this knowledge, the effectiveness of the treatment increases and you should experience a faster recovery.
Summary:
Always choose trained and experienced chiropractors to provide the right treatment for your back pain. It’s not unusual for a chiropractor to make use of heat and cold therapy to help relieve a person’s back pain and discomfort.