menu

5 Signs You Need A Back Checkup

5 Signs You Need A Back Checkup

Most people only think to visit a chiropractor after their primary physician tells them to or after they’ve had a severe back injury. But chiropractic care is beneficial for far more than just reacting to severe injuries. Here are five signs you should visit the chiropractor for a back checkup:

1. You’re dealing with chronic pain

It’s easy to turn to pain medications when dealing with chronic pain, but these medications typically just alleviate symptoms instead of getting at the root cause of the issue. And if you are taking pain medications regularly, your body can develop a tolerance to them and the pain will return. Working with a chiropractor means working to determine the actual cause of the pain to make adjustments and help realign your body.

If you’re dealing with chronic pain in your back or in other joints and muscles in your body, it may be due to issues with how your body is aligned. Musculoskeletal alignment is key to ensuring your whole system is moving and functioning properly. If one piece of the system is out of alignment, it can cause problems throughout your whole body. The reasons for misalignment vary greatly, with anything from a severe fall or auto accident to repetitive motion or sitting at a desk too long serving as potential triggers. A chiropractor will work to determine whether the cause of your pain does stem from alignment issues and will develop a treatment plan to gradually realign your body, reducing pain and restoring movement.

2. You’ve recently been in an accident or sustained an injury

The impact of a car crash, bike crash, severe fall or other accident can significantly jar your spine and leave your back and neck out of alignment. Even if you didn’t sustain any noticeable injuries on impact, the whiplash or increased tension can create significant problems with your spine. A sports injury or other injury can likewise create problems with your spine, even if the injury wasn’t directly to your back. A chiropractor can help you overcome the pain and other symptoms following an accident or injury, reducing pain and restoring your range of movement and activity.

3. You have frequent headaches

You may not immediately think of having a back checkup in response to frequent and severe headaches, but looking at the spine can in fact be one of the best modes of treatment. Headaches can be the result of a wide range of factors, including dehydration, stress, caffeine withdrawal or other triggers. But even with all of these triggers, the origin of headaches can often be traced to interference with your nervous system stemming from misalignment in your spine.

Your central nervous system has control over pain in your body, so if there is a spinal alignment issue affecting your central nervous system that can have significant impacts elsewhere. A chiropractor can examine whether you have any spinal misalignments and develop a treatment plan for adjusting and realigning your spine. Realignments will typically take multiple visits but can lead to reduced frequency and severity of headaches, potentially getting rid of them altogether.

4. Your work involves being in sedentary positions or performing repetitive tasks for long periods of time

Many jobs these days involve sitting at a computer for eight hours, clamping a phone between your shoulder and ear, and hunching over a keyboard with poor posture. Office and non-office jobs also often involve repetitive motions, such as typing, working a cash register, or performing assembly line work. Sitting in one position for long hours or performing a repetitive task can lead to significant issues with your spinal alignment, putting unwanted pressure on your neck, back and shoulders or leading to overuse injuries.

Even if you’re not currently experiencing severe pain, visiting a chiropractor occasionally for a checkup when you work in repetitive or sedentary jobs can go a long way toward to preventing pain down the road. A chiropractor will be able to ensure your spine is in proper alignment or perform the adjustments necessary to realign your system. Getting to those issues early before you develop chronic pain will help keep you feeling better and keep the pain at bay. A chiropractor can also work with you on proper techniques for good posture while sitting and taking stretch breaks throughout the day to help prevent further misalignment.

5. You have limited range of motion

Some spinal misalignments don’t present themselves with as much pain as others -- instead, they limit your range of motion. If you aren’t able to move your limbs and body as fully as you used to, that could be a sign that your spine is out of alignment, whether you’re experiencing pain or not. Chiropractic adjustments can help open up your range of movement as the elements of your musculoskeletal system are restored to their proper places.

If you’re experiencing one of these issues or another sign makes you think a back checkup might be a good idea, call French Family Chiropractic today at (931) 919-2869.

Exclusive Offer

New Patients sign up now for a free consultation!

Clarksville Office

Monday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

2:00 pm-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-12:00 pm

Closed

Wednesday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

2:00 pm-6:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-12:00 pm

Closed

Friday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

2:00 pm-6:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Erin Office

Monday:

Closed

Tuesday:

2:00 pm-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

Closed

Thursday:

2:00 pm-5:00 pm

Friday:

Closed

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed