In the US alone, about $100 billion per year is spent on finding relief from back pain. Unfortunately, most of this money is wasted on treatments with extremely low success rates or therapies that can actually make the problem worse. We’re going to look at a few things to avoid if possible, and one cost-effective alternative that has provided long-term relief for some.

Poor Options for Back Pain Relief

Let’s look at 3 backache options that you should avoid if possible:

1. Pain Pills – There’s actually a great deal of evidence that opioids make back pain worse. Beside this fact, these pills also don’t do anything to stop the underlying cause of back pain, they just temporarily help the pain at best. Addiction is a real possibility with many pain relievers, and it’s sad that millions in advertising by pharmaceutical companies has led to billions being wasted on dangerous medications.
2. Elective Surgeries – Sometimes an injury can lead to necessary surgery, but most back pain surgeries are elective. Unfortunately, some of the more common surgeries such as spinal fusion surgery come with the biggest price tag (over $80,000 back in 2008) and a small success rate (just over 1 in 3 patients). Plus, even successful back pain surgeries can lead to the ongoing use of pain medication.
3. General Chiropractic – General chiropractic can be effective in providing short-term relief from back pain. However, the high-force corrections used by general chiropractors while popping and twisting the spine may actually lead to more issues in the long run according to some researchers.

An Alternative for Backache Care

Upper cervical chiropractic is a niche in the chiropractic field that offers low-force corrections. As a result, this may be a way to get relief from disabling lower back pain on a long-term basis. How does it work?

Precise measurements are taking using diagnostic imaging so that the practitioner can provide gentle adjustments to the C1 and C2. These adjustments get the top of spine back in alignment. After that, the rest of the spine gradually follows suit. The longer the C1 and C2 hold, the better posture and lower back alignment become. To learn more, find a practice near you and schedule a no-obligation consultation.

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