One of the reasons people visit a chiropractor is because they’re looking for alternatives to taking painkillers for back and neck pain. Often, patients find relief when they use a combination of methods that together can reduce or eliminate the need for drugs such as ibuprofen or even stronger prescriptions for pain management.

Before moving forward with any new treatment plan, please consult your doctor and/or chiropractor to determine the best path for your individual situation.

Chiropractic care can help reduce the overall pain that requires the use of painkillers for several reasons. First, it can help realign bones that are out of alignment, which in turn causes muscles to pull painfully or knot up. Second, it can help to reduce the kind of pain that comes from misalignment in everyday and repetitive tasks. If you slouch because your shoulder hurts when you sit up straight, for example, that slouch will eventually become another cause of pain.

Oftentimes, a chiropractor will recommend combining chiropractic care with use of a heating pad or hot water bottle to help the muscles relax. They may also recommend massage therapy or acupuncture to help encourage the muscles to release and bring the skeleton back into alignment.

All of these therapies are ways to reduce overall pain, which in turn can help reduce the need for pain killers. To book your chiropractic appointment to learn more about ways Dr. Laird can help you with better pain management, call (509)-663-0055.