Back Pain Doctor Capitol Heights, MD

How Combining Acupuncture and Chiropractic Care Can Help You

When it comes to healing your body after an injury, an illness, or an accident, you may be tempted to reach for over-the-counter medication or go to your doctor for prescription medication. However, many would prefer to avoid using medications because many of them can become addictive. When you would like to treat your injuries or illness naturally, you should consider consulting with a Capitol Heights, Maryland back pain doctor about whether chiropractic and acupuncture treatment could benefit your situation. Both forms of treatment offer a natural way to begin healing your ailments, and combined, they can work to do so more efficiently. If you have any questions regarding a combination of acupuncture and chiropractic care or if you would like to set up your initial consultation, please consider connecting with a Capitol Heights, MD back pain doctor today.

What is acupuncture?

Acupuncture originated in China thousands of years ago and has been used in many Western countries as a form of natural healing. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the traditional idea behind acupuncture is that piercing certain areas of a person’s body can help with their flow of Qi. This Qi is an energy force, and when we suffer from illnesses or injuries, it can block our Qi and result in pain, fatigue, and becoming more ill. When a trained acupuncturist locates the appropriate meridians on your body to remove the blockage, it can help increase your energy flow and get your body regulating as normal. Many people in contemporary medicine use acupuncture to help treat pain, and with the use of special needles in specific areas of your body, an acupuncturist can help release endorphins—a pain-relieving chemical that can help to heal your body.

What is chiropractic treatment?

Similar to acupuncture, chiropractic care uses natural healing methods to help your body after an accident or an injury. If, for example, your spine is misaligned, this could be obstructing your body’s transmission of nerve impulses. A person’s spinal cord is generally the channel through which their pain signals flow. Thus, when a disc or vertebra shifts out of place, your body is unable to function properly. Through spinal alignment, an AmeriWell Clinics chiropractor can help to relieve your pain, inflammation, and even increase blood flow throughout your body to heal injuries.

Can chiropractic care and acupuncture be used for the same injury?

Using both acupuncture and chiropractic treatment can help speed up the healing time of your injuries. When you use acupuncture, it can help reduce your pain levels, increase blood circulation, and even relax your muscles. When this is the case, your Capitol Heights, MD back pain doctor can perform therapeutic alignments and adjustments more easily which can mean you may be able to avoid taking pain-killers.

If you are interested in going through acupuncture and chiropractic treatment together, reach out to an experienced Capitol Heights, MD back pain doctor to set up your first consultation. We want to help you become a healthier you.

Can a Back Pain Doctor Capitol Heights, MD Trusts Provide Treatment for the Sacroiliac Joint?

If you are suffering due to pain of the sacroiliac joint you may be searching for non-surgical treatment options. At AmeriWell Clinics, each back pain doctor has helped many patients who suffered from a wide range of ailments. Chiropractic treatment is an effective solution for those experiencing pain of the lower back or buttocks that stems from the sacroiliac joint. To find out if this non-surgical treatment method is right for you, schedule an appointment for an exam with a back pain doctor in Capitol Heights, MD

Chiropractic Manipulation Approaches for Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

After a diagnosis of sacroiliac joint dysfunction, your back pain doctor may choose one of two common manipulation approaches for your treatment:

• A high-velocity, low-amplitude thrust which is also known as a spinal manipulation. This is the more common of the two types of chiropractic adjustments.
• A low-velocity, low-amplitude thrust which is also known as spinal mobilization. This is a gentle, less forceful type of chiropractic adjustment.

Spinal Manipulation for Treating Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

This traditional form of chiropractic manipulation for sacroiliac joint dysfunction occurs with the patient lying on their side. In addition:

• The back pain doctor bends the patient’s top knee and then raises it toward their chest.
• The back pain doctor then positions the patient’s bottom shoulder forward which stretches the pelvic region and the lower back.
• The back pain doctor places his hand over the patient’s sacroiliac joint and applies pressure while pushing the upper shoulder backward. The knee is simultaneously pushed toward the floor.
• When the back pain doctor in Capitol Heights, MD determines that the patient is in a comfortable position after removing slack from the lumbar spine, he applies a high-velocity, low amplitude thrust. Note that the patient may hear a crack sound, similar to that of cracking knuckles. Though this does not occur every time, it is normal and is simply gasses escaping from the joint. This process is called cavitation. For most patients, cavitation provides immediate relief from their painful condition.

Spinal Mobilization for Treating Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

For patients who are uncomfortable with the sounds sometimes associated with cavitation, the Maryland back pain doctor may be able to use a different approach, one known as spinal mobilization. This is a gentler, slower technique with which your chiropractor may use the following:

•   Padded blocks of various sizes and shapes placed beneath the patient who is lying face down. In this way, the back pain doctor can use gravity traction to gently reposition the patient’s sacroiliac joint. This enables the back pain doctor to avoid using only force to treat the patient.
• A specialized table that drops a certain section on demand in order to allow gravity to help the Capitol Heights, MD back pain doctor perform the adjustment.
• The Activator, which is a special tool used by the chiropractor when making an adjustment. It is spring loaded and enables the doctor to apply a low-force impulse at strategic locations along the patient’s spine.
• A special table that gently stretches the patient’s spine. This enables the back pain doctor to isolate the patient’s pain using a rhythmic pumping action.
•  Patient-assisted leg traction. As the patient takes long, deep breaths, the back pain doctor gently pulls one of their legs at a specific angle.

To learn more about chiropractic treatment methods for sacroiliac joint dysfunction, call us at AmeriWell Clinics to schedule a consultation with a back pain doctor Capitol Heights, MD patients recommend.

Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Spine

Individuals who suffer from chronic back pain or who have sustained a back injury typically have spinal health on their minds. At AmeriWell Clinics, we know how much back and neck problems can create an imposition on your life and your daily routine. Back pain takes a toll, both monetarily and emotionally. We understand your pain, and we want to help. As  a leading Capitol Heights, MD back pain doctor, we would like to offer some tips and advice for maintaining a healthy spine.

Striving to Maintain a Healthy Spine

A majority of the population will be affected by back pain and spinal problems during their lifetimes. With such a substantial likelihood that you will experience back or neck issues in your lifetime, there is a solid argument favoring a healthy lifestyle and striving to maintain a healthy spine.

Proven strategies for a healthy spine, back, and neck include:

• Eat healthily. Staying at or near your ideal body weight will help keep spinal issues at bay. It’s merely a common-sense idea, based on the fact that carrying around excess body weight puts stress on all areas of the human muscular and skeletal system, including the spine. Work on eating a reasonably portioned and healthy diet as well.
• Strengthen your core muscles. Lack of muscle development in the core can pull the entire body out of its correct alignment, starting with your low back. A consistent exercise program that fits into your routine can help you see results not only in your weight but in your overall health and confidence.

Remember to stretch before you work out, and consult with your doctor before beginning any diet or exercise program. There may be issues specific to your health conditions that warrant professional guidance.

• Stop smoking. Smokers typically face more health challenges than non-smokers. The thousands of chemicals found in cigarettes can overburden the body’s ability to detoxify. This can slow the body’s natural healing processes to the spine and other parts of the body. If you are a smoker, be sure to ask a Capitol Heights, MD back pain doctor about whether or not acupuncture may also assist in the cessation of smoking.
• Correct poor sleeping habits. Your body needs adequate support while you sleep. If you feel pain while you are trying to sleep, a back pain doctor in Capitol Heights, MD would recommend that you use pillows for support, and find a position that minimizes the pain. Back sleeping puts additional pressure on the spine that can be significantly reduced by positioning a supportive pillow under the knees. Side sleepers can put a pillow between the knees to reduce spinal pressure.
• Adjust your stance. Standing with the knees locked puts pressure on the lower back. Relax your stance by slightly bending the knees and placing one foot in front of the other. Avoid standing bent at the waist for too long of a time, as this stresses the spine as well.
• Use proper lifting techniques. Engage your legs when lifting and avoid lifting solely with your back muscles. Refrain from twisting when lifting. Pushing or pulling an item is preferable, and choose pushing before pulling, engaging your leg muscles to lessen the strain on the back.
• Avoid slumping in your seat. Keep your shoulders back and your spine straight. Do not round or allow your lower back to lose its natural curve. Keep your head up and looking straight forward.

To Get More Tips, Call a Capitol Heights, MD Back Pain Doctor

Although there are no guarantees you will avoid back pain, using these simple strategies can increase your chances of leading a pain-free, healthy life! If neck or back pain is a problem, chiropractic care can help. Contact a back pain doctor in Capitol Heights, MD from AmeriWell Clinics today to schedule a consultation.

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