Daily pain can greatly impact a person’s life. Whether it’s chronic pain, pain flare-ups, an old injury, or a recent accident, patients find themselves unable to complete simple tasks. This can be frustrating, stressful, and cause secondary health risks like being more accident-prone, inflammation, and more.
Chiropractic treatments are available to help with pain relief. A holistic, medication-free approach, chiropractic treatment for pain relief focuses on finding the root cause within the body and addressing that issue.
At Elite Chiropractic and Sport, we offer chiropractic treatments for pain relief in Columbia, MD. Our approach looks at the body as the whole: we consider referred pain, old injuries, and look outside of sources other doctors have already considered.
Chiropractic Treatments for Pain Relief
1) Dry Needling
Dry needling is a popular chiropractic technique to help with pain relief. Dry needling targets “locked” areas: seized-up muscles that restrict movement and limit mobility. By placing a specific needle into the area, dry needling can cause the tension to loosen, restoring movement and alleviating pain.
How does it work?
Dry needling targets myofascial trigger points: areas that are tight and restrict blood flow. The needling triggers the body’s natural healing elements to restore blood flow and loosen tight muscles.
The response is often immediate, with mobility restored by end of session and the ability to complete therapeutic physical therapy exercises to maintain full function and prevent pain from recurring.
Dry Needling is Commonly Used to Treat:
- Back pain
- Headaches
- Neck pain
- Elbow pain
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Plantar fasciitis
- Knee pain
2) Graston Technique
The Graston Technique is a soft-tissue treatment using specialized instruments to break up scar tissue that restricts mobility and causes pain. Chiropractors who specialize in the Graston Technique are uniquely certified to use the instruments to apply pressure to help break up scar tissue. This is a highly effective method for treating chronic pain in patients who have not otherwise had relief.
How does it work?
The Graston Technique uses specialized instruments to apply pressure directionally to break up scar tissue within the body. The instruments are highly effective at removing scar tissue that causes limited mobility, nerve pressure, and other restrictions that cause pain.
The Graston Technique may be recommended to patients who suffer from chronic pain, have an old injury, complete physical labor, or are highly active athletes.
The Graston Technique Commonly Treats:
- Tendinitis
- Plantar fasciitis
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Hamstring injuries
- Shoulder pain
- Knee pain
3) Active Release Technique
Active Release Technique is a massage-related technique that treats pain caused by overworked muscles. It is a soft-tissue treatment that employs 500 different movement techniques to relieve pain from tension.
Chiropractors target overworked areas that are painful due to scar tissue, tension, or other related injuries. Because of the localized treatment of ART, it can relieve pain in as little as one session for some patients.
How does it work?
Active Release Technique is a personalized treatment that does not have a one-size-fits-all approach. Our chiropractors will examine you, ask questions, and determine the area causing the pain. Then the ART treatment will be applied, using any combination of the 500 movements to help relieve tension caused by a buildup of scar tissue. This localized approach allows faster results with longer-lasting relief.
Active Release Technique Commonly Treats:
- Overworked muscles
- Inflammation
- Headaches
- Neck pain
- Back pain
- Shin splits
- Knee injuries
- More
4) Physical Therapy
In combination with different modalities of chiropractic treatments, physical therapy exercises are a common chiropractic approach to help sustain pain-free living, mobility, and range of motion. Physical therapy exercises can be done in-office and at-home, so clients can take control of their treatment process and have long-term relief.
How does it work?
Chiropractors will advise on physical therapy exercises that complement the work being done in-office. Chiropractors or in-house PTs will walk clients through the exercises, explain how often they should be done, and offer adjustments so the exercises are being done correctly to target the right muscles and movements.
Common Physical Therapy Exercises:
- Foam rolling
- Posture adjustments
- Commandos
- Bird dogs
- Cat cow
- Glute bridges
- Mobility movements
5) Manual Adjustments / Spinal Mobilization
When people typically think of chiropractic adjustments, they are most familiar with manual adjustments or spinal mobilization to treat chronic pain. Manual adjustments for pain relief target the joints to help reduce inflammation, which can aggravate and limit mobility. Manual adjustments use a combination of assisted stretching and gentle thrusts to mobilize the spine, joints, and other body parts.
How does it work?
With a hands-on approach, chiropractors assess what areas of the spine or joints are out of alignment or causing discomfort. Use a gentle thrusting motion, they will mobilize the joint, creating the “popping” sensation clients are familiar with.
Manual Adjustments Treat a Variety of Injuries, Including:
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Joint pain
- Muscle tension
- Inflammation
- More
6) Myofascial Release
The fascia is the connective tissue surrounding muscles and organs, which can become restricted over time due to overuse, stress, tension, or injury. These restrictions and aggravations can cause pain, limit mobility, and make patients more prone to injuries, leading to increased pain and discomfort.
How does it work?
Myofascial release is used for pain relief treatment by targeting areas that have been overworked or injured. In contrast to some other chiropractic treatments, myofascial release is done slowly, with pressured applications to release the tension. Patients will lie or sit comfortably while the chiropractor applies manual pressure to slowly ease the tension.
Myofascial Treatment is Used for Common Injuries, Including:
- Muscle tightness and/or knots
- Back and neck pain
- Shoulder pain
- Headaches
- Injuries
- More
7) Trigger Point Therapy
Trigger point therapy focuses on the specific areas, or trigger points, that are holding tension and causing discomfort or pain. These areas are what cause chronic pain, headaches, and limit mobility. The application of pressure on specific points will release muscle tension, improve circulation, and increase mobility and range of motion.
How does it work?
Trigger point therapy is done by assessing what trigger points are affecting the patient. The chiropractor will ask questions about the pain – headaches, joint pain, etc. – to target specific trigger points that are most commonly responsible for pain in those areas.
With direct, localized pressure, the trigger point will be worked to release tension. Patients will feel pressure, a sense of pain relief, and improved mobility.
Trigger Point Therapy is Commonly Used to Treat:
- Headaches
- Back pain
- Neck pain
- Sciatica
- Muscle strains
- Overuse
- More
Chiropractic Treatments for Pain Relief in Columbia, MD
Chiropractors use a range of techniques to treat chronic pain and provide pain relief to patients. The diverse use of modalities allows patients to get personalized treatment that works for them, their lifestyles, and their injuries.
Call Elite Chiropractic in Columbia, MD today to schedule your appointment. Discover how chiropractic treatments can provide pain relief, restore mobility, and improve your quality of living.
About the Author
Dr. Bross is the owner of Elite Chiropractic and Sport. He serves as a Certified Chiropractic Sports Practitioner (CCSP) and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. His unique approach to individualized patient care is based on the evaluation and treatment of the “whole” person.
Dr. Bross is a leader in the promotion of health and wellness. He has accumulated an extensive knowledge of the musculoskeletal and nutritional components of the human body. He is skilled in the Graston Technique, Active Release Technique, and Sports Medicine.
