Misalignment of the spine is caused when one of the bones in your spine moves out of position. While this is a common condition, it can cause extreme discomfort and pain. Spinal misalignments can affect much more than your back. As they often lead to nerve-related issues, they can affect almost any part of your musculoskeletal system.

What are the symptoms of spinal misalignment?

Your spine is made up of a column of bones known as vertebrae. These bones go all the way from the bottom of your skull down to your pelvis, providing your upper body with support and stability.

When one of the vertebrae become misaligned, you can experience all kinds of symptoms, including:

• Lower back pain
• Knee pain
• Hip pain
• Neck pain
• Numbness or tingling in feet and hands
• Chronic headaches
• Frequent illness
• Excessive fatigue
• Walking abnormalities

Symptoms caused by misalignment of the spine are varied and can affect many different parts of the body. Because of this, it’s not always clear that the problems you’re suffering from are caused by a spine misalignment.

If you’ve been dealing with one of the above symptoms for some time, get in touch with one of our chiropractors. We’ve got clinics across the US, so you don’t need to waste time Googling “Spinal clinic near me”. Our experienced doctors will be able to help adjust your misaligned spine and get you on the road to recovery.

Risk factors of Spinal Misalignment

Spine misalignment can lead to many other serious conditions that extend far beyond pain and discomfort. When your spine isn’t properly aligned, you’re at an increased risk of:

• Joint stiffness
• Decreased mobility
• Permanent bone and joint deformities
• Chronic pain
• Limited range of motion
• Slouched posture
• Discomfort when standing, sitting, or laying down
• Broken bones, particularly in the spine
• Sciatica
• Respiratory issues

Some of these conditions are permanent and will affect you for the rest of your life. Because of this, it’s critical to get in touch with a spine care chiropractic center if you think your spine is misaligned. The longer your injury goes untreated, the more likely you are to develop a serious illness that may never go away.

At-home treatment

Spinal misalignments don’t happen overnight. They take a lot of time to develop. Unfortunately, correcting them is a long-term effort, too. There are some things you can try at home to treat your problem if your search for “Spinal clinic near me” didn’t leave you with much to choose from.

Stretch your back

Sitting in the same position for hours every day can put excess pressure on your spine. This can lead to intense back pain and bad posture as a result. It might not seem convenient, but try to stretch your back throughout the day. It’s also helpful to be mindful about the way you sit and try to maintain good posture.

Take regular walks

Taking breaks throughout the day for short walks is another way to help stretch your back. This is easy to do if you work from home. But even if you work in an office, you can still take a couple of minutes to get up from your desk and walk around the building.

You shouldn’t restrict yourself to taking walking breaks exclusively during work time. Try to fit in short walks before work and after dinner. The more you walk, the more pressure you’ll take off your spine and lower back.

Replace your chair with a stability ball

Another way you can relieve the discomfort caused by misalignment of the spine is to use a stability ball instead of a desk chair. A stability ball will strengthen your core and your back, helping you maintain a better posture.

Don’t be discouraged if you find it difficult to use the ball at first. Try it in short 10-15 minute intervals throughout the day to start with. As you get used to it, sit on the ball for longer periods until it becomes comfortable.

Yoga

There are many yoga positions that help stretch your muscles and increase the flexibility of your spine. Cat-cow, downward-facing dog, and extended triangle are all great for relieving back pain. There are many yoga tutorials you can find online that will guide you through the poses.

When DIY treatment doesn’t work

Sometimes at-home remedies aren’t enough to cure spinal misalignments. Damage can often be too intense to improve on your own at home. If you’ve tried the above suggestions without any relief, it’s time to see a chiropractor.

A chiropractor will be able to give you a complete assessment. They’ll diagnose your problem and determine how severe it is. They’ll also be able to put together a recovery program so you can get back to feeling like your old self.

For minor problems, a series of massages or spinal manipulations are usually enough to get you back on track. But if you’ve got a serious injury or one that has been left untreated for a long time, you might need more complex treatment.

Subluxation of the spine

One example of when you really need to see a professional for spine care chiropractic treatment is when you have a spinal subluxation. A subluxation of the spine is when your vertebrae move out of their normal position.

When they become misaligned, they put excess pressure on your spine’s nerve roots. This can cause the signals between your body and your brain to get confused. When left untreated, other parts of your body that rely on your vertebrae to work correctly can be affected.

Network spinal analysis

Network spinal analysis (NSA) is one of the lesser-common types of spine care chiropractic treatments and deals with the body as a whole. It focuses on using connections with the nervous system to free built-up tension around the spine that is causing the spine misalignment.

NSA is different from other types of chiropractic treatments because it targets the tension created by a malfunctioning nervous system. Instead of simply masking the pain, chiropractors use NSA techniques to relieve the tension that is the root of many physical and mental problems.

Your nervous system is responsible for sending the signals from your brain to all other parts of your body. When you’re experiencing physical or mental stress, your nervous system creates tension which is often stored in the spine. Over time, this causes spinal misalignments, resulting in physical pain.

Non-surgical spinal decompression

There are two types of spinal decompression: surgical and non-surgical. Non-surgical spinal decompression is used by chiropractors to relieve back pain. It works by gently stretching the spine to change its force and position.

Spinal discs are gel-like cushions tucked between the vertebrae of your spine. When your spine is stretched, pressure is taken off the cushions, allowing herniated disks to retract. It also takes excess pressure off your nerves and other parts of your spine. As a result, oxygen, water, and other nutrient-rich fluids have better access to the cushions, allowing them to heal.

Non-surgical spinal decompression is particularly effective for:

• Back and neck pain
• Sciatica
• Herniated discs
• Degenerative disc disease
• Worn spinal joins
• Damaged spinal nerve roots

When to see a chiropractor for a spinal misalignment?

If you’ve tried the recommended exercises and lifestyle changes at home with no results, it’s time to see a chiropractor. Schedule an appointment online today and one of our doctors will help you get back to feeling like your old self again.