If you have an injury that has chronic neck, back, or other joint pain as a major symptom, you could experience an unwanted amplification of that pain due to your own body. That is not to say that you are causing your pain or that it's in your head and you just need counseling. Your pain is real, but your body's reaction to it is real as well. When you have a lot of pain, your body can tense up. When your body tenses up all the time, that can lead to more muscle pain, which increases the total amount of pain you're dealing with. You need to address any tension if you're also going to address chronic musculo-skeletal pain. Luckily, a chiropractor can help you do that.
Pain and Tension Feed Off Each Other
As mentioned, pain can cause tension, which can cause another type of pain. Of course, if you perceive that your pain is now worse or that it's spreading, that can cause more tension, which causes more pain. That doesn't bode well for your future if you don't address that tension.
Chiropractic adjustments can help relieve some of that tension, and when that tension is gone, that lessens the pain that the tension had caused. That creates the sensation of at least partial relief. And when you feel better, you may feel more positive about your other therapy to help reduce the actual joint pain.
Every Bit of Help Counts
Partial relief might not seem like enough to you, and that's understandable. However, keep in mind that every bit of help you can get, counts. Every bit of pain you can get rid of gets you closer to your goal of pain control and relief. And remember, when you're not in as much pain, your ability to move – complete physical therapy exercises, for example – increases.
Additional Related Therapies Can Increase Muscle Relaxation
At a chiropractor's office, you might find additional staff who are trained in other therapies such as deep-tissue massage or even acupuncture. When the chiropractor can reduce some of the pain, the massage tech and acupuncturist can try their therapies on you and see if even more of that pain can go away. You would continue with chiropractic adjustments during this time.
It all starts with a consultation, so start looking for a chiropractor who can suggest a treatment plan for you once you tell them what's going on. Treatment can take time, so be patient, and do follow your chiropractor and doctor's instructions for care.