Drug-Free Solutions for Chronic Back Pain

We define chronic back pain as lasting every day for more than three months. Whether it comes on slowly or suddenly, it often affects every part of your life. Fortunately, there are drug-free ways to ease your pain.

Our skilled team, led by expert chiropractor Andrew Dube, DC, at Apollo Chiropractic PC, offers a variety of solutions to help heal your aching back at our offices in Manhattan, New York City.

Anatomy of a fall and more

Back pain may be due to a number of causes, such as a sudden fall on slippery ice, an inflammatory condition, or other medical issue. It affects one of four regions:

• Cervical spine, the upper portion that supports your head and neck
• Thoracic spine, which lies in the middle and supports your chest and abdomen
• Lumbar spine, five vertebrae below the thoracic spine that assist balance and movement
• Sacrum and coccyx at the bottom of the spine that protect your pelvic region

Dr. Dube assesses the nature and location of your pain to decide on the best treatment.

In the beginning

After discussing the origin and duration of your back pain, Dr. Dube formulates a course of action, which may include:

Spinal manipulation

Dr. Dube applies a quick thrust to specific joints in your spine to relax your muscles and reduce pain. This manipulation especially helps patients suffering from disc problems, joint restrictions, and/or muscle strain.

Myofascial release

The longest portion of your spine, the thoracic region, lies between your neck and abdomen, joining the cervical and lumbar areas. Dr. Dube applies gentle pressure and stretching to this area and beyond to relieve tension and improve your range of motion.

Ischemic compression 

Dr. Dube applies pressure to specific trigger points to interrupt blood flow momentarily, relieving tension and pain.

He may also use painless interferential electrical stimulation to stimulate your muscles. Whichever methods he chooses, he aims to relieve your back pain without medication.

Why avoid medication for chronic back pain?

Aside from the short-term health issues back pain medications may cause, from nausea and stomach upset to headaches and dizziness, there are long-range consequences. These include:

• Opioid addiction
• Central nervous system depression
• Immunosuppression from corticosteroids that may lead to fungal, bacteria, and viral infections

Clearly, we prefer finding a drug-free path to relieve chronic back pain.

Better back behaviors

A healthy back begins at home, in the office, and beyond. Dr. Dube suggests certain habits to keep you standing pain-free and tall, such as:

• Practicing yoga, tai chi, and Pilates to improve mobility
• Swimming and low-impact aerobics to loosen muscles
• Using correct posture when lifting by bending from the knees with a slightly tilted back
• Alternating hot and cold packs to relieve inflammation
• Touching your toes or knees while standing to stretch the hamstrings and loosen tight back muscles
• Wearing comfortable, supportive shoes to help your lower back
• Using a proper workstation, with your computer screen at eye level and an ergonomically correct chair

We also recommend adding some turmeric, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, and clove to your diet to help curb inflammation. And to reduce stress, use progressive muscle relaxation, focusing on relaxing one muscle at a time.

Let us help relieve your pain

If you suffer from back pain, or other skeletal or muscular issues, we’re here to help. Simply call our main number or use our online tool to schedule an appointment with Apollo Chiropractic today at one of our Manhattan locations.