Chiropractors help patients avoid back surgery by adjusting the spine to restore its proper alignment, thereby reducing the pressure on the nerves that cause back pain.
For a new chiropractic patient experiencing back pain, what is the process you follow to find the cause of their back pain?
Dr. Scott Gardner: We use a very complete investigative process to determine the cause of back pain. Really it comes down to six steps. Number one, we take a complete history of trauma. Second, we do a computerized posture evaluation. Third, spinal palpation to check for any tenderness, muscle soreness or swelling in the area. Four, we take a history of the injury. Five, we do computerized spinal scan to determine the function of the nerves. And lastly, we do digital x-rays to measure and compare the alignment to normal.
What type of back pain or back injuries do you most commonly treat?
Dr. Scott Gardner: The most common types of back pain we care for are sciatic pain, arthritic type pain, chronic low back pain, disc related pain and poor posture related pain. The different types of injuries are usually a result of spinal subluxation, where one or more bones become misaligned and create pressure on nerves.
What are some specific chiropractic or therapy treatments you provide that have proven to alleviate patients’ back pain?
Dr. Scott Gardner: So, we specialize in corrective care, which allows us to take a spine that is not aligned properly and then provide specific chiropractic adjustments and posture building exercises to restore the normal alignment, and we confirm this through post x-rays.
In what type of cases is back surgery the only option to fix the problem?
Dr. Scott Gardner: Back surgery, in my experience, is the only option when the person begins to develop, what we call, a drop foot, so they lose the ability to lift their foot up and down, or if they are having a problem with controlling their bladder function.
Learn More
If you are interested in speaking with Dr. Scott Gardner visit www.gardnerfamilychiro.com or call 973-614-9256 to schedule an appointment.
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