Back pain is no laughing matter, especially when it affects every aspect of your daily life. For many Americans, that's reality - estimates show that almost 16 million people in the US have chronic back pain problems. These are people who have trouble with everyday chores and activities, like driving to work, cooking dinner, and playing with their children. For some, chronic back pain affects their ability to put food on the table and support their families.
And while back problems manifest in physical pain, there's the mental side of the issue too. When you can't live a normal life, anxiety and depression can set in, creating a problem that leads to life-changing medical treatment through addictive medicines and invasive back surgeries. Fortunately, a more reliable, less invasive solution exists for people suffering from issues like pinched nerves, sciatica, lower back pain, and bulging discs.
Seeing a chiropractor in West Ashley, SC, from Back 2 Health Physical Medicine may be the long-term answer to your back pain problems. To understand the benefits of seeing a chiropractor, it's important to first understand what chiropractic care can do for your body.
The foundation of chiropractic care comes from the idea that a healthy spine leads to a healthy body. The nerves near the vertebrae that make up the spine can quickly become squeezed when they are out of alignment, leading to a lot of discomfort. The pain and other problems caused by this misalignment can be reduced by restoring natural alignment.
To do so, a chiropractor in West Ashley, SC, uses time-tested techniques and a small amount of concentrated pressure to relax joints that have become frozen in troublesome positions, encouraging the natural movement of each vertebra. When the spine is properly aligned, the spinal nerves can transfer signals to and from the brain normally, resulting in a healthy spine and a healthier individual.
Spine health is critically important for every person on earth, as it protects your nervous system and ensures it functions normally. When your spine is degraded, dysfunction often follows, leaving your nervous system lacking and unable to perform at the highest level. On the opposite side of the coin, a flexible, strong, healthy spine with fluid joint motion and proper curvature better protects your nervous system.
Think of it like this: when your spine is misaligned or unhealthy, information from your brain to your nervous system can flow without interruption. But when there's a "kink" in the spine, those communications slow down, almost like when a video is buffering online, and you have to wait for playback. That's where a chiropractor in West Ashley, SC, can be incredibly helpful because they can help correct spinal issues and, by proxy, maintain your nervous system.
When your spine is strong and healthy, it provides numerous benefits, including:
At Back 2 Health Physical Medicine, our chiropractors use a variety of adjustment techniques to provide relief from back pain. Some adjustments use a manual approach that involves a "popping" sound, while others do not. No two patients are exactly the same, so we use the techniques that we believe are best for each patient. Some people worry that popping noises during adjustments can damage their spines. However, this noise, known as cavitation, is simply gas released from a joint and is perfectly normal.
In fact, stretching can cause your skeleton to "pop" without you even hearing or feeling it. There are other adjustment techniques that use instruments, specific movements, or a chiropractic table to align the spine. The risk of injury from chiropractic adjustments is negligible when seen by a trained and licensed professional. Chiropractic adjustments are far less risky than many other basic medical procedures. The truth is that the chiropractic profession has an excellent safety record and very high patient satisfaction and is one of the few choices that patients have for non-invasive treatment.
Benefits of chiropractic adjustments can include:
Chiropractic adjustments are drug-free, all-natural, non-invasive techniques that grant patients more mobility and less back pain. These adjustments also help maintain your spine health. As we mentioned above, when your spine is aligned correctly, your nervous system works as it should, and back strain can be reduced and even eliminated. If you're interested in restoring your mobility and joint function and eventually enjoying a healthier range of motion and less back pain, it's time to see a chiropractor in West Ashley, SC.
The Chiropractic Doctors of Back 2 Health Physical Medicine are experts at locating and analyzing the improper placement of the vertebrae and correcting back issues, enabling the body to return to its proper alignment. This is key in correcting the "vertebral subluxation complex," which can interfere with your body's normal functioning and long-term health.
Used by almost every chiropractor, this technique is very common and used for three primary reasons:
Using extreme precision and targeted thrusts, chiropractors use this adjustment when a patient's range of motion is affected by misaligned bones and joints. It is also helpful for spinal realignment.
Also called manual therapy or spinal manipulation, this adjustment is utilized by chiropractors and physical therapists alike. Though this technique is considered a manual therapy like the Diversified adjustment, more stretching and less rigorous thrusting motions are involved. This chiropractic technique helps relieve joint pressure, improves nerve functionality, and reduces inflammation.
In this method, your chiropractor uses a spring-loaded handheld device to apply gentle impulses to affected areas and vertebral segments of your spine. By applying this technique to targeted areas across your body, you can benefit from less back pain, fewer headaches, and a range of other conditions. The Activator is also great for patients who want to avoid large, forceful adjustments or movements.
Using a specialized table that flexes and distracts your spine in a rhythmic motion, this technique works best for disc injuries that cause uncomfortable symptoms like leg and back pain. Patients often love this style of adjustment when they are recovering from a recent injury or are extra sensitive to other chiropractic techniques.
The cervical spine consists of seven vertebrae and discs, several muscles, and eight pairs of spinal nerves. When poor posture or injury compress your cervical discs, the pressure can herniate your discs, which is an excruciating condition. When you have a herniated disc, pain radiates down the backs of your arms and can even cause numbness. While some patients opt for surgical spinal decompression, it should only be used as a last option, as it doesn't always help with pain relief and can cause other areas of your spine to degenerate.
At Back 2 Health Physical Medicine, our highly-trained chiropractors can perform non-surgical spinal decompression, using gentle stretching and traction to decompress your spine. This non-invasive option releases disc pressure and has been shown to reverse disc herniations when applied soon after an injury.
While some patients may experience slight discomfort as their spine stretches, it's much less painful than surgical options. When finished, many patients notice immediate results, while others need a few sessions to experience relief. When combined with ongoing chiropractic care and a customized exercise program from Back 2 Health practitioners, spinal decompression can be very effective.
If you notice any of the following symptoms, it's important you make an appointment with a chiropractor soon, as you may qualify for spinal decompression:
Information from the American Chiropractic Association tells us that three in four people that visit a chiropractor in West Ashley, SC describe their experience as "very effective." That's not a bad batting average. Whether you're suffering from chronic back pain that has plagued you for years or have recently been in an auto accident, your chiropractor can help you get back to living a normal life with little downtime and recovery.
Surprisingly, though, many people don't know that great chiropractic care goes beyond your spine and neck. Here are a few interesting facts to consider when seeing your chiropractor, which may end up benefitting your overall health.
There's a misconception that chiropractic care isn't meant for pregnant women. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, chiropractic adjustments can benefit pregnant women. With the proper techniques, a woman's pelvis and uterus can be rebalanced, creating more room for baby and mom. This can help facilitate a healthier birth and can reduce lower back pain in pregnant women.
Yes, your chiropractor is probably your go-to source for back pain relief. But did you know that chiropractors can help with insomnia, digestive problems, headaches, anxiety, and more? During your appointment at Back 2 Health Physical Medicine, talk to your chiropractor about your wellness and health goals. You may be pleasantly surprised.
Yes, you read that right. Professional chiropractic care can help you fight off illnesses because adjustments often decrease inflammation and boost brain activity. When that happens, your immune system benefits. A more robust immune system means fewer sore throats, colds, and stuffy noses.
If there's one thing chiropractors are "known" for, it's cracking backs. But when a chiropractor makes adjustments, and you hear a popping noise, it's not because your back is cracking. It's because built-up gas in your joints is being released, almost like gas from a soda bottle. This gas release actually alleviates uncomfortable pressure and can help move your skeletal structure into optimal alignment.
One of the biggest myths about chiropractors is that they're less trained and less qualified than MDs. The truth is that chiropractors spend as much time studying and refining their skills in school as medical doctors. The difference is that medical doctors focus on surgery and pharmaceuticals, while chiropractors focus more on neurology and nutrition.
Are you suffering from headaches and sleepless nights because your muscles are strained? Are you unable to work or put food on the table because of a pinched nerve? Do you have trouble completing everyday tasks because you lack mobility? No amount of over-the-counter or even prescription pain pills can provide a long-term solution for such issues. Fortunately, seeing a Back 2 Health chiropractor in West Ashley, SC, can provide the long-lasting relief you need.
At our chiropractic office, doctors and practitioners take an integrated approach to chiropractic care and back pain relief. Our goal is to restore proper alignment to your spine to accelerate your recovery time and prevent further injury. If chronic back pain has taken over your life, it's time to visit our chiropractic office in South Carolina.
It all starts with a comprehensive exam performed by one of our chiropractic doctors. Once your evaluation is complete, our team creates a personalized treatment plan created for your body, not someone who matches your age and weight. That way, our chiropractors can address the underlying causes of your symptoms instead of masking your pain.
From simple chiropractic adjustments to more involved spinal decompression solutions, your chiropractor will work tirelessly to heal your back and body so you can live a normal life free of pain and mobility problems. If you're ready to give your back the attention it needs, your recovery starts at Back 2 Health Physical Medicine. Contact our office today to schedule your initial appointment.
Eric Fore and his wife didn’t anticipate that becoming homeowners would be one of the most stressful experiences of their lives.When they bought a home in West Ashley on Boone Hall Drive in 2021, they'd heard the house was prone to flooding — it was swamped during the Great Flood of 2015. But they didn’t realize just how bad it was until they moved in."I was in the military for eight years, deployed and everything, and I’ve never been as stressed as I was about this house," Fore told The Post a...
Eric Fore and his wife didn’t anticipate that becoming homeowners would be one of the most stressful experiences of their lives.
When they bought a home in West Ashley on Boone Hall Drive in 2021, they'd heard the house was prone to flooding — it was swamped during the Great Flood of 2015. But they didn’t realize just how bad it was until they moved in.
"I was in the military for eight years, deployed and everything, and I’ve never been as stressed as I was about this house," Fore told The Post and Courier.
But Charleston County will be taking the house off the Fores' hands — alleviating their stress. On Aug. 13, County Council voted to approve a federal grant of over $414,000, allowing the county to acquire the house and demolish it.
The county is buying the property by using the flood mitigation assistance program under Federal Emergency Management Agency. Sean Dove, county floodplain management coordinator, said most of the grant money — around $343,000 — will be used to purchase the property at just around market value, according to estimates on the real estate website Zillow. The rest will go toward inspections, demolition and site work. He added there's also contingency funding for any unforeseen events.
Fore said the purchase would be enough to cover what's left of their mortgage, and put a little away for their next home.
Dove said while this buyout is a special circumstance, the county is looking into acquisition and buyout programs for anyone whose house is prone to flooding. It's not something widely available to residents, but Dove said if more people want the county to buy out their flood-vulnerable house the county will look into it.
Initially, the county's plan in 2019 was to elevate this house, along with one on James Island using the grant funds. The house on James Island was successfully elevated.
But Dove said the county couldn't find any contractors confident they could elevate the house on Boone Hall Drive.
As a result, the county was left with a house that floods severely, and a homeowner who inherited the grant and the danger of living in an area prone to flooding. While the county wasn't able to elevate the house, they were able to work with the state to change the scope of the grant, Dove said. Now, they'll be able to demolish the house and use the property to help with maintenance to a drainage canal behind it.
It won't be the first flood mitigation project the county has done on Boone Hall Drive. Chris Wannamaker, county stormwater and utility manager, said the county finished installing a pipe from the street to the canal in August to help with drainage. He said Fore had reached out to him after Tropical Storm Debby to let him know that the project was a success and his yard didn't flood.
Fore said he spent four days preparing for flooding from Hurricane Ian in 2022. He had around 60 sandbags around the house — barricading all doors, and even the inside of the garage door. He described the house as a fortress after he prepped it for the hurricane.
During the storm, floodwater rose up to around 1.5 feet around the house, Fore said.
"The only thing that kept water from coming in was the fact that I had Flex-Sealed the front door shut," Fore said.