Chiropractic care is known for being an effective remedy for back, shoulder, and knee pain. Whether recovering from an injury, alleviating herniated discs, or making postural improvements, many people turn to a chiropractor to help them manage their symptoms.
However, many people complain of soreness after receiving chiropractic care and are often confused by it. Isn’t the reason for seeking treatment to relieve pain?
It may be surprising to learn that it’s normal to be sore after chiropractor visits. Below, we explain the cause of post-chiropractic care soreness as well as some things you can do to make the soreness more manageable.
Why Am I Sore After Seeing a Chiropractor?
Chiropractic adjustments rarely, if ever, cause pain. Any soreness you experience is a normal bodily response to the manipulation of the muscles, ligaments, and vertebrae in your body. The treatments restore a significant range of motion to the affected regions and break up scar tissue.
But why does this specifically cause soreness?
Restored Range of Motion When parts of the body are manipulated and receive a restored range of motion, muscles that are not used to functioning in their natural capacity will be utilized. This may cause soreness as these muscles adjust to more motion. This is similar to the muscle soreness you feel after working out in a gym. As these parts of your body get used to their new range of motion, the muscles will adapt, and soreness will quickly subside. | Inflammatory Response Chiropractic adjustments break up scar tissue, which is a common source of muscle and tissue dysfunction and pain by extension. However, the body needs to bring inflammation to these regions to retract the scar tissue. This is a natural healing process, and this type of inflammation could be considered “good inflammation,” even if it may not feel pleasant. |
The main reason you feel sore after chiropractor visits is because of inflammation. Because of this fact, it is important to understand that pain doesn’t always equal damage.
What Can I Do About Soreness After the Chiropractor?
Again, it should be reiterated that this soreness is a perfectly normal part of the healing process and can be indicative of successful treatment. However, there are ways to minimize the pain. Some at-home options that can make soreness more manageable include:
- Heat therapy: Applying heat compresses or taking hot baths with Epsom salt can help reduce inflammation and soreness.
- Certain stretches: Stretching can help loosen the muscles and reduce soreness. However, it’s important to only perform certain stretches while recovering from chiropractic adjustments, as some stretches may end up placing excess strain on the treated muscles. Some good options include the child’s pose, knee-to-chest, and pelvic tilts.
- Ice therapy: While ice won’t assist with the healing process, it may temporarily reduce some of the soreness and inflammation.
- Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water positively impacts your blood circulation, which can speed up recovery time.
- Get plenty of rest: Sleep is our body’s natural recovery state. Just as you need to ensure that you get plenty of rest after a tough workout, you’ll also want to give your muscles and joints ample recovery time after a chiropractic adjustment.
Normally, the soreness will subside within a few days, although it’s not uncommon for the soreness to persist for a bit longer if the treatment was more intensive.
The important thing to remember is that this soreness is perfectly normal and usually not something to worry about. Chiropractic care is safe and does not exert a lot of force on the body because it utilizes controlled thrusts and manual manipulation.
The most effective chiropractic treatments seek to not just alleviate pain and discomfort but to solve the root of your symptoms. By taking this proactive approach to spinal health, you’re setting yourself up to feel better and stay active for many years after treatment.
PostureWorks for Effective Chiropractic Care
At PostureWorks, we go the extra mile when it comes to chiropractic care. That’s because we use gold-standard chiropractic treatments like Chiropractic BioPhysics® to solve the underlying causes of your symptoms.
We begin with an in-depth health analysis that involves a medical history assessment, x-rays, and postural examinations. We also check for factors such as structural abnormalities, ligamentous damage, alignment, and stability issues. We then use that information to create a non-invasive, fully customized treatment plan that eliminates the source of your pain.
Contact us today for more information on being sore after the chiropractor or to schedule your appointment with PostureWorks.
Chiropractic BioPhysics®, or CBP, is a deeply researched and results-oriented corrective care technique. CBP-trained chiropractors aim to realign the spine back to health and optimal function. As with all chiropractic care, CBP is conservative, painless, and non-invasive.