“Should your back hurt after chiropractic?”
I am a 34 year old female. I want to know if your back should hurt after chiropractic?
12 Answers
The short answer is that post-chiropractic treatment back pain is not usually expected, but can be common transiently. If you present to a chiropractor for the first time, haven't been treated in a long time, or are experiencing a very acute episode, then you might get sore for a day or so. The soreness in these cases is usually more akin to post-workout symptoms and unlike the original complaint; however, with very acute or disc-related problems, you can experience discomfort until a good portion of your structural issues are rectified and the inflamed areas begin to heal. Talk with your chiropractor about discomfort after an adjustment. Sometimes the doctor may need to change treatment techniques in order to accommodate your specific needs.
Not typically. Some patients will feel sore after an adjustment, but that should only last about 24 hours. Make sure you let your chiropractor know how you responded to the treatment and they can recommend things to help with the soreness and maybe alter your treatment at the next appointment.
I get this question all the time. The correct answer is... "that depends". Does your spine have significant issues? (degeneration/arthritis, pinched nerve/disc problems, postural/muscular imbalances, etc.) If so, it is not at all uncommon to have SOME soreness after an adjustment. The more serious your condition, the more likely this will happen. The more you go to get your issue addressed/corrected, the LESS this will happen, until you just feel great afterwards. In our clinic, I explain to patients we are aiming for no more than "post-workout" soreness. Anything more than that, and they should definitely be using ice compresses, 20-30minutes EACH hour, until they achieve relief.
My question to you was it your first adjustment, sometimes if the area needs mobility, after an adjustment you may feel sore
Hi. The patient can experience pain after a Chiropractic adjustment in the first 24-48 hours depending on the type of adjustment and technique.
Remember that the chiropractor is treating the exact spot causing the pain. It’s not unusual to be sore for twenty-four hours after an adjustment. In rare instances, the adjustment can inflame the already inflamed problem worse. Don’t be afraid to tell them that. They will have suggestions on how to call it back down.
Your question is open to a lot of questions. What is the cause of your back pain? Is it new or chronic? Was this your first visit? Remember, while most people leave a chiropractic office after an adjustment, feeling relief and movement have improved, however, sometimes it may take more adjustments or time or a combination of both. Remember, pain is a variable perception. If two people had the exact same pain, one might say it is a 10 (on a pain scale of 1-10 with 10 being really painful) while another person may judge it as a 2 depending on their perception of pain. The body often "feels" relief following chiropractic adjustments, however, time is also an important component as the body must make natural changes toward healing as the purpose of chiropractic adjustments is to help your body be more functional between the nerve system and the rest of the body.
It is typical to be achy gym sore after an adjustment especially if it's your first adjustment ever or if you're not adjusted regularly. This is because your body is so used to being out of whack or alignment that when you get adjusted, yourre-body doest think thats right. If you are insanely sore after your adjustment then your chiropractor may have used more force than your body needed because everyone is different. If that happens then ask your chiropractor to lighten up on the adjustments or seek a gentler chiropractor. Hope this helps!
Dr. Jane Bye
Chiropractor
Most people feel more relaxed and able to move and breathe more freely after a session. Adverse effects are typically minor and resolve shortly.
No it may hurt because of bad technique used by the person who adjusted you.
Some people experience soreness for a day or 2 following an adjustment. Others feel immediate relief and no pain after the adjustment. If the soreness lasts more than 2 days, or the pain gets significantly worse, then you must contact your chiropractor directly.
It can initially but as the balance is returned in the muscle and joint relationship that no longer occurs.
