Chiropractic Cracks the Depression and Back Pain Link
By Chris Brown
Depression is a pain in the back, sometimes literally. Chronic back pain is often tied to depression in medical and psychological literature. This is because each feeds off the other. Depression produces internal changes that increase inflammation, soreness, and physical pain, while back problems' endless pain can demoralize and depress a sufferer. Chiropractic is the ideal medical field to evaluate and treat those with combined back pain and depression, as it battles both conditions at once.
The Link Between Depression and Chronic Back Pain
The tie between depression and chronic back pain has been identified extensively in the medical community. In fact, one study found that a whopping 62 percent of lower back pain sufferers showed signs of depression, a percentage that only increased as the pain severity rose. The two conditions are so enmeshed that figuring out which causes which is a bit like asking what came first: the back pained chicken or the depressed egg? Regardless, their close tie means that improving one oftentimes improves the other accordingly. This is why medical interventions that support spine health, like chiropractic, can play a huge role in improving the mental health side as well.
Chiropractic's Effectiveness Against Mental Health Pain
Chronic back pain is often the result of spinal subluxations and misalignments. Chiropractors are trained specifically to identify and correct spinal subluxations using practiced movements. When the spine becomes properly aligned, it also takes pressure off the nerves that can be the root cause of back pain. As back pain decreases, so does a sufferer's depression. Chiropractic also hits the back pain and depression combination from the mental health side. Because spinal manipulations optimize brain-body communication, it directly causes positive effects upon serotonin levels and brain functionality. These, in turn, raise the patient's mood. As with the other way around, improved depression has been shown to reduce the physical pain of chronic conditions including back pain.
A cost-effective treatment at your local chiropractic clinic, The Joint Chiropractic, may be able to relieve your back pain and ease its related depression. The Joint's sessions are conveniently by walk-in only, so you can avoid the stresses of scheduling an appointment. Instead, simply show up during the office's extended hours (new patients require up to 30 minutes for initial evaluation, paperwork, and treatment) to receive pain relief today.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Sarasota, Fla.