Is Chiropractic Care Safe After Back Surgery?

by Oasis Wellness Partners on July 5, 2022      

For the most part, surgery is often only necessary in a relatively small number of cases involving back pain. Non-invasive methods such as chiropractic care are available and highly effective for treating a wide range of spinal conditions, including back pain, sciatica and herniated discs.

However, in extreme cases, particularly those involving fractured vertebrae, scoliosis, kyphosis, and when degenerative disc disease has progressed to a point where the spinal nerves are being compressed and causing constant pain, surgery may be necessary.

Recovery Needs Time

Many people wonder how long recovery from spinal surgery takes. The answer varies greatly depending on the invasiveness of the surgery and the techniques used as well as the overall physical condition and healthy or unhealthy behavior of the patient. Recovery time after a serious back surgery can range anywhere from two weeks to a year, with the average being about 12 weeks. However, there are many things you can do to help speed recovery, including receiving chiropractic adjustments.

Chiropractic Care

While many people know that regular chiropractic care can help keep you off the operating table in the first place, they might not know that chiropractic care can also help you to recover from back surgery! Licensed chiropractors are among the most experienced healthcare professionals when it comes to treating spinal problems, whether pre or post-surgery. A chiropractor will give you a thorough examination to assess your particular situation before beginning any kind of treatment. This examination will usually involve taking a detailed medical history, doing a careful physical evaluation and doing spinal scans via thermography (which is totally safe and effective), which is what we do at Chiropractic Family Wellness Center.

Chiropractic care may not be appropriate for some time following certain types of procedures. Consult with your surgeon and chiropractor about the best timing to begin chiropractic adjustments post-surgery. When patients who have had spinal fusions can sometimes continue to experience pain post-surgery, they may benefit from chiropractic care.

After your back has had some time to recover, it’s important to get it moving again, and your chiropractor can help to relax the muscles and realign vertebrae that may have become misaligned from surgery or in the days of recovery afterwards.

Your chiropractor can also provide you with exercises you can do at home to strengthen your back and core muscles– this will allow you to get back to your normal life more quickly and help to keep you from having to undergo any further back surgeries.

Back Care in Southern Maine

Whether you have had back surgery, or are considering it, a skilled, licensed chiropractor like our chiropractors at Chiropractic Family Wellness Center in Scarborough, Maine can give you a chance to live a pain-free life. Give us a call to schedule your initial appointment today—(207)883-5549

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