How to Align Your Back Without a Chiropractor

How to Align Your Back Without a Chiropractor Image

Many people wonder how to align your back without a chiropractor. It seems appealing because you could save time, money, and the inconvenience of having to leave your house. However, while it might be tempting to try to self-correct your spinal misalignment at home, it is never recommended to do so without the help of a medical professional. 

While this article won’t be teaching you how to align your back without a chiropractor, it will cover the risks of attempting to self-correct your spine and provide helpful tips to improve your posture and support healthy spinal alignment. 

There are many difficulties you could encounter by trying to align your back by yourself. Let’s review some of the complications below.

The Problems with Self-Treatment

Trying to correct your posture and misalignment without consulting a professional can pose a few problems. For example, you might be agitating your spine more than helping it. Yoga stretches done incorrectly can result in severe pain, and it can even worsen the symptoms.

Perhaps the biggest issue with self-treatment is that you can’t correct what you can’t detect. X-rays are designed for viewing the spine at every angle, but there’s no telling what the problem is if you can’t catch it in the first place.

We often treat ourselves by soothing the location of discomfort or pain. If you have sore shoulders, you might try to ice them to relieve the tension. While it might help initially, the source of the pain could come from several other locations, and that’s only treating a symptom of an underlying issue.

A misalignment in the neck can cause pain in your shoulders, fingers, toes, and throughout your spine. If you’re not feeling neck pain, how would you know it’s the primary source of the problem? The only real way to know is by getting a thorough examination and an X-ray, if necessary.

Although it’s not quite as common, some patients seriously injure themselves by trying various home treatments. Turning your neck the wrong way or stretching for too long can make everything much worse. You might even have to spend extra money to treat additional symptoms.

Another huge issue with what people often refer to as cracking your own back is that this is almost always rotational. When you rotate the spine, all you’re doing is releasing the built-up gas. The sound that’s produced is simply the noise caused by the gas leaving.

You might think that there’s a bit of relief, but that relief will only be temporary. True relief can’t be achieved through rotational exercises. Instead, you’ll need a chiropractor to apply pressure in various spots around the body. This process allows your muscles to relax and reduce inflammation.

Benefits of Seeing a Doctor (Motion Studies)

When you go to see a medical professional who specializes in the CLEAR Scoliosis Institute method, you’re likely going to have X-rays done. They’re used to create 3D images of your spine to show the precise trouble areas throughout your body. They’ll also help to assist the chiropractor in learning where they should apply pressure.

Motion studies are a critical part of the process. As the X-rays are performed, the professional will typically have the patient move in specific directions to get a complete view. 

Quote by Dr. Mark Myers If you are a scoliosis patient and follow the CLEAR approach, which involves an exercise-based protocol where patients learn custom-designed exercises they can do in the comfort of their home, you’ll be able to use rolls, wedges, and a few possible sleeping tools to support healthy spinal alignment when you’re in bed. With this method, most of the exercises can be done at home, which is why so many patients prefer it.

Correcting your posture and spinal curvature by yourself is dangerous, but you can find the same convenience and comfort with the CLEAR method. The CLEAR-certified specialists also provide thorough instructions and hands-on training to give patients the best possible advice during their visit. Some places even give DVDs and guidelines to go with the exercises.

Here are several other benefits of the CLEAR approach:

  1. Active motion studies reveal underlying issues and help to locate the true problems throughout the spine, pelvic bone, and other areas.
  2. Mostly at-home exercises and stretches allow you to avoid constant visits to the doctor’s office.
  3. You won’t have to deal with surgery, pain, injections, and other unwanted procedures.
  4. Clear, concise training is easy to learn with as few pieces of equipment as possible.
  5. The CLEAR method has certified, reliable results that date back two decades.

Exercises and Other Suggestions

It’s often agreed that there isn’t anything better than proper stretching when you’re working to strengthen your back and support healthy spinal alignment. While you won’t get the benefits mentioned above, you’ll still be able to slightly reduce the swelling and start to get things back on track.

Here are a few stretches and exercises you could try at home:

  • Rotational pelvic tilts: Lie on your back with your knees bent. Tilt your pelvic bone upward and hold this position for 5 seconds. The pelvic region is incredibly influential on the results of correcting scoliosis.
  • The latissimus dorsi stretch: Grab your hands together above your head and stretch your arms as high as you can. Lean them to the left, hold 5 seconds, and then repeat the same motion in the other direction. Tilt your whole body with your hands as well.
  • Neck tilts: Grab the top of your head with your right hand. Slowly pull your head to the right, allowing the left side of your neck to stretch for 20 to 25 seconds. Repeat the same motion to the left side with the opposite hand.
  • Proper posture squats are also an excellent exercise. They engage your legs and stabilize your spine from top to bottom. Squats should only be performed if your scoliosis isn’t debilitating.

As you can see, there are quite a few different stretches and exercises that you can try at home. To improve the spinal mechanics of your back, you have to remain consistent. Daily exercises are recommended if you decide that you want to do everything of your own accord.

You should also include efforts to maintain good posture throughout your daily routine. Whether you’re sitting, standing, or lying down, you need to have your spine adequately aligned. During these times of relaxation, your spine is most likely to shift or move, according to your muscle placement.

You can also buy wedges, rollers, and other equipment that you’d get through trying out the CLEAR method. They don’t come with the same detailed instructions as you’d get from a certified professional, but you’d still get some good use out of them, although you won’t benefit from the chiropractic adjustments you would through visiting CLEAR.

All in all, you can certainly do quite a few stretches and exercises throughout the day to improve your posture and relieve pain. Proper stretching is critical to recovery. Yoga can be beneficial as well, but incorrect poses can do more harm than good.

Conclusion

Dr. Mark Myers quote Scoliosis is a serious medical condition that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Even if you only notice cosmetic changes, it can continue to worsen over time. Proper treatment to stop the pain and reduce the spine’s curvature requires professional attention.

The CLEAR method is a top choice for patients around the world. Pain-free results that steer clear of drugs and invasive surgical procedures are an easy choice for many people.

Throughout this article, we’ve covered:

  • How at-home treatment won’t accomplish the same results as the CLEAR approach.
  • There are numerous dangers of self-treatment.
  • Pelvic rotations, squats, neck tilts, and a few other exercises can help to relieve pain.

Sources

Disclaimer: The author’s views are his or her own and may not reflect the views of CLEAR Scoliosis Institute.

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Author: Dr. Mark Myers

Dr. Myers passion for health started at a young age while reading nutrition books in junior high. In high school, Dr. Myers did many reports on the powerful effects of alternative Medicine. When his own sister was diagnosed with scoliosis, he saw how it affected her health and function on a daily basis. This eventually led him to his decision to become CLEAR certified by the CLEAR Scoliosis Institute.
Reach out to Dr. Mark Myers

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This website is for informational and general purposes only. Information provided is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never ignore professional medical advice because of something you have read on this site. 

CLEAR Scoliosis Centers are privately owned and operated chiropractic clinics. Doctors at CLEAR Scoliosis Centers are personally responsible for all clinical decision making. CLEAR Scoliosis Institute, a nonprofit organization, does not have any authority over the clinic, make any clinical recommendations, or dictate patient care.
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