(347) 625-1246
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112 Greenpoint Ave. STE 1B, Brooklyn, NY 11222Back Pain Relief
What Causes Back Pain?
If you’re dealing with back pain, you’re not alone. About 80% of adults experience it at some point. The good news? You don’t have to live with it.
Back pain happens for lots of reasons. Maybe you lifted something the wrong way. Maybe you’ve been hunched over a laptop for months. Maybe there’s a disc issue putting pressure on a nerve. Whatever the cause, the result is the same: pain that makes everything harder.
The problem with back pain is that it rarely stays in one place. Your body starts compensating. You change how you walk, how you sit, how you sleep. Before long, that one sore spot has created a chain reaction of stiffness and discomfort. That’s why getting to the root cause matters more than just masking the symptoms.
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Common Causes of Back Pain
Back pain can come from several sources. Here are the ones Dr. Patel sees most often in our Greenpoint clinic:
Muscle Strain
This is the most common culprit. You lifted something awkwardly, slept in a weird position, or pushed too hard at the gym. The muscles in your back tighten up to protect themselves, and that tightness becomes pain.
Disc Problems
The discs between your vertebrae act like shock absorbers. When they bulge, herniate, or degenerate, they can press on nearby nerves. This often causes pain that radiates into your legs or arms.
Poor Posture
Sitting at a desk all day takes a toll. Your head drifts forward, your shoulders round, and your lower back loses its natural curve. Over time, this creates chronic strain that doesn’t go away on its own.
Joint Dysfunction
The facet joints in your spine can become restricted or irritated. When they don’t move properly, you feel stiffness and localized pain that gets worse with certain movements.
Back Pain Symptoms to Watch For
Back pain shows up in different ways depending on what’s causing it. Pay attention to what your body is telling you.
Common symptoms include:
- Dull, aching pain in your lower back that gets worse after sitting
- Sharp pain when you bend, twist, or lift
- Stiffness in the morning that takes a while to loosen up
- Pain that radiates into your buttocks, hips, or down your legs
- Muscle spasms that stop you in your tracks
- Difficulty standing up straight after sitting for a while
- Pain that improves when you change positions
- Numbness or tingling in your legs or feet
Sound familiar? These symptoms often respond well to chiropractic care.
When to seek immediate medical attention: If you experience sudden loss of bladder or bowel control, severe weakness in your legs, or back pain after a significant injury, see a doctor right away. These could indicate a serious condition that needs emergency care.
What the Research Says About Chiropractic for Back Pain
You might be wondering if chiropractic actually works. Fair question. Here’s what the research shows.
The American College of Physicians recommends spinal manipulation as a first-line treatment for both acute and chronic back pain. Not as a last resort. As a first option. Why? Because it works, and it’s safer than the alternatives.
A 2018 study in JAMA Network Open followed military personnel with low back pain. Those who added chiropractic care to their treatment showed significantly better improvement in both pain and function compared to those who only received standard medical care.
Here’s another finding that matters: patients who see a chiropractor first for low back pain have 90% lower odds of ending up on opioids. Given what we know about pain medication dependence, that’s a big deal.
Learn About Our Approach
Your First Visit for Back Pain
Wondering what to expect? Let’s walk through it.
Your first appointment takes about 45 minutes. Dr. Patel starts by listening. He wants to understand your pain: where it is, when it started, what makes it better or worse. This isn’t a rushed 5-minute consultation. Your history matters.
Next comes the physical exam. Dr. Patel checks your posture, range of motion, and how your spine moves. He’ll feel for areas of restriction or tenderness. Sometimes we take X-rays if needed to see what’s happening structurally.
Once he understands the problem, Dr. Patel explains what he’s found and what he recommends. You’ll know exactly what’s causing your pain and what it’ll take to fix it. Most patients start treatment the same day and feel better walking out than they did walking in.
Book Your First VisitHome Care Tips for Back Pain Relief
What you do between appointments matters. Here’s how to support your recovery at home:
- Keep moving: Rest feels good, but too much makes things worse. Gentle walking helps your muscles stay loose and promotes healing.
- Ice for new pain, heat for chronic pain: Fresh injuries respond to ice (20 minutes on, 20 off). Older, achy pain does better with heat.
- Watch your posture: If you sit at a desk, get your monitor at eye level. Your ears should line up over your shoulders, not in front of them.
- Sleep smart: Side sleepers, put a pillow between your knees. Back sleepers, try one under your knees. This keeps your spine neutral.
- Stretch daily: Dr. Patel will give you specific stretches for your situation. Five minutes in the morning makes a real difference.
Evaluation
Your first visit starts with a conversation. Dr. Patel wants to know what you’re experiencing, when it started, and what makes it better or worse. Then comes a hands-on exam to pinpoint exactly what’s going on.
Spinal Adjustments
If your spine is misaligned or joints are restricted, adjustments restore proper movement. This takes pressure off nerves and lets your body start healing. Most patients feel relief after just a few sessions.
Decompression Therapy
For disc-related pain, Dr. Patel uses flexion-distraction technique. This gentle, rhythmic motion creates negative pressure that helps bulging discs retract and takes stress off irritated nerves.
Rehabilitation
Adjustments fix the problem. Rehab keeps it fixed. You’ll get specific stretches and exercises to strengthen the muscles that support your spine. This prevents the pain from coming back.
Why Not Just Wait It Out?
Here’s the thing about back pain: it rarely fixes itself. What starts as an occasional ache becomes a constant companion. Your body compensates, creating new problems in your hips, shoulders, even your knees.
The longer you wait, the longer recovery takes. A problem that might resolve in a few visits can turn into something that takes months to unwind.
Chiropractic care at Brooklyn Chiropractic Care isn’t just about feeling better today. It’s about fixing the underlying problem so you can get back to your life without worrying about when the pain will come back.
Who Benefits From Back Pain Treatment?
• New back pain that showed up in the last few days or weeks
• Chronic back pain you’ve been dealing with for months or years
• Sciatica or pain radiating into your legs
• Stiffness that limits how you move
• Back pain from sitting at a desk all day
• Pain after a car accident or injury
• Anyone who wants to avoid surgery or long-term medication
• People who’ve tried other treatments without lasting results
It depends on what's causing your pain and how long you've had it. Acute back pain (less than 6 weeks) often improves within 2-4 visits. Chronic pain that's been building for months or years takes longer, usually 6-12 visits to see significant improvement. Dr. Patel will give you a realistic timeline after your first evaluation.
Yes. Serious complications from chiropractic adjustments are extremely rare, occurring in fewer than 1 in 5.8 million sessions. Compare that to the risks of surgery or long-term pain medication use. That said, not everyone is a candidate for every technique. Dr. Patel always performs a thorough evaluation first and modifies his approach based on your specific situation.
Not always. Dr. Patel only orders X-rays when they'll change how he treats you. If your history and exam point clearly to a muscle or joint issue, we can often start treatment right away. If there are signs of something more complex, like a fracture, significant disc problem, or structural issue, X-rays help us see exactly what we're dealing with.
Often, yes. Many patients with herniated discs respond well to chiropractic care, particularly flexion-distraction technique. This gentle approach creates negative pressure that can help the disc material retract and takes stress off the affected nerve. However, some severe cases may need surgical consultation. Dr. Patel will be honest about whether chiropractic is the right approach for your specific situation.
Most patients with back pain start with 2-3 visits per week for the first few weeks, then taper down as they improve. Once your pain is resolved, some patients choose periodic maintenance visits to prevent recurrence. Others come back only when needed. There's no pressure for ongoing care if you don't need it.
Ready to Feel Better?
Call (347) 625-1246 or book online. Our Greenpoint clinic is steps from the G train.