One half of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year. In fact, back pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work. It is also the second most common reason for visits to the doctor’s office.

Experts estimate that as much as 80 percent of the population will experience a back problem at some point in their lives, which leads to an increased need for quality chiropractic care. More than a million chiropractic adjustments are given all over the world every day and there are more than 75,000 chiropractors in the United States alone.

One demographic that quality chiropractic care can help greatly is pregnant women. Approximately 50 percent of pregnant women will experience back pain at some point before they deliver, causing aches and pains in the lower back and hips.

While many people visit a chiropractor for chronic pain, many athletes visit a chiropractic professional for sports injuries as well. Doctors of Chiropractic (DCs) are utilized by all 32 NFL teams in optimizing the functionality, endurance and overall conditioning of football players in the treatment of neuromusuloskeletal strain injuries including low back pain, strains to hamstrings and quadriceps and whiplash injuries.

Spinal problems encompass a wide range of symptoms and injuries including:

• Back pain
• Visible deformity in the spine
• Numbness
• Muscle spasms

Spinal issues can cause a number of spinal disorders, which include:

• Spinal Stenosis: Spinal stenosis is caused when the spinal canal narrows and can be caused by bulging discs, spinal fractures and bone spurs among other things.
• Sciatica: The sciatic nerve is the longest one in the human body. It begins in an individual’s buttock and travels up the length of thigh and leg. It’s size alone makes it vulnerable to many spinal issues and bone spurs, herniated discs and bulging discs are all things that can cause sciatica. Since the sciatic nerve is so long, pain in any spot where it’s located can cause great discomfort.
• Scoliosis: Scoliosis occurs when there is a curve in the spine. Scoliosis can be caused by a number of things, but two of the most common causes are muscle spasms and issues with two different leg lengths.
• Whiplash: Though it’s common associated with being a side effect from car accidents, whiplash can often have devastating effects on the spine. Whiplash causes the sudden extension and flexing of the neck, straining the neck muscles and causing spinal fractures. Whiplash is usually followed by inflammation, which causes numbness and pain.

So what can be done about all these issues? As it turns out, quite a bit.

In addition to pain medication, heat treatments and rest, those suffering from back pain can also get steroid injections as a spinal disorder treatment. Physical therapy can also be an effective spinal disorder treatment, as it helps strength core muscles, which are crucial to maintaining back health.

Of course, visiting a chiropractor is also an option for treatment. Not only can a chiropractic professional help with spinal disorders, he/she can also make adjustments that help with everyday aliments such as headaches, blood pressure and arthritis. Here are several ways a visit to a chiropractic professional can help ease your back and spinal pain.

• When it comes to dealing with sciatica, there is a fairly high success rate of chiropractic care helping to treat it.
• There is also a high success rate of chiropractic care helping to relieve lower back and neck pain. That’s good news for those who may be dealing with whiplash and the inflammation that results from it.
• Chiropractic care can also help prevent back surgery. As a natural form of heath care, it is recommended by the American Medical Association as the first option to dealing with back pain rather than opting for surgery right away.
• When it comes to spinal disorder treatment, chiropractic care can also help stop the progression of scoliosis. Research has suggested that it is possible to manage symptoms naturally rather than opting for surgery or braces.

Choosing the right chiropractic professional to help you is important. You want to know that you will be taken care of and that a chiropractor’s techniques will help you ease or fix your back pain.

To find the right chiropractor, sites like Spine-Health and HealthGrades can help you get started.