Chiropractic care is a conservative, noninvasive form of treatment for neck and back pain. It involves specific movements of the spinal vertebrae to correct misalignments that put pressure on the nerves and surrounding tissues. Chiropractic is considered to be a portal of entry for back pain, which means it is the most conservative place to start for treatment of back and joint pain. If your situation doesn't respond to chiropractic care, Dr. Cole will work with you to determine the next step for care for you, and will refer you to the best provider for your situation.
If you have had back surgery, recently or even years ago, chiropractic care can still be a safe, effective treatment for ongoing, chronic pain. Obviously if you have had a surgical fusion of spinal vertebrae, or you have rods and screws in your spine, those spinal segments have been surgically immobilized and those areas cannot be treated with chiropractic adjustments. Your treatment plan will be designed to treat the spine above and below those fused segments, as they are now under extra load and stress, and more susceptible to injury as a result of the fusions or immobilized segments. Our Tulsa chiropractor will need to review your medical records, look at post-surgery images, and work with you to develop a plan of care.
If Dr. Cole determines, after reviewing your records or consulting with your surgeon, that it is safe to proceed with a chiropractic treatment plan, he may begin with therapeutic modalities and mild chiropractic techniques to gently stretch the area and reduce inflammation, and over time progress to a full chiropractic adjustment.
Chiropractic treatment after surgery can be safe, as long as proper precautions are taken. If you have questions about how to deal with back pain after back surgery, please give us a call and schedule a consultation with Dr. Cole to discuss your options. We are glad to help!