For decades now, we’ve been hearing that manual therapy by PTs and manipulation by chiropractors are the best, maybe even the ONLY way to treat acute and chronic neck pain, back pain and headaches. I just saw another YouTube alert with the same message, selling the same pitch. And since everyone seems to be saying it, it must be true. Right?
Uhh… no.
I think most of this advice is coming from a place of good intentions. But it’s easy advice. And not only does one specific method or strategy not work for everyone, manual therapy and manipulation definitely aren’t the best options out there.
Also, how do you know that the “experts” are following their own advice? Or that they’re getting great results from what they are pushing?
Don’t get me wrong! Both PT manual therapy and DC manipulation get results. It’s just that those results pale in comparison to what can be achieved with more focused and specific treatment.
It seems to me that you can spend a lot of time feeling frustrated or like a failure because PT care or chiropractic care isn’t working for you when you’re not the problem!
I know because back when I was starting out as a chiropractor I delivered manipulation, and I just didn’t get great results.
In fact, the reason practitioners use manipulation or manual therapy is that it is easier to learn than specific corrective spinal adjustments.
I also didn’t feel like I was being authentic when I was doing this. I got good results but I knew that chiropractic was much more powerful. And believe me, people who have been to a corrective chiropractor know the difference.
Always remember that you are trusting your body to someone else. You should want that practitioner to be the best. And, manipulation and manual therapy are not the best.
What’s Not so Great About Manipulation or Manual Therapy
Here’s the thing. Manipulation isn’t a good idea because:
- It is non-specific
- It doesn’t restore alignment
- It can often result in increased pain
- It often helps to a point but fails to fully correct the problem
Want proof?
- Here’s a study showing PT and Manipulation actually increased opioid prescriptions and injections
So what can you do to overcome your chronic neck and back pain, headaches, and anxiety? Fortunately, there’s a better way. Instead of the shotgun approach of manual therapy or manipulation, try something else.
Wouldn’t you rather spend your time doing something that feels like it’s specific to you and your challenges, that’s also crazy effective at correcting chronic pain? Well, now you can. And it doesn’t have to be confusing or overwhelming.
A Better Way to Achieve Correction of Chronic Neck Pain, Back Pain, and Headaches
Here’s what I did in my practice instead of doing what most Physical Therapists and Chiropractors do.
Step #1: Identify the Imbalance Causing the Problem
I got clear about my ultimate goals: identify the imbalance that is causing or perpetuating the problem and to develop a program that addresses both structural and neurological correction.
The challenge with most chiropractic is that it is applied the same way to every person. Have you ever watched a chiropractor work on a number of people and noticed that the treatments seemed to be almost identical.
The problem is that it helps so you think it is correcting the problem but all it is doing is putting motion into the spine.
Step #2: Develop a Plan
I spent time researching the commonalities in different approaches and different people in my practice and kept only the strategies that got consistent results.
I was developing a program that could be applied to anyone and get great results.
Not the same program for everyone but the same approach.
For example:
One of the reasons that PT and traditional chiropractic fall short is they fail to approach each person as though they have a unique situation (which they do).
Step #3: Address ALL the Areas that Need to be Balanced
After keeping records of what worked and what didn’t, I came up with a better way to correct chronic neck and back pain, headaches, sciatica, arm pain and numbness, and anxiety.
I arrived at a 4 strategy plan to address the primary imbalances that arise in almost every person with chronic pain or anxiety:
- STRUCTURAL BALANCE: Corrective Chiropractic is used to bring the pelvis, spine and nervous system back to balance. Motion and alignment are restored, removing tension from the nervous system.
- POSTERIOR CHAIN ACTIVATION: Chronic pain and the modern lifestyle cause a weakening and inhibition of the Posterior Chain Muscles so critical to be able to move through your day without pain.
- SPINAL JOINT FLOSSING: Anytime there has been a loss of proper joint alignment and motion we need to reinforce healthy motion to establish that as the new norm
- STRESS RESILIENCE BLUEPRINT: Chronic pain creates an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system that is helped but often not fully corrected with chiropractic. There is a need to activate the Vagus Nerve to restore balance.
Next Steps
To overcome chronic neck and back pain, sciatica, anxiety and other conditions it is critical to create a plan to correct all of the imbalances.
Check out some of my other chronic pain and anxiety posts and keep challenging yourself to challenge the medical narrative that there is nothing that can fix it.
In them, you’ll find different ways to look at and understand the challenge of chronic pain and anxiety and more.
The good news is, you can absolutely improve your chronic pain in a way that helps you long term. You just need the right roadmap – and a little independent thinking.
If you want more help here and live in Nevada County, you can schedule your initial Consultation and Exam here Schedule Here, to help you find out what can be done.
About Dr. Berkowitz
Bringing more than 3 decades of practice experience, Dr. Bill Berkowitz focuses on balancing and corrective care, applying his expertise to provide patients with predictable, repeatable and measurable results.
Dr. Bill consistently strives to enhance the well-being of his patients by addressing the root imbalances of their problems and promoting optimal balance, alignment, and function of the spine and nervous system.
Bill’s wealth of knowledge and experience has allowed him to develop a nuanced understanding of the human body and its intricate connections. With each adjustment, he supports the body in returning to a state of balance that goes beyond mere symptom relief, focusing instead on long-term correction for his patients’ well-being.