​​When you first set out to heal your neck pain, back pain, or headaches, the mere idea of it might feel overwhelming. How do I go about it? Who should I trust to guide me? What kind of doctor or practitioner is best? Why hasn’t my body healed on its own?

Chances are there is no right way and what worked for someone else might not work for you. Everyone’s story and experience is valuable and you need to make your own decisions.

So in this post, I’m going to help you shake off any doubts and start feeling confident in your ability to heal! 

I’m breaking down 3 strategies that I have found to be core to overcoming chronic neck and back pain without having to rely on medications, injections, and surgery.

Make sure you read to the end because I’m covering an approach that I haven’t seen elsewhere.

#1. Forget about the Story that Chiropractic Can’t Help You!

If you want to overcome your pain and get your life back, the exact opposite is true. You need chiropractic BUT….

…You need Corrective Chiropractic Care rather than traditional chiropractic. While traditional chiropractic can often give you short term reduction or relief of pain, corrective care is a significant advancement. 

Corrective Chiropractic Care like that offered at Life Chiropractic in Grass Valley focuses on achieving:

• Restoring balance to the pelvis and spine
• Correcting misalignments of the pelvis and spine
• Restoring proper motion to the joints of the pelvis and spine

This is #1 on the list because every case of chronic neck or back pain that I have seen in my 35 plus years of practice has been accompanied by significant imbalances of the spine and pelvis. Once we restore even some of the balance there is almost always a reduction in the intensity or frequency of pain.  

Be careful not to simply equate this with chiropractic when trying to find a chiropractor. Don’t shop on price or location. Make sure the chiropractor practices corrective care.   

When you settle for traditional chiropractic you might find yourself bemoaning that the pain relief is not long lasting. 

Instead, find a corrective care chiropractor with a great reputation. 

Corrective care is going to achieve so much more than other bodywork as it restores the body to greater balance. Imbalance in my experience is a driving force in the perpetuation of chronic pain. 

#2.  You Are Likely Breathing Wrong!

Yes, you read that right. For a number of reasons that I won’t get into here, most of us have dysfunctional breathing patterns. And, that percentage skyrockets when we consider those with chronic pain. 

Pain activates the sympathetic “fight or flight” system which makes our breathing more rapid and shallow. This in turn further drives the “fight or flight” response. 

This becomes a self-perpetuating cycle that increases muscle tension, inflammation, and pain.

Instead, start with these beginning steps:

• Activate your diaphragm as this is the primary muscle of breathing. Here are a few tips:
  • Start with your hands on the sides of your lower ribs. As you breathe in slowly through your nose the lower ribs should push your hands out to the sides
  • Lie on your back with knees bent. Put your hands or a small book on your abdomen between your navel and lower ribs. As you breathe in feel the book rise and as you breathe out feel the book lower. 
• Breathe through your nose. The nose was designed for breathing and it does a number of things important for breathing. Breathe in and out through your nose. Slow your breathing down, focusing on the air entering and exiting your nostrils. 

Here’s a post on this Use Your Nose to Breathe

#3. Supercharge your Back Pain Relief with Your Posterior Chain!

Before you join the gym or sign up for a yoga class you should start with activating your posterior chain! 

What’s the posterior chain you ask?

The posterior chain is a series of neglected muscles that run up the back of the legs, hips, pelvis, and spine. These muscles are critical for both posture and pain free movement.   

Activating these muscles is simple. It doesn’t require any equipment and can be done in less than 10 minutes. 

If you’re really serious about overcoming your back pain, you have to bring your posterior chain back online.

While this is simple I cannot adequately describe how to do this here.

Any journey of chronic pain relief should be a balance of practices that you can do on your own on a daily basis and the guidance and care of a skilled practitioner(s).

If you’d like to work with me in the Grass Valley area you can schedule your initial visit here: Schedule Here.

Keep in mind that as time goes on, your imbalances become more and more entrenched and more difficult to change. It’s important to find a program you trust and stick with it.

Wrapping it up

I hope this post showed you that every step you take is a HUGE win. 🙂 And, that the issue of chronic neck and back pain need not be daunting.

So raise your hand, reach around and pat yourself on the back! Committing to healing doesn’t come easy, but you’re doing it!

From restoring balance with corrective chiropractic to the simple step of shifting your breathing…

…just keep going.

Every step is getting you closer to your finish line. And at the end of the day, that’s all that really matters.

So now I want to turn it over to you.  What is your next step in your chronic pain journey?

Whatever you have done up to now hasn’t delivered the results you are looking for or you wouldn’t have read this far. 

If you are looking for a resource in Nevada County, Life Chiropractic in Grass Valley offers a comprehensive program, The Corrective Rebalancing Program. 

You can schedule your initial visit here: Schedule Here

About Dr. Berkowitz  

Dr. Bill Berkowitz is a dedicated chiropractor who brings reliability and depth to his practice at Life Chiropractic in western Nevada County. Focused on addressing chronic issues like low back pain, headaches, and anxiety, Dr. Berkowitz delivers patient-centered care rooted in proven methods without unnecessary extras.

Life Chiropractic, founded by Dr. Bill Berkowitz, offers reliable and results-driven chiropractic care for residents of western Nevada County. With a focus on foundational health solutions, the practice prioritizes quality and effectiveness to help clients achieve relief from chronic issues without unnecessary add-ons.

Schedule your first visit here: Schedule Here