I'd like to keep my use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs to a minimum. A friend suggested I see a chiropractor. Chiropractors specialize in the non-drug treatment of musculoskeletal problems, including joint sprains and disk injuries. When needed, chiropractors use x-ray to screen for fractures and other bone disorders, such as osteoporosis. For example, when a muscle or joint is injured, the body naturally compensates, attempting to maintain balance and protect itself by tightening other muscles and joints.
Chiropractic adjustments help restore the natural balance that was present before the injury.
Similarly, pain in the hip could come from the hip itself, or be the result of lower back, ankle or knee problems. For example, I have seen many cases of knee pain that cleared when I administered chiropractic adjustments to the lower back. Interestingly, the treatment for shoulder pain involved not only manipulation of the shoulder itself, but also of nearby areas in the neck and upper back. Research such as this has contributed to a climate where chiropractic now enjoys far-greater acceptance than in the past. In fact, chiropractic is now part of the sports-medicine program of the U.S. Olympic Committee.