More than 35 million people in the United States visit a chiropractor annually. While chiropractors provide "alternative medicine," they're still as popular as many providers of mainstream medicine. But why do so many people rely on their care?

Chiropractors offer a wide variety of services and you may be surprised at what they can help you with. We're here to talk all about 7 potential benefits of chiropractic care so you can make an informed decision about your health.

Read on to learn more.

1. Soothes Headaches

While this isn't true for all headaches, chiropractic treatment may reduce the frequency and severity of tension headaches and headaches that actually come from your neck.

Tension headaches happen when the muscles in your neck and scalp start to contract. Caffeine, alcohol, stress, and jaw clenching (among other things) can cause tension headaches. This type of headache will feel like a tight band around your forehead.

A good chiropractor can relieve some of that tension so you can be pain-free.

2. Improves Back and Neck Pain

The most common reason that people see a chiropractor is to relieve back and neck pain.

Some people will see a chiropractor after a car accident or injury. Others will visit the chiropractor as a result of chronic back pain that's been a lifelong bother.

Chiropractors use a variety of treatments to help ease back and neck pain. Chiropractic adjustments, spinal manipulation, and spinal decompression are some of the most popular forms of treatment for pain relief.

Many people find that they're able to live pain-free (or at least with less pain) after a few visits to the chiropractor.

3. Reduces Reliance on Pain-Relieving Medications

Many people with chronic or acute pain rely on pain-relieving medications to stay comfortable. Back and neck pain can be debilitating.

These medications aren't really safe for long-term use, however. Opioid pain medications are addictive and sedating, so they're not ideal for anyone who has pain that lasts all day. It's difficult to function when you're on such heavy medication.

Even over-the-counter pain medications aren't perfect. They can cause serious damage to your liver when they're overused. On top of that, they're not nearly as effective.

If you see a chiropractor for pain management, you may be able to start using your pills less often.

4. May Improve Athletic Performance

So what if you don't have any chronic or acute pain? Can a chiropractor still help you? Yes!

If you're someone who enjoys playing sports or even working out at the gym, a chiropractor may be able to help you improve your athletic performance.

It's unclear as to whether or not this will work for everyone, but it should be effective for anyone whose performance suffers as a result of a previous injury, poor mobility, or poor form.

A chiropractor will be able to identify the problem and create a treatment plan to work on it. The end result should be improved performance.

5. Helps Posture

Many people suffer from poor posture as a result of a lack of exercise, poor lifestyle habits, and an overall sedentary lifestyle. If this sounds like you, a chiropractor may be able to help.

Through adjustments and recommended lifestyle changes, a chiropractor can have you standing and sitting up straight. This can reduce pain and pressure in your back and legs!

6. Improves Range of Motion

For many people, aging results in a poor range of motion, especially if they didn't exercise and stretch throughout their lives. A poor range of motion can cause serious problems.

There are many ways to improve your range of motion at home, but a good chiropractor can kickstart the process.

They'll teach you all about movements you can try to safely improve your range of motion at home without risking injuries. They'll also perform various treatments that can loosen up stiff joints and muscles.

7. May Improve Sleep

Do you struggle with getting good (or enough) sleep at night? A lack of sleep can cause serious issues in the long run. You need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night to function optimally.

There are many potential causes of insomnia, and not all of them can be improved with chiropractic care. Some of them, however, can.

If the cause of your insomnia is chronic pain, it's clear that a chiropractor may be able to help. When that pain is gone, you'll have an easier time drifting off to sleep and you should sleep more soundly.

Even if you don't have pain, certain methods of chiropractic treatment are more like traditional massage. They'll relax your body and make you feel more than ready for a good night's sleep.

A chiropractor can also help you find a better sleeping position that won't cause soreness, poor breathing, or other problems that could cause poor sleep.

Finally, if you have sleep apnea, it's possible that a chiropractor can help. While most people see dentists for sleep apnea, some causes of the condition can be improved with chiropractic treatment.

Take Advantage of the Benefits of Chiropractic Care

If any of these benefits of chiropractic care appeal to you, it might be time to pay a visit to your local chiropractor.

Whether you struggle with pain, you're dealing with poor sleep, your posture needs improvement, or you want to improve your athletic performance and mobility, visiting a chiropractor is a good option.

At AZ Pain Doctors, we aim to help all of our patients live pain-free lives through a variety of treatment options (including chiropractic care). Contact us to set up an appointment today.

In the United States, it is estimated that 50 million adults deal with chronic pain. One of the most common types of chronic pain is in the neck and it can lead to a lower quality of life, lost wages, medical bills, and more.

When you have chronic neck pain that just won't go away, it can be easy to feel hopeless. However, there are many things that you can do to better manage and improve your pain!

Do you want to learn more about chronic neck pain and how you can treat it? Keep reading this guide for the top options for neck pain treatment that you can try to improve your comfort and quality of life.

Rest

If you have injured your neck or deal with chronic neck pain, you will often need to rest if you want to reduce your pain. Taking it easy will allow your neck to heal properly. Make sure you temporarily stop your physical activity to allow your neck to recover.

Even if you cannot afford to stop doing your daily tasks, you can find ways to support your neck. For example, using a rolled towel beneath your neck while you lay down will help you keep your neck in a neutral position.

You can also rest your neck by investing in a neck brace. A soft neck collar will support and take pressure off of your neck, but should not be used as a long-term solution.

Medication

One of the most common treatments people use to treat chronic neck pain is medication. There are many over-the-counter pain relievers that you can buy without a prescription. Anti-inflammatory drugs like iBuprofen can help you achieve temporary relief from your neck pain.

Some people may even receive a prescription for pain relievers from their doctor. If you take prescription pain relievers, make sure you only take them as directed.

Lastly, you may be prescribed muscle relaxers to help with your neck pain. A muscle relaxer will block the feeling of pain in your neck. This way, you can get the rest you need to heal!

Applying Cold and Heat

Something else you can do to treat your neck pain at home is to apply cold and heat packs. This is especially beneficial if your neck pain is stemming from an injury.

If you have strained your neck, you can use ice to reduce swelling from your injuries. Make sure you don't leave ice on your neck for too long, as this may result in ice burns!

After the first few days, you can use heat wraps to keep your muscles relaxed.

Chiropractic Care

When you are dealing with neck pain, you may have an underlying issue with your spine. If this is the case, you may be able to improve your chronic neck pain with regular chiropractic care.

A chiropractor can correct a misaligned spine to help you improve your neck mobility and to improve the function of your neck.

Chiropractic care can even decrease inflammation, muscle spasms, and pain. If you want a simple treatment to improve your mobility and range of motion, this is a great option.

Physical Therapy and Exercise

Physical therapy is a great option to relieve your neck pain. This is because it can help you identify the root cause of your chronic pain so you can treat more than just your painful symptoms. Doing strengthening exercises for your neck can greatly improve your chronic neck pain.

When you work with a physical therapist, they can help you strengthen your neck with different exercises.

They can also provide you with additional advice to help you improve your posture and make other lifestyle changes that could be contributing to your stiff neck.

You can also do exercises and stretches at home to improve your neck pain. To make sure you don't worsen the underlying issues, it is important that you talk with your doctor before starting any new exercises.

Injections

There are many different types of injections that you can get to improve your neck pain! Often, doctors will recommend steroid injections to treat neck pain. This way, you can have medication that targets the specific area where you experience pain.

Injections can be placed directly near your nerve roots and can immediately improve your pain and inflammation.

Other types of injections, like lidocaine, can be used to temporarily numb and relieve your neck pain.

You can also use botox injections, nerve block injections, and even cortisone injections to improve chronic neck pain!

Surgery

Finally, if none of these treatment options are helping, it may be necessary to get surgery to improve your chronic neck pain. Surgery is a much more invasive treatment, so doctors will typically try a few other treatment options before recommending surgery.

While surgery is rarely needed, there are surgical options to help get rid of the pain that is caused by spinal cord compression or problems with your nerves.

You can discuss surgical options with your doctor to decide which course of action would provide you with the best results.

Dealing With Chronic Neck Pain? We Can Help

When you are dealing with chronic neck pain, your normal daily tasks can feel overwhelming. Learning more about each of these treatment options can help you find something to ease your neck pain and improve your quality of life.

If you need help with neck pain treatment, AZ Pain Doctors can help! We specialize in neck pain management and can help with many of these treatment options and more.

Contact us today to learn more about the different causes of neck pain and to schedule an appointment to find relief!