Q: I have low back pain. Some people tell me to see a physical therapist, others say I should see a chiropractor. Which is better?

I get asked this a lot, and I’ll give you a straight answer,  though it’s not quite as simple as picking one over the other.

Both physical therapy and chiropractic care can help with low back pain. I have a lot of respect for what physical therapists do. And when it comes to certain outcomes, the research does point to some real differences worth knowing about.

A review published in the Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal looked at patients with low back pain who received either chiropractic spinal adjustments or physical therapy. One of the findings that stood out was that the chiropractic patients used significantly fewer opioid medications and had lower opioid-related healthcare costs. In the middle of an opioid crisis that has touched just about every community in this country, that matters.

Here’s why I think that happens. My care isn’t about covering up the pain,  it’s about finding where the spine has lost its normal motion and restoring it. When a spinal joint is locked up or not moving properly, it irritates the surrounding nerves and muscles, and your body responds with pain. A proper adjustment gets that joint moving again, and when it does, the pain signal often quiets down on its own. No medication needed.

The ripple effects of that are significant. Fewer opioids means fewer side effects, less risk of dependency, and less time spent managing medication related problems down the road. My patients often find they need less overall care the longer we work together.

Is chiropractic care the right answer for every low back problem? No, and I won’t pretend otherwise. Some cases need a different approach, and I always do a thorough exam before recommending anything. But for a lot of people with low back pain, this is exactly the kind of conservative, hands-on care that gets results without reaching for a prescription pad. If you’re tired of hurting and want to explore a drug-free option, come in and let’s take a look at what’s going on.

Citation: “The Outcome Assessment of Physical Therapy and Chiropractic Spinal Adjustments on Low Back Pain, Opioid Use, and Health Care Utilization.” Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal, retrieved via US Chiropractic Directory .