Ever woke up in the morning and just feel as if something just feels different. As you sit up to stretch, you find yourself wincing at an unpleasant feeling in your lower back just above your waist, the uncomfortable sense of pain. You also notice that the pain intensifies when you try to rotate your arm. Instinctively, you reach behind you to see what you can feel and that’s when you notice something else – heat. Looking in the mirror, you see redness and swelling. That when you realize you’re dealing with a textbook case of inflammation.

What is Inflammation?
Think of the human body like a house, with each area serving a specific function. Now, imagine a fire breaking out in one of the rooms of that house. What is your first reaction? To immediately put the fire out at the source so it doesn’t have a chance to spread and damage any other rooms. Inflammation works in a very similar fashion – it’s a physical condition that is typically localized to one specific area of the body as a response to injury or infection. In other words, it’s your body’s way of putting out fires.
But, understanding what inflammation does is only part of the equation. Knowing how to recognize the symptoms is every bit as important. Here are five signs you may be experiencing inflammation:
• Pain
• Redness
• Heat
• Swelling
• Loss of function

What Can Cause Inflammation?
While inflammation can take many forms in nearly every part of the body, it commonly occurs within the muscles of the back, near the lumbar region. Pain usually arises from microtears and strains caused by:
• Heavy lifting
• Repetitive motion
• Sudden impact
• Poor posture
• Lack of quality sleep
• Stress

The Chiropractic Connection
While there may be no cure for inflammation, the good news is – it can be treated. And the even better news? Inflammation can be treated in a natural way. Chiropractic care helps reduce inflammatory agents by focusing on targeted areas to alleviate pressure on the nerves and produce an inflammation reduction response. Studies have shown that chiropractic adjustments helped reduce the production of two inflammatory cytokines. In other words – chiropractic care can treat inflammation without the need for drugs or opioids, reducing the risk of harmful side effects associated with certain types of medication.