Chiropractic care may be a treatment option for you if you have chronic back pain.

Various chiropractic care treatments can help you manage chronic pain caused by a neck pain or back pain condition, such as a herniated disc.

Pain Management for 2 Types of Pain
Pain management often deals with 2 broad categories of pain—intractable pain and chronic pain.

Intractable pain is a term that was first used in World War II as a clinical definition of soldiers who required morphine (an opioid) for constant pain.¹ People with intractable pain are in severe, constant pain that controls their life. This type of pain is often treated with powerful medications and surgery—not chiropractic care.

Chronic pain is ongoing pain that persists beyond an expected time frame, and it doesn't respond to the typical pain management techniques. Chiropractors can treat chronic pain. They use a variety of non-surgical treatments, such as spinal manipulation, to address chronic pain symptoms, such as inflammation and muscle tension.

How Does a Chiropractor Manage Chronic Pain?
Before you go to a chiropractor to address your pain, it's important to know what exactly is causing your pain.

Your chiropractor will do a physical exam as well as some tests to help him or her diagnose your pain. Once you're diagnosed with a pain condition, your chiropractor will develop a treatment plan. Your treatment plan may include spinal manipulation, manual therapies, and therapeutic exercises.

Follow the links below to learn more about how chiropractic care can help with specific spine conditions:

• Degenerative disc disease 
• Herniated disc
• Kyphosis 
• Sciatica 
• Spondylolisthesis 
• Spondylosis (also called spinal arthritis and spinal osteoarthritis) 
• Whiplash 

Chiropractic Care and Chronic Pain
Work with your chiropractor to develop a treatment plan for your chronic pain. Once your pain is fully addressed, you should be able to gradually increase your daily activities.