Back Pain Treatment: When to See a Chiropractor in St. Paul
Your back has been killing you for weeks. Maybe months. You’ve tried everything—rest, ice, heat, ibuprofen, stretching, that foam roller your friend swore would fix everything. Nothing’s working. The pain is still there when you wake up, it gets worse as the day goes on, and you’re starting to wonder if this is just your life now.
Here’s what you need to know: chronic back pain doesn’t just go away on its own, and covering it up with painkillers isn’t a solution. Chiropractic treatment addresses the actual cause of your back pain—the misalignment, muscle dysfunction, or nerve compression that’s creating the problem. At Twin Cities Chiropractic in St. Paul, we’ve been treating back pain for over 20 years, and we know what works.
Types of Back Pain We Treat
Not all back pain is the same. Where it hurts, how long you’ve had it, and what caused it all matter when it comes to treatment.
Acute back pain comes on suddenly—you lifted something heavy, twisted wrong, or woke up and couldn’t move. It’s intense, but it’s new. Acute pain usually responds quickly to treatment if you get help right away.
Chronic back pain has been around for months or years. It might have started as an acute injury that never fully healed, or it developed gradually over time. Chronic pain takes longer to fix, but it absolutely can be fixed with the right approach.
Lower back pain is what most people deal with. Your lumbar spine (lower back) carries a lot of stress from sitting, standing, lifting, and just moving through life. When those vertebrae get misaligned or the discs get compressed, you feel it.
Upper back pain between your shoulder blades often comes from poor posture—hunching over a computer all day, looking down at your phone constantly. The muscles get tight, and the joints get stuck, creating constant discomfort.
Middle back pain is less common but just as miserable. It’s often related to rib joint dysfunction or thoracic spine problems.
If your back pain is radiating down your leg, that’s sciatica and shooting leg pain, which means a nerve is getting compressed somewhere in your lower back. That’s not something you want to ignore.
And if you’ve got a herniated disc causing your back pain, that’s a specific structural problem that responds really well to spinal decompression therapy.
Common Causes of Back Pain
Back pain doesn’t just happen for no reason. Something caused it, even if you can’t pinpoint a specific moment when it started.
Poor posture and desk jobs are huge contributors. If you sit at a computer for eight hours a day with your shoulders rounded forward and your head jutting out, your spine is under constant stress. Over time, this creates muscle imbalances, joint dysfunction, and eventually pain. We see tons of workplace-related back pain from people whose jobs involve sitting or repetitive movements.
Lifting injuries happen when you lift something heavy with poor form—bending at the waist instead of your knees, twisting while holding weight, or just trying to lift something that’s too heavy. One bad lift can throw your back out completely.
Sports injuries from running, lifting weights, playing basketball, or any athletic activity can cause acute back pain. Athletes often push through minor discomfort until it becomes a major problem. If you’ve got back injuries from sports, getting proper treatment prevents them from becoming chronic.
Car accidents are a common cause of back pain that people don’t always connect to. You get rear-ended, your spine gets jolted, and even if you don’t feel it right away, the pain shows up days later. Back pain after a car accident needs to be evaluated within 48 hours to prevent long-term problems.
Degenerative disc disease sounds scarier than it is. It’s basically normal wear and tear on your spinal discs as you age. The discs lose height, which can cause pain and stiffness. Chiropractic care helps manage this and keeps you mobile.
Muscle strain and tension from stress, poor sleep, or just holding your body in awkward positions all day can create persistent back pain. Your muscles get tight, pull on your spine, and create a cycle of pain and dysfunction.
When to See a Chiropractor for Back Pain
A lot of people wait way too long before getting help. They assume it’ll get better on its own, or they keep taking ibuprofen, hoping the pain will eventually stop. Here’s when you should actually see a chiropractor:
Pain lasting more than 2 weeks. Occasional soreness is normal. Pain that sticks around for weeks is your body telling you something is wrong and needs to be fixed.
Pain is getting worse, not better. If you’ve been dealing with back pain for a while and it’s gradually intensifying instead of improving, that’s a clear sign you need treatment.
Radiating pain into your legs. This means nerve compression, and nerves don’t fix themselves. You need someone to address the underlying cause.
Numbness or tingling anywhere in your legs or feet. This is nerve involvement, and the longer you wait, the more likely it becomes permanent.
Weakness in your legs. If your leg feels unstable or gives out occasionally, that’s serious nerve compression that needs immediate attention.
After an injury or accident, don’t wait to see if it gets better. Get evaluated right away.
When painkillers stop working, if you’ve been taking ibuprofen or other pain meds and they’re not helping anymore, that’s your body telling you the problem is beyond what medication can address.
Not sure whether to see a chiropractor or a doctor for your back pain? If it’s a structural problem—misalignment, muscle tension, disc issues—chiropractic is the right choice. If you’ve got symptoms like fever, unexplained weight loss, or bowel/bladder problems, see a doctor first.
How We Treat Back Pain at Twin Cities Chiropractic
When you come to our St. Paul office for back pain, here’s what actually happens:
Comprehensive evaluation. Dr. Sorum doesn’t just crack your back and send you on your way. He’ll take a detailed history, do a physical exam, check your range of motion, test your reflexes and muscle strength, and figure out exactly what’s causing your pain.
Chiropractic adjustments. This is the core of what we do. When your vertebrae are misaligned, it creates stress on your muscles, nerves, and joints. Adjustments restore proper alignment, take pressure off nerves, and allow your body to heal. These aren’t random adjustments—they’re specific corrections targeting the exact vertebrae that are causing your problem.
Spinal decompression. For herniated or bulging discs, we offer spinal decompression therapy. This treatment gently stretches your spine, creating negative pressure that pulls the disc material back into place and takes pressure off compressed nerves. It’s non-surgical, comfortable, and incredibly effective.
Manual therapy from Joy. Our licensed massage therapist, Joy Vang, provides hands-on treatment to release tight muscles, break up scar tissue, and improve blood flow. We find that combining chiropractic with manual therapy gives much better results than either treatment alone.
Physical therapy exercises. Weak core muscles contribute to back pain. We’ll give you specific exercises to strengthen your abs, back, and hips so your body can better support your spine.
Posture correction. If poor posture is contributing to your pain, we’ll teach you how to sit, stand, and move properly. Small changes in your daily habits make a big difference.
What to Expect During Back Pain Treatment
First visit: We’ll evaluate you thoroughly, explain what’s wrong, and start treatment that same day. Most people feel some relief after the first adjustment.
Treatment timeline: Acute back pain usually improves within 2-4 weeks. Chronic pain might take 6-8 weeks of consistent treatment. We’ll give you a realistic timeline based on your specific condition.
Frequency of visits: Initially, you’ll probably come in 2-3 times per week. As you improve, we’ll space out visits. The goal is to get you better and then maintain your health with occasional adjustments.
At-home exercises: We’ll give you specific stretches and strengthening exercises to do between visits. Doing these consistently speeds up your recovery.
Prevention strategies: Once you’re better, we’ll teach you how to keep your back healthy—proper lifting technique, ergonomic setup at work, exercises to maintain strength and flexibility.
Why Choose Twin Cities Chiropractic for Back Pain
Dr. Sorum’s experience. He’s been treating back pain in St. Paul since 2001. Over 20 years of experience means he’s seen every type of back problem and knows what works.
Comprehensive approach. We don’t just do quick adjustments. You get a thorough evaluation, chiropractic care, manual therapy, exercises, and lifestyle advice. This comprehensive approach gets better results than any single treatment alone.
Same-day appointments. In severe pain? We have same-day appointments available. Don’t wait days or weeks to start feeling better.
Convenient location. We’re right at 506 N. Lexington Parkway in St. Paul, easy to reach from anywhere in the Twin Cities. Plenty of parking.
We actually listen. When choosing a chiropractor in St. Paul for back pain, you want someone who takes time to understand your problem and creates a treatment plan specifically for you. That’s what we do.
Don’t Keep Living with Back Pain
Chronic back pain affects everything—your work, your sleep, your mood, your ability to do things you enjoy. You don’t have to just accept it as part of getting older or “the price of having a desk job.”
Chiropractic treatment addresses the root cause of your back pain and actually fixes the problem instead of just covering up symptoms. Most people wish they’d come in sooner instead of waiting months or years.
Dealing with back pain in St. Paul? Contact Twin Cities Chiropractic at 506 N. Lexington Parkway. Dr. Sorum specializes in back pain treatment with chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression, and manual therapy. Call today or book online.