Did you know that four out of five adults will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives? As a nation, Malaysians are riddled with aches and pains - and what’s more, some of us may even refuse to acknowledge these pains! Read on to learn some interesting pain facts about Malaysians - as well as how chiropractic and physiotherapy treatments can provide pain relief.
Do Malaysians Believe In Pain Relief?
It may be shocking to hear, but a report from the Global Pain Index (GPI) has shown that Malaysians are very likely to ‘walk off the pain’! In the past three decades, complaints of lower back pain have increased by 54%, with 85% of Malaysians reporting that they have suffered some kind of pain in 2020. A startling 32% of Malaysians admit to feeling pain on a weekly basis, with 74% believing their pain impacts their emotions.
Add on to this the fact that we as a nation are prone to ignoring chronic pain - with 80% admitting to powering through daily tasks despite pain, and we have ourselves a little conundrum. The study also stated that while 38% of respondents opted for immediate treatment, 56% opted to wait hours, or even weeks. Even more startling: 6% of respondents admit to never treating their pain.
While modern medicine has made it easy to treat pain, it cannot be refuted that an excess of painkillers can be detrimental to health in the long run; after all, painkillers can be addictive, and the body can easily develop a resistance to them, decreasing effectiveness and necessitating higher dosages and stronger medications. However, alternative medicine provides a great non-surgical solution.
What Is Chiropractic And Physiotherapy?
A chiropractor is a healthcare professional who diagnoses and treats neuromusculoskeletal disorders, emphasising treatment through manual adjustment and/or manipulation of the spine. The goal is to re-establish normal spine mobility, adhering to the belief that there exists an intimate relationship between the nervous system and the spine, with the health of the latter affecting the former.
The chiropractor’s role is to reduce pain and improve the functionality and mobility of their patients; they may also recommend exercises and lifestyle changes to help with specific conditions.
A physiotherapist is a licensed professional who helps those afflicted by injury, illness, or disability. They do this through movement, exercise, manual therapy, education, and advice, adopting a holistic approach that encompasses changing one’s way of life.
A physiotherapist will empower their patients with good habits to adopt, as well as showing them bad ones to eschew, encouraging development and facilitating recovery; at the core of the physiotherapy profession is the ideology that health and wellness is a ‘whole person’ approach.
How Can Chiropractic And Physiotherapy Provide Pain Relief?
A chiropractor can provide immediate relief for specific ailments with chiropractic adjustments - from stiffness to aches in the body, to headaches. Using pressure and specific movements, they’ll be able to manipulate the joints in your body, re-aligning the spine in a bid to provide pain relief and reduce discomfort. For rehabilitation and long-term treatments, physiotherapists can help with exercises, stretches, and a variety of repeated movements to help you meet your personal fitness and health goals.
When all is said and done, chiro-physio treatments have been proven to provide pain relief, with personalised treatment plans helping to meet individual needs. And for a nation as obsessed with ignoring the pain as Malaysia, we think a solid adjustment (in mindset, or otherwise), is much needed!
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