Back pain is more than just an occasional nuisance—it’s a signal from your body that something deeper needs attention. And in many cases, that “something” is inflammation.
Lower back pain affects over 600 million people annually and is the leading cause of disability worldwide. But not all of it is linked to injury. Many cases of low back pain are linked to chronic inflammation in back tissues, muscles, and joints—especially when the spine is not properly aligned.
Surprisingly, it doesn’t take a major trauma to trigger back inflammation. In today’s world, everyday habits like prolonged sitting, poor posture, frequent driving, and standing for long periods can slowly chip away at your spine’s health. These repetitive microtraumas gradually weaken spinal joints and tissues, setting the stage for inflammation and dysfunction.
Thankfully, the chiropractors at AlignLife take a whole-body, natural approach to healing. That means we not only help you manage the pain but also work to uncover and address the root cause. Here’s how chiropractic care helps calm inflammation, restore function, and support long-term healing.
What Causes Chronic Inflammation?
To understand how chiropractic helps, we must first explore what causes inflammation in the first place—and, more importantly, what causes it to linger.
While inflammation is a natural and essential part of healing, it becomes a problem when it turns chronic. In this state, the immune system remains on high alert, producing inflammatory chemicals that continue to circulate through the body—even when there’s no longer a threat to repair. This can contribute to widespread pain and long-term tissue damage.
"Inflammation is a natural part of the healing process, but when it's left unchecked, it can create a cascade of health issues. Chiropractic adjustments work by restoring balance in the spine, which helps the body regulate inflammation more effectively."
- Dr. Brittany Perez, Chiropractor at AlignLife Wellington
Common risk factors that contribute to chronic inflammation
- Poor posture and spinal misalignments
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Chronic stress
- Excess weight and metabolic syndrome
- Repetitive motions or microtraumas
- Autoimmune disorders
- Poor diet and gut health
- Smoking and environmental toxins
When these risk factors combine—especially with spinal misalignment—it creates the perfect storm for chronic pain and dysfunction. That’s why addressing the spine is such a powerful first step in calming inflammation in back muscles and joints.
Understanding the Role of the Lower Back
Once inflammation is triggered, the lower back and pelvis often become ground zero for pain and mobility issues. The reason for this is that these structures form the foundation of your spine, carrying the entire weight of your upper body and engaging with nearly every movement you make. When this area is weakened—through trauma, poor posture, or repetitive stress—it becomes vulnerable to back inflammation.
Your body responds to these stress triggers by sending immune cells to the injured or damaged area to begin cleanup and repair. But if the root cause isn’t addressed, this helpful response can become harmful. Chronic inflammation creates pressure around your spinal nerves, which can lead to pain, mobility issues, and even organ dysfunction.
How Chiropractic Adjustments Reduce Inflammation
Chiropractic care doesn’t just mask pain—it targets the source by correcting spinal misalignments and improving nervous system function.
Chiropractic adjustments work to restore proper movement in the joints and improve communication between your brain and body—all of which support your body’s natural ability to manage inflammation and heal.
Together, the combination of improved spinal alignment and nerve flow creates an ideal environment for your body to start the healing process by reducing inflammation and moving toward lasting recovery. Here are five ways research and our clinical experience show how chiropractic care supports this healing process:
1) Reduces Inflammatory Markers
Studies have shown that spinal manipulation can reduce two specific biomarkers of inflammation. This includes:
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP): CRP is produced by the liver in response to inflammation in the body. Elevated CRP levels are often used to monitor the severity and progression of inflammatory conditions.
- Interleukin-6 (IL-6): IL-6 is a cytokine (a signaling molecule) that plays a key role in your body’s inflammatory response. High IL-6 levels are associated with both acute and chronic inflammation and can indicate how active the immune response is.
Often, both CRP and IL-6 levels decrease after chiropractic adjustments. This signals a measurable decrease in systemic inflammation and improved immune regulation.
2) Interrupts the Inflammation-Pain Loop
Chronic inflammation and pain often feed into each other, creating a cycle that’s difficult for people to break. When your spine is misaligned, these subluxations can compress nearby nerves, leading to irritation and the release of pro-inflammatory chemicals. This inflammation then heightens pain sensitivity and limits mobility, which further aggravates the affected area.
Chiropractic adjustments help disrupt the pain-inflammation loop by correcting subluxations, reducing nerve compression, and improving spinal movement. As a result, inflammation in back tissues decreases, pain decreases, and your body can return to a more balanced state to heal.
3) Improves Nervous System Regulation
Your nervous system acts as the communication highway between your brain and body, controlling everything from movement to immune response. When a spinal joint is misaligned—also known as a subluxation—it can create interference along this highway, disrupting normal nerve signals and compromising how your body functions.
This interference can lead to overstimulation or improper regulation of the immune system, resulting in heightened inflammation or delayed healing. Chiropractic adjustments help correct these subluxations, restoring normal nerve flow and enabling the body to manage inflammation more effectively and maintain immune balance.
By improving nervous system regulation, chiropractic care helps bring the body back into alignment—both structurally and neurologically—so it can function at its best.
"When we realign the spine and relieve nerve interference, we're not just reducing pain—we're giving the body a better chance to heal. Inflammation goes down, mobility goes up, and patients feel the difference quickly."
- Dr. Michael Pickens, Chiropractor at AlignLife West Union
4) Enhances Range of Motion and Function
When your spine is misaligned or restricted, it can limit the natural movement of your joints and surrounding muscles. This often leads to stiffness and discomfort but can also impair the circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid.
Chiropractic adjustments help restore normal joint mechanics, allowing your body to move more freely and efficiently. It also improves circulation, delivering oxygen and nutrients to inflamed tissues, which helps enhance lymphatic drainage and flush toxins out of your system.
Together, these effects help reduce localized swelling, promote healing, and restore flexibility in the spine and surrounding areas.
5) Activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System
Your nervous system is divided into two branches: the sympathetic (“fight or flight”) and the parasympathetic (“rest and repair”) systems. Chronic stress, poor posture, and spinal misalignments can overstimulate the sympathetic nervous system, leading to a state of tension and inflammation in the body.
Chiropractic adjustments help shift the nervous system back into parasympathetic dominance, allowing your body to restore and repair itself. It also helps your body reduce stress hormones like cortisol and focus its energy on healing tissues and reducing inflammation naturally.
Blood Tests That Can Help Monitor Inflammation
To complement chiropractic care, blood testing can provide valuable insights into what’s happening beneath the surface. These tests help track progress and ensure your inflammation is improving over time. At AlignLife, our functional wellness team may recommend the following tests:
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP): A marker of systemic inflammation. High CRP often indicates chronic inflammatory conditions.
- Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR): A general marker for inflammation. It shows how quickly red blood cells settle in a test tube.
- Complete Blood Count (CBC): Measures white and red blood cells. An elevated white blood cell count may suggest inflammation or infection.
- Ferritin: Primarily an iron storage protein, but high levels can also signal inflammation.
- Procalcitonin (PCT): Often used to differentiate bacterial infections from other inflammatory responses.
- Interleukin-6 (IL-6): A cytokine that rises in both acute and chronic inflammatory states.
- Rheumatoid Factor (RF) and Anti-CCP Antibodies: Useful in detecting autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
- Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA): These help diagnose autoimmune conditions, such as lupus.
- Complement Proteins (C3 and C4): Used to assess immune system activity in chronic inflammation.
These tools give your care team measurable feedback—and give you peace of mind that your body is truly healing.
The Long-Term Healing Advantage
Chiropractic care isn’t just about feeling better today—it’s about preventing bigger problems down the road. At AlignLife, we combine targeted spinal adjustments with personalized care plans that include functional nutrition, movement rehab, and lifestyle guidance.
This holistic approach helps:
- Rebuild strength in supportive muscles
- Restore joint mobility
- Improve posture and spinal stability
- Reduce reliance on medication
- Prevent future flare-ups
As a bonus, managing inflammation in your spine can also benefit your gut health, immune system, energy levels, and more.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, back pain accounts for an average of 12 missed workdays per year per affected employee. Addressing inflammation and spinal dysfunction early can prevent this kind of disruption and help you reclaim your time, energy, and productivity.
Ready to Break the Inflammation-Pain Cycle?
Whether you’re dealing with lower back inflammation, chronic tension, or flare-ups that seem to come out of nowhere, AlignLife chiropractors are here to help. Our job is to uncover what’s driving your inflammation and guide you toward a natural, lasting solution.
Schedule a visit today to see how chiropractic care can help you reduce inflammation, ease pain, and support your long-term health goals.
