An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Snap, crackle, pop: the sounds of pain relief

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Jason McCasland
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --   I followed the doctor down a sterile hallway, my eyes nervously scanning rooms full of medieval looking machines that made my own damaged back and nerves pulse with fear.

In one room a patient hung upside down by his feet while in other rooms, people were hooked to wires and still others were bent into positions that resembled a pretzel.

These people were not here being tortured, despite what it looked like; they were at Barksdale's Clinic because they all share one thing: pain. Chiropractic therapists may seem like torturers from another time, but the service they provide helps patients manage and recover from pain.

"We use methods many people think would cause more pain," said Dr. Philip Hardinger, 2nd Medical Group chiropractor. "It's a forcible realignment of the skeletal structure. The sounds the body makes when we do this can often sound bad, but to the patient it's the sound of pain relief."

Chiropractic care has been around for millenia. Hippocrates, a Greek physician from 460 B.C., believed the spine was the source of many illnesses and cures.

"In chiropractic care we focus on how the body moves and how it was designed to move," said Hardinger. "Sometimes I may look at an X-ray for an hour to find that one alignment issue in a patient. Even the smallest of misalignments can cause intense pain."

Injuries that require chiropractic care can occur in a variety of ways and the physical nature of the work done by many Airmen may put them at increased risk.

"Lower back and spine problems have a higher incidence in our Airmen; more than the civilian population," said Hardinger. "Most Airmen are in an occupation where they do repetitive work such as bending and lifting. When you factor in how much they stress their back and spine, they develop problems relating to those parts."

I've had two herniated and two bulging discs, sciatic nerve damage, one back surgery and one upcoming surgery, back pain is no laughing matter. It's changed how I live, work, sleep and my emotional state. I can no longer play with my kids how I did before, I can't help my wife with moving heavy things, and even the simplest of tasks are filled with pain. It affects my life every day.

"Pain perception has changed," Hardinger said. "After a while we perceive it as normal, but it is not. It changes your life. It can make the simplest tasks such as tying your shoe a pain filled experience."

In order to avoid major back problems, Hardinger recommends all Airmen recognize they have a back problem if they feel pain. He wants Airmen to be aware of what they are doing so they can improve upon it. Proper exercises can help alleviate pain. If Airmen suffer from sharp pain during work or an exercise, they should see a chiropractor right away.
.