SpinaCare Chiropractic & Massage
What is the cause?
As mentioned previously, there are a multitude of causes for back pain, however, some of them are more common than others. The following are some of the most common cause of lower back pain that are seen and treated at SpinaCare Chiropractic.
Do you have Back Pain?
Do you have back pain? Whether it is your upper, middle, or lower back, it is likely that you will experience some form of back pain at some point in your life. In fact, it is estimated that nearly 32 million Americans are experiencing back pain at this moment and that approximately 80% of the population will experience some form of back pain in their lifetime. With these types of numbers, it’s not surprising that back pain has grown to be the #1 cause of disability in the United States. These types of statistics should stimulate concern regarding what causes lower back pain, how to prevent it, and what the best form of treatment is once it has developed. Our chiropractic team aim to use this article to guide you in the right direction to answer these questions and more.
Back Pain
Back pain can be cripling and affect every part of you life everyday.
Effective treatments are available that do no use powerful narcotic medications. Discover these treatments at SpinaCare Chiropractic & Massage.
Subuxations
Disc Bulges & Herniations
One of the most common and painful causes of back pain is a disc bulge or herniation. It is important to recognize that not all disc bulges or herniations result in pain. It has been found through MRI studies of numerous patients that as much as 37% of the American population has a disc bulge or herniation and the vast majority of them are experiencing no pain or other related symptoms. Unfortunately, the people who are experiencing pain often describe it as severe and intense. The type of pain that is experienced due to a disc herniation depends on the type and position of the herniation. If the damaged disc is irritating a surrounding nerve, shooting pain and weakness into the legs may develop. The discomfort is often described as stabbing and lightning-like. To understand how a disc herniation develops, it is best to think of the disc as a jelly doughnut. If the outer edges of the doughnut (disc) are damaged over time, most typically from wear and tear, the jelly in the middle of the disc can escape causing damage to surrounding structures. Once this process has completed it is often very difficult to reverse. However, chiropractic care has been shown to prevent the advancement of the herniation and provide relief from the associated pain.
Stress & Back Pain
Sprains, Strains and Spasms
This is commonly the source of low back pain among the weekend warriors. You know, the type who have very little physical activity during the week, but once the weekend arrives, they push themselves way too much. By the end of the weekend, they are lying flat on their back counting down the hours before they can get in to see their chiropractor. Overworking the muscles or ligaments of the low back can lead to small tears in the tissues, which then become painful, swollen and tight.
Causes of of Lower Back Pain
Treating Low Back Pain With Chiropractic
Chiropractic for the low back has been repeatedly shown to be the most effective treatment for low back pain. In fact, major studies have shown that chiropractic care is more effective, cheaper and has better long-term outcomes than any other treatment. This makes sense because chiropractic care is the only method of treatment that serves to re-establish normal vertebral motion and position in the spine. All other treatments, such as muscle relaxants, pain killers and bed rest, only serve to decrease the symptoms of the problem and do not correct the problem itself.
Lower Back Pain
The low back can withstand tremendous forces without injury. However, if the low back is out of adjustment or has weakened supporting muscles, something as simple as taking a bag of groceries can cause a low back injury.
Eighty percent of people suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor’s office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections. In fact, it is estimated that low back pain affects more than half of the adult population each year and more than 10% of all people experience frequent bouts of low back pain.
The susceptibility of the low back to injury and pain is due to the fact that the low back, like the neck, is a very unstable part of the spine. Unlike the thoracic spine, which is supported and stabilized by the rib cage. This instability allows us to have a great deal of mobility to touch our toes, tie our shoes or pick something up from the ground, but at the cost of increased risk of injury.
As long as it is healthy and functioning correctly, the low back can withstand tremendous forces without injury. Professional powerlifters can pick up several hundred pounds off the floor without injuring their low back. However, if the low back is out of adjustment or has weakened supporting muscles, something as simple as taking a bag of groceries out of the trunk of their car, picking something up off the floor, or even simply bending down to pet the cat can cause a low back injury.
Until recently, researchers believed that back pain would heal on its own. We have learned, however, that this is not true. Recent studies showed that when back pain is not treated, it may go away temporarily, but will most likely return. It is important to take low back pain seriously and seek professional chiropractic care. This is especially true with pain that recurs over and over again. Contact our chiropractor . . . we can help!
Can Chiropractic Help my Back?
When health care professionals, such as chiropractors, treat the cause of back pain rather than the symptoms, the treatment of back pain becomes less complicated. All of the above stated causes of back pain have one factor in common, misalignments of the vertebrae in the spine. Luckily, our doctors at SpinaCare Chiropractic are specially trained in their treatment. That is why multiple studies have shown chiropractic care to be the most effective form of treatment for the various causes of back pain. As with any condition, it is recommended to take a conservative, effective, and non-invasive approach to the treatment of back pain first. If you are suffering from back pain or have any further questions, please contact our office today to schedule a consultation.