Low Back Pain Chiropractic May Help
Find Out if Chiropractic is the Answer for you
Low back pain is a very common problem – statistics show 70% – 90% Australians suffer from back pain at some time1. It can range from mild pain to extremely debilitating pain levels. Back pain is one of the most common reasons patients come to our clinic for help. Chiropractic care aimed at improving spinal function, having a regular exercise regime and having a healthy life style could help improve your low back pain.
What makes up The Low Back?
What makes up The Low Back?The lower back is the area of the spine between the bottom of the ribs and the pelvis. There are five movable lumbar vertebrae with discs in between them. They are supported by strong surrounding muscles and ligaments with spinal nerves existing between each of the vertebrae. The pelvis articulates with the spine and provides additional stability and support for the spine. All of these structures combine to make your body into a strong but flexible structure, allowing you mobility while protecting the spinal cord and nerves.
What Causes Low Back Pain?
Lower back pain is sometimes caused by abnormal spinal function or damage, such as joint strains or degeneration. The symptoms often start off as a dull ache and can progress over time to a sharp, severe and constant pain. If the nerves leaving the spine are affected it can cause pain into the legs known as sciatica. The problem with the lower back is that the pain often feels the same regardless of what the cause is, which is why an accurate diagnosis is so important. Back pain is often aggravated by lifestyle factors, including; lack of exercise, obesity, injuries, poor posture and ergonomically incorrect workplace environments.
One of the most typical causes of lower back pain is putting unnecessary strain on your back by activities such as heavy lifting. This can damage the spine and lead to swelling and inflammation of the facet joints. Indeed, strains to the lower back and disc injuries are two of the most common causes of low back pain seen in our clinic. There are many other causes of low back pain including bone and disc degeneration, sacroiliac joint sprain, piriformis syndrome and spinal cord stenosis that also present in our clinic.
Often severe back pain is followed by a protective muscle spasm which can make moving difficult. This is your body’s way of protecting your back from further damage. In this situation patients will often think the problem is muscular; however, the cause is actually from your injured joints. It is very important other pathological causes of back pain, such as tumours, infections and fractures are ruled out before treatment commences.
Can Chiropractic Care Help Low Back Pain?
Clinically, in our office we have found spinal manipulation, in combination with an effective exercise program, has helped many patients experiencing low back pain. People who have had multiple episodes of low back pain will often find that maintaining good spinal function and a regular exercise program designed specifically for them has helped to reduce the prevalence of low back episodes in the future.
How do Chiropractors Treat Low Back Pain?
How do Chiropractors Treat Low Back Pain?Initially we will take a complete history of your symptoms and complete a thorough examination to help us try to find the cause of your problems accurately.
We will then explain clearly to you what we have found and, if suitable, recommend an individual treatment program designed to help remove your symptoms and get your going again.
As chiropractors, we aim to improve your spinal function, advise you on the best regular exercise regime for your spinal condition and which life style changes you would need to make to achieve the best results. Contact our office to see if we can help your low back pain.
References and Sources
1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2018. Back problems snapshot. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-musculoskeletal-conditions/back-problems/contents/what-are-back-problems.
2. Systematic Literature Review of Imaging Features of Spinal Degeneration in Asymptomatic Populations W. Brinjikji, et al
3. Spine. APRIL 21, 2015 Disc bulging most prevalent abnormal finding on MRI in asymptomatic patients Nakashima H, et al.
Is Chiropractic Care is the answer to your Low Back Pain?
Contact us today and find out if we can help you.
