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. In other words, if your low back is not functioning the way
it's supposed to, over time you are going to get problems.
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 us
at: 609-484-9300 . . . we can help!
The Causes of Low Back
Pain
There are many different conditions that can result in
low back pain, including: sprained ligaments, strained muscles,
ruptured disks, trigger points and inflamed joints. While sports
injuries or accidents can lead to injury and pain, sometimes even the
simplest movements, like picking up a pencil from the floor, can have
painful results. In addition, conditions such as arthritis, poor
posture, obesity, psychological stress and even kidney stones, kidney
infections, blood clots, or bone loss can lead to pain.
Due to the
fact that there are a whole lot of things that can cause low back
pain, and some of those things can be quite serious if left
untreated, it is important to seek professional help. Chiropractors
are the experts at diagnosing the cause and determining the proper
treatment for low back pain.
Here are some of the most common
causes I see:
Subluxations
Whenever there is a
disruption in the normal movement or position of the vertebrae, the
result is pain and inflammation. In the lumbar spine, these usually
occur at the transition between the lower spine and the sacrum.
Subluxations can lead to debilitating low back pain. Fortunately,
subluxations are easily treatable and often times a significant
reduction in pain is experienced almost immediately after
treatment.
Disc Herniations
Contrary to popular belief,
a herniated disc does not automatically mean that you are going to
suffer from low back pain. In fact, one study found that almost half
of all adults had at least one bulging or herniated disc, even though
they did not suffer any back pain from it. On the other hand,
herniated discs can be a source of intense and debilitating pain that
frequently radiates to other areas of the body. Although we have
helped thousands of people with low back pain and herniated discs, a
small amount of back pain sufferers have ongoing bouts with pain.
Plus our experience shows that further deterioration can often be
avoided through regular chiropractic care.
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.
Stress
Whenever you become
stressed, your body responds by increasing your blood pressure and
heart rate, flooding your body with stress hormones and tightening up
your muscles. When you are stressed all the time, the chronic tension
causes your muscles to become sore, weak and loaded with trigger
points. If you are stressed out all of the time and you have low back
pain, it is important to do some relaxation exercises, such as deep
breathing, as well as to get regular exercise.
Treating Low
Back Pain With Chiropractic
Chiropractic treatment for low
back pain is usually pretty straightforward. Most commonly, it's
simply a matter of adjusting the lower lumbar vertebrae and pelvis to
re-establish normal motion and position of your bones and
joints.
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.
Contact us at:
609-484-9300 . . . we can help!
Dr. Joseph Gitto
Advanced
Chiropractic Techniques
Nutrition