Eighty percent of individuals suffer from some form of back pain in their lifetimes, and back pain is the second most common cause for people visiting the doctor. Back pain, particularly lumbar pain, is outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections. Seventy five million Americans will have back pain every year, and 80 percent of the adult population will have some type of low back pain. It is the most frequent reason for disability for people in the 30-50 year age bracket, and since these age groups are typically the most productive in the work force, the economic effect of low back pain is huge. Back pain can be explained as follows:

The low back area is prone to injury and pain because it is in a highly unstable portion of the spine, just like the neck is. That instability is one of the reasons for our mobility. This mobility is resposibal for our ability to stand upright, pick something up off the ground, tyeing our shoes and touching our toes, but at the price of increased chance of injury and low back pain.

When the low back is healthy and working properly, it can handle great forces without injury. One illustration is a professional weight lifter who is able to lift several hundred pounds and not injure his lower back. But, if the low back is compromised and out of adjustment or has lost strength in the supporting muscles, an act as basic as lifting a bag of groceries from the trunk of the car, picking up a young child, or bending down to feed the cat can cause a lower back injury.

The old belief that back pain would disappear by itself has been found to be inaccurate. While back pain may disappear for some time even without medical intervention, the latest scientific reports indicate that it will probably reappear. Low back pain should be taken seriously, and it is important to get professional chiropractic treatment. That is particularly true with recurring pain.

Although back pain patients make up the second largest diagnostic group examined by medical professionals, the recommended treatments from these professionals (drugs) are frequently discovered to be less than helpful. A highly regarded medical researcher has suggested that family doctors consider referring their back pain patients for chiropractic treatment, since it has shown to be beneficial for this disorder. Medical intervention is appropriate for lower back pain; a chiropractor can provide that. More and more people every year are visiting chiropractors for help with their lower back pain.

The Causes of Low Back Pain:

Because there are many factors that might cause low back pain, and a few of these factors may be very serious if not treated, it is vital to get the help of a professional. Chiropractors are leaders in determining the causes of lower back pain along with establishing the correct treatment for low back pain.

Lower back pain can be the result of various factors. Among these causes are stress and emotional tension that makes muscles tighten and contract, which results in stiffness and pain. Extra back pain might be due to bad posture and being on your feet for long periods, or sitting improperly (so be careful when you are at the office). A third cause of lower back pain is frequently linked with heavy physical labor, lifting or forceful movement, twisting or bending or awkward positions. This is worsened because of incorrect lifting practices, in other words, mechanical trauma and work. The most routine home or work tasks involving bending, twisting and lifting can stress your lower back muscles resulting in lower back pain. A few of those activities are tennis, biking, gardening, golf and even horseback riding and any of these might potentially injure your back. Finally, mechanical lower back pain might be caused by injuries and accidents, such as car wrecks, sports injuries and slips and falls. Carrying excess weight is another risk for low back pain, since it puts stress and pressure on the back, particularly the low back. Simply getting older is the last risk for back pain. As we get older, the ligaments thicken and discs dry out and we are more prone to back pain. Those age-related changes in the spine can lead to disorders that put pressure on the spinal nerves. The symptoms of pain might be combined with weakness or numbness. You may feel your discomfort on either or both sides of your back.

Our Approach To Your Care:

(treatment for back pain) We provide an all-inclusive, unique approach to treat back pain.

We believe back pain can best be alleviated by chiropractic adjustment. A chiropractic adjustment is an easy, low force correction that realigns the vertebrae, reduces stress to the spine and central nervous system and restores normal joint function. Trigger point therapy is a system of putting pressure on certain points in the body to lessen or get rid of muscle pain. Muscle contraction and lack of flexibility are characteristic of the majority of patients who have long-term back pain. To repair these issues, we create a flexibility and stretching routine that is intended to restore a pain-free range of motion. If the spine has been injured or if an old injury exists that was never properly evaluated and treated, we will frequently combine balance and stabilization rehabilitation to enhance coordination and spinal structural integrity.

The strength of the spine ultimately depends on the strength of the soft tissues supporting it, specifically, the muscles. Back muscles support spines the same way cables support bridges. Back pain can reappear again if any back muscle is not sufficiently strong. To fix this issue, we do a functional evaluation to locate weak spots. The back must be assessed to discover which areas need strengthening to alleviate the condition.

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By: Paul R. Mahler DC

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