|
Low Back
Pain
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 office . . . 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. Unfortunately, once a disc
herniates, they rarely, if ever, completely heal.
Further deterioration can often be
avoided through regular chiropractic care, but a
complete recovery is much less common. |
|
|
|
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 reestablish 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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7500 Stonebrook Parkway #103 |
|
Frisco, Texas 75034 |
|
972-377-7117
|
|
Home
|
Services
|
About Us
|
Directions
|
Forms |
|