Dealing with Back Pain Head On:

 

8 out of 10 people experience back pain at some point in their lifetime, and unfortunately, far too many resort to medication or try to live with the pain. Fortunately, there are better options for managing the pain and it all starts with chiropractic care.

 

What causes back pain?

Pain often is the result of inflammation caused by strain, sprain or some other structural imbalance to the spine. Injury to the disc (the jelly like cushion between the vertebrae) also can cause discomfort. Weak muscles, poor posture, excessive strain and wear and tear generally associated with aging all can play a role in causing back pain.

 

The effect:

What makes back pain so personally challenging for millions of individuals afflicted every day is the effect the pain has on their quality of life. Simple activities such as brushing your teeth, bending over, sitting in a chair or driving become painful if not impossible to perform.
With out any outward visible signs others can see, such as a broken bone or a cut, it makes it difficult for you to convince others the problem is real. This often leads to psychological distress and even depression.

 

What shouldn’t you do:

Do nothing. Most people think they pain will go away on it’s own. Studies suggest that 90% of people who suffer back pain will suffer it again with in one years time.

 

Take Medication.

Over the counter drugs like aspirin, naproxen and ibuprofen only mask the pain. Studies show that with long term use there is a risk of gastrointestinal bleeding, abnormal kidney function and many other possible side effects. If these “mild” pain relievers can cause these reactions then it should not be a surprise that other painkillers such as codeine, oxycodone or morphine can cause even more complications.

 

What you should do:

Vist a Chiropractor. Your chiropractor will examine you to determine the underlying cause of your pain. Is it occupational, sports or injury related; deconditioned and weak muscles and ligaments; spinal dysfunction from porr spinal alignment; disc disease or herniation; spinal malformations from birth; degenerative changes to the spine; or something event more significant such as pain referred from a more life threatening condition?

The chiropractor might consider x-ray, MRI or Cat scan to look at the spine or soft tissue structures to determine if any of these are causing or contributing to your back pain.

They might suggest embarking on a aweight reduction program if you are overweight. Lastly, a series of spinal ajustments may be recommended to help realign dysfunctional spinal vertebrae that often cause nerve irritation, muscle imbalance and inflammation around the weak areas of your spine.

 

Start an exercise program.

This can help condition and strengthen muscles that might be weak and causing pain. Do not start exercise during the initial or acute phase of back pain.

Have the right attitude.

Many individuals develop a depressed attitude and become virtually incapacitated due to mental fear and an inability to cope with the pain. It’s important to have counseling in pain management attitudes as it is to remove the pain. The body uses pain as a protective mechanism to prevent the individual from harming themselves or placing their body in a position which may cause more harm.

 

The good news is that the vast majority of back pain patients can and do obtain relief with chiropractic manipulation and a generally conservative approach to help restore normal function to the spine and improve the conditioning of the entire body.