» Back Pain

Pain is a warning sign. Like the piercing sound from a smoke alarm, the alarm isn't the problem. The alarm has a cause, just like every ache or pain has a cause. Some people choose to cover up the pain instead of correcting the cause. What's your approach?

The nerve-rich facet joints on the back side of each spinal bone are a common cause of back pain. If these pairs of interlocking "fingers" aren't moving right, they can cause painful symptoms.

The discs between spinal bones can be a source of back pain, too. These rings of fibrous tissues act as spacers, connectors, and "shock absorbers" for the spine. Trauma can cause the soft, pulpy material in the middle to bulge or herniated, putting pressure on delicate nearby nerves.

Once you know the cause, you have several choices. One approach is bed rest. But research shows that prolonged bed rest can actually delay recovery and make the problem worse!

Physical therapy is another option. But exercising spinal joints that aren't working right is like continuing to drive your car with misaligned tires!

Another choice is to numb or cover up the pain with drugs. While drugs can offer temporary relief, they can't correct functional problems of affected spinal joints.

The most drastic measure is surgery. A laminectomy cuts off the offending facet joints, leaving the spinal cord exposed! A spinal fusion cuts out the disc tissue and immobilizes the joint. While there may be times when surgery makes sense, it's expensive, risky and more than half of all back surgeries fail.

More and more people are choosing chiropractic care first. Specific chiropractic adjustments can help improve spinal function. Decompression therapy is designed specifically for disc pain. It helps reduce the "bulge" to take pressure off the delicate nearby nerves.

Better yet, chiropractic is safe. Chiropractic is natural. And chiropractic looks to correct the underlying cause of the problem.

• While a sedentary lifestyle can make symptoms worse, back pain affects those who are tall, short, thin, heavy, young and old.
• While overexertion can cause back pain flare-up, the underlying problem may have gone undetected for years.
• Besides being dangerous and the results temporary, more than half of all back surgeries are considered failures.
• Ironically, many insurance companies would rather pay for expensive surgery than conservative chiropractic care!

Lower Back Pain: What can a chiropractor do about low back pain?

One thing is clear -- there is no room for self-diagnosis of low back problems. Mild low back pain may be ignored or lightly dismissed for years, but it shouldn't be. The more sensible reaction to even mild pains should be a visit to the doctor of chiropractic, who is a health care specialist for problems relating to the spine and nerves.

Your chiropractor will make a thorough examination, including the use of x-rays and clinical laboratory test. Evaluation of the cause precedes the necessary spinal adjustments to relieve the diagnosed problem. Allowing normal movement of vertebrae may allow discs to return to normal and relieve pressure on spinal nerves. By removing the obstruction to nerve communication, normal nerve function may be restored.

In large studies of the population, more than 85 percent of the total population will have back pain in their life. Of those 85 percent, almost 100 percent will have recurrent episodes with worsening pain sometime in the future. This study debunks the medical theory that most low back pain will go away in 6-8 weeks no matter what is done to help. This study shows exactly the opposite, that once you have an episode of low back pain, you are almost 100 percent likely to have further episodes of worsening severity.

Spinal checkups by a doctor of chiropractic and early detection of problems help assure maintenance of the delicate balance of the spinal column. Care of the susceptible lower back safeguards overall health. A simple understanding of chiropractic principles contributes to a relaxed and confident attitude toward adjustment, greatly enhancing its success.

Beyond providing specific care, the chiropractor can help you in health maintenance by teaching you to be more aware of your role in preventing spinal problems through proper exercise and diet, and learning techniques to relieve tension and stress. For your own good health, plan to visit your chiropractor regularly: tell others, too, about the benefits of a thorough chiropractic checkup.