Low Back Pain

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Low Back Pain

Back pain is one of the most common health complaints in the world; nearly everyone (80%-90%) gets back pain at some time. About a quarter of US adults reported having low back pain lasting at least one day in the prior three months. This makes low back pain the most common cause of work related disability and a leading contributor to missed work. That’s a lot of bad backs. The estimated cost of this problem in the US is over $300 billion a year.

What are the symptoms of low back pain?

Lower back pain is characterized by severe or aching pain in the lower back that starts after activity, sudden movement, or lifting a heavy object, and typically affects people from 30 to 60 years old. Symptoms may include:

  • Difficulty moving that can be severe enough to prevent walking or standing
  • Pain that also moves to the groin, buttock, upper thigh, leg, or foot
  • Pain that tends to be achy, dull, burning, or tingling
  • Muscle spasms, sometimes severe
  • Local soreness upon touch
  • Pain that is worsened by movement, prolonged rest or activity, or prolonged sitting or standing
  • Knots or tight spots in the low back
  • Stiffness or swelling
  • Weakness, numbness, or tingling in the leg or foot

The Chiropractic Approach

Chiropractors help millions of people with low back problems, often saving them from pain, disability, drugs and surgery. The chiropractor’s purpose is to gently and painlessly rebalance and realign your spine and structural system to relieve pressure on your nerves, discs, joints and muscles.

Research studies repeatedly reveal that Chiropractic helps those with lower back pain to recover faster and at less cost than any other treatment.

Major government studies from the US, UK, Canada and New Zealand have reaffirmed what chiropractic patients have been telling their friends with back pain for years: “Why don’t you see my chiropractor? You’ll get better much faster than from drugs or surgery - and without the side effects” Studies repeatedly reveal that Chiropractic care is more effective than other approaches for low back pain.

Why are the results so overwhelmingly in favor of Chiropractic? Because painkillers, muscle relaxers,  braces, physical therapy and surgery are not designed to correct the cause of the problem. Chiropractic is!

Your chiropractor is specially trained to locate a misalignment of your spine commonly called a subluxation that affects your discs, nerves, ligaments and ultimately, your entire body.  After accessing the history of your problem, postural examination and analyzing your x-rays, your chiropractor will determine if you have subluxation(s) that may be causing your back pain or problem.

Medical Treatments and Surgery

The standard medical approach to back pain varies depending on the severity of the condition. Muscle relaxers, painkillers, rest, and physical therapy such as traction, diathermy, and ultrasound are sometimes used. These approaches are often ineffective.  Even bedrest has been found to be inadvisable for a serious form of back and leg pain called sciatica. If the problem doesn’t improve or worsens, surgery may be recommended.

The medical approach is sometimes necessary - even back surgery has a place. But current research is revealing that spinal surgery for acute lower back problems should be rarely performed. Even so, back surgery frequency has increased dramatically. In the U.S., more than 1,150,000 people go under the knife for spinal problems every year, a rate double that of most developed countries,  most of which are unnecessary. In 2013 even the Journal of American Medical Association suggested chiropractic care as an option for low back pain - noting that surgery should only be tried if all else fails. Many of those who have had back surgery report a recurrence of their symptoms within a year or two of the operation and may return to the operating table. This has been referred to as failed back surgery syndrome.  Of all the back surgeries performed each year, 20 to 40% of them fail and the pain returns.

In Conclusion

For over one hundred years people with all kinds of health conditions have visited doctors of Chiropractic. Many have initially come for back pain, but then discovered so many other ways Chiropractic here can help them and their family. The goal of chiropractic is to restore the spine to its normal position over time and decrease stress on your nervous system.  Your entire body works better without nerve interference.


Low Back Pain? Call The Chiropractic Center at Styertowne

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Erik McNair