What You Need to Know About Your Lower Back Pain

Freedom From Lower Back Pain is Possible

Lower back pain is one of the most common complaints among adults in the US with 80% of individuals experiencing lower back pain at some point in their lives. However, most of those people who suffer from back pain will continue to live their lives merely dealing with their pain instead of finding a solution. Contrary to popular belief, lower back pain is not a normal part of aging and you do not have to live your life in pain. It is possible to live a pain-free life!

The secret to living a pain-free life is finding the root cause of your pain. A few common causes of lower back pain include vertebral subluxations, sciatica, degenerative disc disease, facet syndrome, postural syndrome, and disc lesions. These conditions can be either localized or radiating pain, discomfort, stiffness, numbness, or paresthesia. In rare cases, the cause of one’s back pain may be caused by a more sinister condition such as infection or cancer. Even though those problems may sound frightening, if you determine the root cause of your lower back pain and act to resolve your problem, you don’t have anything to worry about.

But where does one start to find the root cause?

Chiropractors Can Find the Root Cause of Your Pain

Chiropractors are highly trained to find the root cause of what could be causing your lower back pain. Chiropractors undergo over 5,000 hours of schooling to be well versed in diagnosis and treatment recommendations. The first thing a chiropractor will do is perform a thorough consultation to investigate what is occurring. Next, the chiropractor will then perform an examination that includes physical, neurological, and orthopedic testing to further evaluate the root cause of your problem. If necessary, the doctor will perform X-rays of the spine to continue their assessment. The doctor will then evaluate the results and will either construct a customized care plan catered to your specific condition or refer you to a general physician or specialist if additional testing is required.

The Most Common Causes of Lower Back Pain

Two common issues seen in chiropractic offices are vertebral subluxations and degenerative joint disease (DJD), also known as Osteoarthritis. Vertebral subluxations occur when forces enter your spine and misalign your vertebra in which they become stuck. When they become stuck, they lose their proper movement and begin to degenerate leading to degenerative joint disease. DJD is a condition in which the protective cartilage that surrounds the bone and the disc begins to break down. Symptoms of DJD include local or radiating pain, stiffness, lack of flexibility, swelling, and more.

Chiropractic care is great for treating both conditions due to the fact that the chiropractor’s job is to return normal motion to the spine. Chiropractors meticulously analyze the spine to find areas of dysfunction and lack of motion and apply gentle and safe adjustments to the area to return to normal function. When the normal function is restored, the damage process to the cartilage and disc is stopped and healing begins. However, the healing does not stop at the adjustments alone, there is supplemental work that you have to do as an individual to protect your body from future damage.

Other Ways to Relieve Lower Back Pain

In addition to getting your problem assessed and fixed, it is important to do supplemental work at home to prevent further injury. If you are having an acute episode of low back pain, icing the area for 20-minute intervals will help pull swelling and edema from the area to reduce your pain and stop the damage process. Heat should never be used on an acute injury.

Additionally, walking helps keep your spine moving and also pumps swelling and edema out of your spine. Practicing proper posture while driving and sitting is crucial to protecting your spine. Sitting and standing in the upright position and avoiding slouching will help prevent stress on your spine by keeping it in its normal positioning. You can help prevent slouching while sitting by placing a pillow or rolled towel on your lower back to help your spine remain in its normal positioning. Though this work will help prevent further injury, it is important to get your low back pain assessed to ensure that you are resolving the root cause of your pain.

Low back pain, though it is common, it is not normal. It is crucial to find the root cause of your low back pain so that you can live your best life free of pain. Consult your nearest chiropractor to find the key to your new pain-free life!

Give our office a call at 1 (864) 631-1420 to schedule a FREE consultation or visit our website at Greenvillespine.com