Chiropractors are best known for treating problems with the back, and not surprisingly we are rather good at it.
However, there are myriad causes of what we so gaily call “low back pain”, and some of these are easier to address than others. Below are some complaints that we come across which cause low back pain, and how Chiropractic can help.
The primary cause of pain in the back is known as mechanical pain – approximately 90% of all low back pain is due to a mechanical cause. This means that something has gone wrong with the working of the muscles, joints or ligaments in the back. This can be fairly easily sorted by your Chiropractor, using a combination of adjustments and soft tissue work.
In the older population, wear-and-tear in the spine can also cause pain and stiffness through the region – this is osteoarthritis of the spine. The changes that take place when there has been stress on a joint over a prolonged period include the drying out of the disc between the vertebrae and the laying down of extra bone around the body of the vertebra and (most importantly) around the joints between the vertebrae. Clearly, if extra bone has been put down by the body around the joint, that joint is not going to be able to move as freely as a young and healthy joint. The drying out of the area can also cause significant pain as the cushioning between the joints becomes less. Unfortunately, once these changes have occurred, there is no way for your Chiropractor to reverse this. Instead, the aim of treatment will be to manage your symptoms, in combination with a suitable exercise programme and other osteoarthritis treatments. Your Chiropractor will aim to maximise the amount of movement in the joint by opening out the space as much as possible, and also work on the soft tissue around the joints as they are prone to becoming tight and stressed by the changes in the area.
Of course, these suggested causes are by no means an exhaustive list. Your Chiropractor will spend a long time with you on your first appointment establishing the probable cause of your complaint. They will do this through a mixture of discussing your symptoms, asking you about your general medical history and other current complaints, and doing a full physical examination. They will then discuss the likely cause of your pain with you, and suggest either a course of Chiropractic treatment or refer you on to the most suitable form of care. If you want to discuss your low back pain with a Chiropractor to see whether we can help, why not contact us to book a free consultation.
