Back Pain? Seek a Specialist

By Shawn D. Keegan, DC

Back pain is one of the most common complaints to plague mankind. According to the American Chiropractic Association one half of all working Americans admit to having back pain. It is the second most common reason for missing work, outnumbered only by upper respiratory infection. Experts say that as many as 80% of the population will suffer low back pain in their lifetime.

So, we know it is common, but where does the pain come from?
The spine is a very complex mechanical structure. It is constructed of 26 vertebrae, each with five to seven articulating surfaces (joints). Each has ligaments and muscles supporting it.

Commonly, injury to these ligaments and muscles can cause back pain. Other causes include damaging the intervertebral disc (a squishy shock absorber between each vertebra), jamming joints together, arthritis, and joint stress. Posture problems, obesity and repetitive motions can put excess strain on the structures of the spine and cause pain. Even psychological stress and some medications can cause back pain. Also, some diseases such as kidney and pancreatic disorders, vascular problems, bone loss, tumors, and infections can all result in back pain.

Okay, now that you have an idea of what may cause pain, what can you do to get rid of or prevent it?

If you are experiencing back pain you can visit a chiropractor. Chiropractors are highly skilled at diagnosing back pain causes and are very effective at treating the most common causes of back pain mechanical disorders sprain/strain, disc disorders, movement restriction, injuries, and even arthritis.

There are many different ways to treat back pain, the key is to find out what is causing it so that the treatment addresses that cause. Your chiropractor can also diagnose problems that are not treatable with chiropractic. There is no adjustment that will get rid of a kidney stone for example; instead you will be referred to the proper specialist.

Now that you are getting your condition treated, what else can you do to improve the health of your back?

Other things you can do to stop and prevent back pain include

Exercise. Many kinds of exercise will do, even just walking. Exercise increases blood flow. Increased blood flow to spinal structures promotes healing.

Stop smoking. Smoking decreases blood flow to spinal tissues. Less blood flow makes you more likely to injure those tissues.

Lose the excess weight. More weight equals more stress on the spine.

Watch your posture. Unbalanced postures can increase stress on the spine and increase your chance of injury or pain.

Back pain may be one of the burdens of being upright, but it can be effectively treated and prevented. An interesting statistic is that only about 10%-20% of the population seeks treatment from chiropractors. Maybe that is one reason over 50% of working people have back pain. Something to think about.

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