Is your back pain holding you back from being present with your family and doing the other things you love? You aren’t alone.
Low back pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal issues that our society faces. Studies show that 80% of the U.S. population will suffer from a low back condition at least one point in their life. The cost of back pain both directly (healthcare cost) and indirectly (missed work) is over $12 Billion each year.
Nobody deserves to be walking around in pain or wasting their money on interventions that don’t work.
Common Causes and Symptoms of Back Pain
To come up with a proper treatment for our patient’s low back pain, we must first diagnose the issue that is causing the problem. There are more conditions than the ones listed below (including major red-flags we always rule out), but we included the four most common issues we see in our office.
Lumbar Disc Injuries
The back consists of 24 bones called vertebrae. Between each vertebra are flexible intervertebral discs that act as a shock absorber for the spine and prevent the two bones from rubbing against each other. These discs have a squishy gel-like inside surrounded by thick fibrous layers (think of a jelly-filled donut). Years of poor posture combined with improper bending and lifting mechanics can cause the gel in the center of these discs to bulge or herniate outwards, creating a great deal of pain and inflammation. The disc may also press against the nerve root or spinal cord and create numbness or weakness that radiates down the leg.
Lumbar Stenosis
Lumbar stenosis occurs when the opening of your lumbar vertebrae that houses the spinal cord begins to narrow and compress on the spinal cord itself. This compression can lead to pain, numbness, or weakness in the low back, buttocks, thighs, and legs. Walking or standing will generally make these symptoms worse while sitting will provide relief. The most common cause of spinal stenosis is degeneration, which reduces the amount of space your spinal cord has before compression occurs.
Lumbar Sprain/Strain
Lumbar sprain/strain is a common injury that can create low back pain. A lumbar sprain is when damage occurs to the ligaments or joints of the low back. A lumbar strain occurs when the injury occurs in the lower back muscles. Both of these injuries can create dysfunctional movements of the back and instability of the spinal column itself. The most common causes of injury are overexertion, sports injuries, poor posture, and improperly lifting heavy objects.
Facet Syndrome
Facet is the name for small joints found at the back of your vertebrae. These joints are responsible for much of the rotation found in our spine. These joints can become pinched and irritate the nerves surrounding the joints. The pain is typically worse when going from a sit-to-stand position or with excessive extension (leaning backward). The leading causes of this condition include degeneration, being overweight, sports injuries, car accidents, or overall lack of physical exercise.
Finding Relief from Back Pain
Chiropractic treatment for low back pain is research-backed as one of the safest, effective, and cost-efficient treatment strategies for the management of low back pain. We work to get our patients out of pain as fast as possible so that they can get back to things they love.
At Life in Motion Chiropractic in Livonia, MI, we build a short, concise treatment plan that targets both the direct and indirect cause of your pain. We may combine any of the following therapies to help our patients find relief from their back pain:
- Light Chiropractic adjustments
- Muscle and soft tissue work
- Corrective rehabilitation exercises
- Take-home stretches
- Massage therapy
- Intersegmental traction
Our goal is not just to give you a temporary patch but find the root cause of your injury and fix it. We know your time is important. That is why we offer same-day and Saturday appointments.
If you’re interested in learning more, please contact us today to schedule your FREE consultation with our doctor, where you’ll sit down one-on-one to discuss your particular condition and determine if you’re a candidate for care in our office. (734) 427-6333