Low Back Pain

Low back pain is second in prevalence only to the common cold. It affects more than 80% of human being. However, unlike the common cold, back pain is often puzzling to most of its sufferers. Your Fort Worth Chiropractor is an expert at solving the problem.

Anatomy

To understand back pain, it is important to understand the anatomy of the spine. The spinal bones or vertebrae of the lower back are made of posterior joints called facets that join vertebrae to one another and serve to guide the action of the spine. Inter-vertebral discs, comprised of tough cartilage, connect the bodies of the vertebrae. This tough cartilage surrounds the nucleus, a soft material in the center of the inter-vertebral discs. The main function of the disc is as a shock absorber and spacer between the vertebrae. Ligaments and muscles also connect the vertebrae. The wedge-shaped bone at the bottom of the spine is the sacrum and is joined to the two pelvic bones at the sacroiliac joint. The spinal cord is located between the facets of the vertebrae. The spinal nerves leave the spine between the vertebrae.

Causes of Back Pain

In most cases, back pain comes about without a trauma, an accident, or a major injury prior to the onset. The cause of most back pain is the cumulative effects of improper sitting posture, harmful work habits, incorrect lifting, lack of regular exercise and other negative lifestyle-related factors.  All of these factors cause stresses and imbalances on the spine and eventually generate pain. This is why people can often injure their back merely by bending over to pick up a piece of paper. The spine was already compromised and just the simple act of bending was enough to set off the condition. When this happens, the surrounding back muscles go into spasm to protect the stressed or injured tissues of the back. Chiropractors are back pain specialists. Your Fort Worth Chiropractor can help you to get out of pain quickly.

Disc Problems & Sciatica

Increased pressure on the intervertebral discs and imbalances in the muscles encompassing the spine can come about during and after prolonged sitting, especially in a awkward position. Eventually the lower spine loses its usual function and no longer can accommodate for the normal day-to-day stresses in ones life. Finally, the intervertebral disc develops small fissures, or cracks, allowing the soft nucleus to bulge the disc outward. If the disc pushes on sensitive tissues, it creates the pain that is often referred to as a slipped disc. If the disc presses on the spinal nerve, one can develop sciatica, which is defined as pain, tingling, numbness, and sometimes weakness in the lower extremities. Unfortunately, if the disc protrusion or herniation is large and the condition isn’t managed correctly, surgery may berequired to remove the herniated disc material. However, with the correct chiropractic adjustments and management, as well as postural exercises, most of these cases can healthfully mend. If you are experiencing any of the problems defined above, it is crucial for you to seek chiropractic treatment.

Spondylosis

Increased erosion and weight-bearing stress on the spine occurs when there is repetitive assault to the discs, facet joints, and surrounding ligaments. This stress can unfavorably affect the cartilage around the joints and engender calcium to deposit in the tissues around the vertebrae, forming bone spurs. These spurs can compress adjacent nerves, blood vessels and soft tissue resulting in symptoms ranging from minor pain and numbness to gross sensory loss and muscular atrophy. This condition – known as Spondylosis - is a type of arthritis that seems to affect almost everyone at some point in life, as it is a common part of the aging process of the spine as well. Nevertheless, determinants such as previous trauma, unhealthy lifestyle, and repetitive stress injury influence the time of onset in life. Regular chiropractic care and overall chiropractic management is extremely beneficial in slowing the aging process of the spine, as well as helping Spondylosis sufferers in managing their condition. Your Fort Worth Chiropractor has helped many Spondylosis sufferers.

Sacroiliac Problems

The sacroiliac joints are a prevalent area of dysfunction or injury in the low back. These weight-bearing joints link the upper part of the body to the lower pelvic portion and are innately very strong and stable. However with damage such as falls, sports injuries, or lifting heavy objects, the joints can become unstable and relocate to an abnormal position.  This condition is called a sacroiliac subluxation. Pregnancy can also cause this condition. The imbalances in the lower extremities caused by sacroiliac subluxation can produce a functional long and short leg. Those with this problem will feel pain especially with prolonged standing and walking, or during or after physical activity. Many complain of lack of energy and being easily fatigued.  Other symptoms such as neck and shoulder pain, as well as headaches, can advance further up the spine. Chiropractic adjustments and treatment are extremely effective in ameliorating this problem by establishing proper alignment of the joints.. Ask your Fort Worth chiropractor how you can get effective pain relief.

Spinal Subluxation

Subluxated or misaligned facets joints are a commonplace disorder of the lower back, as well as the entire spine. Subluxations can happen on their own or in conjunction with disc problems and Spondylosis. Subluxations are not only painful, but they can compress the nerves as they exit the foramen (or spaces) between the vertebrae, causing paraesthesia. Paraesthesia is an alteration of sensation described as a tingling, burning or “funny feeling.” Paraesthesia in the upper extremities more often than notoriginates from nerve problems in the neck, while paraesthesia in the lower extremities is commonly associated with nerve dysfunctionin the lumbar region (lower back). Visceral problems such as asthma and gastric conditions can also beassociated with, or complicated by, spinal subluxations and nerve compression. Subluxations are best treated by chiropractic adjustments.

Trauma

Damage such as a fall, car accident, or sports injury can create over-stretching or tearing of the tissues of the spine and lower back and create considerable pain and immobility. Expert chiropractic treatment at the onset of symptoms is very important in order to avoid long term disability and the development of any of the above conditions. If you experience a trauma, call your chiropractor as soon as possible.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is often associated with low back pain. Chiropractic care offers exceptional pain relief.

When it comes to the spine, chiropractors have more education and training than medical doctors. I can provides state of the art diagnosis and skilled treatment for any of the above-mentioned conditions of the spine and lower back.

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 18th, 2009 at 2:37 pm and is filed under qualifing Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.