Family Health Options Treatment and Resource Centre
133 Curtis Street St. Thomas, ON N5P 1J4 637-7778
Low Back Pain and Chiropractic
Is lower back pain really a serious problem?
First of all, if it makes life more difficult for you, that's serious
in itself. Even if it goes away in a few days you haven't really gotten
rid of the problem. lt will most likely return and if left untreated, could
be more debilitating the next time. Which is why we recommend seeing a
chiropractor at the first sign of back pain.
Lower back pain can also be accompanied by a variety of symptoms, some of which indicate very serious problems. Do you currently have or have you ever had:
Why a chiropractor?
Chiropractors are doctors with over seven years university level
education in the art of hands-on healing. They're the doctors that have
been proven to get the best results in the relief of back pain. Need proof?
The Manga Report (a milestone study by the Ontario Ministry of Health)
concluded that chiropractic care is safer, more effective and more scientific,
than any other treatment available. Isn't it time you got relief
for that aching back?
What will a chiropractor do?
Chiropractors use highly specialized hands-on healing techniques
(called adjustments) to correct spinal problems and offer long term relief.
Your first visit will include neurological, orthopedic and chiropractic
examinations, and if necessary, an x-ray may be recommended to assist in
diagnosing your problem. Once your chiropractor fully understands your
condition he'll give you a complete explanation of your test and x-ray
results along with an effective plan of treatment. Next step? Relief.
Your spine is the "back bone" of your health. Its job is to support you and provide protection to your nervous system which starts in the brain and runs throughout your body That's why a problem with your spine con nave for reaching effects, causing symptoms such as arm pain.
How does it work?
Through chiropractic adjustments your body is given the opportunity
to heal itself. That's because once the spine is properly aligned your
entire nervous system can work the way it was intended. Health is restored
naturally to your lower back and your whole body.
But long-term relief from back pain is a team effort. There's plenty you can do as well. Consider a healthier lifestyle, moderate exercise, a well balanced diet and improving your posture. Your chiropractor will do the rest by providing your body with the necessary adjustments to help your spine be healthier and stay healthier.
What causes Low Back Pain?
There are many different causes, and they can be difficult to pinpoint
precisely. We do know, however, that they are frequently neuro-biomechanical
in nature, such as:
1. slack abdominal muscles
2. compression or irritation of the nerve roots leaving the vertebral
column (subluxation)
3. congenital vertebral malformations
4. poor posture
5. pregnancy
6. bone or joint disease
7. primary or secondary cancer
8. arthritis or osteoarthritis
9. a systemic disease
10. stress
11. specific working conditions.
The lower back area is particularly vulnerable, since it supports the entire weight of the upper body.
The lower back area is subject to great muscle tension whenever the torso is flexed, extended, or rotated. This tension affects the intervertebral disks, vertebral joints, ligaments, and nerves.
LUMBAGO
If you suddenly experience sharp, acute pain in the lower back,
it may be lumbago. The pain may be so bad that you feel as though
your lower back is "blocked." Unable to move, you remain hunched over.
Lumbago is often caused by minor disruptions in spinal biomechanics, poor posture, a pulled muscle or ligament, a herniated disk, or a dysfunction of one or more vertebrae, which produces a neurological irritation that causes muscle contractions in the lower back.
Treating low back pain - Your chiropractor will treat low back pain by relieving your muscle spasms and improving the nerve supply and blood circulation to the affected area. If your low back pain is due to a pulled muscle, relief will come rapidly. If you have stretched some ligaments, it may take somewhat longer. If you have lesions to the intervertebral disks, a more elaborate treatment plan will need to be considered.
Studies consistently show that chiropractic treatment yields the best results for low back pain. Pain is often relieved immediately, so there is no need for the patient to miss work. Many patients find that the healing process is less time-consuming with chiropractic treatment than with any other treatment available today.
Your chiropractor is the best health care professional to treat any problem related to the nervous system or the musculoskeletal system. As long as the disorder is not genetic or infectious, the chiropractor can intervene, since the problem is frequently a non-invasive pathology that can be reversed quite naturally and treated without medication or surgery.
Chiropractors have undertaken four to five academic years of education and clinical training in chiropractic schools, encompassing no less than 4,500 hours of instruction. They learn to diagnose health problems through a combination of questionnaires, examinations and X-rays.
For those who prefer to avoid medication and surgery as much as possible chiropractic care is the natural choice.