Chiropractic Adjustments Help Back Pain
Low Back Pain
Low back pain is a common health complication that often affects more than 80% of the population, making it second in commonality only to the common cold. However, unlike the common cold, back pain is often perplexing to most of its sufferers. Your Fort Worth Chiropractor is an expert at solving the puzzle.
Anatomy
To understand back pain, it is important to understand the anatomy of the spine. The spinal bones or vertebrae of the lower back consist of posterior joints called facets that link vertebrae to one another and serve to guide the action of the spine. Inter-vertebral discs, composed of tough cartilage, join the bodies of the vertebrae. This tough cartilage covers the nucleus, a soft material in the center of the inter-vertebral discs. The primary 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 positioned between the facets of the vertebrae. The spinal nerves exit the spine between the vertebrae.
Causes of Back Pain
Most back pain patients have not experienced any trauma, accidents or major injuries prior to the onset of their problem. The source of most back pain is the cumulative effects of improper sitting posture, poor work habits, incorrect lifting, lack of regular exercise and other poor lifestyle-related factors. All of these factors create stresses and imbalances on the spine and eventually generate pain. This is why people can often injure their back just by bending over to pick up a piece of paper. The instability of the spine makes it vulnerable to even the most simple movements, such as bending. When this occurs, the surrounding back muscles go into spasm to protect the stressed or injured tissues of the back. Chiropractors are back pain specialists. Your Chiropractor can help you to get out of pain quickly.
Disc Problems & Sciatica
Prolonged sitting, specifically in a slouched position produces increased pressure on the intervertebral discs and imbalances in the muscles encompassing the spine. After a while the lower spine loses its ability to function normally during everyday stresses. Finally, the intervertebral disc develops small fissures, or cracks, permitting the soft nucleus to protrude the disc outward. If the disc pushes on sensitive tissues, it causes 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. On occasion if the disc protrusion or herniation is large and the condition is not managed correctly, surgery is needed to remove the herniated disc material. With chiropractic adjustments and care, which often includes postural exercises, most disc challenges, including sciatica, can be resolved. If you are experiencing any of the problems defined above, it is crucial for you to seek chiropractic assistance.
Spondylosis
Repetitive injury to the discs, facet joints, and surrounding ligaments may produce increased erosion and weight-bearing stress on the spine. Bone spurs are formed when the cartilage around the joints is negatively affected by stress that engenders calcium to deposit in the tissues around the vertebrae. These spurs can restrict 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 appears to affect almost everyone at some point in life, as it is a common part of the aging process of the spine as well. However, influences such as previous trauma, unhealthy lifestyle, and repetitive stress injury influence the time of onset in life. Regular chiropractic treatment and overall chiropractic management is very effective in slowing the aging process of the spine, as well as helping Spondylosis sufferers in managing their condition. Your Fort Worth Chiropractor has assisted many Spondylosis sufferers.
Sacroiliac Problems
Another general area of dysfunction or injury in the low back is in the sacroiliac joints. These weight-bearing joints attach the upper part of the body to the lower pelvic portion and are usually very strong and stable. However with disturbances 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 create a functional long and short leg. Individuals with this condition will feel pain particularly with prolonged standing and walking, or during or after physical activity. Many complain of lack of energy and feeling tired easily. Many times this imbalance can affect structures further up the spine and people can develop neck and shoulder pain, as well as headaches. Chiropractic adjustments establish the proper alignment of the joints and are extremely affective in ameliorating sacroiliac problems. Ask your Fort Worth chiropractor how you can experience effective pain relief.
Spinal Subluxation
A prevalent disorder of the lower back, as well as the entire spine, is subluxated or misaligned facet joints. Subluxations can exist on their own or in conjunction with disc problems and Spondylosis. They not only create pain, but they can also imparel the spinal nerves as they exit the foramen or spaces between the vertebrae, and produce nerve compression, known as paraethesia. Paraesthesia is a change of sensation described as a tingling, burning or “funny feeling.” Paraesthesia in the upper extremities oftenoriginates 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 becorrelated with, or complicated by, spinal subluxations and nerve compression. Subluxations are best eliminated by chiropractic adjustments.
Trauma
Damage such as a fall, car accident, or sports injury can cause over-stretching or tearing of the tissues of the spine and lower back and create extreme pain and immobility. In order to avoid long term disability or the development of any of the conditions listed above, chiropractic adjustments and treatment at the onset of symptoms is very important. 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 highly competent treatment for any of the above-mentioned conditions of the spine and lower back.