Among people seeking back pain relief alternatives,
most choose chiropractic treatment. About 22 million
Americans visit chiropractors annually. Of these, 7.7
million, or 35%, are seeking relief from spinal injury
from various causes, including accidents, sports
injuries, and muscle strains. The doctor's at
Connecticut Family chiropractic would be happy to help
examine and treat your back pain and get to the cause of
your condition.
If you have back pain, you are not alone. Nearly
everyone at some point has back pain that interferes
with work, routine daily activities, or recreation.
Americans spend at least billion each year on back pain
caused by injuries to the spine, the most common cause
of job-related disability and a leading contributor to
missed work. Back pain is the second most common
neurological ailment in the United States - only
headache is more common. Fortunately, most occurrences
of low back pain go away within a few days. Others take
much longer to resolve or lead to more serious
conditions.
Acute or short-term low back pain generally
lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Most acute back
pain is mechanical in nature - the result of trauma to
the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis. Pain
from trauma may be caused by a sports injury, work
around the house or in the garden, or a sudden jolt such
as a car accident or other stress on spinal bones and
tissues. Symptoms may range from muscle ache to shooting
or stabbing pain, limited flexibility and/or range of
motion, or an inability to stand straight. Occasionally,
pain felt in one part of the body may "radiate" from a
disorder or injury elsewhere in the body. Some acute
pain syndromes can become more serious if left
untreated.
The back is an intricate structure of bones, muscles,
and other tissues that form the posterior part of the
body's trunk, from the neck to the pelvis. The
centerpiece is the spinal column, which not only
supports the upper body's weight but houses and protects
the spinal cord - the delicate nervous system structure
that carries signals that control the body's movements
and convey its sensations. Stacked on top of one another
are more than 30 bones - the vertebrae - that form the
spinal column, also known as the spine. Each of these
bones contains a roundish hole that, when stacked in
register with all the others, creates a channel that
surrounds the spinal cord. The spinal cord descends from
the base of the brain and extends in the adult to just
below the rib cage. Small nerves ("roots") enter and
emerge from the spinal cord through spaces between the
vertebrae. Because the bones of the spinal column
continue growing long after the spinal cord reaches its
full length in early childhood, the nerve roots to the
lower back and legs extend many inches down the spinal
column before exiting. This large bundle of nerve roots
was dubbed by early anatomists as the cauda equina, or
horse's tail. The spaces between the vertebrae are
maintained by round, spongy pads of cartilage called
intervertebral discs that allow for flexibility in the
lower back and act much like shock absorbers throughout
the spinal column to cushion the bones as the body
moves. Bands of tissue known as ligaments and tendons
hold the vertebrae in place and attach the muscles to
the spinal column.
Injuries such as ligament sprains, muscle strains,
bruises, and fractures typically occur suddenly
(acutely). Sprains, strains, bruises, and fractures may
be the result of a single or combination of stresses to
the foot. A sprain of the foot or ankle occurs when
ligaments that hold the bones together are overstretched
and their fibers tear. The looseness of ligaments in the
joints of the foot may lead to foot pain.
Starting at the top, the spine has four regions:
- the seven cervical or neck vertebrae (labeled C1 -
C7),
- the 12 thoracic or upper back vertebrae (labeled
T1 - T12),
- the five lumbar vertebrae (labeled L1 - L5), which
we know as the lower back,
- the sacrum and coccyx, a group of bones fused
together at the base of the spine.
The lumbar region of the back, where most back pain
is felt, supports the weight of the upper body.
Pain can occur when, for example, someone lifts
something too heavy or overstretches, causing a sprain,
strain, or spasm in one of the muscles or ligaments in
the back. If the spine becomes overly strained or
compressed, a disc may rupture or bulge outward. This
rupture may put pressure on one of the more than 50
nerves rooted to the spinal cord that control body
movements and transmit signals from the body to the
brain. When these nerve roots become compressed or
irritated, back pain results.
Low back pain may reflect nerve or muscle irritation
or bone lesions. Most low back pain follows injury or
trauma to the back, but pain may also be caused by
degenerative conditions such as arthritis or disc
disease, osteoporosis or other bone diseases, viral
infections, irritation to joints and discs, or
congenital abnormalities in the spine. Obesity, smoking,
weight gain during pregnancy, stress, poor physical
condition, posture inappropriate for the activity being
performed, and poor sleeping position also may
contribute to low back pain. Additionally, scar tissue
created when the injured back heals itself does not have
the strength or flexibility of normal tissue. Buildup of
scar tissue from repeated injuries eventually weakens
the back and can lead to more serious injury.
Spine, joints, muscles, ligaments, fractures, and
bones are the specialty of a Chiropractic Physician. Our
chiropractors at Connecticut Family Chiropractic will
closely evaluate your condition and most often find the
root of the cause. Below is a list of the most commonly
treated conditions:
- Automobile Accident Injuries - Whiplash,
Headaches, Joint Injuries, Sprain/Strains
- Work Related Injuries - Lifting Sprains,
Sitting or Standing Conditions, Extremity Problems
such as Carpel Tunnel Injuries
- Home Injury- Falls, Sprains or Strains
- Sport Injuries- Athletic Sprains or
Impacts, Shoulders, Knees, Ankles
- Neck & Back Pain- Sciatic Nerve Pain,
Numbness, Tingling, Headaches