If you've dealt with it in the past (or maybe even right now), you know low back pain can change your life in an instant.
Not being able to enjoy life, difficulty working, and always having that thought of not being sure you'll ever get back to normal are thoughts that may have cross your mind.
The key to staying out of this group comes down to one word: PREVENTION!
- Repetitive stress
- Restricted joints/ muscles
- Lack of daily movement
- Poor nutrition
- Dehydration
- Biomechanical dysfunction
- Stress
- Lack of sleep
In this breakdown, we'll summarize the most common low back conditions we see in our office.
Low back pain as a result of a disc herniation may occur sudden or gradually following an injury.
Disc herniation commonly occur after heavy lifting, sudden or jerking movements, and after not moving for a prolonged period of time; although patients may not recall the exact movement that provoked this because it could gradually come about after consecutive less strenuous activities.
Pain is usually described as sharp or shooting pain, and the patient can possibly feel numbness, burning, tingling, or weakness into the leg(s). Coughing or sneezing could provoke disc herniating symptoms as well.
With a disc herniation, the fragmented disc material can become inflamed and put pressure on the nerve(s) leading to a sciatic leg pain in one or both legs.
Lumbar stenosis is caused by narrowing of the spinal canal in the lumbar vertebrae causing compression of the spinal cord leading to pain, numbness, tingling, and radiating symptoms down the legs.
The narrowing is usually a normal aging process, and it doesn't reflect the severity of the pain.
Although normal age changes are inevitable, consistent movement and proper nutrition are key components to preventing this condition from becoming symptomatic.
Pain stemming from the facet joint is a dull or achy feeling that's often worse when going from sitting to standing, or from a bent-over position to an upright position.
Repetitive stress, joint irritation, and biomechanical dysfunctions are possible contributors to facet mediated pain.
The chiropractic adjustment and proper exercise are excellent tools for managing facet syndrome.
Patients suffering from lumbar sprain/strains often have dull, achy, or sharp pain when attempting to walk, sit, exercise, and can sometimes be felt during sleep.
Excessive repetitive loading, sudden or jerky movements, and auto accidents could lead to sprain/strains.
A proper exercise program can play a huge role in reducing low back pain episodes caused by a sprain/strain.
Our goal is to not only provide you with the correct diagnosis, but determine the root cause of your injury and create an individualized treatment plan specifically for you.
Treatment for low back pain consists of:
- Chiropractic adjustments
- Soft tissue treatment
- Exercise rehabilitation