Low Back Pain
Low back pain is a common health complication that often affects more than 80% of human beings, making it second in frequency only to the common cold. However, unlike the common cold, back pain is often a mystery to most of its sufferers. Your Fort Worth Chiropractor is an expert at solving that mystery.
Anatomy
Knowledge of the anatomy of the spine is very useful in understanding back pain. The spinal bones or vertebrae of the lower back consist of posterior joints called facets that join vertebrae to one another and serve to dictate the motion of the spine. Inter-vertebral discs, composed of strong cartilage, join the bodies of the vertebrae. This strong cartilage surrounds the nucleus, a soft material in the center of the inter-vertebral discs. The principal function of the disc is as a shock absorber and spacer between the vertebrae. Ligaments and muscles also connect the vertebrae. The sacrum is a wedge-shaped bone at the bottom of the spine. It is joined to the two pelvic bones at the sacroiliac joint. The spinal cord is situated between the facets of the vertebrae. The spinal nerves leave the spine between the vertebrae.
Causes of Back Pain
Most often, back pain happens without a trauma, an accident, or a major injury prior to the onset. The origin of most back pain is the cumulative effects of improper sitting posture, bad work habits, incorrect lifting, lack of healthy exercise and other poor lifestyle-related factors. All of these factors produce stresses and imbalances on the spine and eventually produce pain. This is why people can often injure their back just by bending over to pick up a piece of paper. The spine was already put in jeopardy and just the simple act of bending was enough to set off the challenge. 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 happen during and after prolonged sitting, specifically in a unsuitable position. Eventually the lower spine loses its usual function and no longer can accommodate for the normal day-to-day stresses in ones life. Ultimately, the intervertebral disc develops small fissures, or cracks, allowing the soft nucleus to protrude the disc outward. If the disc pushes on sensitive tissues, it produces the pain that is often referred to as a slipped disc. If the disc presses on the spinal nerve, an individual can develop sciatica, which is defined as pain, tingling, numbness, and on occasion weakness in the lower extremities. Occasionally if the disc protrusion or herniation is large and the condition is not managed correctly, surgery is required to remove the herniated disc material. But, 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 conditions defined above, it is very important for you to seek chiropractic treatment.
Spondylosis
Repetitive damage to the discs, facet joints, and surrounding ligaments may result in increased wearing away and weight-bearing stress on the spine. This stress can adversely affect the cartilage around the joints and engender calcium to deposit in the tissues around the vertebrae, forming bone spurs. 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 compression causes a form of arthritis, called Spondylosis, that can also occur as part of the aging process of the spine. Nevertheless, influences 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 extraordinarily helpful in slowing the aging process of the spine, as well as aiding Spondylosis sufferers in managing their condition. Your Fort Worth Chiropractor has treated many Spondylosis sufferers.
Sacroiliac Problems
The sacroiliac joints are a common area of dysfunction or injury in the low back. These weight-bearing joints attach the upper part of the body to the lower pelvic portion and are normally very strong and stable. Trauma from falls, sports injuries, or the lifting of heavy objects can cause the joints to become unstable and move 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. People with this condition will feel pain specifically with prolonged standing and walking, or during or after physical activity. Many complain of lack of energy and feeling tired easily. Often this imbalance can affect structures further up the spine and sufferers can develop neck and shoulder pain, as well as headaches. 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
A very common disorder of the lower back, as well as the entire spine, is subluxated or misaligned facet joints. Subluxations can happen on their own or in conjunction with disc problems and Spondylosis. They not only create pain, but they can also compromise the spinal nerves as they exit the foramen or spaces between the vertebrae, and cause nerve compression, known as paraethesia. Paraesthesia is a variation 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 becorrelated with, or complicated by, spinal subluxations and nerve compression. Subluxations are best eliminated by chiropractic adjustments.
Trauma
Injury such as a fall, car accident, or sports injury can cause trauma to the spine and lower back. Many times these traumas create over-stretching or tearing of the tissues of the spine. When this occurs a person can feel considerable pain and immobility. Corrective chiropractic management at the onset of symptoms is vital 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 highly competent treatment for any of the above-mentioned problems of the spine and lower back.
