Category Archives for Lower Back Pain Relief
Lower Back Pain Treatment
“Keys To Treating Lower Back Pain”
Lower back pain affects some 90% of the population.
Lower back problems are only 2nd to common cold as a cause of lost work days.
It is one of the most common reasons for a visit to a doctor or emergency dept.
– Common causes of back pain include disease or injury to muscles, bones, ligaments, discs or nerves of the spine. Back pain can also be caused by pain being referred to the back by one of the organs.
– Nerve root syndromes are the ones where spinal nerves get compressed. Sciatica is an example of nerve root impingement.
– Spondylosis is a condition where spine has degenerated due to long term damage to discs. Typically these discs will be thinner and have evidence of deterioration such as osteophytes, which are usually found at edges of vertebral bodies.
– Myofascial pain syndromes are characterized by pain and tenderness over a localized area, such as ‘trigger’ points and a loss of range of motion.
– Fibromyalgia results in widespread pain and tenderness throughout the body.
– Shingles is a painful condition where a nerve root has been infected by a herpes zoster virus.
In low back problems the pain may be just in the low back or it may radiate down the front, side or back of the leg.
In some cases it may be difficult to stand on your toes or flex a big toe. In these cases the injury has occurred to the nerves that control these movements. In case of difficulty to flex (lift) the big toe is due to an injury to the 5th lumbar nerve.
Back pain treatments, for majority of all low back problems, include reducing inflammation, restoring proper motion and strength to the back and prevent re-occurrences.
In all common back injuries, in addition to the above, the treatment, should include re-education of proper posture. This should extend to proper sleeping and sitting posture.
In my opinion, this last habit of proper posture is a basic requirement towards a healthy back.
It is these basic habits, such as posture problems, which start straining the back structures, early on in life. When these types of problems continue uncorrected, the strain on the back keeps increasing. Eventually there is an event, like a heavy lift, sleeping ‘wrong’, a push or a pull, carrying etc. which results in an injury to the spine.
This is often the time when people seek chiropractic care. Some people make proper changes to their lifestyle, most do not.
When changes are made, it is an uphill battle. Changing one’s posture seems like an ongoing task, especially in the begining. However, perseverance pays big dividends, as with corrected posture, minimal strain occurs to the spine, therefore decreasing chances of injury.
Due to the demands of modern life, like excessive sitting, muscular changes occur such that the hip flexors, core flexors and neck extensors muscles shorten. When shortened, these muscles directly contribute to ‘strain and sprain’ type injuries. At this point some minor exertions can result in back injuries.
The only way to prevent majority of low back problems is to be fit, especially in the core and have a proper posture. Some back problems will have the tendency to re-occur, just from injuries we suffer when young.
When we are kids and young adults we injure our bodies before becoming aware that some of those injuries will be problematic later on in life.
Chronic back sufferers can often be identified in teenage years. It can be seen in their posture and their walking, sitting and sleeping habits. That is why, in most back problems, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure’.
Find out what ‘prevention’ measures you can do now.
Find out about proper posture.
Find out about ‘core’ exercises.
Keys To A Healthy Lower Back
“Find Out What 2 Items Are Critical For
A Healthy Lower Back”
“My grandfather never had it, my father never had it and I have never had lower back pain”
He pronounced proudly.
I had been consulting with a middle aged man, who came to see me about a painful neck.
I asked him to stand up and bend forward, noticing that the contour of his lower back didn’t change during this motion.
When standing, the lower back has a lordosis type of curve (it bows in), but when bending forward, this curve, normally, is supposed to flatten out and reverse.
It meant his lower back was too stiff to change during this maneuver. It was obvious why once I saw his lower back x-rays. An overwhelming amount of osteoarthritis evident over the lower spine.
So how is this possible?
He has this much osteoarthritis and has never had lower back pain?!
Actually this happens more often then not. Your spine can start deteriorating and all the while you have no pain!
Also, this type of degeneration is very slow and is hard to perceive it.
What typically happens, at some point a person becomes aware they are stiffer then they used to be. Most of us just dismiss it as a by product of getting older.
What is astounding however are a number of people who avoid it. These are the people ‘who don’t show their age’! These are the people who don’t look ‘typical’. They are usually just the right weight and walk and stand with a good posture.
These 2 items have not been acquired as a result of starting to do the ‘right things’ after a long time of neglect. They have been a lifelong right type of lifestyle. And luck! Luck as far as not having been involved in any physical trauma like hard car accidents, falls or other types of mishaps.
Even so, if the first 2 items were and are a part of your lifestyle the impact of the physical trauma will be greatly decreased!
So what is the correct lifestyle to have a healthy lower back throughout your life?
Several factors top the list.
Correct posture is one. It starts from childhood.
There is a high school near where I live and daily I see these teenage students walking to and from school. There are a good number of them who walk and stand properly but about half of them are going to have lifelong problems if they continue with their current postures and styles of walking.
Another key factor is proper diet. It is as insidious as a bad posture.
Most of these kids like to indulge in junk food which changes their internal chemistry and contributes to early degenerative changes, not just to their spines but entire bodies.
This is the one of the principal reasons why we, as chiropractors like to see young people – if you can be of influence to get them to eat healthier and adopt a proper posture they will become much healthier adults.
Click Here To Book a Free Initial Consultation With Dr. Milen
Lower Back Pain Relief
“Find Out What 2 things Are Critical For a Healthy Lower Back”
“My grandfather never had it, my father never had it and I have never had lower back pain”
This is a statement made by one of patients during his initial visit.
I had been consulting with this middle aged man about a painful neck.
I asked him to stand up and bend forward, noticing that the contour of his lower back didn’t change during this motion.
When standing, the lower back has a lordosis type of curve (it bows in), but when bending forward, this curve, normally, is supposed to flatten out and reverse.
It meant his lower back was too stiff to change during this maneuver. It was obvious why once I saw his lower back x-rays. An overwhelming amount of osteoarthritis evident over the lower spine.
So how is this possible?
He has this much osteoarthritis and has never had lower back pain?!
Actually this happens more often then not.
Your spine can start deteriorating and all the while you have no pain!
Also, this type of degeneration is very slow and is hard to perceive it.
What typically happens, at some point a person becomes aware they are stiffer then they used to be. Most of us just dismiss it as a by product of getting older.
What is astounding however are a number of people who avoid it. These are the people ‘who don’t show their age’! These are the people who don’t look ‘typical’. They are usually just the right weight and walk and stand with a good posture.
These 2 items have not been acquired as a result of starting to do the ‘right things’ after a long time of neglect. They have been a lifelong right type of lifestyle. And luck! Luck as far as not having been involved in any physical trauma like hard car accidents, falls or other types of mishaps.
Even so, if the two things I’m referring to were present and are a part of your lifestyle the impact of the physical trauma will be greatly decreased!
So what is the correct lifestyle to have a healthy lower back throughout your life?
Several factors top the list. Correct posture is one. It starts from childhood.
There is a high school near where I live and daily I see these teenage students walking to and from school. There are a good number of them who walk and stand properly but about half of them are going to have lifelong problems if they continue with their current postures and styles of walking.
Another key factor is proper diet. It is as insidious as a bad posture. Most of these kids like to indulge in junk food which changes their internal chemistry and contributes to early degenerative changes, not just to their spines but entire bodies.
This is the one of the principal reasons why we, as chiropractors like to see young people – if you can be of influence to get them to eat healthier and adopt a proper posture they will become much healthier adults.
Click Here to Get In Direct Contact With Dr. Milen and Schedule Your Free Initial Consultation