Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common complaints presenting to chiropractic offices and remains one of the most challenging conditions to manage because there are so many causes. Some of its causes include the obvious such as over-lifting, over-use activities such as sports injuries (bowling, golfing, skiing, tennis, football, etc.), raking leaves, […]
When Back Pain Can Be Extremely Dangerous…
Have you ever had leg pain and immediately blamed your lower back? Many patients (and unfortunately, many doctors) conclude such pain to be “sciatica” or a “pinched nerve.” When this diagnosis is wrong, it can lead to an inappropriate type of treatment which can delay more appropriate care, or worse, may result in death due […]
The Two Major Types of Back Pain
If you have low back pain (LBP), you are certainly not alone. Almost everyone at some point has back pain that interferes with their work, daily activities, and/or recreation. Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on LBP-related treatments and it is the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to […]
Is Back Surgery the Best Option?
A study published in 2008 has results that will make you wonder whether back surgery is always necessary. In the study, researchers followed 102 patients with disk herniations confirmed by MRI and sciatic/leg pain while they waited to see a spinal surgeon. The patients had also previously tried four weeks of medications (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs […]
How Are X-Rays Used By Chiropractors?
Most chiropractic patients with low back pain have x-rays taken of their lumbar spine following a comprehensive examination. Since x-rays do carry a very small risk of tissue damage, this risk needs to be outweighed by the benefits that could be gained by taking such films. So, how are x-rays used in a chiropractic office? […]
Low Back Pain: Is It Serious?
Back problems can cause a good deal of worry and for good reason. Any problem that doesn’t go away on its own in a reasonable period of time should be a cause for concern. Rarely, severe back pain can be caused by tumors and other destructive processes, so it’s important to have these serious conditions […]
The Role of the Feet and Hips in Low Back Pain
The body is an interconnected whole and needs to be looked at as such in order to get at the root of a spinal problem. We are all familiar with low back trauma, bending, and stooping in awkward positions to lift something from a trunk, or the slip and fall on ice. In these examples, […]
Preventing Low Back Pain
Because it’s estimated that 80% of us will suffer a severe back pain episode at some point in our lives, it would certainly be beneficial to discuss the topic of preventing back injuries in the first place. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. There are two aspects to […]
Low Back Pain and Excessive Weight
Two things that are epidemic in the United States and many Western countries are low back pain and obesity. The two go hand-in-hand and while excessive weight may not be the only cause of your pain, it does makes matters worse by aggravating your pain through increased loading on the disks of the lower back. […]
Low Back Pain: An Ice Pack or the Hot Tub?
Many patients perform some self-care when they first hurt their lower back, hoping this will keep them out of a doctor’s office. While home remedies can sometimes make the pain go away, sometimes they don’t. It just depends on what you try. When the back is first hurt, it’s often a sprain/strain type of injury […]