Low back pain is common, debilitating and treatable with Chiropractic.
Posted Jan 06 2010 3:27am
In my Chiropractic office, we treat a lot of low back pain. The majority of episodes of acute lower back pain are caused by damage to the muscles and/or ligaments in the low back. Even though a muscle strain doesn’t sound like a serious injury, the low back pain can be surprisingly severe and is the cause of many emergency room visits each year.
•A muscle strain happens when the muscle is over-stretched or torn, resulting in damage to the muscle fibers (a pulled muscle).
•A lumbar sprain happens when ligaments are stretched too far or torn. Ligaments are very tough, fibrous connecting tissues that connect the muscles to the bones and joints.
For practical purposes regarding treatment of low back pain, it doesn’t matter if a muscle strain or ligament sprain are the source of the lower back pain, since the treatment for all of them is the same.
When the muscles or ligaments in the low back are strained or torn, the area around the muscles can become inflamed. With inflammation the muscles in the back can spasm and cause both severe lower back pain and difficulty moving. Pain from muscle strains or sprains is often relieved with rest. If the pain lasts longer than three days however, a visit to the Chiropractor is in order to determine if something more serious is going on. By contacting our office at 860-620-9523 or visiting our website at www.southingtonchiropractor.com we can help you decide to seek care or wait it out.
Ironically, the severity of the pain is often unrelated to the extent of physical damage. For example, lower back spasms from a simple back strain can cause excruciating lower back pain that can make it difficult to walk or even stand, whereas a large herniated disc or completely degenerated disc can actually be completely painless.
Low back pain is typically classified as either acute or chronic:
Acuteback pain is short term, generally lasting from a few days to a few weeks. Some acute pain syndromes can become more serious if left untreated.
Chronic back pain is generally defined as pain that persists for more than three months. The pain may be progressive, or may occasionally flare up and then return to a lower level of pain. With chronic pain, the exact cause of the pain can sometimes be difficult to determine.
There are a few symptoms that indicate a possible serious medical condition requiring surgery. Patients with these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately. Symptoms include:
People with fever and chills, history of cancer with recent weight loss, or who have just suffered a severe trauma should also seek immediate medical attention. The good news is that it is treatable and with proper exercise and strengthening routines, it can be a thing of the past.
In my Chiropractic office, we treat a lot of low back pain. The majority of episodes of acute lower back pain are caused by damage to the muscles and/or ligaments in the low back. Even though a muscle strain doesn’t sound like a serious injury, the low back pain can be surprisingly severe and is the cause of many emergency room visits each year.
•A muscle strain happens when the muscle is over-stretched or torn, resulting in damage to the muscle fibers (a pulled muscle).
•A lumbar sprain happens when ligaments are stretched too far or torn. Ligaments are very tough, fibrous connecting tissues that connect the muscles to the bones and joints.
For practical purposes regarding treatment of low back pain, it doesn’t matter if a muscle strain or ligament sprain are the source of the lower back pain, since the treatment for all of them is the same.
When the muscles or ligaments in the low back are strained or torn, the area around the muscles can become inflamed. With inflammation the muscles in the back can spasm and cause both severe lower back pain and difficulty moving. Pain from muscle strains or sprains is often relieved with rest. If the pain lasts longer than three days however, a visit to the Chiropractor is in order to determine if something more serious is going on. By contacting our office at 860-620-9523 or visiting our website at www.southingtonchiropractor.com we can help you decide to seek care or wait it out.
Ironically, the severity of the pain is often unrelated to the extent of physical damage. For example, lower back spasms from a simple back strain can cause excruciating lower back pain that can make it difficult to walk or even stand, whereas a large herniated disc or completely degenerated disc can actually be completely painless.
Low back pain is typically classified as either acute or chronic:
There are a few symptoms that indicate a possible serious medical condition requiring surgery. Patients with these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately. Symptoms include:
People with fever and chills, history of cancer with recent weight loss, or who have just suffered a severe trauma should also seek immediate medical attention. The good news is that it is treatable and with proper exercise and strengthening routines, it can be a thing of the past.