Low Back Pain: It's Time to Stop the Insanity

Top Healthcare Organizations Recommend This For Low Back Pain...

According to The Lancet, low back pain is the number one source of disability globally. And, if you've dealt with low back pain in the past, you understand how much it can alter your daily life. Even simply standing up straight can feel like an incredibly impossible task. Because of how debilitating it can be, many top healthcare organizations have begun to publish recommendations for the best ways to manage low back pain. Their suggestions may surprise you.

The care provided by chiropractors ranks at the top of many leading healthcare recommendations to relieve low back pain. Movement-based strategies such as spinal adjustments, controlled exercise, and dynamic stretching are some of the most effective ways to reduce low back issues. Not only are movement-based strategies good at providing fast relief, but emerging research shows that they may be able to offer a preventative effect when continued over time. The days of taking drugs and medications for back pain are over. Prescriptions are now rarely recommended as a first option due to their dangerous side effects and lack of results.
 

• The American College of Physicians supports chiropractic care for the treatment of back pain.

• Harvard Health and the Mayo Clinic have published numerous articles highlighting chiropractic and movement-based treatment options.

• Clinical care guidelines discourage the use of medication for back pain due to the risks, dangers, and lack of results

We're happy that major, trusted healthcare organizations have evolved to support natural ways to relieve low back pain. Contact us today if you or someone you know is struggling with back pain. Our practice can provide you with a thorough evaluation to determine the source of your problem and the treatment needed to help you find relief.

Science Says The Best Way to Treat Sciatica is…

You know how scary it can be if you've ever fallen to your knees in pain due to sciatica. Sciatic pain is caused when a spinal disc, excess bone, or overgrown ligaments begin to pinch on your low back's nerves. These nerves travel down your buttocks, down the back of your leg, and end up in your foot. Pain that locks up your low back and travels down your leg after sneezing, coughing, or bending over to pick something up is one of the least welcomed surprises you can experience. But do you know the best way to find relief?

You may find it surprising to learn that disc bulges and herniations are pretty common as we age, and most of the time, they don't cause any pain. That's right. You can (and may right now) have spinal disc issues that aren't causing pain. However, if a nerve in your low back begins to get pinched, your body will let you know about it with a jolt of pain. It may seem like the only way to "take care" of a bulged or herniated disc is by cutting it out with surgery, but that's not the case. The best way to treat sciatica is with the care offered in our practice. Stretching, exercise, and spinal adjustments reduce the pain associated with sciatica by reducing the pinching (or compression) on your spinal nerves.
 

• Controlled movement of your spinal joints can help reduce the inflammation and pain associated with sciatica.

• Surgery is a last resort, and it's estimated that less than 5% of people with sciatica are good candidates for surgical intervention.

• A recent study found more relief (over 60%) with spinal adjustments than with spinal injections for people with lumbar disc herniations.

Having sciatica doesn't mean that you are destined for surgery. Most people with disc issues and sciatica can get well using chiropractic care. Remember, your spine is resilient, your spinal discs can heal, and we're here to help. Call us today if you have been struggling with sciatica.
 

What Causes Low Back Pain

Low back pain is something that over 80% of us will deal with at some point. But what exactly causes low back pain? Unfortunately, it's not just one thing that causes low back pain, but there are some trends and information that we've uncovered about the primary causes and, most importantly- what you can do to avoid it.

Your low back is made up of 5 bones (lumbar vertebrae) with spinal discs in between them. The bones protect your spinal cord as it travels down and out the left and right sides between each segment. Supporting this incredible structure is a variety of ligaments, tendons, and muscles.

Most low back pain occurs because the stress on a particular area of your spine has outweighed your body's ability to adapt. An injury may occur if the stress on an area is too much. The most common low back injuries are sprain/strains, spinal disc bulges/herniations, or facet challenges. In most cases, these injuries can heal quickly with the right care.
 

• Abnormal motion of the spinal joints in your low back can cause pain.

• A double-blinded, randomized controlled trial found spinal adjustments to be superior to both placebo and NSAIDs in the care of low back pain.

• Periodic chiropractic visits may prevent future episodes of low back pain.

The best way to reduce your risk of low back pain is by being proactive with your health. Daily movement, dynamic stretching, regular exercise, and spinal adjustments are important steps to keep your low back tip-top shape. If you have questions about how you can take proactive steps to reduce your chance of low back pain, reach out to us today!

The Surprising Science About Surgery for Low Back Pain

Many people think that surgery can "fix" an area of their injured spine. While in rare cases, that's true, the permanent changes that surgery makes to your anatomy can cause many new problems in addition to the trauma and risks accompanying it. The changes that occur after surgery are called "adjacent segment disease," They are the number one reason why people who have one surgery on their low back often return for more.

You will be surprised to know that a recent study found chiropractic care can provide the same relief as surgery for disc issues in the low back without any surgical risks. The kicker is those individuals who didn't get great results with chiropractic care were found to be great surgical candidates. So, in most cases, it's clear that anyone entertaining the idea of surgery should go to the chiropractor before going under the knife!
 

• 60% of patients with sciatica benefitted from spinal manipulation/adjustments to the same degree as if they received surgery.

• Over 25% of patients undergoing spine surgery may have complications.

• Patients with disc herniations should consider chiropractic care before surgical intervention.

Next Steps:

Having surgery is a big, irreversible decision. The time away from work, risks of anesthesia, the trauma to your spine, and results that aren't exactly fantastic have led many doctors to question whether surgery is a good option outside of emergency cases. But if you are one of the rare people who may benefit from surgery, we'll let you know. In our practice, our goal is to help you avoid unnecessary addictive drugs and risky medical procedures and find health and healing naturally. Our team is dedicated to providing you with the best care recommendations based on your goals and our findings. It's how we believe healthcare should be delivered.

Science Sources:
Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians (2017)

Prevention and treatment of low back pain: evidence, challenges, and promising directions. The Lancet 2018

Symptomatic MRI-Confirmed Lumbar Disk Herniation Patients: A Comparative Effectiveness Prospective Observational Study of 2 Age- and Sex-Matched Cohorts Treated with Either HighVelocity, Low Amplitude Spinal Manipulative Therapy or Imaging-Guided Lumbar Nerve Root Injections. JMPT 2013

Does Maintained Spinal Manipulation Therapy for Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain Result in Better Long-Term Outcome? SPINE 2011

Spinal High-Velocity Low Amplitude Manipulation in Acute Nonspecific Low Back Pain SPINE 2013

Manipulation or microdiskectomy for sciatica? A Prospective Randomized Clinical Study. JMPT 2010

Risk of Complications in Spine Surgery. Open Orthopaedics Journal 2015