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Back Pain
Eighty percent of people
suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Back pain is
the second most common reason for visits to the doctor's office,
outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections. Most cases of
back pain are mechanical or non-organic, i.e., not caused by
serious conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, infection,
fracture, or cancer.
What Causes Back Pain?
The back is a complicated structure of bones, joints, ligaments,
and muscles. You can sprain ligaments, strain muscles, rupture
disks, and irritate joints, all of which can lead to back pain.
While sports injuries or accidents can cause back pain,
sometimes the simplest of movements-for example, picking up a
pencil from the floor-can have painful results. In addition,
arthritis, poor posture, obesity, and psychological stress can
cause or complicate back pain. Back pain can also directly
result from disease of the internal organs, such as kidney
stones, kidney infections, blood clots, or bone loss.
Back injuries are a part of everyday life, and the spine is
quite good at dealing with these often "pulled" muscles. These
very minor injuries usually heal within 1 or 2 days. Some pain,
however, continues. What makes some pain last longer is not
entirely understood, but researchers suspect that the reasons
may include stress, mood changes, and the fear of further injury
that may prevent patients from being active. In addition,
sometimes a painful injury or disease changes the way the pain
signals are sent through the body, and, even after the problem
has gone away or is inactive, the pain signals still reach the
brain. It is as if the pain develops a memory that keeps being
replayed.
Will Back Pain Go Away on Its Own?
Until recently, researchers believed that back pain will "heal"
on its own. We have learned, however, that this is not true. A
recent study showed that when back pain is not treated, it may
go away temporarily but will most likely return. The study
demonstrated that in more than 33% of the people who experience
low-back pain, the pain lasts for more than 30 days. Only 9% of
the people who had low-back pain for more than 30 days were pain
free 5 years later.
Another study looked at all of the available research on the
natural history of low-back pain. The results showed that when
it is ignored, back pain does not go away on its own. Those
studies demonstrate that low-back pain continues to affect
people for long periods after it first begins.
What Can I Do to Prevent Long-Term Back Pain?
If your back pain is not resolving quickly, Dr. Davenport. Your
pain will often result from mechanical problems that he can
address. Many chiropractic patients with relatively long-lasting
or recurring back pain feel improvement shortly after starting
chiropractic treatment. The relief they feel after a
month of treatment is often greater than after seeing a family
physician.
Chiropractic spinal manipulation is a safe and effective spine
pain treatment. It reduces pain, decreases medication, rapidly
advances physical therapy, and requires very few passive forms
of treatment, such as bed rest.
How Can I Prevent Back Pain?
- Don't lift by bending
over. Instead, bend your hips and knees and then squat to
pick up the object. Keep your back straight, and hold the
object close to your body.
- Don't twist your body
while lifting.
- Push, rather than
pull, when you must move heavy objects.
- If you must sit for
long periods, take frequent breaks and stretch.
- Wear flat shoes or
shoes with low heels.
- Exercise regularly.
An inactive lifestyle contributes to lower-back pain.
What Should I Tell My
Dr. Davenport?
Before any treatment session, tell the doctor if you experience
any of the following:
- Pain goes down your
leg below your knee.
- Your leg, foot,
groin, or rectal area feels numb.
- You have fever,
nausea, vomiting, stomach ache, weakness, or sweating.
- You lose bowel
control.
- Your pain is caused
by an injury.
- Your pain is so
intense you can't move around.
- Your pain doesn't
seem to be getting better quickly.
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