Low Back Pain

Low back pain is second in commonality only to the common cold. It affects more than 80% of human being. Although most of us are aware that the common cold is due to a viral infection, back pain is often puzzling to its sufferers. Your Orlando Chiropractor is an expert at solving the problem.

Anatomy

To understand back pain, it is helpful to understand the anatomy of the spine. The spinal bones or vertebrae of the lower back are comprised of posterior joints called facets that link vertebrae to one another and serve to direct the movement of the spine. Inter-vertebral discs, made of tough cartilage, join the bodies of the vertebrae. This dense cartilage covers the nucleus, a soft material in the center of the inter-vertebral discs. The discs act as shock absorbers and spacers between the vertebrae. Ligaments and muscles also connect the vertebrae. The sacrum is a wedge-shaped bone at the bottom of the spine. It is connected to the two pelvic bones at the sacroiliac joint. The spinal cord is situated between the facets of the vertebrae. The spinal nerves leave the spine between the vertebrae.

Causes of Back Pain

A large number of back pain patients have not experienced any trauma, accidents or major injuries prior to the onset of their problem. The cumulative effects of unhealthy sitting posture, poor work habits, incorrect lifting, lack of proper exercise, and other unhealthy lifestyle-related factors create most back pain. These cumulative factors cause stresses and imbalances on the spine and, therefore, individuals may injure their back simply by bending over to pick up a piece of paper. The instability of the spine makes it vulnerable to even the most simple movements, such as bending. When this occurs, the surrounding back muscles go into spasm to protect the stressed or injured tissues of the back. Chiropractors are back pain specialists. Your Orlando Chiropractor can help you to get out of pain quickly.

Disc Problems & Sciatica

Prolonged sitting, especially in a slouched position produces increased pressure on the intervertebral discs and imbalances in the muscles encompassing the spine. After a while the lower spine loses its ability to function normally during everyday stresses. In the end, the intervertebral disc develops small fissures, or cracks, letting the soft nucleus to bulge the disc outward. If the disc pushes on sensitive tissues, it causes the pain that is often referred to as a slipped disc. If the disc presses on the spinal nerve, a person can develop sciatica, which is defined as pain, tingling, numbness, and sometimes weakness in the lower extremities. Regrettably, if the disc protrusion or herniation is large and the condition isn’t managed appropriately, surgery may benecessary to dispose of the herniated disc material. Nonetheless, with the correct chiropractic adjustments and management, as well as postural exercises, most of these cases can healthfully recover. If you are experiencing any of the conditions defined above, it is essential for you to seek chiropractic assistance.

Spondylosis

Increased erosion and weight-bearing stress on the spine occurs when there is repetitive damage to the discs, facet joints, and surrounding ligaments. This stress can adversely affect the cartilage around the joints and engender calcium to deposit in the tissues around the vertebrae, forming bone spurs. These spurs can constrict adjacent nerves, blood vessels and soft tissue resulting in symptoms ranging from minor pain and numbness to gross sensory loss and muscular atrophy. This restriction causes a form of arthritis, called Spondylosis, that can also occur as part of the aging process of the spine. But|However, influences such as previous trauma, unhealthy lifestyle, and repetitive stress injury influence the time of onset in life. Regular chiropractic care and overall chiropractic management is extremely beneficial in slowing the aging process of the spine, as well as helping Spondylosis sufferers in managing their condition. Your Orlando Chiropractor has treated many Spondylosis sufferers.

Sacroiliac Problems

Another common area of dysfunction or injury in the low back is in the sacroiliac joints. These weight-bearing joints link the upper part of the body to the lower pelvic portion and are normally very strong and stable. However with damage such as falls, sports injuries, or lifting heavy objects, the joints can become unstable and change to an abnormal position. This condition is called a sacroiliac subluxation. Pregnancy can also cause this condition. The imbalances in the lower extremities caused by sacroiliac subluxation can create a functional long and short leg. People with this problem will feel pain specifically with prolonged standing and walking, or during or after physical activity. Many complain of lack of energy and feeling tired easily. Frequently this imbalance can affect structures further up the spine and individuals can develop neck and shoulder pain, as well as headaches. Chiropractic adjustments and treatment are extremely effective in correcting this problem by establishing proper alignment of the joints.. Ask your Fort Worth chiropractor how you can experience effective pain relief.

Spinal Subluxation

A very common disorder of the lower back, as well as the entire spine, is subluxated or misaligned facet joints. Subluxations can exist on their own or in conjunction with disc problems and Spondylosis. They not only create pain, but they can also endanger the spinal nerves as they exit the foramen or spaces between the vertebrae, and produce nerve compression, known as paraethesia. Paraesthesia is a variation of sensation described as a tingling, burning or “funny feeling.” Paraesthesia in the upper extremities oftenoriginates from nerve problems in the neck, while paraesthesia in the lower extremities is very often associated with nerve problemsin the lumbar region (lower back). Visceral problems such as asthma and gastric conditions can also becorrelated with, or complicated by, spinal subluxations and nerve compression. Subluxations are best treated by chiropractic adjustments.

Trauma

Injury such as a fall, car accident, or sports injury can cause over-stretching or tearing of the tissues of the spine and lower back and produce extensive pain and immobility. In order to prevent long term disability or the development of any of the conditions listed above, chiropractic adjustments and treatment at the onset of symptoms is vital. If you experience a trauma, call your chiropractor as soon as possible.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is often associated with low back pain. chiropractic care offers exceptional pain relief.

When it comes to the spine, chiropractors have more education and training than medical doctors. I can provides state of the art diagnosis and expert treatment for any of the above-mentioned conditions of the spine and lower back.

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Is it a good idea to get your spine checked while you are pregnant? Well first off, yes it is a great idea to get your spine checked while you are pregnant. As is obvious to anyone with a set of eyes, your body is going through quite a lot of changes as the pregnancy progresses. One change that goes basically unnoticed is your bodies increase production of the hormone elastin. This hormone is designed to relax the tendons in the pelvis. This relaxation allows the pelvis more flexibility during the birthing process to make delivering the baby easier.

This process, although designed to help the mother during labor, can create a lot of back pain and discomfort in the months leading up to the birth. The elastin is being released in increased amounts as the months go on which allows the pelvis to become increasingly more unstable. Add to that, the gradual increase in the size of the baby and uterus, and you have the recipe for severe low back pain. I currently have several pregnant patients coming into my office for symptoms associated with their pregnancy, but most commonly it is for their low back pain.

One side benefit of having your spine and pelvis checked by a Orlando chiropractor regularly during your pregnancy is that

it has been shown to actually decrease labor time. Why is that you ask? Simply put, if the pelvis is where it needs to be. The muscles contracting during the labor process are more efficient because they don’t have to fight past the misaligned joints.

To answer the second question from the introductory paragraph, yes it is safe. Not only can chiropractic help the pregnant mother with her low back pain and other associated symptoms (heart burn, nausea, swelling, etc.) but it is completely safe to both the mother and child. Certain trained Orlando chiropractors can also help mothers who have a breached baby. They do this by using the Webster Technique. This is a low force technique to manipulate the uterus and get the baby into the proper presentation for delivery. A simple Google search on the Webster Technique can give you much more information.

In summation, not only is chiropractic safe for pregnant women, it is also very beneficial to pregnant women in helping with the symptoms associated with their pregnancy. To any pregnant women out there reading this please go see your local chiropractor, or if you are close enough, look up my office in Orlando. We can make you quite a bit more comfortable in the months of your pregnancy and can even make the labor process easier.

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