The most significant type of chronic physical pain in the body is chronic low back pain.
Why is this area so prevalent when it comes to chronic pain? What can be done to try and alleviate some of the suffering? And, is there any prevention that might curb this considerable health related problem?
The lower back, known as the lumbar spine, is a very active region. The vertebrae, discs and other tissues are not the only parts of that lower back area. When a person relates to that area, it can also include the pelvis, hips, and mid to lower part of the spine as well.
These areas are active with standing, walking, sitting, and all kinds of movement based activities. Even when a person is lying down, there can be an impact on those regions in some way.
Macro-Trauma
It’s not uncommon then with this amount of use that there is likelihood for things to go wrong. Car accidents, workplace injuries, slip and fall, sporting accidents, and the like can occur. These significant events are known as macro-traumas. A big overload on these parts in a short period of time can cause damage.
Micro-Truama
Less significant events can create or contribute to chronic low back pain as well. Long durations of any repetitive task may not cause damage in the moment, but over time they can and will. Sitting, standing, repeated lifting, bending, pushing, pulling, and even healthy activities like working out can contribute to this wear-and-tear. These cumulative instances are known as micro-trauma.
Most often, regardless of the current annoyance to the low back, there is a history of both types of trauma to our bodies. This sets the stage for not only pain episodes, but pain that may not so easily go away.
While the deeper conversation on chronic pain is very involved, there are some fundamentals that are easier to consider. Quite often, pain episodes go misdiagnosed and/or under treated and further contribute to potential chronic pain. Many initial low back pain events will either improve by themselves or get better with very brief or simple treatment.
The backbone, aka the spine, is an important part of our anatomy. Unfortunately, low back pain is all too common.
Good Function is Key
However, this symptomatic approach focused on how the back feels may not resolve actual problems with how the back and its many related parts are working. The back may be sitting and moving wrong, but still feel ok. This fact can often leave problems to fester and degenerate.
For prevention, even though accidents and injuries do happen, and other repetitive activities have to get done, it pays to help keep the back and its parts moving well. This is done with encouraging movements and challenges that remind all the low back parts what they are capable of. When done on a regular basis, this functional reminder can help to stave off the restrictions, tightness, and bad patterns that lead to future problems. It can also help parts heal faster when inevitable accidents or injuries do happen.
Proactively, when a person has an incident or episode of pain, it would be well served to check on the working order of the parts in the lower back. That way, a resolution will not just feel better, but help to make sure it’s working better. This significant difference can go a long way to helping prevent future episodes and possible onset of chronic pain.
Spinal Check Ups
Combining those thoughts, it is possible to check a spine and to have treatment on a lower back that has no symptoms. Even a back that feels fine could have parts not sitting or moving right. This dysfunction, as noted, can lead to or complicate future back pain episodes. Unlike a pain reliever or surgery, some treatments are also effective prior to problems being present.
If back pain does occur, there are many possible types of problems that could be present. The list includes conditions like sprains, strains, arthritis, disc degeneration, disc herniation, and the like. Less considered but almost always involved problems include joints, muscles, tendons, and connective tissues that are not doing what they should. Determining the nature of the problem and its many components helps to figure out the best options for recovery.
While this is certainly possible for the individual to do on their own, it never hurts to have some support. Especially if someone has tried to improve back pain on their own but it lingers, persists, or recurs, it’s time to seek help before low back pains become chronic. The sooner this idea is embraced, the more valuable any maintenance will be over time. It’s a personal choice, but one that comes with good value.
Chiropractic Care (click here for “A chiropractor can help you in 3 valuable ways“)
Back pain and neck pain are the most common ailments that bring people to chiropractic offices. Chiropractors have excelled in the care of the spine since the inception of chiropractic care. Physiotherapy, massage therapy, acupuncture, osteopathy and other para-medical services also provide excellent care for back and neck pain. These modalities all work well together and when employed in unison, they can treat, prevent, and support a healthy back.
Interestingly, the spine has a unique role in protecting the nervous system, namely the spinal cord and the nerves that exit from it. This intimate relationship is valuable when working the way it was designed. Changes in spine function, as often seen in low back pain, can cause side effects to the function of the nervous system as well.
The Lifeline
This anatomical, biological, and physiological network in and about the spine is often called “our lifeline”. When pain and dysfunction become prominent in that system, a person can be left to feel not only sore but also far from feeling like themselves. This becomes heightened in individuals with chronic low back pain. According to some research, this may be a significant reason why chronic pain is challenging to overcome…the neurological component.
While this conversation seems relatively straight forward, back pain often is not. Theories as to why and how back pain becomes chronic abound. Research is constantly supporting, and then refuting many of these theories. It seems that with the many potential sources of pain, three certainly stand out. One is the disc found between the bones in the spine and a problem called Internal Disc Disruption.
Inflammation
This then causes a chemical component to the process to occur. Inflammatory pain producing chemicals can accumulate in this damaged disc leading to pain. A damaged disc almost always has a functional problem that depending on how and where the spine cannot move as desired could result in nerve irritation. The chemical inflammation is the second source of pain, the nerve irritation being the third.
The disc found between the vertebrae on the spine requires healthy motion to retain its properties. When the parts are sitting and moving well, disc disruption, inflammatory chemical accumulation, and nerve irritation are less likely.
Chiropractic Adjustment
Manipulation of the disc has been found to help heal the internal disc disruption. It does this by influencing the very make-up of the disc known as the disc matrix. As the internal disc environment improves through gentle encouragement of motion, it helps to disperse the accumulated inflammatory chemicals. This results in less pain and improved lower back function.
While chronic pain cases are among the most difficult cases in health care to treat, there can be improvement to the point of better management and better quality of life. Slowing and stopping progress are also acceptable outcomes for many depending on the status and health of the spine. However, by following the appropriate steps, considerable improvement and even resolution can occur for many. Being patient, persistent, and practical with customized and personalized care will help.
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Our clinic, with a Toronto Chiropractor, to the best of our ability, strives to provide convenient, affordable, and mainstream Chiropractic care. We will not use any unnecessary long-term treatment plans and/or therapies in helping you get the care and results you’re looking for.
Same day appointments are available for neck pain treatment, back pain treatment, and headache treatment, as well as other health related concerns, problems, accidents, and injuries. Walk-ins are welcome.