Winter’s been a bit hard on us this year and you know what that means. Snow shoveling and spills on the ice are happening all over Central Bucks and can leave you with a serious back ache. In fact, just the other day a new patient limped in after slipping on icy steps.
We did an x-ray to determine the extent of the damage and outline the treatment options. After hot/cold therapy and a chiropractic adjustment, he was back on his feet with a greater range of motion and less pain than he had when he entered. Plus, he’ll heal quicker.
Your Spine Affects Your Whole Body
Slipping on ice can leave you feeling battered and bruised. It’s also sure to knock your spine out of alignment. That’s where chiropractic care can help. A chiropractor will assess your body for damage and adjust you so your spine is back in alignment. This will help you feel less stiff and be better able to regain your full range of motion just like my patient earlier in the week.
In chiropractic school, chiropractors study the 33 bones in your spinal column. They learn how each of these bones relate differently to the rest of your body and can affect your movements.
For instance, the 5 vertebrae that make up your lumbar region (lower back), are responsible for your ability to bend from side to side and forward as well as support your upper body. If one (or more) or these are out of alignment, you’ll feel pain and stiffness. Chiro care discovers the source and eliminates the pain so you can get on with your life.
Whether your back aches because of snow shoveling or you’ve slipped and hurt yourself, you don’t need to suffer.
Don’t suffer with a back ache, call your Doylestown chiropractor, Dr. Jeff McQuaite and reclaim your life!
According to the National Institutes for Health Statistics, lower back pain and headaches are the most common ailment among Americans. People spend almost $50 Billion a year on remedies and treatments for their aches and pains.
Lower back pain causes can come from all sorts of avenues. From arthritis to osteoporosis to disc problems, there are dozens of possible causes.
It’s worth finding out the source of the pain. It’s a big difference to experience the occasional lower back pain because you overdid it in the garden vs. experiencing chronic pain that won’t go away. In either case, you want to get relief right away.
Chiropractic care is a gentle means of adjusting your spine so it returns to its rightful place relieving pain and pinching. Many people find success with chiropractic care and don’t require surgery. Others use it in conjunction to help their surgeries be more successful.
Your chiropractor will work with you to determine your lower back pain causes and create a treatment plan.
A Quick Overview of the Back
The spinal column is made up of 30 bones, tissues, ligaments, and nerve endings. Between these bones are the discs that act as shock absorbers between the vertebrae which cushion the discs. A flexible spine improves your range of motion and protects your back from injury.
Getting Older and a Sedentary Lifestyle Can Contribute to Low Back Pain
This combination is the reason for all types of health issues.
As you get older, you lose muscle tone and bone strength which means your lumbar region (lower back) works harder. This makes it’s easier to strain your muscles when you move something heavy or do vigorous exercise.
Additionally, the discs in your back become less flexible with age and produce less synovial fluid to lubricate the bones.
Then there’s sitting. You’re probably not surprised to find that sitting too much can contribute to lower back pain. So, if you sit at a desk all day and then sit in the evening too, you’re setting yourself up for back pain.
For one, be aware of your posture. Computer work typically causes people to sit hunch forward. This contributes to rounded shoulders and sometimes a chin jutting out which can lead to more pressure on your lumbar region. Investing in a supporting chair can make a big difference.
Some people find a gaming chair is ideal in this situation. Gamers tend to sit in front of dual screens for long periods of time, similar to the amount of time you may sit at your desk. A gaming chair provides comfort and support to your lower back and neck, the same places you may be having issues with so it may help.
Between the normal aging process and today’s sedentary lifestyles, it’s a perfect storm for nerve irritation or bone lesions.
One other reason you might be experiencing back pain is because of an accident. If you have sustained a back injury as the result of the negligence of another person you might be able to make a claim for personal injury compensation.
Here’s How Chiropractic Care Works
Dr. McQuaite will start by discussing your medical history. You’ll share your symptoms and lifestyle. He’ll also examine your posture and take x-rays to see what’s inside. The X-rays will illustrate the cause of your chronic lower back pain. If you have the beginnings of arthritis it will be visible, so will nerve damage, unhealed scar tissue, and dozens of other possibilities.
From there, your chiropractor will recommend a course of treatment. That treatment plan can cover things like heat and cold therapy, a number of visits, and more.
How Quickly Will You Find Relief?
Relief varies for everyone as conditions are different but many find some pain relief after their very first visit. After a few weeks of regular visits, you may find the pain lessens and you have more mobility than you did before.
Of course, making some other adjustments in your lifestyle will contribute too. Regular moderate exercise like walking will help. Not only does moderate exercise help keep you fit, but also, it releases feel-good endorphins in your body which are natural pain relief.
Other adjustments such as your sitting posture and height of the computer can also help. Your monitor should be eye level to take the strain off your neck from bending forward for hours at a time.
You don’t have to live with chronic lower back pain. Discover your lower back pain causes and find relief with a chiropractor.
