Back pain can be extremely intense and can impact someone’s quality of life greatly. Nearly eight out of ten people experience back pain at some point in their lives. It is a very common ailment and therefore is one of the most common reasons people visit specialists like acupuncturists, chiropractors, and naturopaths.
A number of factors can contribute to back pain, previous injuries, sitting and bad posture, dehydration, weak core muscles, carrying extra weight and aging are a few causes of back pain.
Back Composition: What’s Going On?
Our spinal column is made up of four sections: the cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (behind the chest), lumbar spine (lower back) and the sacrum (connects to the pelvis). These sections are composed of bones called vertebraes that protect the spinal cord and nerve roots. Discs of cartilage separate the vertebrae and serve to absorb shock while moving. Surrounding the spinal column are muscles, tendons, and ligaments; tissue that aids the back while moving as well as providing support.
How Does it Happen?
When back pain occurs, the involved joint and its associated structures including nerves, muscles, discs, and ligaments are not functioning properly. This can result in pain and discomfort, muscle weakness, loss of motion, muscle spasms, and/or changes in motor control. Often pain is the last to come. First, there is a decline in function and disturbed bio mechanics which then can lead symptoms, degeneration, and/or pain.
Types of back pain
Back pain can be categorized in two ways: chronic and acute. Chronic pain is a constant, aching strain that tends to last long periods of time. This type of pain can significantly impact your lifestyle, as many everyday acts can cause strain on the back. Acute pain is generally less severe, but sharper and usually more localized to a specific spot on the back.
Fortunately, at the Dronyk Health Clinic, we treat both types of pain, often through acupuncture and chiropractic medicine, and generally will add in some anti-inflammatory supplements that will aid the body in healing faster.
Prevention
Regular exercising can help to keep your back strong and flexible and prevent damage. In particular, ensuring you have a strong core is extremely important. Daily planks, holding for 30 seconds to 2 minutes will help to strengthen your core and decrease your chances of back pain. Make sure to check with your doctor that your form and technique is good.
Decreasing inflammation in your life, such as eating a clean diet, and avoiding environmental toxins will also help to prevent back pain.
Monthly acupuncture and chiropractic sessions can keep the muscles, nerves, and bones healthy and strong.
Treatment
When patients come to the clinic with pain, often they will receive acupuncture to begin. This will help to relax muscles and acts as a pain analgesic. It will also help the chiropractic adjustment to go easier and less painfull. If necessary, natural anti-inflammatories, as well as remedies to help heal the body quicker, may be prescribed. Depending on the intensity of the pain and where it is located, strengthening and flexibility exercises may be given.
Dronyk Health Clinic believes that communication is the key to a successful patient-doctor relationship. When you book a consultation with us, our doctors will collect the necessary information to determine what your overall goal is in coming to us. Once we determine that, we move on to figuring out the best treatment to reduce your pain as much as possible. We look forward to helping you with your health concerns and help you to develop a strong back which will lead to preventing back pain.
