LOW BACK PAIN SYMPTOMS, CAUSES, TREATMENT, AND EXERCISES TO FIX BACK PAIN?

The patient in this video below was suffering from low back pain.

The symptoms of low back pain can feel like a sharp knife-like pain in the low back or dull and annoying, nagging pain in the lower back worse with certain movements or activities.

This patient usually had no low back pain but would experience occasional sharp severe pain in her low back that was usually brought on by walking.

Symptoms of low back pain include

• Pain in the low back
• Referred pain in the hips thighs and gluteal regions
• Pain leaning back with extension in the lumbar spine
• Stiffness and back pain moving in certain directions or going from sitting to standing
• Tight and spastic muscles in the low back
• Pain when sitting, standing, bending or lifting

What Are Some Common Causes Low Back Pain In Women?

The cause of lower back pain is generally thought to be from repetitive stress, degeneration, and acute trauma to the spine.

1. Acute traumas

Acute low back pain can come from from a car accident, whiplash, falls, and sports injuries may cause lower back pain to begin in your spine.

2. Degeneration of the intervertebral discs

As the disc spaces degenerate and thin as we age and the joint between the vertebrae called facet joints are forced to pick up more of the load and weight distribution in the spine.

This causes chronic wear and tear, arthritis, and inflammation in the facet joints.

3. Facet syndrome

Facet syndrome is a disorder in the lumbar facet joints and can cause localized pain in the low back and also radiating pain or sciatica. Often times this radiating pain is into the legs, thighs, and feet.

The facet joints are the joints in the back of their vertebrae where the top vertebrae and bottom vertebrae join together. Chronic irritation of these facet joints is called "facet syndrome".

Studies estimate 31% of the low back is from the facet joints in the lower back.

4. Arthritis in the low back.

Arthritis represents 15 to 52% of all the chronic low back pain in the population

5. Bulging or herniated discs

Discs in the spine act as the shock absorbers for weight and forces between the bones (vertebrae) in your spine. The soft gel-like material inside a disk can herniate or bulge or bulge out and cause a pinched nerve or sciatica. Your Chiropractor can see Disc disease on an X-rays but to see a bulging or herniated disc an MRI is required.

6. Skeletal irregularities

Conditions such as scoliosis and developing missing or extra lumbar vertebrae can lead to back pain. An X-ray done by your Chiropractor can rule out any of these anomalies.

7. More serious causes like cancer, infection or kidney problems

When should you worry about your lower back pain?

These causes of lower back pain are much more serious and should be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. A referral will be made by your Chiropractor if cancer, infection or internal organ problems are the suspected cause of your lower back pain.

Low Back Pain Treatments

For a chiropractic perspective low back pain is treated with chiropractic adjustments, physiotherapies like electrical muscle stimulation, ultrasound therapy, spinal decompression therapy, specific strengthening/stretching exercises, and massage or myofascial release therapy for tight, sore, and spasmed muscles.

Your Chiropractor may refer you out for other treatments like back injections, medications, or in some cases surgery.

Your chiropractor is trained in the diagnoses, treatment, and management of facet syndrome treatment. Chiropractic adjustments reset and realign the facet joints increasing the joints mobility and ranges of motion which allow the joints to function better.

I wrote about chiropractic care for spine, neck, and back pain last month in a prior blog post. Your Chiropractor Explains Low Back Chiropractic Manipulation How Does It Work.

Low Back Pain Exercises

1. Super Mans

• Lie face down with your stomach on the ground and extend both arm and legs out behind you while extending your back while raising both the hands and feet off the floor into full extension.
• Hold the back, legs, and hands in extension for 2-4 seconds.
• Return to the starting position

2. Hamstring stretches

• Lay on your back and wrap both hands or a towel around your knee.
• Gently pull your leg back towards your head until you feel a good stretch. Hold for 24 seconds. Repeat on the opposite side.
• Perform for 15 minutes 1-2 times per day.

3. Wall squats

• Stand and lean your back against a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Slide down the wall slowly until your knees are bent to close to 90 degrees. Do not let your butt go below your knees.
• Hold this position for 5-10 seconds.
• Push your body back up.
• Perform 15 minutes per day.

Is walking good for low back pain?

Yes, it usually is but in some cases walking makes your back pain feel worse.

Takeaway

Low back pain causes, treatments, and exercises are properly managed by Chiropractors.

X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs may be used as diagnostic procedures in the diagnosis of low back pain.

Injections, medications, or surgery may be referred to if low back pain does not resolve with chiropractic care.

Chiropractic treatment for low back pain is a noninvasive, proven, safe, and effective.

Most chiropractors will also start their patients on chiropractic adjustments and physical therapies in their office to treat and manage low back pain.

If you have more questions about seeing a chiropractor for low back pain take a look at a recent blog post I wrote Is Chiropractic safe?

I answer questions like

• Can a Chiropractor paralyze you?
• Can a Chiropractor hurt your back?
• Can a Chiropractor break your neck?

If you have any additional questions please feel free to get in touch.

In health,

Dr. Jeffrey Gerdes, D.C.