Chiropractic for Low Back Pain
Chiropractors and low back pain go hand-in-hand.
It is what chiropractors are best known for. And with good reason. Chiropractors are great at treating low back pain and there is research to back up that statement.
To understand why chiropractic is great for low back pain we need to first understand what happens in low back pain.
What Causes Low Back Pain?
From an anatomical point of view it can be caused by any of the following:
Inflamed and irritated joints
Decreased range of motion
Osteoarthritis
Disc Herniations (5-20%%)
Spinal Stenosis (~ 25%)
Cancer, fractures and infections (> 1%)
The majority of cases are the top three causes of back pain. The type of back pain 80% of us will have at some point in our lives.
BUT, back pain is not that simple. We can have back pain with very little or no changes to our anatomy. How? Well, the brain is tricky. It remembers pain and changes to your sleep, stress levels and general health all play a role.
What Causes your back to “go out”?
it is typically a result of either:
Too much load over a short period.
Raking the yard all weekend, and you only do it twice a year.
Moving your back in positions it does not like.
Think of twisting and lifting something and feeling that sharp pain. Typically this happens because your hip did not rotate enough and your back tried to make up the difference.
Lifestyle
This is the back pain that frustrates my patients the most. They technically did not do anything to irritate it. No lifting, no raking, no new exercise. BUT they have been sleeping terribly, not eating well and have high stress.
In all of the above causes, your muscles will tighten up around your joints, your joints become inflamed and your pain levels rise.
All of a sudden you are walking around like there is something shoved up your butt, you’re scared to get up from sitting and forget rolling over in bed.
Everything sucks.
So the question is…..
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU GET LOW BACK PAIN?
First off, focus on your breathing and remember this will go away with time.
I also recommend breathing because this turns off your fight or flight nervous system (sympathetic nervous system) which makes the pain worse. Long slow exhales will help activate your parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you decrease pain levels and feel more relaxed overall. And who couldn’t use more relaxation when you’re in pain?
Keep MOVING. I know, I know it hurts. But if you can move even a little bit, even a micron. This will tell your brain, you’re not dying. Your brain goes into protection mode when you are hurt. This is what pain is. Pain is protection.
Your brain wants you to survive above all else. So, sometimes when you are in a lot of pain your brain thinks you’re in danger and as a result, you think. “I should just stay here and not move and I’ll be fine.” But it’s your job to show your brain that everything is ok. Moving is what tells your brain, you are ok. So, I know it sucks but it works.
You’ve been moving, you’ve been breathing but your back still hurts.
You’re asking yourself. Should I go to the hospital? Should I go to my family doctor? Or, should I try out a chiropractor?
WHEN TO SEE A CHIROPRACTOR FOR LOW BACK PAIN
If your back is hurting, chiropractic is a great place to be. We are the back pain experts.
Because chiropractors are experts at treating low back pain we know when you should go to the hospital.
We assess how you move, your reflexes, your nervous system and rule out red flags (think super scary medical things like signs of cancer) when you come in. We do not want to treat you if you have anything that requires immediate medical attention and we will direct you to the ER. (Of course, go to the hospital if you feel like you are in an emergency).
Once, we have ruled out anything terrible and have diagnosed your issue we can begin treatment.
What does a chiropractor do to treat low back pain?
This depends on a lot of things. A lot of chiropractors treat differently.
However, if you are coming into my clinic, our main goal is to get your pain levels down. To do this we use a combination of things.
We explain what is wrong. Once you understand, it is less scary.
We use a combination of muscle work, acupuncture and Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Therapy (I call it the scrappy thing, it does not hurt btw.)
We’ll adjust your back, if that makes sense and you are ok with it. That is when your back goes “pop”. That popping noise is when the fluid inside your joints has a release of gas. It moves the joints and relaxes the surrounding muscles.
Exercises, we will give you some exercises or stretches that will feel good and loosen up your joints and muscles.
Education. We tell you what not to do and what to do.
Not only is this treatment style effective but it is based on research. The World Health Organization just released practice guidelines for treating low back pain in 2023 and chiropractic adjustments, exercises and education are all listed.
Like taking medication most times, one treatment is not going to solve your problem instantly. Typical low back pain will fully resolve within a few treatments.
In summary, back pain will happen to most of us and it can take over your life when it does. As chiropractors, we know how difficult it is and our main priority is to have you feeling better as soon as possible. It’s what we are trained for and what we love to do.