Did You Know?
· 8 out of 10 Australians suffer from low back pain at some time in their lives.
· Back pain is the second leading cause of time loss at work in Australia (second only to the common cold).
· Back pain is one of the costliest forms of time loss from work.
What Are The Causes?
Low back pain has a variety of causes, from simple muscle strains to damaged discs. The following are three common causes:
1. Sacroiliac Syndrome
Your Sacroiliac or SI joints sit on either side of your tailbone at the base of your spine. They are large joints which are important in everyday life because they move when you walk and they dampen the shock that each step places on your body. Think of them as shock absorbers. But they can become locked which causes a generalized dull ache in the low back which may also be felt in the buttocks or even down the back of the thigh. Protective muscle spasm may also occur which limits normal activity; however, there are no muscles that actually cross the SI joints. That is one of the reasons this type of low back pain does not respond to stretching and exercise alone and often requires chiropractic adjustments to relieve the pain.
2. Facet Joint Syndrome
This is a very common cause of lower back disorders. Facet joints occur in pairs at the back of each vertebra and they prevent excessive motion of the spine. When these joints are exposed to excessive trauma - from sports, work, normal aging, etc. - they can become inflamed and motion may be restricted at a particular level of your spine. This may cause low back pain or even pain which is felt in the back of the thigh. Once again, protective muscle spasm may further complicate the situation.
3. Ruptured Discs
The term "slipped disc" is actually a misnomer which does not really occur. Each vertebra is separated from its neighbour by a cushioned disc. Each disc is tightly attached to its neighbouring two vertebrae and can therefore, never "slip" out of place. What can happen, though, is that a disc which has weakened due to repetitive injury or small traumas may rupture. This allows some of the soft center material to leak out through the tough outer casing into the vertebral canal. This "leak" can press on the nerves which go to your legs, causing sharp pain down to your toes. This leg pain is often worse than the back pain itself. This is a less common form of back pain than SI or Facet Joint Syndrome, but it is somewhat more serious
What Should I Do?
 Eighty percent of back pain will go away on its own after two months. Then why seek help from a Chiropractor? Dr Craig Armstrong from Life Line Chiropractic says that he provides low back pain treatment for Rockingham and surrounding suburbs residents. He says that Chiropractic treatment can greatly reduce the time it takes for you to return to full form. In fact, if treated early enough after an injury, your recovery will be much quicker than if you left it for several weeks. He added that untreated lower back pain which resolves on its own reoccurs at a rate of 80%!
Chiropractic treatment will help prevent recurrences by ensuring that you have proper motion in your spine through adjustments and by identifying weak areas which need strengthening.
Take Action.
Give Life Line Chiropractic a call NOW on 9592 1878 so Craig can assess your lower back pain and begin you journey to being pain free. |
