Low Back Pain

Causes of Low Back Pain

Coming soon…
 

Prevention & Tips

Proper posture and ergonomic lifestyle modifications play a significant role in the health of your back. How you sit, stand, and move is crucial to overcoming low back pain and/or managing it effectively. This includes understanding appropriate lifting techniques, avoidance of repetitive motions, avoidance of prolonged sitting, and much more. We can teach you correct poor habits and offer you with tools to protect your back from discomfort and injury.
 

Manual Therapy

Other manual therapies such as massage, trigger point therapy, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, and acupressure therapy may be utilized to assist in the relaxation of lumbar muscles and increase lumbar spine mobility.

Low back stabilization exercises are commonly prescribed to patients suffering from low back pain. These exercises are designed to teach the patient how to maintain a “neutral” spinal position, as well as subconsciously enhance the muscles ability to stabilize and protect the spine from injury. Exercises and stretches are unique in that they can be performed outside the office without the assistance of the doctor. Ask Dr. Cori Seyhoon about the McKenzie protocol for disc bulges.

Physical therapies may also be employed and include hot and cold applications, muscle stimulation, cold laser, interferential therapy, therapeutic ultrasound, percussor, and diathermy.

Diet and nutrition also play a key role in the health of the spine. Without the proper nutrients, the lumbar spine and rest of the body are less able to remain healthy and heal once injured. If your diet and nutritional status is poor, we can help get you on track.
 

How to Maintain a Healthy Lower Back

  1. Regular spinal checkups. Maintaining proper alignment and functioning of the lower back through periodic spinal adjustments minimizes the stresses to structures of the lower back. Also, keeping the nervous system free from interference ensures proper communication between the various structures of the lower back.
  2. Proper lifting and ergonomics. Practicing proper lifting techniques and ergonomics are key in preventing lower back injury at work and preventing future recurrences of old injuries.
  3. Regular exercise. Routine physical activity keeps the whole body healthy. A minimum of 3-5 times per week for 30 minutes should be your goal. Involve friends and family, mix up the activities, keep it fun and stay consistent!
  4. Proper diet and nutrition. Providing your body with the proper fuel increases performance, reduces the likelihood of injury and sickness, speeds recovery after injury, and keeps you feeling good. If, like the rest of us, you’re finding it difficult to get all the nutrients your body needs, it’s probably time to supplement.

If you’re suffering from low back pain, join the millions of other individuals who have benefited from gentle, safe and natural chiropractic care. Our treatments provide fast, effective relief which not only eliminates pain, but can help increase the performance and health of the entire body.
 

At Home Instructions

  1. Apply ICE for 10-15 mins. (until area is numb), then allow muscles to warm up for 40 minutes. Repeat at least 3-4x/day.
  2. Use a lumbar support pillow when seated at all times. Roll up a couch pillow, or even a bed pillow and use to support the lumbar spine when you are seated. The extra support will help to stabilize the spine, activate specific muscles, and take pressure of your sacrum.
  3. Use Traumeel (a homeopathic arnica-based cream) 3-4x/day. We call it “magic” cream because it works quickly and helps to relieve inflammation and pain. You can read more at www.traumeel.com. You can buy from Whole Foods, or Central Market, or Dr. Cori’s office.
  4. Drink plenty of water. Oftentimes, dehydration will exacerbate back pain, so be sure to get enough throughout the day.
  5. Use spices like Tumeric and Cinnamon to help keep inflammation down.
  6. Change positions frequently. Pain can often be restrictive, however movement is crucial to reducing stiffness and pain, so don’t get stuck in one position for long!
  7. Avoid heavy lifting, laying on your stomach, or bending and twisting motions.
  8. Roll the bottom of your foot with a golf ball to help release the plantar fascia and decrease pressure on the lower back as a result.

 

Disc Herniations

In essence, the discs are like little sponges that function as shock absorbers and cushions. If the discs are injured, it can squeeze out, pressing on a nerve and cause a lot of pain, or irritation in the body. A spinal disc herniation occurs when the inner “jelly-like” material (nucleus pulposus) protrudes, bulges, or herniates out through an outer fibrous layer (annulus fibrosus) of the disc. Once this happens, an inflammatory and chemical reaction is initiated, thereby causing pain. Chiropractic serves to modulate the pain by blocking the nociceptors (pain signals) to the disc and reducing pressure on the disc material. Normal alignment and proper biomechanical function is restored. Cryotherapy, Traumeel, rehab exercises and specific disc techniques are used to further help speed this process along.
 

Facet Syndrome

The facet joints are a pair of joints in the posterior aspect of the spine. Although these joints are most commonly called the facet joints, they are more properly termed the zygapophyseal joints (abbreviated as Z-joints; also commonly spelled as “zygapophysial joints”). The Z-joint is one of the most common sources of back pain and can mimic discogenic pain, muscle tears, or severe abdominal pain. The pain can cause radiating symptoms down the back of the legs and often times it is worse when the patient extends backwards. Chiropractic treatment releases pressure in the Z-joints to allow for proper motion, reduction of scar tissue, adhesions, and degenerative change. Since Facet Syndrome follows a cyclical pattern, it is important for patients to undergo a rehab exercise routine that addresses their unique muscle weaknesses and movement patterns to help break the cycle.