Common Complaints - Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain affects almost everyone at some time, causing restricted movements and untold misery, stress and discomfort. It also causes millions of people to take valuable time off work, costing companies enormous sums in sick pay and lost production.

Recent studies has proved chiropractic as an effective treatment of low back pain. Chiropractors spend approximately 50% of their time treating patients with low back pain. Probably more than any other therapist or health care practitioner. Most low back problems are benign in nature and easily treated by your chiropractor.

What causes lower back pain?
Poor lifting or incorrect carrying of heavy weights
Poor posture
Unsuitable seats or beds
Sports or other injury
Stress
Pregnancy
General "wear and tear"

The body is supported by the spine, which carries our spinal cord and nervous system. Nerves branch of the spinal cord between each vertebrae. Therefore injury of the joints may lead not only to local inflammation and pain, but also irritation of the spinal nerves causing pain elsewhere in the body.

Slipped disc is a frequently used, but inaccurate term to describe a damaged disc. This disc are the flexible pads that separate one vertebra from another. When damaged they may rupture or bulge causing back and/or leg pain also known as sciatica. Chiropractic treatment can mobilise the spine to reduce any inflammation around the spinal cord or nerves.

Sciatica is caused by irritation of the sciatic nerve, which runs from the base of the spine down the back of the leg to the foot. Unless there is a specific injury to this region, pain here is "referred" from other areas. The nerves that supplies the sciatic region come from the lower back.

Do's & Dont's for Acute Back/Joint Pain

Do's: Ice for 20 minutes every 90 minutes (wrap ice-pack in towell for 2-3 days)
Take a 30 second walk every 3 15 minutes - Take a 20 minute walk two times a day

Don't: Don't sit for more than 15 minutes at any one time, Don't sit on a soft sofa or couch, use a hard dining chair - Don't sleep on your stomach - don't take hot bath or use heat

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