Low Back Pain

Do I have to live with it?

Pain is a warning sign. Like the piercing sound from a smoke alarm, the alarm isn't the problem. The alarm has a cause, just like every ache or pain has a cause. Some people choose to cover up the pain instead of correcting the cause.

What's your approach?

The most successful choice of care is often chiropractic. Adjusting instruments deliver controlled, corrective forces in a sequence that affect spinal and neurological structures to get at the cause of your pain.

The nerve-rich facet joints on the backside of each spinal bone are a common cause of back pain. If these pairs of interlocking joints aren't moving properly, they can cause painful symptoms.

The discs between spinal bones can also be a source of back pain. These rings of fibrous tissue act as spacers, connectors, and "shock absorbers" for the spine. Trauma can cause the fluid in the middle to bulge or become herniated, putting pressure and inflammation on delicate nearby nerves.

Once you know the cause, you have several choices. One approach is bed rest. But research shows that prolonged bed rest can actually delay recovery and make the problem worse. Physical therapy is another option. But exercising spinal joints that aren't working right is like continuing to drive your car with misaligned tires. Another choice is to numb or cover up the pain with drugs.

While drugs may offer temporary relief, they don't correct functional problems of affected spinal joints, or restore proper movement. The most drastic measure is surgery. A laminectomy cuts off the offending facet joints, leaving the spinal cord exposed! A spinal fusion cuts out the disc tissue and immobilizes the joint. While there may be times when surgery makes sense, it's expensive, risky and more than half of all back surgeries fail.

The most successful, least risky, and least invasive choice of care is chiropractic.

More and more people are choosing chiropractic care first. Specific chiropractic adjustments can help improve spinal function. Better yet, chiropractic is safe, natural, and looks to correct the underlying cause of the problem.