Many patients that I see in my chiropractic practice have back pain. Some people experience sudden short-term discomfort. This is called acute pain. However, some people have constant back pain for years or suffer from frequent long-term episodic pain. This is called chronic pain. Although pain can exist for many years, it can be addressed and alleviated. This article will discuss chronic spinal pain and approaches to lessen this common disease.
When I see a patient with chronic spinal pain, three areas of consideration can be addressed.
First, we look at a person’s body weight. The joints in the spine are called facet joints. Spinal discs are like cushions or cushions between the bones of the spine called vertebrae. The more weight we place on the discs and joints in the spine, the greater the likelihood that these deeper anatomical structures will begin to fail and cause pain. In fact, when we look at X-rays of the spine, we see real signs of wear and tear or degeneration. The discs wear out and appear “bone on bone.” The disc space will show a reduction in height as the disc wears. We will also see a build-up of calcium in areas of the spinal vertebrae known as “bone spurs.”
The obvious solution is to help overweight or obese patients lose a reasonable amount of weight. While I do not offer weight reduction programs in my office, it is very easy for the patient to follow a safe and reliable program. Personally, I like that patients engage in a keto-like plan to address body weight challenges.
A second area to consider in reducing chronic spinal pain is introducing proper body movement. Anyone who has to sit for long hours knows intuitively that if he gets up and walks for a bit, he feels better. When muscles, ligaments, and joints move safely and reasonably, they send signals to the brain that naturally slow down and reduce pain signals. If a person can walk comfortably, this is by far the best exercise to reduce chronic back pain. However, if walking is not possible, swimming, riding a stationary bike, or water aerobics are certainly acceptable activities.
The third aspect to address in relieving back pain is proper spinal alignment and movement. Chiropractic care is the gold standard for helping chronic spinal pain. Chiropractors use spinal adjustments, sometimes called spinal manipulation, to restore proper alignment and movement of the facet joints in the spine. Adjustments help reduce chronic irritation of the facet joints and spinal nerves. For 125 years, chiropractic physicians have been able to help chronic back pain sufferers achieve pain reduction and relief.
Anyone seeking relief from their chronic and long-term back pain can use one or all of the aforementioned approaches to seeking wellness.