Evidence-Based Solutions for Back Pain

Bottom Line: So, you’ve got back pain. It’s altered your life, changed your daily activities, curbed your exercise, and maybe even made you a bit irritable. Now what? Well, it's important to know you’re not alone. Nearly everyone will experience back pain at some point in their life. Thankfully we have a method of care to help you get back on your feet without the risks associated with medications and surgery. Chiropractic!  Research has shown that adjustments help over 90% of people recover from back pain.  

Why it Matters: Recovering from a back injury can be mentally tough. Many of us don’t realize what we take for granted until an injury alters our perspective. But with the correct evidence-based care, you will be back and better than ever in no time. Over the past few years, there have been considerable advancements in our understanding of the best treatments for back pain. Here are a few of the latest research updates:

- Adjustments have been shown to be more effective at reducing pain than many commonly prescribed medications

- Chiropractic adjustments provided more patients with relief than spinal injections; showed  a recent study from JMPT

- Researchers found patients had just as much relief with chiropractic adjustments as they did with surgery

Next Steps: When recovering from a back injury it’s important to keep a positive attitude, stick with your care plan, and avoid “pushing” through the pain. Your body is designed to heal naturally, without the need for drugs and surgery. Our chiropractic team will work with your body's natural healing instinct to create a specific care plan and help you get your life back.

Science Source:

Symptomatic MRI-Confirmed Lumbar Disk Herniation Patients: A Comparative Effectiveness Prospective Observational Study of 2 Age- and Sex-Matched Cohorts Treated with Either High-Velocity, Low Amplitude Spinal Manipulative Therapy or Imaging-Guided Lumbar Nerve Root Injections. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2013

Manipulation or Microdiskectomy for Sciatica? A Prospective Randomized Clinical Study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2010

Spinal High-Velocity Low Amplitude Manipulation in Acute Nonspecific Low Back Pain. SPINE. 2013

How Sitting Can Ruin Your Back

Bottom Line: Our bodies are designed to move! Many of us however, are trapped commuting to work or spending long hours at a desk staring at a computer screen. For all of the advantages of the modern world, we have noticed an increase in sedentary tendencies.  Shockingly, this mostly sedentary lifestyle has been linked to a vast array of disease. Researchers have found too much sitting each day is as dangerous as smoking! Yes, it’s true. Too much time sitting may be one of our most challenging health epidemics.

Why it Matters: Long hours of sitting each day wreak havoc on the muscles and support system of your low back. The deep stabilizing muscles of your low back atrophy and your hamstrings shorten, or become tight. When your spine doesn’t have strong stabilizing muscles, you are more likely to have an injury. After an injury, many of us slow down our activity even more. It’s a vicious cycle! But, you have the power to stop this cycle with a combination of chiropractic care and exercise. Here are a few pointers:

- Too much sitting is now considered as dangerous as smoking

- Our bodies are designed to move

- Sedentary lifestyles can lead to a vast array of diseases, but exercise and chiropractic can halt many of these challenges

Next Steps: Considering the dangers of too much sitting, you should take every opportunity you can to stay active throughout the day. Standing desks are a fantastic way to change positions and keep your back healthy while still getting work done on the computer. Also, taking short breaks each hour to stretch or walk around the office is a great way to increase your energy level and engage the muscles supporting your low back. If you're technologically savvy, there are even wearable devices available you can program to give you a small vibration as a reminder that it’s time to stand up and to get moving!

Science Source:

Traditional and Emerging Lifestyle Risk Behaviors and All-Cause Mortality in Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Evidence from a Large Population-Based Australian Cohort. December 2015

Bad Disc Slowing You Down?

Bottom Line: Spinal discs play an essential role in your low back, acting as small shock absorbers and giving you the ability to move in many different directions. Your discs are comprised of two major parts- an outer ring of cartilage which provides support and a jelly-like center that facilities motion. As age and injuries catch up with us, the disc can herniate. A herniated disc is when the middle (the jelly) of the disc breaks through the outer wall irritating a spinal nerve and causing severe pain in your back or leg. Researchers have found this most often occurs between the ages of 35-50.

Why it Matters: Almost everyone knows someone who has suffered from pain caused by a herniated, slipped, or bulging disc. The pain can be so intense that many people think surgery is the only way to correct it. Well, we have good news. Research has shown people who choose chiropractic adjustments had the same amount of relief as those who chose surgery! And what about those medications that mask the pain but fail to correct the problem? Well, research has shown chiropractic adjustment to be significantly better than many of the common drugs prescribed for back pain.  Here are some take away points:

- Top-research journal, SPINE, has recommended the use of adjustments for back pain

- Adjustments were shown to provide significantly more relief than medications

- Adjustments have been shown to be just as effective as surgery for taking care of herniated discs

Next Steps: Your spinal discs stay healthy by having strong muscular support and a full range of motion. Keep your spine stabilizing muscles healthy by committing to daily exercise. And what about maintaining a full range of motion? It’s easy! Chiropractic adjustments gently and effective help restore proper range of motion in your neck, mid-back, and low back.  When your spine is moving well with appropriate support- you are going to be feeling great!

Science Source:

Spinal High-Velocity Low Amplitude Manipulation in Acute Nonspecific Low Back Pain. SPINE. 2013

Manipulation or Microdiskectomy for Sciatica? A Prospective Randomized Clinical Study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2010

Back Facts to Keep You Active

Bottom Line: Nothing can slow you down faster than a bad back. It can be difficult to exercise, play sports, or even get to the grocery store when your back hurts. Age, lack of exercise, excess weight, improper lifting, and too many hours sitting can all result in low back pain. Research has shown that over 80% of people will experience back pain at some point in their life. The good news is that researchers have also found that chiropractic care can not only help get you back on track after an injury, but could also help prevent future episodes of low back pain from occurring.

Why it Matters: Your spine is a marvel of engineering and design. Curves in your neck, mid-back, and low back distribute the load of gravity just like Roman architecture. The spinal discs act as a natural shock absorption system that is both strong and flexible. And winding its way through it all is our spinal cord and nerve roots- the magnificent communication system within our body. Keeping your back healthy is much more important than just avoiding aches and pains. A stable and supported back is essential to maintaining a high quality of life. Here are a few take away points:

- The nervous system is protected and housed within your spinal column as it travels to and from your brain to body

- Back pain is often caused by the muscles or discs of the spine

- Chiropractic care has been shown to help over 90% of people find relief from back pain while also providing a statistically significant improvement in function

Next Steps: Doctors can assess the “health” of your spine through x-ray and a physical exam looking at range of motion, strength, and posture. By periodically checking your spine, we can help you take a pro-active approach to your spinal health. Research has shown that maintenance chiropractic care can help evaluate, detect, and prevent future episodes of low back pain. And, as you now know, spinal health is directly associated with living your best life!

Science Source:

A Nonsurgical Approach to the Management of Patients with Lumbar Radiculopathy Secondary to Herniated Disk: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study with Follow-Up. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2009

Does Maintained Spinal Manipulation Therapy for Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain Result in Better Long-Term Outcome? SPINE. 2011