What are the types of lower back pain?
1. Mechanical
– Our lower back moves in harmony with our spinal facet joints, muscles, discs, and ligaments. Mechanical back pain refers to the dysfunction of any one of these elements.
2. Neurological
– Spinal nerve roots exit through each level of our spine. Compression of nerve roots at any one level may cause pain at the affected level or at distant areas of the body such as arms and legs, with numbness or electrical sensations.
3. Other conditions which can be systemic or organ-related
– Diseases of other bodily systems may cause lower back pain. This includes kidney stones, urinary tract infections, aneurysms, etc., all of which can cause pain in the lower back.
Most cases of lower back pain tend to be mechanical in nature. This may be due to muscle imbalances, instability, poor mobility, or movement.
What are the signs and symptoms of lower back pain?
Lower back pain presents itself in various ways. Some of the most common symptoms include:
• pain with activity, including sitting or standing for long periods
• exaggerated lower back arch
• difficulty transferring from sitting to standing
• muscle spasm with sudden movement
• relief when lying down
• relief when sitting and bending forward
Serious symptoms that may require urgent medical attention include:
• Sudden weight loss
• Loss of bowel and bladder control
• Night pain that wakes you up
Can I have a problem in my lower back without having pain?
Yes. Our lower back is the junction for many large and strong muscles and ligaments of the human body. Symptoms of a dysfunctional lower back can be masked by compensation from other parts of our musculoskeletal system. This means that even though you do not have pain in your lower back, underlying problems such as weak muscles, poor posture, instability, etc. may still exist in dormant.
How does it affect me?
Left untreated, the effect of lower back pain can invade your everyday life, causing discomfort and disability. Loading our spine unevenly increases our risk of an injury that is waiting to happen. A dysfunctional lower back affects essential movements of the body such as lifting, getting up from bed, bending down to tie our shoes, and more. In the long term, a problem in any movement is a problem in every movement, and this is especially true for a major stabiliser such as the lower back.
Chiropractic care
Back pain does not just appear out of thin air, and it is not “all in your head”. There is always a reason for back pain. To remove it, you need to figure out why it started in the first place. Chiropractic treatment is effective for lower back pain. Our goal as chiropractors is to identify the underlying cause of pain and guide our patients toward a safer, healthier, lifestyle.
To accomplish this, some of our treatment plans include:
• Chiropractic adjustments
• Muscle release techniques
• Laser therapy
• Decompression traction therapy
• Kinesio-taping
• Stretches and rehabilitative exercises
• Ergonomic and lifestyle advice
If you found this information helpful, book an appointment TODAY at 03-56119960 to get your lower back screened and treated by our Chiropractors.
