Why Do We Get Low Back Pain?

Nearly all of us will get back pain at some time in our lives and it can be so debilitating that you probably think that you never want to have it again! Some people feel a bit of discomfort for a few days that resolves but sometimes it can be very painful and not settle at all.

Although painkillers and anti inflammatory medication can help, they should only be seen as a short term solution. If you have back pain that does not go within a few days then it is a good idea to seek the help of a chiropractor in Southampton.

At the Avenue Clinic, our team of experienced chiropractors are trained to investigate the cause of your pain, not just treat the painful area.

What causes low back pain?

There are so many reasons and often your pain is an accumulation of many different issues. For example:

You might not be moving properly and overloading the spine – we will find out what is not moving well and why and help you to correct it.

You might have poor posture –  see below the red figure and the office worker on the left – postures such as this put pressure on tissues that are not made to take the added pressure – hence you feel pain sooner or later – but we can help to improve this.

 

You might be stressed – we can help you to relax and breathe better.

You might have problems with your feet – see how the wrong shoes can overload your foot and ankle joints

and lead to poor foot mechanics, which often leads to back pain. It can take ages to be aware that you have issues with your feet.

You might have weak or inhibited muscles – over time these fail to stabilize the spine properly and you eventually get back pain.

You might have had an accident when you were quite young. You might have been very sporty when younger.

 

But what in the body CAUSES low back pain?

There are lots of tissues in the body that you can irritate that can lead to pain – joints, ligaments, muscles, tendons, discs, nerve roots. If you tear or sprain or strain tissues then they become inflamed, which causes pain. Inflammation or swelling around a nerve root from a disc or a joint problem can give you leg pain (sciatica) or pain can be referred from other tissues to the buttock, groin area or leg. A thorough chiropractic examination can differentiate whether the pain is from nerves or is more mechanical.

What can you do about it?

Give us a call!

Chiropractic has proven to be a gentle, effective treatment to help low back pain. One of our patients says this about his treatment:

“I’m 36 and reasonably active. I first went to see Jan 6 years ago after stupidly trying to lift something too heavy. My back ‘went’ and I was in agony. She fixed me up and has given me lots of great advice ever since. No question is too much hassle for her. The people that work at the clinic are always warm & friendly. Contrary to popular opinion a chiropractor isn’t painful, in fact it’s rather enjoyable, a bit like a massage. I’m proof that you don’t have to be ‘old’ to go see a chiropractor. If you live in the area and have any sort of back problems pop in and see Jan.”

All of the chiropractors in Southampton’s Avenue Clinic are experienced in dealing with low back pain though.

Chiropractic treatment does not just mean that we ‘crack backs’. Chiropractic treatment is a pathway of care that can involve any of the following treatments in order to help release the natural healing ability of your body:

  • Manipulation (gentle, specific adjustments of joints that might make that cracking sound!)
  • Mobilisation (no cracking noise!)
  • Soft tissue treatments
  • Ultrasound therapy
  • Assessment of your faulty movement patterns
  • Postural correction
  • Corrective exercises
  • Advice on how to correctly do everyday tasks to avoid back pain in the future

This effective, drug-free treatment is generally painless, although you may feel some short-term discomfort if your back is very sore. Your chiropractor may recommend using an ice pack or heat to reduce any soreness.

If you are suffering low back pain why not give us a call for advice or to make an appointment.

Our experienced team of Southampton Chiropractors are here to help you.

You may also find our recent post on low back pain of interest.