Back pain is a serious issue for many people in the United States. Half of all workers in the United States say that they’ve had back pain at some point each year, and experts say that 80% of the country will eventually experience some kind of back problem at some point in life. Back pain disorders can also be debilitating. They are the second most common reason for visits to the doctor’s office.
Getting to the bottom of the cause of back pain is important to treating spinal disorders and achieving rehabilitation. Here are just a few of the things that can cause spinal disorders and what to do about them.
Spinal Disorders
- Lumbar Disk Disease The lumbar is five vertebrae of the lower back. It is not unusual for this area of the back to be damaged or to degenerate, which can damage the discs and cause cartilage to bulge out. This spinal disorder is often treated with medication, physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, epidural steroid blocks, and even spinal fusion or artificial disc replacement.
- Sciatica Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve in the lower back is pressed in some way. This pressure manifests in a tingling or painful feeling. This type of spinal disorder is also often treated by medication, physical therapy, sympathetic blocks, and even spinal fusion in very serious cases.
- General Low Back Pain Of all spinal disorders, general pain in the lower back is the most common type. This can result from an injury or strain, aging, overuse, a compression fracture, or from arthritis and osteoporosis. Chiropractors, medication, physical therapy, spinal fusion, and epidural steroid blocks are some of the more common ways of treating this spinal disorder.
- Degenerative Disk Disease The cartilage between each vertebra in the spine can degrade over time. This degradation interferes with the ability of the cartilage to properly cushion the vertebrae. This, too, is frequently treated with medication, physical therapy, artificial disc replacement, epidural steroid blocks, and even spinal fusion.
Getting Help
These are just a few of the spinal disorders that a person can suffer from, and many of the more aggressive medical treatments are offered as a last resort because of their poor track record of effectiveness. For many people, getting chiropractic or physical therapy help and trying exercises can often be the smartest first move in achieving relief from back pain.
Chiropractors
A chiropractor is a spinal disorder expert who can help you understand the best ways of getting relief from the pain of spinal disorders and when it would be a good idea to seek more aggressive medical treatment. A recent survey among American adults found that over 80% of them believed chiropractic care can provide at least some help, if not a great deal of help, with pain in the neck or back. While some back issues will require surgical intervention, a chiropractor can help you understand if it’s at all possible to avoid this outcome.
Exercise
One of the most effective treatments for spinal disorders is the proper exercise. This is something that a chiropractor or physical therapist can help you with. They will have a list of various pain relieving exercises that can also help to strengthen the back. A survey done in 2017 among American adults with back problems found that almost 30% of them believed that stress was the primary cause, and another 26% blamed a lack of exercise or weakened muscles. Exercise helps with both of these issues.
Regular exercise helps to relieve stress and fills the body with endorphins– naturally occurring chemicals produced by the brain to provide relief from pain and stress. Exercise does not have to be extreme to achieve real stress relief or muscle gains. Yoga is one of the best ways to relieve stress as well as treat spinal disorders. In fact, The Annals of Internal Medicine recently published a study showing that a weekly yoga class had more effect on mobility for low back pain sufferers than standard medical care.
You don’t have to live with back pain forever. Find a chiropractor or physical therapist who can get you started on the path to recovery and help you understand your options for getting the best relief.
