Lower back pain can be caused by a variety of different factors.  Each patient’ treatment options will vary and will depend on the level of pain and diagnosis made by the Chiropractor or medical physician they see.  Some patients may experience persistent pain that is due to a muscle strain or sprain in the lower back region, while other patients may experience back pain due to poor posture.  Other activities such as improper lifting, exercising without stretching or having an underlying condition can all attribute to patients having lower back pain.  Each diagnosis is different and every patient’s recovery time will vary depending on the severity of the pain and initial diagnosis made by the doctor.  

Chiropractic care

Patients that experience acute pain can generally get relief by exercise and slight changes in their daily habits.  In most cases surgery is not needed for acute lower back pain.   Another lower back treatment for patients that are experiencing acute pain is chiropractic care.  Chiropractic care is a great option for patients because it doesn’t require the patient to take medication or on site injections.  It’s great for someone who isn’t looking for a long term medication plan, but wants a natural, safe treatment for their pain.  A chiropractor can assess your underlying issues and make necessary adjustments to realign the lower back into its natural position.  A patient may be seen once a week or more depending on the severity of the issue.  It’s also important that the patient take home the chiropractor’s at home care instructions to ensure the adjustments hold their positioning longer. 

Surgery

Patients that are experiencing more serious or chronic back pain may have to resort to surgery.  This is always the last resort when all other options have been exhausted for the patient.  If chiropractic treatments are not remedying your problem, the chiropractor will refer you to a medical doctor who will determine if you need surgery.

Lower back aches are  commonly felt by adults and the elderly.  They can be caused by a strain or sprain within the back, or even a previous underlying medical condition.  In some cases lower back pain can mean that a patient has arthritis or even spinal stenosis.  These conditions or other underlying conditions can become very serious if they are left untreated. It is important that you seek treatment before your lower back pain becomes debilitating.  In acute cases lower back pain can be very manageable and corrected within a short time. 

Treatments

Chiropractors offer a safe, natural approach to treating low back pain that does not involve medication. The chiropractic approach consists of gentle adjustments to affected vertebra, as well as associated therapies and at-home stretching activities.  This treatment works to correct the physical cause of the back pain, thereby correcting the root of the problem.  On the other hand, medical doctors will typically prescribe a lower dose pain killer to relieve the lower back pain.  Patients have a lot of different options available to them.  Depending on the severity of the low back ache/pain, chiropractors may recommended supplementing their treatment with massages, physical therapy, or an acupuncturist. 

Gonstead chiropractors will find the problem, determine proper medical care, fix the issue and then leave it alone.  They do not require patients to come back for further visits.  The theory of Gonstead Chiropractic states that the body is a foundation, and any change in the foundation can lead to a collapse.  The foundation in the body is formed by the pelvic girdle, and maximum stability and balance is located in the spinal column.  When the pelvic girdle becomes misaligned, negative changes occur throughout the body.  Misalignments can cause a large amount of pain in various parts of the back. 

Subluxation

 Chiropractors refer to a subluxation as a misalignment of the vertebrae that builds up pressure on a disc, causing it to swell.  Chiropractors are able to detect a misaligned vertebra in the spine, especially those in the upper part of the back.  Recognizing and correcting the misaligned spine is an important part of the Gonstead theory.  All parts of the spine should be adjusted to completely correct the subluxation.  If the top and bottom of the vertebra are misaligned, but only the top is corrected, the patient will only experience limited relief.  For complete and long lasting results, all parts of the vertebrae must be identified and adjusted to restore them back to normal.  The purpose of the Gonstead concept is to find the subluxation(s) and correct the problem.  

Do you suffer with chronic low back or neck pain that causes radiating numbness and tingling symptoms into your limbs?  You might be suffering from foraminal narrowing symptoms.  When pain is at its worst, foraminal stenosis can limit your activities of daily living and permit you from doing the things you love, like picking up your grandson or granddaughter, gardening, playing golf or tennis, riding a bike, and even walking short distances.  When the spinal canal narrows this creates less space for the essential nerves and vascular structures, applying pressure and causing nerve pain.  This condition can even cause loss of bladder and bowel function.  The most common cause of neural foraminal stenosis is due to disc degeneration.  Throughout our lifetime, the disc can herniated, causing a disc bulge and later causing stenosis. 

Treatment

Common treatment for this condition includes but is not limited to: Chiropractic adjustments, physical therapy, Cortisone injections, and anti-inflammatory medications.  Back surgery should be used only when all other treatments fail.  The surgery typically has to be repeated because it’s ineffective at decreasing the pain and root of the cause.  By cutting away the foramina, the body will further develop scar tissue/adhesions and cause more pain, inflammation, and decreased mobility.  A Chiropractic technique known as Cox Flexion/Distraction helps to decompress or “pump” the disc to bring blood into the damaged tissues, relieving pain and inflammation and therefore increasing range of motion.  This technique allows normal sensations to return to the arms and legs and eliminates the numbness and tingling.  One must take every consideration into effect when choosing an appropriate treatment for foraminal narrowing.   

Chiropractic Massage Tables

Chiropractic massage tables are used to provide a therapeutic massage on the patient’s spine.  There are several examples of chiropractic massage tables used within the industry.  Depending on the patient’s condition, chiropractic massage tables are typically beneficial in improving existing conditions.  The physician will conduct a health examination with the patient prior to treatment to determine the appropriate chiropractic massage table for treatment.   

Types

The chiropractic massage table is a basic stationary table where patients receive hands-on massages.  Some patients don’t like hands on massages. For that reason, a chiropractic water massage table is more suitable because patients don’t have to be touched or remove clothing.  Chiropractic water massage tables combine heat, massage and water to provide a therapeutic experience.  The water jet massage provides a fully clothed, dry massage.  Physicians may also use a Chiropractic Motorized Massage Table to knead out knots or sooth tender muscles.  The table includes rolling bars that travel along the upper and lower part of the body.  Researchers say that the rollers separate and lift various parts of the spine.  Rollers elevate the back to increase the intensity of pressure during the massage session.  Although many people find this massage beneficial, others say that the bars on the table are painful and tend to be too harsh in some areas of the body.  Depending on the existing health condition, some individuals may experience severe pain when the rollers move along the spine.  Those who don’t like Chiropractic Motorized Massage Table may prefer the chiropractic water massage table as it is gentler on tender or achy muscles.    

Chiropractice, also known as Chiropractic, care should only be performed by real Chiropractor. Chiropractors have to go through seven years of Chiropractic schooling and take all the necessary state board licensure testing in order to practice Chiropractic care.  You should never receive adjustments from a massage therapist or friend, unless they are also a state licensed Chiropractor.  Chiropractic care has been around for thousands of years. It started out in 1895 by Dr. Palmer and has evolved over the years. 

Today’s Chiropractic care

Today, there are several different machines and extra tools that can be used to assist the patients in their recovery time.  Today there are moist heat machines that help to assist the patients in relaxing before receiving their adjustments.  There are also traction devices which assist in the adjustments holding better along with other machines to assist in the removal of built up scar tissue around the joints.  Each Chiropractor will have different machines and extra tools available to the patient if needed.   Chiropractic care is recommended for all age groups, babies, teenagers, the elderly, and adults.  They can all benefit from receiving chiropractic care and adjustments.  Most Chiropractors also take all major insurance cards.  Most insurance companies support Chiropractic care and have an allotment you can use each year.  Some Chiropractors also have in house massage therapists on staff.  This is another benefit to the patient as some insurance policies also allow for an allotment for massages through your Chiropractor.  You can call your insurance company to get more information on the allotment you are allowed per year, and which doctors are covered through your insurance policy.

There’s a vast array of Chiropractic techniques available for the student and practicing Doctor of Chiropractic.  They include but are not limited to:

• Activator Methods
• Blair
• Chiropractic Bio-Physics (CBP)
• Diversified
• Flexion-Distraction
• Full-spine specific
• Gonstead
• Graston
• Hole-in-one technique (HIO) 
• Sacral-Occipital technique (SOT)
• Thompson

These techniques can all be discussed in great detail but I will choose one, Thompson technique.  One component of the Thompson technique describes a Bilateral Cervical Syndrome as an AS occiput.  This is one of the 3 possibilities when the patient’s legs are even in extension.  It could also mean they have an X-Derefield, or they have no Thompson-Derefield listings that visit.  The Bilateral Cervical Syndrome is possibly the result of the suboccipital muscles pulling inferiorly on the posterior occiput resulting in an AS occiput.  As the posterior aspect of the occiput goes inferiorly, the anterior aspect of the occiput goes anterior and superior.  The analysis of the Bilateral Cervical Syndrome is as follows: the patient’s legs must be even in the extended position, rotating the head to the left causes the left leg to go short and rotating the head to the patient’s right causes the right leg to go short.  You must observe both to qualify as a Bilateral Cervical Syndrome.   

A chiropractic manipulation is essentially an adjustment of the vertebra or bone in a specific line of drive, using a streamlined depth and amplitude to correct a misalignment or “subluxation.”  A chiropractic manipulation is only performed by a licensed, skilled Chiropractor with years of education. 

Misalignment

A Chiropractor determines a misalignment or subluxation by using static and kinetic palpation through the use of their own fingertips.  Once the subluxation is determined the Chiropractor will then choose the most appropriate technique fit for the area of the spine and the body type of the individual patient.  Certain body areas take much more force or less force depending on the underlying soft tissue and size of the bones themselves. 

Safe

The goal of the chiropractic adjustment is to deliver high velocity low amplitude thrust in most cases.  This decreases the chances of injury and doesn’t allow the body’s muscles to react by splinting like a muscle spasm.  Chiropractors are proficiently trained in the art of manipulation with their hands by studying over 75 courses and 4,500 hours of instruction in the classroom, laboratory, and clinical setting.  Once they complete this feat, they must complete continuing education each year to retain their licensure in the state in which they practice.  This ensures the safety of the public and the competency of the practicing Chiropractor.  Moreover, a chiropractic manipulation is safe and effective when performed correctly but there can be associated risks with manipulation.  Some of the population believes that Chiropractors are known to cause strokes, which is entirely untrue.  Most individuals who suffer a stroke after a manipulation had the signs of the stroke prior to the manipulation and they weren’t read as red flags by the practicing doctor.     

Over the years Chiropractic health care has risen in every community and is becoming a modern health care alternative to allopathic medicine.  Chiropractic began in 1895 with Daniel David Palmer (D.D Palmer) in Iowa.  He is known as the developer of Chiropractic, and started Palmer College in 1897.  His first patient was a janitor names Harvey Lilliard, who was deaf.  In 1906, D.D Palmer’s son B.J Palme,r fondly known as the developer, of Chiropractic took over the college.  B.J accepted using x-ray in conjunction with chiropractic, contrary to his father. 

Chiropractic College

Currently, there are 16 accredited colleges of Chiropractic by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE).  Chiropractic students take over 75 courses and 4,500 hours of instruction to receive the doctorate of Chiropractic degree.  After completion of their coursework or while in school, students sit for the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) examinations.  There are 4 primary tests in addition to Physiotherapy and an elective test for Acupuncture.  Students must have a satisfactory score set by this board or the exams must be re-administered.  Every state accepts these scores and some states require further testing in their individual state along with background checks. 

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic health care is now prominent in independent offices, hospitals, gyms, wellness centers, physical therapy centers, and sports rehabilitation facilities.  Chiropractic is one of the fastest growing careers according to “Health Guide USA, America’s Online Health Resource Guide.”  Chiropractic can assist in the treatment of common conditions like low back pain, headaches, ear infections, sinusitis, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, disc herniations, scoliosis, whiplash, and many more.