Resource Center: Back Pain

If you have recently been in a rear impact auto accident, you may need whiplash relief.  Whiplash is the most common injury caused by this type of accident because of the sudden movement and change in position of the neck.  Back or neck pain is the primary symptom, but it may not develop until well after the accident.  This can cause problems with diagnosis, along with making it difficult to recover injury settlements from the other party's insurance company.

Spinal disc injuries can be extremely painful and incapacitating.  The back is used in every movement of the body, so it is impossible to function without moving the injured area.  Also, disc problems may cause swelling and pressure on the nerves, leading to sciatica and related problems.  Chiropractors can give you relief from spinal disc injuries and other related problems by making necessary adjustments to keep the spine properly aligned

Fibromyalgia is a muscular pain syndrome that can be extremely hard to diagnose.  It is most common among middle-aged women, but can affect anyone, regardless of gender or age.  The patient will usually have general muscle pain and back pain and an overall feeling of being fatigued or tired.  Their neurological exam will typically come back with a normal result, making it difficult to identify fibromyalgia as the source of the problems.

If you have been suffering from sciatica or a related condition, you can ease nerve pain with chiropractic treatment.  Most nerve pain is caused by a sudden traumatic event, such as  in a car accident or by a football injury.  Cumulative stress and damage from poor posture or being significantly overweight may also lead to nerve pain over time.  Chiropractic adjustments can correct many of the physical imbalances that cause this damage.

Q:  What are some of the common reasons for back pain?

A:  There are a number of reasons for back pain because of the complex structure of the spine and surrounding musculature.  Back muscles can be strained, causing intense pain that appears to come from the spine itself.  Degenerative arthritis in the discs or bones of the spine is another common source of back pain.  Herniated discs cause protrusions that may rub against nerve endings, causing radiating pain down the legs and up through the back.

Automobile accident injury is the most common cause of major trauma and hospital visits.  Injuries incurred in vehicular crashes are generally severe and can be life-altering or even fatal.  Back and neck strains are the most typical injuries received, with broken and lacerated extremities being the next most likely.  This is a guide to some of the basic injuries found after an automobile accident.

You probably fall into one of two categories; you have bad posture due to back pain, or you have back pain due to bad posture.  While it seems this may be a catch-22 situation, there are some remedies to alleviate some of the problem, but the best time to correct posture is during youth.  The first recommendation is to make sure there are no back abnormalities causing the back pain and/or bad posture.  Once you are sure your spine is structurally sound, then you can move on to helping ease the pain.

Statistics show that about nine out of every 10 people will experience back pain at some point in their lives.  Only five per cent of these people go on to develop chronic back pain; that is, back pain which lasts at least six months or longer.  Chronic back pain causes people to miss out on work, family activities…everyday life.  Luckily, there is a chronic back pain treatment that often works.

Studies estimate that nearly 40 per cent to 50 per cent of pregnant women will experience back pain during their pregnancies.  That is just about half of all pregnant women!  Many of these women suffer without complaint.  Others may mention the back pain to their doctors; however, many doctors do not really seem to know what to do about back pain during pregnancy.  After all, taking medication is not recommended, as that isn’t safe for the baby.  Pregnant back pain sufferers often end up without relief.

Sciatic nerve pain, also called sciatica, is really not a type of back disorder or pain condition; rather, it is a symptom of other disorders.  Many people misunderstand this—they believe sciatica nerve pain to be a condition of its own…probably because the pain of sciatica is so different from other back pain.