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What Causes Lower Back Pain?

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According to estimates, 80% of Americans will experience lower back pain at one point in their lives.

Unfortunately, knowing you are in good company does not make low back pain less uncomfortable or disruptive. Back pain can get so bad for some people that it significantly affects their quality of life and day to day functioning.

What are the causes of lower back pain? Read more on that here.

1. Deformity

Curvature of the spine can include kyphosis, lordosis or scoliosis. If a deformity is associated with the breakdown of discs, stenosis, facet joints and sacroiliac joints, it can also cause lower back pain.

2. Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis results from the wear and tear of facet joints and discs. This can cause instability, pain, inflammation and stenosis to some degree. Osteoarthritis can occur on multiple levels of the lower spine.

Spinal osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disease. It’s associated with ageing and is slowly progressive.

3. Pregnancy

Many women will experience some back pain during pregnancy. This pain is linked to multiple factors of pregnancy.

The first is weight gain. Women add weight during pregnancy, and the weight of the baby and the uterus adds more pressure to the nerves and blood vessels surrounding the pelvis and the back. This can cause discomfort.

Other causes are changes in posture as a pregnant woman tries to adjust to the shifting centre of gravity, muscle separation and hormonal changes that occur in pregnancy.

4. Spinal stenosis

The pain from spinal stenosis comes from narrowing of the spinal canal where nerve roots sit. This narrowing can be foramina, central or both.

It can also happen at one or more levels of the lower back.

5. Stains

Ligaments and muscles in the lower back can tear or stretch from excess activity. These symptoms include pain in the lower back and even muscle spasms.

Once you identify the source of the strain, avoid it and rest the back, the lower back pain should subside.

6. Bulging or ruptured discs

Discs function as cushions between the vertebrae (bones) in your spine. However, there is soft material inside the disc that can rupture or bulge and press on a nerve. This can cause lower back pain.

However, many people can have a ruptured disc without causing back pain. Often, disc diseases are identified when an individual goes in for an x-ray for something else.

7. Health conditions

Certain health conditions will have back pain as a symptom. Examples of these include;

Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes long-term tenderness and pain in the joints, muscles, and tendons.

Spondylosis: this is a degenerative disorder that can cause the loss of normal spinal function and structure. This condition is typically linked to age but its rate of progression.

Conclusion

If you suffer from back pain, you will be happy to know that you have several options to consider.

These include medication, surgery, physiotherapy and chiropractic care. Any of these options can help you regain control of your health.

What To Look For In A Mount Pleasant Chiropractor

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Many people know that chiropractic care can have numerous benefits to their health, specifically when it comes to pain management.

However, not many people know where to begin their search for family chiropractors. So when an internet search brings up dozens of Mount Pleasant chiropractors, how do you pick the best one to entrust your care to?

These pointers should help you out.

1. Get Referrals

Begin by asking your physician for referrals to chiropractors in your area. You can also ask around from your circle.

This will usually shorten the process for you and give you a few tried and tested names to look more into, instead of having a lengthy list to go through.

2. Research Their Credentials

The first thing to look at is licensure. If you are to get a health practitioner on board, you must be certain that they have the required training, experience and skills to offer chiropractic care.

Secondly, look into their background to determine whether they have any malpractice suits or disciplinary actions against them. Again, it’s often wise to steer clear of practitioners with a history of either.

3. Take Experience Into Account

Experience is paramount when you are faced with musculoskeletal or spine health problems. The more years of experience a practitioner has, the more positive your outcome is likely to be.

You need to ask how many years they have been practicing. This aside, find out how many patients they have had with your exact problem. If you are coming in for a specific procedure, find out how many times they have performed the treatment, their outcomes, general complications, and complications specific to yourself as well.

4. Their Communication Style

A chiropractor is someone you should ideally work hand in hand with to find solutions to your health problems. As such, they should be someone you feel comfortable discussing your symptoms, experiences, expectations and concerns with.

You should also feel comfortable enough to ask any questions you might have.

A good chiropractor is attentive, patient and open with information. They will answer all questions you might have and in detail to help you make informed decisions. Good chiropractors also respect your choices and do not attempt to push or pressurize you into taking certain treatment options.