Low back pain is so common that 80% of the population will experience back pain aty least once in their lifetime. For many of us, back pain can be a reoccurring cause of pain, discomfort . lost time from work, disability and loss of enjoyment of life. Why is this condition so common? Well, there are so many different variables that I couldn't possibly narrow it down. Obesity, repetitive stress to the spine, previous back pain, trauma to to spine, poor posture, failure to treat the back pain properly, etc. All of these conditions contribute to a lifetime of degenerative changes that ultimately will interact with a pain sensitive area. It could be the disc- the cushions between the bones of the vertebra pinching the nerves that come out from the low back. It could be arthritis-that dull chronic achy pain that is worse in the morning but gets better as the day goes on. It could be muscle tightness causing localized or radiating pain that is worse when moving, or, a combination of all of these.
The low back, also called the lumbar spine, has 5 vertebra that move the spine forward (flexion), backward ( extension), side to side (lateral flexion and rotation). Because the movements within the low back, gravity and the fact that we use our low back constantly, make low back problems more common. If you have these conditions and you are in an auto accident for example, you are more prone to have a problem. Who do you think will have a greater chance of having an injury after an accident-an 18 year old driver, or the 80 year old grandfather in the car? Well, you would say that the 80 year old. Why ? Because there is a good chance that the 80 year old has some degenerative changes in the spine due to the above mentioned conditions compared to the 18 year old.
This brings us to what you have to do to avoid the agony of back pain. First, the vertebrae need to move. If the bones are not moving properly because, let's say tight muscles after a car accident, it will take only six months before that 18 year old starts to see degenerative changes on an x-ray. Blood does not go directly to the joints so for the joint to receive lubrication, it needs to be moved or unstuck. Chiropractic manipulation works best for this. By adjusting the bones into place, it keeps the joints mobile and receiving nutrition in the form of a fluid within the joint space. Second, muscles that are tight will cause the muscle to become weakened, and a weakened muscle cannot properly move the joint through it's proper range of motion eventually causing degeneration of the joint (arthritis). Stretching and strengthening the muscles of the low back and core muscles of the abdomen help maintain the muscle integrity. Lastly, rehabilitation to stabilize the low back area. Stabilization works best after the muscles have been stretched and strengthened and the spine has been manipulated back into place. Rehab will prevent the issue of low back pain occurring again, or if it does, it will be minimized.
If you, or someone you know is in the Chicago and surrounding area like Elmhurst, Villa Park, Lombard, Bensenville, Addison, Oak Brook, Berkeley, Stone Park, Northlake, Melrose Park and are experiencing low back pain, neck pain, headaches, whiplash, sciatica, disc herniations, chronic pain because of a car accident, work accident or just everyday wear and tear, call the Auto Accident pain Relief Center of Illinois 24/7 at : 800-862-5914.
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