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What Is Back Pain?
Back problems can be
caused by an extraordinarily wide range of problems – some of them
originating elsewhere in the body, but with pain being transmitted
(referred) to areas of the back by the nervous system.
Back pain is one of
the most common reasons people seek medical attention. It is the symptom
that prompts most patients who get chiropractic care. The majority of
backache sufferers complain of pain in the lower back; the second most
common site of discomfort is the base of the neck.
Who Suffers From Back Pain?
Virtually all human
beings are subject to back problems. The fact that humans walk upright,
on two legs, puts great pressure on the spine and muscles that support
it. Over time, back pain is all but inevitable. Normal wear and tear,
accidents, disease, and such bad “ back habits” as unnecessary strain
from overexertion at play or work (especially lifting, pushing, pulling,
and reaching for things improperly), and poor standing and sitting
posture result in both immediate and long-term back problems.
What Can Chiropractic Do?
Chiropractors successfully treat subluxation (a
complex of functional and/or structural changes in joints, which can
interfere with nerve transmission, disturb other organ systems and
undermine general health). Spinal subluxations may have symptoms
localized in some part of the back or may radiate down to the
buttocks, thighs and legs. Chiropractors also treat tension that can
show up as backaches and/or headaches or pain elsewhere in the body.
Doctors of
chiropractic draw upon a wealth of knowledge and experience with
treating and preventing back pain and back injuries. Soothing and
pain-reducing spinal adjustments have been developed over the last
century, during which chiropractors have practiced, improved and refined
their techniques.
The chiropractic
approach is similar to the clinical practice guidelines of the U.S.
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. That is, doctors of
chiropractic not only treat the pain, they try to keep patients engaging
in their normal activities rather than resting immobile in bed, which
can actually cause further debilitation. And, of course, chiropractors
do not rely on surgery, hospitalization, and medication that can be both
dangerous and needlessly costly for patients and their insurance
providers.
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