Why Do We Get Low Back Pain?

Many people experience low back pain, with research suggesting that more than 80% of people will experience low back pain and see an upper cervical chiropractic care specialist at some point in their lives. Read on to find out why it happens and what you can do to solve it.

What is low back pain?

This is any pain or discomfort originating posterior from the bottom of the ribs to the hips and buttocks. This can be due to effects on the muscles, nerves or joints. In most cases it is due to:

Mis-alignments at the joints (called Subluxation)

\/ \/ \/

Which compresses and occludes the nerves in the lumbar spine (which supply information to the lower back muscles, skin, legs and organs)

\/ \/ \/

Which results in muscles tightening as a reaction.

A linked condition can also be effects on your bladder or legs. At times this can also cause symptoms into the legs, such as pain, numbness, tingling, weakness or cramps. This pressure may not initially cause any symptoms, because only a small percentage of the nerves can be felt (5-10%) with the rest being for physiological functions, such as organs, skin, controlling blood vessels etc. Usually the pressure builds up in the background, affecting the non-felt nerves, before you feel the problem.

Why does it happen?

Low back pain can be due to:

• Physical trauma – this includes falls, accidents, prolonged postures (such as sitting), over exertion, improper bending/lifting or even birth trauma!
• Chemical trauma – this includes inflammation, unhealthy foods, allergies or medication. These are less direct traumas and usually combine with a physical trauma. E.g. sitting for long periods of time injures the spinal nerves, eating unhealthy food gives the body less energy and nutrition to heal properly.
• Mental stress – this can include work stress, family issues, depression and unhappiness. This combines with the physical stress. E.g. a fall during sport, then being stressed at work, resulting in your brain not healing the injury properly and it worsening. Mental stress can cause all over body aches, including headaches and migraines.

Both chemical and mental stresses can contribute to this and other problems. They act as barriers preventing the body healing and making you more susceptible to developing a problem.

A lot of the time it is caused by a Subluxation in the upper neck. This area is where the brain stem sits, so the body will change its shape and make compensations to reduce the damage to this vital area. This misalignment trickles down, affecting the neck, shoulder, thoracic spine and eventually the low back. It is also a big factor for scoliosis.

What happens if it isn’t treated?

Over time the bones will degenerate at a faster rate, due to the uneven stresses caused by the Subluxations. The discs will be compressed and start to thin and harden. The nerves will become sensitised so the pain becomes a chronic and the nerves supplying vital organs become much more damaged.

Common doesn’t mean normal!

 

What can you do to improve low back ache?

A mix of adapting lifestyle factors and seeking professional help are important. An upper cervical care specialist or other trained practitioner can help, but it is crucial to establish what the causative stressors are, such as sitting, bending and mental stress.

How can Vitality Chiropractic help me?

At Vitality Chiropractic we are specialists in Subluxations in the upper neck. We focus on this area to bring balance back to the body. When balance returns the nervous system will function properly, the muscles can relax and the body STOPS sending pain signals.

Check out this study on the Effects of Upper Cervical Chiropractic on Back Pain.

Since 2013, Upper Cervical Chiropractor, Dr. Shaan Rai helped patients achieve greater health, relocating to Singapore in 2016 and founding Vitality Chiropractic Centres. He has an impressive track record in providing relief and solutions for people who experience nerve system problems, such as headaches, migraines, dizziness, vertigo or neurological conditions.

Take your life back.

For a Complimentary, no-obligation call with the Doctor or to book a Consultation, call +65 8438 9550 or email help@vitalitychiropracticcentres.com to find out if we can help you at our Chiropractic Clinic in Singapore.