Low Back Pain, Sciatica, & Chiropractic
Back pain can come and go, and is often caused by something that you have done recently, but chronic or recurrent back pain is an indication that there is an underlying problem. Spinal or pelvic pain can come from muscle spasm, inflammation, or nerve irritation, but what causes these? The answer to this, particularly in long lasting cases, is often ‘vertebral subluxtion’—vertebrae jammed in a position that causes irritation. Click here to see the most common causes of vertebral subluxation.
You can take pain killers to cover back pain, anti-inflammatory drugs to decrease inflammation, or use massage or muscle relaxants to help with muscle spasm, but if you don’t treat the underlying condition the problem keeps recurring. Chiropractic aims at correcting the underlying issue. Using gentle, specific adjustments of the spine, chiropractors loosen vertebrae that are stuck in positions that cause irritation. Stefan specialises in gentle, comfortable techniques.
Dysfunctional joints in the lower back can also irritate the sciatic nerve that travels along the buttocks and down the leg. This referred nerve pain is called sciatic pain. The pain can be located in the gluteal region, the thigh, the calf, or a combination of these. By releasing vertebrae that are stuck in positions that irritate the nerves that form the sciatic nerve, chiropractors relieve sciatic pain. This is a very common problem that chiropractors work on every day and have great success with.
Discs are the softer part of the spine between the vertebrae that act as a shock absorber. About 40% of the population have one or more discs that bulge or protrude. Most don’t cause pain but if the disc protrudes enough, the problem can be very serious. The result can be any combination of: leg pain, numbness, pins and needles, lack or strength, and even wasting muscles or bowel/bladder/reproductive symptoms. It takes experience to diagnose the real cause of these types of symptoms. Chiropractors, who work with the spine every day, are well equipped to diagnose if the disc is involved.