Throbbing, dull and achy, sharp and excruciating. All of these words can be used to describe lower back pain.
Unfortunately, lower back pain is a common occurrence in adults. According to the American Chiropractic Association, low back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide, with millions of reported cases�every year.
What Treatment Should You Seek If You Experience Pain in Your Lower Back?
The good news is that it often heals on its own. A few days of over-the-counter pain meds, ice,�and taking it easy, and you could be back to normal.
However, those who continue to deal with the pain after a few weeks’ time may choose to look for other solutions. This is also true for people who experience repeated flare-ups, or chronic lower back pain.
One of the best and most popular options is chiropractic care.
Why?�
First of all, chiropractic care doesn’t focus solely on the pain but helps the body heal itself. Chiropractors understand the bones,�muscles, discs, and nerves�in the back, and can figure out the reason for the pain.
From there, they can create a customized treatment plan from compresses to spinal manipulation to exercises that help heal the area and reduces the pain.
Second, It’s A Drug-Free Solution.
Because of its healing, therapeutic approach, chiropractic treatment tends to the source of the pain, instead of simply dulling it. Spine Universe estimates 6 to 12 treatments are typically needed to treat low back pain, but each person’s requirement may vary.
Throughout these�treatments, spinal alignment begins�to balance the other parts of a person’s back and helps correct the issue causing the pain. Also, spinal manipulation helps improve mobility and function in many cases, whereas drugs alone do not.
Finally, Chiropractic Care for Lower Back Pain Also Helps Minimize Relapses
Patients who experience lower back pain never want to deal with it again, but�it can flare up periodically. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, roughly 20% of those who suffer from low back pain will eventually deal with it chronically. This can cause frustration, primarily when it affects mobility.
Before you run screaming in horror to the medicine cabinet, one of the best reasons to participate in chiropractic treatment is that it helps reduce the chance of a recurrence. By working on the total body and getting it in the best shape possible, the patient is stronger and more balanced to handle their workload and other strenuous activities. Chiropractors also impart advice on how to minimize the chances of re-aggravating the lower back.
Millions of people suffer from back pain each year, and some never visit a chiropractor. Those who do choose chiropractic treatment are privy to treatment that reduces their pain, increases healing, shortens their downtime and lessens their chances of a recurrence. If over the counter medication and ice packs haven’t worked within a few days, it’s time to make an appointment for a consultation with a licensed chiropractor. You will be happy you did.
Sleeping. New parents chase it, Type A personalities fight it, but everyone needs it. The thing is, most people don�t get enough of it. According to the National Sleep Foundation, 45 percent of adults in the United States report that in a seven day period lack of sleep affected their daily activities.
Sleep quantity is not as much of a problem as sleep quality. Around 35 percent of people who said they slept for 7 or 8 hours a night still reported that their sleep quality was �only fair� or �poor� and 20 percent said that they did not feel refreshed upon waking. When a person is dealing with pain, such as lower back pain, it can make it even more difficult to get a good night�s sleep.
The Importance of Sleeping
Sleep is vital for good health. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) cites insufficient sleep as a contributing factor to a variety of conditions including obesity, diabetes, depression, and cardiovascular disease. It is also a significant contributing factor in many machine related crashed, worksite accidents, and automobile accidents, leading to injury, disability, and even death.
Sleep allows your body to heal and the spine to rejuvenate. It helps you handle stress better and manage pain more effectively. It is an essential part of good health so making sure that you get good quality sleep should be a priority � and it is possible. These are the best sleep positions to get your best sleep when you have lower back pain.
Stomach Position
Sleeping on your stomach is usually the least back friendly sleep position, but some people can�t sleep any other way. Take the strain off of your back by supporting it with a pillow under your lower abdomen and pelvis. Using a pillow may put too much stress on your back, so you might need to try to sleep without one. Another alternative is to use a flatter, less fluffy pillow. Try different positions, such as drawing one leg up or splaying your legs more until you find on that is right for you.
Back Position
If you sleep on your back, you likely won�t be comfortable just lying flat. Try different positions such as placing a rolled towel under your knees or the small of your back to provide added support. Use a good pillow to support your neck. Some pillows are made specifically for people who sleep on their backs; you may want to give it a try.
Side Position
Many people with lower back pain find sleeping on their side to be the most comfortable sleep position. If you sleep on your side, pull your knees up slightly so that they are almost perpendicular from your body. You may have to make some adjustments to how bent your legs are before you find a position that takes the pressure off of your back. Place a pillow between your thighs and knees. You may want to use a body pillow to provide even more support all along your legs.
A Word about Your Pillow and Your Bed
The position that you sleep in can help relieve your back pain, but getting good quality sleep will help you manage your pain much better so it should be your goal to get a�good, restful sleep every night. You should change out your pillow on a regular basis.
Pillows can get worn and no longer deliver the support they once did. If you are waking up with neck or back pain or headaches, it could be your pillow. Additionally, studies show that making your bed every day improves your quality of sleep. Make sure that the temperature is comfortable and avoid electronic devices for about an hour before bedtime. Be kind to your body; make sleep a priority.
Fitness is loved by April Hermosillo. She enjoys exercising and eating foods that are healthful. As an athlete since age 14, her neck and lower back pain induced her to experience foot cramps. April Hermosillo tries not to allow her symptoms to change her life. April expresses just how much pain relief Dr. Alex Jimenez has provided her and how thankful she is for trusting chiropractic care with her health problems. Dr. Jimenez is highly recommended by her as the selection for pain.
Lower Back Pain Chiropractic Treatment
Eight out of 10 adults experience debilitating neck or back pain at some time in their lives. Back pain is the second most frequent cause of missed workdays because of illness, and also the most frequent cause of disability in the United States. The goal of chiropractic care is to provide safe and effective treatment which allows patients to come back to a busy lifestyle as soon as possible. Spine specialists can ascertain which treatment strategies are best for each health issue. Non-surgical treatments are the most suitable treatments for neck and back pain.
We are blessed to present to you�El Paso�s Premier Wellness & Injury Care Clinic.
As El Paso�s Chiropractic Rehabilitation Clinic & Integrated Medicine Center,�we passionately are focused on treating patients after frustrating injuries and chronic pain syndromes. We focus on improving your ability through flexibility, mobility and agility programs tailored for all age groups and disabilities.
If you have enjoyed this video and we have helped you in any way, please feel free to subscribe and recommend�us.
My treatment with Dr. Alex Jimenez has tremendously helped me. It gives me just, a sense of relief knowing that I can come and see him and all of his employees and great masseuses and everyone, can just release all the tension. It just brings me back to life.�
April Hermosillo
Have you ever experienced back pain which triggers or radiates shooting pain into the buttocks or legs? Millions of people in the United States suffer from this common health issue known as sciatica. Sciatica is a general diagnostic term used to describe radiating pain, tingling sensations, numbness or weakness which runs across the length of the sciatic nerve.
Sciatica originates along the lower back and then travels from the buttocks into one or both legs. Instead of a dull achy pain, this type of pain is characterized as a sharp, shooting pain that worsens through prolonged periods of sitting. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the human body comprised of many nerve roots which come together once they exit the spine. When the sciatic nerve becomes compressed, due to a variety of possible causes, symptoms will manifest and radiate down the leg.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is a collection of symptoms, including pain, tingling and burning sensations at the lower back and/or legs, weakness, and numbness, caused by a combination of: pressure on the sciatic nerve, inflammation to the sciatic nerve or the region directly surrounding the nerve, an irritation to the sciatic nerve, and/or a pinching of the sciatic nerves. As the largest nerve in the human body, the sciatic nerve can be easily affected.
Sciatic nerve pain is a common health issue that affects many people on a regular basis. Its consequences can range from a mild nuisance to a debilitating pain which interferes with an individual’s physical activities.� Sciatica symptoms manifest in many different ways, including:
Lower back pain
Leg Pain
Buttock pain
A sensation of tingling or �pins & needles� running down the�leg, and even into the toes
Numbness in the legs or feet
Muscle weakness in the legs
Aching or burning feeling in the legs
Pain or numbness in the�big toe, or any of the toes
Any combination of the list above
As you may see, though some individuals could experience pain from the lower back all the way down to their feet, it can be isolated to a segment of this area. Fortunately, a variety of treatment approaches are available to help treat sciatica. Below, we will discuss some of the most common causes of sciatica as well as demonstrate the best treatment approach.�Chiropractic care is one of the most common alternative treatment options utilized to provide sciatic nerve pain relief without prescriptions or surgery.
Causes of Sciatica
Sciatic nerve pain may not always be felt immediately following an injury or condition due�to an accident. Some people experience sciatica that seems to come and go, while for others, it might take years before their symptoms manifest at all. This is partly because pain is processed by only 10 percent of the�nervous system. A patient may also feel relief from their pain, but because the underlying cause of their sciatica hasn’t been fixed, the pain will come back. Below is a list of some of the causes of sciatica.
Subluxation or misalignment of the vertebrae
Disc degeneration, herniation, bulge, protrusion or other damage
A tumor pressing on the sciatic nerve
Injury to muscles
Pregnancy
Slipping, falling, or other impacts
Internal bleeding
Bad posture, either from sitting, standing or sleeping
Osteoarthritis
Spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal the sciatic nerves pass through,
Playing sports
Poor lifting techniques
Other normal daily activities
While there are many possible causes for sciatica, the most frequent is a subluxation, or misalignment of the vertebrae in the lumbar spine,�or low back. A subluxation that is left untreated will result in the wear-and-tear of the spine, which in turn may lead�to disc protrusions, disc degeneration, disc herniations, and at some stages, even osteoarthritis. Chiropractic care will gently fix subluxations in the spine, allowing the nervous system to perform at an optimal level so that true recovery can occur.
Another common cause�of sciatica is a disc herniation. Spinal stenosis, which is a consequence of severe degeneration or alignment problems can also cause sciatic nerve pain. A condition called piriformis syndrome occurs when a tight piriformis muscle compresses the sciatic nerve. Determining the reason for sciatica is essential in understanding how to care for the health issue. Untreated sciatica can lead to problems such as:
Constipation
Difficulty getting pregnant
Digestion Problems
Edema or leg swelling
Erectile dysfunction (ED)
Incontinence
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Menstrual problems
Urinary problems
And more
Leaving sciatica untreated for any length of time can be damaging to your health, and the problem may worsen over time. The use of drugs and/or medications to help cope with your sciatic pain may only offer temporary relief from the symptoms as the real underlying source of your sciatica may not have been treated accordingly.�Diagnosis typically includes a comprehensive examination using a range of motion testing, neurological testing, imaging with MRI or X-Rays, and occasionally, further testing using nerve conduction velocity and electromyography evaluations.
Treatment for sciatica may vary depending on the cause of the symptoms. A chiropractor may use a series of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations�to help take pressure from the sciatic nerve. Other chiropractic care techniques and methods include the flexion distraction diversified technique, traction, and lumbar decompression. Passive and active exercises can also help treat sciatica. Exercises can also be recommended to restore strength, mobility, and flexibility. In severe cases of sciatica, the healthcare professional may recommend surgery.�
Sciatica occurs when an injury or condition results in the compression or impingement of the sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in the human body. When this happens, a collection of symptoms, including pain, tingling and burning sensations, as well as numbness, can develop. Chiropractic care is a well-known, alternative treatment option which can help carefully release the tension in the spine, reducing sciatic nerve pain.
Dr. Alex Jimenez D.C., C.C.S.T.
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Chiropractic Care and Sciatica
The European Spine Journal printed the findings from a clinical trial demonstrating that chiropractic care led to a 72 percent success rate in treating sciatica and its associated symptoms compared to only a 20 percent success rate from physical therapy, and a 50 percent success rate from corticosteroid injections when treating sciatic nerve pain.
Sciatica is a widespread problem that many patients experience. Chiropractic care can find the source of the health issue in order to begin treatment and deliver pain relief accurately.�Sciatica can be painful and hinder you from living life to the fullest. Contact a chiropractor now to determine whether this is the ideal solution for you.
If you or somebody you know is suffering from sciatica and any of its associated symptoms, please recommend this article to them.�The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic as well as to spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at�915-850-0900�.
Curated by Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Acute Back Pain
Back pain�is one of the most prevalent causes of disability and missed days at work worldwide. Back pain attributes to the second most common reason for doctor office visits, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections. Approximately 80 percent of the population will experience back pain at least once throughout their life. The spine is a complex structure made up of bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles, among other soft tissues. Because of this, injuries and/or aggravated conditions, such as�herniated discs, can eventually lead to symptoms of back pain. Sports injuries or automobile accident injuries are often the most frequent cause of back pain, however, sometimes the simplest of movements can have painful results. Fortunately, alternative treatment options, such as chiropractic care, can help ease back pain through the use of spinal adjustments and manual manipulations, ultimately improving pain relief.
David Garcia, maintenance facility worker, and a proud Dad in El Paso, TX at the Region 19 Education Services Center. However, Mr. Garcia’s everyday life has become influenced by his chronic lower back pain. After undergoing worsening symptoms for some time, David Garcia was recommended to seek chiropractic care with Dr. Alex Jimenez by his sister, a former patient of Dr. Jimenez. Mr. Garcia has since experienced enormous relief from his lower back pain, and he’s grateful to Dr. Alex Jimenez and his staff for supplying him with education regarding his health problems as well as adequately caring for him. David Garcia recommends Dr. Alex Jimenez as the non-invasive surgical selection for lower back pain.
Low Back Pain Relief
Low back pain is not a specific injury or condition but instead a group of symptoms which may be brought on by a wide variety of underlying health issues, all in varying levels of seriousness. The majority of low back pain does not have a definite cause but is believed to be the consequence of including strains or sprains, musculoskeletal issues. Obesity, smoking, weight gain during pregnancy, stress, poor physical condition, poor posture, and poor sleeping positions also have been attributed to developing low back pain. A complete list of potential causes comprises many less common ailments. Physical triggers might include osteoarthritis, degeneration of the disks between the vertebrae or a spinal disc herniation, broken vertebra(e) (like from osteoporosis) or, rarely, an infection or tumor of the spine. But there is relief with chiropractic care and therapy.
We are blessed to present to you�El Paso�s Premier Wellness & Injury Care Clinic.
As El Paso�s Chiropractic Rehabilitation Clinic & Integrated Medicine Center,�we passionately are focused on treating patients after frustrating injuries and chronic pain syndromes. We focus on improving your ability through flexibility, mobility and agility programs tailored for all age groups and disabilities.
If you have enjoyed this video and we have helped you in any way, please feel free to subscribe and recommend�us.
You are sitting in your car, stopped at a traffic light. Suddenly, a vehicle traveling at low-speed rear-ends your car. The impact isn�t hard although it is unexpected. You take a look at your car and see that there is minor damage, or no damage at all, to either vehicle. The bumpers absorbed the bulk of the energy from the crash, so they protected the car. You feel a little pain in your neck, and upper back, perhaps a little dizzy or you have a headache, but you shrug it off, reasoning that it is from the unexpected jolt. After all, they didn�t hit you that hard. You exchange information with the other driver and go on your way.
The next morning is a different story. Your neck is painful and stiff. You have pain in your shoulders and back as well. A visit to the doctor reveals a diagnosis of whiplash.
Is Whiplash Real?
Some people will tell you that whiplash is a made-up injury that people use to get more money in a settlement stemming from an accident. They do not believe it is possible in a low-speed rear-end accident and see it as a legitimate injury claim, mainly because there are no visible marks.
Some insurance experts claim that about a third of whiplash cases are fraudulent, but that leaves two-thirds of the cases legitimate. There is also a great deal of research that supports the claim that low-speed accidents can indeed cause whiplash � and it is very, very real. Some patients suffer from the pain and immobility the rest of their lives.
The Mechanics of Whiplash
When a person is sitting in their vehicle, they are usually upright with their head directly over their shoulders, and the neck as the support. The key to whiplash is that it is unexpected. The vehicle gets struck, the torso of the person in the first car gets thrust forward. However, the head does not immediately follow but instead falls backward, behind the body for a split second. In this position, the neck is hyperextended for the first time (to the rear).
As the torso snaps back against the back of the seat, the person�s head falls forward but is quickly yanked back as it follows the movement of the chest � then passes it. The second time the neck is hyperextended (to the front). The effects of this movement that lasts only a few seconds can cause debilitating pain and immobility. It gets compounded when the headrests are set too far back and are too low so that they do not provide adequate support.
What To Do If You Are In A�Low-Speed Rear End Collision
If you are in an accident, especially if you get rear-ended, and experience whiplash, see a doctor that day � even if you don�t feel much pain. The sooner you get into a doctor, the sooner you can begin treatment should a problem develop.
Often, people with whiplash don�t experience any effects until a day, or even two, later. The key is to stay ahead of the pain and take measures sooner rather than later to relieve it and keep it at bay. It also provides documentation should other issues arise, and you need the information for legal purposes.
Seeing your chiropractor soon after your accident can help you heal faster and manage your pain more effectively. With techniques like gentle manipulation and deep tissue massage, your neck can begin to improve almost immediately. Then you can get back to life a lot faster.
Denise was unfortunately involved in an automobile accident that resulted in lower back pain. When she realized that she could not sit or sleep for lengthy periods of time without having debilitating symptoms, Denise discovered chiropractic care with Dr. Alex Jimenez at El Paso, TX. After she received therapy for her automobile accident injuries, Denise experienced relief from her symptoms and she managed to participate in her regular activities once more. As a result of the education and maintenance Dr. Alex Jimenez supplied, Denise recovered her initial health and overall wellness.
Lower Back Pain Chiropractic Treatment
Back pain is one of the most common health issues today, with approximately nine out of ten adults undergoing it at any time in their lifetime, where about five working adults will develop it annually. Some quote that about 95 percent of Americans will experience back pain at some point in their lifetime. It is undoubtedly the typical cause of chronic pain, since it’s also a substantial contributor of missed work and handicap. In the USA alone, severe cases of lower back pain would be the fifth most frequent reason for doctor visits and triggers 40 percent of missed days off work. What’s more, according to statistics, back pain is the only top cause of disability worldwide.
We are blessed to present to you�El Paso�s Premier Wellness & Injury Care Clinic.
As El Paso�s Chiropractic Rehabilitation Clinic & Integrated Medicine Center,�we passionately are focused treating patients after frustrating injuries and chronic pain syndromes. We focus on improving your ability through flexibility, mobility and agility programs tailored for all age groups and disabilities.
If you have enjoyed this video and/or we have helped you in any way please feel free to subscribe and recommend�us.
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