Chronic back pain can occur due to a variety of situations. It is a difficult condition to live with and even more difficult for a medical provider to treat. This is because the spine is literally the backbone of your body. It is why you can sit down and stand up, walk and bend over. Feeling and movement would not exist as we know it without these 24 vertebrae lined up vertically in your back. Each of these vertebrae provide support and structure. They hold and protect your spinal cord and when something goes wrong in this area, the nerves and tendons attaching to and moving through them are affected. Pain, numbness, tingling and loss of feeling or movement can result.
How the damage occurs is key to treating the problem. Most chronic problems develop from acute or one time conditions that are not addressed. There are many contributing factors that increase the chances your spine can be injured and become a long term or chronic condition. Because our vertebrae are bones, they are made up of salts which are minerals. The tendons and muscles that attach to them are elastic and they need to be flexible yet strong. Many people do not take the time to “feed” their spine and stretch their muscles. Feeding your spine mineral supplements along with vitamin D can help keep your vertebrae strong. Over the years the bones can degrade, and these minerals and vitamin are the hammers and nails that keep your bones strong. What exercise does for the muscles and tendons, minerals can do for the bones. I believe the major reason an acute injury to the back becomes chronic is because of these deficiencies. Our bones are starving.
Weekend warriors are often subject to back pain because of these deficiencies. The two days off become a marathon of sorts and the body is not prepared to move so much after five days at a desk. Trying to finish the “to do” list of household chores or that one round of golf can be just enough to throw one of these vertebrae loose. In essence it can be worn down enough that it literally slides out of place. When this happens, the sharp pain that is felt is the nerve screaming out because the bone is pushing on it and interfering with its message. Like two angry kids fighting over the spot on the couch the vertebrae is fighting the nerve for space in your spine. What is an acute injury is often left untreated because Monday morning means back to work.
Whiplash is another major issue for back and neck injuries. Initially the cause is acute, but often chronic conditions develop later. The force that occurs when a car collides with something else is incredibly strong. You don’t have to be doing 50 either. If your bones haven’t been fed and have become weak and degraded enough that a swing of the golf club can cause it to move, imagine what a 20 mile per hour impact can do. In addition the trauma to your muscles upon impact and the stress of the accident break your body’s immunity down. Most of us are running on empty when it comes to immunity on a daily basis, a car accident can exhaust your limited supply. Immediately after the accident your body produces adrenaline and fight or flight kicks in. You may not realize you have injured yourself initially, and this is supposed to happen. It’s your body trying to make sure you are removed and safe from any more harm. Days later the pain may be extreme. At this time many people find themselves back to work and decide to live with the pain. Their chronically starved vertebrae continue to fight for their new living space and the body unconsciously adjusts to try to work thing around. Anything to stop the pain often means adjusting your stance, posture and or gait. These things are now affecting the joints and muscles in other parts of your body. Akin to robbing Peter to pay Paul, adjustment in this manner only creates more chronic pain.
Chiropractors specialize in adjusting your vertebrae thus moving them back into the proper positions. When your body does this unconsciously it is to avoid pain and keep things synchronized. It is not actually addressing the initial problem because it is trying to go through the motions of healing by causing inflammation. Inflammation leads to healing and resting the injured area is key to this process. But very few people follow the proper protocol and never actually allow the body to do what it needs to. This is when professional intervention is a must and a Chiropractor can help your body regain its health. Heat or ice help the affected muscle groups and a Chiropractor can apply them to the right area for the right amount of time. Because our bodies use electricity giving the sore muscles a bit of a jolt can help the muscle contract and get more blood flowing into it and through it again. When the muscles are relaxed and your mind is eased of some pain the Chiropractor can then begin on adjusting your vertebrae back to its proper position.
Proper nutrition and exercise can help avoid these types of chronic conditions in the future. Knowledge and understanding on how your body performs is key to health. Learning to give your body what it needs will give it an advantage. If and when an acute injury occurs these advantages are without a doubt the most important part of living a life without chronic back pain.