Back Pain Treatment in Grand Rapids MI

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Muscular Sprains and Tendon or Ligament Strains

A strain or sprain usually originates during a task or activity that our body is not used to doing. Accidents are also capable of causing this condition. The back is particularly susceptible to these strains or sprains as stretching farther than normal or attempting to lift while twisting can both cause this issue. If this does occur, high levels of pain and swelling, and bruising is expected. But the good news is that these strains and sprains usually resolve themselves with a simple realignment of the spine and in most cases, a chiropractic visit is an appropriate treatment for this condition.

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Stress and Back Pain

Recurring stress can have very harmful effects on the human body and is capable of producing back pain and leading to hypertension as well. As stress hormones are released throughout the body, back pain can arise as the hormones produce tension and muscle spasms. The tension generally accumulates in areas known as trigger points. Professional assistance is needed to work with these trigger points as they can produce excruciating pain. Chiropractors have been trained to work with you to eliminate the stress from these trigger points. A personalized approach will be created in order to eliminate the recurrence of this pain and stress.

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Other Issues that Cause Back Pain in Grand Rapids MI

Conditions such as obesity, arthritis, kidney stones, and urinary tract infections have been shown to cause symptoms of low back pain. These are all serious issues that need to be identified and treated immediately to avoid long-term health issues. Grand Rapids MI Chiropractic doctors are trained to identify these issues and support you to get the appropriate treatment. Many of these issues can have their source in spinal misalignments and respond well to chiropractic adjustments.

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Region Description and Overview

The technical term for the lower back is the lumbar spine. It consists of 5 vertebrae (spinal bones) as well as the closely associated Sacrum and Iliac/Pelvic bones. These vertebrae are labelled using the letter L and the number of the vertebrae (example L3 is the third lumbar). The normal curvature of the cervical spine is a lordosis, just like the neck. An example is shown in the photo gallery below. The lumbar spine is responsible for the majority of trunk flexion and extension (bending forward and leaning back). The intervertebral discs are the largest in the lumbar spine.

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Most Common Causes

The most common cause of low back pain is subluxation. A subluxation is the posterior misalignment of a vertebrae that is pinching or interfering with a nerve. This can be the result of a sudden trauma (hard fall, car accident, etc.), repetitive use injury (heavy lifting, repetitive motion, etc.), sports injury, or normal day-to-day wear and tear. The disc can also be involved which complicates the issue as well as the possibility of adding symptoms and increase discomfort.

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Associated Symptoms and Conditions

• Lumbar sprain/strain
• Facet syndrome
• Sciatica
• Spondylolisthesis
• Disc herniation
• Stenosis
• Degenerative Disc Disease
• Referred pain into the Mid Back
• Buttock/Glut Pain
• Leg Pain/Numbness/Tingling/Weakness
• Hip/Knee/Ankle/Foot Pain
• Menstrual Issues / Erectile Dysfunction
• Digestive Issues
• Bowel/Bladder Issues

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Complications

Leaving low back issues untreated could result in complications including but not limited to:

• Nerve damage
• Stenosis
• Cauda Equina Syndrome
• Muscle Atrophy
• Degenerative Disc Disease
• Bone Spurs
• Surgery
• Inability to balance / walk / stand

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Example Lumbar Spine X-Rays