Statistics show that 80 percent of us will suffer from back pain at some point in our lives. I am a statistic.
My first bout with back pain began when I was just a youth. It was a severe case with debilitating pain. I went to a specialist and he conducted a thorough exam, x-rayed my back, and then explained what was wrong. He administered treatment and gave me instructions for home care. Almost immediately I felt relief and after a few treatments I was better. It was not a surgeon’s scalpel or an addictive drug that got me well. It was a treatment called spinal manipulation. Chiropractors are specifically trained in this form of healing. After my first-hand experience, I decided to become one.
Lower back pain is the single leading cause of disability worldwide. In the United States it is second only to upper respiratory infections as the reason for visits to a doctor. Over 31 million people have lower back pain at any given time in this country. These statistics are staggering and they validate the 50 billion dollars spent each year in managing back pain. Workers suffer from lost wages and companies see decreases in productivity.
Lower back pain is a reflection of the complexity of the lower back and its structures which are composed of five lumbar vertebrae (bones in the spine) with intervertebral discs, or “spacers” in between each bone. Next is a series of five bones below the lumbars that fuse as you grow to become the sacrum. Through the lumbar and sacral region you have very important spinal nerves that exit on each side of the column, supplying the lower half of your body. Some of the nerves braid into the well-known sciatica nerve.
About thumb sized, it is the largest nerve of the body. The sacrum and the ilia, a large ear-shaped bone to each side, makes up your pelvis. Your pelvis connects to your upper legs to make the hip joints.
All of these structures can cause lower back pain which makes diagnosing more difficult. To add to the complexity, there are a slew of organic forms of lower back pain. Organic pain in the lower back, which does not come from all of the bony structures listed above, can be caused by infection, cancer, or referred pain from organs like the kidneys or the reproductive system.
Chiropractors are specifically aligned in this realm of healthcare with the knowledge of the complexity of the lumbopelvic spine and of the pathology of surrounding structures that refer pain to the back. They are highly trained in spinal manipulation, which current research describes as a safe and effective, non-drug form of initial professional treatment for acute low back problems.
If you become a statistic, which 80 percent of you will, think chiropractic. Also keep in mind that the chiropractic profession has expanded just like the medical doctors into the world of sub-specialities. When vetting a chiropractor, find out what they specialize in. Also be sure to ask if they specialize in manipulation for the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders of the lower back.
Robert Lavoie, D.C., CCSP® is the owner of Chiropractic Clinic of Gorham.