Lower Back Pain Rugby.
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Lower Back Pain Specific lists for Lower back Pain include; Sciatica. Slipped Disc, Trapped Nerve. Back Injury.
Eighty percent of people suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. Back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctors. In fact, it is estimated that low back pain affects more than half of the adult population each year and more than 15% of all people experience frequent bouts of low back pain.
The susceptibility of the low back to injury and pain is due to the fact that the low back, like the neck, is an unstable part of the spine, unlike the thoracic spine, which is supported by the rib cage. This instability allows us to have a great deal of mobility to touch our toes, tie our shoes or pick something up from ground level, but at the cost of increased risk of injury.
The low back can withstand tremendous forces as long as it is healthy and functioning correctly. However, if the low back is out of alignment or has weakened supporting muscles, something as simple as putting a bag or suit case in and out of the boot of a car, picking something up off the floor, or simply bending down can cause a low back injury.
Studies have shown that when back pain is not treated, it may go away temporarily, and is very to likely return. The importance to take low back pain seriously cannot be stressed enough. The professional chiropractic care is one of the best ways to care for your back.
The Causes of Low Back Pain
Sprained ligaments, strained muscles, ruptured disks, trigger points and inflamed joints are the many of different conditions that can result in low back pain. While sports injuries or accidents can lead to an injury and pain, sometimes even the simplest movements, like picking up a pencil from the floor, can have painful results. In addition, conditions such as poor posture, stress, arthritis, kidney stones and kidney infections, can be the cause of low back pain.
There may be many other things that can cause low back pain, and some of those things can be serious if left untreated. Chiropractors are the experts in diagnosing the cause and determining a proper course of treatment for low back pain. Following are some of the most common causes.
Subluxations
When a disruption in the normal movement or position of the vertebrae occurs it results in pain and inflammation. In the lumbar spine these occur at the transition between the lower spine and the sacrum. Subluxations can lead to debilitating low back pain, however, subluxations are easily treatable and there is often a significant reduction in pain experienced almost immediately after treatment.
Disc Herniations
A herniated disc does not automatically mean that you may suffer from low back pain. In one study almost 60% of all adults had at least one bulging or herniated disc, even though they did not experienced any back pain. However, herniated discs can be a source of severe and debilitating pain, which may radiate to other areas of the body. Unfortunately, when a disc herniates, they rarely, completely heal. Further deterioration can be avoided through chiropractic care, but a complete recovery is less common.
Sprains, Strains and Spasms
Sprains strains and spasms, are the most common source of low back pain. Overworking the muscles or ligaments of the low back may lead to tears in the tissues, which become painful, swollen and may even ache, with a tightening to the area affected.
Stress
When you become stressed, your body responds by increasing the levels of stress hormones leading to the rise of blood pressure and heart rate and tightening up of your muscles. By becoming stressed all the time your muscles will become weak and painful loaded with trigger points.
Chiropractic treatment for the low back has been repeatedly shown to be the most effective treatment for low back pain. Major studies have shown that chiropractic treatment is more effective, and has better long-term outcomes than any other treatment. Why? This makes sense is because chiropractic treatment is the only method of treatment that works to re-establish normal vertebral motion and position in the spine. All other treatments, such as muscle relaxants and pain killers, will only decrease the symptoms of the problem and do not correct the problem itself.
Chiropractic treatment for low back pain is normally straight forward, and simply a matter of adjusting the lower lumbar vertebrae and pelvis to re-establish normal motion and position of your bones and joints. ( View our Cold/ Low LevelLaser Therapy Section .)
Sciatica
The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in your body. It runs from your pelvis, through your hip area and buttocks and down each leg. The sciatic nerve branches into smaller nerves as it travels down the legs providing feeling to your thighs, legs, and feet as well as controlling many of the muscles in your lower legs. The term sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the path of this nerve.
What causes Sciatica?
Sciatica is actually a sign that you have an underlying problem putting pressure on a nerve in your lower back. The most common cause of this nerve compression is a bulging or herniated lumbar disc. Piriformis syndrome is another common cause of sciatica. The piriformis is a muscle that lies directly over the sciatic nerve. If this muscle becomes tight or if you have a spasm in this muscle, it puts pressure directly on the sciatic nerve. Occasionally, sciatic pain in men is caused by sitting on a wallet.
How do I know if I have sciatica?
Pain that radiates from your lower (lumbar) spine to your buttock and down the back of your leg is the hallmark of sciatica. Sciatica may be accompanied by numbness, tingling, and muscle weakness in the affected leg. This pain can vary widely, from a mild ache to a sharp, burning sensation or excruciating discomfort. Sometimes it may feel like a jolt or electric shock. Sciatic pain often starts gradually and intensifies over time. It’s likely to be worse when you sit, cough or sneeze.
How is Sciatica Treated?
The vast majority of the time, sciatic pain can be relieved through a combination of stretches, deep tissue massage of the piriformis muscle and chiropractic care. Occasionally, in cases where chronic spasm of the low back or piriformis muscles is causing the sciatic pain, it may be necessary to do a procedure called a trigger point injection, where a medical pain specialist injects a small amount of anaesthetic directly into a spasmed muscle to break the spasm cycle.
(View our Cold/Low Level Laser Therapy Section.)
Complementary and alternative medicine
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) refers to medical and health care systems, practices, and treatments that aren’t currently part of conventional medicine, i.e. the care you receive in your primary care doctor’s surgery. Many of these therapies and treatments are being studied intensely, and some have proved to help alleviate back pain.
- Chiropractic is a system of treatments which is based on the philosophy that restricted movement in the spine may lead to reduced function and pain. Spinal adjustment (manipulation) is one form of therapy chiropractors use to treat restricted spinal mobility. The goal is to restore spinal movement and, as a result, improve function and decrease pain.Chiropractors manipulate the spine from different positions using varying degrees of force. Manipulation doesn’t need to be forceful to be effective. Chiropractors may also use massage and stretching to relax muscles that are shortened or in spasm.Some studies done on spinal manipulation have found it to be as effective and safe as standard treatments, especially for initial pain relief, though the optimal number of treatments depends on individual case.
Recent research has shown that 75% to 80% percent of patients suffering with chronic sciatica benefit from chiropractic treatment
- Massage. To conduct an objective clinical trial in massage can be difficult due to variances in practitioners and in massage types however, studies that have been conducted suggest that massage may ease low back pain symptoms by reducing muscle spasm.
Risk factors
The greatest risk factors for sciatica include:
- Age related changes in the spine are a common cause of sciatica. You’re likely to have some deterioration in the discs in your back by the time you’re in your late 20s, and most people who develop herniated discs are in their early 30s and 40s and Previous injuries from sport and work related, activity are also common factors.
- Occupation jobs that requires you to twist your back, and carry heavy loads, driving a motor vehicle for extended periods makes you more prone to develop sciatica.
- Prolonged sitting People who sit for prolonged periods or have a sedentary lifestyle are more likely to develop sciatica than people with active lifestyle.
- Diabetes. This condition, which affects the way your body uses blood sugar, increases your risk of nerve damage.
When to seek medical advice
Seek immediate medical treatment if:
- You experience sudden, severe pain in your low back or ether or both legs and numbness or muscle weakness in either or both of the legs
- The pain follows a injury, from a traffic or work related accident
- You have trouble controlling your bowels or bladder.
- Seek medical advice urgently.
Screening and diagnosis of sciatica;
To help diagnose sciatica and pinpoint which nerves, if any, are affected, your chiropractor will ask about your medical history and perform a thorough physical exam, paying special attention to your spine and legs.
You’re also likely to have some basic tests that check your muscle strength and reflexes. For example, you may be asked to walk on your toes or heels, and, while lying on your back, lift your legs one at a time straight in the air. Pain that results from sciatica will usually become worse during this examination.
If your pain lasts longer than four weeks or is very severe, or you have another serious condition such as cancer, you may have one or more imaging tests to help identity why the sciatic nerve is compressed and to rule out other causes for your symptoms.
These tests include:
- Spinal X-ray.Because ordinary X-rays can’t detect herniated disc problems or nerve damage, they’re not usually helpful for pinpointing the cause of sciatica. A spinal X-ray can show most cancers affecting the bony structures of the spine, narrowed discs and spondylolisthesis, however, and can help rule out other causes of nerve root impingement.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This is probably the most sensitive test for assessing sciatic nerve pain. Instead of X-rays, MRI uses a powerful magnet and radio waves to produce cross-sectional images of your back. The test can detect damage to your discs and ligaments as well as the presence of tumors. MRI is non-invasive and has no harmful side effects.During the test, you lie on a movable table inside the MRI machine, which is essentially a large magnet. If you have a hard time lying still for the required period of time or you’re anxious about the enclosed space, you may be given a sedative. Some MRI units may be wider, shorter or open on all sides, which may be more comfortable for you, although the quality of images taken with these systems may vary.
- Computerized tomography (CT) scans. This test uses a narrow beam of radiation to produce detailed, cross-sectional images of your body. When CT is used to image the spine, you may have a contrast dye injected into your spinal canal before the Digit – X-rays are taken a procedure called a CT myelogram. The dye then circulates around your spinal cord and spinal nerves, which appear white on the scan.
Complications of sciatica
Although people recover from sciatica, sciatica can potentially cause permanent nerve damage. Depending on what’s causing the nerve to be compressed, other complications may occur,
They included
- Loss of feeling, may affected one or both or legs.
- Loss of movement may affected one or both legs
- Loss of bowel or bladder function
Different Treatment of Sciatica Include;
Physical therapy for a disc Injuries known as “Slipped” Prolapsed, Bulging or herniated disc, physical therapy can play a role in your recovery. Once acute pain is reduced and range of movement improves a physical therapist or Chiropractor can design a rehabilitation program to help prevent further injuries.
Rehabilitation includes exercises to help correct your posture, strengthen the muscles supporting your back and improve your flexibility. Physical therapy, exercises should be Started as early as possible.
Prescription drugs most doctors may prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication along with a muscle relaxant. Narcotics also may be prescribed for short-term pain relief. Antidepressants and anticonvulsant drugs can be used in easing chronic pain. They may help by blocking pain messages to the brain or by enhancing the production of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers.
More invasive treatment
Epidural steroid injections.In some cases, doctors may inject a corticosteroid medication into the affected area. Corticosteroids mimic the effects of the hormones cortisone and hydrocortisone, which are made by the outer layer (cortex) of your adrenal glands; Corticosteroids suppress inflammation around the irritated nerve thus giving pain relief.
Their usefulness in treating sciatica remains a matter of debate. Some research has found that corticosteroids can provide short-term symptom relief, but that these medications aren’t a long-term solution. In addition, corticosteroids can have side effects, so the number of injections you can receive is limited usually no more than four per joint.
Surgery usually occurs when the compressed nerve causes significant weakness, bowel or bladder incontinence, (when this occurs seek medical advice urgently) or you have pain that gets progressively worse or does not improve.
Surgical options include lumbar laminectomy and microdiskectomy. In lumbar laminectomy with diskectomy, surgeons remove a portion of a herniated disc that’s pressing on a nerve. most of the disc is left intact to preserve as much of the normal anatomy as possible. Sometimes a surgeon will perform this operation through a small incision while looking through a microscope (microdiskectomy).
Success rates of standard diskectomy and microdiskectomy are about equal, but you may have less pain and recover more quickly with microdiskectomy. Discuss which option might be best for you with your doctor, and carefully weigh the potential benefits of surgery against the risks as surgery is not always successful.
(Always get a second opinion).
Prevention
Exercise regularly. This is the most important thing you can do for your overall health as well as for your back. Pay attention to your core muscles the muscles in your abdomen and lower back that are essential for proper posture and alignment. For cardiovascular benefits, try using a exercise bike or treadmill. Swimming is also recommended.
Maintain proper posture when you sit. A good chair should comfortably support your hips, and the seat should not press on the back of your thighs or knees. If the chair does not support the natural curve in your lower spine, place a rolled towel or pillow behind your back.
When working at a computer, adjust your chair so that your feet are flat on the floor and your arms rest on your desk or the chair’s arms, with your elbows bent at a right angle. Take frequent breaks every 20 minutes, even if it’s just to walk around your office a little stretching will also help.
Driving, before setting off adjust your seat to keep your knees and hips level, and move the seat forward to avoid overreaching for the pedals.
Consider using body mechanics. Being aware of how you stand and lift heavy objects and even how you sleep can go a long way toward keeping your back healthy. That’s because poor posture stresses your back, leading to fatigue and stress on joints and nerves. Always hold reading material at eye level instead of bending forward, and if you’re standing for long periods rest one foot on a raised object about the height of a foot stool.
Before you lift something heavy, decide where you’ll place it and how you’ll get it from A to B. Bend at your knees, not your back, so that your legs do the lifting. Carry objects close to your body at about waist level. If possible, set the object down on a surface between shoulder and knee height to avoid lifting objects over your head or bending over too far. Don’t twist at your waist. Instead turn by pivoting your feet.
Be careful moving heavy things when you become tired, Tiredness can cause you to move more awkwardly than normal. Heavy loads are the greatest risk to your spine, so know your limitations. Don’t attempt to lift something that is beyond your normal ability.
Try the following measures:
- Cold packs. Initially, using cold packs may be able to reduce inflammation and relieve discomfort. Wrap an ice pack in a thin towel and apply to the painful areas for 15 to 20 minutes at least 7 times a daily.
- Stretching. Stretching exercises for your low back can help you feel better and may help relieve nerve root compression. Avoid or sudden movements and twisting during the stretch and try to hold the stretch as long as possible. Around 40 seconds per stretch if possible.
- Medications.Pain killers (analgesics) fall into two categories those that reduce pain and inflammation and those that only treat pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, and acetaminophen (Tylenol,) will be helpful for sciatica.Although they provide real relief, both types of medication have a limit to how much pain they can reduce. If you have moderate to severe pain, exceeding the recommended dosage will not provide any additional benefits. In addition NSAIDs can cause side effects such as nausea, stomach bleeding or ulcers, and acetaminophen can cause liver problems.If you’re using these medications, you should talk to your GP so that you can be monitored for any arising problems. Periodically reassess whether you still need drug treatment or not. Exercise, stretching, massage and other none drug treatments can often provide the same benefits without side effects.
- Regular exercise.It may seem counter-intuitive to exercise when you’re in pain, but regular exercise is one of the best ways to combat chronic discomfort. Exercise prompts your body to release endorphins chemicals that prevent pain signals from reaching your brain. Exercise in moderation.In the early stages of sciatica, swimming or other low-impact exercise such as an exercising bicycle will help you stay active without worsening your symptoms. Later, as you improve and the pain becomes less combining aerobic activity with strength training and core stability exercises that improve the strength of your back muscles can help limit the effects of degenerative changes in your spine.Start out slowly and progress to at least 45 minutes every day to prevent further injury, learn proper lifting techniques.
Trapped Nerve or “Pinched” Nerve.
Having a Trapped nerve hurts often feeling like severe, sharp, excruciating and intense pain. Trapped nerves could happen nearly anywhere affecting nerves that go to the arms, fingers, wrists, neck, head, back, shoulders, legs, muscles and internal organs. “Pinched” or trapped nerves can affect your health, posture, vitality, resistance to disease, even your emotional health. “Pinched”/trapped nerves can make life a misery.
Trapped?
Do nerves really get trapped? Actually directly trapping the nerve is quite rare. Much more common is what chiropractors call the vertebral subluxation complex or subluxations. Other terms for this are: nerve impingement, nerve irritation, nerve lesion, spinal stress and meningeal tension.
Even though there may be no actual trapping, people like the word because it’s so descriptive. It can really feel like something is being trapped in there. Some health professionals even use it. People at times seeing a chiropractor’s saying their GP, osteopath, massage therapist referred them because they had a trapped nerve and should visit a chiropractor to get the trapped nerve freed.
What Can Cause Subluxations?
Nearly any kind of stress can cause a subluxation: a fall or an accident, even a very small one that happened years ago; a poor sleeping position; poor posture; fatigue; emotional stress; poor nutrition or a combination of stresses. A subluxation need not happen all at once. It could set in the body over time.
Trapped Nerves Don’t Normally Hurt
Chiropractors sometimes say that people with painful Trapped nerves might be considered lucky-they know they have a problem and they (hopefully) will go to a chiropractor.
If You don’t Experience The pain From a Trapped Nerve? What Would Be The Outcome?
Some patients may watch their body suffer and their health deteriorate for years without the faintest idea that the problem may be coming from their spine. These people desperately need to see a chiropractor but because they don’t have spine or nerve pain they may never receive the care they need. This is the big job facing chiropractors today educating people about vertebral subluxations and the need for periodic spinal checkups.
Treatment Of Trapped Nerves
Trapped nerves do not get untrapped by themselves. No amount of painkillers or muscle relaxants can fix them. Only doctors of chiropractic are able to analyze your spinal column for trapped nerves or vertebral subluxations and use spinal adjustment techniques to gently realign the spine, release the internal stress and free the body from the trapped nerves.
Chiropractors are heath care practitioners who are most experienced in freeing body of vertebral subluxations.
Nerves Travel Through the Body?
Individual nerve fibers are tiny. Although they may be many inches long they are so thin you need a powerful microscope to see them. Nerve fibers are also found in large bundles called nerves. Billions of nerve fibers are bundled inside your spinal cord – an extension of your brain, which passes through the spinal column. Nerves branch off from spinal cord and exit spine through openings between the vertebrae to connect to every cell in the body.
Life without Nerves
Without nerves you couldn’t see, hear, touch, taste or smell or feel hot, cold, pleasure or pain, and no messages could come in and no messages could go out; without nerves no muscles could move.
Nerves Keep the Body Alive and Healthy
Nerve messages also help regulate the body’s activities such as breathing, heartbeat, digestion, excretion, blood pressure and immune system so that the body can respond to germs, changes in temperature and all kinds of stress. In addition to nerve impulses, nutrients flow over your nerves to nourish the muscles and tissues. If this flow is blocked it may cause your muscles to waste away.
If the nerves are trapped, “impinged” or otherwise interfered with, the flow of messages and nutrients over them can be disrupted and the body can become “diseased” or weakened. When you are diseased you have less energy and vitality and are less able to deal with physical and emotional stress.
Lowered resistance to disease, infection, colds, flu, allergies, ulcers, constipation, diarrhoea, asthma, fevers, headaches, seizures, bedwetting, hearing, balance or visual disturbances and many other health problems have been related to an unhealthy nervous system.
How Do Nerves Get Impinged or Trapped
The skeletal system, especially the spinal column, protects the spinal cord and other nerves. If the spinal bones (vertebrae) are misaligned even slightly they may “pinch,” impinge, irritate, compress or stretch the nerves they are supposed to protect.
This in turn can affect other structures in the area including blood vessels, discs, ligaments, joints, muscles, fascia, tendons and meninges. As mentioned earlier, this is referred to as a subluxation.
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