Relieving Back Pain

An estimated eight out of ten people in the United States will injure their back at some point during their lives. Few of these problems will require extended treatment, but persistent back problems and back pain can still be very uncomfortable and stressful for many of us.

Managing and relieving back pain is not a simple process. In fact, many health providers who treat back pain find it challenging to obtain the measurable signs in order diagnose a patient’s symptoms. Additionally, everyone’s experience of back pain is different.

Back pain can be described as acute or chronic. The word “acute” derives from the Latin word for needles and is usually described as a severe, sharp sensation. The initial stage of an injury is called the acute phase. The word “chronic”, on the other hand, originated from the Greek word for time. Chronic back pain is pain that persists after a length of time. Many back injuries tend to become chronic, especially when not treated properly during the acute phase. Chronic back pain is often experienced as a dull ache or constant nagging irritant.

A good chiropractor can make a big difference for most individuals experiencing either chronic or acute back pain. A chiropractor may suggest stretching exercises and make regular adjustments to a patient’s back in order to relieve back pain. Other good options for back pain are massage and physical therapy. A formal rehabilitation program at a health club or therapy clinic may also help to strengthen weakened and damaged muscles, especially the core stabilizers of the back which often are the cause of chronic back pain. The healing power of the hands-on approach is a positive experience that many people enjoy through therapeutic massage or body work.

How can something as simple as this hands-on therapy have so many positive benefits? A tense or painful muscle is one which is often chronically contracted. In an acute situation such as recent injury, the muscle can be in actual spasm. This contraction or spasm decreases the flow of blood to the muscle, which leads to a decrease in the nutrient and oxygen supply to the cells of the muscle and related nerves. A chronically contracted muscle will build up lactic acid, a sign of fatigue. This oxygen shortage and lactic acid buildup irritates the nerve cells, which perpetuates the contracted muscles - often resulting in discomfort and back pain. Massage and chiropractic therapy can help remove the lactic acid and other metabolic waste products from the cells and reverse this process, interrupting the vicious cycle of painspasm-pain. This can do wonders for most sufferers of back pain and have a lasting impact for many patients.