A Primer On Back Pain

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics' 2007-2008 National Health Survey,

about !8 "illion Australians re#ort e$#eriencing bac% #ain! &n fact, re#orts of bac%
#roble"s ran% higher than asth"a, osteoarthritis and hy#ertension! '$#erts esti"ate
that 70 to (0 #ercent of #eo#le )ill e$#erience bac% #roble"s at least at one #oint in
their lives!
*hat is sur#rising is that although "any #eo#le consider bac% #roble"s as so"ething
that co"es )ith gro)ing old, a high nu"ber of teens re#ort e$#eriencing bac% #ains!
According to the +edical ,ournal of Australia, bac% #roble"s are a"ong the "ost
co""on long-ter" health issues re#orted by individuals bet)een the ages of - and ./
years old!
0ain in the bac% "ay have several causes including "uscle or liga"ent strain fro"
re#etitive heavy lifting or sudden, a)%)ard "ove"ent1 bulging or ru#tured discs1
arthritis1 s%eletal irregularities li%e scoliosis1 and osteo#orosis!
Although everyone can e$#erience #ain in the bac%, there are #eo#le )ho have a higher
ris% to succu"bing to this #roble"! 2hese #eo#le include the obese, those )ho lac%
e$ercise and those )ho do not %no) ho) to lift #ro#erly! So"e studies also clai" that
#eo#le )ith #sychological issues li%e de#ression and an$iety are #rone to e$#eriencing
#ain in the bac% region!
*hile #ain in this region ty#ically subsides, it is crucial to see a doctor if there is no
i"#rove"ent )ithin 72 hours and if you e$#erience any of the follo)ing3
4hanges in urinary and bo)el "ove"ents
5ever or chills
0ain in the abdo"en
&f the #ain is caused by a fall or blo)
&f the #ain intensifies at night or u#on lying do)n
2ingling, )ea%ness or nu"bness in the lo)er e$tre"ities
*eight loss
2y#ically, bac% #ain subsides over ti"e! Bed rest and over-the-counter "edication often
hel#! &f you are e$#eriencing #ain in the area, it is advisable to continue )ith your
nor"al routine and engage in light activities li%e )al%ing! Ho)ever, if the #ain continues
to linger, there are several o#tions you can loo% into including ta%ing stronger
"edications, trying #hysical thera#y and e$ercise, and considering in6ections and
surgery!
2he 4hiro#ractors' Association of Australia re#orts that "ore than 2-,000 #eo#le visit a
chiro#ractor on a )ee%ly basis! 4hiro#ractic treat"ent involves s#inal "ani#ulation and
align"ent )hich, in turn, sti"ulates the body's natural ability to heal itself! 2y#ically, an
initial consultation )ith a chiro#ractor )ill involve descri#tion of the #atient's sy"#to"s!
&n so"e instances, the chiro#ractor "ay reco""end tests and 7-rays to better
understand the #atient's condition! After)ards, both the chiro#ractor and #atient develo#
a treat"ent #lan )hich "ay include regular visits! Additionally, the chiro#ractor "ay
reco""end su##le"entation, diet, e$ercise, hot and cold #ac%s and electrical
sti"ulation!
8riginally #osted on htt#399)))!neurobalancechiro#ractic!co"!au9chiro#ractic-bac%-
#ain9