Do you have low back pain?

Some people only experience low back pain after strenuous activity or weekend warrior projects from muscle spasm or joint inflammation, but an alarming amount of people suffer from chronic lower back pain on a daily or at least a weekly basis.  Doctors and scientists have attributed acute lower back pain that radiates down your leg with numbness or weakness to a problem with the intervertebral disc or cushion between the vertebrae of the spine.  These types of problems include disc herniation, disc protrusion and disc bulge where some of the "jelly" inside the cushion leaks out or protrudes out and causes pressure on the spinal nerves.  

There is also chronic lower back pain related to degenerative disc / joint disease or osteoarthritis.  This problem often affects people over 40 from day to day wear and tear changes which may accelerate at an earlier age due to injury or repetitive manual labor activities. 

The "disc" problems in the spine are often readily diagnosed with x-ray and / or MRI testing.  

Then there is the type of low back pain that is considered functional or mechanical,  This type of problem is not readily seen on radiology imaging.  Of course that does not mean there is nothing wrong or it is "all in your head" - it just means that there is a problem with the movement and or alignment of the spinal or pelvic joints. 

RECENT JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) REPORT:

(KTVI) – Medical doctors and chiropractors are often at odds with each other.  The Journal of the American Medical Association now  recommends Chiropractic as a first means of treating back pain.

The JAMA`s recommendation comes on the heels of a recent study out of the medical journal Spine where sufferers of lower back pain all received standard medical care (SMC) and half of the participants additionally received Chiropractic care. The researchers found that in SMC plus Chiropractic care patients, 73% reported that their pain was completely gone or much better after treatment compared to just 17% of the SMC group.

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Regardless of what is causing your back pain, Chiropractors are the leading experts in treating low back pain no matter what the cause.  And at our office, if we don't think we can help you - we will send you to someone who can...

Dr. David Dirks / Dirks Chiropractic

Washington NC: 252.362.0189       Greenville NC: 252.751.0660