Back Pain
The joints on the back of each bone in the spine are a common cause of back pain. If these joints are “locked up” or “stuck”, they can cause painful symptoms.
The discs or cushions between spinal bones can be a starting place of back pain, too. These cushions act as spacers and “shock absorbers” for the spine. Injuries can cause the soft material in the center to bulge or to be herniated, putting pressure on soft nerves.
Once you find the cause, you have several choices. You can do nothing, which is a common mistake and I hear people say “maybe my back pain will go away.” The symptoms may go away, but the problem is still there and will most likely return sooner than later.
Exercise is an option, but exercising spinal joints that are misaligned is like continuing to drive your car with worn out tires!
Another choice is to cover up the pain with over the counter medicine. This should help with the symptoms short term, but does not fix the problem and can be dangerous if used for prolonged periods. It has been estimated that over 100,000 people die from over the counter medication every year.
The most drastic measure is surgery. While there may be times when surgery is necessary, it’s expensive, risky and more than half of all back surgeries fail.
More and more people are choosing gentle chiropractic care first. Rae Chiropractic believes that the body will heal if we work to find and fix the problem whether it is back pain, neck pain or headaches. Chiropractic adjustments can help improve spinal function.
Neck Pain
Neck pain as well as other problems in the neck are the cause of many health problems including secondary back pain, headaches and pain between the shoulder blades. One of the most common postural problems is forward head posture. Not only does the neck support your 10-12 pound head, but it must allow for nerve flow to the arms, head, face and the rest of the body. Since we live in a world of computers, video games, iphones and trauma from car accidents, our neck has been forced to adapt to this stress of forward head posture. Because the neck and shoulders have to carry this extra weight all day the muscles in the neck begin to become fatigued and tired causing tight muscles, back pain, burning and fibromyalgia like symptoms. Chronic neck pain is a sign that there is an underlying problem that should be addressed sooner than later.
A thorough exam of the neck as well as a posture check can determine the extent of the problem. Any forward head posture should be checked by a chiropractor. As your Boise Chiropractor we have several solutions to treat neck pain and headaches as well as fix the underlying problem.
The most difficult condition to handle with neck pain and back pain is degenerative arthritis. Long term postural problems and neglect can lead to spinal decay. The most susceptible place in the spine is the neck. I know as your Boise Chiropractor stress is here to stay with the busyness of life. We would like an opportunity to help you handle it before it becomes a crisis.