By Dr. Kelly Herta, DC

In the U.S., low back pain is one of the most common conditions and one of the leading causes of physician visits. In fact, at least four out of five adults will experience low back pain at some point in their lives. Although back pain may sometimes be caused from specific trauma to the body, the majority of back pain patients have not experienced any specific trauma, accidents or major injuries prior to the onset of their problem. The cause of most back pain is the cumulative effect on the body of improper sitting posture, poor work habits, incorrect lifting, lack of proper exercise, weak abdominal muscles, the after effects of child bearing, and the inevitable aging process.

All of these factors cause stress and imbalances to the spine and eventually pain. In fact, this is why people often injure their back by just bending over to pick up a piece of paper. The spine was already compromised and just the simple act of bending was enough to set off the problem. When this occurs, the surrounding back muscles go into spasm to protect the stressed or injured tissues of the back. As a result, patients will experience symptoms of back pain that include:

• Tenderness, pain and stiffness in the lower back
• Pain that radiates into the buttocks or legs
• Difficulty standing upright or standing in one position for a prolonged period
• Weakness and leg fatigue while walking
• Discomfort while sitting

In the U.S., the most common treatment for low back pain is over-the-counter and prescription pain medications. Although these medications may seem to alleviate a persons low back pain for a short time, unfortunately, these medications are not enough to find and correct the cause of the problem. As a result most people will have repeated or continuous back pain throughout their lives.

Unlike medication Chiropractic treatment serves to find and correct the actual cause of the problem. Chiropractors perform a thorough exam and consultation of each patient that helps to find the source of the problem. The information gained by the exam and consultation is then used to design a program to not only relieve the pain but also correct the problem through patient education, chiropractic treatment and rehabilitative therapy. As a result, patients will not only experience a decrease in their pain, but they will also learn how to prevent back pain from reoccurring in the future.

For more information, Dr. Kelly Herta, DC at Aligned Health Chiropractic & Wellness Center. 27875 Smyth Dr. # 100, (661)295-5200.

Read more articles from Dr. Herta’s Body Wellness series by clicking here.