Spine injuries and back pain are two of the common reasons people see a chiropractor. If you are looking for a Greenville pain and spine chiropractic doctor, Elite Spine Chiro can help you.
Common Spine Injuries and Causes of Back Pain?
Soft-tissue injuries and mechanical issues are the most common causes of lower back pain. These kinds of injuries can bring damage to the compression of nerve roots, improper mobility of the spinal joints, and intervertebral discs. However, the single and the most common cause of low back pain is a pulled muscle or ligaments.
What is spine injury?
A spine injury is a kind of damage present to the spinal cord. It is a severe type of physical trauma that has a significant and lasting effect on the person’s daily life.
The human spinal cord is consisting of a nerve bundle and other tissue that a spine’s vertebrae protect. The vertebrae are bones piled up on top of each other which make up the spine. The spine holds several nerves, and it can extend from the base of the brain to the back area, ending close, and buttocks.
The spine is the one responsible for sending messages from the human brain to other parts of the body. The body system can also transmit messages to the brain. People can feel pain and move their limbs because of these messages sent through the spine.
If the spine endures an injury, some of the impulses may not be able to operate as it is. The result is a total or complete loss of mobility and sensation due to the injury. A spine injury closer to the neck area can usually cause paralysis throughout the larger area of the body compared to the injury in the lower back part.
How do spinal injuries usually occur?
A spine injury is the result of a violent event or unpredictable accident. Below are some of the situations that can cause damage to the spinal cord.
- a violent attack like a gunshot or stabbing
- diving into the shallow water and hitting your bottom
- car accident trauma, especially hitting the head, neck area, face, back, and chest area
- falling from heights
- spinal or head injuries during sports events
- electrical accidents
- serious twisting of the middle part of the torso
What are the symptoms of a spine injury?
Some signs and symptoms of a spine injury include:
- problems walking
- loss of control of the bowels and bladder
- inability to move the legs and arms
- feelings of tingling or spreading numbness in the extremities
- unconsciousness
- headache
- discomfort, pressure, pain, and stiffness in the neck or back area
- signs of shock
- unnatural positioning or movement of the head
Do You Need to See a Chiropractor for Spine Injuries?
If you’ve been injured, visiting a Greenville pain and spine chiropractic doctor is a must. At Elite Spine Chiro, if you feel discomfort and pain in your back, shoulders, or neck, they can provide you relief for your spine injuries. Even if you believe that the damage is connected to your spine, they can provide you a solution. As you know, the nervous system is located in the spinal column, and chiropractic treatment is one of the safest, surgery-free, and drug-free ways to relieve pain and recover from the damage that happened to your body.
There are two kinds of spine injuries, complete and incomplete. With incomplete spinal cord injuries, the spine is partially severed, and a person can still function. On the other hand, in the complete spinal cord injury, the spine is fully severed and the patient becomes functionless. The complete spinal injury cord injury can be cured with physical therapy; however, the full function of the body may never be restored. It depends also on the extent of the injuries. Incomplete spinal cord injury is most common than complete injuries, but both must seek advice from chiropractic care for possible treatment and provide medical advice. You can visit a skilled and trusted chiropractor of Elite Spine Chiro for spine injury relief and care.
Back Pain Facts
Although Greenville pain and spine chiropractic doctors treat more than just back pain, several patients primarily visit chiropractors to find relief from the pervasive situation. In fact, there are 30 million Americans who experience low back pain at a given time.
- Back pain is one of the leading causes of many disabilities, preventing individuals from performing well in their jobs and other everyday activities.
- Back pain is the usual reason for missed work or tasks. Almost half of the population of Americans said that they experienced back pain symptoms every year.
- Back pain is accountable for more than 260 million lost jobs in a year. That is equivalent to two working days for each full-time employee in the US.
- Professionals estimate 80 percent of the US population will experience back discomfort at some time in their lives.
- Back pain can impact people's lives, regardless of age.
- Back pain is considered the 3rd common reason why people visit doctors, besides skin problems and joint disorders.
- Most cases of back pain are non-organic or mechanical. It means they are rooted in severe conditions like infection, fracture, cancer, or inflammatory arthritis.
- Most individuals with lower back pain heal and recover, but reoccurrence is possible. For a small percentage of individuals, this condition will become disabling and chronic.
- Disabilities caused by lower back pain have increased by 54 percent between the years 1990 and 2016.
- Lower back pain costs many Americans at least 50 billion dollars in healthcare costs every year. There is decreased productivity and lost wages too that quickly rises to 100 billion dollars and more.
What Causes Back Pain?
The usual causes of lower back pain are problems with back structures and strain.
Strain. Strained muscles primarily cause back pain. It commonly exists with the improper lifting of heavy materials and sudden movements. It resulted from over-doing activities. One example is the stiffness and sore feeling that occurs after long hours of work or playing a sport.
Structural problems. Vertebrae are those interlocking bones being stacked on one another that formed the spine. Discs are part of the tissue that cushion the spaces between the vertebra. Disc injuries can fairly the cause of other back pain too. Oftentimes, these discs can herniate, rupture, or bulge. Nerves get compressed when this occurs.
Herniated disks can be very painful. The bulges in a disc that presses on the nerves travel from the back down to the legs and irritate the sciatica nerve. If you have sciatica, your will experience these:
- pain
- tingling
- numbness
Arthritis. Spinal osteoarthritis is the potential cause of back pain. It is caused by deterioration and damage in the cartilage joints found in the lower back. Over time, arthritis can narrow the spinal stenosis or spinal column.
Osteoporosis. Thinning of the bones or loss of bone density called osteoporosis, can bring small damages and fractures in the vertebrae. These damages can cause severe pain referred to as compression fractures.
Other causes of back pain. There are several causes of back pain, but most are rare. Ensure to visit a professional if you feel regular discomfort in your back that does not go away.
After explaining the most common causes of back pain, a healthcare professional will do tests or exams to know if you experience a rarer cause. These can include:
- dislocation of a single vertebral body into another which is called degenerative spondylolisthesis.
- loss of nerve function at the lower area of the spinal cord which is called equine syndrome
- bacterial and fungal infection of the spine, such as E-coli, tuberculosis, or Staphylococcus
- non-malignant tumor or cancer in the spine
- kidney stones or infection
Tips to Prevent Back Pain
Many easy strategies can help a person to avoid the occurrence of back pain. Below are some of these.
- Maintain a healthy weight and diet.
- Stay active—under the guidance of your chiropractor.
- Prevent bed rest or prolonged inactivity.
- Stretch or warm up before performing physical activities or exercising.
- Maintain proper posture.
- Wear low-heeled and comfortable shoes.
- Sleep on a medium firmness mattress to lessen any curve in the spine.
- When lifting an item, lift with your knees, do not twist, and keep the item close to your body.
- Quit smoking because it impairs blood flow which results from nutrient and oxygen deprivation to spinal tissues.
- Talk with your chiropractor regarding a safe and ergonomically correct workstation.
Research Supports Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation
In today’s increasing emphasis on clinical outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and quality care, spinal manipulation obtained growing attention. The abuse and overuse of prescription opioids have led to the larger acknowledgment of the advantages of nondrug approaches to spinal or back pain.
Spinal manipulation is an effective and safe non-drug pain relief. It lessens discomfort and pain which rapidly advances chiropractic therapy, and requires few passive forms of care or treatment like simple bed rest.
Conclusion
Back pain is a common condition that occurs to several individuals nowadays. As you age and become older, the more you are to experience the discomfort of having it, especially with the majority of the American population today. For a less percentage, back pain becomes severe and chronic.
With the right treatment, most cases of back pain resolve and heal on their own. But there are cases that you need help from healthcare professionals, including chiropractors. The good news is that chiropractic care can help individuals who experienced back pain relieve the discomfort they feel. There are several steps you can do to prevent it and avoid another injury. Yoga, strength training, and daily stretches can help a lot to make your core muscles, back and spine are more resilient and stronger.
