Back pain can strike out of nowhere or develop gradually and may be acute (meaning it lasts a few days or weeks) or chronic (meaning it lasts for 12 weeks or longer).
Fortunately, a chiropractor can easily identify the source of both sudden- and gradual-onset back pain via a comprehensive chiropractic exam. After determining the source of your discomfort, a chiropractor can also provide effective, non-invasive treatments to alleviate the pain, align your spine, and restore mobility.
What might be the culprit behind your back discomfort? While that’s tough to say without a thorough exam, here are nine of the most common causes of acute and chronic back pain.
1. Muscle or Ligament Stress
If you subject your back to repeated heavy lifting with poor form or sudden, awkward movements under stress, you could strain your back muscles and the ligaments along your spine. This is especially true if you’re not in good physical shape or don’t know how to lift heavy objects safely.
If you’re experiencing painful muscle spasms, ligament or muscle strain may be the culprit.
2. Bulging Discs
Discs provide a buffer between your spinal vertebrae, absorbing shock and pressure and allowing spinal mobility. When intense pressure is applied to the discs, they can bulge or rupture. Certain degenerative conditions, such as degenerative disc disease, can also cause your intervertebral discs to deteriorate over time and eventually result in a bulge or rupture.
While a bulging or ruptured disc can cause considerable pain if it places pressure on a spinal nerve, disc damage can also go unnoticed because it doesn’t always cause pain.
To find out if disc damage is the culprit behind your back pain, you’ll need to have an X-ray, CT scan, or MRI, which will create an image of your spine. Then a chiropractor or orthopedic doctor can evaluate the images, reach a diagnosis, and determine the appropriate treatment.
Check out what a chiropractor can do for herniated discs for more information.
Many people develop arthritis in their lower back as they age. Arthritis can lead to several other problems, as it’s a degenerative condition that deteriorates the affected structures in the spine.
In some cases, spinal decompression can help alleviate back pain caused by arthritis. Other forms of chiropractic treatment, such as TENS therapy and massage may also provide relief.
4. Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is characterized by a narrowing of the spinal canal, the canals at the base of nerves that branch away from the spine, or the openings between the spinal vertebrae. As one or more of these spaces within the spine narrow, the spinal bones can put pressure on the nerve roots and/or nerves that branch away from the spinal cord.
This phenomenon can result in low back pain, as well as pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in areas of the body fed by compressed spinal nerves. Chiropractic adjustments may be able to help alleviate the pain and mobility issues caused by this condition, as they can help realign affected vertebrae and discs.
Other forms of treatment, such as decompression and TENS therapy may also offer relief from discomfort.
Spondylolisthesis is a condition characterized by forward slippage of one or more spinal vertebra. When this condition is present, the vertebrae shift forward out of their proper position and end up resting on the vertebrae below, which can compress the nerves that branch away from the spine in that area.
Like any spinal condition that places pressure on the spinal nerves, spondylolisthesis can cause considerable pain and mobility impairments. A chiropractor may be able to help address this condition via chiropractic adjustments that help realign the spinal joints and manual therapies that help treat soft tissues affected by the slippage of the vertebrae.
6. Skeletal Irregularities
Scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine, develops in children and carries over into adulthood. Our chiropractic care service is designed to realign your joints.
Although the procedure does not cure the condition, it does help relieve severe back pain caused by spine curves. Our patients notice a significant difference in how they feel.
Osteoporosis can cause spinal vertebrae to become porous, brittle, and weak over time. As vertebrae weaken, they may begin to crumple and collapse, which can cause back pain, hunched posture, and even a decrease in height.
Chiropractic adjustments and complementary therapies can help relieve the back pain and neck pain associated with osteoporosis and may help restore some mobility, too.
8. Poor Posture
If you sit in an office or work at a job that causes you to remain in poor posture over long periods, your back may feel the strain. A chiropractor can provide lower back pain treatment to the site of the pain that exists from chronic incorrect body positioning or ongoing back tension.
A chiropractor can also provide you with at-home exercises that can help improve your posture and correct the chronic problem.
Want to improve your posture at work? Check out our blog, Sedentary Job? Here’s How to Keep Your Body Healthy While You Sit.
Car accidents, slips and falls, and sudden impacts can cause injury or trauma to the upper and lower back regions. If you experience ongoing discomfort, a chiropractor can provide various therapies to help give you relief as your body recovers from trauma.
Check out why you should see a chiropractor after a car accident for more information on this topic.
Schedule Chiropractic Care for Back Pain in New Hope, MN
Whether you’re suffering from acute or chronic back pain, get in touch with our team at Bomberg Chiropractic in New Hope, MN. Doctor Bomberg specializes in a variety of natural, non-invasive treatments for neck and back discomfort and can help you get out of pain and back to doing what you love.
We accept HSAs and FSAs and offer affordable cash pricing, payment plans, and package visits at discounted rates. We’re also in-network with a limited number of insurance providers.
To schedule a visit, please call our office at 763-450-1755 or request an appointment online, and we’ll get in touch to get you scheduled.