Lower Back Pain Chiropractor in St. Louis, MO

Of course it goes without saying that lower back pain is the major reason why anyone would go see a chiropractor; it must be noted however that ‘lower back pain’ is far too generic a term when it comes to the many causes for lower back pain and the determination of the types of treatments to control or eliminate it altogether. Here is an overview of some of the main causes of lower back pain, the diagnosis associated with them and the treatments for the relief of or elimination of each type of common lower back pain. Chiropractic care is often the best and most recommended form of treatment if you are suffering from lower back pain.

Why do you experience Lower Back Pain?

It may not seem like it but your lower back is one of the most complex places that exist in your body. It is a place where such things as nerves, discs, bones, tendons and spinal muscles all come together. With all the movement and nerve activity that takes place in this area it’s no wonder that anyone experiences pain there from time to time. This pain can be temporary and caused by something such as a simple increase in activity or it can be chronic and caused by a much more serious condition in your body.

Here are some typical reasons for your onset of lower back pain:

• The very large nerve roots that go all the way down to your legs may have become irritated
• A group of smaller nerves in the lower back may have become irritated
• A strain may have occurred to one of the large muscles in your lower back
• Damage may have occurred to joints, bones or ligaments that are located in your lower back
• Disc degeneration may have taken place

Any one of these by itself or in combination with another may cause lower back pain or pain that radiates to another part of your body (referred pain). These conditions also typically cause back spasms which can result in intense pain and even be completely disabling to an area of your body.

Lower back pack intensity is often not associated with the severity of the problem unlike other illnesses or conditions of the body. People will often go visit the emergency room when experiencing the severe pain of a simple muscle strain in their lower back yet a serious condition like the degeneration of a disc is often left untreated because it only causes minor back discomfort.

As with any sickness, disease or other unhealthy condition in your body, an effective treatment for lower back pain cannot be found until the cause of the problem is properly diagnosed. Keep in mind that many Chiropractors such as us have wellness programs in place that will either help lessen the severity of your symptoms or get rid of them altogether.

The Most Common Causes

Doctors have noticed that there are certain causes of lower back problems that happen more frequently in younger adults and others that happen more frequently to older adults.

• Common lower back problems in 30 to 60 year old persons tend to be the result of such things as disc degeneration, muscle strains and soft tissue problems.
• Adults over 60 are much more prone to suffering from such conditions as joint degeneration, osteoarthritis or from a compression fracture.

Is There a Time when Urgent Treatment is required as a result of Lower Back Pain?

Under most circumstances lower back pain does not necessitate seeking emergency medical attention. The exception to this rule is if you have received trauma to your back in something such as a car accident or your lower back pain is accompanied by the following conditions:

• Severe chills or fever
• Recent and unexplained weight loss
• Severe weakness in your legs
• Bowel or bladder incontinence, the failure to urinate or prolonged constipation
• Severe abdominal pain that does not fluctuate in intensity

Symptoms in Adults under 60

Symptom: Lower back pain that started after physical activity, heavy lifting of an object or a sudden jerking movement.

This can be accompanied by any or all of the following:

• Muscle spasms
• Difficulty walking or standing
• Pain that travels throughout your thigh, groin or buttocks but rarely occurs below the knee
• The pain is not severe
• Sore to the touch in some spots

Probable Cause Back muscle strain

This causes the back muscle to experience microscopic tears. It can cause pain that is anywhere from mild to severe and can even be disabling.

Symptom: Sciatica Pain (Pain that goes from the lower back to the buttocks, legs and feet)

This can be accompanied by any or all of the following:

• Pain does not subside over time
• Pain may often be worse in the legs, buttocks and feet than the lower back
• The pain is typically felt on only one side of the body
• Long periods of inactivity make the pain worse
• A burning type pain (not dull or achy)
• May be accompanied by weakness or numbness

Probable Cause: Lower Lumbar herniated disc

This happens when a there is a compression of the nerve root in the lower spine and this pain then travels along the large sciatic nerve that is connected to your buttocks, legs and feet.

Symptom: Continuous lower back pain that gets worse when doing certain movements or getting into a certain position.

This can be accompanied by any or all of the following:

• Continuous moderate lower back pain with intermittent episodes of muscle spasms. Can last from a few days to several months.
• Annoying to severe back pain
• Sitting makes the condition worse
• Even strenuous physical activity may feel better than just standing or sitting.
• Changing positions lowers or eliminates the pain.

Probable Cause: Degenerative disc disease

This condition has been found to happen in people as young as 20 years old. It occurs when one of the delicate discs between two vertebrae breaks down and causes back instability and subsequent inflammation. This leads to the onset of pain, muscle spasms and even sciatica problems. It is very common and can be successfully treated in most cases.

Symptom: A deep feeling ache in the lower back that gets worse when walking or standing

• This can be accompanied by any or all of the following:
• Sciatica or radicular pain (similar to sciatica pain)
• Bending over backwards makes the pain worse
• The condition feels better when sitting or reclining
• Your legs feel tired and possibly tingly or numb
• Your hamstrings are so tight you have difficulty touching your toes

Probable Cause: Isthmic spondylolisthesis

This condition occurs when a vertebrae slips toward the front of the disc that is below it. The resulting nerve compression is what brings on the pain and symptoms that accompany it. This often happens during childhood but does not result in pain until older.

Symptom: Lower back pain alone or in combination with buttocks or groin pain

This can be accompanied by any or all of the following:

• Often an ache as opposed to a sharp pain
• The pain is felt predominantly in the hips, thighs, groin and lower back
• The pain is worse when sitting and feels better when reclining or lying down Adjusting your position often relieves the pain

Probable Cause: Sacroiliac Joint Disease

This happens when there is excessive or not enough movement in the sacroiliac joint (it connects what is known as the sacrum located at the bottom of the spine to the hip.

Symptoms Found in Adults Over 60

It must be noted that both older and younger adults can experience any of the symptoms of lower back pain that are more characteristic of the other group. For descriptive purposes it is just easier to lump these symptoms in the age group they most typically occur in. Older adults are more prone to suffering from lower back pain that is related to degenerative conditions in the spine or joints.

Symptom: Stiffness and lower back pain mostly at morning and at night

This can be accompanied by any or all of the following:

• Pain sever enough to interfere with sleep
• Tenderness when the area near the spine that is in pain is pressed
• Steady or intermittent aching in the lower back area that gets worse during extended physical activity
• Stiff back and unable to bend over at the waist comfortably

Probable Cause: Degenerative/Facet joint osteoarthritis

This is also known as osteoarthritis of the spine and is a condition that is caused by the deterioration of the cartilage that is in between the facet joints of your spine. It can eventually lead to sciatica pain too.

Symptom: Pain in the leg that happens mostly when standing upright or walking

This can be accompanied by any or all of the following:

• Developing leg pain after walking just a short distance
• Sitting down quickly relieves back pain
• Pain fluctuates from none, mild and severe
• Weakness, tingling and numbness that is sciatica associated

Probable Cause: Degenerative spondylolisthesis or Lumbar spinal stenosis

These conditions put pressure on nerves in the area where they leave the spine. When standing upright the pressure on the nerves is increased and this causes leg pain.

Symptom: Limited flexibility, height loss, sudden appearance of back pain

This can be accompanied by any or all of the following:

• Walking or standing makes the pain more intense
• Lying on your back brings quick relief
• Disabilities and deformities

Probable Cause: Compression fracture of the spine

This condition should be highly considered in the case of sudden onset of back pain in persons over 50 years of age. If a person has osteoporosis even small amounts of pressure can cause this type of back condition.

How to Diagnose & Relieve Lower Back Pain?

It can be extremely difficult to detect lower back pain causes and in turn initiate the proper back pain treatment. Chiropractors and doctors will ask their patients to identify such things as the history of the pain, the location of their pain and the severity of their lower back pain. They will also inquire as to what activity makes the onset of pain worse and what tends to relieve the pain (if anything).

Lower Back Pain Classifications

A medical diagnosis will usually classify back pain in one of three ways

• Axial low back pain

This is the most common type of back pain where the pain does not travel into the buttocks or legs. This type of pain is usually short lived (heals in 6 to 12 weeks). It can be associated with a variety of pain levels and can also limit physical activity.

• Lumbar radiculopathy (sciatica)

This is the second most common condition among lower back ailments. It comes about when the roots of the sciatic nerve become compressed. The pain is usually greater in the leg than back and this often times affects only one side of the body in the buttocks, leg or foot.

• Low back pain along with referred pain

This is back pain that also travels to the groin, buttocks and the upper thigh in a patient and does so with varying intensities.

The classification of pain is ultra-important in establishing the right back pain treatment plan.

Diagnostic Tests and Scans for back pain causes

These are usually done when the pain is severe and has not subsided after 6 to 12 weeks.

• X-rays
• CT scan.
• Myelogram.
• MRI

A physical exam and the symptoms will most likely give any back specialist a good idea of the source of lower back pain. Diagnostic tests are often used for confirmation purposes of the source of a patient’s lower back pain.

Treatments

The method of treatment for lower back pain often is determined by both the patient’s back pain history and the severity of their pain. Most lower back problems that cause pain can be treated without the need for surgery and the pain will usually start to subside within six weeks. Exercise is the most commonly prescribed treatment for lower back pain.

These treatments have been found to work well for easing lower back pain:

• Rest

This will allow such things as injured nerve roots and tissues time to heal before pressure is placed on the spine again. It usually will help alieve the severity of lower back pain too. You must be cautioned that if you are resting as part of your lower back treatment then too much rest can lead to weakened muscles that will struggle to support your spine. It has been found that patients who do not exercise fail to build strength and flexibility into their back muscles and are more likely to experience longer lasting and recurring periods of lower back pain.

• Heat and Ice Packs

These are both great ways to reduce inflammation and in turn reduce the severity of lower back pain. Most patients get better results from using ice as opposed to heat.

• Medications

Like ice and heat packs, most prescription and over the counter medications seek to lessen lower back pain severity by reducing inflammation. Some also block the pain signals from reaching the brain.

• Exercise for Lower Back Pain

This is often the key element in the treatment of any type of lower back pain. The type of exercise necessary is usually determined by a spinal health professional such as a physical therapist, a St. Louis chiropractor, or physiatrist. The three main components of an effective exercise treatment program for lower back pain are stretching, aerobic conditioning and strengthening of support muscles for the back. These programs are done in increments with the ultimate goal of building a more flexible and stronger spine.

• Chiropractic Adjustment

This popular form of back pain treatment, also known as Chiropractic Manipulation, seeks to target both increased range of motion and a patient’s physical functioning.

• Epidural Steroid Injections

These injections help to reduce inflammation by injecting steroids directly into the affected area. These injections do not have a healing effect themselves but they often give you enough pain relief so you can move and exercise to start the healing process.

• Surgery to alleviate Lower Back Pain

This is usually a last resort treatment because of the pros and cons of each type of surgical procedure to help eliminate back pain; the decision is almost always left up to the patient. Surgical procedures have been shown to work best to relieve pain that is caused by pressure on compressed nerves roots such as with sciatica pain. Fusion surgery also can be used to stop a back motion that causes pain but it involves much more extensive surgery.

There are other less common treatments that doctors, chiropractors and other spine specialists may prescribe too. Many patients find it useful to get opinions from more than one type of spine specialist in order to help determine the most likely underlying cause for their lower back pain and in turn decide what treatment may be best for them to make it go away.