The Good Chiropractor, serving residents and visitors in Los Angeles, offers comprehensive treatment for lower back pain. Dr. KenGee Ehrlich uses spinal adjustments and rehabilitative exercises to relieve back pain associated with disc herniation, spine misalignment, muscle spasms, and stress.
Lower Back Pain Q & A
by KenGee Ehrlich, DC
Why is low back pain so common?
Low back pain ranges from a mild, nagging ache to a sharp, debilitating pain. It may resolve in a few weeks or turn into a chronic, lifelong condition. No matter what form it takes, it’s one of the most common causes of pain, as more than 80% of all people experience low back pain sometime during their lives.
Your lower back is vulnerable to pain for two reasons:
- Its lack of structural support: The lower spine is designed to be flexible so you can twist, bend, and move. But that mobility also means there’s little structural support to hold it steady, which makes it unstable and prone to injury.
- It supports your body weight: The 5 bones, or vertebrae, in the lower back support the weight of your entire upper body. This constant strain damages the discs that serve as cushions between the bones.
What causes low back pain?
Muscle spasms, spine or muscle injury, and degeneration of the spine due to normal wear-and-tear are all common causes of lower back pain. Low back pain also develops from underlying health conditions such as osteoporosis, kidney stones, endometriosis, and fibromyalgia. While there are many different causes, Dr. KenGee frequently treats lower back stemming from the following problems:
- Spinal misalignment: When bones in the spine are dislodged or displaced from their normal position, the misalignment may damage discs, irritate nerves, or restrict blood flow, which result in pain and inflammation.
- Disc herniation: A herniated disc — when the disc bulges out between vertebrae — may not have symptoms, but it usually causes intense pain that radiates down your leg. Herniated discs seldom heal completely, but regular chiropractic care may prevent progressive deterioration.
- Sprains, strains and spasms: Running, gymnastics, sports, lifting a heavy object, over-exercising, and pivoting the wrong way are just a few causes of sprains, strains, and muscle spasms.
- Stress: Muscle tension increases when you’re stressed or anxious, which leads to pain, often in the lower back. Then a cycle develops; chronic back pain causes stress, which in turn triggers more pain. Adjustments to the realign the spine can stop that cycle.
How will The Good Chiropractor treat my low back pain?
Chiropractic treatment of low back pain has an advantage over medications and conservative treatment such as rest, heat, and ice. Those strategies only treat symptoms, while chiropractic adjustment corrects the problem by repositioning the spine. Depending on your history and condition, Dr. KenGee will assess your back with an on-site digital X-ray, determine optimal chiropractic adjustments, and develop an exercise regimen to help you regain strength and function in your back.