Back Pain: Your Chiropractic Diagnosis

To identify the root of your back pain, the chiropractor is the healthcare professional to consult. There are many causes of back pain, hence the importance of consulting an experienced chiropractic doctor. They will be able to perform a specific physical examination and make a chiropractic diagnosis.

Kiroclinique is a multidisciplinary clinic with chiropractors, massage therapists, and acupuncturists. We therefore offer suitable chiropractic treatments to help you put an end to your back pain and improve your quality of life. Don’t hesitate to consult a chiropractor in Montreal.

Now, let’s discover everything there is to know about back pain, as well as the advantages of chiropractic treatment to treat your lumbar, muscle, and chronic pain.

What is back pain? A chiropractor responds

Back pain consists of a limitation or discomfort in a specific region of the spine. This pain can affect the neck, the middle back, or the lower back. It may have appeared recently, in which case it is acute pain. If the pain persists for several weeks, it can be referred to as chronic back pain.

Sometimes, back pain is temporary. However, if the pain persists, it’s crucial to make an appointment for a chiropractic consultation. Here are some of the symptoms to watch out for:

  • Pain that lasts longer than a week and doesn’t seem to be improving
  • A limitation in your daily activities
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Pain that persists regardless of which posture you adopt (even at rest or when lying on the bed)
  • Inflammation and swelling in the back
  • Pain that extends to the legs and below the knees
  • Headaches

If you have back pain, an experienced chiropractor can help you.

The different causes of back pain: a chiropractor explains

Our back is composed of tissues, nerves, muscles, tendons, bones, and intervertebral discs. All these elements work together to offer us the support we need to move and get around.

Bad lifestyle habits are usually responsible for back pain. Learn more about the main causes of back pain.

The main culprits of back pain according to a chiropractor

  • Tense muscles or ligaments
  • Damaged discs
  • Muscle spasms
  • Sports injuries, falls, or fractures
  • Tendinitis

These causes are often the result of a sudden, clumsy motion, repetitive movements, or improperly lifting heavy objects. Always make sure to do stretching exercises to prevent muscle spasms. For example, bend your knees to avoid putting all the effort on your back when lifting a heavy object.

Health and back structure problems

A wide variety of health or back structure problems can also cause back pain. Here are a few examples:

  • A tear in one of the discs
  • An inflamed disc
  • An irregular curve in the spine, such as scoliosis
  • Osteoporosis
  • A spinal cord problem

Bad posture

Adopting good posture when working at a computer is a good way to prevent back pain. Consult a professional chiropractor for postural advice and healthcare. Now, let’s discover a few examples of postures and movements that impede the functioning of the different parts of your back.

  • Sitting or standing too long
  • Leaning improperly for a long time
  • Pushing, pulling, lifting, or carrying heavy objects
  • Awkward twisting movements
  • Sneezing or coughing violently
  • Movements that cause muscle tension
  • Overstretching
  • Stretching the neck forward, such as when you are at a computer or behind the wheel
  • Driving for a long time without taking a break, even if you aren’t hunched over
  • Sleeping on a mattress that doesn’t adequately support your body or that doesn’t keep your spine straight

Back pain: a chiropractor explains the other likely causes

In addition to the causes mentioned above, here are some other likely causes of back pain:

  • Cauda equina syndrome
  • Spinal tumors and cancer
  • An infection of the spine
  • An inflammatory disease of the pelvis or bladder
  • Kidney problems such as infections and kidney stones
  • Shingles
  • Sleep disorders

Lumbago

Lumbar or lower back pain is the most common reason to consult a chiropractor. Back pain is highly prevalent in the general population. It is estimated that 8 in 10 people will experience at least one episode of lumbago in their lifetime. Lumbago means any targeted pain in the region of the lower spine and pelvis.

The causes of lower back pain are numerous, but in most cases, its source is:

  • biomechanical
  • muscular
  • neurological
  • inflammatory

The structures most often involved are:

  • The intervertebral discs
  • The facet joints
  • The muscles in the lumbar region
  • The sacroiliac joints

Arthritis

Arthritis is sometimes responsible for problems in the joints of the hips, lower back, and other locations. It can also cause a shrinkage of the space around the spinal cord. This condition is known as spinal stenosis.

Herniated disc

A herniated disc is another common cause of back pain. A hernia occurs when the soft centre of an intervertebral disc slips out of its casing. When this happens, the nearby nerves are affected, which causes pain and a feeling of numbness or weakness in the limbs.

Sciatica

Sciatic pain is an acute, stabbing pain that starts from the buttocks and travels down the thigh. The main causes of sciatic pain are a herniated disc and the swelling of an intervertebral disc that presses on the sciatic nerve.

Lombo-sciatica

The difference between sciatic and lombo-sciatic pain is the area of the pain. While sciatica is usually limited to the buttocks and thigh, lombo-sciatic pain radiates along the leg and sometimes even reaches the toes. It is also accompanied by numerous symptoms, such as tingling or numbness in the leg and toes.

In addition to these symptoms, lombo-sciatic pain is also responsible for the loss of sensitivity of the Achilles reflex, which can cause lumbago (acute lower back pain).

Back pain and chiropractors: how we make our chiropractic diagnosis

In the case of lower back pain, our chiropractor first conducts an interview to learn more about your health status and your medical history. They then perform a physical exam to determine the cause of the lower back pain using orthopedic tests.

The goal is to recreate the patient’s symptoms in order to clarify the diagnosis. We also perform a neurological examination to check the integrity of the nervous system. The chiropractor may rely on lab tests or diagnostic imaging to determine if the treatment is right for your back pain.

Finally, after analyzing your back pain, the chiropractor explains your condition and your diagnosis to you.

Why consult a chiropractor?

What is chiropractic ? Similar to massage therapy, physical therapy, and acupuncture, chiropractic medicine is an alternative medicine consisting of the manual therapy treatment of mechanical pain in the body.

Chiropractic medicine is suitable for people of all ages and physical conditions. Each chiropractic treatment is established based on the patient and their symptoms. These are therefore customized medical and therapeutic interventions.

Unlike traditional medicine, you don’t need a prescription or a surgical operation to get rid of your lower back pain. This is one of the main advantages of being cared for by a chiropractor.

Kiroclinique’s chiropractic approach: fixing back pain with an experienced chiropractor

At Kiroclinique, all our chiropractors are members of the Ordre des chiropraticiens du Québec. Our goals include restoring function and preventing injuries, in addition to relieving pain.

We also understand that each patient is unique. Our chiropractors are capable of designing a treatment plan tailored to your situation. Through a physical examination and the analysis of your medical history, we will determine the combination that will help you the best.

Here are a few examples of the treatments offered by our chiropractors:

  • One or more chiropractic adjustments, whereby the chiropractor seeks to improve joint movement and restore nerve function in the affected area.
  • Your attending physician will also use muscle techniques that aim to optimize the functioning of the musculotendinous structures.
  • Various soft tissue techniques can be used to release and relax the lumbar region.
  • Our chiropractors also integrate exercise/rehabilitation programs into the treatment plan. Depending on the extent of the problem, stretches or strengthening may be necessary to stabilize the condition and obtain more lasting relief.

Put an end to your back pain with a chiropractor today. Contact our chiropractic clinic to make an appointment with one of our chiropractors. We are pleased to help you regain your quality of life.

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