Identifying the cause of pain (via WebMD and google most likely) is usually the first step patients take when dealing with pain or discomfort as the cause tends to dictate the type of care they seek. Statistically, most people see their PCP for lower back pain, but are often disappointed when they don’t receive the answer’s that they are looking for.

So, what is one to do? The cause of back pain is typically multifactorial; there is often times not one event that caused the discomfort. More often than not the problem is caused by muscle imbalances in the upper and lower body (yes upper body too) resulting in poor biomechanics.

Your vertebrae in your back do not act as  individual units but rather as motion segments; interacting directly with the anatomy above and below that region. Muscle imbalances interfere with this interaction which leads to extra wear and tear on joints and ligaments. Over-time, these symptoms build until they eventually cause pain, spasm, inflammation, etc.

So how do I fix it? A combination of manipulation, muscle work, and therapeutic exercise! This will correct and muscle imbalances and keep all those motion segments moving and performing the way they are meant too. As we continue to march forward in the realm of physical medicine research we are finding that the adding these services to the equation are the solution for properly identifying and treating the source of pain.

I urge everyone to visit a chiropractor to evaluate your biomechanics and posture.  An once of prevention goes a long way!