Although Nashville Chiropractors deal with more than just back pain, the fact is that many patients treating with chiropractors are treating because of back pain.

According to the American Chiropractic Association:

• One-half of all Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year.
• Back Pain is one of the most common reasons for missed work.  In fact, back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor’s office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections.
• Most cases of back pain are mechanical or non-organic – meaning they are caused by serious conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, infection, fracture, or cancer.
• Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on back pain – and that’s just for the most easily identified costs.
• Experts estimate that as many as 80% of the population will experience a back problem at some time in their life.

Causes of Back Pain

Back pain can be caused by many different types of injury or disease.  The back is a complex system of bones, joints, muscles, and ligaments.  Whether through a traumatic injury (such as a sports injury or automobile accident) or repetitive or unnatural stress (such as poor posture or sleeping in an awkward position), ligaments can be sprained, muscles can be strained, spinal discs can be ruptured, and joints can be irritated.  In addition, diseases such as arthritis, or conditions such as kidney stones, blood clots, or obesity can lead to back pain. 

Treating Back Pain

Chiropractors in Nashville primarily use chiropractic (or spinal) manipulation to treat back pain.  The chiropractor will first exam the patient and diagnose their particular condition.  If chiropractic care is the most appropriate care for the condition, the chiropractor will use hands-on manipulation to resolve the back pain.

Chiropractic manipulation involves manually applying controlled force into joints that have become restricted in their movement as the result of a soft tissue injury.  The purpose of this procedure is to restore mobility to the joint. 

Chiropractic spinal manipulation is a safe and effective way to address back pain.  It reduces pain and inflammation in the back without the use of medication or the need for bed rest.  In fact, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (a federal government research organization) has recommended chiropractic spinal manipulation as a safe and effective drug-free treatment for acute back pain.

The American Chiropractic Association makes the following suggestions to prevent back pain:

• Maintain a healthy diet and weight.
• Remain active – under the supervision of your doctor of chiropractic.
• Avoid prolonged activity or bed rest.
• Warm up or stretch before exercising or other physical activities, such as gardening.
• Maintain proper posture
• Wear comfortable low-heeled shoes.
• Sleep on a mattress of medium firmness to minimize any curve in your spine.
• Lift with your knees, keep the object close to your body, and do not twist when lifting.
• Quit smoking.  Smoking impairs blood flow, resulting in oxygen and nutrient deprivation to spinal tissues.
• Work with your doctor of chiropractic to ensure that your computer workstation is ergonomically correct.

Conclusion

Nashville chiropractors treat many patients complaining of back pain.  The pain could be the result of a single traumatic injury, repetitive stress, or from disease.  Regardless of the cause, if chiropractic treatment is appropriate, chiropractic spinal manipulation can be used to relieve pain and inflammation.

To search for chiropractors in Nashville, search the directory at Nashville Chiropractors .org.