Low
Back pain is one of the most common, nagging health problems that
you may experience during your lifetime. In fact, it is estimated
that eight out of ten people will experience some type of painful
spinal condition during their adult life.
Low back pain may indicate a problem within the structural elements
of the spine itself, the vertebrae, discs, and muscles, or may be
the result of other conditions in the body.
The lower back consists of the five vertebral bodies of the lumbar
spine, as well as parts of the pelvis, sacrum, coccyx and hip joints.
Vertebral bodies can be thought of as blocks of bone, whose chief
function is to bear weight and provide a strong protective covering
over the spinal cord, which together with the brain forms the central
part of the nervous system. The discs, also known as intervertebral
discs can be thought of as shock absorbers, but they also function
to allow the spinal segments to move.
There are many causes of lower back pain. General low back pain may
arise because of an imbalance of the bony and acute episodes of lower
back pain, which may be accompanied by pain and a feeling of numbness
that extends into the leg, occur because a nerve in the spine is being
pinched or compressed. Frequently this is the result of a piece of
a disc pressing against the nerve, commonly referred to as a “slipped
disc.” The lower spine may be disturbed by common activities
of daily living, such as sitting, bending, twisting, lifting, or may
be injured by a specific event such as an accident at home, at work,
or in your car.
Doctors of Chiropractic specialize in the evaluation and non-surgical,
drug free treatment of structural imbalances in the body, with special
emphasis, put on the spine and its effects on the nervous system.
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