Can A Chiropractor Help With Lower Back Pain?

Understanding Lower Back Pain and How Chiropractic Care Can Help

Approximately 31 million Americans suffer from lower back pain at any given time. A lower back injury can be mild and irritating and work up to debilitating and severe.

When your back hurts, many other things suffer too. Everyday tasks like putting on a coat, getting out of a car, sitting at a desk, picking up a child, or standing for too long may be unbearable. Back pain has many causes, such as injury, heavy lifting, aging, recreational activities, pregnancy, and everyday life stress. Achy pain, dull pain, spasming, or burning in the lower back makes life hard for many, but you don’t have to tough it out alone. A visit to your Hiram, GA chiropractor can help ease your pain and discomfort and get you back to doing what you love.

What Type of Back Pain Do I Have?

Your lower back is meant to give flexibility, strength, and support to your upper body. It’s no surprise that your lower back is so susceptible to injury and pain from everyday life. There are two main types of lower back pain:

• Acute lower back pain is short-term, often lasting for just a few days up to a few weeks. It is usually connected to an accident or injury. When acute back pain disappears, there is no permanent effect.
• Chronic lower back pain describes the type of back pain that continues for three months or more. In many cases, it begins without a clear connection to an injury.

Low back pain that starts as acute can become chronic. Around 20% of acute low back pain cases become chronic.

Tips For Naturally Treating Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain is a widespread problem and one of the top reasons for missed workdays. That’s because the lower back bears the upper body’s weight and is subject to a lot of strain and stress—especially while performing everyday actions like twisting and lifting. 

One of two things usually causes low back pain: Either aging and arthritis or an injury. No matter the cause of your low back pain, here are some suggestions that can help relieve your pain and prevent future problems. 

1. Apply ice or heat on an injured back. 

If you’ve suffered a lower back injury, applying ice within the first two days can reduce swelling and ease the pain. Afterward, apply heat to help relax tense muscles. Heat is also helpful for chronic lower back pain that isn’t linked to an injury. To prevent skin damage, neither heat nor ice should be used for more than 20 minutes at a time.

2. Maintain proper posture during activities and when sitting.

To avoid lower back injury, it’s crucial to maintain the correct posture when performing physical activities—especially if you have a job that requires repetitive motions or play sports. When lifting, do not bend from the waist. Instead, bend and straighten from the knees. Be sure to move your hips when turning your body to the side.

You can also prevent back pain by sitting with proper posture. At a desk job, keep your feet on the floor and use a chair that gives some lower back support. Also, avoid slouching forward to see your computer screen and reaching far in front of you to use your mouse or keyboard. 

3. Perform Stretches. 

Stretching is a great way to reduce acute and chronic low back pain—and prevent lower back problems in the future. Because the back’s muscles extend in many different directions, it’s important to do many different stretches. We have listed some basic lower back stretches here:

• Superman: Lie on your stomach with your arms stretched overhead and lift your chest and legs off the floor.
• Spinal Twist: Lie flat on your back with your arms outstretched in a “T” position, bend one knee, and twist in the direction of your straight leg while trying to touch your bent knee to the floor.
• Lie flat on your back and pull your knees to your chest.

4. Stay active and exercise. 

If you’re suffering from lower back pain, the last thing you probably feel like doing is moving around. However, staying active and engaging in gentle stretching can help your lower back muscles heal quicker. Move within your comfort zone and avoid activities that cause you more pain.

5. Wear supportive footwear. 

Supportive shoes can increase stability, improve your overall posture, and help prevent future lower back pain. Ensure you wear the proper footwear for the action you perform (sneakers for exercising, boots for working, etc.). Occasionally wearing unsupportive shoes such as heels or flip-flops is unlikely to cause lower back problems, but frequent wear can increase stress on your lower spine and cause pain. 

6. Sleep on a quality mattress. 

People dealing with lower back pain often benefit from sleeping on a medium-firm mattress. However, your sleep position also should determine your mattress choice. To preserve good posture, side sleepers should choose a softer mattress. Stomach and back sleepers should take a firmer mattress. If you suffer from back pain, it’s a good idea to avoid sleeping on your stomach altogether. 

7. Get a back massage. 

Massage therapy is another excellent way to help relieve tension in the lower back. Healthy lower back muscles lead to improved stability, which can help prevent future lower back problems. 

8. Visit a chiropractor near you.

At Cornerstone Chiropractic, we offer non-invasive, natural treatments that work to relieve your pain for good – no surgery or needles required. With chiropractic adjustments, spinal decompression, massage therapy, or a combination of all three, we can help you feel better in no time. Give us a call today at 770-439-7765 for back pain treatment in Dallas, GA.

How Can Chiropractic Care Help with Lower Back Pain?

Chiropractic care is an excellent way to relieve swelling and pain caused by low back pain. Regular chiropractic care provides lower back pain therapy, a safe, non-invasive alternative to addictive pain medications.

Chiropractors deliver a gentle, non-invasive treatment called a chiropractic adjustment. Chiropractic adjustments decrease joint limitations or misalignments in the spine and other joints in the body to reduce inflammation and improve both the affected joint and nervous system’s function. Here we have listed some of the health benefits chiropractic care can provide patients with low back pain:

• Improved flexibility
• Decreased pain and discomfort
• Enhanced muscle tone and strength
• Reduced inflammation
• Improved range of motion

At your first visit to Cornerstone Chiropractic in Hiram, GA, our chiropractic doctor will explain how chiropractic care works and give you an evaluation to see if chiropractic care is right for you. We can then create a custom plan of chiropractic care that is specific to your health goals. Our Hiram Chiropractor is ready to help you today.

For more information about how chiropractic care can alleviate low back pain, contact us or visit our chiropractic office in Paulding County today to speak with a licensed doctor of chiropractic. 770-439-7765