Back Pain Will I Have To Live With It? Pain is a warning sign. Like the piercing sound from a smoke alarm, the alarm isn’t the problem. The alarm has a cause, like every ache or pain has a cause. Some people choose to cover up the pain instead of correcting the cause. It makes sense to correct the cause instead of treating the symptom.  What is back pain? Back problems can be caused by an extraordinarily wide range of problems - some of them originating elsewhere in the body, but with pain being transmitted (referred) to areas of the back by the nervous system. Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical attention. It is the symptom that prompts most patients who get chiropractic care. The majority of backache sufferers complain of pain in the lower back; the second most common site of discomfort is the base of the neck. The nerve-rich facet joints on the back side of each spinal bone are a common cause of back pain. If these pairs of interlocking "fingers" aren’t moving right, they can cause painful symptoms. While a sedentary lifestyle can make symptoms worse, back pain affects those who are tall, short, thin, heavy, young and old. Magnetic resonance imaging shows how disk bulging can put pressure on adjacent nerve tissue. The discs between spinal bones can be a source of back pain, too. These rings of fibrous tissues act as spacers, connectors and "shock absorbers" for the spine. Trauma can cause the soft, pulpy material in the middle to bulge or herniate, putting pressure on delicate nearby nerves. While overexertion can cause back pain flare-up, the underlying problem may have gone undetected for years. Once you know the cause, you have several choices. One approach is bed rest. But research shows that prolonged bed rest can actually delay recovery and make the problem worse! Physical therapy is another option. But exercising spinal joints that aren’t working right is like continuing to drive your car with misaligned tires! Another choice is to numb or cover up the pain with drugs. While drugs can offer temporary relief, they can’t correct functional problems of affected spinal joints. Who suffers from back pain? Virtually all human beings are subject to back problems. The fact that humans walk upright, on two legs, puts great pressure on the spine and muscles that support it. Over time, back pain is all but inevitable. Normal wear and tear, accidents, disease, and such bad "back habits" as unnecessary strain from overexertion at play or work (especially lifting, pushing, pulling, and reaching for things improperly), and poor standing and sitting posture result in both immediate and long-term back problems. Is Surgery an Option? The most drastic measure is surgery. A larninectomy cuts off the offending facet joints, leaving the spinal cord exposed! A spinal fusion cuts out the disc tissue and immobilizes the joint. While there may be times when surgery makes sense, it’s expensive, risky and more than half of all back surgeries fail! More and More People Are Choosing First Chiropractic First Chiropractic successfully treats subluxation (a complex of functional and/or structural changes in joints, which can interfere with nerve transmission, disturb other organ systems and undermine general health). Spinal subluxations may have symptoms localized in some part of the back or may radiate down to the buttocks, thighs and legs. Chiropractors also treat tension that can show up as backaches and/or headaches or pains elsewhere in the body. Doctors of chiropractic draw upon a wealth of knowledge and experience with treating and preventing back pain and back injuries. Soothing and pain-reducing spinal adjustments have been developed over the last century, during which chiropractors have practiced, improved and refined their techniques. The chiropractic approach is similar to the clinical practice guidelines of the U.S. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. That is, doctors of chiropractic not only treat the pain, they try to keep patients engaging in their normal activities rather than resting immobile in bed, which can actually cause further debilitation. And, of course, chiropractors do not rely on surgery, hospitalization and medication that can be both dangerous and needlessly costly for patients and their insurance providers. Finally, chiropractic is safe. Chiropractic is natural. And chiropractic looks to correct the underlying cause of the problem.