Back Pain: Where It Hurts
By Sara Butler
When it comes to back pain it’s all about location, location, location! With so many Americans suffering from back pain at some point in their lives, it’s important to know when back pain is serious and when it’s not. If you can pinpoint where your back pain is coming from, then you and your chiropractor can figure out the cause and find a way to treat it. After all, when you’ve got the right diagnosis, then you can begin the right treatment. Here’s what you need to know about the location of the back pain you may be experiencing.
Your Back Pain
Almost any activity can cause back pain. It may be from going too hard at the gym, sitting for too long or even sneezing. If you can understand the action that caused your injury, then that’s a big step in the right direction to understand the problem. The different types of back pain include:
- Sprains and strains – These conditions can impact any part of your back and they usually cause pain that gets worse when you move. You may also experience muscle cramps, muscle spasms, problems walking, standing or bending.
- Acute pain – This is when the pain comes on quickly and with ferocity, often the case with the aforementioned sprain or strain. These symptoms can last anywhere from a week or two up to six weeks and are usually caused by something mechanical, such as an issue with the structures that help support your spine or the bones of the spine itself. Quite often mechanical back pain is felt in the lower back when you try to lift or move about more than usual.
- Sciatica – The sciatic nerve is a large nerve running from your lower back, across your buttocks, and down your leg. When a part of the sciatic nerve becomes irritated or compressed it will cause sciatica. This pain is pretty clear, too, since it starts in the lower back and moves down the leg. You may also experience muscle weakness, numbness or tingling in the leg or foot too.
When to Get Help
Whenever you experience any kind of back pain you should see your chiropractor. They can help you determine the cause of the pain and begin treatment. The sooner you can begin treatment the sooner you will heal and get back to the normal activities in your life. Your chiropractor is an expert on the spine and the back pain that can strike, so don’t leave him out of your treatment plan!