The survey, reported in the publication’s May 2009 issue, found that more than half of the respondents had “pain (that) severely limited their daily routine for a week or longer, and 88 percent said it recurred throughout the year.” The report stated that while many go to a primary care physician first for diagnosis and treatment, the majority were disappointed with the results.

On the other hand, 59 percent reported that they were “highly satisfied” with the care they received from chiropractors. The next highest rated practitioners were physical therapists (55 percent) and acupuncturists (53 percent), followed by “specialized” physicians (44 percent) and primary care physicians (34 percent).

Respondents were also asked to rate the types of treatments they received. Again, chiropractic/spinal manipulation got top honors, with 58 percent rating it as “helping a lot.” Spinal injections were next highest, rated at 51 percent, followed by massage (48 percent) and physical therapy (46 percent). Other highly rated treatments included prescription medications (45 percent), yoga (44 percent), movement therapy and acupuncture (both 41 percent).

According to a Dynamic Chiropractic article on that report, “chiropractic ranked first out of 11 treatments, including massage, acupuncture, and exercise, in its ability to treat back pain. More readers said that chiropractic ‘helped me feel much better’ than any of the other therapies.” Prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs ranked eighth and 10th, respectively.

So, if you’ve been “highly satisfied” with your chiropractic care, you’re not alone! In fact, more and more people are turning to chiropractic treatment not only for back pain relief, but for a wide variety of painful conditions from sports and repetitive stress injuries to arthritis.

A public version of the report can be found on the Consumer Reports Web site

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Oftentimes back pain is a mystery to many of the people who experience it, and chiropractors are experts at solving the puzzle. Why is it that most back pain sufferers have not had any trauma, accidents, or major injuries prior to the onset of their condition? The answer is that the cumulative effects of improper sitting posture, bad work habits, incorrect lifting, lack of routine exercise, and other unhealthy lifestyle-related influences cause most back pain. These factors eventually add up and produce stresses and imbalances on the spine causing subluxations that can turn into serious back problems. The process is similar to the front end of your car being out of alignment. As you continue to drive, there is disproportionate wear and tear on your tires. If you ignore the problem, the situation would, no doubt, get worse until you “blew” a tire. The health of the spine is threatened when your spine is misaligned. In other words, it’s not only a problem waiting to happen, it’s a problem waiting to get worse. And then, something as seemingly benign as reaching down to pick up a piece of paper can be the “final factor” that generates back injury. The surrounding back muscles go into spasm when thistakes place to safeguard the stressed or injured tissues of the back.

With regard to knowledge of conditions of the spine, chiropractors have more education, training, and experience than medical doctors. They offer expert diagnosis and effective treatment for all muscular-skeletal dysfunctions. In addition to providing welcomed relief to those suffering from back pain, but they are knowledgeable about what will assist you in avoiding further back pain. Along with effectual adjustments and other productive chiropractic therapies, your chiropractor will offer to you an individual exercise strategy and recommend other healthy lifestyle changes that will keep you well-adjusted and pain-free in the future.

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A normal spine looks straight, without much disparity from side-to-side, when the body is viewed from behind. Therefore, if the spine is seen to have a lateral, or side-to-side, curvature, the person might have a condition called scoliosis.This condition many times gives the appearance of the person leaning to one side but it should not be confused with bad posture. Characterized by both lateral curvature and rotation of the vertebra, this puzzling deformity often causes a characteristic “rib hump” in the mid or thoracic spine. This is caused by the vertebrae in the zone of the major curve rotating toward the concavity and pushing their fastened ribs posterior thereby producing the distinctive rib hump seen in thoracic scoliosis. The pulmonary and cardiac functions can be obstructed if the thoracic curve and rib rotation is more than 70 degrees. This intensity of curve and consequential cardiac and pulmonary changes are frequently seen later in life in untreated severe idiopathic infantile and juvenile scoliosis patients and, more often than not, present a threat to life.

Anatomy

If a person were to view the trunk from a side view, the spine would display four normal curves: the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral. In the lower spine there is a normal “C-shaped” curve called swayback or lordosis, while the thoracic curve in the chest region has a “reverse C” called a kyphosis. Increased kyphosis in the thoracic area is called hyperkyphosis, while elevated swayback is termed, hyperlordosis. Scoliosis changes generally accompany alterations from normal on a side view. Some round back deformities are simply due to bad posture and can often be resolved with postural exercises. A small percentage of individuals with kyphosis have more rigid deformities than the postural type, which are associated with vertebral deformity. This kind of deformity, called Scheuermann’s kyphosis, is much more difficult to treat than postural kyphosis, and it’s cause is unknown.

Almost anyone can help to identify a child or grownup with scoliosis just by looking at the person in a standing position, preferably with no shirt and in briefs, and observing the following:

• One shoulder may be raised than the other.

• One scapula (shoulder blade) may be higher or more pronounced than the other.

• With the arms hanging freely at the sides, there may be more space between the arm and the body on one side.

• One hip may seem to be more elevated or more prominent than the other.

• The head is not in plumb with the pelvis.

• One side of the back appears more elevated than the other when the individual is observed from the rear and asked to flex forward until the the spine is horizontal.

Once scoliosis is identified, the child or adult should be sent to a healthcare professional, such as a chiropractor, for further assessment. your chiropractor would be happy to help.

The most common class of scoliosis is, by far, Idiopathic, and even though there are various roots and many types, Idiopathic Scoliosis accounts for nearly 85% of all cases. “Idiopathic” means “no known cause” and is witnessed with equal occurrence in boys and girls in the mild or low curve magnitudes. Depending on the age of onset, this condition can be sub-classified into infantile, juvenile and adolescent types. Idiopathic Scoliosis commonly runs in families and may be caused by genetic or hereditary influences. For reasons yet to be found, girls are five to eight times more likely than boys to have their curves develop in size and require treatment. The most frequent time for the development of Idiopathic Scoliosis is during adolescence when children are finishing the last major growth spurt. It is a good idea to have this age group viewed by a professional on a regular basis because young people are reluctant to permit their body to be looked at by parents or other adults.

If a scoliotic curve is discovered in the growing adolescent, it is very important that the curves be monitored for advancement by periodic examination and sometimes standing X-rays. In ninety percent of instances, the scoliosis is mild and does not require active treatment, but increases in spinal deformity demand evaluation to ascertain if a brace or other treatment is necessary. In a small number of people, surgical treatment may be required.~Surgery may be needed for a small number of individuals.

Brace support (orthosis) is recommended for both juvenile and adolescent children when an increase in their scoliosis or kyphosis is identified, or when new conditions of moderate scoliosis or abnormal kyphosis are diagnosed. There are quite a few kinds of braces, all designed to prevent curves from increasing through acting as a buttress for the spine during active skeletal growth. Bracing is effective in halting curve progression in a very large percentage of skeletally-immature adolescents. Nevertheless, braces generally won’t make the spine completely straight, and cannot always keep a curve from increasing.

Scoliosis has no simple solution. Most cases, even though often monitored, are not actively treated. The standard medical treatment for moderate instances is a brace, whereas severe afflictions in some cases are treated surgically. You may want to see your local chiropractor first.

Specialized exercise, electric stimulation of spinal muscles, nutritional programs, and chiropractic treatments are among many treatments offered along with bracing. It seems like the most effective results have been maintained with a multi-faceted approach to the care of this condition.

There are chiropractors, that have excellent success assisting with scoliosis conditions.

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Most people who are overweight encounter moderate to severe back pain. The reason for this is because the spine was not intended to move anything that is more substantial in weight than the body is at its generally healthy weight.  As a person puts on additional poundage, the spine starts to distort and to compress, causing a lot of pain and discomfort.  Additionally, it can have an effect on the pelvis, tilting it forward and possibly causing it to pinch the sciatic nerve. This is a major reason why individuals who are overweight tend to have problems with their lower back. The affliction is due to either sciatica or the distorting of the spinal column.

If you are suffering from this challenge, undoubtedly the thing to do is to get rid of some of the extra weight that you are carrying around, and your spine will start to ease up and go back into its regular position.  Unfortunately, losing those pounds isn’t easy and it can take time, even with the best of intentions. However, on a positive note you don’t have to live with back pain as you lose the weight. A chiropractor can assist you in getting the pain relief you’ll want as you shed the extra pounds.

Even so, you will still need to lose the additional poundage, and being free of back pain will actually assist you in doing it. Two things that are simple (but not necessarily easy), but will be extremely beneficial to you in losing the extra weight naturally are doing some sort of exercise, even if it’s merely a little bit per day, and changing your diet so that you are taking in less calories than you are using throughout the day. Sure, you’ve heard about these two things before. Nonetheless, now that you’ve found out that your back is depending on you, it definitely time to get truly motivated.

Start exercising slowly, expressly if you’re having problems with back pain. And, most importantly, be sure to see a chiropractor so that you don’t make the mistake that many people do, which is to exercise into the pain. That will without a doubt make your problem worse. exercise, though occasionally uncomfortable, should never be painful or cause pain. That’s why it’s important to see a chiropractor if you’re having difficulties with back pain.

Do basic stretching exercises and also concentrate on your core abdominal body muscles. Strong stomach muscles help to ease back pain. Your chiropractor will be able to provide exercises that are best for you, personally. Within just a week or two of dedication to shedding the pounds that are producing your back pain and perhaps other health difficulties as well, you should begin to notice a significant difference in the way that you feel.

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Anatomy

To understand back pain, it is important to understand the anatomy of the spine. The spinal bones or vertebrae of the lower back are comprised of posterior joints called facets that join vertebrae to one another and serve to direct the action of the spine. The inter-vertebral discs connect the bodies of the vertebrae and are composed of a form of strong cartilage that encases a soft material in the center, called the nucleus. The discs act as shock absorbers and spacers between the vertebrae. Ligaments and muscles also connect the vertebrae. The wedge-shaped bone at the bottom of the spine is the sacrum and is joined to the two pelvic bones at the sacroiliac joint. In a canal located between the body and the facets of the vertebrae is the spinal cord. The spinal nerves exit the spine between the vertebrae.

Causes of Back Pain

More often than not, back pain happens without a trauma, an accident, or a major injury prior to the onset. The cumulative effects of improper sitting posture, poor work habits, incorrect lifting, lack of proper exercise, and other poor lifestyle-related factors cause most back pain.  These cumulative factors produce stresses and imbalances on the spine and, therefore, people may injure their back just by bending over to pick up a piece of paper. The instability of the spine makes it vulnerable to even the most simple movements, such as bending. When this comes about, the surrounding back muscles go into spasm to protect the stressed or injured tissues of the back. Chiropractors are back pain specialists. Your **LINK** can help you to get out of pain quickly.

Disc Problems & Sciatica

Prolonged sitting, particularly in a awkward position creates increased pressure on the intervertebral discs and imbalances in the muscles around the spine. Eventually the lower spine loses its customary function and no longer is prepared for the normal day-to-day stresses in ones life. Ultimately, the intervertebral disc develops small fissures, or cracks, letting the soft nucleus to distend the disc outward. If the disc pushes on sensitive tissues, it creates the pain that is often referred to as a slipped disc. If the disc presses on the spinal nerve, one can develop sciatica, which is defined as pain, tingling, numbness, and sometimes weakness in the lower extremities. Regrettably, if the disc protrusion or herniation is large and the condition isn’t managed correctly, surgery may benecessary to dispose of the herniated disc material. With chiropractic adjustments and care, which often includes postural exercises, most disc challenges, including sciatica, can be mended. If you are experiencing any of the symptoms defined above, it is very important for you to seek chiropractic attention.

Spondylosis

Increased wearing away and weight-bearing stress on the spine occurs when there is repetitive assault to the discs, facet joints, and surrounding ligaments. This stress can adversely affect the cartilage around the joints and engender calcium to deposit in the tissues around the vertebrae, forming bone spurs. These spurs can compress adjacent nerves, blood vessels and soft tissue resulting in symptoms ranging from minor pain and numbness to gross sensory loss and muscular atrophy. This condition – known as Spondylosis – is a type of arthritis that seems to affect almost everyone at some point in life, as it is a common part of the aging process of the spine as well. Nevertheless, determinants such as previous trauma, unhealthy lifestyle, and repetitive stress injury influence the time of onset in life. Regular chiropractic treatment and overall chiropractic management is extremely beneficial in slowing the aging process of the spine, as well as assisting Spondylosis sufferers in managing their condition. Your **LINK** has treated many Spondylosis sufferers.

Sacroiliac Problems

The sacroiliac joints are a common area of dysfunction or injury in the low back. These weight-bearing joints link the upper part of the body to the lower pelvic portion and are normally very strong and stable. However with trauma such as falls, sports injuries, or lifting heavy objects, the joints can become unstable and move to an abnormal position.  This condition is called a sacroiliac subluxation. pregnancy can also cause this condition. The imbalances in the lower extremities caused by sacroiliac subluxation can cause a functional long and short leg. Pain occurs particularly with prolonged standing and walking, or during and after physical activity, and the individual may experience a lack of energy and feeling tired easily.  Often this imbalance can affect structures further up the spine and individuals can develop neck and shoulder pain, as well as headaches. Chiropractic adjustments and treatment are extremely effective in fixing this problem by establishing proper alignment of the joints.. Ask **LINK** how you can experience effective pain relief.

Spinal Subluxation

A commonplace disorder of the lower back, as well as the entire spine, is subluxated or misaligned facet joints. Subluxations can happen on their own or in conjunction with disc problems and Spondylosis. Subluxations are not only painful, but they can restrict the nerves as they exit the foramen (or spaces) between the vertebrae, creating paraesthesia. Paraesthesia is an alteration of sensation described as a tingling, burning or “funny feeling.” Paraesthesia in the upper extremities usuallyoriginates from nerve problems in the neck, while paraesthesia in the lower extremities is commonly associated with nerve challengesin the lumbar region (lower back). Visceral problems such as asthma and gastric conditions can also beassociated with, or complicated by, spinal subluxations and nerve compression. Subluxations are best eliminated by chiropractic adjustments.

Trauma

Damage such as a fall, car accident, or sports injury can cause trauma to the spine and lower back. Often these traumas create over-stretching or tearing of the tissues of the spine. When this happens a person can encounter considerable pain and immobility. In order to avoid long term disability or the development of any of the conditions listed above, chiropractic adjustments and treatment at the onset of symptoms is very important. If you experience a trauma, call your Colorado Springs Chiropractor as soon as possible.

Scoliosis

Scoliosis is often associated with low back pain. Chiropractic care offers exceptional pain relief.

When it comes to the spine, chiropractors have more education and training than medical doctors. Your Colorado Springs Chiropractor provides state of the art diagnosis and expert treatment for any of the above-mentioned conditions of the spine and lower back.

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