Before you log onto Google Search and type in Grass Valley Chiropractor or Chiropractor near me, maybe you might want to get a better idea of what is going on. The more you understand the better position you are in to assess any professional that you go to see. 

According to the CDC in the past year 39% of adults experienced lower back pain and 36.5% experienced pain radiating into their leg. If you’ve experienced lower back pain more than that minor ache then you know how much low back pain can interfere with your ability to do just about anything. 

What Causes Your Lower Back Pain?

It is really critical to be able to identify what is actually causing your lower back pain if you want to correct it. Much of what you are experiencing when you have low back pain is caused by the real problem and not actually causing your back pain.

People come into my office, Life Chiropractic in Grass Valley all the time with lower back pain. I’m often their last resort when everything else has failed. When I ask them what they have tried I often get answers like this:

• Massage
• Heat
• Acupuncture
• Stretching
• Chiropractic

That list might seem reasonable but rarely does it solve the problem and here is why:

1. Muscles often tighten up when you have low back pain as a way to brace the lower back. Massaging those tight muscles often gives short term relief but results in more instability and a return of the pain.
2. Heat will almost always feel good. And, it certainly helps reduce the pain for a short term. If the low back is in the first 3 days heat is often a mistake as it increases the inflammation. It also does nothing to actually correct the problem.
3. Acupuncture is more hit or miss. Sometimes it can help. It won’t hurt. But, if your lower back pain is mechanical in nature then acupuncture does nothing to correct the joint mechanics.
4. Stretching seems reasonable. But, just like massage you are trying to stretch muscles that have tightened up to protect you. 
5. Chiropractic can be the best thing for you or not so good, depending on the approach of the chiropractor. This might sound strange coming from a chiropractor but many chiropractors choose simply to adjust the area of pain. While this might give you short term relief it often misses the mark.

The Most Common Causes of Low Back Pain

The vast, vast majority of lower back pain is mechanical in nature. That means that some loss of function of joints around the low back is the source of the problem. The challenge is identifying the source. 

I find the cause of the problem is almost always above or below or to the right or left of where the pain is experienced.  So, what might be those causes?

When I evaluate someone experiencing lower back pain these are the most common areas that I find involved:

• Lower Lumbar Vertebra: specifically I find L4 and L5 involved a huge percentage of the time. When I find that the Sacroiliac Joints are painful and/or not moving, L4 or L5 is involved more than 80% of the time.
• Sacroiliac Joints: the longer I practice the more I find the SI joints are restricted more often due to something at L4 or L5. When they need to be adjusted it can be a powerful adjustment. Too often chiropractors will adjust this area when it is inflamed. 
• Hip Joints: the joints where your legs join your pelvis is often involved due to longstanding issues in the pelvis or lower lumbar spine. I don’t find this as the cause of the pain but it often needs to be addressed. 
• Thoracolumbar Joints: this is the area where the mid back meets the lower back at the lower ribs. This area has to be able to move for you to walk properly. When this area locks up it creates a reaction in the lower back and pelvis.

Why Walking or Running?

When you walk or run you are asking all the joints I’ve mentioned above to move with every step. If one or more joints are not moving properly it puts more stress on other joints. It is often these joints with additional stress that start to hurt. This is why I rarely adjust the areas of the greatest pain. They are adaptations to the primary issue. 

The more you understand this process and your body the more able you are to ask intelligent questions when you see a practitioner. The answers should make sense. If they don’t, maybe you are in the wrong place. 

About Dr. Berkowitz

Dr. Bill Berkowitz is a dedicated chiropractor who brings reliability and depth to his practice at Life Chiropractic in western Nevada County. Focused on addressing chronic issues like low back pain, headaches, and anxiety, Dr. Berkowitz delivers patient-centered care rooted in proven methods without unnecessary extras.

Life Chiropractic, founded by Dr. Bill Berkowitz, offers reliable and results-driven chiropractic care for residents of western Nevada County. With a focus on foundational health solutions, the practice prioritizes quality and effectiveness to help clients achieve relief from chronic issues without unnecessary add-ons.

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