How common is back pain?

A recent survey revealed that nearly 65 million Americans reported a recent episode of back pain and 16 million adults suffer from chronic back pain. If you have experienced significant back pain then you know just how debilitating it can be. It interferes with just about everything you want to do. 

Some of the most common medications prescribed for back pain are opioids. As we have all learned the hard way, opioids are dangerous medications and the risks include:

• Addiction
• Slowing or stopping of breathing
• Drowsiness
• Confusion
• Nausea
• Constipation

AND….

Opioids do nothing to correct the problem that is causing the back pain. With opioids as with most medications there are significant risks of taking them as well as the fact that nothing is done to help the underlying cause of the pain. 

STUDY COMPARES CHIROPRACTIC AND PHYSICAL THERAPY

In this study they compared early chiropractic care with physical therapy care on the subsequent use of opioids for low back pain. 

Here’s a quote from one of the authors:

“In this study [of 40,929 low back pain patients], we found that receipt of chiropractic care, though not physical therapy, may have disrupted the need for opioids and, in particular, long-term opioid use in newly diagnosed LBP.”

Here are a few other quotes from other research studies looking at chiropractic and the use of opioids and pain medications:

LIFE IS BETTER WITHOUT MEDICATION

We can all agree that we are better off without taking medication unless it is essential. Yet, faced with back pain or headaches or neck pain or arthritis pain most of us will resort to pain medication. 

The use of medication to solve all kinds of problems is the foundation of the US healthcare system. All medications come with risks and rarely if ever does a medication solve the problem causing the pain. 

A SAFER AND MORE EFFECTIVE NATURAL SOLUTION

For the vast majority of neck pain, back pain, headaches, sciatica and other spinal related pain there is a safe and incredibly effective natural solution. 

That solution is Chiropractic. At the end of this article are references for 15 studies documenting the efficacy of chiropractic and spine related pain. 

Why chiropractic?

With any health problem (or any other problem) the solution must address the underlying problem. 

Pain is a symptom caused by the problem. While it might be intolerable and your focus might be on the pain, the pain is not causing the problem. 

For the vast majority of low back pain, mid back pain, and neck pain the cause of the problem is a mechanical imbalance. The joints of the spine and pelvis stop working properly and this causes a cascade of responses called compensations.

If a joint isn’t working properly other joints have to take up the slack and it is often these joints that become painful. 

So…..

….if the problem is mechanical in nature doesn’t it make sense that the solution must also be mechanical?

This is why medication can never solve a spinal related pain condition. 

CHIROPRACTIC

Chiropractic is the only profession that specializes in the biomechanics and neurology of the spine and whose solution is a natural, non-drug, non-surgical approach. 

The chiropractic adjustment does a few very critical things to helping resolve chronic neck and back pain:

• Restores balance to the spine and pelvis
• Restores alignment to the spine and pelvis
• Restores proper motion to the spine and pelvis
• Corrects nerve irritation in the spine and pelvis

When the spine and pelvis are restored to balance and proper mobility the results often seem magical. There is often an immediate reduction in pain, even chronic pain that has been present for months. 

Long term the restoration of balance takes a lot of stress off the joints and slows or prevents the development of degenerative arthritis in the hip, pelvis, and spine. 

If you are ready to schedule your initial visit to Life Chiropractic in Grass Valley you can do so here: Schedule Here

References 

1. Schreijenberg M, Lin CW, Mclachlan AJ, Williams CM, Kamper SJ, Koes BW, Maher CG, Billot L. Paracetamol is ineffective for acute low back pain even for patients who comply with treatment: complier average causal effect analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Pain. 2019 Dec 1;160(12):2848-54. 
2. van der Gaag WH, Roelofs PD, Enthoven WT, van Tulder MW, Koes BW. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for acute low back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2020 Apr 16;4(4):CD013581. 
3. Parisien M, Lima LV, Dagostino C, El-Hachem N, Drury GL, Grant AV, Huising J, Verma V, Meloto CB, Silva JR, Dutra GG. Acute inflammatory response via neutrophil activation protects against the development of chronic pain. Science Translational Medicine. 2022 May 11;14(644):eabj9954.  
4. K. Krebs E. Gravely A. Nugent S. Jensen A. DeRonne B. Goldsmith E. Kroenke K. Bair M. Noorbaloochi S. Effect of Opioid vs Nonopioid Medications on Pain-Related Function in Patients With Chronic Back Pain or Hip or Knee Osteoarthritis Pain: The SPACE Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2018;319(9):872-82. 
5. Ashworth J, Green DJ, Dunn KM, Jordan KP. Opioid use among low back pain patients in primary care: Is opioid prescription associated with disability at 6-month follow-up?. PAIN®. 2013 Jul 1;154(7):1038-44. 
6. Abdel Shaheed C, Maher CG, Williams KA, McLachlan AJ. Efficacy and tolerability of muscle relaxants for low back pain: systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Pain. 2017 Feb;21(2):228-37. 
7. Ebell MH. Gabapentin and Pregabalin Not Effective for Low Back Pain with or Without Radiculopathy. American family physician. 2019 Mar 15;99(6).  
8. Qaseem A, Wilt TJ, McLean RM, Forciea MA. Noninvasive treatments for acute, subacute, and chronic low back pain: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Annals of internal medicine. 2017 Apr 4;166(7):514-30. 
9. Stochkendahl MJ, Kjaer P, Hartvigsen J, Kongsted A, Aaboe J, Andersen M, Andersen MØ, Fournier G, Højgaard B, Jensen MB, Jensen LD. National Clinical Guidelines for non-surgical treatment of patients with recent onset low back pain or lumbar radiculopathy. European Spine Journal. 2018 Jan 1;27(1):60-75. 
10. Haldeman S, Dagenais S. What have we learned about the evidence-informed management of chronic low back pain?. The Spine Journal. 2008 Jan 1;8(1):266-77. 
11. Chou R, Qaseem A, Snow V, Casey D, Cross JT, Shekelle P, Owens DK. Diagnosis and treatment of low back pain: a joint clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Pain Society. Annals of internal medicine. 2007 Oct 2;147(7):478-91. 
12. von Heymann WJ, Schloemer P, Timm J, Muehlbauer B. Spinal high-velocity low amplitude manipulation in acute nonspecific low back pain: a double-blinded randomized controlled trial in comparison with diclofenac and placebo. Spine. 2013 Apr 1;38(7):540-8. 
13. Cecchi F, Molino-Lova R, Chiti M, Pasquini G, Paperini A, Conti AA, Macchi C. Spinal manipulation compared with back school and with individually delivered physiotherapy for the treatment of chronic low back pain: a randomized trial with one-year follow-up. Clinical rehabilitation. 2010 Jan;24(1):26-36. 
14. Bronfort G, Haas M, Evans RL, Bouter LM. Efficacy of spinal manipulation and mobilization for low back pain and neck pain: a systematic review and best evidence synthesis. The spine journal. 2004 May 1;4(3):335-56.  
15. Dagenais S, Gay RE, Tricco AC, Freeman MD, Mayer JM. NASS contemporary concepts in spine care: spinal manipulation therapy for acute low back pain. The Spine Journal. 2010 Oct 1;10(10):918-40.