Just yesterday I was with someone who shared with me her journey in dealing with chronic lower back pain. She expressed gratitude for every morning that she gets out of bed and doesn’t have back pain. She’s not a patient of mine but I listened to her story and what she has done. 

I couldn’t help but feel that there are a few key strategies missing that could dramatically improve how she feels and how often she experiences the limitations that come with pain. 

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) the incidence of chronic lower back pain increases with age with the highest incidence in the 5th and 6th decade of life. Someone in their 40s and 50s is most likely to experience chronic lower back pain. 

WHAT ARE THE COMMON TREATMENTS FOR LOW BACK PAIN?

There is a wide range of treatments being prescribed for chronic low back pain, some more effective than others, and some downright harmful. Here’s a short list of the most common treatments:

• Medical Approach: no surprise that the medical approach is to deal only with the pain and not address the underlying cause of the pain. Injections are a common treatment. When they are effective it is typically for a short period of time.

  Cortisone injections are harmful to joints so that even if they are effective they are typically making the condition worse.

  Anti-inflammatory medications have been shown to worsen the underlying arthritis that is linked to the pain.

• Back Braces: let’s cut to the chase here. There is absolutely no long term benefit of wearing a brace. It will result in a weakening of the body’s muscles that are intended to support the low back and pelvis.
• Muscle Relaxants: most of the time that I see people who have been to the ER or their primary care doctor and received a prescription for muscle relaxers relate that they have not been effective. 
• Massage: while there is a place for massage it is not the therapy that is going to resolve chronic pain for long. Why? Because the tight muscles are more the effect of the chronic problem than the cause. 
• Stretching: almost everyone that comes to my office, Life Chiropractic in Grass Valley has tried stretching. Stretching is rarely a strategy that I find effective. Most of the muscle tightness is due to nerve irritation and is protective in nature. Most of the time stretching does little and sometimes it can destabilize the area. 
• Exercises: the correct exercises can do wonders. The problem is that often exercises are performed with significant imbalances and the exercises only reinforce the imbalances. The right exercises at the right time is key. 

I’ve been in practice for more than 35 years and I’ve had my share of problems myself. My motivation has been to find the best strategies to correct problems rather than provide short term relief. Sometimes there is no opportunity for correction but the same corrective strategies offer the most long term relief. 

All chronic lower back pain is accompanied by or the result of imbalances in the pelvis and lower lumbar spine. These imbalances cause nerve irritation which causes muscle tightening, inflammation and pain. This often results in restricted movements which can cause muscular imbalances. 

I have found it is key to address this complex of problems in a specific order. What I have found works consistently is to:

#1 Correct Spinal Imbalances: this involves correcting pelvic and spinal misalignments and restoring proper joint motion to these joints.

This is accomplished with corrective chiropractic care that is focused on restoring balance rather than simply improving motion temporarily.

#2  Spinal Joint Mobility: after corrective chiropractic has started to restore proper motion and alignment we want to reinforce this with gentle movements to help maintain motion of the small spinal facet joints. 

This is accomplished in my office with a simple program I developed called Spinal Joint Flossing. 

#3  Activation of the Posterior Chain: The Posterior Chain are the muscles that run up the back of the legs, hips, pelvis and spine. These are the muscles that help hold us up against gravity and are critical for us to move through the day without pain. 

I don’t initiate these exercises until we have restored balance, otherwise the exercises will only reinforce the imbalances. 

If you live in Nevada County and would like to explore a corrective care program for your chronic issues you can schedule your first visit with Life Chiropractic here: Schedule Here

About Dr. Berkowitz  

Bringing more than 3 decades of practice experience, Dr. Bill Berkowitz focuses on balancing and corrective care, applying his expertise to provide patients with predictable, repeatable and measurable results.

Dr. Bill consistently strives to enhance the well-being of his patients by addressing the root imbalances of their problems and promoting optimal balance, alignment, and function of the spine and nervous system.  

Bill’s wealth of knowledge and experience has allowed him to develop a nuanced understanding of the human body and its intricate connections. With each adjustment, he supports the body in returning to a state of balance that goes beyond mere symptom relief, focusing instead on long-term correction for his patients’ well-being.