Low back pain in Everett Wa

Low back pain effects millions of people each year.  My name is Dr. Greg Beasley and I have been treating low back as a chiropractor for 19 years.  Twelve of those here in Everett. If you have had low back pain or have it now, you know very well that it can be a life changing event. Every thing you do hurts, sneeze, cough, go to the bathroom, roll over in bed and almost everything else.   I have seen people just bend over to put on a sock and not be able to get back up to a standing position.  Why does this happen?

There are three reasons your back "goes out."  (Actually nothing goes out at all)

One reason you may have back pain is due to a muscle strain or muscle spasms.  This is usually caused from a direct trauma to the area such as pulling aggressively on something while bending over.  The muscle will be stretched farther than it wants to and is strained. This type of pain can be treated with ice therapy, stretching and avoiding rest.  Chiropractic adjustments are helpful to keep the area mobilized so the muscle will heal properly and faster.

Another reason for low back pain is a joint dysfunction.  This is where chiropractic shines.  This can occur to due to lack of activity, sitting too much, repetitive movements at home or work or, unfortunately, just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  (Like bending over to put on your socks)  Joint dysfunction is going to give you very intense local pain around the spine.  Usually worse on one side and the pain will increase when you bend toward it.  Having the joint adjusted will free up the joint to allow fluid to begin being produced in the joint again, you will gain range of motion to the area and the healing will begin.  Sometimes a joint can be fixated for years before it starts to give you pain.  (This is common in most ailments in the body, the problem before the pain, just think of a heart attack.) If joint dysfunction is the cause of your low back pain you will also be instructed on home stretches and exercises and the proper use of ice.

A third reason for low back pain is disc injury.  You have 24 movable bones in your spine, each one separated by a soft disc.  The disc is made up of two parts, an outside cartilage type material and an inside gel type material.  The disc can give you pain if the cartilage tears or the gel material ruptures out of the cartilage.  There are numerous reasons for pain when the disc is injured.  Chiropractic can help by keeping the joints around the disc injury mobile. This will help mobilize the injured disc and promote healing in the area. When the vertebrae above and below the injured disc are immobile the disc will not produce the nutrients it needs to heal.  Along with adjustments to the areas you will receive education on lifting, stretching and home exercises for the core to help the area heal.

This is a very short blog in regard to low back pain and the causes.  There are volumes written on the subject.  If you are having acute low back pain or chronic long term low back pain, chiropractic care can most likely help. At Advanced Chiropractic we have many methods of helping your pain including lumbar decompression, massage therapy and exercise instructions.   If you live in the Everett area please give us a call.  If I cannot help you on the first visit I will send you to someone who can.