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Back Pain, Sciatica & Disc Problems
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Back pain affects almost everyone at some time, causing restricted movement and untold misery,
stress and discomfort. It also causes millions of people to take valuable time off work,
costing companies enormous sums in sick pay and lost production.
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What causes back pain?
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trauma
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lifting or carrying heavy weights
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poor posture
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unsuitable seats or beds
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sports or other injuries
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stress
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pregnancy
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general 'wear and tear'
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Chiropractic manipulation has been recognised as highly effective in treating back pain,
and the Royal College of General Practitioners issued guidelines for GPs in 1996 which
recommended manipulation within six weeks of onset for the relief of acute low back pain.
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Chiropractors are trained to identify and treat the specific cause of your back pain,
and once you have been treated, they may also advise you on an appropriate rehabilitation
and maintenance exercise plan to prevent a recurrence.
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The bones of your spine protect the spinal cord; if they lose their normal motion or position,
this can irritate the nerve roots that branch off the spinal cord to the organs and tissues of your body.
Sciatica is a general term describing pain in the sciatic region, which extends from the base
of the spine down the back and side of the upper leg. Unless there is a specific injury to this region,
pain here is 'referred' from other areas. (The irritation of the nerve in one area can sometimes
lead to pain, known as 'referred' pain, in other parts of the body). The nerves that supply the sciatic
region come from the lower back.
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In order for the spine to be flexible, the vertebrae are joined together by soft tissue structures
known as discs. Each disc is made up of two parts - a central soft core and outer rings of tough
cartilage. The discs allow movement and also help to absorb shock. A slipped disc is the rather
inaccurate term used to describe the condition, often in the lower back, where trauma or 'wear and tear'
have caused damage to the outer rings of cartilage, so that the core is squeezed outwards.
This can eventually result in a bulge which can press on the spinal cord, the nerve root or the
nerve itself. It can cause excruciating pain, either in the back or referred elsewhere - for example
in the lower leg or foot. Chiropractic treatment can mobilise the spine to reduce any pressure
around the spinal cord or nerves.
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Trigger points (sometimes referred to as 'fibrositis') are very common and related to back pain.
They occur in the neck or shoulders (often caused by bad posture or stress) or sometimes in the
sacro-iliac region at the base of the spine. Painful knots form within muscles which have gone
into spasm - a reaction which the body triggers in order to tighten muscles round a problem area
to prevent further injury. This is why the condition so often occurs in patients who have had a
back pain problem for some time, and it can make the treatment of the original complaint more
difficult by putting unequal pressures on joints when they have been adjusted.
Your chiropractor will therefore use manipulation to adjust the relevant joint, but also deep
massage and soft tissue work to relieve the condition. Since the knots of muscle are often very tender,
the soft tissue treatment may be painful at first.
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