What if taking it easy was actually killing your back?
Many of us suffer from back pain each and every day. And even worse, it’s difficult to figure out what is causing the problem!
However, a good Lexington chiropractor can diagnose the exact cause of your pain. And here are a few of the things that may be the secret cause of your sharp back pain!
Lots of Lifting
One major cause of back pain is when you have strained ligaments. This can be caused by repetitive heavy lifting.
For instance, stocking shelves at work or cleaning up around the house can strain the ligaments and cause lasting pain. Such pain goes beyond the general fatigue of putting in a hard day’s work.
And even if you haven’t been doing any heavy lifting, sudden and unexpected movements can cause sudden and unexpected pain. Basically, if your body moves in an unusual way, it can cause ligament strain that you weren’t expecting!
Slipped Disc
Sharp back pain may be caused by a slipped disc inside your body. This is also referred to as a “herniated disc.”
That means that the tissue between your joints has come out due to frequent wear and tear. Unfortunately, this wear and tear can occur from any number of activities that involve the same joint.
It’s likely to be a slipped disc if you are experiencing keen lower back or hip pain. You shouldn’t simply make guesses, though: be sure to have a Lexington chiropractor make a thorough diagnosis!
Car Accident
We’ve been focusing a lot on injuries that occur due to repetitive movements that damage your ligaments. However, sudden damage can also hurt your ligaments and cause sharp back pain.
For example, many people will experience a car accident in their lifetimes. And such people often assume that the airbag can protect them from any kind of lasting pain.
This simply isn’t true. Even if the airbag saves your life, the car suddenly stopping may cause serious ligament strain that leads to back pain.
It’s really quite simple: if you’ve been in any kind of major accident, you should have yourself checked out by a quality local chiropractor.
Arthritis
Sometimes, the back pain that you are feeling has an isolated cause. This is true when you experience ligament damage from things like accidents and repetitive movement.
Other times, though, back pain comes from a more persistent issue. And one of the biggest culprits in this regard is arthritis.
Arthritis (also known as osteoarthritis) can cause joint inflammation and ligament wear. And while this is most common around the lower back, arthritis can lead to pain almost anywhere in your back.
Degenerative Disease
Many of the things on this list can happen to anyone at any time. However, the next item is likelier to affect older audiences: degenerative disorder.
For example, many elderly people suffer from degenerative disc disorder. This is when the discs that we mentioned above start to shrink and/or tear.
Once that happens to the discs, your bones are likely to start rubbing together. And as you might expect, this can be quite painful for your back!
If you are older and experiencing back pain, it’s worth visiting the chiropractor and seeing what they can do for you.
Nerve Compression
It’s easy to think of back pain as a very simple thing. However, sometimes complex things happen to your body that end up causing the pain.
For example, many things can cause you to suffer from spinal nerve compression. This is when the spinal nerve root has been pinched, trapped, or otherwise compressed.
Herniated discs, bone spurs, and other ailments may end up causing this compression. And no matter the cause, your body will begin to experience very sharp back pain as a result!
It’s very important to get such nerve compression diagnosed and treated as fast as you can.
Osteoporosis
You’ve noticed by now that much of your back pain can come from bone-related issues. Because of this, osteoporosis is virtually guaranteed to cause intense pain.
If you don’t already know, osteoporosis is a condition in which your bones become brittle and porous. And once they are weakened like this, they are much more susceptible to damage.
As an example, someone with osteoporosis may experience many painful compression fractures among their spinal vertebrae. This will cause very intense back pain: if you have osteoporosis, you should visit a Lexington chiropractor right away!
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is another issue that affects many older people. However, it can also happen to those of any age who already suffer from arthritis.
The easiest way to imagine spinal stenosis is to imagine that your spinal canal has actually narrowed. And as a result of this narrowing, your nerves and spine are going to be feeling more pressure than they ever have before.
In addition to the pain, some spinal stenosis symptoms include difficulty feeling your legs and shoulders. If these areas are numb and your back is in pain, then you should visit a professional as soon as possible.
Joint Dysfunction
Your body has many different joints connected together. And issues with certain joints are going to cause very sharp, shooting pain in your back.
For example, you may be suffering from sacroiliac joint dysfunction. This is a fancy term for when the joints connecting your back to your pelvis are either not moving enough or they are moving too much.
When this happens, it can cause leg pain and lower back pain. Like everything else on this list, though, it can be treated with professional chiropractic care.
Don’t live every day in pain when relief is just a phone call away!
Lexington Chiropractor: The Bottom Line
Now you know what a good Lexington chiropractor can help you with. But do you know where to find the best in the business?
At Wellington Family Chiropractic, we specialize in making back pain a thing of the past. To start on the road to relief, just contact us today!