Chronic Low Back Pain in Mississauga
Chronic Low Back Pain in Mississauga
What is chronic low back pain?
Chronic low back pain is a condition in which low back pain persists long term and won’t go away. This pain can be recurrent, but frequently is constant.
Many of our new patients at our chiropractic center in Mississauga come to our office with chronic low back pain. They thought it would go away but their body was stuck and couldn’t heal. Fortunately, our chiropractic center in Mississauga is here to help address the underlying problems that prevent your back from healing.
Why do I have chronic low back pain?
The following are excerpts from a research article that looked into the source of chronic low back pain. Surprisingly this is a very complex issue. The reason that this is so complex is because of the importance of the spine and spinal cord. There are many structures in the spine that can create pain, and there are many reasons why your body will warn you to be careful due to the importance of the back with respect to the spinal cord. The article is titled : What is the Source of Chronic Low Back Pain and Does Age Play a Role?
“In more than 90% of those with low back pain, the structure sources were internal disc disruption, facet joint pain, or sacroiliac joint pain”.
“The most predominantly affected level for both internal disc disruption and facet joint pain was L5-S1 followed by L4-L5.”
“17% had pain arising from 2 levels, and 10% had pain arising from 3 levels.”
“Our data confirms that the intervertebral disc is the most common etiology of chronic low back pain in the adult low back pain population.”
“The younger the low back pain patient, the more likely his or her low back pain is discogenic in origin.”
“The older the low back pain patient, the more likely his or her low back pain is facetogenic or sacroiliac joint in origin.”
Your Chiropractor can help you determine which structures in your back are involved in your back pain. Fortunately, when properly adjusted all of these structures can improve, and the earlier you address the issue to better.
The Spinal Connection to Chronic Low Back Pain
Vertebral subluxations can be an underlying mechanical and neurological problem that prevents healing in back pain patients.
Vertebral subluxations are misalignment or restriction of the vertebrae (spinal bone) affecting the body’s ability to move and heal properly.
Chiropractors correct vertebral subluxations. Dr. Callum Peever uses the Activator method to specifically adjust your spine with effective maneuvers called chiropractic adjustments.
Studies Show Chiropractic Most Effective Option for Low Back Pain in Mississauga
Did you know that up to 85 percent of adults endure low back pain sometime during their lives? And many of the medications used to relieve low back pain carry hazardous side effects? The good news is that research shows that chiropractic care – a drug-free approach – is the most effective remedy!
“There is moderate-quality evidence that manipulation and mobilization are likely to reduce pain and improve function for patients with chronic low back pain; manipulation appears to produce a larger effect than mobilization. Both therapies appear safe. Multimodal programs may be a promising option.”
Why is chiropractic care such an effective solution for low back pain?
Chiropractic focuses on the root cause of the low back pain and does not try to numb it with painkillers. The root cause is most often the alignment on the spine affecting the function. This is specifically called a vertebral subluxation, which is due to misaligned spinal bones (vertebrae), often instigates low back pain. Chiropractors, like your doctor in Mississauga, correct vertebral subluxations with specialized and specific maneuvers called chiropractic adjustments.
Addressing the alignment of the back and teaching a patient to avoid misaligning their spine while they build up their back muscle tolerance to their life demands is optimal when managing low back problems.
Chiropractic Patients More Satisfied
Your chiropractor in Mississauga wasn’t surprised by a study showing patients who seek out chiropractic are more satisfied with their care than are medical patients. A Randomized Trial of Chiropractic and Medical Care for Patients With Low Back Pain: Eighteen-Month Follow-up Outcomes From the UCLA Low Back Pain Study
Chiropractic care compared favorably to medical care with respect to long term pain and disability outcomes in chronic patients. A descriptive study of medical and chiropractic patients with chronic low back pain and sciatica: Management by physicians (practice activities) and patients (self-management)
Chiropractic care for back pain tied to lower odds of opioid use
It has been reported in research that patients who see Chiropractors for their back pain are less likely to need opioid medications. This is great news for patients who are interested in getting better with less dependence on strong pain medications.
“Treatments provided by a doctor of chiropractic, such as spinal manipulation, may decrease pain from muscle strain, inflammation and spasm in the back muscles and/or impact the way that the body perceives pain through either the brain or the spinal cord,” Goertz added. “Patients who find effective ways to treat their pain, such as chiropractic care, may be less likely to turn to opioids.” – From the National Post
Why are patients more satisfied with chiropractic care?
While traditional treatment relies on medication to treat symptoms, chiropractic focuses on eliminating the underlying cause of back problems. Patient characteristics and physicians’ practice activities for patients with chronic low back pain: A practice-based study of primary care and chiropractic physicians
Chiropractors’ Role as Coach for patients
Another reason for chiropractor’s effectiveness is the unique relationship formed between doctor and patient. Your Mississauga chiropractor works with patients as a coach, individually tailoring their care.
The partnership between chiropractor and patient empowers patients to take an active role and responsibility in recovery. Research shows that patients who approach healing this way recover faster.
More Motivated Patients
The same research study as above also showed that chiropractic care enhances patients’ motivation to employ strategies to reduce pain and disability. A descriptive study of medical and chiropractic patients with chronic low back pain and sciatica: Management by physicians (practice activities) and patients (self-management).
Better Than Hospital Care for low back pain
“According to total Oswestry scores improvement in all patients at three years was about 29% more in those treated by chiropractors than in those treated by the hospitals.” Randomised comparison of chiropractic and hospital outpatient management for low back pain: results from extended follow up
Chiropractic versus Muscle Relaxants
Muscle relaxants – a medicalized low back pain treatment – come with an array of potential side effects that range from annoying to downright deadly. Fortunately, chiropractic is more effective for low back pain than muscle relaxants, according to research. Don’t numb your body and mind, use chiropractic care!
“Chiropractic was more beneficial than placebo in reducing pain and more beneficial than either placebo or muscle relaxants in reducing [the Global Impression of Severity Scale].” A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Chiropractic Adjustments to Muscle Relaxants for Subacute Low Back Pain
Chiropractic versus Heat Therapy
Heat therapy was also second-rate when compared with chiropractic. Research shows that a combined approach – chiropractic care combined with heat – is more effective than heat alone. Efficacy of Treating Low Back Pain and Dysfunction Secondary to Osteoarthritis: Chiropractic Care Compared With Moist Heat Alone
More Effective than Acupuncture
Although acupuncture may be a beneficial adjunctive therapy to chiropractic, alone it is less effective than chiropractic, say scientists. Chronic spinal pain syndromes: A clinical pilot trial comparing acupuncture, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and spinal manipulation
Chiropractic: A Winning Solution
If you know anyone who is currently suffering, please spread the good news about chiropractic’s successful, all-natural approach. If you suffer from bouts of low back pain – even if it’s intermittent – make an appointment with your Mississauga Chiropractic Clinic today. Even sporadic low back pain can quickly alter into a chronic problem, for which chiropractic offers a natural and specific solution.
Cochrane Review Study Supports Chiropractic Care for Chronic Low Back Pain
What were the findings from the Cochrane chronic low back pain study?
The review found that chiropractic is as effective as common medical interventions, such as painkillers for chronic low-back pain. Findings also showed that chiropractic is extremely safe.
Because chiropractic is free of the hazardous potential adverse effects of medical interventions, these findings indicate that chiropractic is the perfect choice for patients with chronic low-back pain who want a natural approach.
Where can I access the study?
The review, spinal manipulative therapy for chronic low back pain, may be viewed at the Cochrane Library’s Web site. www.thecochranelibrary.com. It was published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews in February 2011 in issue 2
Here is another research article to read as well titled A Comparison Between Chiropractic Management and Pain Clinic Management for Chronic Low-Back Pain in a National Health Service Outpatient Clinic
What is the best exercise I can do when suffering with chronic back pain?
One of the best exercises to do is WALK! Check out this blog on walking being the best exercise for recurrent and chronic low back pain. – Dr. Peever – Mississauga Chiropractor at Erin Mills Optimum Health
Why does my back problem keep coming back?
Check out this blog written by Dr. Peever on recurrent back problems. Here he discusses addressing many strategies in your life that can be contributing to this problem.
The following 2018 research review concludes with the following which can help us understand more regarding chronic pain in the low back and recurrences of the pain:
“This review revealed the presence of functional brain changes associated with sensorimotor behavior and at rest in patients with long-lasting low back pain compared to healthy subjects. Patients with low back pain demonstrated decreased sensorimotor-evoked brain activation and a reorganized lumbar spine representation in brain regions involved in higher-order sensory processing and motor control compared to healthy subjects. These results could support behavioral findings of a disturbed body schema of the trunk, reduced lumbosacral tactile and proprioceptive acuity, impaired sensorimotor performance and postural control deficits in low back pain. Additionally, patients with low back pain showed widespread increases in brain activation during non-nociceptive external as well as bodily-induced stimuli in regions of the so-called “pain-matrix”. In the past, these findings were often interpreted as abnormal pain processing in low back pain. However, findings of this review support an urgent need to reinterpret these results. Specifically, they may indicate that patients with long-lasting low back pain are over-responsive to sensory inputs that potentially signal danger to the body, thereby inducing maladaptive, over-generalized motor responses to protect the spine. Hence, functional brain changes associated with sensorimotor behavior may lead to (recurrences of) low back pain.”
This research review summarized many research findings and as always with respect to the brain…can leave you with more questions than answers. The more we learn about the brain the more we realize how important the brain is with respect to our lives.
My take away points from the critical review is that when a person is experiencing back pain, their brain is interpreting the information from the spine, muscles, disc, and ligaments and deciding how to manage with it. People all experience and interpret the pain differently, and not all spine injuries are the same, but the brain does adapt and change with respect to the injury. The brain will then adapt or compensate for the current injury by using other input to still allow you to balance and walk (ankle reflexes and proprioception instead of relying on the low spine proprioception). The brain will also remember the injury it experienced and be hyper reactive to any new information it receives from that injured site. This creates a quick ability to protect the spine from potentially dangerous situations, which may not have been worrying before. The brain learns and adapts to your life depending on its experiences, for better and for worse.
Through caring for people who unfortunately have experienced low back pain that has become chronic in nature or recurrent, it is very important to recognize the brain – spine connection, and the changes that have taken place. Just like these changes have occured due to the injury, the brain can change again in a positive manner with time as well. It can learn to trust the spine again.
Proper spinal hygiene habits are very important as you start to trust your spine again. Habits take time to create, as you need to create new routines and new brain pathways to change the old negative ones. Chiropractors can help you work towards this.
For more reading, check out this article written by Dr. Peever on back spasms.
Contact us in Mississauga at our Chiropractic center
Here to help,
Dr. Callum Peever
-Chiropractor in Mississauga
New Mom’s Lower Back Pain Helped with Chiropractic
As the proud mother to an almost 20 lbs (!!) four month old my back would not have survived without Chiropractic adjustments from the amazing doctors at Erin Mills Optimum Health.
I always know that babies had two primary jobs and that was to grow and thrive. Nobody ever told me that my son would almost TRIPLE his birth weight in under four months!
It didn’t happen overnight, but one morning I woke up and could hardly move! I had such bad mid and lower back pain that I didn’t know how I was going to get through the day. I quickly called Erin Mills Optimum Health to see when I could be seen for an adjustment.
After just one Chiropractic treatment I noticed a huge improvement in the pain and stiffness. I was able to play with my son and not worry that laying on the floor would have me stuck there all day until my husband got home from work.
I have continued to travel to Mississauga for Chiropractic visits and my back and I could not be happier!
Yvonne, new Mom and part of the Front Desk Staff
It is very common for pregnant mom’s and new mom’s to begin Chiropractic care for their pains as well as to improve their well-being. I attribute part of this due to the need of avoiding many medications during this part of life, as well as the large demands that are placed on a woman’s body during this time. Pregnant mom’s look for a way to address their health concerns (including their low back pain) without using drugs – Chiropractic is the answer. Read more about Chiropractic and pregnancy / prenatal Chiropractic care. – Dr. Callum Peever
Disclaimer
This information and linked articles should be taken for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for health care advice. Enjoy these testimonials. However, a result for one patient may not be typical of all patients. Our aim is to help you have an excellent experience at our Mississauga office and to help you reach your health goals.
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Being active is very important. Unfortunately, many patients find their ways to our clinics after trying to create “strong” backs. Endurance and proper movements is usually where I encourage most patients to focus on when at a gym. At the gym a personal trainer can help you work on exercises to help your move better.
Here are some articles on similar topics:
https://www.erinmillshealth.com/blog/health-tips/best-exercise-back-pain/
https://www.erinmillshealth.com/blog/tips-to-avoid-back-pain/starting-new-workout/
https://www.erinmillshealth.com/blog/health-tips/what-do-discs-in-your-back-hate/
https://www.erinmillshealth.com/blog/health-tips/common-exercise-mistakes-how-to-avoid-them/
https://www.erinmillshealth.com/blog/health-tips/core-stabilization-foundation-of-a-healthy-lower-back/Laying around all day is horrible. Here is a great topic on that! Sitting Kills Moving Heals :
https://www.erinmillshealth.com/blog/health-tips/sitting-kills-moving-heals/ -
One of the great way to avoid the back pain in the first place is to workout. Keep on laying all day long sure messes everything up and is one of the reasons that give rise to the health problems.
Nice write up! From my experience, I’ve seen a lot patients suffer from lower back pains because of surrounding joints needing alignment or adjacent muscles like the glutes, hamstrings, pectorals, shoulders, etc being very tight to the point to pulling on other muscles. The body is very connected and I love how your article informs people on the advantages of chiropractic services.