Back Pain Chiropractor

Back pain is the leading cause of workplace disability in Australia. Back pain frustrates many people with its consistency, or on the other end of the scale, the frequent episodes they suffer. In the Clinical evidence handbook for Family Physicians (1), lower back pain is defined as either specific or nonspecific. Specific lower back pain is typically from a cause, or known reason, whereas non specific lower back pain is from non-recognisable pathology. In the clinical evidence handbook, they also discuss how over 70% of people in developed countries suffer from back pain, of which 10% never return to work.

For many people, the main management options for back pain include acupuncture, exercise, medication, surgery and allied health care such as chiropractic. As with all healthcare options, the most appropriate approach will depend on the individual presentation and is best discussed with your treating healthcare team.

What are common causes of back pain?

Causes of low back pain

Congenital disorders
Degenerative issues, including degenerative disc disease, spondylosis and osteoarthritis
Poor posture
Obesity
Nerve and spinal cord issues, including spondylolisthesis, herniated discs and sciatica
Sprains, strains, spasms and traumatic injuries
Non spinal issues, including kidney stones, tumors and pregnancy.

Causes of mid and upper back pain

Poor posture
Overuse, sprain, strains, falls and other injuries
Obesity
Herniated disc
Degenerative issues, including degenerative disc disease, spondylosis and osteoarthritis
Issues relating back to the ribs and where they attach
Aging
Fractures

Acute upper, mid and low back pain

What is acute back pain?

Acute back pain is defined as pain that has occurred recently, typically resulting from a trauma, but can also come on randomly without warning.

Acute back pain can result in a range of symptoms, including –

Sharp pain
Shooting pain
Inability to move or rotate
Pain referring down legs
Weakness, or feeling of instability
Dull, aching nature
Pain while breathing
Pain referring around the rib cage

Chronic upper, mid and low back pain

What is chronic back pain?

Chronic back pain is pain in the lower region of the spine that has existed for three months or longer. This pain can come and go, may be consistent and may range in intensity.

People experiencing chronic back pain often report ongoing effects, such as –

Reduced physical activity
Increased number of sick days
Reduced productivity around the house

How may chiropractic care help with back pain?

Research supports the role of chiropractic care in the management of back pain. A 2018 study published in Spine Journal found moderate quality evidence supporting chiropractic manipulation for the management of lower back pain.²

A separate randomised controlled trial conducted in Norway found that ongoing chiropractic maintenance care was associated with a reduction in the number of days patients experienced lower back pain compared to a symptom-guided treatment approach.³

Together, these studies suggest that chiropractic adjustments may play a role in reducing both acute and chronic back pain, and that ongoing care may help reduce symptoms over time.

Chiropractic care aims to help manage back pain by:

Reducing tension in tight muscles
Improving range of motion in and around the joints of the back
Supporting strength and flexibility in the back and surrounding muscles

Sources

https://www.aafp.org/afp/2011/0815/p437.html
Coulter ID, Crawford C, Hurwitz EL, et al. Manipulation and mobilization for treating chronic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Spine J. 2018;18(5):866–879.
Eklund A, Jensen I, Lohela-Karlsson M, et al. The Nordic Maintenance Care program: Effectiveness of chiropractic maintenance care versus symptom-guided treatment for recurrent and persistent low back pain. PLoS One. 2018;13(9):e0203029.

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