What exactly causes low back pain?

A very common complaint that many people seek care over is lower back pain. Ever wonder what exactly causes low back pain? Low back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit a practitioner. It affects up to 85% of people at any given time in there life. Some can experience debilitating pain for a very long time. 

The current model of care is lacking in many ways. I will tell you why and the anatomy of why things go wrong. 

A very common way that is being treated is by prescribing medication. All this does is mask the symptoms. It makes you not feel the pain. The pain causing stimulus is still there. The structures are dysfunctional more specifically the spinal joints called the facet joints. These joints can become dysfunctional in that they are not moving properly. When this happens the joints become irritated and inflammation sets in, thus causing more pain. A pain med will not correct this lack of movement. 

Some may experience back pain and then it gets better after a few days. This experience can be common as well. The structures involved become used to the pain and you don't notice it until it happens again. The cycle prolongs it and then you end up with degeneration of the joints. This is all too common and can be prevented. 

The spine is a cool structure and should be taken care of. I will use a dental analogy to explain. In order to keep your teeth and mouth healthy we brush our teeth. Hopefully a couple times a day to keep them healthy. The same goes for your spine. Spinal hygiene is a good way to think of it just like dental hygiene. By taking care of your spinal joints and making sure they move correctly, then you will experience better movement and less pain with that as well. 

So in a nutshell low back pain is caused by the spinal joints not moving correctly affecting the nerves and receptors that transmit pain. Don't let this cycle get you in the dumps! There is  hope for better pain relief without drugs or surgery! Getting them moving again will help to alleviate the pain and you will experience a healthier and happier life!