Back pain is one of the most common debilitating conditions that our Marietta Chiropractors treat.
According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), over 80 percent of all American will suffer from some back pain in their lifetime. That’s approximately 250 million people!
The good news is that most back injuries respond well to conservative treatment with research showing a direct correlation between pain relief and Chiropractic care.
Our Chiropractors offer a variety of gentle techniques that correct misalignments within your vertebra, improve mobility, address nerve damage, and provide immediate pain relief.
Your Spine’s Anatomy
The human spine consists of a combination of vertebra, ligaments, and tendons. The vertebra are divided into four specific areas:
- Cervical
- Thoracic
- Lumbar
- Sacral/Coccyx
Your spinal cord helps regulate your body’s temperature and transfers signals from your brain to the rest of your body.
For the most part, your spine is strong enough to protect your nerve roots, while also giving you the ability to perform all of the actions that allow you to follow through with your daily routine e.g. walking, lifting, twisting, and bending.
Your spine can absorb the impact of your actions because of the spongy pads of cartilage or discs that exist in between your vertebrae. Each disc works with your vertebra to create what’s referred to as the spinal motion unit.
Anatomy of the Spine
The spine is a combination of stacked bones, called vertebrae, flexible tendons, and ligaments. The vertebrae are in a column divided into four regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral/coccyx.
The spinal cord runs through the column of bones and nerve roots that are critical to the transmission of messages to and from the brain.
Our spinal system is robust enough to protect the sensitive nerve roots, while at the same time it allows us the flexibility to accomplish all the movements of daily life like walking, twisting, bending and lifting.
Between the vertebrae are discs, which are spongy pads of cartilage that act as shock absorbers. Each disc, along with the vertebrae immediately above and below, forms what is called the spinal motion unit.
How Chiropractic Care Treats Back Pain
Spinal motions that move inappropriately or are over strained often leads to nerve irritation or damage. This type of interference speaks to the development of subluxations, which prevent your body from functioning properly. Specifically, your
- Nerves
- Limbs
- Internal organs
- Blood vessels
May not perform at ideal levels because of the existence of subluxations.
Trauma caused by lifting heavy objects or awkwardly twisting your body can lead to the development of spinal disc herniation or bulging discs.
When either situation takes place, receiving Chiropractic treatment as soon as possible is essential for preventing long-term or permanent damage.
AICA Marietta’s Chiropractic Tips for Preventing Back Pain
- Consume a balanced diet
- Maintain healthy weight based on your height, age, and medical history
- Maximize oxygen and nutrient intake by avoiding cigarettes and other forms of tabacco
- Incorporate regular Chiropractic adjustments into your ongoing health regiment
- Exercise on a weekly basis
- Avoid living a sedentary lifestyle
- Practice maintaining appropraite posture at work and at home
- Wear properly fitted shoes and use custom orthotics if necessary
- Spend time warming up and stretching before partaking in strenuous activity
- Remain cognizant of lifting heavy objects with your knees, holding all objects as close to your body as possible
- Talk to AICA Marietta Chiropractors about creating an ergonomically friendly environment for your home and work environment