What is spinal decompression and how can it help relieve your back pain? That’s what we’ll be exploring in this edition of our Broadview Spine & Health Centre blog.
Back pain is the leading cause of disability around the world, serving as a common reason people visit the doctor.
This type of pain has no age restraints, affecting anyone as young as a 12-year-old to someone closer to their 60s. Back pain can be a result of an injury, certain activities, or a medical condition.
Although back pain can occur at any point in the spine, the most common spot affected is the lower back, as it bears the most weight and physical stress.
In Canada alone, four out of five adults will experience at least one episode of back pain in their life, with their ages ranging from 30 to 50 years old.
Common Back Pain Causes & Symptoms
Back pain often occurs when something is off in the way your spinal joints, muscles, discs, and nerves fit together. The pain you experience is typically a symptom of another underlying medical condition.
A pulled tendon or muscle is one of the most common causes of back pain since it can be caused by daily activities such as lifting a heavy box, working out with heavy weights, or even sleeping in an awkward position.
Doing these activities can put a strain on the muscles and tendons in our back, causing tightness and spasms to occur.
Discs act as cushions between the vertebrae in your spine. The soft material inside the disc can rupture or budge, pressing down on a nerve.
With bulging discs, you may not feel its effects unless it presses on the nerve. However, if a disc has herniated, or slipped, you’ll feel pain in your lower back or hip.
Another cause of back pain is when the sacroiliac joint becomes worn or inflamed. This joint can be found between the spine and the pelvis, and although it doesn’t move much, it’s incredibly important, as it moves the load off of the upper body and moves it to the lower body.
The joint’s cartilage can swell or wear away because of an injury, arthritis, or an infection, leading to pain in the lower back region.
Osteoporosis is one of the most painful causes of back pain since the spines vertebrae can develop painful fractures if the bones become brittle and porous.
Concussions As The Cause of Back Pain
When researching causes of back pain, a very important, yet frequently overlooked cause is the long-term effects of concussions.
Concussions are classified as mild traumatic brain injuries, leading to some very serious health problems. Although the effects of concussions vary for every individual, the more severe the blow to the head is, the more painful the consequences are going to be.
Post-concussion syndrome occurs when the symptoms of a concussion last beyond the expected recovery period. One of the more serious post-concussion symptoms is lower back pain, which can result when the brain’s ability to control spinal nerves is hindered.
The part of the brain that controls muscle coordination and allows stable balance and control can be damaged upon receiving a concussion. Once that happens, the muscles in the lower back will overcompensate for the lack of control signals from the brain, causing chronic lower back pain.
One of the most effective treatments for chronic lower back pain is non-surgical spinal decompression, which will help alleviate the pain and ache in your back.
What Is Spinal Decompression?
People with lasting back pain know how troublesome it can be when trying to accomplish simple tasks.
Spinal decompression therapy offers great relief to those who suffer from constant back pain, normally inflicted due to herniated, degenerating, or bulging discs.
This form of therapy uses the same principles as spinal traction, which is widely used by chiropractors and osteopaths. The basic idea of spinal decompression is using a motorized device, such as a traction table, to stretch the spine, relieving any back or leg pain.
By slowly stretching the spine, the force and position of the spine are changed, taking pressure off the spinal discs and causing any bulging or herniated discs to retract.
Once the discs are back in place, any pressure on the nerves the discs were pressing on is relieved. In turn, movement will be promoted, allowing water, oxygen, and nutrient-filled fluids to reach the discs and heal them.
Spinal decompression therapy is sought out by people suffering from worn spinal joints, back or neck pain, degenerative disc disease, and injured spinal nerve roots.
Find Your Back Pain Relief At Broadview Spine & Health
Have you been suffering from lower back pain and no treatment seems to be effective?
The underlying issue causing your back pain may be the long-term effects of a concussion you received. It’s important to understand the issue behind your back pain before undergoing treatment in order to ensure the best results.
Our specialists at Broadview Spine & Health have the experience, training, and equipment needed to come up with a proper diagnosis and treatment plan so that you can get on the road to recovery as soon as possible.
Get in touch with us to learn more about how spinal decompression therapy can help you and book your appointment today.