Delay Leads to Spinal Decay

In my chiropractic in Mesa, AZ, I have seen thousands of patients over the past 20 years. The vast majority have had complaints of the spinal variety, including neck pain, lower back pain, and mid back pain. The most common of those is clearly the lower back pain.

A close analysis of the structure of the lower back and it becomes obvious why the lower back is the cause of so much trouble. The bones, or vertebra in the lower back are basically like building blocks. Between the blocks are pads of cartilage. These are the discs. They are growing into and attached to both the vertebra above and the one below. There is no such thing as a "slipped disc". The weight of the entire upper body is supported by the discs and vertebra in the low back area. That is a lot of weight and force on relatively small bones and joints.

When people say that they have a slipped disc, what is really happening is that a disc is bulging or herniating, placing pressure on either the spinal cord nerves or nerves as they pass out of the spine and travel to other parts of the body.  In the lower back, these nerves control organs in the lower stomach region and muscles in the legs.

Pain in the lower back is not a problem. The true problem is what is CAUSING the pain to be felt in the lower back.  I know that this is a hard concept for some, but the more you think about it, the more it makes sense.  When a patient is suffering from pain in the lower back, the astute doctor will look at treating the CAUSE of the pain, and not the pain itself. When the cause of pain is dealt with, the pain subsides on its own. Most lower back pain is caused by a lifetime of small and seemingly insignificant injuries to the back, with the occasional severe injury thrown in on top, just for good measure.

When even the small injuries are not taken care of, the injured bones, discs, and joints begin to gradually decay. This often happens over years, and with very little or only occasional pain, but left uncorrected, the decay or degeneration continues.

Degenerative joint disease eventually leads to even more pain causing conditions, such as stenosis, where bone spurring and abnormal growth at the injured joint results in more severe pressure on the cord or nerves. In most cases, by the time that the back pain becomes so severe that the patients can't stand it, they already have a lot of degeneration in the spine due to years of neglect.

The moral of the story is this: like your permanent teeth, you only get one set of vertebra and discs in your lifetime. You can either take measures to help prevent decay, even when they don't hurt, or you can neglect your teeth or spine, and end up with a condition that cannot be repaired.  Unlike your teeth, however, when your spine wears out, there are nothing like dentures to replace it with.

On my website, there is a page dedicated to back exercises. Please feel free to check it out, but if you are new to back exercises, you should seek help from a professional (me!). I can be reached by email or phone.

Keith Biggs, DC
3617 E. Southern, Suite 8
Mesa, AZ

480-985-3334
www.eastmesachiropractor.com
biggschiropractic@gmail.com