Do You Have Back Pain in Issaquah WA?

It may shock you to realize that you are not alone, around 16 million adults in the United States suffer from recurring or continuous back pain. The back pain interferes with them doing what they love, and the same may apply to you. Fortunately, our chiropractors in Issaquah WA, provide natural treatment for back pain and more.

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The Causes of Back Pain in Issaquah WA

You may have either chronic or acute back pain. Chronic is when the pain is continuous or recurring over time, while acute pain happens abruptly and is more short-term. Acute back pain may happen when you have an injury to your soft tissue or a disc in your back. For instance, you could experience back pain if you strain a muscle in your back, which may occur when you move in an awkward way. On the other hand, chronic back pain can occur if you have a condition like arthritis, degenerative disc disease, or fibromyalgia. Pregnancy is another common time when someone may experience back pain.

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Chiropractic Treatment for Back Pain

Chiropractic treatment for back pain is customized to your needs and health conditions. Before you receive treatment, our chiropractor will thoroughly evaluate your back. Our practitioner will look into your medical history and inquire about the type of pain you are experiencing. Our chiropractor will also evaluate your range of motion. After the comprehensive evaluation, we will determine an ideal course of action to help reduce your pain and assist in regaining function if any was lost.

One of the popular forms of treatment that you may receive is a chiropractic adjustment. During this treatment, our chiropractor will ask you to lie down on a table. We will then manually move the vertebrae in your back to properly position the discs in your back. Ultimately, this relieves pressure on the surrounding nerves and soft tissue.

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Additional Therapies

We may also recommend exercise therapy. With this treatment, our chiropractor will guide you through a series of exercises that slowly stretch your spine. The stretches encourage blood flow to reach specific areas to promote healing. The exercises go at a pace that is comfortable for you, so you gradually build strength and restore range of motion to the area.

Also, lifestyle changes are often part of chiropractic treatment for back pain. These changes may include a healthy eating and exercise program to encourage weight loss or pain management techniques you can use at home. Chiropractic care is an excellent option for back pain, and our chiropractor makes sure the treatment plan is specifically designed for you and your health goals.

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Disc Bulges or Herniations:

One of the most common and painful causes of back pain in Issaquah WA is a disc bulge or herniation. It is important to recognize that not all disc bulges or herniations result in pain. It has been found through MRI studies of numerous patients that as much as 37% of the American population has a disc bulge or herniation and the vast majority of them are experiencing no pain or other related symptoms. Unfortunately, the people who are experiencing pain often describe it as severe and intense. The type of pain that is experienced due to a disc herniation depends on the type and position of the herniation. If the damaged disc is irritating a surrounding nerve, shooting pain and weakness into the legs may develop. The discomfort is often described as stabbing and lightning-like. To understand how a disc herniation develops, it is best to think of the disc as a jelly doughnut. If the outer edges of the doughnut (disc) are damaged over time, most typically from wear and tear, the jelly in the middle of the disc can escape causing damage to surrounding structures. Once this process has completed it is often very difficult to reverse. However, chiropractic care has been shown to prevent the advancement of herniation and provide relief from the associated pain.

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Subluxations:

Subluxations are one of the most commonly overlooked contributors to back pain. Subluxation is a medical term used to basically describe a vertebra in our spine that is out of position. When these subluxations occur, normal movement is disrupted, and a cascade of events (including pain) can occur. Subluxations can occur anywhere in the spine and there are almost an unlimited amount of factors that can cause them. Causes of subluxations range from physical trauma, stress, and toxins. Just as stress can contribute to the formation of an ulcer in the gut, it can also cause physiological changes in the body that result in the vertebrae in our back becoming out of position. The time frame to correct subluxations varies by the individual, but our chiropractors at Way of Life Wellness Center are one of the few professionals trained in their correction.

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Muscular Sprains and Tendon or Ligament Strains:

Strains and sprains can occur in anyone, but they typically occur in people who begin tasks and work these structures in ways they are not used too. For example, a person who attempts to run a marathon during their first outing in the summer is likely to overwork these structures causing damage. Ligament sprains are typically caused by stretching the involved ligament past its limits, creating tears. Muscular strains are commonly caused by lifting too heavy of an object and twisting motions. Strains and sprains of the ligaments and muscles in the back can be extremely painful and is often accompanied by swelling and bruising of the surrounding area. Strains and sprains are intimately intertwined with the spine and therefore, typically respond well to chiropractic care. Our Way of Life Wellness Center is fully equipped to provide comprehensive treatment of these injuries.

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Stress and Back Pain

People who are chronically under stress have a very different physiological profile then those who are not. When our bodies are under intense stress, it releases various stress hormones to adapt to the situation. Some of the adaptive mechanisms include; an elevated heart rate, an increased blood pressure, an altered immune system, decreased bone density, and decreased muscle mass. If this response is prolonged, elevated stress levels have been shown to contribute to the development of heart disease, digestive issues, depression, obesity, and back pain. All of the tension produced by the stress hormones causes a contraction of muscle tissue that produces “trigger points”. These trigger points can be extremely painful, but thankfully they are treated with a high success rate at our Way of Life Wellness Center.

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Can Chiropractic Help my Back Pain?

When health care professionals, such as chiropractors, treat the cause of back pain rather than the symptoms, the treatment of back pain becomes less complicated. All of the above-stated causes of back pain have one factor in common, misalignments of the vertebrae in the spine. Luckily, our doctors at Way of Life Wellness Center are specially trained in their treatment. That is why multiple studies have shown chiropractic care to be the most effective form of treatment for the various causes of back pain. As with any condition, it is recommended to take a conservative, effective, and non-invasive approach to the treatment of back pain first. If you are suffering from back pain or have any further questions, please contact our Issaquah WA chiropractic office today to schedule a consultation.