Back pain does not only hurt your back. It can have an impact on every facet of your life, including your physical health, performance at work, and family time. 

If you have been searching for a lasting relief for chronic back pain, you’d probably know by now that recovery is no easy feat. The more research you do, the more you discover that surgeries and medications may not always provide the permanent relief that they claim of.

Fortunately, an affordable and effective solution for back pain is out there, low-key helping patients improve or eliminate their backaches. But before we reveal what this natural care is, let us share some updated facts about back pain. 

Latest Back Pain Facts and Statistics

• Around 80% of the US population will get low back pain at least once in their lifetime. (Source: JAMA)
• About 40 million employees or more than a quarter of the American workforce have chronic lower back pain. (Source: Annals of Internal Medicine)
• Musculoskeletal disorders, such as back pain, impact companies' overall healthcare costs the most. (Source: IFEBP)
• Back pain is behind more than 264 million lost workdays annually. (Source: USBJI)
• In the United States, about 32% of health care for low back pain was conflicting with clinical standards. (Source: WHO)
• Nearly 50% of back sufferers experience some form of depression due to the pain. (Source: LLU)

Factors Differentiating Back Pain

Every patient experiences back pain in varying ways. Back pain differs in these factors: 

• • Severity – The intensity of soreness could be a minor ache or an unbearable pain
  • Frequency – Pain may come and go. However, it can also be persistent. 
  • Location – The pain may be at the center or on the left or right side. Also, it can either be at the low or mid-back.
  • Timing – Some people struggle the most first thing in the morning. Other people experience pain as the day progresses.
• Quality – You can describe back pain as any of the following: achy, dull, sharp, or throbbing pain. 

Practical Tips to Improve Back Pain 

Making one or two adjustments in your daily life could help you get back pain relief. If you change your bad habits even little by little, there can be a massive difference in your spine’s health. Follow the following tips:

• Avoid prolonged sitting and stay active.
• When lifting an object, lift with your knees (not your back). Do not twist while holding heavy things.
• Sleep on a mattress of medium firmness as it gives full support to the spine.
• Organize your workstation ergonomically to prevent poor posture.
• Eat a balanced diet and retain a healthy weight.
• Quit smoking for good to better nutrient distribution to the discs and tissues of your spine.

Introducing Upper Cervical Chiropractic 

Chiropractors have established their reputation as go-to professionals when it comes to chronic back pain. However, very few know about the specific branch of chiropractic care that focuses in just one area of the spine. This niche is called upper cervical chiropractic care. It concentrates on modifying misalignments at the topmost region of the neck, where most cases of back pain come from. 

The paragraphs below explain the general functions of the spine and how each part affects the others, particularly the role of the bones in the neck. 

The Relation of the Neck to the Rest of the Back

The spine is a network of bones, ligaments, and muscles that all work together. At the topmost of the spine sits the two vertebrae that protect the spinal cord and brainstem. The nerves that are connected to the spinal cord help in the body’s movement, functions, and sense of feeling. 

The topmost bone of the spine is the atlas, which serves as a support to the head’s entire weight. The atlas is unique as it allows the wide array of movements of the head, such as turning left and right, tilting from side to side, and looking up and down. However, the atlas’ mobility makes it vulnerable to misaligning as its discs and joints are not linked. 

A misalignment in the atlas can have far-reaching effects all the way down the spine as the bones bid to compensate for the improper alignment. When the head’s weight does not align to the top of the atlas, the hips and shoulders move to adjust to the bend of the head. 

Over time, this leads to abnormal muscle tension from one side to the other, resulting in disc degeneration and other spinal problems. In short, the entire spine gets affected by an atlas misalignment.  

The Fix to an Atlas Misalignment

If the reason for your mid- or low back stems from an atlas misalignment, then upper cervical chiropractic care is a proven solution for your chronic back pain. It has reduced the chronic low back pain and improved the quality of life of a 62-year-old patient in a case study. 

When you visit an upper cervical chiropractor in your area, they will employ the same technique as the successful case study above. They will work with you to find out the root cause of your back pain. Every adjustment has the goal of correcting and bringing lasting solution for the existing problem. 

Upper cervical doctors only perform adjustments when necessary, which indicates they do it with precision and gentleness. Every correction should hold in place for as long as possible.

We advise you to try out this natural form of therapy. Click the button below to choose from our list of upper cervical chiropractors.

to schedule a consultation today.