Back pain is a widely common condition. Despite how many people experience it throughout their lifetime, it remains a very personal experience. Your back and spine are strong as well as flexible, while they protect one of the most important parts of your body – the spinal cord. Your back is consists of many components that can experience pain. There are bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and discs, all of which can become injured, irritated, and painful.
There are a lot of factors that can contribute to back pain, and as such, it can take on a very broad variety of characteristics:
Acute back pain happens suddenly and will usually go away within a few days to a few weeks. Back pain is chronic when it lasts for 3 months or longer.
Some people will experience constant back pain that is difficult to find relief from. Others will have back pain that may come and go depending on factors like activity and sitting/standing/sleeping/working in certain positions.
The quality of back pain can vary based on the affected tissues. Sharp pain may be indicative of an inflamed joint capsule or a disc issue. Dull or achy pain can be related to degeneration, muscle strain, or overuse injury. Back pain can also be searing or burning and refer to other areas down the arms or legs, which may indicate the involvement of the nerves and nerve roots.
It’s easy to see why back pain can be so difficult to manage – it can feel so different from person to person. There is also a lot of overlap of the components of the back and spine which makes it difficult to pinpoint exactly where the problem is coming from.
Believe it or not back pain often has its roots in the neck, even if your neck doesn’t hurt or is less painful than other areas. Here is how this can happen:
Following these trends, it’s easy to see how a problem that starts at the top of the spine can have a trickle-down effect and begin to cause pain in other areas.
Upper cervical chiropractic care is a branch of chiropractic that focuses on the specific correction of the atlas. There are a number of different named techniques that fall under the upper cervical umbrella: NUCCA, Orthospinology, Knee Chest, Blair, Toggle Recoil, and Advanced Orthogonal, to name a few. While the methods of adjusting may differ between upper cervical chiropractic techniques, the overarching goal remains the same – to restore the normal positioning of the atlas (C1) and/or axis (C2) to improve the body’s natural ability to heal and function.
There are several key factors that make upper cervical chiropractic care unique:
While it’s not uncommon for chiropractors to take x-rays of the spine, the views that upper cervical chiropractors take differ. These images allow for the construction of the most accurate adjustment possible for each individual. This degree of precision allows adjustments to be personalized and gentle.
Upper cervical chiropractic care is known for its gentle, effective corrections. If you’re used to higher-force adjustments that require more forceful twisting or popping of the neck and spine, you’ll find upper cervical care to be very different.
Upper cervical chiropractors want to give as few adjustments as needed in order to accomplish the desired results. If your alignment has held from the prior visit, it wouldn’t make sense to correct something that is maintaining its proper position. As adjustments hold for longer periods of time, visits can be spaced farther apart while still maintaining the benefits of care.
If you’re looking for a natural method of back pain relief, then it makes sense to start by addressing what might be the underlying cause. A great place to start would be to find an upper cervical chiropractor in your area and schedule a consultation. Taking that first step can set you on the right path towards feeling better, functioning better, and regaining your desired quality of life.
References:
https://www.spine-health.com/blog/understanding-different-types-back-pain
The content and materials provided in this web site are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to supplement or comprise a medical diagnosis or other professional opinion, or to be used in lieu of a consultation with a physician or competent health care professional for medical diagnosis and/or treatment. All content and materials including research papers, case studies and testimonials summarizing patients' responses to care are intended for educational purposes only and do not imply a guarantee of benefit. Individual results may vary, depending upon several factors including age of the patient, severity of the condition, severity of the spinal injury, and duration of time the condition has been present.