Flipping the script: a new way to look at your back pain

If you knew that the traditional methods for treating back pain were considered only somewhat effective and that some could cause even more harm than benefit, would you continue prescribing these methods? Faced with overwhelming evidence that traditional methods are failing our community of back pain sufferers, the health industry has continued to push treatments which fail to provide effective pain relief. 

Focusing on prevention when it comes to back pain

The fact is that chronic back pain is on the rise, and much of that falls under the category of nonspecific back pain- the kind that has no identifiable cause. Whether it is acute, or chronic, persistent pain in the back needs to be addressed, as it is now the second leading cause of disability in the American workplace. And our system is such that we place little importance on prevention, leading people into the throes of back pain; and when they then go to find an answer, there is no clear path forward for healing. 

Studies show that simple exercises can provide the same pain relief as OTC medication, without the laundry list of side effects. Furthermore, the price is lower. The fact is that every back pain sufferer is completely unique- given two people with the exact same injury on an MRI scan, one can be in excruciating pain while the other might feel only slight pain. The brain-pain relationship is beginning to help explain why back pain is not simply a symptom of acute injury to the structures and soft tissues of your back. It is something much more complex- a problem in the brain-body connection that cannot be fixed with a steroid injection or opioid injection. 

A dynamic plan for relieving back pain

Effective pain relief therefore starts with a dynamic plan for healing- rather than looking for a pharmaceutical panacea, we need to apply a more holistic filter to our healing. Integrating modalities that include exercise, physical therapy, spinal adjustment, diet and cognitive therapy can help effect a wholesale change in the way your brain and body perceive and respond to the pain. At Family Chiropractic & Natural Healing Center, we want to help you improve your spinal health. If you are suffering from any form of back pain in the Bay Area, give our office a call to schedule an appointment today.