Back Pain

Back pain is recognised as one of the most common reasons for referrals to doctors, and accounts for a large proportion of missed days at work. In fact, research suggests that up to eighty percent of people will experience back pain at some stage of their lives. While for some people back pain is little more than discomfort, for others it can leave them incapacitated.

While some cases of back pain originate from injury, accidents or organic medical conditions such as arthritis or fracture, the most common cause of back pain is stress to the joints and muscles of the back, which accumulates from day-to-day activities, such as:

Most people are prone to back pain, as the back area supports a lot of our body weight, and relies heavily on the strength of the vertebrae in our spine. If the spine is not in correct alignment, areas of weakness can occur, resulting in irritation of nerves in the spine, or in a bulging disc, which places pressure on the spinal cord.

It is important not to ignore back pain, even when though is can subside within a few days. Pain may be symptomatic of an underlying condition such as a disc bulge, sciatica or scoliosis.

While many people look for medication such as ibuprofen and aspirin when they suffer from back pain, these should not be considered first-line treatments. While medication may reduce the symptomatic pain, it does not treat the actual problem. This means that once the medication wears off, the pain usually returns. This will continue until the underlying mechanism driving the pain is addressed.

Chiropractic had consistently shown to be effective in relieving back pain in the long term, by addressing the deeper problems connected to the pain. By releasing tension in the joints and muscles, Chiropractic care provides a safe, simple and efficient form of therapy for back care. Dr Michael Vella can also recommend a course of exercise and general health maintenance, coupled with Chiropractic to ensure permanent alleviation of back problems.

There are some things you can do to help prevent relapses, or to minimise the severity of back pain. Some useful tips include:

Chiropractors commonly treat all types of injuries and recognize the unique findings associated with each.

For example, it's important to understand that auto injuries often involve a delayed onset of symptoms which commonly surface weeks and even months post-accident.

In work injuries, chiropractors routinely look beyond the actual injury and address such things as work station setup, ergonomically correct equipment, and proper work techniques.

For sports injuries, chiropractors often check for biomechanical and muscle imbalances as a routine part of the treatment plan. Treating the whole person and optimizing health is what chiropractic is all about.

Common injuries treated: