Low back pain is widespread in our society, and we treat it every day. Nearly everyone will suffer from lower back pain at some point. According to a recent study, lower back pain is the leading cause of disability in the United States. Low back pain is so common because of our:
- Sedentary lifestyle: people who spend a lot of time sitting and lying down are more prone to developing low back pain, as this position puts a lot of strain on the lower back muscles and joints.
- Poor posture: Poor posture, such as sitting with poor lumbar support, can lead to muscle imbalances and put excess strain on the lower back.
What Causes Low Back Pain?
Our muscles, joints, discs, and nerves contribute to low back pain in their unique way.
- Muscles: low back muscles help support the spine and assist with movement. Strains or sprains in these muscles can lead to low back pain.
- Discs: spinal discs act as shock absorbers and help cushion the vertebrae. When a disc becomes damaged or degenerated, it can herniate or bulge, putting pressure on nearby nerves.
- Joints: The joints in the lower back, called facet joints, can become strained or injured, leading to pain. Degenerative conditions such as osteoarthritis can also affect the low back joints and cause pain.
- Nerves: nerve compression or irritation leads to pain. This can be caused by various conditions, such as herniated discs or spinal stenosis, which is the narrowing of the spinal canal.
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Low back pain can hinder your ability to work and exercise, not to mention make it difficult to perform everyday tasks, such as standing, walking, sitting, and lifting. Addressing the pain early on can help prevent it from escalating and potentially causing more long-term damage. Untreated, chronic low back pain can lead to health problems like depression, anxiety, incontinence, digestive disorders, infertility, and sleep disorders. Low back pain is common but not normal. Taking care of your pain is essential to reduce your risk of disability and improve your quality of life.
How Our Low Back Pain Care Plan Works
1. Get To The Root Cause Of The Problem
We’re not interested in temporary solutions, we want to address the underlying issue for long-term relief. We’ll take the time to listen to your story and conduct a thorough exam to get to the root cause of the problem.
2. Receive A Plan Based On Your Goals And Our Findings
No two people experience the same issue in the same way. That’s why we use your health goals and our exam findings as the guideposts to design an action plan that is unique to you.
3. Live Your Best Life
Having control over your health will unleash your full potential. You’ll no longer be held back from doing what you need, want, and love to do. Without physical limitations or emotional worry, you can be the blessing to your friends and family.
Common Causes of Low Back Pain in Wheaton, IL
Bulged Lumbar Discs
When a bulging lumbar disc presses on spinal nerves, it can cause lower back pain. The lower back discs (lumbar spine) have a soft, spongy center and a harder, fibrous outer layer. A bulging disc indicates the soft center has pushed through a crack or tear in the outer layer. It can cause the disc to press against adjacent nerves, resulting in lower back pain, tingling, numbness, and muscle weakness, even in the legs.
Subluxation
A misalignment or partial dislocation of a vertebra in the spine is referred to as a subluxation. This misalignment interrupts normal nerve flow and alters proper spinal structure. Interrupted nerve flow scrambles the messages transmitted between the brain and body, causing joint, muscle, and organ dysfunction.
Herniated Lumbar Discs
When a bulged disc tears completely and the soft center herniates, it puts pressure on the nerves in the lower back, which can cause pain, numbness, and tingling in the lower back and legs. The severity of the pain can vary, depending on the size and location of the herniated disc and the amount of pressure it puts on the nerves.
Degenerative Disc Disease
Degenerative disc disease is when the discs in the spine begin to degenerate and break down. The discs have a soft, gel-like interior encircled by a fibrous outer covering. They provide cushion between the spine’s bones, allowing the spine to move and bend while providing support. When the discs are damaged or degrade, they can no longer provide appropriate cushioning and support, resulting in lower back pain.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis is the narrowing of the spinal canal, which houses the spinal cord and nerve roots. This constriction can pressure the spinal cord and nerve roots, causing pain and other symptoms.
Muscle Strain
When the lower back muscles are stressed, they can become inflamed and sore. Depending on the intensity of the strain, this can result in mild to severe lower back pain. The discomfort could be acute and restricted to the damaged muscle or more diffuse and spread across the lower back.
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction (SI Joint Pain)
The SI joint connects the sacrum (the triangular bone at the base of the spine) to the iliac bones (hip bone). SI joint dysfunction can cause low back pain by transmitting tension between the upper and lower extremities. Inflammation, muscle imbalances, and anatomical abnormalities cause SI joint dysfunction.
Facet Joint Dysfunction
Facet joint dysfunction occurs when the facet joints, which are tiny joints positioned between the vertebrae in the spine, become inflamed or injured. It can result in several lower back issues, such as pain, stiffness, and decreased range of motion.
Read Our Online Reviews
Tamara Romanovich2024-03-07Kind, polite staff. Everyone was very helpful, from the front desk to the doctor. The office staff is professional, people who love their work and people. Everything was well explained and I'm sure it will help me deal with my neck pain.Mom V2024-03-02I have been a patient of Dr Meyers for 10 years. I highly recommend him.Irene Trybul2024-02-14My first visit and I found the staff and Dr. Myers very friendly and welcoming. They took an hour to take measurements, photos and X-rays to ensure the treatments to follow are created to my needs. In the past I've seen a chiropractor who took X-rays and proceeded to do adjustments with exercises to follow. There were no measurements to get an idea of progress that was made. I'm very excited to work with Dr. Myers and his team to see what progress I will make over time. I'm grateful there is a doctor who is passionate about helping people build health.Colleen Flores2023-12-21I've been a patient for years and I always joke they keep me upright! For my specific needs, I get adjusted once a week, my husband with different needs gets adjusted every other week. I really appreciate the team at Wheaton Family Chiropractic. They definitely make a difference in my ability to function at my best by putting me back in alignment after day to day stresses like sitting long hours working on a computer gets me all crumpled up. They also put me back together when I do something brilliant like fall off a curb (don't ask - there were multiple bales of hay and my pick-up truck involved). That visit required adjusting my back, my neck, my right shoulder, my right hip, several ribs, both elbows and both wrists. It was really amazing how they were able to realign everything and I felt better and recovered from the injury quicker.Richard Hoegerl2023-12-08Absolutely the best. Are always there when neededLorena Verdaguer-Torres2023-11-30Dr Meyer and staff are awesome. Treatments have made a tremendous difference in my overall health and wellbeing. Highly recommend!Bunn Bert2023-11-29I’ve been to a few other chiropractors, but Dr Mark’s organization has done more research, has more procedures, and is for focused than others I’ve been too. It is unique.Rebekah Bageant2023-11-08I've recently become a patient at Wheaton Family Chiropractic and I am very impressed. I've gone to chiropractors since I was a teen and now I'm 40, and this is the best I've been to in all my years of being in chiropractic care. I feel very cared for and the staff is wonderful. I also feel like the care plan I'm under is going well and I love my adjustments! So happy I chose to start coming here!
How We Treat Low Back Pain in Wheaton, IL
Chiropractic care is one of the most common treatments for low back pain. Chiropractic works to correct spinal structure through chiropractic adjustments and therapeutic exercises that strengthen and stretch muscles and improve posture. A chiropractor can identify the underlying cause of low back pain and prescribe the best treatment options based on each patient’s needs.
Comprehensive Consultation and Exam
We employ comprehensive consultations and examinations to obtain information about a patient’s condition and formulate a treatment plan. It often entails thoroughly evaluating the patient’s medical history, a physical exam, and possibly diagnostic procedures such as postural screenings and X-rays.
Specific Chiropractic Care in Wheaton, IL
Spinal misalignments interrupt nerve flow and affect proper muscle function. This can lead to pain, muscle tension and imbalance, and organ dysfunction. Spinal manipulation, which includes applying force to the spine to increase mobility and reduce pain, and spinal mobilization, which involves using gentle, low-force movements to the spine to enhance mobility and reduce pain, are two typical treatments we employ to treat lower back pain. Correcting these misalignments, also known as subluxations, will restore balance to the physical structure of the spine as well as the nervous system, which is responsible for controlling every aspect of our body.
Custom Therapeutic Exercise Plan
We create a therapeutic exercise program tailored to your unique needs and limits. A customized program can aid in strengthening the muscles that support the spine, enhancing flexibility and range of motion, and alleviating low back pain and discomfort. Exercises work with adjustments to stabilize proper spinal structure and help the body hold adjustments longer.
Deep Tissue Laser
Deep tissue laser is a non-invasive treatment that uses laser energy to speed up healing and reduce inflammation in the deep tissue layers of the body. We sometimes use this method to treat lower back pain and other musculoskeletal problems like arthritis, tendinitis, and plantar fasciitis.
Spinal Decompression
Spinal decompression is a vital low back pain treatment. This procedure is frequently used to address herniated discs, degenerative disc disease, and spinal stenosis. Disc injuries put pressure on the adjacent nerves. By decompressing the spine, we can relieve pressure on the discs, relieve nerve irritation, and give the discs a chance to rehydrate and heal.
Check Out Our Location Near You
2150 Manchester Rd. Ste. 100, Wheaton, IL 60187
Frequently Asked Questions
When Should I Be Worried About Lower Back Pain?
Low back discomfort is your body’s warning system that something is amiss. Pain is usually the last thing to occur and the first thing to leave; therefore, we want to deal with it as soon as it appears to avoid becoming a chronic condition.
What Can I Do to Relieve My Lower Back Pain?
Chiropractic care, spinal adjustments, strengthening and stabilizing exercises, spinal decompression, and deep tissue laser are some of the best ways to reduce pain and correct the underlying problem to prevent relapse. The best thing to do is contact us so we can assess the source of your pain and provide more precise treatment choices.
How Do I Know if My Back Pain Is Serious?
All pain deserves to be assessed by a medical provider. However, some general guidelines might help you assess whether your back pain is serious:
- Pain has lasted more than a few days
- Standing or walking difficulties
- Difficulties urinating or passing stools
- Numbness, tingling, or radiating pain in the legs
- Pain that worsens when you lie down
- A high fever, nausea, or vomiting in addition to pain
- Unanticipated weight loss
- A cancer history
What Causes Lower Back Pain?
Some of the most common causes of lower back pain include muscular strains or sprains, herniated discs, spinal stenosis, facet joint dysfunction, and degenerative disc disease, among many others. It is always a good idea to consult a healthcare provider for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.
How Should I Sleep With Lower Back Pain?
You can try the following at-home remedies to help relieve lower back pain while sleeping:
- Use a supportive mattress: A firm mattress can help relieve lower back pain.
- Sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees can help keep your spine in a neutral position and reduce strain on your lower back.
- Sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees can also help relieve pressure on your lower back.
- Avoid sleeping on your stomach as it strains your lower back and may aggravate your pain.
- Stretching your back and hips before bed will help release tight muscles and improve your sleep posture.
How Do I Tell if Lower Back Pain Is Muscle or Disc-Related?
With a thorough examination and diagnostic procedures, we can determine the exact cause of your low back pain and design an effective treatment plan.
Lower back pain caused by muscle feels achy and sore and can be improved with movement, ice and heat, or massage. Lower back pain caused by a disc will feel sharp and stabbing and be made worse by movement.
Can a Chiropractor Help With Lower Back Pain?
Yes! We are experts in detecting and treating neuromuscular problems, particularly spinal manipulation and adjustment. Our natural, holistic approach to optimizing the nervous system allows the body to heal faster and function better.