Back and neck pain are very common in the population. Back pain is the most common reason for health care visits. In 2010 in the USA there were over 50 million visits to health professionals for back pain. It is estimated that most people (80%+) will experience an episode of pain at some point in their life. Back and neck pain affects people of all ages – with studies showing that these are more common between the ages of 30 and 40 and tends to decrease after age 65.
Back pain and its cousin arthritis are the two leading causes of disability in North America. There are many treatment options for someone experiencing an acute episode of back pain and also for chronic back pain.
The evidence is strong for taking an aggressive corrective approach when back pain initially strikes rather than leave it and hope it will go away on its own. It usually will get better, but avoiding a proactive approach early may lead to chronic back issues.
The evidence supports the use of multi-modal care. This means the combination of two or more of the treatments below show the best results for the relief of back and neck pain:
- Manual therapy
- Soft tissue and myofascial work
- Active exercise
- Patient education
- NSAIDS – anti-inflammatory medication – (Caution needs to be used when turning to NSAIDS for the relief of back pain. We have an OPIOID crisis presently and many started down the path of pain relief with the easy to take over the counter NSAIDS. This is a common pathway leading to Opioid addiction and more serious problems).
Your doctor of chiropractic receives seven years of training to specialise in the effective treatment of back and neck pain and uses a combination of diagnosis, education, spinal mobilisation (adjustment) and exercises to relieve your back pain now and to prevent recurring episodes – multi-modal care.
To learn more about effective treatment for neck and back pain and to access tools, including exercises, visit: