Back Pain Treatment

There are many causes of back pain, and most pain can be relieved without addictive drugs, epidurals, or surgery. All of our patients receive a detailed examination which includes a chiropractic, orthopedic, and neurological evaluation. The most common conditions we see are:

Back Sprain

Over-doing it at the gym, an injury at home, being involved in a car accident, or a sports injury can sprain the muscles and ligaments along the spine and mis-align the vertebrae. This causes inflammation of the nerves and muscles, resulting in pain and restriction of movement.

A treatment plan using ultrasound, cold laser, or electric stimulation to reduce the inflammation and increase the blood flow to the area, and spinal mobilization and adjustments to restore mobility of the spine, is effective in healing the sprain.

Back Pain From Pregnancy

We receive many referrals from OB-Gyns in the south bay and UCLA Medical Center.  Because taking pain medication while pregnant is not recommended, chiropractic care is a safe and gentle way to relieve back pain.

Increased abdominal size causes a shift in the center of gravity. This puts a strain on the postural muscles, spine, and hip joints. This is further complicated by a hormone called Relaxin that is produced in the third trimester.  Relaxin’s function is to loosen the ligaments of the pelvis and birth canal during delivery.  The result is increased postural strain on a now un-stable frame.

Low back pain, hip pain, and sciatica respond well to my gentle chiropractic treatment.  I work together with your Ob-Gyn to provide you with the best comprehensive care.

Lumbar Herniated Disc / Degenerative Disc

Between each vertebra of the spine are discs made up of fibrous and gelatinous material. These discs act like cushions and spacers. When a disc degenerates or breaks down, the inner core can leak out through the outer portion of the disc. This is known as a disc herniation or a disc bulge.

The bulging disc can put direct pressure on a spinal nerve root. The nerve roots of the lumbar spine form the sciatic nerve that runs through your buttocks and down your legs to your toes. A pinched nerve in the lower spine can cause pain to radiate along the path of the nerve. This is called sciatica.

Symptoms can range from buttock pain, groin pain, hip pain, hamstring pain, calf pain, or foot pain. You may also experience weakness in the legs, numbness or tingling in your toes. In extreme cases, loss of bladder or bowel control can occur. This may require surgical intervention.

We perform a comprehensive orthopedic, neurological, and chiropractic examination and spinal x-rays. If necessary other diagnostic studies such as a MRI will be recommended to more accurately pinpoint the problem area.

Effective Non-surgical Treatment for Lumbar Herniated Disc

We’ve helped hundreds of people avoid back surgery and return to their normal lives without addictive drugs or surgery.

Our treatment protocol generally involves cold laser, bio-electric medicine, spinal decompression, and spinal adjustments. The combination reduces inflammation, reduces nerve irritation, helps heal the disc, and restore mobility of the spine.

In the next phase, we implement an exercise program under the guidance of the doctor to strength the back, legs, and core muscles.

Sacro-Iliac Joint Pain

The sacro-iliac joints are at the base of the spine, and about 2 inches to either side of midline. A dysfunction of the joint can cause pain. The most common causes are trauma like falling on your side or buttocks, over-doing it at the gym, or a car accident. Arthritis, or sitting with one leg crossed for long periods of time can irritate that joint as well.

If the examination reveals that the joint is fixated or mis-aligned, a specific chiropractic adjustment usually restores function and relieves the pain in one or two visits. If the cause is trauma, the surrounding muscles and ligaments sprained as well. Physiotherapy and bio-electric medicine are used to heal the area.

Osteoarthritis

Low back pain from osteoarthritis typically hits you first thing in the morning. Your joints are stiff and sore. Throughout the day as you move, the pain usually gets better, however at the end of the day the pain usually becomes worse again.

The segments of the spine, or vertebra, are stabilized by joints called facet joints. They allow movement of your back and neck by sliding on each other. They are coated by cartilage which allows a smooth movement of the joint. A small sack or capsule surrounds each facet joint and provides a lubricant for the joint. Each sack has a rich supply of tiny nerve fibers.

When the joints become worn, the cartilage may become thin, and the bone underneath gets irritated. This causes bone spurs and enlargement of the joints. The condition that results is called osteoarthritis. Trauma to the back, such being in car accident, or a serious fall, can speed up the wear and tear process. This condition can be very painful.

The body often tries to protect the area by tightening the muscles along the spine creating muscle spasms. This causes you to walk with a “crooked or out of posture spine”.

We provide pain relief through cold laser treatments, bio-electric medicine, spinal mobilizations, and spinal adjustments. We are able to prevent further cartilage loss and help rebuild the damaged cartilage with a nutraceutical called ArthroAid Plus. ArthroAid Plus has been clinically shown to reduce inflammation and rebuild cartilage in the joints.

Exercise is essential in relieving the pain of osteoarthritis. We customize a program for every patient.