Conditions We Treat

Back Pain

This is so common a condition, whether the pain is in the middle or lower back, about 80% of us will experience an acute case sometime in our adult life.

While the circumstances are numerous:

Lifting, twisting, coughing and sneezing, slip and falls, accidents and trauma - the vast majority of cases involve only a relatively few underlying causes, which are:

• Strains and Sprains  
• Disc Injuries  
• Facet Joint Irritation  
• Pinched Nerve 

Strains

The leading cause of back pain is due to muscle strains-stretching muscle tendons beyond their normal capacity at their boney connection sites. Boney connections may include spinal vertebrae or long bones, for example, in the arms or legs.

Sprains

Another leading cause is ligament sprains, similar to strains. But in these cases, involve the over stretching of ligaments at their joint connection site. Joints may also include vertebra, in addition to extra spinal joints  such as the shoulder, ankles, elbows and knees. Both sprains and strains are classified according to the degree of over stretching of the tissues.

A first degree sprain or strain is less severe than a second degree injury, which is, in turn, less than a third degree sprain or strain.

    Disc injuries 

Visualize a jelly donut, where the inner jelly core represents the nucleus, and the donut represents the concentric cartilaginous rings of the annulus. Disc Injuries occur when the annulus develops cracks throughout, and the inner nucleus "jelly" leaks out of it's normally contained sac, into the outer annular container. Like sprains and strains, disc injuries are classified according to degrees. In general disc bulges are less troubling than protrusions, which are less severe than herniations.

    Facet Joint Irritation

Each vertebra has four facets-two above and two below- which interface with other facet joints of vertebrae above and below themselves. Normally, facet joints glide upon one another facilitating normal spinal movements, such as, bending forward and back, rotating left and right, and side bending to each side. When facet joints become rough-due to arthritis or injury-or, simply become “stuck”, and fail to glide smoothly, the result is pain.

   Pinched Nerve 

The term “pinched nerve” must be mentioned in any discussion of back pain. Each  of the causes listed above-sprains, strains, disc, and facet injuries-can promote nerve irritation or inflammation. The underlying mechanism can be mechanical (pressing on a nerve directly), or chemical (an injured muscle, ligament or disc releases chemical agents that cause a nerve to become inflamed). The result is the same-pinched nerves.

Chiropractic Treatment Plan

Gentle Chiropractic Care succesfully treats these conditions and injuries. Dr. Singer will prescribe a treatment plan combining Spinal Adjustments and other physical therapy modalities specific to your specific conditon or injury.

Contact Us Now 

 Singer Chiropractic Center 

7069 Allentown Rd, Camp Springs MD 20748

301-449-3330