Chronic back pain is a huge problem.
According to the American Chiropractic Association, 31 million Americans have back pain at any given time. Half of all working Americans have back pain at least once a year, and it is estimated that 80 percent of us will have at least one episode of back pain during our lifetimes. A worldwide study called the Global Burden of Disease concluded that low back pain causes more disability than any other condition.
The reason back pain is so common and so difficult to treat is primarily twofold. First, low back pain typically is the result of a combination of problems. For most patients, it is not just a tight muscle or a disc out of place. It often starts as a combination of muscle and joint problems, which progresses to arthritis as the person ages, especially if the problem goes untreated.
The problem is complicated by a diet that tends to promote inflammation and interfere with the natural healing process — the standard American diet high in processed foods, sugars, industrial chemicals and white flour. Add to that all the sitting we do — seated at a desk for much of the year from ages 6 to 18 and many of us well into the adult years — and it really isn’t a surprise back pain is so common.
The second reason back pain is such a problem is much simpler. The average patient I see with chronic low back pain has been “treating” it with painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, often for years. But these drugs do nothing for the underlying causes of back pain. Easing the pain with drugs may allow the person to be more active because the joint and muscle problems are not being addressed, but they tend to worsen with time. Also, there is evidence these drugs actually damage the joints with long-term use, making the problem worse.
Treating the muscles only, as in a rehab or stretching program, will not help the majority of patients who also have joint problems. Treating the joints only, without addressing tight and weak muscles, also is not a complete treatment. (This is the patient who tells me, “Just pop it back into place, Doc, and I’ll be fine.”) Acupuncture is of benefit by itself, to reduce pain and inflammation, but it does not cover all the bases for most patients. It is much more effective when used in conjunction with muscle and joint treatments.
While this combination of treatment helps most patients, they usually benefit even more when a poor diet and lifestyle are addressed. Having a patient increase his or her consumption of whole foods, vegetables — not counting potato chips and fries, sorry — and natural meats, and eliminating soda and other “non-food items” makes such a difference in the body’s ability to heal itself. Once a patient has relief from this program, it is much easier for them to begin an exercise program, which may have been too painful before.
The results a patient with chronic back pain gets are dependent not only on how complete the care is but also hinge on the lifestyle changes they are willing to make. While it is true that for some people, back pain can be controlled by a simple joint or muscle treatment, for most of us it takes a holistic approach.
Dr. Michael Noonan practices chiropractic, chiropractic acupuncture and other wellness therapies in Old Town. He can be reached at noonanchiropractic@gmail.com.