5 Myths About Low Back Pain - Aug 15, 2016

Myth #1: ‘The pain is so bad, I need to head straight to the emergency room.’ Evidence shows that the majority of low back pain occurrences can be managed without an emergency room visit. If you have back pain along with loss of sensation of the ‘saddle area’ of the pelvis, an ER visit is warranted. Otherwise your best first step is to find a musculoskeletal expert such as a chiropractor to diagnose the back pain. If the cause is serious enough for an ER visit, a chiropractor will send you there.
 
Myth #2: ‘If there is this much pain, there must be a lot of damage to my back.’ Pain is simply a sensation that acts as an alarm bell for your brain. It’s important to know that intense pain does not necessarily mean significant damage. A chiropractor can help you figure out what the pain is related to, and what to do about it.
 
Myth #3: ‘I need an X-Ray or MRI immediately to figure out the cause of my back pain.’ Most causes of acute low back pain will not show up on advanced imaging. A health care provider is trained to know when you need advanced imaging. They have a series of other tests that can help you determine a diagnosis accurately without imaging.
 
Myth #4: ‘My back pain is gone, I don’t need my exercises anymore.’ Once pain stops, many people stop doing the things that got rid of the pain in the first place. It is very important to make exercise and low back care a regular part of your routine.
 
Myth #5: ‘I just need to stretch my low back.’ Before stretching your low back while in acute pain, get checked my an expert to make sure if stretching is the right plan of action. Depending on the cause of pain, certain stretches can make things worse. For example with a lumbar disc herniation, stretches that flex the spine can make the condition worse. A chiropractor can help tell you the root cause of the pain, and which exercises are most helpful.
 
*For more information if you are experiencing low back pain, consult one of our health care professionals
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