Cause of lower back pain and the efficient treatment modality

As we age, bone strength, ligament & muscle elasticity and tone tend to decrease. Our spines age with us. Aging causes degenerative changes in the spine. The discs begin to lose fluid and flexibility, which decreases their ability to cushion the vertebrae. Here are few reasons can cause lower back pain.

One of the common causes of lower back pain is muscle soreness from over-activity lead to muscle or ligament sprain. Over exercising or working on something that involve back movement like play golf, long hour yard work or snow shoveling are few example. The lower back muscles and ligament fibers can be overstretched or injured. Then the lower back pain occurs. This type of acute pain usually goes away within few days with a bed rest. Acupuncture usually only require 1 to 3 sessions if you can not afford to call off work to remain on bed.
-Disk disease
1.Disc tear- It could happen with age, some people has pain and some don’t. Acupuncture can help the small tear healing and relief the pain efficiently.
2. Disc herniation / Disc Bulging – It often occurs with lifting and pulling heavy object, bending or twisting movements, falling and injury( auto / sport / work related) . The protrude disc compress the nerves that come out from the spine and cause severe lower back pain and the pain can travel down to the buttock ,leg and foot, It has a name as Sciatica. Acupuncture could be the number one smart choice for helping this type of pain. It is efficient and drug free. You will be surprised by the remarkable result with acupuncture treatment.
3. Disc rupture- The disc is broken and the jelly part owes out. It will put a lot of pressure on the nerves from the spine cord and cause severe back pain and uncontrollable bowl movement and urination. Some of severe case can lead patients paralyzed until the surgery procedure is persuaded.
4. Disc degeneration-It happened when we aged. The discs begin to wear away and shrink. Caused “Bone rub Bone” -the facet joints in the vertebrae to rub against one another. It leads that pain and stiffness on lower back. Acupuncture treatment will be you best solution for this type of pain.
– Lower back spine degenerative disease
1. Degenerative Spondylolisthesis
Changes from aging, general wear and tear make it hard for the joints and ligaments to keep the spine vertebrae in the proper position. The vertebrae move more than they should, and one vertebra can slide forward on top of another. If too much slippage occurs, the bones may begin to press on the spinal nerves. Then the pain in lower back happened. When this condition gets worse, the better solution could be surgical procedure.
2. Spinal stenosis
Spinal stenosis occurs when the space around the spinal cord narrows and puts pressure on the cord and spinal nerves.
When intervertebral discs collapse ( bulging or herniating), our body may respond by growing new bone in the facet joints to help supporting the vertebrae. Over time, this bone overgrowth (called spurs) can lead to a narrowing of the spinal canal.
Osteoarthritis of the intervertebrae can also make the same bone abnormal change and the ligament thickening which contribute the narrowing of the spinal canal.
Acupuncture can be the better solution to release the pain and to stop or slow the degeneration processing. Chinese herbs should be considered to use at this type of pain to prevent the further degeneration change.
3. Osteoporosis- The loss of calcium makes the loss of bone structure. As a consequence the vertebrae of the lower spine become inflamed and easy to fractured, the pain started.
Acupuncture can contribute a lot to reduce the pain and prevent further bone loss. Some Chinese herbal remedies are very promising to treat and prevent osteoporosis. Taking calcium supplement with Vitamin D3 is essential, proper weight training will help prevent bone loss and strengthen bone.
-Scoliosis
Abnormal curve of the spine .This spinal deformity may develop in children, most often during their teenage years. It also may develop in older patients who have arthritis. It can cause back pain and possibly sciatica.
Acupuncture is very good to help patient manage the lower back pain, but patient may need long term maintenance treatment. Yoga, Polities will help patient keep a good posture. Surgery procedure may help some patient.
-Arthritis
This is one of the most common reasons that causes lower back pain. Arthritis change on the lower back spine region can be a result of previous injury not heal properly, cold and dampness invade our body lead to the inflammation on spinal vertebral small joints as well as aging factor. Acupuncture can reduce the pain, reduce inflammation and stop the further damage of the joints.
Other causes
There are other causes of lower back pain. Some of them can be serious. If you have a history of cancer, or pain that is always there despite your activity, position and treatment, you should consult your primary care physician and go for serious examination to rule out bone cancer. viral infections, obesity, smoking, weight gain during pregnancy, stress, lack of exercise, posture inappropriate, and poor sleeping position also may contribute to low back pain. Additionally, scar tissue created from the back injury also can result in lower back pain.
If you suffer from lower back pain and tired of or afraid of taking pain medicine. or other treatment modality is not efficient for pain control. Call me at 212-779-0468 I will be here to help you.
Dr. Feng Liang
06-10-2014