Another common cause for low back pain is a disc sprain. Discs are the big weight-bearing joint of the spine. They resist compressive forces as long as you treat them well and take care of them. Unfortunately many of us spend too many hours a day sitting down in a chair at a desk. One of the worst ways we misuse the disc joints in the low back is by spending 8 hours a day sitting down. Do you have problems bending forward to lift objects, or is your pain worse sitting than it is standing? You probably have a disc sprain. If you are able to get up every hour and walk for a couple minutes, you will reduce the strain you are putting on discs in your low back. There are generally two big categories of disc sprains in the low back; one is a simple sprain and the other is a disc bulge. The former is easier to treat and responds well to chiropractic, ice, and rest. The latter takes a little longer to treat. Most will get better with care and you can usually avoid surgery. Beware that disc bulges can be dangerous if you have severe radiating leg pain, altered sensations around the groin, or changes in function of the bowel or bladder. All of those are best seen with a visit to the emergency room.

There are many possible causes of low back pain. The most common cause of your back pain is a sprain. Here is a quick guide to understanding and treating low back sprains. It’s estimated that nearly 85% of adults experience severe low back pain at some point in their lives. If you are one of the unfortunate majority, here is a guide for you.

Most acute low back pain treated in the office comes from these small, moveable joints. Each of the vertebrae of the spine has four facet joints, two above and two below. This is the most common type of pain that we treat with conservative chiropractic care in the office. Do you have low back pain right now? Try twisting your low back while leaning backwards; does that make the pain more intense? If so, chances are that you have a facet joint sprain.