What Caused My Back Pain?

This is one of the most popular and common question that patients ask in our practice. I love answering this question because it makes the patient analyze the stresses they may have in their lives and allows them to make better health and lifestyle choices.

Sometimes it is totally obvious what caused their back pain. For example, they slipped on a wet floor and now have low back pain or they fell asleep on their sofa or in a funny position and woke up with neck pain. When symptoms come on insidiously or have a gradual or subtle onset then this is what prompts the question “what caused my pain?” I discuss with the patient that it could be from a mechanical, emotional or chemical source of stress.

It can be from a car accident, slip and fall, sleeping on a poor mattress or pillow, having poor ergonomics at the patients workstation, or athletic injuries to name a few. More often than not, subluxations are caused by the cumulative stress of every day life whether it is physical, emotional or chemical. As holistic chiropractors we strive to educate patients about proper ergonomics, good dietary choices, proper sleeping habits, the importance of exercise, adding yoga or meditation to their daily routine to help with emotional stress, and encourage people to stop smoking. We teach that the better their health habits the better they will feel.