The Back Pain Problem: What it is and How you can fix it?

By Dr. Grant Reffell

The Back Pain Problem

Did you know that back pain costs Americans over $50 billion dollars annually? That amount of money is more than the economies of over 90 different countries and the net company worth of Uber or Paypal. With $50 billion dollars, you could purchase all 32 teams in the NFL, and still have enough left over to purchase 15 NBA franchises!

In other words, treatment options are not only a pain in the back, but also a pain on your wallet.

Also, the cost associated with back pain is not the only legitimate expense, injuries to the back can also cripple your productivity. According to the American Chiropractic Association, back pain is one of the leading causes of missed work among Americans. So not only is your back pain hurting your wallet with expensive treatments, it is also costing you valuable work time to help pay for treatments.

In fact, this problem has become so widespread that experts estimate up to 80% of the population will have a back problem at some point. Of all types of back pain, lower back pain is among the most pervasive, painful and costly.

Prevention techniques

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” ― Benjamin Franklin

If you are one of the fortunate individuals who haven’t had to deal with chronic lower back pain, here are a few recommendations to ensure you avoid problems:

Good posture is important: your mom was right to tell you sit up and stand tall. Proper posture reduces strain on your vertebrae and keeps the nerves in your spine from getting pinched.

Maintain a healthy weight: adding pounds to your body adds pressure to your spine and back. Less weight (while remaining otherwise healthy) means less pressure on your lower back.

Lift with your knees: don’t lift loads that are beyond your ability, and when lifting heavier loads, keep your back straight and lift with your legs. Your legs are specialized to take the strain of lifting, while your back is not.

Back pain treatment options

For the rest of us who have experienced back problems, here are three of the most common treatment options available to you today.

Back surgery:  This is the most invasive, most expensive option that, depending on the cause of your back pain, may be effective in treating your back pain. You’ll need to discuss this option with a qualified spine surgeon before you decide this path. However, understand that there could be extensive recovery time after surgery is complete and there are no guarantees that back surgery will stop your back from aching. In fact, there is the real possibility that you will see little to no change at all in your back pain or your back could actually get worse!

Pain-reduction medication: Some over the counter drugs, along with a variety of prescription back pain management drugs are available. Some of these drugs contain significant side-effects, and are potentially habit-forming. If you are considering this method to combat your back pain, seek professional medical advice before you begin taking any medication. Remember that any opioids you take have side effects, including but not limited to addiction, upset stomach, respiratory depression, constipation, nausea and dizziness. Long-term use of opioids can cause further health problems.

Chiropractic: If you’re looking for a non-invasive, personalized lower back pain management option, then chiropractic treatment could be for you. Chiropractors regularly stay on top of the latest back pain management science and use this advanced knowledge, along with their years of experience, will get you on the path to a pain-free life. Chiropractic solutions are non-invasive and do not include dangerous prescription drugs.

If you have back pain or lower back pain, don’t think you are alone. There are many different treatment options that will help you live a pain free life today. All you need to do is reach out to experts. And don’t delay! Long-term solutions are more obtainable than you think.