Chronic Low Back Problem

The pelvis consists of the sacrum, frequently referred to as the tailbone, and the two adjoining hips.  There are three types of joints that are associated with the pelvis.  The first joints are the hip joints, which are located on the side of each hip and connect the leg to the second hip. The joint is the symphysis pubis which connects the two hips together in the front. The last joints are the sacroiliac joints, and they connect the sacrum or tailbone to the hips at the back of the pelvis. A person can commonly see where the sacroiliac joint is located by noting the dimple on the back of each hip. A common cause of pain in the lower back, groin, or thigh is a misaligned sacroiliac joint. This frequently occurs with falls. For women, it is commonly seen during pregnancy and after delivery.  Men wearing a billfold in the same rear pocket can also cause a sacroiliac problem. Consider the case history of a forty-one year old male who stated that he had had pain in the right hip for years and years. Our examination revealed that the pelvis was twisted resulting in a misaligned sacroiliac joint. This pelvic imbalance also created an apparent short leg. The patient was treated for ten visits of spinal manipulation and various physiotherapeutic modalities. The pelvis balanced out, and the leg length became even. He was subsequently released from care. He returned three years later for a different problem, but stated that his low back had not bothered him since he had been released. A chronic low back problem can obtain long standing relief from chiropractic care.

Neck Pain and Dizziness

Whenever a health problem occurs, it is not unusual to note an abnormal sensation such as pain or numbness at the location of the problem. Common examples include a stubbed toe, sprained ankle, or cavity in a tooth. When there’s a problem in the spine, it can also cause localized pain or numbness. However, since the spine and nervous system are so closely intertwined, a problem in the spine will commonly cause a problem in the nervous system as well. That is why the spine is called the switchboard of the nervous system. Additionally, since the brain controls every function in the body by communicating via the nervous system, a malfunction of the nervous system can also cause also cause malfunction of a different body part as well. Take the case history of a seventy-four year old female who entered our office with left neck pain. She was additionally experiencing severe dizziness and stated that the room frequently seemed to whirl around her. Her condition was so extreme that she had not been able to drive for six months. She had seen her MD who had diagnosed an inner ear problem and prescribed medication. He also referred her to physical therapy for the neck. Since the symptoms persisted in spite of the recommended treatment, she came to our office. I noted misalignment of three vertebrae in the neck, the most prominent was the top vertebra which the skull sits on. After two adjustments, the patient was able to drive. Two additional visits brought about a significant improvement in the neck, and the dizziness completely resolved.

Degenerative Discs

Between adjacent spinal bones, called vertebrae, is a spacer called a disc. The disc is considered a ligament, and its primary purpose is shock absorption. A shock absorber in a car is used to keep the wheels and axles at a distance from the rest of the chassis so that the ride is smooth, and we don’t feel every bump in the road. In a similar manner, the disc keeps the adjacent vertebra apart so that the ride for the rest of the body is also smooth. In addition, between each adjacent vertebra a pair of nerve roots come off from the spinal cord exiting through an opening formed by the two vertebral discs.  As long as the disc remains normal in size, there is good shock absorption and sufficient room for the nerves to exit. However, if the disc wears out or degenerates, the spinal bones come into closer proximity resulting in decreased shock absorption and a smaller or more compromised opening for the nerve. Consider the case history of a forty-seven year old female who came into our office with low back and left leg pain. She had seen her MD who gave her a cortisone shot with no significant benefit. X-rays revealed disc degeneration in one level of her lower back. My exam also revealed a misalignment of the left hip. I diagnosed that the disc degeneration put pressure on the nerve, which was further complicated by the misaligned hip. Our treatment consisted of spinal manipulation and lumbar traction. The patient noticed significant improvement with this course of treatment. Degenerative discs respond favorably to chiropractic care.