How Dynamic Chiropractic Eliminates Low Back Pain in Arlington, TX
Have you ever wonder how common your low back pain really is? Believe it or not, it’s extremely common. In fact, four out of five people on the planet either currently have or have had low back pain. That’s 80% of the population! At our office, most of our patients come in because of low back pain. The next most common issue we see is cervical or neck pain.
Why Do We Experience Pain?
So why do so many people deal with this? Often, it’s lifestyle-related. It can also be traumatic—think car accidents or falls. Either we’re not using our spine enough and living a sedentary lifestyle, or we’re using it improperly for too long without realizing it. Both lead to problems over time.
Understanding the Spine
Let’s take a quick look at the spine. This is your spinal column, which houses and protects your spinal cord. It’s made up of vertebrae—the bones you can feel in your back—and discs between those bones. When wear and tear occurs, it can affect both the discs and the bones, as well as the joints that support them.
What We Look for During an Exam
During your exam, we’re looking to see:
Are your vertebrae properly aligned, or are they misaligned?
When vertebrae shift out of alignment, that’s called a subluxation. It can cause nerve pressure, muscle pain, swelling, and a host of other symptoms.
Is your spine moving correctly, or is it stuck in place?
We call that a fixation—and it can lead to ongoing issues if not corrected.
Is It Muscle Pain—or a Joint Problem?
This right here is a muscle, and there are lots of other muscles that surround the spine. But here’s the thing: a lot of people think their pain is from tight muscles, when in reality, it’s a joint issue. That’s why physical therapy, yoga, or stretching might help temporarily, but the pain keeps coming back. If the problem is in the joint, it needs to be corrected at the joint level.
What to Expect on Your First Visit
So how do we figure this out? With an exam and X-rays. Let me take you through what your first visit looks like. First, you’ll head to the front desk, fill out some paperwork, and take a seat. Once you’re done, one of our team members will bring you back for your consultation.
The Consultation and Exam
In the consultation room, we’ll go over your health history, and I’ll take the time to listen to your specific concerns. Then we’ll head to the next room for your exam and posture analysis. This includes:
- Orthopedic testing
- Neurological testing
- Range of motion assessments
- Postural evaluation
These tests help us understand what’s really going on under the surface.
Taking the X-Rays
Next, we’ll go to the X-ray area. Why are X-rays so important? Because you and I both want to see what’s going on inside your spine. With an X-ray, we can detect misalignments, stuck vertebrae, and other hidden issues that may not show up during the physical exam alone. It’s a crucial part of determining the root cause of your symptoms.
After your X-rays, we’ll head back up to the front to reschedule your next visit. During that follow-up, we’ll go over everything we found and walk you through a plan for care.
