Back Pain
How is it caused?
Back pain can be caused by a wide variety of problems relating to the muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, organs and nervous system. Although often the result of physical trauma or excessive strain placed upon the body, it is now also understood that emotional stress plays a major role in many back problems.
Disks between the vertebrae act as shock absorbers. When they degenerate it is possible for even the slightest stress to cause rupture or herniation, allowing the soft inner material to protrude out of the disk and press against the spinal nerves (a ‘slipped’ disk). This can cause severe pain, problems with movement and organ dysfunction.
However, while many adults experience some degree of disk degeneration, this is often not the cause of a back problem. Muscular strain leads to the production of lactic and pyruvic acids which can accumulate to a level where they cause irritation of the nerves. Equally muscular tightness can lead to structural misalignment, causing compression and irritation of the nerves.
Sometimes problems with fixation (locking) or subluxation (misalignment) of the spinal vertebrae can occur that lead to nerve compression and inflammation. This may require specific release techniques to free up the movement of the vertebrae.
Postural problems originating in the ankles, knees, hips, shoulders and neck can also cause patterns of strain and tension that are ultimately experienced as back pain.
Treatment
The muscles, bones and connective tissue of the back all support each other and house the nerves and blood supply. Therefore, back pain can be addressed using an integrated range of techniques such as sports massage, acupuncture, exercise and laser therapy.
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