Low back pain is one of the most common issues affecting patients we see here at Pro-Holistic Care. This is not a surprise since statistics show that up to 80% of adults will suffer from low back pain at some point in their lives. Low back pain is the leading cause of work limitations worldwide and one of the most common reasons people miss work. We have seen that low back pain not only means people miss work, but also miss out on doing the things they love to do with the people that they love the most.
There are a lot of reasons that low back pain is so common. Sitting for long hours at a desk, standing all day at work, long commutes, old injuries, or even new injuries from sports or workouts are all too common. Sometimes, just the wrong turn at the wrong time can throw you back into a tailspin. Pain in the lower back can stem from issues in the spine, muscles, tendons, ligaments, or even the discs. Getting to the root cause of the pain and treating it quickly and efficiently is our top priority to make sure our patients heal well and don’t end up living in a never-ending cycle of low back pain episodes.
It is crucial to address low back pain as soon as possible, rather than hoping it will resolve on its own. The longer you sit with pain, the more difficult it becomes to treat and the more time it will take to get healthy again. Eventually, untreated low back pain can lead to increased pain levels, weakness, and instability in the body, sciatica, surgery, and a decreased ability to do the things you want and need to do. Low back pain is actually the number one cause of disability worldwide; this is one of the many reasons to handle back pain as soon as possible.
$49 New Patient Special
Includes Consultation, Evaluation, X-rays if needed & Doctor’s report of findings
How Our Care Plan Works
1. Finally Be
Listened To
You know your body best, and we want to hear your story in detail. When you sit down with our doctors, we’ll take the time to listen, ask the right questions, and fully understand your health concerns so we can guide your care with confidence.
2. Understand Exactly What Your Problem Is
Our doctors perform a comprehensive evaluation of your health, which may include a physical exam, strength and stability testing, bloodwork, or x-rays. Whatever is needed, we’ll uncover the root cause and design a personalized plan to move you forward.
3. Get Back To A Happy, Healthy, Fun Life
Every patient receives a customized care plan designed to fit their unique needs. By combining the therapies best suited for you, we promote faster, more effective healing while providing a clear roadmap to correction and lasting success in your health.
How We Treat Low Back Pain In Lincoln Square, IL
Comprehensive Consultation and Exam
At Pro-Holistic Care, we utilize well-researched, evidence-based, 100% natural therapeutic techniques to not only alleviate your pain but also address the structural issues that cause low back pain. The first step in our process is a thorough intake and examination to understand precisely what your problem is and its origin. You know your body the best. Our doctors will sit with you and actually listen to what’s been happening in your body, what may have occurred in the past that may be affecting the back, and learn what things the pain is limiting or preventing you from doing. We want to know what your goals are going forward and ensure that we help you in achieving them.
Our exam will focus on finding the root cause of the problem. There are several methods people use to alleviate low back pain, including exercises, stretches, ice, heat, and ibuprofen. However, if the root cause or source of pain is never identified, the pain will continue to happen and be an ever-present unwanted companion in your life.
At Pro-Holistic Care, we aim not only to decrease or manage your symptoms but also to address the underlying causes. We strive to identify the root cause and rectify the structural issue to the best of our ability, enabling you to live pain-free and with abundant energy. To determine the source of the problem, we will conduct a thorough examination, including orthopedic testing, muscle testing, and functional movement screenings. We will examine your spine, muscles, ligaments, and nerves to identify the source of the pain.
Digital X-Rays
We will also take digital X-rays and a motion study. These are X-rays taken in different positions to see how the bones are moving. Digital X-ray also allows us to assess the condition of the spine and discs. We need to know if you have arthritis, disc degeneration, areas with nerve impingement, or areas that are not moving correctly. If we can see the problem, it is much easier to develop a treatment plan that will be effective and efficient. X-rays are essential for determining the actual situation and tailoring your individual treatment to your specific spine needs.
Specific Chiropractic Care in Lincoln Square, IL
Once we have determined the root cause of your low back pain, it is time to create a customized treatment plan that addresses all the specific issues identified in your low back. We utilize various therapies in combination to help you recover as quickly as possible. We want to ensure that every structure in your back that needs attention receives the best possible tool to fix the problem. Suppose we identify a problem with the alignment or mobility of the bones in the lower back. In that case, we will employ gentle chiropractic care to restore the bones to their proper movement and alignment. If a bone is not in alignment or is not moving correctly, this is called a subluxation. Subluxation can irritate the nerve near the bone, causing pain and problems anywhere that nerve travels. For example, the nerve that exits the lower part of the spine creates the sciatic nerve. If pressure is applied to that nerve, low back pain will develop, and eventually, pain will radiate down the leg as well. We use several different chiropractic techniques. We can always find a way to adjust that is gentle, effective, and comfortable for you. We also need to make sure we address the vertebral discs if they are unhealthy. An unhealthy disc, whether it is degenerating, bulging, or herniating, can lead to nerve impingement, significant pain, numbness, tingling, limited mobility, and the inability to perform daily tasks.
Cox Flexion Distraction
At Pro-Holistic Care, we utilize a highly effective and gentle form of chiropractic adjustment and disc decompression called Cox Flexion Distraction. This therapy enables us to target individual vertebrae and discs, improving the condition of the disc, the alignment and mobility of the bones, and releasing nerve impingement caused by disc issues. Cox Flexion distraction is one of the most well-researched and most effective treatments for low back pain. This therapy is effective at treating.
- Disc herniation
- A slipped disc
- A ruptured disc
- Facet syndrome
- Stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Synovial cyst
- Continued back pain after back surgery
- Other conditions
Infrared Therapy
We won’t stop at just making sure the bones and discs are healthy. We want to ensure that all the soft tissue that moves the bones and attaches to them is also nutritious. We have all experienced those tight muscles that seem to resist loosening up. These tight muscles can continue to pull on the spine, not only causing tension in the muscle but also pulling the spine out of alignment, limiting mobility, and making everyday activities uncomfortable. We use several methods to address the tight muscles and irritated tendons and ligaments. Infrared therapy is used to warm up and increase blood flow to the muscle, encouraging relaxation and muscle healing.
Graston and Gua Sha Therapies
We also utilize two deep tissue therapies, called Graston and Gua Sha. These are tool-assisted soft tissue therapies that allow us to break up adhesions in the muscles, which cause those tight, ropey muscles that seem never to let up.
Acupuncture
We also use acupuncture and dry needling to decrease pain and muscle spasm, as well as promote healing in the muscles. We will determine the best approach tailored to your individual needs and incorporate it into your personalized treatment plan. We want to be as thorough as possible and address all of the things contributing to your low back pain.
Custom Therapeutic Exercise Plan
We almost always find that patients with low back pain also have postural and mobility issues related to the problems in the spine and musculature. For this reason, every low back pain treatment plan will include therapeutic exercise to address these issues. We will create a set of therapeutic exercises for you to perform in the office and a separate set for use at home, ensuring that your posture improves, your spine moves smoothly, and your mobility is restored.
ShockWave Therapy
Additionally, Pro-Holistic Care utilizes a treatment known as Shockwave therapy. This is a non-invasive therapy that uses high-energy acoustic waves to enhance blood flow, alleviate pain, and stimulate tissue regeneration and healing in injured or damaged tissue. We have seen that shockwaves are highly effective in helping to treat low back pain, especially in chronic pain sufferers.
Common Causes of Low Back Pain in Lincoln Square, IL
As mentioned above, the most essential part of our intake and examination process is identifying the root cause of the low back pain, allowing us to treat it effectively. A variety of factors cause low back pain.
Subluxation
One major cause of low back pain, as we have already mentioned, is subluxation or misalignment, which can cause nerve irritation and discomfort. Chiropractors are well-trained to detect and identify spinal subluxations. We can find and identify subluxation during your exam by checking the positioning and movement of the bones in the spine. We can also find subluxation through motion X-ray analysis. These subluxations are corrected through specific chiropractic adjustments. Chiropractic adjustments can gently realign the spine and, over time, encourage the spine to maintain its correct position, thereby eliminating irritation to the spinal nerves.
Bulged Lumbar Discs
Another major cause of low back pain is problems with the discs in the spine. The intervertebral discs have many functions in the spine. They cushion the bones in the spine, creating the space needed for the nerves to exit the spinal cord and extend to the rest of the body. A healthy disc helps prevent and slow the progression of arthritic changes in the spine. Healthy discs also allow for proper mobility in the spine. Discs can start to bulge and put pressure on the spinal nerve roots, causing intense pain.
Herniated Lumbar Discs
What begins as a bulge, a slight protrusion of the disc, can eventually become a disc herniation, a more severe form of protrusion and rupture of part of the disc. This will result in even worse pain, including sciatica. Discs can also begin to degenerate. Think of this as a drying out and shrinking of the disc. This results in less space for nerves to exit the spinal cord, causing further compression of the nerve and significant pain. Our targeted decompression therapy is extremely helpful in treating and improving the condition of these discs.
Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction (SI Joint Pain)
A lesser-known cause of low back pain is something called Sacroiliac joint dysfunction. The sacroiliac joints are the two largest joints in the pelvis. These joints are next to your tailbone under the glute muscles. These joints can become irritated and painful for various reasons. Sitting at a computer all day, long commutes, specific exercises like deadlifts, pregnancy, slips and falls, sports injuries, or repetitive use from certain sports like soccer and basketball, running, and other normal daily activities can cause these joints to become inflamed and painful. Chiropractic care, acupuncture, therapeutic exercises, and shockwave can all be very effective at treating pain stemming from the sacroiliac joints.
Muscle Strain
Injury or overuse of the muscles in the lower back can also cause low back pain. Strained muscles can cause tension and irritation in the back. These tight, inflamed muscles can pull the lower back out of alignment, limit mobility, cause tension and stress in the back, and irritate nerves. We can address these problems through soft tissue therapy, infrared therapy, and stretches and exercises designed to heal the muscle.
Spinal Stenosis
Spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the opening in the bones that the spinal cord and spinal nerves sit in, can cause nerve compression and pain.
Facet Joint Dysfunction
Facet joints, the joints between the vertebrae, can get irritated or arthritic, causing pain. The bottom line is that pain can be caused by various issues in the lower back, but pinpointing the exact problem is key to solving it.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I be worried about lower back pain?
If you have persistent back pain that has lasted for more than a few days, it’s a good idea to have it evaluated. Especially if you did not have an injury and the pain seems to have just appeared. This typically indicates a problem in the lower back that has been developing over time. If you experience new or different pain from any general aches and pains you have had, get it checked out as soon as possible. The longer back pain persists, the harder it becomes to resolve.
How do I know if my back pain is severe?
The only real way to know is to get the back checked out by a professional. Our chiropractors are trained to identify the cause of low back pain, whether it stems from an injury or a more serious underlying issue. Do not ignore pain. Ignoring pain is what leads to bigger problems.
How should I sleep with low back pain?
Avoid sleeping on your stomach! This can cause an increase in the pressure on the nerves in the lower back. The best option is sleeping on your back with a pillow under your knees. Side sleeping is the next best position. When sleeping on your side, a pillow between your knees can also help alleviate pressure on your back and hips.
How can you tell if your spine is out of alignment?
When your spine is out of alignment, you will feel tight and stiff in the spine. Some ranges of motion are limited, like you cannot bend as far as usual without discomfort. Most people experience pain that can range from mild to severe, often feeling as though the nerve is being pinched. Others experience a nagging, mild pain or discomfort that persists.
How do I know if chiropractic can help my low back pain in Lincoln Square, IL
Studies have shown that chiropractic care is highly effective in treating low back pain without the need for drugs or surgery. Your chiropractor will be able to identify the cause of the pain and recommend the best course of treatment. The best way to know what we can do to help is to schedule an appointment with our doctors. Low back pain is one of the most common issues we treat, and we have been successful in eliminating our patients’ back pain for 20 years. We are confident we can help you as well. Our doctors will not hesitate to refer you to the correct provider in the unlikely case we cannot assist you.
$49 New Patient Special
Includes Consultation, Evaluation, X-rays if needed & Doctor’s report of findings
