If you’re experiencing discomfort in your back, you might be one of the millions of Americans that suffer from back pain each year.  Although lower back pain is most common, it can also be experienced around the neck area, upper back, or bottom spine.  Depending on the location of your pain, it can be caused from a number of different things, including ligament, tendon or muscle strains, irritation of muscles or joints, herniated discs or injury.

Some treatments for back pain can include spinal adjustments, traction therapy, muscle relaxation and stimulation and custom exercises.  Once Dr. Barlow determines the cause of your pain, he will create a specific treatment plan to rid you of your pain.

Your neck consists of many structural building blocks of your body.  Seven vertebrae which surround your spinal cord and canal, discs between each vertebrae, muscles, arteries, veins, glands, and lymph nodes are all part of these building blocks.

Neck pain can be caused by many things including strain, degenerative discs, herniated discs, pinched nerves, whiplash or another neck injury or emotional stress.  Not sure if what you’re feeling is soreness or actual neck pain?  If you feel tingling or numbness, dizziness, tenderness, sharp and shooting pain, have difficulty swallowing, or have swollen lymph nodes than you might want to get treated for neck pain.  If you are also experiencing facial or shoulder pain, headaches, and arm numbness or tingling along with your neck pain than you might have a pinched nerve.

Arm and leg pains tend to develop slowly which makes it difficult for an individual to determine what led to their pain.  Some of the leading causes of arm or leg pain are arthritis, muscle strain, traumatic injuries, overuse injuries, or misalignments in your vertebrae.  Arm pain can also be caused by poor posture, neck pain, or your heart which shares neural pathways with your left arm.

Through examination and a review of your health history, Dr. Barlow will get to the bottom of your arm or leg pain and create a personalized plan to get you pain free.

Your shoulder joint is one of the sockets with the most range of motion in your body so when it’s in pain, it can limit you on what you’re able to do.  Many shoulder pain issues are caused by neck and upper back injuries, dynamic exercise, and auto injuries.

When do you know it’s time to get your shoulder pain checked out?  If your pain persists for more than a few days, you can’t lift your hand above your shoulder, it’s difficult to lift objects, there’s swelling or bruising in or around the shoulder area or you hear clicks or other sounds coming from the shoulder socket, then it’s time to schedule an appointment.

Sciatica means “leg pain” and pain can be classified as neurogenic or referred.  Neurogenic pain comes from the nerve and would cause a sharp, shooting pain with a constant background ache up one of your legs.  This type of sciatica can also give a feeling of hot and cold sensations, numbness or muscle weakness and “pins and needles.”  Referred pain is caused by muscle and joint problems in your back.  If you suffer from referred pain, it would feel more dull and achy and feel worse in your back than leg.

Sciatica can be treated in a number of ways: massage therapy, spinal manipulation, lifestyle changes, nutrition counseling, Active Release Techniques, and traction therapy.  If sciatica is left untreated, the pain will worsen which can lead to other discomforts throughout the body.

A pinched nerve is caused when a nerve is pressed between ligament or tendon tissues or bone and can cause pain in the low back, shoulder, neck, arm or leg.  In addition to pain, you may experience numbness, weakness or radiating pain around the pinched nerve.

Some treatment techniques Dr. Barlow uses include spinal adjustments and massage therapy.

Everyone gets headaches but sometimes you may experience recurring ones or headaches that are so bad that they’re classified as migraines.  Symptoms of headaches can be dull aches to sharp and throbbing and may also include nausea, vomiting and vision disturbances.

Triggers that cause headaches vary by the individual and could include diet, stress or emotions, changes in sleep, ear infections, sinusitis, high blood pressure, dehydration and stroke.  Depending on the cause or your symptoms, treatments may include adjustments to the vertebrae in your neck and back, exercises to reduce stress and improve muscle balance and lifestyle changes like sleep positioning, diet and stress-reducing techniques for work.

Bursae are fluid filled sacs that are located between a tendon and skin or between bone and a tendon.  Bursitis is inflammation of bursa which can lead to difficulty moving a joint or having full range of motion at the point of inflammation.   Bursitis is commonly located in the shoulder, hip and elbow but sometimes at your knee, heel and base of your big toe.

Symptoms of bursitis include aches or stiffness, hurting more when the area is pressed on or is moving, or swelled redness.  If you have one or some of these symptoms, it’s time to schedule an appointment with Dr. Barlow if the pain is so bad that you suddenly are unable to move the joint, have excessive swelling, redness, bruising or a rash in the affected area, there’s a sharp shooting pain when you exercise, or you have a fever.

Tendons are strong flexible bands which connect muscles to bone and can withstand excessive amounts of stretching and weight, however, they can become inflamed with repetitive movements.  This is called tendonitis and can cause stiffness and joint pain.

Tennis or golfer’s elbow, housemaid’s knee, and pitcher’s shoulder are all examples of tendonitis.  Although many forms of tendonitis occur in those that play specific sports, anyone who performs a task that uses the same motion repeatedly can get it.

For treatment of tendonitis, Dr. Barlow will do an extensive examination to rule out the possibility of bursitis and arthritis as the symptoms are similar.  Then a treatment plan will be developed.  Treatments may include rest by reducing the movement of the affected area, heat and cold therapy, physical therapy, and stretching and exercising.

Muscle tension occurs when a muscle remains semi contracted for an extended period of time which can also lead to back pain.  Poor posture, overuse, stress, and infection are all causes of muscle tension.

Everyone gets tightness in their muscles at some point in their lives but if you suffer from any of the following symptoms, you should contact Columbia Chiropractic Center to schedule an appointment:  Muscle tightness, muscle soreness or tenderness, tension headaches, fatigue, muscle spasms.