Chronic back pain is one of the most universal medical problems today. Low back pain is such a common nuisance it affects up to 90% of Americans at some point in their life. Half will have more than one episode. Chronic back pain is not a specific disease. Rather, it is a symptom that may occur from a variety of different processes. These include degenerated discs and joints in the spine, spinal stenosis, and chronic muscle strain.
Chronic muscular strain: Chronic muscular strain is perhaps the most common cause of back pain. There may or may not be an initial event or accident. The result is a back ache that may come and go or be present all the time. The pain is not explained by another cause, such as those discussed below.
Degenerative disc disease and sciatica: Degenerative or traumatic processes in the discs of the back can lead to rupture or disc herniation. The disc protrudes and places pressure on the adjacent spinal nerves. When this condition occurs in the low back, it is called sciatica, and classically presents as leg pain and difficulty walking. Frequently, pain is felt radiating into the buttock, leg and/or foot.
Spinal stenosis: Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal cord causing nerve compression in the back. When this condition occurs in the low back, it leads to persistent pain in the buttocks, limping, a lack of feeling in the lower extremities, and inhibited physical activity.
Arthritis/Degenerative joint disease: Arthritis pain in the back is the result of degenerative processes in the spine, and has been described as aching, stabbing, sharp, radiating, or hot. Degenerative processes in the spine can lead to slippage of one vertebrate on another or even fracture. Vertebral displacement can pinch nerves and create muscle tension.
To achieve relief from chronic back pain and sciatica one must understand:
- Back pain is not prevented by the strengthening of the muscles of the back.
- The stability of the back rather than the strength of the back prevents your back from harm.
- Therapy for stability is quite different from strength training.
Any approach to back pain treatment and sciatica should begin with a thorough evaluation of your spinal core and understands:
- The stability of the back is dependent on a properly functioning spinal core
- The spinal core is a complicated series of discs and vertebra, each with a slightly different function
- Faulty interactions between vertebrae create excessive strain in the back
- Optimizing interactions between vertebrae stabilizes the back, providing back pain relief and alleviating the pain of sciatica.
Wouldn't it be nice to have a therapy method that could relieve your back and sciatic pain completely and stabilize your back in anywhere from one hour to one week? The Feldenkrais Method can show you how to rid yourself of back pain for good, without drugs, surgery or machines. Feldenkrais has been used to treat hundreds of people suffering from back pain, the goal of therapy being to relieve pain and prevent your back from being injured again. The Feldenkrais Method uses simple, gentle movements to reorganize posture, flexibility, strength and coordination. And in doing so, it provides an environment within which your back pain can heal. Discover what Feldenkrais can do for your sore back or sciatica.
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