Best Chiropractors in Melbourne to Relieve Lower Back Pain

Chiropractors can help to address and treat lower back pain, helping many suffers to locate the cause of their pain and fix it. Lower back pain is a very common condition that will affect most people in their lifetime and it can be caused by a variety of issues. If you’re looking for a chiropractor, we have some advice on finding the best chiropractor in Melbourne.

What Causes Lower Back Pain?

Lower back pain is one of the most common health complaints in the world. Most people will experience some pain and discomfit in their back during their lifetime, but it becomes more frequent and severe as we age. Unfortunately, many older Australians experience chronic lower back pain.

Lower back pain can be caused by a variety of things. In many cases, it will be caused by a strained muscle or ligament in the lower back. Your back consists of a combination of large, strong muscles that support your spine and hold your upper body straight. Although these muscles are strong, they can be damaged or torn by certain movements.

Lower back strains typically occur from lifting something that is too heavy or moving quickly in a twisting or bending motion. They can also happen from repetitive movements that may not feel difficult on their own but damage the ligaments over time. For example, bending over and picking up multiple bricks while building a fence may result in lower back pain, even if the individual bricks were not that heavy. Pain in the lower back can also be caused by poor posture. Long hours of slumping can put pressure on the muscles in your back and result in prolonged muscle tension and pain. 

Additionally, lower back pain can be chronic and not caused by any specific movement. Chronic pain lasts more than three months and does not heal on its own. If you are experiencing chronic lower back pain, it will likely be due to a problem with your spine, discs, joints or nerves.

Problems With Your Spinal Discs

The vertebrae in your back are each separated by discs that cushion the bone and absorb shocks from movement. These discs help to give your spine its natural curves and allow you to bend and move. 

Spinal discs can be injured or damaged in different ways. Sometimes, you can suffer from a herniated disc, also known as a ‘slipped disc’. This means that the outside of the disc has torn, causing inflammation and irritation of the nerve roots. A herniated disc will cause severe pain and will often not heal on its own. 

You can also suffer from degenerative disc disease. This means that your discs wear down over time, making them more susceptible to herniation and other damage.

Problems With Your Back Joints

Your back has several joints which are important for movement. The facet joints link the vertebrae together and give them more flexibility. These are located between each segment of the spine: the cervical curve in your shoulders and neck, the thoracic curve in your upper back, and the lumber curve in your lower back. There is also a sacroiliac joint, which connects the sacrum at the bottom of the spine to each side of the pelvis. Like other joints in the body, such as your knees and elbows, the joints in your back can become irritated and painful. 

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a condition that wears down cartilage and causes joint pain. Spinal osteoarthritis commonly occurs in older people and can be very painful and debilitating, causing pain, inflammable and instability. It can occur in the lower back, or throughout the spine. 

Scoliosis and Kyphosis

Scoliosis and kyphosis are both conditions that cause curvature of the spine. It can occur from birth or develop in adolescence as young people experience growth spurts. Many people live with curvature of the spine without any problems, but in severe cases it can be painful and disabling. Over time, these conditions can cause spinal discs to break down and pressure to build on joints. 

How Is Lower Back Pain Diagnosed?

When experiencing lower back pain, talk to a healthcare professional. They will be able to discover the source of your pain and advise you on the best methods for treatment.

Firstly, a doctor will typically form a patient history. If you have a regular GP, this may not be necessary. However, in most cases your doctor will ask questions about your activity levels, sleep, posture, and any injuries you have had. They will ask about the symptoms of your back pain, including where you are experiencing it and whether it occurs at certain times of the day or during particular movements. 

Following this, your doctor will conduct a physical examination. This is to better understand the location, type and severity of your pain. Your doctor may feel your lower back to search for areas of tightness and tenderness. They may conduct a motor exam and range of motion test to examine your movement, which involves manually moving your back, hips and legs. 

If your pain is particularly severe or ongoing, you may also need medical imaging tests. These include X-rays, CT scans, ultrasounds and MRIs and allow specialists to screen for problems with your bones, discs and ligaments. This helps your doctor to pinpoint the source of pain and view any specific internal issues.

What Are the Treatment Options for Lower Back Pain?

Although back pain is very common, it is also typical for the pain to go away on its own. Sprains and strains of the muscles can feel very painful at the time, but they usually heal in a few days without any need for intervention. Many people manage their own back pain without the need for medical treatment. 

At Home Treatment 

Some of the treatment options available to do yourself at home include:

• Stretches and exercises
• Hot or cold packs
• Supportive cushions or wheat bags
• Meditation
• Over-the-counter pain medication

These simple treatments can assist to get through a few days of back pain and allow you to continue living your life. It is recommended that you keep up regular activity and don’t avoid movement when you are experiencing lower back pain. While it can be tempting to stay on the couch, gentle movement and stretching will help your muscles to relax and heal. 

Heat and cold packs can assist to prevent inflammation in the muscles and joints and can spread up the recovery process if you have suffered a strain. It is a good idea to avoid sitting at a desk or in the car for long periods when you have lower back pain, however if this is unavoidable due to your work, you may be able to support yourself using cushions and wheat bags. Wheat bags mould to your shape and some can be heated to provide the added comfort of a heat pack. This can make going to work possible during episodes of pain.

Because back pain can be caused by stress, which leads to unconscious muscle tension and soreness, meditation is another method to help deal with back pain. Making time to relax and unwind can assist to prevent lower back pain in the longer term.

Pain medication can also help to deal with lower back pain. Over-the-counter options are generally effective for sprains and strains. You may also want to try some anti-inflammatory medication. Speak to your pharmacist if you require guidance.

Medical Treatment

For severe, persistent or chronic lower back pain, medical intervention is often required. After your doctor has diagnosed your lower back pain as described in the section above, they will suggest a treatment plan for you. 

For joint and muscle problems, anti-inflammatory medication can often assist to dull or eradicate pain. These medications will prevent painful inflammation and help your body to heal more quickly. Some anti-inflammation treatments use muscle relaxants or steroids. Pain relief medication will also be used to deal with your pain and prevent severe discomfit. Often pain relief will be required to allow you to undertake some physical therapy. 

Gentle exercises and stretches can assist to treat lower back pain, and you can consult a physiotherapist for advice on the right type of activity. A program of exercises can help to strengthen certain muscles in your back and relieve tensions in others.

How Do Chiropractors Help With Lower Back Pain?

Chiropractors are health professionals who focus on treating the back and spine. They often use hands-on methods for treating back pain, including spinal manipulation and deep tissue massage. They will not generally recommend the use of medications such as pain relief or anti-inflammatories.

Spinal manipulation and manual manipulation involve high-velocity pressure applied to parts of the back. This is known as a chiropractic adjustment. The objective of this short, sharp movement is to restore motion to the back by improving functionality. It is typically applied directly to the vertebra rather than to the surrounding muscles and ligaments. 

Chiropractors will also use gentler mobilization techniques to treat lower back pain. These involve manipulation, movement and stretching at a slower pace that the adjustment and are targeted at the muscles and joints. The goal of this mobilization is to improve the range of motion in the area experiencing pain.

Should You See a Chiropractor for Lower Back Pain?

Consulting a chiropractor has been shown to result in less pain intensity, improvement in movement and function, and less need for pain medication. You may want to work with a chiropractor in isolation, or you may want to consider it as part of your treatment plan which includes medication, physiotherapy and self-treatment. 

There are certain causes of back pain which are better suited for chiropractors. Because they work directly with the spine and vertebrae, any problems with your joints and discs can be treated by a chiropractor. 

Pinched nerves are extremely painful and normally caused by bulging discs. When this happens, a chiropractor can help to identify the cause of the pinched nerve and reposition the interfering bone. This results in the nerve having more room to function properly.

Seeing a chiropractor is also a good idea when other options haven’t worked. If you have tried several days or weeks of home treatments and self care, you may need to seek out medical intervention. Chiropractor scan move and manipulate your back in ways that are impossible to achieve by yourself, and may give you the relief you are looking for.

You do not need a referral from your GP to see a chiropractor. Additionally, it is worth noting that chiropractors are allied health professionals and not doctors, which means they have a degree in chiropractic care but not a medical degree. 

Best Chiropractors in Melbourne to Relieve Back Pain

If you are looking for the best chiropractor to help you with your lower back pain, it’s a good idea to start looking for professionals local to your area. There are lots of professional and skilled chiropractors working in Melbourne at the moment.

Some chiropractors will work within a clinic with a range of allied health professionals. Often, these clinics will house several specialised healthcare workers who can assist with some of the other things that could be related to your back pain, such as physiotherapists, exercise physiologists, acupuncturists, reflexologists, occupational therapists, and more. They will sometimes also offer additional services such as Pilates classes or personal training to help stretch and strengthen your back and prevent lower back pain in the future. 

When searching for healthcare professionals, it’s a good idea to ask friends and family for recommendations. You can also check out the reviews on different rating websites. Often, if lots of other people have had a good experience with a certain chiropractor, it is a mark of their quality.

Some options when searching for chiropractors include Health Engine, Word of Mouth, and One Flare.

Lower back pain is very uncomfortable, but a chiropractor can help you to treat your pain and manage the problem. Chiropractors are experts on the back and spine, and people suffering from lower back pain should consider seeing one for assistance. You can find good chiropractors by asking friends or searching online.