Are Pain-killers Harmless?
People often ask me this, “are pain-killers harmless”? A new study has come out associating anti-inflammatories with increased risk of cardiac arrest, see here. This follows a court ruling requiring a brand of anti-inflammatory to stop marketing that they can target specific types of pain (ie. back pain), when they can’t, and another study that showed paracetamol was not effective for back pain, see here. So if medication is not the solution, what is the answer when we get a sore back? Chiro? Physio? Osteo?
Short Answer = There is no short Answer
The key thing to understand is not all back pain is the same. You and your partner might both have low back pain that feels the same. But the husband might have a bulging disc, and the wife might have an inflamed facet joint. Bob down the road might have a muscle strain, and your friend Mary might have lower cross syndrome. And this is just the short list.
A Proper Examination is Essential
In order to try and effectively diagnose the cause, a detailed history and physical exam are key. The practitioner should be looking at your movements, how your body is functioning, how is it holding itself when your still. Function, or loss of function, gives us a great window into what your body is doing to compensate and cope.
Movement & Function
Movement, along with early intervention, are key to your recovery. The quicker you visit us, the greater our ability to help you. This is mainly due to the brain’s perception of pain. The longer your in pain, the more your brain might become sensitised to it. When pain becomes chronic, we are no longer dealing with just your low back pain, but also your brain. Get in to see someone early.
A Chiropractic Approach
A Chiropractor will assess your whole spine, and look to address the cause. Your spine is made up of 24 segments, so we must assess the integrity of all of them, not just the sore spot. A head that hangs forward in poor posture, could be straining your low back. Tingling in your toes could be related to a nerve irritation in your low back. A headache might be coming from dysfunction in your neck. Chiropractors spend 5 years at University, learning how to assess the neuro-musculo-skeletal system. This mouthful of a word means the nerves, the bones and the muscles & soft tissue. All of these are integral to a healthy functioning spine.
I’d urge you to contact someone if your in discomfort, and address the problem early. And make sure the person you see provides a thorough examination.
