Lower Back Pain, Sciatica and Headaches: How did we help?

At Align Corrective Chiropractic, we often have patients who come to see us with multiple symptoms such as lower back pain, neck pain, headaches and sciatica. Our goal is to look at the bigger picture and determine if their structure is causing these symptoms. If we can improve their structure then we should be able to reduce their symptoms. So, not only can we help them feel better, but we can actually work on fixing the underlying problem.

Case Study #1

This patient initially came to see us with quite a few complaints. The main issue was a pain down the outside of the thigh, down the front of the leg, shin and into the foot on the right side. This had been happening for a good 15 years and may have been caused by frequent running when they were younger. The pain would come and go, and would get quite severe at times. It was aggravated by running and driving for long periods, and unfortunately their job required long distance driving on most days.

The patient had also been experiencing lower back pain on the right side for 5 years, and had recently developed frequent headaches. These headaches would cause a mild pain around the eyes, towards the end of the afternoon.

After a thorough examination, including digital posture photographs and spinal x-rays, we decided to take a corrective approach and began a corrective chiropractic care plan. This was not only to help reduce the pain associated with the sciatica, lower back pain and headaches but also to improve posture and make positive structural changes.

Corrective Care Plan

The treatment plan included regular chiropractic adjustments, very specific Mirror Image drop table adjustments, as well as Mirror Image exercises and traction/spinal remodeling exercises to be done at home. It didn’t take long before the patient started to feel much better. The lower back pain and headaches soon disappeared, and the leg pain had reduced to such an extent that they now only get it mildly, after long periods of driving. The patient also noticed big changes in their posture and it’s easy to understand why, when you see the changes so visually apparent in the x-rays. The below changes took six months to achieve, and even though the spinal alignment is not yet perfect, it is much closer to the ideal.

With Corrective Chiropractic Care, we don’t focus on the area that is sore (as this is often not where the problem lies). We rather take a look at the whole spine to determine where the problem is. In this patient’s case, it was her neck that was the most misaligned part of her spine and this is where we saw the biggest improvements.

Looking For The Cause

We often have patients who come to us with lower back pain, but when we examine them it’s their upper back or their neck that is the actual problem. Unfortunately, as our posture or alignment changes we progressively place more strain on our spinal structures. It has been shown that a forward head posture or slouch can actually stretch the spinal cord and increase the amount of strain in the lower back, leading to lower back pains. This is why we believe it is so important to look at the whole spine and not just the area that is sore. Once we know where the problem is, we can help to fix it.

If you have pains or problems that just keep coming back, it may be because you are missing the bigger cause. If you are looking for a Durban Chiropractor with a specific focus on spinal structure and alignment, give us a call on 031 562 9180.