Approximately 31 million Americans experience back pain symptoms. Half of all American workers will experience back pain during a year’s time and one third of Americans who are over 18 have had to seek professional help due to severe back pain. The back therapy profession is estimated to be a lucrative industry especially considering the likelihood that 80 percent of all individuals will experience some form of abnormal back pain during their lives.

Chiropractors

Chiropractors are medical professionals who are trained in the area of back pain relief. There were an estimated 50,000 licensed chiropractors in the United States in 1994 while the American Chiropractic Association has studies that show there could be 100,000 chiropractors by the year 2010. Approximately 11 percent of all Americans have visited a chiropractor within the previous year which adds up to an estimated 32 million Americans.

Back Pain

Back pain can be caused by sprained ligaments, strained muscles, ruptured disks, and inflamed joints. All of these problems can be caused by arthritis, bad posture, or being overweight. At times, kidney stones, kidney infections, blood clots, and bone decay can be a source of back pain. Of people who experience lower back pain, 33 percent reported pain for over 30 days. This type of pain is likely to linger over the long term as only 9 percent of the people who experienced lower back pain for over 30 days had recovered from their painful symptoms five years later.

Therapy

Chiropractors can manipulate the spine and other areas of the back to correct problems and eliminate or reduce pain. Patients can help chiropractors by describing their symptoms. Chiropractors need to know if the pain extends below the knee and whether numbness is experiences in the leg, foot or groin area. Chiropractors can more effectively treat patients if the patient can describe the activity that caused the injury.

Prevention

To prevent back pain from occurring, it is advised that heavy objects not be lifted. If objects are lifted, the back should be kept straight and the body should not twist during the lifting motion. If heavy objects must be moved, it is easier on the back to push rather than pull objects.

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