Back pain is one of the most common health issues in the country, according to the U.S. government’s online resource MedlinePlus. Data suggests that 80 percent of people will have to deal with painful or long-lasting back pain in their life. Twenty-five percent of the population will encounter at least one day of back pain in any given three-month period, according to the National Institutes of Health. The frequency of these incidents are why back pain is the single biggest cause of disability in the world and the second most frequent reason for doctor’s visits.
Similarly, chronic, recurring or long-lasting neck pain conditions plague many Americans and others worldwide. Neck pain also happens to be the third most prevalent type of reported pain behind lower back pain and headaches/migraines.
Common reasons for neck and back pain include poor posture, repetitive stress, injury, nerve damage/ nerve interference and poor muscular support. This range of underlying conditions means that neck and back pain can equally affect someone who spends hours working on a computer at their desk as it does someone who does regular physical labor, like lifting patients.
How Chiropractic Care for Neck and Back Pain Helps
When our skeletal system is subjected to skeletal stress or sudden traumatic injury, we often develop spinal subluxations as a result. For neck pain, a subluxation in the upper cervical region can cause nervous system interference leading to regular pain and discomfort. With back pain, similar issues can occur along the thoracic or lumbar regions of our spine.
When subluxations persist, they can easily affect the nerve pathways that run through them with a significant amount of pressure. We can correct these subluxations and restore ideal nervous system functioning through specific, scientific adjustments.
In fact, neck and back pain are stated as the most common reason for visiting a chiropractor. 7.7 million Americans or 35 percent of chiropractic visitors seek relief from underlying conditions that cause recurring neck and back pain. A Gallup poll also confirms that the majority of Americans believe that chiropractic care can be effective in treating neck and back pain, with nearly one in four strongly agreeing with the assessment.
