The lack of exercise, poor posture, and improper lifting techniques can result in pain in the lower back. While rest and exercise may well address mild back soreness, severe chronic pain needs immediate treatment through different therapies that are compatible with the patient. Manipulation techniques for lower back pain have thrown light on rehabilitation from lower back issues in a significant way. Osteopathic manipulation is somewhat similar to chiropractic manipulation and has been proven to lessen the pain and rectify some of the causes of acute and chronic pain.

Manipulation Techniques For Lower Back Pain

Chiropractic manipulation refers to a chiropractor applying manipulation to the subluxation at the vertebrae and attempts to provide effective pain relief for the lower back.

The majority of the causes of back pain are related to not being in good shape. As we age, most of us don’t exercise daily. This causes the abdominal and back muscles to get weaker. Our poor posture further weakens the low back muscles setting us up for that awkward move that instantly sends our backs into spasm. Of course the other thing is lifting improperly. Not using our legs to lift, or not asking for help.

Symptoms from back injuries vary from mild to severe. Majority of us will have self-limiting injuries, where rest and stretching will fix the problem. But for some, it is a major life changing experience. It is the number one reason people see a doctor, and is probably the number one injury that leads to addiction of pain medicine. Narcotic pain medications do not treat the back injury. They only affect the brain, allowing your body to ignore the pain. Often this can cause more damage, because pain limits what you do, and protects your back from further injury.

Discs

The discs between your vertebrae are like shock absorbers. They can weaken and bulge. Sometimes even rupture or herniate. It is interesting to note, that not all bulges or herniated discs cause problems. Up to 1/3 of the general population has bulging discs without symptoms.

The best thing you can do for your back is to prevent the injury.  Daily exercises and stretching will strengthen the back. “Core exercises” that work on the abdominal muscles in conjunction with low back exercises work best. Pilates and Yoga have been found to strengthen the core muscles, and decrease back injuries.

If you have injured your back, here are several treatment options to help lessen the pain.

Osteopathic manipulation (OMT)

It has been proven to not only lessen back pain, but also correct some of the causes for both acute and chronic back pain. Often treatment alleviates the need for medication completely. Chiropractic manipulation has also proven itself to be beneficial.  While there are differences in philosophy, the results cannot be argued. What I find most interesting, is that fact that manipulation is now being taught in Allopathic (MD) schools. There are several allopathic (MD) physicians that not only believe that the therapy is beneficial, but also have practices that utilize techniques to alleviate back pain.  (DRX 9000).

Manipulation techniques:

Osteopathic

Chiropractic

DRX 9000

Who should not have manipulation:

Osteoporosis sufferers

Greater than 70 caution with neck manipulation

Post surgery – joint replacement

Extremely young children – need specialized manipulation (under the age of 4)

Medications

Acetaminophen – Tylenol

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories – Ibuprofen (Motrin/Advil), naproxen (Aleve)

Muscle relaxants – flexiril, skelaxin

Anti-depressants – low dose amitriplyline

Physical therapy and exercise

Ice, heat

ultrasound

Massage

Physician

Injections into the muscle – trigger points

Injections in to the discs – epidural injections with steroids

Surgery – reserved for treatment failures or unrelenting pain associated with radiating to the leg, progressive muscle weakness, or bowel or bladder involvement.

Partial disc removal

Fusion

Partial removal of the vertebra

Read more here

You will find many things to do in the case of lower back pain, which include core exercises, medication, ice and heat, massage, injections, and ultimately surgery. Do you know that Osteopathic manipulation involves manipulation of the nerves at the joints to regularize blood flow to the damaged tissues, which can do wonders in relieving lower back pain?  It does not sound too appealing, but this method is becoming popular as one of the established manipulation techniques for lower back pain. This method of treatment is not advisable for Osteoporosis, those above 70 years, post-surgical period after joint replacement, and very young children. Allopathic physicians adopt this therapy simply because of the relief it provides for lower back pain sufferers.

Dr. Jeff  Echols, D.C.  is a Chiropractor in Austin Chiropractic Care, Texas. In this video he discusses how misalignments in lower spine can cause back pain.

Another video from Dr. Jeff  Echols, a Chiropractor at Austin Chiropractic Care. he discusses chiropractic adjustments for the hips and how to correct problems with the pelvis being tilted and the hip bones not being in the socket correctly.

This video demonstrates a very safe and controllable chiropractic adjusting technique by Dr. Glen Weckel – Chiropractor in Wilmington, NC.