Many people aren’t exactly sure of what ‘throwing your back out’ actually entails, but they know it when they feel it. From bending sharply to pick something up, to twisting the wrong way while getting out of the car, throwing your back out is an unmistakable feeling. It happens in an instant and will leave you struggling with pain for days or even weeks if left untreated.

It might be easy to chalk back pain up to age or a specific circumstance, but throwing your back out is serious. You need to seek medical attention to ensure you recover properly and prevent acute back pain from happening again. The chiropractors at ChiroPath Spine & Posture Centre are familiar with “throwing out your back” and what the phrase actually entails. We’re ready to help you address the pain head-on.

THE REAL PROBLEM WITH YOUR BACK PAIN

“Throwing your back out” isn’t exactly a medical term or even a specific description. In fact, it can actually apply to a range of conditions. Most generally, the term is used when you’re experiencing acute back pain in the lumbar spine (lower back) and it isn’t letting up.

There is a common misconception that when you throw out your back, vertebrae or bones are literally moving out of place all at once. While painful, this isn’t usually what’s happening. It’s more likely that you’ve experienced a muscle spasm in an area that provides crucial back support. It’s also possible that a spinal disc has ruptured, resulting in gel-like spinal fluid leaking out.

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU THROW OUT YOUR BACK

To treat acute back pain, lie down on a hard surface (not a soft bed) and relax your hands at your sides. This puts the spine in a neutral position and relieves pressure on muscles that may be overworked. Taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication can also temporarily relieve pain. However, it should be noted that patients shouldn’t rely on these medications due to potential side effects and long-term dependence.

CHIROPRACTIC SOLUTIONS TO BACK PROBLEMS

If you keep throwing out your back or have a problem overcoming pain from an episode, it’s time to start thinking long-term. Chiropractic is the best long-term solution for both recovery and prevention of future back pain episodes. Chiropractic for acute back pain may include any of the following treatments:

• Spinal manipulation to reset out of place vertebral discs. When the spine is misaligned, some muscles, ligaments, and joints may be overworked, resulting in acute back pain.
• Hot and cold therapy to soothe affected areas, reduce inflammation, and restore mobility to affected areas of the back.
• Massage therapy to encourage better blood flow, bringing healing nutrients to damaged soft tissue.
• Diet and exercise advice that targets specific muscle groups so that problems don’t flare up in the future.

PUTTING YOUR BACK TOGETHER

If you’ve thrown out your back, it’s time to bring in the experts. The professional team at ChiroPath Spine & Posture Centre has seen what back spasms and other episodes can do to GTA patients. Contact us today for a consultation if you’ve thrown out your back. We’ll show you how we use get to the root of problematic back pain episodes, to help treat, reduce, or even eliminate them from your life.

Chiropractic BioPhysics, or CBP, is one of the most scientific, researched, and results-oriented corrective care techniques. CBP-trained chiropractors aim to realign the spine back to health, eliminating nerve interference and addressing the source of pain, fatigue, and disease. As with all chiropractic care, CBP is gentle, painless, and non-invasive.