Back Pain

Back Pain Relief in Springfield at Cherry Health Center

Studies have shown that up to 80% of the population will have a back problem at some point during their lives. Back pain can come on unexpectedly from an accident, injury or apparently out of nowhere, this back pain is called acute. It can also be in the form of terrible pain that plagues people for years and years, which is known as chronic. When you also add stress, obesity, poor posture, back pain can get more complicated and negatively affect your life. Back pain can stem from a variety of structures, such as the muscles, ligaments, tendons, vertebra and nerves.

Back pain more often than not is caused by different types of injuries or the effects of aging. There are basically two types of injury that can cause back pain: traumatic- such as being in a car accident, slip and fall, or a sports injury. The other and more common type is due to repetitive stress that can be associated with work duties such as: prolonged sitting, standing, lifting, bending, twisting and so on and so forth. The effect of forces, such as these, on the spine creates wear and tear on the discs, ligaments and muscles. These discs perform as shock absorbers to guard the vertebrae and spinal cord.

The exact structures in your back to blame for your pain are difficult to determine in many cases. Whether they are identified or not, there are several probable sources of low back pain:

• • Degeneration of the discs
• • Bulging or herniated discs
• • Spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal)
• • Muscle spasm (very tense muscles that remain contracted)
• • Poor alignment or fixations of the vertebrae
• • Spondylolisthesis
• • Osteoarthritis
• • Spinal curvatures (like scoliosis or kyphosis), which may be inherited and seen in children or teens
• • Small fractures to the spine from osteoporosis
• • Strain or tears to the muscles or ligaments supporting the back
• • Injury or overuse of muscles, ligaments, facet joints, and the sacroiliac joints.

How do I get started?

Contact our office at (417) 869-2000 to schedule an initial consultation with the Doctor to determine your individual situation. Medical Evaluation and Diagnostic testing procedures should be performed prior to beginning any treatment in order to determine the most effective process. After carefully studying your case history and exam findings, the Doctor will sit down and explain his recommended plan of action for you. After answering any questions you may have about the recommended plan, you may begin your care.

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