According to the Mayo Clinic four out of five people in the United States will experience low back pain at least once during their lives.Back pain is a very common complaint. It is said that back pain is the most common reason why people miss work or consult a doctor.There is a bright side. Most back pain can be prevented and in treating back pain surgery is usually the last option and seldom needed.For instance, spinal decompression therapy is an effective, safe and non-surgical way to alleviate chronic low back and neck pain.Causes of back painThere are several things that can develop that cause back pain to occur or reoccur.If you get to know a little bit more about your back, its components and how they function it may be easier to help determine what’s causing your particular back pain. Once you learn the underlying cause of your back pain then you will be in a position to take the best course of action on a treatment plan that’s best for you.Muscle spasms can be one cause of severe back pain but most often back pain is a result of strained muscles and ligaments. Improper or heavy lifting or sudden awkward movements are among the most frequent causes.Understanding discs, sciatica and stenosisThe discs in your back serve as cushioning between the verterbrae in your spine. Even though some people who have bulging herniated discs suffer no pain whatsoever there are times when the soft matter within a disc may burst and push on a nerve. This is usually painful and causes lingering pain.Sciatica pain results from irritation of the sciatic nerve. The irritation is caused by several factors including infection or injury. The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in our body and it starts at the nerve roots in the lumbar spinal cord in the low back. When the sciatic nerve has inflammation or has been irritated it produces symptoms of sciatica. But sciatica is most commonly a result of a bulging or herniated disk pressing directly on the nerve. Symptoms of sciatica include numbness, tingling sensation and intense sharp shooting pain traveling down from the lower back area and through the back of the thigh to the back of the leg.The joints most commonly affected by osteoarthritis also known as degenerative joint disease are hips, hands, knees and the lower back. In some cases arthritis in the spine can result to a congestion of the space around the spinal cord, a condition called spinal stenosis. This congestion can have an effect on one or more areas of the spine and put pressure on the spinal cord or on the nerves that extend out from the congested areas.Spinal stenosis symptoms include pain, cramping or numbness in legs, back, neck, shoulders or arms along with frequent loss of sensation in extremities and several occurrence of problems with bladder or bowel functions. Spinal stenosis is most commonly caused by osteoarthritis-related bone damage. Mild symptoms of spinal stenosis are often aided by pain relievers, physical therapy or a supportive brace.Spinal decompression therapySpinal decompression therapy is a slow and therapeutic elongation of the spine which alleviates pressure on compressed vertebrae and discs. During decompression therapy the patient lies immobilized and relaxed on the spinal decompression table while the device applies decompression forces to the injured areas. When required, it is equipped with a safety switch that enables the patient to immediately stop the decompression forces.Check with your doctor to find out if spinal decompression therapy is right for you.

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