Houston chiropractor, chiropractor in Houston, TX

The Back Pain Epidemic

It is estimated that 80 percent of Americans will experience back pain sometime during their lives. It is the fifth most common reason for all physicians’ visits in the United States. Modern society puts us at risk for back pain. Repetitive lifting, prolonged sitting, trauma, stress and improper lifting are some examples of causes of back stressors.

Americans by nature are “weekend warriors” with an all or nothing attitude. Many are inactive for the majority of the week and their bodies are not conditioned for sudden bursts of activity. When an injury occurs, some people choose to delay treatment hoping the back pain will go away. The most important thing to do when an injury happens is to have it professionally evaluated as soon as possible. This will determine the nature of the injury and dictate the course of care.

Untreated, back pain can cause dysfunction in your posture and joints resulting in secondary overuse injuries in other areas of the body. Also back pain can be an early warning sign for more serious conditions including kidney, abdominal, and other systemic disorders. In rare cases, back pain can be associated with serious neurological symptoms including severe weakness and sudden bowel or bladder incontinence. This can be a medical emergency requiring an immediate ER visit. The vast majority of back pain does not require an ER visit or surgery and can be treated in a conservative manner.

Dr. Boss specializes in diagnosing and treating problems of the musculoskeletal system. He manages a wide array of musculoskeletal problems from adolescent baseball injuries to seniors with arthritic knees. He takes histories, perform thorough exams, and order appropriate diagnostic tests to find the cause of pain, injury or disability.

Dr. Boss has many treatment options available with the goal of restoring function and returning the patient back to normal activities. Treatment options include physical therapy, rehabilitation, decompression therapy and acupuncture if needed. The result is a designed back treatment program tailored just for you.

Remember, the primary reason for prompt evaluation is that the longer it takes to start care the longer the recovery will be and the chance of a full, prompt recovery diminishes.