Did you know that pain is a warning sign? Like the piercing sound from a smoke detector, the alarm isn’t the problem. The alarm has a cause, just like every ache or pain has a cause. Some people choose to cover up the pain instead of correcting the cause. What do you choose?

While a sedentary lifestyle can make symptoms worse, back pain affects those who are tall, short, thin, heavy, young and old. Overexertion can cause back pain flare-ups, but the underlying problem may have gone undetected for years.

The discs between spinal bones can be a source of back pain. These rings of fibrous tissues act as shock absorbers and spacers. Trauma can cause the soft, pulpy material in the middle to bulge or herniate, putting pressure on delicate nearby nerves. Another common source of back pain comes from the facet joints. These are rich in nerves and can cause painful symptoms when they aren’t moving right.

Once you know the cause of your back pain, you have several choices. One approach is bed rest. But research shows that prolonged bed rest can actually delay recovery and make the problem worse! Another choice is to numb or cover up the pain with drugs. While drugs can offer temporary relief, they can’t correct functional problems of affected spinal joints. The most drastic measure is surgery. While there may be times when surgery makes sense, it’s expensive, risky and more than half of all back surgeries fail.

More and more people are choosing chiropractic care first. Chiropractic adjustments can help improve spinal function. Better yet, chiropractic is safe and natural. By correcting the underlying cause of the problem, you can say bye-bye to your back pain!