Understanding your back and leg pain

Leg pain and back pain often occur together, however they can occur separately.

Pain is a kind of a warning sign. Just like the smoke detector warning you of the possibility of fire.

The spine is made up of 24 moving bones called vertebrae. If the joints that interlock the vertebrae cease to move in the correct way they can cause painful symptoms such as back pain. If these aberrant movements of the vertebrae in the lower back affect the nerves that run between them sciatica may result.

Back pain may be local to the area, whereas if the sciatic nerve is involved you are likely to feel pain down the back of your leg. The pain will follow the distribution of the sciatic nerve and may be felt as far as the foot.

With this type or nerve involvement you may also feel some pins and needles, or numbness in your legs or feet. You may also feel that the muscles in your legs or feet feel weak. These sensations are an indication that the sciatic nerve which runs from your back is under stress. As this nerve originates in your back you may often also feel back ache as well (but not always). Therefore when you are examined for leg pain the function of your lower back will also be checked.

In between each vertebra are the shock absorbers for the spine, the disc. If you think of a disc as an inner tube stuck between two house bricks you will see how a disc can bulge, protrude, tear or herniated. An intervertebral disc doesn’t slip. When a disc bulges it can affect nearby nerves and produce obvious symptoms such as pain down the leg. Muscles surrounding the joint often tighten to protect and splint the joint. This can often be very painful.

Often with disc injury and back pain there may have been some long standing pre-existing dysfunction with the spine and a simple action like bending over to pick up a tissue might be enough to trigger further damage. The ‘straw that broke the camel’s back’.

Chiropractic may help by reducing nervous system involvement by promoting proper motion of the vertebral joint. This in turn may help take the pressure of the involved disc or nerve and promotes the correct signal to the brain to restore proper function and the alleviation of symptoms.

Back pain, leg pain, pins and needles and disc problems often respond to the safe natural approach of chiropractic care. Without the need of drugs or surgery.

Chiropractors are specialists in the detection and removal of spinal dysfunction and nervous system interference.

If you unsure as to whether chiropractic may help you, why not try a Free Advisory Consultation. This will help determine as to whether chiropractic is right for you. It would involve finding more about your current condition, a short assessment and a report for you to take home. You are not obliged to take further treatment, however if your condition is not something we can help with we will refer you to someone who may be able to assist you further.