Question
i have been suffering from severe back pain for the past 8 months. i gave birth to my first child last December and a month or so after that we contracted the whooping cough (pertusis). i ended up breaking 2 ribs because of he violent coughing episodes and my little girl spent 3 weeks in the hospital. during this time my back was hurting which i thought was because of the coughing, but it is hurting me now more than ever.i'd rather go through labor pains! i've seen several doctors for this problem and the diagnosis varies from muscle spasms to osteo-arthritis, to narrowed discs. i have just started therapy and it hurts so bad to even be touched firmly, to the point where i'm crying. it seems that i'm in more pain after a therapy session. i am only 19 years old. i can't help but wonder why i'm having such severe pain, aren't i too young for this?

Answer
Dear Veronica,

You are never too young for back problems!  There are many things that could be causing your pain, and the difficulty that doctors have is trying to pinpoint it.

Narrowing of a disc is the same as osteoarthritis.  Discs in the lower back can degenerate. When they do, the space that they take up is decreased. On x-ray, it is described as disc narrowing, but it is actually an arthritic degeneration that is taking place.

It is not possible to diagnose and treat over the internet. What have you tried so far?  Let me first tell you that if you seek help through an MD for this type of problem, all that you are going to receive is medication.  If that doesn't work, then an MRI of the lumbar spine, and possibly epidural injections or a recommendation to a neurosurgeon.  Perhaps you might be referred to a physcial therapist, who will teach you back exercises.

You need to take the initiative and find a chiropractor that you can trust. Find one that will do a good examination before treatment is initiated.  Often problems like yours will respond to manipulation and therapy/exercise.  It will never be helped by medication... no matter how many pills you take. (although meds can help to control the symptoms so that you CAN do chiropractic work and exercises.)

I hope that this gives you some ideas and thoughts.