Question
QUESTION: for the last couple of years i have had lower back back when sitting up straight and for long periods of time especially when driving long distances. i also have upper back/neck pain. my muscles in my upper back feel very tight i have tried getting massages but that doesnt seem to help at all. my neck feels like i need to crack it all the time. it hurts around the bottom part of my neck like where when you bend your neck the bone is like a bump . help please.

ANSWER: Dear Ashleigh,

I would love to help you... I can see you in my office on Monday morning at 8:30 a.m.

Seriously... when can you get in to see a chiropractor? Have you tried to get relief through chiropractic care in the past? If you have and it has failed, have you tried a second or third chiropractor?  It is IMPOSSIBLE to give you any meaninful help, other than encouragement.

Until you get to a chiropractor, try some simple exercises to see if you can get some relief that way.

You sound like somebody that ends up in my office. Medication doesn't work long term, and massage only gives temporary relief.  

What you need is a good examination by a chiropractic doctor that you trust, followed by a treatment program that includes, but is not limited to, adjustments, therapy, and exercises.

Good Luck Ashleigh.  

Keith Biggs, DC
http://www.eastmesachiropractor.com


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: well i am kinda busy right now i am currently dealing with an athletic injury and asthma and i am trying to get those under control. no i have never tried chiropractic care in the past. i have never been put on mediciation for my back before. could this be a muscle problem?

Answer
Dear Ashleigh,

Yes, this could be a muscle problem...

but then again...

It could be a facet joint problem... it could be sacroiliac joint problem... it could be a bladder problem... it could be a kidney infection... it could be kidney stones... it could be a disc herniation problem... it could be a disc dessication... it could be a disc bulge... it could be disc degeneration... it could be central canal stenosis... it could be lateral stenosis... it could be an aortic aneurysm... it could be a heart problem... it could be an intestinal problem... it could be a stomach problem... it could be gall stones... it could be an abdominal tumor... it could be a spinal tumor... it could be spinal arthritis... it could be osteoarthritis... it could be a costovertebral joint problem... it could be spondylolisthesis... it could be spondylolysis... it could be a congenital defect of the spine... it could be the result of a short leg... it could be a hip problem... it could be the result of a collapsed longitudinal arch of the foot... it could be sciatica... it could be a neoplastic bone lesion... it could be an infection of the bone... it could be a compression fracture... it could be osteopenia... it could be a schmorels node... it could be a hemi-vertebra... it could be ankylosing spondylitis... it could be a spinal neuroma... it could be cauda equina syndrome... it could be side affects of medication you are on...

The point is, Ashleigh... it could be anything! I know that you are hurting, and that you have been hurting for quite some time. What is it going to take for you to find the time to take care of yourself? Now, the odds are that it is a joint and muscle complex problem, because this is what causes most back pain issues. Such a condition responds quite well to appropriate chiropractic care.  But, all of the other listed conditions above can also cause back pain.

You say in your original question/statement that you have had massage and that it does not help... if your pain was simply a muscle problem, then wouldn't massage take care of it for you? Then again... what kind of muscle problem do you think it is?  How about fibromyalgia... or muscle strain... or trigger points... or tenosynovitis... or myofascitis... or muscle spasm... or muscle cramping...etc.... and what is causing your muscle problem?  

I hope that you understand the spirit of this email, because it is not intended to make you feel bad. My goal is to help you and other readers to understand how difficult it is to even begin to make an attempt at giving you any medical advise regarding something seemingly as simple as back pain.  Most of the conditions that I have listed can be dealt with efficiently. Some are not treatable, and some are potentially fatal.  The good news is that most back pain problems are of the non-lethal and treatable variety.

My advise to you continues to be that you should have a professional help you to find out what is causing your pain. You can see a general practice medical doctor, an orthopedic medical doctor, a chiropractor, an osteopathic medical doctor, or a physical therapist. I believe that you will get the best analysis of your back pain condition through a chiropractor, but then again, I am biased.  Any one of the above competent professionals can help you to know what is truly causing your pain. Once a true work-up of the condition is performed, then appropriate treatment can be administered. Then, armed with confidence in the knowledge of what is wrong, you can take the appropriate action steps that will lead you to a life with less pain.

I hope that you are able to get your asthma under control, and that you are able to find relief for your athletic injury.  I also hope that you understand that back pain can be very complex. It usually isn't... but from where I am sitting (here in Arizona...), I cannot tell you what is causing your back pain.

Good luck Ashleigh!  I honestly hope that you find the answers that you are looking for. You will, but it is going to take an investment of time and effort on your part... and oh yes, payment to the doctor of your choice.  Odds are that your payment will NOT be to me, so I have nothing to gain from this conversation other than the satisfaction of helping you to make the decision to go and get some medical help for your "back pain". Make a call and get an appointment.

Keith Biggs, DC
http://www.eastmesachiropractor.com
http://www.biggschiropractic.blogspot.com