Question
im 29 and have suffered for three years from a dull ache/pain in my lower back on the right side just above my buttock it restricts my movement and leaves me as weak as a kitten it can be brought on by doing anything from coughing to doing my shoes laces etc. i have been to my doctor about it many times and just get fobed off with diclophenic tablets told to rest and offerd a sick note could a chiropractor help, and how do a choose one to see i live near co durham in the north east. thank you dean.  

Answer
Dean,

Thanks for the question and I hope I can help.  

Yes, you should definitely see a chiropractor for this back pain.  From the location of your pain, you have a sacroiliac joint imbalance or fixation.  Virtually the only treatment that will resolve this is chiropractic.  

I would say that 80% of back pain that I see in my office is from the SI joints. The pelvis gets tilted or twisted and puts a strain on the SI joints, which are located at the base of the spine where the pelvic bones attach to the sacrum, the last bone of the spine. They are large, flat joints that move when we move our legs or back.  They can become imbalanced which leads to pain, stiffness, muscle tightness and sometimes sciatica (pain down leg due to nerve compression).  

With chiropractic manipulation, the imbalance is eliminated and the stress and pressure on the joints and related structures is eliminated.  The result is proper mechanical function and elimination of symptoms.

Normally, in a case going on as long as yours, the treatment plan may take a bit longer.  I would recommend 8-16 visits for you with manipulation and therapy modalities.  Once improvement begins, stretching and eventually strengthening exercises should be performed to maintain the correction and resolve any problems that may cause recurrence of the problem.

To find a good chiropractor, I recommend asking friends and family or co-workers or fellow members of your church.  Get a personal referral instead of checking out the yellow pages.  Often times the biggest ad in the phone book just means the biggest bills.

You should do just great with proper treatment.  The drugs are not going to fix this problem.  It is a mechanical problem, not a chemical one.  It needs a mechanical solution to be resolved.

God Bless,

Dr. Boss