Back pain is one of the most common ailments of modern life. Despite its prevalence, there is a wealth of misinformation and myths about the causes and the treatment of back pain.

Myths about who gets it and why:

Myth: Back pain is primarily caused by injury from heavy lifting
Reality: While it’s true that the cumulative effect of this type of strain may result in sudden bursts of pain, or even a herniated or ruptured disc, back pain actually has many causes including a personal injury such as a fall, an auto accident, the aging process, poor posture, disc degeneration, and more.

Myth: Physically fit people don’t get back pain
Reality: Physically fit people may have a lowered risk of back pain (than overweight or poorly-conditioned people, for example), but it can affect everyone regardless of the level of activity. In fact, certain sports, like golf and volleyball, are more likely to create back pain

Myth: Back pain is hereditary
Reality: For the vast majority of back pain sufferers, the pain stems from aging or stress on the spine rather than from a genetic condition.

Myths about treatment:

Myth: Only X-rays, CTs, and MRIs can identify the cause of back pain
Reality: qualified back and spine specialists, such as chiropractors, develop successful treatment approaches based on thorough examinations and understanding of the patient’s medical history.

Myth: Back pain eventually requires surgery
Reality: Most back pain conditions are best treated with a conservative approach involving appropriate diagnosis, physical treatment and lifestyle adjustments. Back pain treatments such as the DRS Protocol® have proven to be a successful alternative to back surgery for spinal conditions such as a herniated or bulging disc, degenerative disc disease, sciatica, spinal stenois, facet syndrome and more. Back Surgery actually has a low likelihood of success and often only results in further complications and pain. 

Myth: Bed rest is needed for full recovery
Reality: By causing pressure on the spinal discs and muscle atrophy, lying down until the pain goes away can actually slow the healing process. Staying active (follow the specific advice of your doctor) is the best approach to regain mobility and recover more quickly

Lastly, the most unfortunate myth of all:

Myth: If no specific problem is found, I’ll just have to live with the pain.
Reality: Living with back pain is just not an option. If you have come to believe that your back pain is untreatable we strongly encourage you to visit Busch Chiropractic in Fort Wayne Dr. Busch and his staff have successfully treated thousands of patients suffering from a wide variety of painful back conditions, even those that were thought to be untreatable. Because of our patient-centered approach, we understand that there is no one set formula to treating every patient’s back condition. We individualize our care to each patient’s needs and situation. Let us help — you do not have to live the rest of your life suffering from painful conditions.