It is estimated that up to 84% of the US population will have lower back pain (LBP) at some point in their lifetime. LBP is one of the most common issues that we see here at Lovett Family Chiropractic. It is the second most common reason people visit their primary care physician. LBP is the most common cause of disability at work. LBP costs the US economy an estimated $86 to $100 billion annually. LBP is very common and can have a tremendous impact on individuals, as well as our society as a whole.
Having lower back pain, although common, is never normal. Lower back pain should be taken seriously. It is a sign that a problem needs to be addressed. It is your body crying for help. The more that we ignore it, or try to cover it up with pain pills, muscle relaxers, or needle injections, the less likely we are actually to heal.
When someone experiences lower back pain, they must seek medical attention promptly. The longer that they put it off, the more likely they are to cause additional, permanent damage, which we never want to see. Making an appointment for your initial evaluation is super easy and convenient.
$49 New Patient Special
First visit includes a consultation, case review, careful exam, X-rays (if necessary) and initial adjustment. Second visit includes a doctor’s report of findings, care plan recommendations, and treatment if you decide to move forward. Not valid with any other offers or promotions. Restrictions apply. Must mention this coupon at the time of scheduling.
How Our Care Protocol Works
First, we perform a thorough chiropractic exam and x-rays to determine exactly where the lack of proper movement is in your spine and which specific vertebrae need to be addressed.
Second, we restore proper motion to your spine and take stress off of the nerve by performing biomechanically and neurologically correct chiropractic adjustments.
Third, we teach you specific exercises to strengthen and stabilize your spine. These exercises are carefully designed to get you great results and NOT aggravate your condition.
Fourth, as clinically indicated, we perform non-surgical spinal decompression to take pressure off of the disc and off of the nerve giving you relief like you haven’t felt in years!
How We Treat Lower Back Pain In Centennial, CO
Comprehensive Consultation and Exam
At Lovett Family Chiropractic, we start with a thorough consultation, which enables us to get to know you and your specific condition. It’s essentially a fact-finding mission. We find out how long it has been going on, what makes it better, what makes it worse, what you have tried that didn’t work, what it feels like, if it radiates up your back, down your back, into your legs, etc.
Most importantly, we discuss what would change or improve if we could eliminate your pain. Learning about your symptoms and goals is very important because it puts everything into perspective. Most people can deal with or ignore a high amount of pain. They might even take pills to mask the pain. What they can’t deal with is how it affects their lifestyle. They want to be doing the things they enjoy with the people that they care about. They never want to feel limited, and we do everything that we can to help them live a life without limits.
Specific Chiropractic Care in Centennial, CO
There are several modalities that we may use to treat your lower back pain. First, there are specific chiropractic adjustments. During the course of your consultation, exam, and x-rays, we are working to identify the problem vertebrae. We recognize those who are stuck and not moving as well as they should. These are called subluxations. The only way to correct subluxations is with specific chiropractic adjustments.
The adjustments are relatively gentle and may involve Dr. Lovett using his hands to make the adjustments, or he may use an instrument called the Impulse. These adjustments help the spine move more easily, allowing the nervous system to function optimally. When your nervous system functions properly, you will feel better and be healthier.
The adjustments that we perform in our office are precise. Many other providers will do everything they can to get a “pop” out of your back. That pop feels good because it releases endorphins. However, if it is not performed biomechanically and neurologically correctly, it can cause further damage to the spine. Rather than causing damage to the discs by applying excessive force, which can be likened to ringing out a wet towel, our adjustments are precise and target the exact vertebra that is subluxated. This is more akin to folding a shirt with clean fold lines.
Custom Therapeutic Exercise Plan
Lastly, everyone’s care plan includes specific exercises to help strengthen and stabilize the spine. These are not the most challenging exercises in the world, but they are essential in helping to provide strength and stability to the spine. The exercises we provide to our patients are designed not to aggravate their symptoms, but rather to strengthen and stabilize the spine in a way that allows it to handle future adverse stresses.
Digital X-Rays
Our next step is to take digital spinal X-rays. These are high-frequency X-rays that use very little radiation. We can analyze your X-rays during your initial visit to determine how the alignment of your spine is causing your symptoms. These X-rays also show us the condition of your spine. They show us how much decay and degeneration have taken place over your lifetime. Understanding decay and degeneration is helpful because it informs us about the extent of damage in your spine and how long it will likely take to see improvements.
Non Surgical Spinal Decompression (NSSD)
In certain situations, we recommend Non-Surgical Spinal Decompression (NSSD). NSSD is an excellent modality and can provide tremendous relief in a variety of conditions related to lower back pain, including: bulging discs, herniated discs, sciatica, numbness, tingling or weakness in the legs, neuritis, neuropathy, radiculitis, radiculopathy, digestive problems, reproductive issues, muscle spasms, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, and the list goes on.
NSSD can be performed on the lumbar spine to provide incredible relief. We set you up by having you lie on a specialized table that has two gray belts that wrap around your midsection. The top one holds you to the table. The bottom one is attached to a rope that connects to a computerized head. We set the parameters of the protocol that will work best for your situation. We unlock the table so that when the rope pulls on your lower back, the bottom half of the table slides slightly, creating a decompression effect in the lower back.
NSSD works by creating a negative pressure in the disc. By pulling on the spine at a specific angle, we can target the particular disc that is causing your symptoms. I think of the NSSD like an accordion. When you pull an accordion apart, it creates a negative pressure, which causes air to flow into the accordion. We are doing the same thing, but instead of air, we are providing hydration and nutrition to flow into the disc, allowing it to heal.
Orthopedic and Neurological Examination
Next, we conduct a thorough orthopedic and neurological examination to assess the functioning of your brain and nervous system. These are standardized orthopedic and neurological tests that help us determine areas of the spine that are not functioning correctly. We also measure your spinal range of motion to find where your spine is limited.
The consultation, x-rays, and exam help us determine which vertebrae are the problem vertebrae and which ones need to be adjusted. As long as we determine the cause of your problem, and it is within our area of specialty, we will accept you as a patient. If it is not within our area of specialty, we will refer you to the proper provider.
Check Out Our Location Near You
12201 E Arapahoe Rd B10, Centennial, CO 80112
Frequently Asked Questions
What can I do to relieve my lower back pain?
We mentioned ways to relieve your lower back pain in the sections above, but the best thing you can do is click on the “Schedule Your Appointment” tab at the top of this page. We will follow the steps mentioned above to determine the cause of your back pain and to determine the best way to assist you.
Why won’t my lower back pain go away?
Our bodies are designed to heal themselves. However, sometimes, when we have subluxations in our spine and our body is unable to fully heal itself because the brain and body are not communicating with one another as they should. That is why correcting your subluxations, with chiropractic adjustments, is the key to allowing your body to heal itself.
How do I know if my lower back pain is severe?
Anytime you experience lower back pain, it is a cause for concern. You should never have lower back pain. Lower back pain is a signal from your body that something is amiss. Think of it like the Check Engine light in your car. There is never a time when the Check Engine light is on and you just brush it off as being “normal”. Lower back pain is common, but never normal. You must take this cry for help from your body very seriously.
Can a chiropractor help with my back pain?
ABSOLUTELY! Lower back pain is one of the most common conditions that we see in our office. We are very successful at identifying the root cause of lower back pain. A chiropractor should be the first provider that you see for your lower back pain because the chiropractor has the expertise to diagnose your condition differentially.
What are common signs of a slipped, herniated, or bulging disc?
Suppose you experience sharp lower back pain that worsens with activities such as bending, standing up from a seated position, getting out of your car, coughing, sneezing, or bearing down as if having a bowel movement. In that case, you likely have a slipped, herniated, or bulging disc. Muscles don’t hurt when you do the activities just described. That pain is being caused by the increase in intradiscal pressure during those movements.
The increase in pressure causes the disc to push straight backwards or backwards to one side. When that happens, the disc pushes onto the nerve, causing pain. It only takes the weight of a dime to affect the function of a nerve. Therefore, when a disc slips, herniates, or bulges, it doesn’t take much pressure from the disc onto the nerve to cause significant pain.
When a disc is slipped, herniated, or bulging, additional symptoms may occur, in addition to localized back pain. This could include pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness shooting up the back, or down into the legs. Disc issues could even affect your organs.
How should I sleep if I have lower back pain?
Generally, the best position for sleeping is on your back. Take a couple of pillows and put them behind your knees. This will help alleviate some of the pressure on your lower back. Sleeping on your stomach is never ideal because your spine has to be twisted at some point, whether it’s in your neck or back. Sleeping on your side can be ok if you have one hip on top of the other and one shoulder on top of the other. If your hips and shoulders are not aligned, it can cause significant pain in those areas, as well as in your spine. Also, if you are lying on your side, make sure to put a pillow between your knees and ankles, as your hips are wider than your knees and ankles. Without the pillow, it will put a lot of pressure on your hips and lower back.
How do I know if my back is out of alignment?
The best way to determine if your spine is out of alignment is to consult a chiropractor, as this is their area of expertise. If you are having any spinal symptoms, like neck or back pain, there is a very high likelihood that you have some spinal misalignment. The chiropractor will determine the best approach and perform a thorough consultation, examination, and spinal X-rays to identify the problem areas and determine how to address them.
$49 New Patient Special
First visit includes a consultation, case review, careful exam, X-rays (if necessary) and initial adjustment. Second visit includes a doctor’s report of findings, care plan recommendations, and treatment if you decide to move forward. Not valid with any other offers or promotions. Restrictions apply. Must mention this coupon at the time of scheduling.