The Mayo Clinic estimates that approximately eighty percent of the population will have lower back pain at some point during their lifetime. In a society where many sit in front of a computer for eight hours a day and exhibit poor posture while both sitting and standing, this statistic comes as no surprise. Fortunately, practical relief from lower back pain is as near as your local Kingwood chiropractor.

About Lower Back Pain

We use the muscles in our lower backs to support us when we sit, stand, and move. For this reason, when lower back pain strikes it can be debilitating. Not only can it cause immense discomfort, but it often hinders us from performing simple yet important daily tasks, such as getting in and out of bed or the car or bending over to put on shoes.

Lower back pain can manifest itself in the body in several different ways, including:

  • A dull muscle ache or stabbing pain in the lower back area
  • Pain stretching the width of the lower back
  • Pain radiating into the extremities
  • Pain that increases with or possibly prohibits lifting, standing, walking, or bending


The nature and intensity of lower back pain can differ from person to person and depends heavily on a person's past history of back issues, and the cause of current back problems.

Most Common Causes of Lower Back Pain

The type of repetitive movements a person makes each day could contribute to lower back pain if they are not done in proper form. For example, if a person delivers packages and is lifting heavy boxes, the tendency to lift with the back instead of from the knees can cause distress for the back muscles.

Some of the most common causes of lower back pain typically include poor posture, muscle or ligament strains, herniated discs, injuries, and accidents. Poor posture may be the culprit for an individual who spends most of their day sitting in a computer chair with their shoulders slouched forward. Muscle and ligament strains can be the result of either a simple movement or heavy lifting. Herniated discs typically happen as the result of wear and tear on the back and will occur if disc tissue shifts in between vertebrae. Injuries and accidents such as fender benders and falls can also be a source of lower back pain for some individuals.

Sciatica is also a condition that results in lower back pain which radiates down into the legs. Sciatica pain can occur if the sciatic nerve is impacted by either an overgrowth of bone or a herniated disk. The result is that inflammation ensues and will cause pain and potentially partial numbness to radiate down into the leg.

Chiropractic Treatment of Lower Back Pain

One of the top reasons people seek chiropractic treatment of lower back pain in Kingwood is because it does not usually include prescription or over the counter medications. Most of these health professionals prefer to work with patients to combine manual spinal adjustments and lifestyle changes such as practicing better posture when sitting or specific exercises and stretches.

A chiropractor's treatment plan for an individual experiencing lower back pain is not a one size fits all plan. Each patient's plan for pain relief is customized based on their past health history as well as the cause and intensity of their current pain. Another key consideration taken into account by a Kingwood chiropractor when forming a treatment plan is a patient's end goals, such as being able to move without pain or being able to get back on the tennis courts.

Chiropractic treatment plans generally include one or more of the following:

Non-surgical spinal decompression

This is a non-invasive method of gently stretching a patient's spine to help with pain reduction and an improved quality of life.

Prescribed exercises and stretches

While exercising and stretching may at first seem counterproductive when experiencing back pain, they have the ability to loosen the muscles while also strengthening them. These movements are often demonstrated with the correct form in the chiropractor's office, but then the patient is asked to continue working on them at home as directed. The more committed a patient is to performing their prescribed exercises and stretches, the more benefit they will see from it.

Core strengthening

The body's core muscles are tasked with providing stabilization, mobility, and protection. Without strong core muscles, certain areas of the body such as the lower back could be at risk of injury. These muscles should be engaged during activities for added protection of the body. A chiropractor may give a patient several techniques to perform several times daily that will help increase the engagement of their core muscles.

Lifestyle changes

From the way we sit to what we eat, negative lifestyle habits could contribute to or exacerbate lower back pain. A chiropractor may go over proper posture and ways that a patient can be more cognizant of practicing it when sitting for long periods of time. They may also suggest a few changes in nutrition to help reduce inflammation and maintain a healthy weight to avoid added pressure on the body's joints.

Top Advantages of Receiving Kingwood Chiropractic Care for Lower Back Pain

Intense and debilitating lower back pain typically sends sufferers looking for assistance with pain relief and help returning to their normal lifestyle. For many of these people, going to see the chiropractor has added benefits that make it their first choice.

Most sufferers of lower back pain fear hearing the word surgery in relation to their current back issues. Chiropractors perform non-invasive procedures to help relieve back pain and at a fraction of the cost of back surgery and without weeks of surgery recovery.

A medication free treatment plan offers several benefits to patients. Not only will they save money by not purchasing expensive prescription or over the counter medicine, but it also eliminates the potential to become addicted to some that could be habit forming.

Many patients cite being equipped to relieve their current pain as well as protect against the same problem in the future as a substantial benefit of going to the chiropractor. The exercises, stretches, and techniques a chiropractor shares with a patient can be practiced on an ongoing basis to not only assist with pain relief but strengthen muscles for protection against future injury.

Be kind to yourself. If you are suffering from lower back pain, make an appointment with a reputable and experienced Kingwood, TX chiropractor at Hamel Chiropractic and Wellness today.