Back pain sufferers have been given many explanations over the years for why they hurt. Many of those explanations were based on evaluations of their back and maybe an MRI. Physical therapists and chiropractors would follow a treatment pathway chart that told them what to do if a patient did not improve over a certain period of time with their method of care. When a patient did not improve, they would order an MRI to further diagnose the problem which opens up pathways to higher-level specialists with more invasive methods. If you visited a medical practitioner, chances are they would offer you medication for the pain and if the pain persisted, an MRI would then be ordered. There was no treatment or therapy other than medication and then an MRI if there was no improvement. A recommendation to go to a physical therapist, pain management, and more recently a chiropractor could also be made after the MRI was performed. You can perform an MRI on an older person and you are likely to find something which is something many wise doctors have told their patients. Unfortunately, many of these patients in the past were recommended back surgeries or other invasive procedures that left them worse off at a very high cost both physically and monetarily. Most people in the past were aware that higher-level specialists were likely to recommend more invasive procedures such as injections or surgeries that had little scientific proof that would be helpful. Years later, we now know that motion is the primary cause of back pain, and treatment that enhances mobility is most likely to reduce or resolve the pain in your back and many other problems such as the knee, hip, shoulder, and neck pain as well. This has been recently shown in the newest treatment guidelines for back pain featured in the Annals of Internal Medicine from February of 2017. These guidelines recommended avoiding medication and surgeries while showing that treatment methods that improved motion such as manipulation, myofascial treatment, and exercise were more beneficial for lower back pain while being less risky. Many well-educated people continue to believe that a higher level specialist should be seen first, yet this is based on dogma, not science, and leads to injections, medications, expensive tests or procedures that are directed at the pain, but often does not uncover the problem that is producing the pain. Chiropractors have developed a reputation for their management of back pain. It is not just the manipulation of the joints that helps sufferers, but the holistic treatment that includes many of the recommendations from the Annals of Internal Medicine. Chiropractors routinely use many of the methods recommended by the Annals of Internal Medicine. Is hip replacement a solution to an aching lower back? Recently, a number of news sources have talked about how many patients who have hip replacements get relief of lower back pain. This is logical since back pain is a movement issue. Many back pain sufferers have problems with the way they walk and the flexibility required of the ankles, hips, and back. This long term dysfunction causes lower and even upper back pain and stiffness which can destroy your hips and knees over time. The reason hip joints cause back pain is that over time, the joint capsules which surround the joint may become stiffer and less mobile, which increases the stress on the lower back and pelvis while walking, standing, and sitting. The hip and the innominate which the femoral head inserts into degenerates over time due to poor gait habits which along with a stiffer hip capsule reduces motion, causing strain into the sacroiliac joints of the back and resulting in lower back pain. Hip replacement resolves back pain because you have two artificial joints without any nerve endings. When you have two fully mobile artificial joints, they reduce the strain on the lower back and pelvis. Lower back pain can have different causes when experienced by people who have different styles of gait and body mechanics which is why even after hip replacement, these patients are still having back problems. From the chiropractic perspective, it is always safer to preserve the health of the joints in the body and improve the way you move. What to expect on your first visit The doctor will check your blood pressure and do an evaluation of your body mechanics and overall mobility. A holistic history will include everything, not just your lower back. It has been our experience that people often tolerate problems for years that seem to self-resolve. It is also common for people to not mention their other problems which they may not believe is related to their back pain. It is the doctor's job to be a good diagnostician but to do this, they need to be a great detective and take a thorough history. The doctor will check your feet, flexibility, and overall movement ability. Evaluating core stability, the ability to squat, or move with or without pain in all areas of the body. Orthopedic tests can help determine if the problem is disc related, spine-related or even foot and hip-related which are all possible in someone who experiences lower back pain. A foot orthotic may be recommended if there is a functional imbalance caused by your foot posture and body style. Treatment which is usually rendered on the same day may include myofascial release treatment, exercises, spinal manipulation, and extremity manipulation to help restore normal movement patterns. For the safest and most efficient way to relieve back pain, see a chiropractor first. Click this link to schedule your appointment today.