By Dr. William Booker, D.C .

BACK PAIN CULPRIT: MECHANICAL PROBLEMS

Although there are several causes of lower back pain; injuries, arthritis, tumorsand infections, the overwhelming majority of lower back pain cases are the resultof mechanical problems.

Mechanical pain

results from a lack of,

an excess of joint movement in thespine, as well as, an imbalance of overactive and inactive muscles around thespine. e most common result of mechanical problems is a condition calledintervertebral disk degeneration, which simply means the deteriorating of disksbetween the vertebra of the spine as a result of improper wear and tear. As disks wear down, they lose their ability to provide cushioning and shock absorption forthe spine, leading to increased pain from the disk. When diagnosing lower back pain, it is

crucial

to rule out disk involvementFIRST because of all of the mechanical back problems, a bulging, herniated orrupturing disc is the one condition most likely to result in a visit to the emergency room. In fact, should the disc actually rupture, surgery may be the only treatmentoption.I like to say that your body didn’t read the medical textbooks, so it can ultimately do whatever it wants. at being said, the

3 most common signs of a herniateddisk are

:1. Sciatica or numbness, tingling, weakness or pain in the buttocksback, legs or feet2. Pain is typically worsened with sitting or any bending at the waist3. Increased back or leg pain with coughing or sneezing