Connection between neck and back pain

When excruciating back pain makes even the simplest tasks feel daunting, it’s essential to uncover solutions that not only provide relief but address the root cause of why your back pain comes and goes. Many assume that the primary cause of their back pain is located directly where it hurts. Such conventional treatments like therapy, surgery, or nerve ablation often focus on where it hurts, but many people overlook the underlying reason why the back pain hurts—the neck. Very often, the real source of pain can be hidden in an entirely different area of the spine.

Our spine problems are often mechanical in nature. The posture holds the body erect and maintains its flexibility through a series of posture muscles. These posture muscles and ligaments provide necessary support and stability for our backs. However, if there’s an imbalance in these muscles, it can result in the spine becoming misaligned and distorted. This misalignment, over time, can exacerbate the wear and tear on our spinal disks and joints, leading to back pain and discomfort.

Understanding the Symptoms of Back Pain

Back pain can present in various forms, with symptoms ranging from mild aches to intense sharp pains. Common back pain symptoms include a persistent dull ache, sudden sharp stabs, muscle spasms, and stiffness. Some individuals may experience radiating pain that travels down to the legs, possibly indicating conditions like sciatica. Others might feel tingling, numbness, or even weakness in the affected areas. Limited range of motion and discomfort after prolonged sitting are also frequent signs.

Understanding the Link Between Chronic Back Issues and Sciatic Pain

Chronic back problems are a common ailment many individuals grapple with, but what’s often overlooked is their potential to cause leg pain, specifically through the onset of sciatica. Sciatica, characterized by pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve which branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg, often results from underlying issues like herniated discs, bone spurs, or spinal stenosis. When there’s consistent stress or injury to the lower back, it can lead to inflammation or compression of this nerve, thereby triggering sciatic symptoms. Addressing the root cause, which often lies in head and neck misalignment, is pivotal to effectively managing and mitigating the debilitating effects of sciatic pain.

But what leads to this muscular imbalance?

Upper cervical chiropractors find the underlying issues of postural imbalance in the head and neck spine, the craniocervical junction. The upper neck is where the brainstem transitions into the spinal cord, and this juncture is responsible for the nerves connecting the brain and the rest of the body, playing a pivotal role in regulating our posture muscles.

To alleviate back pain, you must broaden your perspective of our understanding of human biomechanics. Simply treating the site of the pain might not always yield the desired results. It’s imperative to explore the interconnectedness of how head and neck alignment affects the lower back. Considering the potential role of the neck as the hidden culprit, upper cervical chiropractors have recognized the root cause of why the low back problems come and go without improvement.

Doctor checking a man's back and neck

Upper Cervical Chiropractic in Chicago, Illinois

Dealing with constant back pain and nothing’s working? Try the Upper Cervical Chiropractic care with our NUCCA Chiropractors in Chicago, Illinois. At NUCCA Wellness Clinic of Chicago, our chiropractors have been approaching back pain to restore the body imbalance and posture distortion. Upper cervical chiropractors offer a holistic approach to not just managing the back pain, but possibly eradicating the root cause of back pain. We have unique approach to measure objectively and provide specific adjustments to help with lower back pain.

Just call (224) 676-1920 or fill out a contact form to learn more. You can visit us in Chicago, IL or our other spot in the Northwest Suburb.