Why is my back pain not going away?

As a chiropractor in Austin, Texas I commonly encounter people who have tried almost everything and still not gotten relief for their back pain. It’s become such a common occurrence that I get asked this that I’ve decided to list the top reasons why most people aren’t getting the relief they are so desperately looking for.

1) Chasing the Pain!

The first mistake that we make as patients AND practitioners is chasing the pain! The problem is not always where the pain is! When I get a person who has low back pain, they always point to right where they feel the discomfort and assume that’s where the problem is. In reality, many times the problem is not actually there. The pain on the lower right side of the back could be coming from a problem on the left side of the spine, or even a problem in the foot. We are a “biotensegrity unit,” meaning everything affects everything! Bone, muscle, and fascia (connective tissue) are all always involved together. The body works as a whole unit. A problem in one area of our body over time starts to affect the surrounding areas.

2) No Adequate time

Another common reason pain does not go away is that we do not give our body adequate time to heal. Typically injuries or problems in our bodies occur due to the accumulation of many little things over a period of YEARS. Expecting a problem to disappear after a quick procedure of any kind is highly unlikely to happen. A problem that has been accumulating for years typically takes weeks to months to years to heal completely. To get rid of back pain that is not going away, I always recommend finding a practitioner such as a chiropractor who sees the body as a whole. This is important because as  mentioned, pain can be the result of a problem coming from another part of the body other than where we feel it. This is why after trying all the home tricks like stretches, exercises, and foam rolling it is vital to see a professional. You wouldn’t want an amateur telling you how to change a head gasket on your car; you don’t want an amateur telling you how to solve the source of your pain in your body. This is important because the sooner we detect an issue, the better the outcome typically is.