Chronic Back Pain and Chronic Neck Pain Are Common
Back and neck pain is the second most common reason why Canadians visit the family doctor, second only to the common cold, the fifth most common reason for hospital admissions and the third most common reason for surgery. Back pain accounts for over $100 billion dollars in health-related costs in North America. It’s obviously a huge problem. Since most people have back or neck pain at some point in their lives, many people don’t seek treatment until the problem has advanced to a point where serious damage is done. It’s important to keep in mind that pain is a symptom of an underlying problem. Knowing the most common reasons for neck or back pain can help in avoiding some of them.

Risk Factors for Neck and Back Pain
Generally, people who have poor posture, weak core muscles, and are overweight are at the greatest risk for back injury. People involved in auto accidents or who play contact sports are at the greatest risk for neck injury. However, there are many reasons besides injury for neck and back pain.

Muscles, especially in the abdominal area commonly referred to the core muscles, provide upright strength for the body and allow a person free movement. When these core muscles are not strong, posture suffers and additional stress occurs in the spine and neck. This leads to susceptibility for further injuries.

Back Pain Is Often Caused By Disc Injury
Disc bulges and herniated discs are a serious cause of back and neck problems. Disc bulges and herniations are usually caused by sudden traumatic pressure to the spine and disc, often from events like a slip and fall or sports injuries. These disc injuries can also be caused by repetitive heavy lifting—especially while bending over. This type of injury is often seen in people who are lifting heavy objects, and is especially common when the lifting is done over a long period time. Winter warriors, shoveling their snow after a heavy snowfall, are also at risk. Sometimes these injuries arise simply by sitting at a desk for long periods of the day over the course of many years. It’s quite similar to what is often referred to as a repetitive strain injury as prolonged sitting adds extra stress to the lower back discs.

Osteoarthritis of the spine is a disease of deteriorating spinal facet joints and usually develops over time. Patients with osteoarthritis of the spine make up a large percentage of patients seen at back clinics. Spinal Arthritis can cause back pain directly, and even result in unusual compensatory movement patterns that reduce irritation to the back but, unfortunately, can damage proper function of other joints, such as the knees, hips, and back. This process can actually contribute to a compensatory kind of arthritis in these areas. Another cause of back pain is a defect in the spine where one vertebra slides over another and is called spondylolisthesis. If the spinal canal narrows, it can cause spinal stenosis. Spinal stenosis is often a result of ongoing deterioration or degeneration of the spinal disc.  These kinds of problems not only cause local back and neck pain but also can cause sciatica (pain down the sciatic nerve in the leg) as well as a nerve pain down the arm. It’s not unusual for the patient to experience muscle weakness, as well as numbness, burning and /or tingling down the arms/legs.

Fractures of the vertebrae can happen in an auto accident or because of serious trauma, such as a fall from a ladder. Compression fractures of the vertebra are associated with osteoporosis along with trauma in many cases. Compression fractures appear in menopausal women, as well as both men and women who have taken corticosteroids for a long time.

Finally, spinal deformities, such as scoliosis, can also lead to back pain.

Neck Pain Has Many Causes
Neck pain, or cervical pain, also has many origins. Injury to the neck, such as whiplash, can certainly cause pain. Degenerative disc disease and osteoarthritis can also cause pain in the neck. There are a number of infections that may be responsible for pain in this area. For instance, a viral infection in the throat can lead to neck pain because of swollen lymph glands. Less common causes of neck pain include rare infections, such as a bone infection, meningitis, and tuberculosis.

Finally, neck pain may be caused by conditions involving the muscles of the neck, such as rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and lupus.

Triggers for Neck and Back Pain
Certainly, any trauma or injury can trigger pain in the neck or back. Sleeping in an awkward position is another trigger. Recently, doctors are seeing more evidence of computer-caused pain, as people spend more time at their keyboards.

Preventing and Treating Neck and Back Pain
Preventing and treating back pain depend on their cause. It is a safe bet that paying attention to posture while sitting and standing will help prevent the pain. Strengthening abdominal muscles is another preventative measure. Lifting properly will avoid back injuries. Make sure to bend the knees and use the legs when lifting a heavy object.

Seek Help at a Professional Back Pain Clinic

However, sometimes back and neck pain happens, even with the best preventative techniques. It is then that seeking help at a back pain clinic is a smart move. Addressing the function of the back and neck and making sure they work correctly will give long-term relief—not just a quick fix. The right treatment includes taking into account all components of the dysfunctional areas and using advanced technology to diagnose and treat the problem.Class IV Summus is considered to be a medical breakthrough in the treatment of disc-related back and neck pain. It’s safe and profoundly effective in accelerating the healing of the damaged disc tissue and is unique as it promotes and accelerates healing primarily on the cellular level, and works without drugs or surgery. Class IV Summus is the most important component of the High Performance Healing System™, offering unprecedented results. This system’s ultimate goal, which also integrates non-surgical spinal decompression as well as Disc Renewal Plus ™ is to achieve lasting pain relief by treating the cause of their pain – at its source, and in the shortest time possible. It’s a natural holistic integrated system that offers remarkable unparalleled results for the vast majority of patients. The High Performance Healing System™ is only available at Back Clinics of Canada.