Dr. Gregory
Kolwaite |
|
Pinpointing the source of back pain
QUESTION:
How can I tell if my back pain is coming from a muscle or a pinched nerve?
ANSWER:
That is a very good question. In general, muscle pain tends to burn and stay local to the problem area. A pinched nerve, on the other hand, tends to be a sharp pain and is more likely to radiate away from the problem area, i.e. running down the leg or arm.
Both types of pain can be extremely debilitating.
Oftentimes, back pain will be caused by a combination of muscle and nerve pain. A muscle's primary function is to move a joint; for example, the bicep muscle flexes the elbow joint and brings the wrist up toward the shoulder.
The muscles' secondary task is to protect the joints they surround. This is accomplished by contracting or "knotting up" near an injured joint. This action splints the joint and stabilizes it, preventing further injury. If the spinal vertebral joints are injured enough to cause a pinched nerve, then there are likely knotted muscles also contributing to the pain.
A chiropractor's job is to try to restore vertebral joints to normal functioning, alleviating pinched nerves, and, in effect, relaxing the surrounding muscles.
Dr. Gregory Kolwaite, whose column appears monthly in the Observer-Dispatch, operates Adirondack Chiropractic at 4947 Commercial Drive, Yorkville 13495. If you have a question, you can write to him at his office address or call 768-7578. The Web site is: www.adirondackchiro.com. |
