Treat the Cause, Not the Symptom

The best way to escape from your problem is to solve it!

—Tony Robbins

Treat the cause, not the symptom? Well, duh, Dr. Morgan—everyone knows that! Yes, most people might know it…but it is not always carried out. Identifying back pain is not as black-and-white as it might seem. Pain can be a nuisance, a dull ache, stiffness, or it can be debilitating. Back pain can be a tricky situation, and many sufferers continue to experience discomfort because the true cause of pain is never located. So, how do we track down the cause?

First, we need to discuss “referred pain.” You are familiar with referred pain, whether you realize it or not. A classic example is when someone is having symptoms of a heart attack—he might have pain in his left arm and neck, but the problem is not the neck or the arm; it is the heart. The same situation can occur in regards to back pain. Imbalances of the spine and movement dysfunctions can have direct effect on joint surfaces, thus potentially leading to joint degeneration or joint decay. In some cases, joint degeneration might be a direct source of pain, but the actual cause of pain is often secondary to muscle imbalance. Therefore, clinicians should find and treat the cause of the pain rather than focusing on the source of the pain. You might have pain that travels to your buttocks and think the problem is a pain in your buttocks, when it could actually be referred pain from your lower back. Conversely you might think you have a pinched nerve in your lower back, but it could be compressed in your buttocks or hamstring—treat the lower back all you want, but unless the problem in the buttocks or hamstring is addressed the pain might never go away.

There is way too much confusion in regards to addressing back pain. As the medical world evolves, we become so specialized to the point that many specialists have blinders on and focus on only one problem. In reality, the majority of the time there are multiple system breakdowns that need to be addressed. Instead the body becomes the territory of different specialists—for example, for ankle pain you might see someone to repair the joint or a therapist to strengthen muscles. They all do valuable work, but what gets lost is the realization of how the whole body or system works—bones, joints, muscles, nerves—and how they all coordinate and contribute to health and wellness, or to pain and dysfunction. Many back surgeries fail due to the fact that an already weak spine is now weakened even further. But, much of the time, failed lower back surgeries occur due to a lack of understanding the whole body system. Many traditional back pain treatments focus primarily, if not exclusively, on just getting rid of the pain. In the process the cause of that pain fails to be identified and addressed.

As you will see, back pain can be a minefield of potential problems. Read My book 21st Century Back Pain Solution!  to learn about separate isolated problems with the back, when in reality it is usually a combination of dysfunction…and finding the true cause is key.

Call anytime between the hours of 8 am and 5:30 pm Monday through Thursday and 8am through 12pm.  Tell the receptionist you’d like to come in for the Back Pain  Evaluation.

We can get started with your consultation, exam and x-rays as soon as there’s an opening in the schedule. Our office is called Advanced Chiropractic and you can find us at 4549 Catclaw Drive Abilene,TX.

I look forward to helping you get rid of your pain so you can start living a healthier, more joyful life.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jake Morgan, D.C.

325-695-9355