The majority of back complaints are diagnosed as pain being caused by wear and tear shown on x-rays and MRI’s.
Up to 40% of adults have a herniated disc, many of which show no signs of pain nor discomfort. 70% of adults have degenerated discs, once again without any pain.
So if the disc or wear and tear on the spine are not causing the pain, then what is?
Muscles, Tendons, and Fascia!!!
The vast majority of back pain sufferers, receive local and referred pain from the soft tissue structures of their lower back and buttock region.
The unfortunate fact, is that x-rays and MRI’s do not diagnose any abnormalities present in soft tissue. They do not show areas of the body that are extremely tight and restricted, nor do they show areas that are extremely weak and unsupported.
Disc bulges and wear and tear occur over a large span of time, often years prior to the patient noticing back pain symptoms.
Both tension and weaknesses to the soft tissue structures also build up over large span of time, frequently building to the point where an innocuous action results in the patient suffering from a severe back spasm or flare up.
The positive for chronic back pain sufferers being, if a true and accurate diagnosis is reached – the approach to treatment can target the cause of the back pain, not merely the coincidental wear and tear that would remain whether back pain was present or not.
