Low back pain will affect some 80% of us in our lifetimes. For some, it the first episode ever. For others, it’s the second or third or fourth episode in as many years. Others seem to “throw out” their back just by sneezing. So what do most people do when they experience an episode of low back pain?
They wait and think it will get better.
I always envision an episode of Family Feud where Richard Dawson poses the question…”Name something commonly heard in a chiropractor’s office.” The first family would throw out, “I thought it would go away!!” and this flips over as the number one answer on the board and the crowd goes wild..
I used to say that my opinion that waiting it out was a bad idea was biased. Not so much so anymore. Multiple studies have come out finding that delays in seeking treatment can produce worse outcomes and a greater likelihood to progress to chronic pain. And given that chiropractors are, based on the evidence, the best first choice for care of musculoskeletal complaints, you should, of course, see a chiropractor NOW.
This particular article looks at what happens if someone with symptoms stemming from a lumbar disc herniation wait to seek care. Those that waited at least 6 months had a worse outcome than those that did not, confirming what we already knew…