Page 106 - South Mississippi Living - January, 2020

FINANCE & FITNESS
STRAIGHTEN
UP!
The
story by Lynn Lofton
Oh my aching back! Who hasn’t said or heard that lament? Two Coast chiropractors – Dr. Scott Ballard of Biloxi and Dr. Jeremy Jernigan of Gulfport – report seeing a lot of patients suffering from back pain, mostly in the lower back but also in the shoulders and neck.
“Patients are often looking for a more natural approach to treat their pain rather than covering it up with pain medication,” Ballard said. “Chiropractic care has
proven to be a very effective, safe, and natural option
for the treatment of back pain and other spinal related conditions.”
Many conditions respond quickly, in a matter of a few visits, while others may take a little longer depending on the patient’s particular problem and examination findings. Other conservative treatment options may include physical therapy, corrective exercises, or even acupuncture.
Jernigan says back pain affects 80 percent of people
at some point in their lifetimes and lower back pain is
the most common. “It’s also the third leading cause of missed work and why patients visit their doctors,” he added. “Of course there are many causes for lower back pain including falls, accidents and traumas such as car accidents and sports injuries, but most back pain we see in our office comes from repetitive trauma such as prolonged sitting, standing, bending, and poor posture which over time contribute to the unbalanced and weakening of the
supporting musculature and increased inflammation in the area.”
Ballard agrees that prolonged sitting can lead to lower back pain and that good posture is important. “Proper motion is the key to joint health,” he said. “I often encourage patients whose jobs require prolonged sitting to make time for frequent breaks. It’s a good idea to go for a short walk, adopt a simple stretching routine, or consider a standing desk so posture can be altered.”
Jernigan points out that after a proper diagnosis has determined the underlying cause of back or neck pain, conservative drug free approaches can be used such as chiropractic treatments, massage therapy, physical therapy or other functional modalities that can be used to directly address the underlying deficient and weak areas of the back.
“Other approaches such as over-the-counter medications or prescription medications will initially decrease the symptoms but addressing the underlying cause is still important,” he said. “Having a healthy, functional spine is always important to overall health and well-being.”
106 | January 2020
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