Patient Education
Lower Back Pain: Causes, Chiropractic Treatment & Prevention
Lower back pain is one of the most common reasons people visit a chiropractor. Here's what usually causes it, what treatment at Vitruvian looks like, and when to get medical care right away.
In This Article
Does your back hurt when you sit for a while, bend to pick something up, or get out of a chair? Sometimes back pain starts in a single moment, like lifting a heavy box. More often it builds slowly over years of desk work. Either way, chiropractic care is one of several non-invasive options that may help.
At Vitruvian Chiropractic & Rehabilitation in San Jose, Dr. Brian Wang starts by finding out what's contributing to your pain: how it started, what makes it worse, and how you move. This guide covers the usual causes, how treatment works, and the signs that mean you should get care soon.
What Causes Lower Back Pain
Back pain usually comes from a mix of things rather than one cause. These are the most common contributors:
Muscle Strain & Sprains
Overexertion, improper lifting, or sudden movements that tear or overstretch muscles and ligaments.
Disc Problems
Herniated, bulging, or degenerated discs that press on nearby nerves and cause radiating pain or numbness.
Poor Posture
Sitting slouched for hours puts extra load on the lower back and weakens the muscles that support it.
Spinal Misalignment
Spinal joints that aren't moving or lining up well can put uneven stress on discs, joints, and surrounding tissues.
Sedentary Lifestyle
Lack of movement weakens the core and glutes, forcing the lower back to compensate and bear extra load.
Arthritis & Stenosis
Age-related joint degeneration or narrowing of the spinal canal that compresses nerves and limits mobility.
How Chiropractic Helps
Chiropractic care works on lower back pain by improving how the joints and muscles move and by easing irritation of nearby nerves. Research supports spinal manipulation as an option for many people with acute or chronic low back pain, although the strength of the evidence varies. The American College of Physicians lists it among the treatments worth trying before medication for many patients.
In practice, adjustments help take pressure off irritated joints and nerves, and loosening stiff joints and tight muscles makes bending, twisting, and everyday movement easier. Treatment is also aimed at what's contributing to the pain, such as stiff joints, weak core muscles, or how you sit and lift. Some patients notice relief after their first visit; others improve gradually over several sessions.
Treatment Approach at Vitruvian
Dr. Brian Wang builds a treatment plan around what your exam shows. Back pain care often moves through three phases, though how long each one takes depends on the person:
Pain Relief
Spinal adjustments, soft tissue work, and modalities (heat, electrical stimulation) to calm inflammation and reduce acute pain. Visits are more frequent in this phase, often 2–3 times per week.
Correction & Stabilization
As pain decreases, we shift focus to correcting posture, building core strength, and rehabilitative exercises that address underlying weaknesses. Visits reduce to 1–2 times per week.
Maintenance & Prevention
If you choose ongoing care, visits drop to monthly or as needed, with the aim of keeping the pain from coming back and catching new problems early.
When to Seek Care
Don't wait until the pain is unbearable. It's worth seeing a chiropractor if you have:
- Back pain that has lasted more than a few days without improvement
- Pain that radiates down one or both legs (possible sciatica)
- Numbness, tingling, or weakness in your legs or feet
- Pain that worsens when sitting or standing for extended periods
- Stiffness or limited range of motion in the lower back
- Back pain following a car accident, fall, or sports injury
Seek emergency care immediately if lower back pain is accompanied by loss of bladder or bowel control, fever, or severe numbness in the groin area. These can be signs of a serious spinal emergency.
Prevention Tips
These everyday habits help protect your lower back:
- Strengthen your core. Strong core muscles help support the spine
- Take movement breaks every 30–45 minutes if you sit for work
- Lift with your legs, not your back: bend your knees and keep the load close
- Maintain a healthy weight to reduce load on spinal joints
- Sleep on a supportive mattress with a pillow between your knees (side sleepers)
- Stretch your hip flexors and hamstrings regularly, since tightness there adds strain to the lower back
- Ask Dr. Wang whether periodic check-ups make sense for you
This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have severe pain, worsening symptoms, numbness, weakness, dizziness, fever, recent trauma, or other urgent concerns, contact a qualified healthcare provider or seek emergency care.
Back Bothering You? Come In and Get It Checked.
Located at 888 Saratoga Ave, San Jose — open seven days a week to fit your schedule.
Call us at (408) 320-1087