In our health-conscious society, we are constantly striving to find the best ways to keep our bodies functioning optimally. Often, this means exploring different forms of medicine that may be outside our traditional Western mindset. In particular, Functional Medicine Denver is becoming an increasingly popular way to treat back pain and other chronic conditions.
So what is functional medicine, and how can it help you? Let’s look at the causes of back pain, symptoms, and how functional medicine can help.
What Causes Back Pain?
Back pain is often caused by muscles, ligaments, and bones that are not working together properly. This type of pain can be due to a number of factors, such as injuries, stress, or poor posture. In some cases, back pain may be a sign of an underlying problem such as:
- A herniated disc
- Arthritis
- Sciatica
- Spinal stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
Symptoms of Back Pain
Symptoms of back pain can include tenderness or a sharp, shooting sensation in your lower and upper back. Other symptoms may include:
- Difficulty sleeping due to the pain
- Pain that is worse when you move or change positions
- Weakness, numbness, and tingling in your arms and legs
- Sudden, sharp pain that may stop you from moving
How Functional Medicine Can Help with Back Pain
Western medicine often fails to address the underlying problem and focuses only on the symptoms. For example, steroid injections may be used to temporarily reduce inflammation of a herniated disc or pinched nerve, but these injections are not designed to treat the underlying problem.
Functional medicine, on the other hand, takes a holistic approach to treating back pain. Functional medicine addresses the root cause of back pain to treat it and prevent future problems. While Western medicine focuses on symptom management, functional medicine attempts to find the underlying cause of the problem and address it. This may include:
- Diet and lifestyle changes
- Nutritional supplements
- Herbal remedies
- Acupuncture
- Massage therapy
- Physical therapy
- Chiropractic care
Benefits of Functional Medicine for Back Pain
Functional medicine offers many benefits over traditional Western medicine for back pain. These include:
- Reducing the side effects of medications used to treat symptoms
- Helping patients avoid surgery or invasive therapies by using less aggressive treatments
- Offering more options for treatment, such as herbal remedies and dietary changes that can help reduce inflammation throughout your body
- Addressing the root cause of the problem, rather than just treating the symptoms
- Helping you to develop a plan to prevent future back pain
Getting Started with Functional Medicine for Your Back Pain
Functional medicine can be a great option for anyone tired of living with the pain caused by back pain. If you are interested in getting started, it’s important to find a practitioner who specializes in functional medicine. Be sure to ask about their background and education to make sure they truly understand what functional medicine means. That way, you can be assured of getting the best possible treatment.
If you are suffering from chronic back pain, functional medicine may be the right choice for you. With its holistic approach and focus on finding the root cause of the problem, functional medicine can help you to get your life back. By working with a functional medicine practitioner, you can find the right mix of therapies for your individual needs and get better results than traditional Western medicine alone.