Back Pain Centennial, CO

Q: Do I need to see a chiropractor for ordinary back pain?

The ordinary back pain that resolves in a few days needs nothing from anyone. The version worth examining is the one that keeps returning, keeps you guarding, or has quietly become your normal, because a problem that recurs has a cause that has not been addressed, and causes left alone grow seniority. Problems that have been there longer take longer to fix. That rule alone is the best argument for coming in earlier than you planned to.

Q: Why does my back pain shoot down my leg?

Because the nerves of the low back travel down the legs, and pressure on them at the spine gets felt along their whole route. Severe back pain radiating down one or both legs is the classic pattern, and it points toward a disc or pinched nerve as the driver. Those cases usually move toward spinal decompression, the treatment designed to take pressure off exactly those discs and nerves.

Q: Adjustments or decompression: which will I need?

The exam and x-rays decide, not a menu. Alignment and motion problems lean on adjustments. Disc involvement, radiating leg pain, and the back that stays locked up lean on decompression, often alongside adjustments. Soft tissue damage adds SoftWave to the mix. There is no cookie cutter plan here, which is precisely why the films come before the plan.

Q: How long until my back feels better?

Acute episodes typically run two to three visits a week in the relief phase, and how long the whole arc takes tracks mainly on how long the problem existed before you came in. Age and overall health, weight and diet included, move the timeline too. You are re-evaluated weekly, and the 8 to 12 visit honesty rule applies to every back in this office.

Q: Why keep coming after the pain stops?

You do not have to, and that is said plainly here. But being out of pain is not the same as being healed, and the correction phase exists because the structure that produced the episode is still there when the symptom quiets. Patients who stop at relief are the ones most likely to be back next year with the same story. Both options get laid out, conservative to complete, and the choice stays yours.

Q: My back pain is from lifting at work. Anything different?

The treatment follows the same rules, but the paperwork does not: report the injury to your employer first, since that is what typically opens a claim, and then call so your specific situation gets sorted before you commit to anything. Lifting injuries are one of the most common work injuries treated here. The full picture is on the work injury care page, including what to do in the first days after getting hurt.

Q: When is back pain an emergency?

Loss of bowel control and complete inability to move are the two signs Dr. Tony names for emergency care, and both go to the ER, not to a chiropractor. Trauma with a possible fracture or dislocation also gets medical evaluation first. After those are cleared, the remaining pain and stiffness is standard territory for this office.

Low Back Specialists
Decompression & Adjustments
No Drugs or Surgery

Back Pain Chiropractor in Centennial, CO

Office worker holding his lower back in pain, treated at Axis Health and Wellness in Centennial CO

One of the most common conditions in a chiropractic clinic is lower back pain, and this is often experienced by many retirees. Not only they, but office workers might also complain about an aching back even if they just bent down for a sock. Some walk, but they’re trying their best to avoid fresh spasms, while others have carried it so long that they have stopped calling it pain and consider it normal, which it isn’t.

People go to experts like Dr. Tony Nicholas after they tried everything to alleviate their back pain. Ideally, these people have already tried medical treatments, but they still come out the other side hurting. Fortunately for them, Axis Health and Wellness in Centennial have the full package, including X-rays and a treatment plan that’s specific to the condition of the spine.

What the Spectrum Consists of? From Ache to Emergency

Back pain can become dull that flares because of patients who have sat for too long.

“For severe back pain, it’s usually sharp, stabbing, take-my-breath-away pain that can radiate down one or both legs.”

Dr. Tony Nicholas, D.C.

Where patients fall on that spectrum can influence their treatment plan, but the processes remain the same. Each case starts with a simple question: what’s actually causing the problem?

What Is Usually Behind It?

Herniated & bulging discs
Degenerative discs
Sciatica and pinched nerves
Lifting injuries at work or in training
Auto accident damage, old and new
A back that is simply stiff

Pain that travels down one or both legs may mean the nerves in the lower back are being affected, pointing toward a disc problem and decompression treatment.

How a Back Gets Treated Here

Chiropractic adjustments restore alignment and the motion of the backbone through the right experts.
Spinal decompression is used when the discs are involved, and the lower back is stiff. The session with the right experts can last for about 20 minutes.
SoftWave therapy is used when soft tissue damage rides along with the structural problem.
Red light therapy can help inflamed tissues.

Your care is adjusted to your pain level from the very first visit. Chiropractic treatment is hands-on, and the goal is to make sure your first visit does not leave you feeling worse than you did before

The Phases of a Back Pain Plan

1 Exam and x-rays. Thorough exams can determine the medical history of the patient and the current condition of the spine so the back can be treated well without needing to guess.
2 The relief phase. Care can be given in three visits a week, and the goal is to get the patient out of pain as soon as possible.
3 The correction phase, your call. A few sessions with the experts a week can help focus on the underlying structure that has contributed to a back pain episode. Feeling better and actually correcting the root cause of the problem are usually two different things.
4 Weekly re-evaluation throughout. The plan changes according to your progress, and if there is no meaningful improvement after around 8 to 12 visits, the next step is a referral, never a larger treatment package.

Go to the ER Instead If

You are losing control of your bowels. This is an emergency and needs attention urgently.
You cannot move at all.
The pain started after the trauma, and it is first necessary to exclude a fracture or dislocation

All of the problems below that level where a painful disk episode takes your breath away, and they are the kind of problems this office is built to solve.

How Much Does It Cost?

The first visit, exam, and treatment is $29. We accept all insurance except Medicaid, plus HSA and FSA cards, CareCredit, Cherry, cash, and credit cards, with payment plans available including no interest options. Plans range from the most conservative approach to the most comprehensive, with pay-as-you-go options available, so you know the costs upfront and can choose what works for you.

Back Pain FAQs

Do I need to see a chiropractor for ordinary back pain?

In general, back pain may go away within a couple of days and may not necessarily need professional treatment. But when it keeps happening, it’s another story, especially if it has become a part of your daily life. There may be a root cause of the pain that needs to be treated. Leaving this alone may worsen the situation with time.

The longer a problem has existed, the more time it takes to improve. That’s a good reason to get your back checked sooner rather than later.

Why does my back pain shoot down my leg?

The nerves in your lower back run down into your legs, so pressure on those nerves in the spine can cause pain along their entire path. Severe back pain that travels down both legs is a common sign of a disc problem, and this may need to be evaluated.

When this happens, treatment may include spinal decompression, which is designed to reduce pressure on the affected discs and nerves.

Adjustments or decompression: which will I need?

The X-rays determine the right treatment, and problems with alignment may respond to adjustments. Disc problems and a back that stays stiff up may call for decompression, often combined with adjustments. If there is soft tissue damage, SoftWave may also be included.

There is no one-size-fits-all treatment plan, and that is why the exam and X-rays come before deciding on treatment.

How long until my back feels better?

The treatment for acute back pain will typically involve two to three visits per week during the relief phase of the treatment. The length of time that the treatment will take will depend upon the length of time that the individual has been experiencing the pain prior to seeking treatment. Also, factors such as age, weight and overall health of the individual will also impact the length of time that it will take for the individual to recover from the pain.

Each week, the patient will be reviewed by the doctor to assess their progress. The 8- to 12-visit honesty rules will apply to every patient with back pain who receives treatment at this office.

Why keep coming after the pain stops?

There’s no need to, especially if the chiropractor says everything is fine. However, feeling better doesn’t mean that the condition has disappeared entirely. There’s still the correction phase that’s designed to address the root cause of the problem so many people won’t have to experience the same issues later on.

Both options are explained, from the most conservative approach to the most complete, and the final choice is yours.

My back pain is from lifting at work. Anything different?

Treatments are going to follow the same approach, but the paperwork can be different. It’s important to report the injury to your employer first to start a claims process. Then call a chiropractor in order to get your specific situation assessed.

The work injury care page explains the full process, including what to do during the first few days after an injury.

When is back pain an emergency?

Loss of bowel control is a sign that Dr. Tony identifies as requiring emergency care, and this can also apply to those who are unable to move. Patients need to go to an ER as soon as possible instead of a chiropractor, and this also applies to fractures.

Once those emergencies have been ruled out, the remaining back pain and stiffness are the type of problems this office typically treats.

Stop Calling It Normal

When your back pain affects how you move in your daily life, it is time to have it properly evaluated. Get your back examined and make sure to get the right imaging. Have a treatment plan with a clear goal, and fortunately, Axis Health and Wellness treats back pain for patients in Centennial, Greenwood Village, Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Aurora, Parker, Castle Rock, and the South Denver metro area.

Request an Appointment (303) 221-1185