Conditions & Concerns
Back Pain: Understanding Your Options
Back discomfort can affect work, sleep, exercise and everyday activities. The causes and contributing factors vary, so an appropriate next step begins with understanding your symptoms and relevant history.
Different possible causes
Back pain can arise from many sources — muscle strain, joint irritation, disc-related concerns, posture and activity habits, or an injury. Because the contributing factors vary, an assessment helps clarify what may be relevant to you.
How assessment works
An assessment may include discussing your symptom history, relevant activities and any prior treatment or imaging, followed by an appropriate physical examination. The goal is to understand the concern and consider what care options may be suitable.
Considering care options
Care options are considered based on the assessment, your preferences and the practitioner's clinical judgment. Chiropractic care and registered massage therapy may each be relevant in some situations — neither is appropriate for every case. You're encouraged to ask questions and discuss preferences before any care begins.
Seek emergency medical care for:
Explore related care
A note on this information. This page is general and educational, not individualized medical advice. Chiropractic care is not suitable for every cause of back pain, and no specific outcome or timeline is guaranteed. An assessment is the appropriate way to consider whether care may be right for you.